Principals Report
Principal’s Report
“Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.” — Simon Sinek
Principals’ Day
Today is Principals’ Day, providing a special opportunity to recognise and celebrate the important role of school leaders.
I would like to acknowledge and sincerely thank our amazing Assistant Principals—Sandra, Luke, Liz and Pat. I feel incredibly fortunate to work alongside such a committed, caring and highly capable leadership team. Each brings different strengths and expertise to their role, but we are united by our shared commitment to our students, families and staff.
Being Principal of Monash SDS is an enormous privilege. It means leading a school where the needs of our amazing students and their families are at the heart of every decision we make. I am deeply proud of our school, the individual strengths and achievements of our students, and the dedication of the staff who support them each day.
We were especially touched when some of our students presented us with a beautiful drawing they had created of our leadership team. Their thoughtfulness, care and creativity made it an incredibly special Principals’ Day gift and a wonderful reminder of why we do what we do.
Mini Woolies is getting closer!
The launch of our very own Mini Woolies at Monash SDS is getting closer, and the space is beginning to look like a real supermarket. The registers have now been fitted, the shelving is in place and our first grocery items have been delivered. It is very exciting to see everything taking shape.
Next week, some of our students will begin training in how to use the registers. This will be an important step in preparing them to take an active role in the Mini Woolies program.
Mini Woolies will provide authentic and meaningful opportunities for students to develop their communication, numeracy, social interaction, decision-making and everyday living skills. Students will be able to practise selecting products, shopping, using money, operating the registers, following routines and working with others within a familiar and supportive school environment.
We are incredibly grateful to Woolworths for bringing this wonderful initiative to our school and look forward to sharing more details about the official launch very soon.
Student Support Group meetings
Our Student Support Group meetings are an important opportunity for families and school staff to come together to discuss each student’s progress, strengths, individual learning goals and priorities for the remainder of the year.
Families bring invaluable knowledge and understanding of their children. This partnership helps us ensure that each student’s educational program remains meaningful, appropriately challenging and responsive to their individual needs.
I thank our families for their time, thoughtful contributions and continued partnership, and our staff for the careful preparation that goes into making these meetings purposeful and productive. Through this shared commitment, we can provide the consistency, encouragement and support our students need to learn, grow and experience success.
Car park safety reminder
A reminder to all families and visitors that the speed limit within the school grounds is 5 km/h. Please drive slowly, remain alert for students and pedestrians, use the designated parking areas and take particular care around the zebra crossing.
This reminder also applies to families driving onto the school grounds to collect children from TheirCare. Even outside regular school dismissal times, students, staff and other families may still be moving through the area. Please use the top car park, follow all signage and staff directions, and ensure vehicles do not stop or park in a way that obstructs access or reduces visibility.
Thank you for helping us keep every member of our school community safe.
Thank you, as always, to our students, staff and families for everything you contribute to our wonderful school community. I look forward to sharing further news about Mini Woolies and the many exciting learning experiences still to come this term.
Lindy Abernethy
Principal
