This term highlights transformation, marking significant stages in our students' learning journey. A deep dive into their achievements will be highlighted through Student Exhibitions. These pivotal moments allow our students to assess and showcase their learning growth in a thoughtful and reflective manner, setting the stage for future learning objectives.
At Silkwood School, we are keenly looking forward to witnessing our students display their accomplishments. Feedback from our families indicates that an impressive 98% believe our Student Exhibitions provide a deeper understanding of their child’s educational progress, notable milestones, and the enhancement of their confidence, social abilities, and holistic personal development.
The horizon of this term is filled with expectation as we navigate the transition from one learning phase to another. Specifically, our Year 1, 5, and 9 students are gearing up to transition to their new campuses in 2024, while our Year 12 students are poised to leap into their futures and embark on their post-school adventures.
From Monday 23 January 2023, our School Offices are open 8.15 am to 4.00 pm Monday to Friday. You can contact the school office during these hours via phone (07) 5655 0300 or email reception@silkwood.qld.edu.au.
Our friendly Community Relations Team can help with most enquiries over the phone or by email.
The Silkwood School App: Your Digital Gateway to Our Community
Stay seamlessly connected with Silkwood School by using our dedicated app! Designed with our families in mind, the app offers a user-friendly way to access vital school information and communicate with our vibrant community.
Key Features of the App:
School Calendar: Stay updated with upcoming events and important dates.
Absentee Messaging: Easily notify the school if your child will be absent.
General Notices: Receive important announcements from the school.
Links to Vital Resources: Access key documents and information.
School Newsletter: Stay informed about the latest happenings at Silkwood.
Music Group Notices: Updates for our budding musicians.
After-School Activities: Information about extra-curriculars and more!
Parents and guardians can tailor their app experience by subscribing to groups relevant to their child's activities, ensuring they receive only the most pertinent notifications.
For easy access to crucial updates right at your fingertips, download the app to your mobile device. To get started and learn more about its features, Download here
We encourage all families to take advantage of this resource and stay actively engaged with the Silkwood School community.
We ask parents and carers to use our pick-up and drop-off systems unless it is unavoidable for student wellbeing.
Additional Team members are allocated to support at these times to help our youngest students and students who need assistance to get safely to class. Please remain in your vehicle at drop off and pick up; our team is there to help students get in and out of cars and walk to class.
Morning Driveway Drop-Off Schedule
Starting from 8:00 am, the Primary School Prep area will have dedicated supervision provided by school staff and Advisors for parents dropping off their Prep and Year 1 children during this time.
We encourage families to support their little ones in walking independently from the set-down area to the Prep gate and Year 1 Advisorys. This promotes confidence-building and empowers them as they arrive at school each day.
Additionally, please be aware of the updated arrangements for Year 2 pick-up and drop-off, which have been moved to Middle School.
Year Level
Set-Down Area
School Starts
Drop-Off Time
Prep
Outside of Prep
8.45am
8.00am – 8.40am
Years 1
Primary School set down area, before the first bridge
8.30am
8.00am – 8.25am
Years 2 – 9
Middle School set down area
8.30am
7.45am – 8.25am
Year 10 - 12
Robina Railway Station or Town Centre
8.30am
7.45 am – 8.25 am
Afternoon Driveway Pick-Up Schedule
PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE BEFORE YOUR PICK-UP TIME, AS YOUR CHILD MAY NOT BE READY FOR COLLECTION
At the end of the school day, we need to move a lot of traffic in a short space of time. To assist with the smooth operation of our afternoon schedule, we have a few guidelines we ask you to follow:
To eliminate car park congestion, please do not arrive earlier than the times below to collect your child.
If you arrive early, you will be asked to re-circulate the driveway until your child arrives.
If you arrive on time, use the drive-through pick-up system and refrain from parking if possible.
If your child is not looking out for their car or does not respond to their name being called, you will be asked to circulate the driveway until they make their way to the pick-up area.
If someone other than a parent or guardian is collecting your child, please let the school know in advance.
Please ensure your child’s name and year level are clearly visible on your passenger-side car visor.
