Dear Queenscliff Parents and Carers,
Reconciliation Week
This week, our school proudly recognised and celebrated National Reconciliation Week, with students and families participating in a range of meaningful learning experiences connected to this year’s theme, ‘All In’.
It was wonderful to welcome so many parents and carers to our ‘All In for Reconciliation’ afternoon on Tuesday 2 June. Students and families engaged in thoughtful conversations about First Nations histories, cultures and perspectives, while exploring the actions we can all take to support reconciliation in our community.
As part of the afternoon, students created bracelets and necklaces using paper beads inspired by First Nations artworks. Each piece featured words and messages that reflected their discussions and personal commitments to reconciliation. Across the school, students chose powerful words such as change, belonging, kindness, respect, inclusion, diversity and culture to represent their hopes for a more inclusive future.
The afternoon provided a valuable opportunity for our school community to come together, reflect and consider how our words, actions and attitudes can contribute to positive change. It highlighted the important role we all play in building understanding, respect and meaningful connections with First Nations peoples.
Throughout the week, classrooms have been buzzing with learning as students explored the lives and achievements of influential First Nations leaders, activists, politicians, artists and sportspeople who have helped shape our nation, both historically and today. Through stories, music, art and cultural experiences, students have deepened their understanding of the rich histories and enduring contributions of First Nations peoples.
National Reconciliation Week has provided an important opportunity for our students to learn, reflect and celebrate, while strengthening their understanding of the shared journey towards reconciliation.
IDAHOBIT DAY - Rainbow Portrait Display
As part of our school's recognition of IDAHOBIT Day and celebration of diversity, every student and staff member created a self-portrait that reflected their unique identity and individuality. These portraits were brought together to form a vibrant rainbow display, which is currently showcased in our main building.
We warmly invite parents and carers to visit the school and view this special art installation. The collective artwork is a powerful representation of our commitment to valuing diversity, embracing inclusion and celebrating what makes each member of our community unique.
Together, the display reflects our ongoing efforts to ensure that all students, families and staff feel safe, respected and connected. It serves as a visual reminder of the strong sense of belonging we strive to foster, where everyone is welcomed and valued.
Nherrin Boor Woork Strides and Stories Challenge
The ‘Nherrin Boor Woork Strides and Stories’ Challenge is well underway. At the end of Week 6, we had students calculate their total points from Prep to Year 6. So far, the competition is close between Houses with Hobson, Learmonth and Gellibrand battling it out for the podium spot.
Week 6 Results
The challenge involves students selecting to either undertake a reading challenge or exercise challenge (involving running, walking, riding or scootering). Students are to record their efforts in their handbook, as well as details for sponsorship for the challenge. Students are to bring in their ‘Nherrin Boor Woork Strides and Stories’ handbooks every Friday so that teachers can celebrate their progress and achievements. All sponsorship from the challenge will fundraise for our school to purchase a bronze bird bath to feature at the front of our school.
Art Show - Saltwater Dreaming
We are excited to announce that in Term 3, Queenscliff Primary School will host its annual Art Show, Saltwater Dreaming, at St George’s Church in Queenscliff. This special event will celebrate the creativity, imagination and artistic talents of our students, providing an opportunity for their work to be showcased to families and the wider community.
The official opening night will be held on Friday 4 September, and we warmly invite parents, carers and community members to join us in celebrating our students' artistic achievements. The exhibition will then remain open to the public from 4 September to 11 September, allowing visitors to enjoy the diverse collection of student artwork on display.
Adding to the excitement, selected students will facilitate community art workshops from Monday 7 September to Wednesday 9 September, sharing their creativity and skills with visitors. Artwork created by students will also be available for purchase, and a number of larger collaborative canvas pieces will be auctioned during the exhibition.
We encourage all families to mark Friday 4 September in their calendars and join us for what promises to be a wonderful evening celebrating student creativity, artistic expression and community connection.
Further details about the exhibition and opening night will be shared closer to the event.
Quarter Zip Polar Fleece
Our new Quarter Zip Polar Fleece Jumper has finally arrived after a much-anticipated wait. Noone Uniforms will have the jumper in stock from Friday 5 June 2026. The Quarter Zip Polar Fleece is $43.00 and is perfect to keep warm and snug in this Winter weather.
Families can order online or visit the store (162 Moorabool St, Geelong VIC 3220).
