Leadership Report

Dear Saltwater Families,

It is hard to believe that we are at the end of our first semester, and half-way through the school year. This term has been a busy one as we worked through our school’s priorities and goals. This term we’ve seen many highlights across our school, in addition to our wonderful learning programs. These included:

• ANZAC commemorative assembly
• Swimming Programs
• House Colour Day
• Harmony Day Picnics and Celebrations
• Winter Gala Sports days
• Athletics days 
• Ride to School day
• Walk to School day
• School Photo days
• Education Support Day celebration
• School Camps
• Incursions
• Excursions
• Student Led Three Way Conferences
• Reconciliation walk and assembly

End of Semester One Reports

Your child/ren’s end of semester school report/s can be accessed via Xuno from Wednesday 26 June from 5pm. We encourage all parents to please take the time to read through your child/ren’s report/s as this provides valuable information about their academic achievements. Celebrate your child/ren’s learning achievements and efforts. Three-way conferences were held earlier this  term, which provided an opportunity for your child to showcase their learning and portfolio on Schoolbox. 

As with any type of technology, sometimes technology glitches occur. In a school of 1800+ students, it can be difficult to pinpoint these glitches, therefore it you notice that your child’s report has any structural errors, please notify us and we will endeavour to correct any issues. 

Professional Learning for Teachers:

Teacher Professional Development and Observations in Small Group Reading Instruction

Small group reading instruction is an educational strategy where teachers work with a small group of students, typically three to six, to address specific reading skills and gain formative assessment on the students. This method allows for differentiated instruction, catering to the diverse needs and reading levels within a classroom. By focusing on smaller groups, teachers can provide targeted support, monitor progress more closely, and engage students in interactive and meaningful learning experiences.

The combination of targeted professional development and the opportunity to observe effective teaching practices is essential for enhancing small group reading instruction. Our teachers were able to observe small group reading approaches being modelled by our leaders, in order to enhance and improve their own practice. 

2025 Prep/Foundation School Tours- every Friday 9.00-10.00am 

For the past term, our Prep A.P. Taxia Katsouranis, and Prep Leading Teacher Gramatiki Alexiou, have been welcoming prospective Prep parents and conducting tours on Friday mornings. So far, the tours have been booked out and our college is still receiving a lot of interest from families who are within our zone (and outside of our zone). A reminder that the department specifies the following requirements for enrolment:

• Except in very specific circumstances, schooling is compulsory for students who have turned 6 until they turn 17. 
• Every Victorian student has a legislated right to enrol at their designated neighbourhood school.

New enrolments will be processed and families will be notified in August of their placements.

Book Week

Book Week is fast approaching, and we are all very excited to celebrate all things reading with our students. This year, Saltwater College’s Book Week will run from the 19th of August to the 23rd of August. Our Book Day, where students and staff are encouraged to come as a character from their favourite story, will be held on the 23rd of August.

This year’s Book Week theme is ‘Reading is Magic’. As a school, we will celebrate the magic of stories and how they have the power to transport and inspire curiosity. A good story sparks conversation and connects readers through shared stories. We cannot wait to celebrate the love of books and see our students and staff in some amazing costumes. 

Book Fair

Our annual Scholastic Book Fair is back and will be held between the 9th of September to the 13th of September. Over the week, each class will have an opportunity to spend time at the Book Fair and students will be able to start creating wish lists of books they may want to purchase. More information regarding the Book Fair will be communicated with families closer to the date.

Casual Relief Teachers (CRT) availability

There is currently a high demand of CRTs due to the many illnesses and absences of teaching staff across the state of Victoria. This is also further impacted by the restrictions put in place over the last two years, resulting in a shortage of CRTs across Australia. All schools across Victoria, including ours, are being impacted. This means that when we cannot replace a classroom teacher, a class may need to be split, usually across the cohort. Teachers across cohorts plan similar learning content and activities which supports any students who are in a different classroom due to their teacher’s absence. We aim to minimise the learning program as much as possible by sourcing all available CRTs, and by ensuring the learning program continues when classes are split.

Saltwater Promenade Gate Entry and Exit Point

We would like to update you on the trial of the new gate entry point that was introduced at the beginning of this term and operational throughout the last six weeks. After careful consideration and review of staff observations and community feedback, we have decided to discontinue its use the use of this gate.

The safety of our students is our top priority, and concerns have been raised about the potential hazards due to the busy road, including cars blocking bike lanes and the risk posed by students navigating between parked vehicles.

We understand that this change may cause some inconvenience, and we are actively seeking solutions to improve congestion at all school entry points while ensuring the safety of our students and community members. We are in ongoing discussions with the local council to explore viable options.

Your input is valuable to us, and we welcome any suggestions you may have to assist in this matter. Please feel free to reach out with your ideas. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

Crossing Supervisors

Our crossing supervisors play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of children and pedestrians as they cross streets near our school, which are busy intersections. We are grateful to our parents and students who frequently use the school crossing. Although it is sometimes inconvenient to walk back to the school crossings, it sets a great example for young children and ensures that when they are by themselves, they will use the crossing and stay safe. By law, adults must cross at a pedestrian crossing if they are within 20 metres of one. 

Please treat our crossing supervisors with respect at all times, after all, they have the best interest and safety of our community at the fore front of every decision they make.

Term 2 Ends

Term 2 ends on Friday 28 June, for a two week break. On behalf of the staff at Saltwater College, we would like to wish all our families a wonderful school break. We look forward to seeing you back in school in Term 3, on Monday July 15, 2024.  

Term Two concludes at 2.40pm for all students from Prep to Year 9.

Term 3 is a 10 week term and concludes on Friday 20 September, 2025.