Principal’s Report

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Olivia C.C. of Grade 4 attended the Diving State Championships this past weekend and won 3 Silver state medals! Amazing work Olivia!

She will be taking part in the National Championships in Adeleide over the next school holidays and will also participate in the School Sport Victoria competition in April.

Good luck Superstar!

Dear EPS Community,

This message is regarding a call for nominations for Parent/Carer Category positions and School Employee Category positions on School Council. Nomination forms are available at the office or attached to this message. Please drop completed forms back to the office or email to emerald.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Nominations open Monday 2nd March 2026 and close on Tuesday 10th March 2026 at 4pm.

Positions on School Council are elected on a 2 year basis in 2026. If a 2 year position cannot be completed then the election process has a one year vacancy for that position.

This year we have:

7 Parent/Carer Category positions (2 years) available

2 School Employee Category positions (2 years) available

School Council Information Sheet 2026

School Council Self Nomination Form 2026 Parent/Carer Category

School Council Self Nomination Form 2026 School Employee Category

Please see attached some very important information in regards to protecting the health of a student at Emerald Primary School. Your support and co-operation is very much appreciated.

Important Letter from Monash Childrens Hospital 2026

Dear Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5 & Grade 6 Families,

Our apologies but due to a clash with bookings, the EPS House Sports Day has been moved from 4th March in the calendar, to Thursday 5th March. It will be held at the Cockatoo Little Athletics Track at Mountain Road Reserve as usual.

Please be advised that on Thursday 5 March (House Sports Day) the school canteen will be closed. The online ordering system will also be unavailable on this day to prevent orders being placed.

We appreciate your understanding and apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Thank you for your support.

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy

(NAPLAN) tests for Year 3 and 5 students are conducted by the Victorian

Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) on behalf of the Australian

Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).

In 2026, the NAPLAN Online test window will commence on Wednesday 11th March and conclude on Monday 23th March.

We encourage our students to participate in the NAPLAN Online tests and wish to reassure our families that just want our students to have a go and do their best on the day.

Catch up tests will be available for individual students who are absent on test days.

This will be arranged with the classroom teacher, under the supervision of Carice D’Rozario.

Exemptions may be granted to students with significant intellectual disabilities and to students who have been learning English for

less than one year. If your child is eligible for support due to disability or exemption, you should discuss this with his/her teacher prior to the tests.

Parental consent is required before any support due to disability or exemption is granted.

Students may be withdrawn from NAPLAN by their parent or carer. This is a matter for consideration by parents and carers. If you decide to withdraw your child, you must sign a student withdrawal form. Please contact Carice D’Rozario or your classroom teacher to request a withdrawal form.

Later in the year, you will receive your child’s personal NAPLAN report. The report will describe your child’s particular skills in reading, writing, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. The report will also show how your child performed in relation to national minimum standards. These describe the minimum acceptable standards for students across Australia.

We are looking forward to the exciting Grade 5 Camp to Phillip Island in mid-March this year. Information regarding the camp payments, permissions and medical information was sent out at the end of last week via Compass.

In the last couple of years, NAPLAN has also been conducted during dates close to our camp dates. Due to another change towards the end of 2025, the first day of camp clashes with the sitting of the Writing test for NAPLAN for Grade 5 students again this year.

Unfortunately, there was no option to move the camp to any other suitable dates this year, and the NAPLAN administrators were not able to permit us to move the Writing test, as it needs to be completed at the same time as all Grade 5 students around the state.

Thank you to Jason Dangerfield and the team, the departure time for the camp has been able to be delayed by an hour or so, to enable students to take the Writing tests before they leave for camp on Wednesday 11th March.

So, the arrangements will be:

• Students arrive at school by 8.45am

• Luggage left near front office

• NAPLAN Writing session starts at 9.00am

• Volunteers to help load luggage onto bus

• Writing session complete by 10.00am

• Students head to bus for departure at 10.15am

• Parents and Carers will be welcome to return at approximately 10.00am to farewell their children and wave to the bus!

Please be advised of the following student free days, when our staff will be completing professional learning activities or parent teacher interviews:

  1. Thursday 12th February – Parent-Teacher Connect Meetings from 1pm to 6pm; classes finish at 12pm on this day. Supervision at school is available on this afternoon until 3.30pm.
  2. Monday 20th April – Curriculum Day
  3. Thursday 25th June – Parent-Teacher Interviews
  4. Monday 13th July – Curriculum Day
  5. Friday 4th December – Assessment & Reporting Day

For those families using the TheirCare childcare service, they are preparing to have students on the 20th April, 25th June,13th July and 4th December dates: https://theircare.com.au/