Special Lunch - Final Day of Term 2 ‘Dogs and Frogs’
Our Prep Families are hosting a ‘Dogs and Frogs’ special lunch to celebrate the final day of Term 2 and to support our school’s fundraising for our grounds and gardens projects. ‘Dogs and Frogs’ special lunch will include hotdogs (with cheese optional) and a jelly cup with a Freddo frog and will be hosted on Friday 26 June.
The ‘Dogs and Frogs’ lunch will have the following options available for families to order:
- Dogs and Frogs Combo - $10.00 (1 x hotdog, 1 x jelly cup with Freddo frog)
- Hotdog (single) - $7.00
- Jelly Cup with Freddo frog (single) - $4.00
*All hotdogs will be gluten free. Cheese will be optional.
Order forms will be sent home with students for families to complete and return.
Please complete the Order Form with payment and return to the School Office or your child’s class teacher. Order forms and payment is due by Friday 19 June. Orders will not be accepted after this date.
The ‘Dogs and Frogs’ lunch is optional. If you wish for your child not to participate, we encourage you to pack a suitable lunch for them on this day. There will be no lunch orders provided from Café 3225 on Friday 26 June.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our Prep Parent Group for organising this special lunch for our students. Thank you!
Lightning Premiership Football and Netball
On Wednesday 27 May, our Year 5/6 students proudly represented Queenscliff Primary School at the Lightning Premiership Football and Netball Competition, competing against schools from across the Bellarine. Despite the cold, windy and rainy conditions, our students demonstrated outstanding enthusiasm, resilience and determination throughout the day, giving their best effort in every match.
We entered three teams in the Netball competition – QPS Red, QPS Blue and QPS Mixed. QPS Red had an exceptional day, winning all of their matches and securing a place in the Division Netball Competition to be held at Kardinia Park on Thursday 11 June. Congratulations and good luck to the team as they prepare for the next stage of competition.
Our QPS Blue team showed incredible persistence and teamwork, winning two of their six games despite not having a bye throughout the day. The QPS Mixed team secured one win and consistently demonstrated excellent sportsmanship, encouragement and teamwork in every game.
A special congratulations goes to Savannah Parker, who selflessly volunteered to play for an opposing team after they lost a player to injury. Savannah's willingness to help exemplified empathy, kindness and leadership, and she should be incredibly proud of her actions.
We would also like to acknowledge Finn Mauger, Elijah Brown and Edward for stepping up to join the Mixed Netball team, ensuring our school could field three teams in the competition. Their willingness to support their peers and embrace a new challenge demonstrated wonderful leadership and team spirit. Well done, Finn, Elijah and Edward.
A special thank you also goes to Will Ulph from Year 4, who answered a last-minute call to join the Football team following an injury and student absence. Will's readiness to help his teammates was greatly appreciated.
Our Football team played with determination and pride throughout the day, winning two matches and consistently displaying excellent sportsmanship, fair play and respect for their opponents.
Finally, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Mrs Rebecca Durran, our Health and Physical Education teacher, for her outstanding organisation and leadership in coordinating the event for schools across the Bellarine. Thank you also to Mrs Ebony Tannouri, Mr Leigh Churchill, Miss MacKenzie Woodman and Mrs Morgan Lee Hickey for coordinating teams and generously giving their time to run training sessions during lunchtimes. We are also grateful to Laura Clarke, parent of Macy and Hunter Murphy, for volunteering her time to coach our netball team on the day.
Year 1/2 Bake Sale - Friday 12 June
Our Year 1 and Year 2 parent groups are excited to be hosting a Winter Bake Sale on Friday 12 June, from 2:45–3:15pm, to help raise funds for our school.
We warmly invite families to contribute a sweet or savoury homemade treat for the stall. Please include a list of ingredients with your baked item to support students with allergies and dietary needs. We also encourage families to consider vegan‑friendly and lactose‑free options, as these are helpful for several students in our community.
Baked goods can be dropped off at the school office from Wednesday 10 June until Friday 12 June (before 9am). Items may be brought in a labelled Tupperware container, plate or disposable container. Please ensure your family name is clearly marked so containers can be returned safely.
The Bake Sale will open at 2:45pm on Friday 12 June, with items available for purchase from $2.00 to $5.00.
If you have any questions, please contact our Year 1/2 Class Representatives — Stacey Goegan, Scott Atkinson and Melle Patrick — or the school office at queenscliff.ps@education.vic.gov.au.
QPS Recipe Book Project
Later this year, our Year 1 and Year 2 classes will be creating a QPS Recipe Book featuring favourite recipes from our school community. During the Bake Sale, families who would like their recipe included — along with a photo of their child and their baked creation — are welcome to let us know on the day, as Mrs Tannouri will be available to take photos.
