Leadership Report

Dear Saltwater Families,

We’ve made it through Term Three, and what a wonderful effort it has been from our students, staff, and families. 

With spring now upon us, the blossoms are out and the sunshine is bringing a renewed sense of warmth to our school. It’s a lovely reminder of growth and the exciting opportunities that Term Four will bring.

Sun Smart Policy - No Hat, No Play!

Please remember that students require a broad-rimmed HAT for all outdoor activities and recess breaks in Term Four and Term One. 

As the warmer weather approaches, please note that from Term Four to 30 April, all students must wear a sun protective hat that shades the face, neck and ears for all outdoor activities. Hats can also be worn for all outdoor activities outside of the Term 4 to April time period, at parents' or students' choice. 

Staff and students are encouraged to wear hat styles that protect the face, neck and ears when outdoors, for example, broad-brimmed, legionnaire or bucket. Baseball or peaked caps and sun visors are not considered a suitable alternative, as they do not protect the ears, cheeks or neck. 

To educate students about sun safety, those not wearing appropriate hats will be encouraged to seek shade or a sun-protected area when outdoors. Please ensure hats and all uniform items are labelled clearly with your child's name.  

Scholastic Book Fair - Thank you!

A huge thank you to all our parents and families for supporting our recent Book Fair! Thanks to your generosity, we sold a wonderful number of books, and our students now have even more exciting reading options to enjoy. Events like this highlight the strength of our community and the shared love of reading we have at Saltwater College – we truly appreciate your involvement and support. The funds raised will be used to purchase many more books for our students, further enriching our classroom libraries and learning programs.

School Strategic Plan (SSP) 2025-2028

Early in Term Four, Saltwater College will be partaking in the four-year school review process to develop the new 2025-2028 School Strategic Plan. This plan is to clearly identify the course for future action and direction for the school over the next four years. As part of the process, we will be inviting students and parents to form focus panels to gather a wider range of perspectives in framing school improvement. If you are interested in participating in the panel process please let the office know and we will take down your details ready for the panel in early Term Four.

ICAS Results 

Over the last few weeks, we had 842 ICAS tests administered in Years 2-9, ranging in the six different topics of Writing, Spelling, Digital Technologies, Science, Math and English. At the moment we are waiting for the results to arrive. Once we have received all the results, we will distribute the TAP-ID as well as the pin for you to access your child/ren's ICAS results. 

ICAS will usually distribute certificates of participation and merit throughout Term Four. Once we receive all of the certificates, we will collate them all and distribute to parents.

Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships - Topics Seven and Eight Opt Out

In Term Four, as part of the RRRR program, topics seven and eight is being planned to be delivered to the students. These topics contain the discussions which parents may deem sensitive surrounding gender norms and stereotypes as well as positive gender relations. If you would like further information or for your child/ren to opt out of these lessons, please contact Ms. Palombi - Amanda.Palombi@education.vic.gov.au

or Ms. O'Connor - Sarah.OConnor2@education.vic.gov.au

for further details.

Lost Items on School Roofs

We’ve noticed a sudden boom in balls, toys, and even the occasional shoe taking flight and landing on our school roofs. With 2,000+ kids and construction works around, it is not feasible to send staff up there every day for a rescue mission (as much as we’d all love a rooftop workout).

To keep things safe, we’ve set up a monthly roof retrieval operation for lost items. In the meantime, please remind your child/ren that if something is valuable or sentimental, it’s best left in the classroom — or at the very least, kept grounded instead of joining the Airborne Academy as it may not be a quick return.

Planning for 2026 and Class Formations 

The leadership team is working on 2026 planning, class structures, and the staffing recruitment process. To help us plan for 2026, we ask that parents let us know as soon as possible if their child/ren won't be attending our school next year. To inform us, kindly email Saltwater P-9 College saltwater.p9.co@education.vic.gov.au

Class formation is a complex process which is carefully curated throughout Term 4 by our leadership team and current staff. When creating classes and allocating students, teachers pay consideration to a balance of factors including number of students, gender balance of male/female, academic abilities and student needs, behaviours, and students with disabilities.

Friendship List

During the first few weeks of Term 4, beginning Monday 6 October, all students will be asked to nominate friendship groups (Primary) or peers they work well with (Secondary). This information will help guide the process of allocating students to 2026 classes.

To support this process, you may wish to talk with your child/ren about potential friendship choices. We will make every effort to place each student in a 2026 class with at least one of their nominated peers.

During Term 4, teachers will work collaboratively to allocate students to 2026 classes. If you have any educational considerations for your child’s placement, please email these requests to the school by Monday 27 October 2025. Please note that requests for specific teachers cannot be accommodated.

While we make every effort to place each student with at least one of their nominated peers, we can’t guarantee that it will always be the top friend they have listed. This is because class formation involves many complex factors, as stated above, (student numbers, gender balance, academic needs, behaviours, and additional supports). In a school of over 2,000 students, it isn’t possible to accommodate every individual preference while still ensuring that each class is balanced and supportive for all students. Thank you for your understanding.  

ACE (Accelerated Curriculum and Enrichment) Program 

For our Secondary families, information for entry into the 2026 ACE program has been distributed to parents. In order for students to qualify for the program, students must participate in the Edutest entry test and adhere to the testing times, punctuality is essential. 

The ACE testing will take place on the following dates:  

• Year 8 (going into Year 9) – Tuesday 7 October

•  Year 7 (going into Year 8) – Wednesday 8 October  

• Year 6 (going into Year 7) – Thursday 9 October

    

If you require further information, please contact our secondary campus on 8764 3342.

End of Term Three

A reminder that on Friday 19 September, we finish the term at 2:30pm. Please make appropriate pick up arrangements as this is earlier than our usual dismissal time of 2.50pm.

May we all have a fantastic two week break.

Kind Regards,

The Leadership Team