Principal

Dear Solway Families,

We have had another great fortnight at Solway Primary School, with so much going on. Over the past few weeks, our teachers have been engaging in professional learning focused on the importance of clear classroom procedures and routines. These include key transitions such as moving around the school, beginning the school day, and shifting between learning activities. This work is closely connected to our School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) framework, which aims to build safe, respectful and consistent learning environments for all students. Establishing and explicitly teaching routines helps students feel secure and organised and supports smoother transitions throughout the day — all of which contribute to improved learning outcomes and wellbeing.

This week, our SWPBS focus is on the expectations:

• “I keep my belongings safe in my locker”
• “I move quietly and slowly through non-learning areas”

Both of these link strongly to our school value of Responsibility – taking ownership of our own behaviour, our belongings, and the impact we have on others. Thank you for reinforcing these expectations at home and supporting our work in building a calm, consistent and respectful school environment.

It was wonderful to hear the students practising for the Reconciliation Week assembly. I am just sorry that I was unable to be present as I was attending the Riversdale Principals Network Conference. It was also great to see students take part in learning experiences across the week connected to this year’s theme of ‘Bridging Now to Next’. A huge thank you goes to the staff for supporting the students to prepare for the performance and a special thank you to Emily Brooks, Ryoko Yamaoka and Theresa Tremonte for their coordination and organisation of our Reconciliation Week activities. 

The Solway Science Fair was well attended, and it was great to see the smiles on students faces as they presented their projects to their families and their peers. Thank you to Tracy Birt for your coordination of the event and the Prep team for accommodating the displays in their learning spaces. 

The SRC has been doing an amazing job raising vital funds to support FightMND. We are looking forward to welcoming Bec Daniher this week to share with our community the work that her organisation is doing to find a cure for MND. 

A reminder that Prep 2026 enrolments are now open. If you or someone you know has children starting school next year and are wanting to enrol with us, please visit please our website for more information about enrolling your child into a Victorian government primary school, visit Enrolling in Foundation (Prep) or contact us at the school. 

Finally, thank you for all families that have responded to the photography/video permission request via the Compass app. This is a reminder for you to log into the app and provide your response so that we can incorporate more students’ images into our newsletter and social media posts. I would also like to take this opportunity to remind families, who use WhatsApp to stay connected around school events. While it is a great way to build community, please remember it’s not an official school communication tool. We ask all parents to be mindful of student privacy when sharing photos or videos. Please avoid posting images of other children without their family's permission.

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

David Rosser

Principal