Principal's Report
Welcome to Term 2!
“Leadership is not about a title, it’s about the difference you make.”
Welcome back to all of our students, families and staff for the start of a new term. It has been wonderful to see everyone return settled, positive and ready for learning.
We began the term with a very special event. Our Leadership Ceremony, where we formally recognised our 2026 student leaders was held last Thursday. It was fantastic to welcome families into our school to share in this important milestone. Our SRC students proudly received their graduation jumpers, marking the beginning of their leadership journey.
Student leadership at Monash SDS is about voice, responsibility and modelling our school values – doing your best, helping others succeed and respecting your environment. I am incredibly proud to announce our 2026 student leaders:
School Captain: Khushali Trivedi
Vice Captain: Sahithi Yellayi
(Our School Captain and Vice Captains will also represent our students on School Council.)
House Captains for 2026:
Walid Zeitouni – Galada Blue House
Nicholas Pingitore – Darrang Green House
Claudia Reid – Biik Red House
Allegra Vatta – Ngawan Yellow House
Each of these students has demonstrated readiness to lead, and I am so very proud of them all. We look forward to seeing the positive impact they will have across our school.
Student teachers
We are also pleased to welcome a number of student teachers from Monash University who have joined us this term. Monash SDS is recognised as a school of excellence in special education, and we are proud to support the development of future educators. Their time with us provides an important opportunity to experience specialist education in action, and we hope it inspires many to consider a career in this field.
Behaviour support training
Over the past fortnight, we were fortunate to have Dan Petro, our Behaviour Analyst, onsite for two days working alongside staff to further strengthen our School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) practices. This ongoing work ensures we continue to build consistency and excellence in how we support our students.
A huge celebration!
Finally, I am extremely proud to share some very exciting news to begin the term. Monash SDS has been awarded the SWPBS Platinum Award – the highest level of recognition in the state for behaviour support. We have consistently achieved Gold status every year since 2021, and reaching Platinum is a significant milestone. This achievement reflects the dedication, expertise and collective effort of our entire staff team in creating a positive, inclusive and supportive learning environment for all students.
Thank you to our staff, students and families for your continued support. I look forward to another fantastic term ahead.
Lindy