When pulling up to collect your child, please ensure you stop the vehicle as far to the front as possible so that we can assist multiple families. In the Primary School, there are three vehicle spaces marked on the ground to help you see where you need to stop. Our volunteers will ask you to move forward if you have stopped with a vacant bay in front of you. Please respect their direction. They are there to help every child get to their vehicle safely and promptly.
Families with siblings use their youngest child's pick-up zone and the latest designated pick-up time for that zone.
Year Level
Pick-up Area
School Finishes
Pick-Up Time
Prep
Outside of Prep
2.55pm
3.00pm
Year 1
Outside of Prep
3.00pm
3.10pm
Years 2 – 5
Middle School driveway
3.00pm
3.20pm
Years 6 & 7
Middle School driveway
3.00pm
3.15pm
Years 10 – 12
Robina Railway Station or Town Centre
3.00pm
from 3.00pm
Year 12*
Robina Railway Station or Town Centre
3.00pm
from 3.00pm
Senior School
At the start of each term, we must remind our Senior School families of our Robina campus's parking, drop-off and pick-up procedures
Campus Drop-Off and Pick-Up Procedures
The locations to do this are Robina Train Station and Robina Town Centre. For ease of access and parking availability, we highly recommend using Robina Station. An Advisor will be at the train station each morning at 8:15 am to walk with any students needing support to get to School and again in the afternoon, should students require it. All other students can leave at 3:00 pm for their various transport options (off-site).
Students cannot be picked up or dropped off on the streets directly adjacent to the School ie. Laver Drive and Easthill Drive, as this will put the School in breach of Council conditions.
Details relating to student parking can be found in the Senior School Operations Handbook.
We have reviewed our Northern Bus route and made some changes to improve its efficiency. The route will now start at Helensvale station and proceed to Broadwater Avenue, Olsen Avenue, Ashmore, and Nerang. Additionally, we have included two new stops on the northern route: Helensvale station and Discovery Drive (previously on the North-Western route).
Important points to note about the Northern Bus changes:
No new stops are being added to the route.
The stops on the northern route will be on the opposite side of the road compared to the afternoon run.
The direction of travel in the afternoon will remain the same as the current route from Ashmore to Helensvale.
The afternoon run will remain unchanged until Broadwater Avenue, where it will now travel down Helensvale Road and Discovery Drive to Helensvale station.
These changes are being implemented in an effort to improve the arrival time of the Northern morning bus at Silkwood School. By avoiding the M1 highway section around 8 AM, we anticipate better timing for the school route.
North-Western Bus:
The North-Western Bus route will continue as normal; however, we have made a change to its itinerary. After picking up passengers at Monterey Keys, the bus will now travel directly to Pacific Pines via the highway. As a result, the North-Western bus will no longer service Discovery Drive and Helensvale Station.
Additional information about the North-Western Bus changes:
No new stops will be added to the route.
Some adjustments have been made to the timetable, and further fine-tuning of times may be required as we progress on the route.
Please refer to the timetables for the updated schedules on the Northern and North-Western Bus routes by clicking 'LEARN MORE' below.
We appreciate your understanding and patience during this transition.
Students travelling with our School Bus Service require a valid SmartCard with credit already loaded onto their account. Bus trips are charged at $5.00 per trip with your SmartCard, and $10.00 per trip without presentation of a valid SmartCard (this will be charged at $5.00 at time of trip, plus a $5.00 manual administration fee).
If you would like your student to be issued with a bus card, please let us know by emailing schoolbus@silkwood.qld.edu.au and we can arrange this for you.
Students who travel by bus must be able to travel independently, have familiarity with their bus stop and have the ability to stay seated with their seatbelt fastened for the duration of their journey. Seatbelt use is compulsory on our School Bus Service.
We will still be requiring a parent or guardian to be waiting at bus stops to collect any students aged 12 or under.
Please be reminded that all students must adhere to the Queensland Government’s Code of Conduct for School Students Travelling on Buses. This can also be viewed on our website by going to the ‘Our Community’ drop-down menu and clicking on the School Bus Service link.
Devices will be required to be placed in the student’s bags and stay there until they depart the school bus.
