Leadership Report

Dear Saltwater Families,

Welcome to Term 3, Week 8! As we approach the end of the academic year, our staff are hard at work finalising reports and preparing for 2025. We recognise that this time of year can bring a mix of emotions for students, families, and our staff alike. We kindly ask for your continued patience and understanding as we conclude what has been a very busy yet rewarding year. As we plan for the year ahead, please remember that you’re welcome to reach out to your child’s teacher or any member of the leadership team if you need any assistance or clarification.

2025 Years 1-9 Transition Day 

In preparation for the upcoming school year, we have organised a Transition Day for students moving into Years 1 through 9. This day offers students a chance to learn about the changes they can anticipate, explore extracurricular options, and meet their future teachers and classmates. Transition Day will be held on Thursday 19 December 2024. We encourage all students to take part in this valuable experience and look forward to welcoming them to their new classes. To help the day run smoothly, we kindly ask families to ensure their child arrives at school on time for the last day of term.

Prep Transition Program 2025

As we wrap up our Prep 2025 Transition Program, we extend our gratitude to the entire school community for creating a calm and supportive environment during our Prep Transition mornings and for warmly welcoming our incoming Prep families. We are delighted with the enthusiasm and engagement shown by our future Prep students and their families throughout this program.

Our Prep teaching team worked tirelessly to provide a seamless and enriching experience for all children involved. We are excited to continue this journey and look forward to seeing our newest Saltwater community members in 2025.

Important Prep 2025 Dates:

First Day of School: Friday, 31 January 2025, at 8:20 am.

February Schedule:During February, Prep students will attend school four days per week and will not attend on Wednesdays.

Secondary Information Evening

On Wednesday 27 November, we welcomed families of incoming Year 7-9 students for 2025 to an onsite event introducing our Secondary program for next year. As we transition all Year 7-9 students to our Coaching Parade campus, we encourage all secondary families to regularly check for updates from the school to help ensure a smooth transition.

A huge thank you to our elective teachers for providing work samples to showcase their programs, and to our incredibly talented students who displayed their work or performed their assessment pieces live during the evening.

For families who were unable to attend, please find a copy of the presentation attached, along with some photos from the event.

Positive Schools Conference

Last week, our Wellbeing Assistant Principals, Amanda Palombi and Sarah O'Connor, attended the Positive Schools Conference, where educators explored the theme of 'Wellbeing in Practice' and how to foster meaningful, contextual wellbeing in schools. Key discussions focused on creating environments that support students' emotional and social growth through strong relationships, autonomy, and the development of self-regulation. Experts emphasised the importance of moving beyond traditional methods like surveys to gather insights on student wellbeing, instead advocating for focus groups and ongoing feedback. 

Justin Roberts from Mackillop Institute shared strategies for engaging hard-to-reach students, emphasising empathy, predictability, and the role of educators in modelling positive behaviours. A significant takeaway was the importance of building trust and stability through consistent, supportive relationships. Educators were encouraged to reflect on their own emotional capacities, avoid reliance on extrinsic rewards, and foster intrinsic motivation by focusing on autonomy, competency, and relatedness. Ultimately, the conference highlighted that creating a nurturing and supportive environment for vulnerable students is vital for their development and for the overall health of school communities.

2025 Camp Program

Next year, we will be making slight adjustments to our school’s camping program to enhance affordability for families while still providing valuable learning experiences beyond the classroom. From 2025, we’ll be implementing the following camp structure:

In Primary:

• Year 4: 1-night overnight stay
• Year 5: 2-night camp at Camp Kangaroobie
• Year 6: 2-night camp at The Ranch, with an additional select-entry camp to Canberra.

In Secondary: Due to lower participation, we’ll offer two main camps:

• Year 7: an adventure-style camp to build community
• Year 9: a camp in Melbourne to celebrate their final year, exploring the city’s many opportunities.

We’re also exploring options for additional experiences, including potential overseas camps in the future.

Annual Christmas Hamper

Saltwater College is once again hosting our Christmas Hamper raffle, organised by the Junior School Council in collaboration with our teachers. This year, we have two hampers up for grabs, each valued at $300. Tickets are priced at $1 for one, $2 for three, and $5 for ten. Students will be visiting classrooms between now and the end of the year to sell tickets, so if you'd like to participate, please remember to send some gold coins with your child.

Christmas Carols at Saltwater College

We are thrilled to announce our after-school Christmas Carols Concert, a festive musical celebration to mark the holiday season. This event promotes goodwill, kindness, and community spirit, bringing everyone together in joy and harmony.

The Christmas Carols will take place on Monday 9 December (TTB and Secondary)and Tuesday 10 December 2024 (TTA). Each class has been rehearsing a special song and preparing choreography to make the event unforgettable.

Inclement Weather Plan:

In case of unsuitable weather conditions (e.g. extreme heat, rain, thunderstorms, or a muddy oval), the concert will move to the school gym. Unfortunately, due to space limitations, parents will not be able to attend in person. Instead, we will provide a live stream on YouTube, with the link shared on the day. We will notify you of any changes as they arise.

We are excited to celebrate the end of the year with this cherished tradition and look forward to seeing you at the Christmas Carols Concert. Please check XUNO for detailed event information.

Last Day of School

A reminder that the last day of school for students is on Thursday 19 December, with dismissal at 2.40pm for all students from Prep to Year 9.

Thank you, 

On behalf of the Leadership Team