Attendance & Engagement

Every Day Counts at Saltwater P-9 College

At Saltwater P-9 College, we know that strong attendance builds strong learning outcomes, positive wellbeing and a greater sense of belonging for every student. Every day at school provides opportunities for students to connect with peers, engage with their learning and build routines that support future success.

We would like to thank our families for the continued support you provide in helping your children arrive at school each day ready to learn. Together, we can continue building positive attendance habits and ensuring every student feels connected, supported and successful at school.

Whole School Attendance Update

Over the past two weeks, we have continued to monitor attendance trends closely across the college. We are pleased to see many year levels maintaining strong attendance rates and would like to congratulate our students and families for their ongoing efforts.

Attendance Percentages (Last Two Weeks)

Special congratulations to our Grade 1 and Grade 2 students, who achieved the highest attendance rate across the college at 92%! This is a fantastic achievement and reflects the strong partnership between our school and families in supporting consistent attendance.

We would also like to acknowledge all year levels sitting at or above 90%. Maintaining attendance above this benchmark is important in supporting continuous learning and classroom engagement.

As we move further into the term, we encourage all students to continue striving for consistent attendance and arriving on time each day.

Education Week – Celebrating Learning in Action

In week 5, our school community will celebrate Education Week with our families being invited into classrooms to experience learning in action across our Prep to Year 9 spaces.

It will be wonderful to see parents, carers and grandparents engaging alongside students and witnessing the incredible learning experiences taking place each day at Saltwater P-9 College. Families will have the opportunity to observe authentic classroom learning, support their child during lessons and celebrate the strong relationships that exist within our classrooms.

Thank you to all families who will be able to attended throughout the week and to our staff for opening their classrooms and showcasing the amazing work happening across the college each day.

Celebrating Education Support Day

Recently, we celebrated Education Support Day and recognised the incredible contributions of our Education Support staff across the college.

Our ES staff play a vital role in supporting students both inside and outside the classroom every single day. From assisting students with additional needs, supporting classroom learning programs, working within wellbeing spaces, assisting families in the office and helping maintain our facilities and grounds, their work is valued deeply across our community.

We thank all of our Education Support staff, office staff, wellbeing teams, cleaners and maintenance staff for the care, dedication and support they provide to our students, families and staff each day.

Support Saltwater Through “Shop for Your School”

Families are encouraged to continue supporting Saltwater P-9 College through the “Shop for Your School” promotion at Pacific Werribee.

By shopping at participating fresh food retailers between 11 May and 21 June, families can help Saltwater P-9 College earn points towards a share of $30,000 in prizes for local schools.

Every dollar spent helps support our school community, and we thank families who have already been participating in the promotion. It’s a fantastic opportunity to support both local businesses and our college at the same time.

Late Arrivals Matter

Did you know that the most common day for students to arrive late to school is Thursday? Across this school year alone, Saltwater P-9 College has recorded over 2,000 late arrivals on Thursdays.

While occasional lateness may seem small, arriving late can have a significant impact on learning. The first hour of the school day is one of the most important learning periods, where teachers introduce key concepts, literacy and numeracy instruction, routines and important daily information.

Learning begins promptly at:

• 8:30am for Primary students

• 8:45am for Secondary students

Students arriving late can miss valuable learning opportunities and may also feel unsettled entering classrooms after lessons have already begun.

Tips to Help Students Arrive on Time

• Prepare school bags, uniforms and lunches the night before
• Set consistent morning routines
• Use a “buddy system” with a trusted friend to encourage punctuality
• Allow extra travel time for traffic or weather conditions
• Consider walking or active travel options where possible
• Aim to arrive 10–15 minutes early to allow students time to settle before class

Small adjustments to morning routines can make a big difference in helping students begin the day positively and calmly.

Working Together for Strong Attendance

Thank you to all families for continuing to support strong attendance and engagement across our college. Every day at school matters, and together we can ensure students feel connected, confident and ready to learn.

A reminder to families to please notify the school of absences through Xuno or by contacting the office as early as possible. For planned family holidays during term time, we ask families to notify the school at least two weeks prior to departure so we can support communication and planning around student learning.

Thank you again for your ongoing partnership and support in helping every student thrive at Saltwater P-9 College.

Brent Syme

Asssitant Principal