Headphones can be set up prior to boarding the bus with a podcast or music playing. However, the device MUST remain in the student’s bag (once set, no adjustments).
Bus drivers will be monitoring this, and any instance of device usage on the Silkwood School Bus service will be treated as a behaviour breach and will have consequences as outlined on our School Bus Service page on our website.
Our bus drivers are employed to ensure all students reach their destination in a safe and timely manner. Therefore, their attention needs to be on the road. Please refrain from messaging bus drivers’ personal phones during this time.
* Please be aware that the Southern bus route will be subject to delays and changes during 2023 as tram works progress.
School Operations Handbook
At Silkwood, we take our commitment to work in partnership with our families seriously. With this in mind, we have designed Mt Nathan and Robina Campus School Operations Handbooks that can be used as a resource to ensure you have easy access to critical information about the School.
This handbook is a working document, and changes are made throughout the year when required. A current version is available on our website and through the Silkwood School App.
Wherever you find yourself on the Silkwood journey, whether you are new to the school or returning, we recommend pouring a cuppa and taking a read through the pages when you have some time to do so.
Food and Nutrition Guidelines at Silkwood
Nude Food Lunches
We encourage families to follow the ‘Wipe Out Waste – Nude Food’ Guidelines and promote lunch foods without excess packaging. This reduces the amount of rubbish that needs to go in the bin to then be sent to landfill. Durable and reusable containers are a great way to bring food, as they may last from pre-school through to Senior School and beyond, providing long term cost savings and environmental benefits.
Reduce the amount of material sent to landfill to benefit the environment by packing:
Snacks/food in reusable containers;
Water in a reusable stainless-steel bottle;
Reusable utensils when needed;
A reusable lunchbox.
Tips for packing Nude Food lunches:
Help children to make nutritious, waste-less lunches and let them make their own lunches. Try packing lunches the night before and storing them in the fridge overnight.
Discuss with your child what they like to eat and how much. Be mindful of what comes home in your child’s lunchbox.
Cut up fruit and vegetables and pack them in reusable containers so that children can eat some and save the rest for later.
Reusable containers are a great way to bring food to school for lunch. Why not get your young person excited about responsible food packaging and let them choose their own containers that will last them many years!
Research is clear that nutrition plays a key role in the quality of a young person’s physical and neural development. For this reason, for optimum success with a student’s learning program, we believe that students should be nourished well, and encouraged and supported to take responsibility for the quality of food they eat themselves.
Specifically, we ask Silkwood families to:
Provide lunches that are nutritious, wholesome and free of artificial chemicals, additives and colours
Provide lunches made up of fresh fruit, salads, vegetables, grains, nuts, eggs, meats, dairy, pasta or any other healthy, fresh, whole foods
Empower students to make good choices about their own food by involving them in making their own healthy lunches
Choose foods that avoid or reduce packaging and have a positive impact on our environment
Please note: Fridges are not available, please pack lunches in an insulated bag with an ice-brick. All food packaging, waste and leftover food in lunch boxes are returned home with the students.
There are some food items that are well-researched enough that we know have an adverse effect on children’s health or simply add no nutritional value to a lunch box. These foods are the ones that we ask you to exclude from lunch containers: lollies, sweet treats i.e. biscuits, cakes, ice creams, ice blocks, foods containing chocolate, sugary spreads, chips, and drinks (other than water).
Visor Signs
For families who collect their child/ren from school must display a visor sign showing their child's name and year level.
Whether you collect your child from the Primary or Middle School campus, this information is extremely important to assist in keeping school traffic flowing each afternoon.
Please ensure your car's passenger visor is fitted with a sign clearly stating your child's name and year level. We suggest you keep this sign attached to your visor (or somewhere handy and ready to attach) and simply flip your passenger sun visor down before entering the car park.
This greatly improves the efficiency of readying students to be collected.
Below are examples of signs for single and multiple name layouts. Should you require assistance in producing a sign for your vehicle, please get in touch with your Class Carer.
Introducing Our New Fee Management Platform for 2023
Silkwood School has partnered with Edstart to improve our school fee payment options.
