Leadership Report

Dear Saltwater Community, 

Welcome to week 4 of Term 2. As we near the end of autumn and begin to feel the first hints of winter, there's a special kind of beauty in the air. We've been treated to crisp, foggy mornings that slowly give way to clear, sun-drenched afternoons, a perfect blend of seasons. In this edition of the newsletter, you will find information on the Child Safe Standards, School Photos, Three Way Conferences and the Teacher Shortage. 

Child Safe Standards and School Policies 

Saltwater College is committed to providing an environment where students are safe and feel safe. 

Our child safety framework includes policies, codes and procedures that explain how we support and maintain the safety and wellbeing of our students and protect them from harm. These documents are available on our website: https://saltwatercollege.vic.edu.au/ 

We are also committed to continuous improvement of our child safety framework. We are currently reviewing our child safety policies and practices to ensure they are up-to-date and effective. 

Our students and families are important partners in this process. We welcome your feedback or ideas on ways we can improve our approach to child safety and wellbeing. 

If you have any suggestions or comments, please contact Wellbeing Assistant Principals Amanda Palombi or Sarah O'Connor on 8366 7700 or at amanda.palombi@education.vic.gov.au or sarah.oconnor2@education.vic.gov.au.

Updated School Photo Days – Term 2

School Photo Days are coming up soon. Please ensure your child wears full academic uniform and no jewellery on their photo day.

There has been a change in dates for Year 6, Year 6 Graduation, and Sibling Photos. We've had to reschedule due to our Secondary students being dismissed early for three-way conferences. There is also a change in Secondary photos and Year 9 Graduation photos due to the Year 9 City Camp in June.

Photo Schedule - Primary

Monday, May 19 – Years 1, 2 & 3

Tuesday, May 20 – Prep, Years 4 & 5

Thursday, May 22 – Year 6, Graduation Photos & Sibling Photos

Photo Schedule - Secondary

Monday, May 26 – Years 7, 8 & 9 and Year 9 Graduation Photos

Photo Schedule - Catch Up Photos

Wednesday, June 4 – Catch-Up Photo Day (both primary and secondary for any missed sessions)

You should  have received your order flyers this week. If you have not received one, kindly check with your child's classroom teacher, or the office. Thank you for your support in helping us capture these special school memories!

Three-Way Conferences at Saltwater College

We warmly invite families to take part in our upcoming Three-Way Conferences—an important chance for students, parents, and teachers to come together to reflect on progress, celebrate achievements, and set goals for future learning.

Key Dates:

📅 Wednesday, 21 May 2025 – Secondary Three-Way Conferences (12:00 PM – 7:00 PM)📅 Wednesday, 28 May 2025 – Primary Three-Way Conferences (12:00 PM – 7:00 PM)

To allow time for these meaningful conversations, students will finish at 12:00 PM on their scheduled conference day. We appreciate your support with this adjusted timetable.

We encourage all families to participate and look forward to working together to support your child’s learning journey!

Teacher Shortage: A Challenge Across the Sector

Like many schools across the state of Victoria, Saltwater College is currently navigating the challenges of a nationwide teacher shortage. This has become an increasingly pressing issue that impacts recruitment and the overall stability of school staffing.

When positions become available at Saltwater College, we are committed to finding the most suitable educators to join our team. We carefully consider each applicant’s experience, values, and capacity to support our students’ growth and wellbeing. However, the pool of available candidates is significantly smaller than in past years.

There are several key factors contributing to the current shortage of teachers:

• Declining enrolment in teacher education courses

• Increased demand for educators 

• Retention challenges

At Saltwater College, we are actively engaging in professional networks, job platforms, and university partnerships to attract strong candidates whenever roles become available. While it can take time to secure the right person, we always prioritise student learning and wellbeing in the interim, through careful planning, internal support, and ongoing communication with families.

We thank our community for their understanding and continued support as we work to ensure high-quality teaching for our students at Saltwater College.