We are grateful to our Year 1 and Year 2 parent volunteers for leading this wonderful fundraiser. The Winter Bake Sale will be a fantastic opportunity for our community to come together, connect and enjoy some delicious seasonal treats.
State-Wide Principal Conference
Last Thursday 28 and Friday 29 May, Queenscliff Primary School had the privilege of presenting at the statewide Principals’ Conference held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The theme for this year’s conference was ‘Leading Together for Excellence and Equity’.
Mrs Hannah Petrie, Mrs Morgan Lee Hickey, Mrs Yvette Hurley, Mrs Jackie Morris and I facilitated workshop sessions that showcased our school's work in curriculum, instruction, assessment, wellbeing and school culture. The presentations provided an opportunity to share our practices and learning with Principals and Assistant Principals from across Victoria, supporting professional growth and collaboration across the education sector.
It was a proud and rewarding experience to highlight the outstanding work undertaken by our educators and support staff each day. The opportunity to present on a statewide stage reflects the collective dedication, expertise and commitment of our staff to continually improving learning and wellbeing outcomes for all students.
Our Assemblies
Our school assemblies are held every 3–4 weeks on a Friday morning, commencing at 9:00am. Assemblies provide an important opportunity for our school community to come together to connect, celebrate and recognise the achievements, growth and learning of our students.
Throughout the year, each class presents a showcase of their learning, giving students the opportunity to share their work with peers, staff and families. These presentations help students develop valuable communication and presentation skills while building confidence when speaking in front of an audience.
Assemblies are intended to be a special occasion and are conducted with a sense of formality, reflecting the value we place on learning and the accomplishments of our students. They are an opportunity to celebrate not only academic success, but also effort, growth, citizenship and participation within our school community.
Most assemblies run for approximately 30–40 minutes. On occasions where we are recognising a significant event or celebration, such as IDAHOBIT Day, assemblies may extend beyond this timeframe.
We understand that many parents and carers have work, family and other commitments on Friday mornings. Families are warmly invited to attend assemblies; however, there is no expectation that parents and carers remain for the entire duration. We appreciate that some family members may only be able to attend part of an assembly and encourage attendance in whatever capacity is possible. Of course, attendance is not expected at every assembly.
Our annual End of Year Assembly, held in December, is a larger celebration that includes graduation, community and class awards, recognition of student achievements and farewells to departing students and families. As a result, this assembly typically runs for approximately 60–90 minutes. As with all assemblies, families are welcome to attend the sections most relevant to their child and are not expected to remain for the entire event.
Prep Enrolment for 2027
Prep enrolments for 2027 are open! In the coming weeks, we will be finalising our enrolments for 2027 and informing prospective and current parents the outcome of their enrolment application. We encourage current families and new families to the community to submit their enrolment applications as soon as possible so that planning for 2027 can be finalised.
Queenscliff Community Market
On Sunday 31 May, we held our final Queenscliff Community Market for the 2025–2026 season. As another successful market season comes to a close, I would like to take the opportunity to sincerely thank the many people who have contributed their time, energy and commitment to making the market such a success.
A special thank you goes to our Market Coordinators, Fred Rhoads, Richard Fewster and Lisa Golightly, for their exceptional leadership and dedication throughout the season. Coordinating the market involves countless hours of planning, communication and organisation with volunteers and stallholders, and their efforts play a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation of each market day.
The Queenscliff Community Market is a significant fundraiser for our school, providing valuable resources and opportunities that directly benefit our students and our school grounds. Fred, Richard and Lisa generously give their time and expertise to support the market, and we are incredibly grateful for their ongoing commitment to our school community.
I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of our parent volunteers who have supported the market throughout the season. Whether assisting stallholders, helping with set-up and pack-down, or directing stallholders to market sites, your willingness to volunteer your time has been invaluable. Thank you!
Assembly
We invite families to attend our assembly this Friday 7 June at 9:00am. We will have class showcases from 5/6C, Visual Arts and 3/4F. Parents, carers and community members are invited to join us for this celebration.
School Council
On Monday 1 June, our School Council met to discuss school operations, finances and strategic planning. Our next School Council meeting is scheduled for Monday 27 July 2026. If you have correspondence or feedback you would like to provide to the School Council, parents and carers are invited to email our School Council President, Daniela Sayegh at daniela.sayegh@education.vic.gov.au
Nyatne baa Gobata
(Thank you and take care)
Mat McRae
Principal