  • March Events:
    • Thursday 5th March – EDEC House Sports (Grades 3 – 6)
    • Friday 6th March – Assembly
    • Monday 9th March – Labour Day Public Holiday
    • Tuesday 10th March – Optus Digital Thumbprint Incursion (Grade 5)
    • Tuesday 10th March – Optus Digital Thumbprint Parent/Carers Info Night @5.30pm
    • Tuesday 10th March – Divisional Swimming (selected students)
    • Wednesday 11th – Friday 27th March – Grade 5 Camp
    • Wednesday 11th – Monday 23rd March – NAPLAN
    • Friday 20th March – Assembly
    • Thursday 26th March – School Council Meeting @7.15pm
    • Saturday 28th March – Working Bee with Sausage Sizzle @ 11am – 1pm
    • Tuesday 31st March – School Photos
  • April Events:
    • Thursday 2nd April – Last Day of Term 1 – 2.30pm Finish
    • Friday 3rd April – Good Friday Public Holiday
  • Term 2 
    • Monday 20th April – Curriculum Day – No students at school
    • Tuesday 21st April – Students return to school

Emma Clark

Principal

This Week…

STUDENT ACTION TEAM 2026

Students within Year 3 and Year 4 were invited to apply for a position as a Student Action Team leader for 2026.

The skills required to apply for this position included:

  • A willingness to give up half of a Wednesday lunchtime each fortnight to attend a formal meeting.
  • A willingness to complete extra responsibilities in personal time between meetings.
  • A willingness to speak at assembly.
  • An ability to represent the needs of the school and their peers.
  • An ability to take on and follow the directions of the team.

Interested students were required to prepare and present a speech to their class, detailing the reasons why they should be considered as a Student Action Team Leader.

Following student presentations, classes carefully considered all of the wonderful applicants and voted for their class representative.

We are very pleased to announce that the following students have been selected as the Student Action Team for 2026:

Shayla W 3C

Charlie P 3K

Oliver B 3/4D

Charlotte S 4SB

Charlotte B 4N

Georgia M 3/4D

Thank you to all of the brave students who participated in the selection process and congratulations to our Student Action Team leaders!

We know you will do a fantastic job of representing the voices of students from across our school.

Badges will be presented to our Student Action Team leaders at assembly on March 20th, 2026.

Thank you,

Michelle Hayward

Emerald Primary School invites parents and caregivers to attend a free information session delivered by Optus Digital Thumbprint, a program endorsed by the eSafety Commissioner.

This practical and engaging session is designed to support families in navigating the digital world with confidence. No technical knowledge is required — the workshop focuses on real-world examples and meaningful conversations you can have with your child about their online life.

Please see attachment for details on topics covered in the session.

Please RSVP your intention to attend via the Google Form Link: https://forms.gle/VawG4aVeA67QuXWWA

Event details:

📍 Emerald Primary School Library

🗓 Tuesday 10 March 2026

⏰ 5:30pm – 6:30pm

This workshop is provided at no cost to families and is not intended to promote or market any products or services.

We encourage all parents and caregivers to attend this informative session.

From 1 January 2026, families eligible for CSEF will see an increase in support to $400 for primary school children, up from $154. Applications for 2026 CSEF support will open from 27 January 2026 and closes on the 26 June 2026.

If you currently hold a valid Concession Card, please come into the Emerald Primary School office to collect a form and submit it along with a copy of your Concession Card. 

A downloadable version of the form is available here. You may complete this at home and bring the filled-in form, together with a copy of your Concession Card, to the school office.

For more information please visit: Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund | vic.gov.au

Upcoming …

We have 2 x 4 draw filing cabinets that are looking for a new home.

If you would like one please let the lovely ladies at the office know.

Community News

The PAVED Festival kicks off on Sunday 12 April with FunFest which will be held in the carpark at Gemco and the EPS courts at the back of the school.

There are many activities for kids, but to access some of them, tickets will be required.

Get your Emerald FunFest Rides and Activities Wristband in advance and save money and time!

A wristband gives the wearer unlimited access to:

  • Turbo Tubs
  • Chair-o-Plane
  • Face Painter
  • Silent Disco
  • Hi-Strike
  • Handball
  • Donkey Rides

Buy in advance for only $25 Early bird (until 21st March), or $30 (until 11th April).

Each individual ride and activity will cost $10 each in advance or on the day.

To purchase wristbands after 9am on Sunday 12th April, the price will be $40 each.

Come to the Railway Carriage at Gemco with your name and/or ticket from 9:00am on the day to collect your pre-purchased wristband or to buy on the day.

Here is the link that  will take you to the relevant part of the PAVED web site.

https://events.humanitix.com/funfest-rides-and-activities-pre-purchase-wrist-band

We look forward to seeing you at FunFest.

Share This Newlsetter!

Canteen News!

Friday Meal Deal 

Nachos with

Cheese, salsa & sour cream

&

Zooper Dooper

$8.00

Please be advised that on Thursday 5 March (House Sports Day) the school canteen will be closed, as Kristi will be operating the canteen at the Cockatoo Little Athletics Club. The online ordering system will also be unavailable on this day to prevent orders being placed.

We appreciate your understanding and apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Thank you for your support.

SCHOOL EVENTS

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