Primary Specialists

Prep Art

In Week 1, our Prep students explored the importance of NAIDOC Week, learning how art can be used to share stories and communicate powerful messages. As part of their learning, students designed their own boomerangs, decorating them with Aboriginal symbols to tell their own unique stories, an engaging and meaningful way to connect with First Nations culture and traditions. In Week 2, Prep students linked their Art lessons to the Prep team's Unit of Inquiry: Understanding the needs and wants of living things. They began by completing and reflecting on their boomerangs from Week 1, then launched into an exciting investigation of Pop Art. Students explored the work of famous Pop artists and celebrated the 100 Days of School by creating colourful and creative Pop Art cupcakes. This exciting introduction to Pop Art will continue to inspire students in the coming weeks as they begin developing their own Pop Art representations of living things.

Year 1& 2 Art

Welcome back to another exciting term—can you believe we're already halfway through the year?   Time truly flies when we're having fun!

We kicked off Term 3 with a burst of creativity, exploring our own unique art styles through a Collage of Positivity. Students thoroughly enjoyed experimenting with a variety of materials and techniques to produce vibrant, meaningful, and imaginative designs that celebrated individuality and joy.

Building on this celebration of personal expression, we then turned our focus to famous artists from around the world. In Week 1, our students took centre stage as the 'famous artists', showcasing their own creative flair. In Week 2, we dove into the fascinating world of Pablo Picasso, exploring his life and distinctive Cubist style.

Students were intrigued by Picasso’s dreamlike approach to art—his ability to bend reality and challenge convention through imaginative, fragmented perspectives. One artwork that sparked particular interest was The Weeping Woman, with its emotive expression and multiple viewpoints captured within a single portrait. The playful, often unusual nature of Picasso’s pieces captivated our budding artists and inspired plenty of thoughtful discussion and enthusiastic artwork in response.

 within a single piece of art was of particular interest. Students enjoyed the playful, often strange depictions of art attributed to 'Picasso's famous paintings.  

Year 3 and 4 Art

Welcome back to Art for Term 3!

During the first two weeks of Term 3, Year 3 and 4 students have been introduced to the bold and playful world of Pop Art. They explored the work of American artist Peter Anton and Swedish artist Claes Oldenburg, both known for their colossal sculptures of everyday objects. These artworks are often displayed in galleries and public spaces, transforming familiar items into eye-catching, oversized installations.

Year 3 students began by gluing 2D circle line drawing sheets into their Art journals and brainstorming objects that are round, using the circle shapes as inspiration. In Week 2, they began sketching their own donut designs, learning about a new 3D shape called a torus. Students followed a step-by-step tutorial on how to draw a donut and practiced creating the illusion of depth using shading techniques.

Meanwhile, Year 4 students followed a 3D cake drawing tutorial, using lead pencil to sketch their cakes and then finishing them with bold primary colours to reflect the vibrant Pop Art style. In Week 2, they continued to refine their drawings and add final touches to their colourful cake illustrations. These artworks are often displayed in galleries and public spaces, transforming familiar items into eye-catching, oversized installations.

Year 3 students began by gluing 2D circle line drawing sheets into their Art journals and brainstorming objects that are round, using the circle shapes as inspiration. In Week 2, they began sketching their own donut designs, learning about a new 3D shape called a torus. Students followed a step-by-step tutorial on how to draw a donut and practiced creating the illusion of depth using shading techniques.

Meanwhile, Year 4 students followed a 3D cake drawing tutorial, using lead pencil to sketch their cakes and then finishing them with bold primary colours to reflect the vibrant Pop Art style. In Week 2, they continued to refine their drawings and add final touches to their colourful cake illustrations.

Year 5 & 6 Art

At the start of Term 3, Grade 5 and 6 students spent the first week finishing off their final watercolour pieces from last term, completing artworks that reflected personal meaning and creative growth. In Week 2, we launched our new unit on printmaking. Students were introduced to various printmaking methods and began sketching and developing design ideas for their first print, laying the foundation for an exciting term of creative experimentation and hands-on learning.

Spanish

Welcome to Term 3 – Spanish at Our School

Bienvenidos a la clase de Español,

Dear Students and Families,

Welcome back to Spanish class for Term 3 and the start of Semester Two! We hope everyone had a restful break and is ready for another exciting term of learning.

This term, students from Prep to Year 6 will continue exploring the Spanish language through a variety of hands-on and engaging activities. Each year level will build on what they’ve already learned, adding new words, phrases, and cultural knowledge along the way.

Whether it's learning how to introduce themselves, talking about favourite things, exploring food and traditions, or discovering new Spanish-speaking countries, there’s something fun and meaningful for every student.

We’re looking forward to seeing our students

 grow in confidence, enjoy using Spanish in the classroom, and connect with cultures around the world.