To provide additional flexibility with fee payments, we are transitioning families to Edstart Plus. In 2023, Silkwood School will only be accepting annual upfront payments.
With Edstart Plus, families will have access to more options with their school fee payments, including:
Options to pay weekly, fortnightly, monthly, or termly by selecting the schedule that
works for them;
The ability to choose a preferred day for when payments are made;
The option to spread your fees during the year over an entire 12-month period instead
of 10 months;
The flexibility to adjust payments at any time;
There are no fees or charges for using Edstart Plus for your Silkwood School fees and camps.
Our Tuckshop Team is committed to providing wholesome lunches and snacks in line with the Silkwood School nutrition policy. High-quality and homemade foods are available for purchase and served in paper bags or BioPak plant-derived, compostable containers.
All orders are to be made via the Qkr! App, before 8.15am each day, click here for instructions; OR
Parents and carers can place their orders directly with Jo at the tuckshop (cash payments accepted);
Late orders can be handed in at the tuckshop window or by phoning Jo on 0415 907 888 as early as possible;
Students can place their orders directly with Jo at the tuckshop. This must be done before 8.20am each morning so as not to affect school start times;
Lunch orders will be collected by lunch monitors and delivered to classes as usual.
The School fully supports the move to a paperless, cashless ordering system (cash will be accepted at the tuckshop window when ordering directly with Jo in the mornings).
The Qkr! App ordering system is straightforward and provides a visual menu to assist with ordering.
* Sushi orders will be on hold for the first week until we source a new provider.
Learn more about the Silkwood Tuckshop and using Qkr! via the buttons below.
At the beginning of each year, you will need to update your child's year level to ensure lunch is delivered to the right classroom. You can update this information under the 'Profiles' tab in Qkr! You will receive a reminder notification on your phone at the beginning of the year.
Learn more about the Silkwood Tuckshop via the buttons below.
This year we would like to welcome Dean Gill, who many of you will know from teaching guitar, to the year level music team where he will be assisting with class music from years prep to 7 as a dedicated music aid. We have some changes to the music timetables so check below as choirs have changed afternoons, although still during school time.
Also listed below are more details about the things that will be happening in class music, the string programs, the choral programs, external music programs plus some important dates to remember 😊 We have been busy planning and getting things ready and look forward to our musical year ahead!
The Music Team 😊
Class Music
Specialist music lessons are part of the Silkwood Learning Program for Prep to Year 7. They are fun, interactive classes that include singing, movement, instrumental tuition and basic musical theory all of which develops through the year levels.
In term 3, 2022, we welcomed back Amanda L to the Music team. Amanda is looking after Class Music in the following year groups: Preps – Year 5 and Mel will take Year 6 and Year 7 students, Distance Ed and high school mentoring. All Lead students that do music wil be doing it with their year levels this year.
Strings Programs
The programs listed below are run by Mel and occur once a week as per the individual times highlighted below – for our performance groups we are planning brand new music uniforms in 2023!
• Year 3 Beginner's Strings We offer a full year level, introductory string program including all the Orchestral String Instruments (double bass, cello, viola and violin) with many of these instruments available for hire through school. This program develops our fabulous ‘Junior Orchestra’ which performs twice a year at the Silkwood Concerts. Each string group has 1 weekly 30min lesson and an additional ‘Junior Orchestra’ session for 60mins where all the students will come together to practice what they have learnt during their lessons. This will occur on Wednesdays this year and daily home practice schedules will need to be set up to support the student’s enrichment and instrumental learning. A detailed schedule will be sent out to year 3 parents directly.
• Intermediate Orchestra – Years 4, 5 & 6 This String Orchestra is the natural next step for the students that wish to continue learning a string instrument and will commence in week 2. Each section – 1st Violins, 2nd Violins, Violas and combined Cello/Bass – will be supported with a 20 min weekly tutorial which will occur on the same day as Orchestra Rehearsal in the afternoon session between 1.35 – 3.00pm. This will be a wonderful addition to the weekly rehearsals Tuesday 3.15 – 4.15pm. Daily home practice routines will also be required for membership in this group. This Orchestra is a performance group with a special music uniform and a year’s commitment that has the added opportunities of competing in Eisteddfod, going on excursions, possible recording sessions and string workshops as well as performing at the Concerts and Festivals throughout the year.
