Leadership Report

Dear Saltwater Families,

Welcome to Week Nine of Term Three! With just two weeks remaining of this term, you can already catch the faint scent of sweet spring in the air and the excitement of football finals about to begin. We reflect on how fast this term has gone!

The next Two Weeks at Saltwater will be filled

with excitement as we celebrate our students and their learning growth and academic achievements undertaken throughout Term 3. 

One exciting component of this is the annual Year Six PYP Exhibition which is taking place on Wednesday the 11th of September at 5.30pm in our School Gym. We invite parents and care givers to come along and support their children and celebrate their efforts together.

Next week we prepare for the Scholastic Book Fair and in Week 10, we will hold our Colour Explosion School Run 4 Fun. 

Be sure to check the XUNO notifications for additional information.

Planning for 2025

As we begin our preparations for 2025, the leadership team is working on class structures and our recruitment process. To assist us in this planning, we kindly ask that parents notify the school as soon as possible if your child/ren will not be returning in 2025. Please contact the school office at 8366 7700 to let us know.

Saltwater Colour Run

Yet again, Saltwater College will transform into a vibrant, exciting sea of colour from 1:40 to 2:40 pm on the last day of Term Three! For those who are new to Saltwater, our school raises significant amounts through our annual colour run. The Colour Run process is simple, register online using the link below and then get your family and friends to sponsor you. And the best part? You then get to choose awesome prizes dependent on how much money you raise! Further information will be shared about the event closer to the date.

If you wish to be a parent volunteer and assist on the day, please email Mr Peterson on james.peterson@education.vic.gov.au.

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 4 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, by parent or student 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. Students who are not wearing appropriate hats will be asked to use available areas of shade when outdoors or a suitable area protected from the sun. Please ensure hats, and all uniform items are labelled clearly with your child's name.  

E-Scooter Safety and Legal Use for Students

As e-scooters become more popular, it’s important for parents and students to be aware of the legal requirements for riding them in Victoria. Please note that most students at our school are under 16, which means they do not meet the legal age requirement for riding e-scooters.

To ride an e-scooter legally in Victoria, riders must:

• Be at least 16 years old.
• Ride on shared-use paths or roads with a speed limit of up to 60km/h, not on footpaths.
• Always wear a helmet.
• Keep speeds under 20km/h.
• Avoid using mobile phones while riding.
• Not carry any passengers.

We encourage all parents to discuss these rules with their children to ensure their safety and compliance with the law. Let’s work together to keep our community safe!

School Saving Bonus

The Victorian Government has announced implementation details for the School Saving Bonus, which was first announced in the 2024-25 State Budget in May. The School Saving Bonus will provide $400 in one-off support for Victorian school-aged students in Term 4, 2024, for use on 2025 school costs. The once-off bonus will be available from late November 2024.

The School Saving Bonus is in addition to existing and continuing means-tested supports for the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund and the Affordable School Uniforms Program.

Families will receive an email from the department with their $400 School Saving Bonus and access to an online system. Families can choose how to allocate the $400 online – on school activities, school uniforms or textbooks, or a mixture of all three.

The School Saving Bonus is available for parents and carers of each Victorian government school student from Prep to Year 12 in 2025 (except for full-fee international students, home-schooled students, TAFE students and students attending kindergarten in 2025).

End of Term Three

A reminder that on Friday 20 September, we finish the term at 2:40pm. Please make appropriate pick up arrangements as this is earlier than usual for our secondary students.

May we all have a fantastic last two weeks of term.

Thank you.