Learning and Teaching News

Student Leadership @ SMDP

At St Martin de Porres, we are proud to offer a strong and structured Student Leadership Program for our Year 6 students. This formal process provides students with a meaningful opportunity to actively participate in the decision-making processes within our school community.

Our program fosters student agency and personal leadership development, while helping to shape the community leaders of tomorrow. Through their leadership roles, students are encouraged to think critically about ways they can positively impact both our school and the wider world. They are challenged to develop a strong sense of vision and purpose, take on responsibilities and apply decision-making skills to successfully lead and complete projects.

Throughout their leadership journey, students develop a wide range of interpersonal and intrapersonal skills such as communication, negotiation, teamwork and self-reflection. They are given opportunities to practise being active, reflective listeners who collaborate effectively with others to achieve shared goals.

Farewell to our 2025 Leaders

This week we say a heartfelt thank you and farewell to our Year 6 Student Leadership Group. This group has been a joy to work with. They followed their roles and vision exemplarily, leading by example each day and inspiring their peers through their dedication and service.

Today we celebrated them at our final Leadership Breakfast, a special moment to acknowledge their contributions and thank them for all they have given to our school. While they will be deeply missed, we send them with our very best wishes as they begin their next chapter at their new schools.

Welcoming our 2026 Leaders

As we farewell one group, we are delighted to introduce the Student Leaders for 2026. These students have been selected through a thoughtful and inclusive process that recognises their commitment, vision and capacity to serve our community. We also acknowledge.

The leadership process for 2026 has involved:

• Nomination and application – students put forward their interest and articulate their vision for leadership via video

• Peer and staff input – Year 4 and 5 students and staff vote

• Formal appointment – leaders are entrusted with their roles and responsibilities, ready to begin their journey.

We also warmly acknowledge those students who courageously put themselves forward but were not appointed to a formal leadership position. These students remain an important part of our Year 6 leadership cohort and will continue to have opportunities to grow, contribute and develop their leadership skills throughout the year.

Our new leaders will step into their positions at the beginning of the 2026 school year. They will be challenged to uphold the values of SMDP, lead initiatives that strengthen our community and continue the proud tradition of student leadership that makes our school shine.

We look forward to seeing them grow, serve and inspire in 2026. 

Elise Coghlan

Principal & Learnig and Teacher Leader