Here’s to a fantastic Term 3 filled with language, learning, and lots of enthusiasm!

The Spanish Teaching Team

MEDIA: With Mr. Brendan Howarth

Hello families!

My name is Mr. Howarth and I am teaching Media from Prep to Year Six this year. Each term, a new cohort of classes will start Media. For the classes who had Wellbeing in Semester One, they will now rotate between Media and Music in Semester Two. Those who had Media in Term One will have Music with Mr. Saxton. 

In Media, we learn how we can communicate messages and ideas through different media mediums, including photography, sound, filming, advertising, visual narratives, etc. Students also analyse and interpret media texts with cross-curricular connections made with Literacy, Numeracy, Language and the Arts. 

Our unit topics include migration, Indigenous history, our emotions, advertising, and Who We Are. 

I am looking forward to getting to know all students throughout the term.

Wellbeing:

Hi all! 

I am Jess Petrusev one of the wellbeing teachers. Welcome to Term 3 Wellbeing! I am excited to share there are two other teachers teaching wellbeing this term! I will be working Mrs Crane and Miss Sheridan this term teaching Wellbeing to grades prep through to 6. 

Weeks 1 and 2 of Wellbeing has been great getting to know all our new students. Students from prep to year 6 have all participated in various activities involving getting to know each other a little better as well as setting up a class environment that ensures emotional safety where students are able to express emotions as well as learn strategies to cope with certain emotions. 

Our grade Preps have been working on things that make them happy.

Grades 1 and 2 have been working on emotions and identifying different emotions.

Grades 3 and 4 have been working on identifying and coping with different emotions.

Grades 5 and 6 have been working on reflecting on challenging emotions and strategies to overcome them.

We are very excited to see our students grow and develop as we approach the second half of 2025! 

Mandarin

Welcome back to Mandarin for Term 3!

Time to meet our team!

Miss Qiao will teach Chinese - Mandarin from Prep to Year 6 students this year. With a passion for language and culture, I aim to create an engaging and supportive learning environment where students can develop their Mandarin skills with confidence. I look forward to inspiring young learners on their language journey!

Miss Xiong will teach Chinese - Mandarin from Prep to Year 6 students this year. This is my second-year teaching Mandarin at Saltwater P-9 College, and it has been an exciting journey! I am looking forward to seeing students grow in confidence and deepen their understanding of Chinese language and culture.

Prep students are being introduced to the Chinese language and culture in a fun and engaging way. Through games, coloring sheets, and interactive activities, they are gradually immersing themselves in a Chinese learning environment. They will learn basic greetings, numbers, family members, and key Chinese traditional festivals.

Year 1-2 students will explore topics such as greetings, pets, and emotions. By the end of the semester, they will make progress in their speaking and listening skills, gaining more confidence in using Chinese in daily conversations.

Year 3-4 students will build upon their previous knowledge and further develop their Chinese language skills. This year, there will be a stronger focus on sentence construction and improving their overall language fluency. They will explore a wider range of topics, including everyday expressions. 

Year 5-6 students will focus on developing their reading and writing skills in Chinese. Engaging topics such as hobbies will help spark their interest and provide a strong foundation for further language learning.

DANCE.

Term 3 has seen our dance extension students hit the floor running at full steam ahead. Day 1 of week 1, started with a full day of dress rehearsals for all of our Wakakirri performers getting ready for the big show! On day 2, our Saltwater performers were already on the bus heading to the Clocktower Centre in Moonee Ponds for the very first night of Wakakirri performances. The theme for this year for Wakakirri was “Mind Over Matter…Tales Of Inner Strength”. Our performance was named “Full Circle”, which told how one child’s story explores the clash between desire and expectation, revealing how inner strength and belief in ones life journey leads to self-discovery and transformations, ultimately shaping who we become. 

After all 6 schools that were competing that day had finished their technical and dress rehearsals, the running order of the night was announced on stage shortly afterwards. Saltwater College had the privilege and honour of not only being the first school to perform on the first night of shows in Victoria, but also the very first school to perform for the whole of Australia for Wakakirri 2025! Our students took to the stage and performed with such power and energy, setting the standard and the bar high for the rest of the night. At the end of the night Saltwater were presented with the 5 following awards…

-Storytelling Award for Story Theme and Concept...

-Ensemble Award for Dance Performance...

-Creative Production Award for Set Design...

-Production Award for Projection...

-Lead Cast Award for Performance in Dancing and Acting.

The feedback from the Wakakirri ambassador was very positive and uplifting, praising the work ethic and professionalism of the cast and crew, while highlighting many key elements from the performance.This week after much anticipation, Saltwater College was awarded a State Award, and in invitation to come back to perform at the Awards Night and State Finals! Our overjoyed and excited students and staff will soon go back into rehearsals to prepare for the next big round.Congratulations to everyone involved and stay tuned for more to come! :)