Leadership Report

Dear Saltwater Community, 

Welcome to week nine. We thank you for a great first term of the 2024 school year. We have a lot to celebrate and be thankful for as Term One draws to a close. Congratulations to our students who have shown independence, growth and kindness. Thank you to our staff who have continued to provide engaging learning opportunities in addition to our core learning programs. 

We have had a fulfilling term with many extra curricular events such as: NAPLAN, Harmony Day celebration, Family picnic celebration, Sports Days, Divisional Swimming Championships, the election process for our Class captains, JSC Junior School Council and SRC Secondary Representative Council, School Council Elections, Student Support Group meetings, Ride 2 School day, Beach Program, information nights for our families and much much more. We appreciate everyone's assistance in supporting all students at our school and for staying connected and engaged.

A special mention must go to our 'littlest' Saltwater College students, our Prep students, who have made it through their first term of schooling. Every day, they continue to bring joy and excitement to our school community. 

Easter Bunny Visits Saltwater

To conclude this term, there was a buzz of excitement as students enjoyed a visit from the Easter Bunny. His appearance at assembly caused a stir and his treats were a real hit amongst young and old.

Harmony Day Event

We extend a huge thank you to our community for a successful Harmony Day celebration. Our Harmony day events helped us to celebrate everyone’s uniqueness and cultural diversity. Our students participated in a variety of fun and engaging activities:

• Outdoor games run by SRC, JSC during recess and lunch.
• Henna, where students painted henna art on their hands.
• Rangoli chalk drawings
• Chinese calligraphy and painting
• Face painting in Harmony day colours
• Hula Hoop fun
• Class activities such as Harmony Day literacy and numeracy tasks
• Year level family picnics.

Our Harmony Day picnic event reminded us of our shared humanity. It demonstrated that despite our differences, we are stronger together. Students laughed, shared stories, showcased their outfits and celebrated together with families, embodying the spirit of harmony that lies at the heart of this celebration.

Term Two - Monday 15 April 2024

Term Two begins on Monday 15 April at 8:30am, with continuous entry starting at 8:20am for Primary students; and 8.50am continuous entry for a 9.00am start in the secondary school.

In week two, Thursday 25 April is the Anzac Day public holiday and school will not be operating on this day. Term Two is an eleven week term and concludes on Friday 28 June, 2024. 

Updated Vision and Mission at Saltwater College

In a school setting, the vision and mission statements serve as guiding principles that outline the school’s purpose, values, and goals. Crafting effective vision and mission statements requires careful consideration and input from key stakeholders to ensure we are all committed to the work of the school. We recently reviewed our Vision and Mission statements to ensure they are concise, memorable, and reflective of the school's unique identity and values. They serve as a guiding compass for planning, decision-making, and daily operations within our school.

Vision: (Why)

Educating students to thrive in an ever-changing world.

Mission: (How)

Developing critical, creative thinkers and connected global citizens. 

Actions: (What)

Fostering a love for learning that extends beyond the classroom through problem solving, relationships, and engagement.

School Assembly

Every fortnight on Monday afternoons, we hold a school assembly to connect and engage our students. It is a valued opportunity for us to come together as a community, to celebrate our achievements, share important announcements, and foster a sense of unity.

This week, our prep students proudly joined our whole school assembly. They become immersed in the school culture, instilling a sense of pride and school spirit. We were so proud of their cooperation and respect during the assembly, in addition to all our wonderful students.

NAPLAN Completed

Our Year 3, Year 5 and Year 7 students deserve a huge congratulations for completing their NAPLAN assessments during the last two weeks. Our students gave it their best effort and we are extremely proud of them! They have shown resilience, kept positive mindsets and applied their knowledge and skills as best they can. These assessments are a vital source of information for the school's learning programs, even though they represent just a small part of the overall picture. It is our ongoing mission to make sure that each student is valued for their unique set of skills and differences that they possess. We look forward to sharing the results with our families when they arrive, later in the year.

We would like to extend our thanks to the entire support team involved in the organisation of NAPLAN, from teaching staff, leaders, support staff and our IT team. They worked hard behind the scenes in preparation of the NAPLAN assessments to ensure the process was seamless, so that our students had the best opportunity to perform. 

School Council

Thursday 21 March marked the first meeting of the new School Council. The objectives of a school council include:

-assisting in the efficient governance of the school

-ensuring that decisions affecting students of the school are made with regard to the best interest of the students

-enhancing the educational opportunities of the students 

-ensuring the school and the council complies with any requirements of regulations, ministerial orders, guidelines or policies issued under the School Governance Act. 

The following members make up our 2024 School Council:

Parent Community:

• Jessica Rapa
• Sunny Gill
• Amanda Martins
• Lina Perez Sanchez
• Zachary Cain
• Cara Martin

DE Staff:

• Jackie Daniali
• Ryan Ma
• Jess Cortese
• James Peterson

We look forward to working with our school councillors throughout the year, to facilitate the goals of the school.

A Thrilling Start to Term Two!

We are hoping that our students and teachers will be rejuvenated after a restful break. To mark the beginning of an exciting journey filled with endless opportunities for growth, learning, and achievement, we are delighted to announce that we have a plethora of thrilling events lined up to kickstart Term Two with enthusiasm and excitement.

From a Teddy Bears Picnics to a disco and excursions, there's something for everyone to look forward to on the first day of next term. Our goal is not only academic excellence, but also fostering a sense of belonging and engagement for our students. 

We look forward to a fantastic first day of Term Two and a fulfilling term ahead. Please read the XUNO notifications from your teachers, to see what our children in Years P-6 will be engaged in on the first day back.

End of Term Break

We wish you all a safe and happy end of term break. For our families celebrating Easter, Ramadan (Eid), Holi or any other celebration, we wish you all a joyous and meaningful celebration. May this time be filled with cherished memories with your loved ones. 

We look forward to seeing you next term on Monday 15 April for an eleven week term, concluding 28 June.