Prep

Welcome to all Prep students and their families.

The Prep team are so proud of how seamlessly our Prep students transitioned into their first week of school and we are thrilled to have them as part of our Saltwater College community. 

If this is your first child to commence school, please be assured they are in very good hands! We look forward to a very exciting and productive year in Prep. The following teachers will be covering each class: Emily Wilson (PA classroom teacher), Steph Day and Gramatiki Alexiou (PB co-sharing classroom teachers), Rosetta Krajsic (PC classroom teacher), Abby D’Souza (PD classroom teacher), Michelle Desa (PE classroom teacher), Ritu Vazirani (PF classroom teacher),  Montana Vunderl-Messis (PG classroom teacher), Amelia Fantuz (PH classroom teacher), Julia Sambell (PI classroom teacher), Jen Crooks (PJ classroom teacher) and Nargis Shakoor (PK  classroom teacher, who will co-share with Ms Vanessa Conti from May 2024).   

We are looking forward to an engaging, fun-filled year of learning and growth with all of the Prep students.

Over the next few weeks, the students will engage in developmental play when they enter the classroom each morning, which helps develop the fundamentals for their cognitive, physical, social and emotional growth. It also provides students with opportunities to take turns, make friends, make choices, communicate and be creative. The students have had lots of fun this week engaging with the different activities each morning, including Lego, puzzles, beading and construction tools. The students are encouraged to engage with texts from their classroom library and a writing table allows students to express their thoughts and ideas through drawing and/or pictures. 

During this time the teachers are developing relationships with the students, supporting them and scaffolding students’ play by asking questions and prompting them to use their problem-solving skills to find solutions.

Literacy

In Literacy, we have been learning about the concepts of print such as: how to hold a book, where to start when reading, which way to turn a page and what an author and illustrator are. After reading the mentor text, ‘Where is the Green Sheep?’ the students conducted a school tour to become familiar with the key areas of the school, such as the toilets, canteen, front office, sick bay, gym and the Principal’s office. We were so proud of the students’ efforts in sharing their thoughts after this language experience, where they were encouraged to draw and write about what they saw. A big part of Prep is learning High Frequency words and this week we began our first investigation into the words ‘I’, ‘am’, ‘like’ and ‘to’ through sentence development and language experience activities.

Literacy Consultant Mr Jim Kinniburgh

Over the last few Fridays, our Prep classes had the honour of hosting Mr. K, our esteemed Literacy Consultant. He captivated us with a rendition of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar', embellished with vibrant puppets.

Our students in Prep were thoroughly enthralled and showcased remarkable creativity in their writing endeavours.

We eagerly anticipate Mr. K's return over the next two Fridays to engage with our other Prep classes.🐛🍏🍰🦋

Mathematics

In Mathematics, the Prep students have been learning about the maths resources available to them within their classroom and how to take care of these resources. They spent time exploring and sharing their knowledge of number by using hands on materials to represent numbers in different ways. It is fantastic to see students bring their prior knowledge of mathematics into the classroom as we begin to explore where we see and how we use numbers all around us in our everyday world.

Class Agreements

While completing the ‘First 20 Days of School’ program, the students will continue to work collaboratively within their classes to construct essential agreements underpinning the rules and expectations around student engagement, which will build the foundation for a safe and supportive community.

The Prep team are looking forward to developing positive partnerships with the students’ families and encourage open communication to ensure we all have the students’ best interests at the forefront of our minds. 

We thank you for your support in creating a positive transition to school as we work together to make the students first year at school a memorable experience!

Kind Regards

The Prep Team

REMINDERS:

• Students are expected to bring their satchel to school EVERY DAY – If your child has not received one, please speak to your classroom teacher.
• There is no school for the Prep students every Wednesday during February as mandated DE assessment is conducted on these days.
• Please ensure all your child’s belongings are clearly labelled with their first and last names.
• Hats are to be worn when outside from August to April. Please ensure to put sunscreen on your child before arriving at school.
• Prep students will begin using iPads in Term Two. Your child’s iPad will need to be configured by our IT team. Please look out for a notification detailing when to send iPads to school for configuration.
• Snack and lunch times are 20 minutes long. Please encourage your child to eat their snack/lunch within a 20 minute period, as this will help them to follow school routine.
• Please remember to pack a spare change of clothes for your child. Sometimes, little children can have toileting accidents as we transition into school.

Prep Information Night Thank You

We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for attending our Prep Parent Information Session. Your presence and engagement made the event a resounding success, and we are truly grateful for your commitment to your child's education.

As partners in your child's educational journey, we recognise the importance of open communication and collaboration between parents, teachers, and the school community. Your attendance at the information session reinforces this partnership and sets a strong foundation for ongoing dialogue and cooperation. We look forward to continuing our partnership and working together to nurture and empower your child's growth and development.

New Prep Art and Wellbeing Teacher

Hello wonderful Prep families, 

My name is Miss Crane and it brings me great excitement to introduce myself and announce that I'm your child's Prep Art and Wellbeing teacher for 2024. I cannot wait for a fun packed year full of learning and adventure. Let the creativity begin!

Prep Assistant Principal

Welcome to Saltwater P-9 College! I trust you had a fantastic holiday. I'm excited to reacquaint myself as Taxia Katsouranis, your Assistant Principal responsible for the Prep cohort. Should you see me around the campus, feel free to approach, introduce yourself, and say hello. Fostering strong connections within our school community and ensuring successful transition to school is of utmost importance to me, and I eagerly anticipate getting acquainted with you all.