Hi Solway PS community,

I would like to start this week’s newsletter by highlighting our 2026 class placement process. In the following section of this newsletter, I have outlined the 2026 class placement process at our school. Please ensure you read this carefully. In advance, your understanding of the process and your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

As always at this point in the year, we are in the middle of our workforce planning for 2026. It is critical that we have accurate student numbers for 2026, so that we can best forecast our workforce plan:

If you have a child who is starting Prep and is not enrolled as yet, please contact our school office immediately either in person, via email (link here), or by phone (9885 2421).
If you know of a family who is moving into the area and / or would like to join our wonderful school community from a neighbouring school, please encourage them to contact our office as soon as possible.

If your child/children are not returning to our school in 2026, please contact our office via email (link here).

A reminder to families that Monday 3 November, the day before Melbourne Cup Day, is a normal school day. On this day, some teachers will be taking their Time in Lieu that has been accrued from school events, which means your child’s usual classroom teacher may not be present. We understand that some families may take advantage of the long weekend and choose to keep their children at home. With this in mind, classes will be running a modified learning program for the day.

Please also note that Wednesday 5 November is a Curriculum Day. No students are required at school on this day. Teachers will be using the time to prepare and write Semester Two reports.

Once again it has been another busy week at school; our swimming program is now in full swing and was wonderful to see the resilience of our youngest learners as they got themselves up and ready for swimming each day. I know there were some very tired children by the end of last week. Our Prep–2 students have shown tremendous respect for everyone involved in delivering their program, from the bus drivers to the staff at the aquatic centre and, of course, their teachers. This week, our Year 3 and 4 students began their swimming program, and I’m confident they’ll demonstrate the same level of respect, responsibility and resilience as our younger students.

Congratulations to all the students who represented our school at the Boroondara and Whitehorse Division Athletics Carnival last Tuesday. It was a fantastic day of competition, and our students should be incredibly proud of their efforts and achievements. Throughout the day, our team displayed the Solway PS values supporting one another, giving their best in every event, and showing great sportsmanship toward competitors from other schools. Their commitment and positive attitude were wonderful examples of what it means to be part of the Solway PS community.

Congratulations to our Senior Hoop Time teams, the Future Star Girls and Future Star Mixed, who represented our school at the Regional Finals held at the State Basketball Centre last week. Both teams showed outstanding teamwork, determination, and sportsmanship throughout the day, competing with great energy and pride. It was wonderful to once again see our students demonstrate the Solway PS values both on and off the court. A huge thank you to Mr Rob Tongue for coordinating our Athletics and Basketball teams and to the parents went along to both events to cheer and support our students.

Last week, a group of our Grade 6 students attended a Debating Workshop hosted by Korowa Anglican Girls’ School. The workshop was a fantastic opportunity for students to build their confidence, learn debating skills, and refine their ability to express ideas clearly and respectfully. Following the workshop, our students will continue to develop their debating skills through a program here at school. From this group, six students will be selected to represent our school at the upcoming Debating Competition on Tuesday 11 November. We are so proud of the way our students represented Solway PS, showing curiosity, respect, and enthusiasm for learning. Opportunities like this help empower our students to find their voice and engage thoughtfully with the world around them.

Finally, Congratulations to the group of students who represented our school at the Chess Junior Open State Finals this week. Although they didn’t progress to the next round, they can be extremely proud of their effort, focus, and sportsmanship throughout the day. Our students represented our school with pride, demonstrating our values of Respect, Responsibility and Resilience in every game they played. A big thank you to Toni for her organisation and support, and to the parents who assisted and encouraged our players on the day.

Thank you for your continued support and lets all strive to be “our best always”.

David Rosser

Principal

Team Kids