• Senior Strings – High School Students Years 7 to 12 This is our most experienced group that only has one weekly rehearsal 3.15 – 4.15pm Thursday commencing week 2. Daily home practice schedules are required for this group as well as some students having additional private lessons that can be included as a part of their PILP’s – Personal Individual Learning Plans. This elite String ensemble is also a performance group with a different music uniform and a year’s commitment that has the added opportunities of competing in Eisteddfod, possible string workshops and performing at the Concerts, Transition Ceremonies, special assemblies and Festivals throughout the year.
Choral Information
Welcome to a newly scheduled choral year in 2023!
Amanda L is back to managing the choral program this year. We have three choirs available for Silkwood students. They will learn a wide range of new repertoire and perform in various festivals and performances, including the Gold Coast Eisteddfod in August. No auditions are required; all students are welcome to join.
• Silkwood Sparrows is our Junior Choir for students in Years 1, 2 & 3. This Choir will meet at the new time of Friday afternoon 1.45 – 2.45 weekly. Start date: Friday 03 Februrary
• Hummingbird Choir is for Years 4, 5 & 6 and rehearsals will be at the new time of Thursday afternoon 1.45 – 2.45 weekly. Start date: Thursday 02 February
• Senior Vocal Ensemble will also change times and will now be on Wednesday afternoon 1.45 – 2.45 weekly at the middle school – room TBC commencing week 3 Wednesday 8th February.
‘Come and try’ sessions will be arranged at school for students to see if they are interested in committing their time and attention to our choir and/or woodwind groups. From Week 5 of Term 1, those students who sign up are expected to commit to the entire year for rehearsals to ensure consistency for upcoming performances.
‘How to Sign Up’ If your young person wishes to join or continue in one of our Music Programs, please sign them up via the Parent Portal / activities / music activities and then find the name of your group as above. This will secure a place in their program of choice and will ensure you receive communication relevant to each Music Program.
‘Music Program Costs’ We are excited to announce that this year Orchestra and Choir will incur No charge for 2023
We have made the decision to offer the music programs to our families free of charge this year 😊
Why?
• The Silkwood Music Program is deeply embedded in our culture and is an important part of our past, present and future
• Our students work hard on their craft and represent our school in such amazing ways at Eisteddfods, school concerts and school events
• To encourage more students to connect with music to support learning outcomes (research tells us this)
• To create a sense of connection through music (promotes a sense of belonging and connection)
There are however still some costs for instrument hire and external programs please see below
External Music
• Private Piano Lessons Piano lessons are with Amy Baker who is continuing at Silkwood this year. If your child wishes to continue or sign up for lessons, please get in touch with Dean directly. There are solo and partner lessons available. To book please email play@mindsetonmusic.com
• Private Guitar Lessons Private guitar lessons with Dean are continuing at Silkwood this year. If your child wishes to continue or sign up for lessons, please get in touch with Dean directly. There are solo, partner or group lessons available. To book with Dean, please email deangill1994@gmail.com
• Woodwind Program Sadly we farewelled our Woodwind Teahcer Zandra last year so that she could pursue her dream of becoming a pilot and we wish her well. We are currently looking for a replacement and will hopefully have one to start sometime during term 1.
• Private String Lessons with Mel Mel is on a reduced schedule this year so those seeking private string tuition should contact her asap. Melanie.creamer@silkwood.qld.edu.au
More information regarding these events will be shared with families closer to the time.
Key Dates & Events
Our School Events page covers dates and events happening at Silkwood throughout the year; it is updated regularly and accessible anytime via our website or School App.
Where families may need to know specific information regarding an event, our Community Relations Team will distribute information to families of the applicable year levels leading up to the event.
2023 SCHOOL CALENDAR
To help with your family's plans for 2023, below is a copy of the 2023 School Calendar. A printed copy will be sent home with all students when their school photos arrive.
Afterschool Activities
Silkwood offers various activities that support students to continue pursuing their interests and enjoying the company of friends outside the school day.
Afterschool Activities are run either by our community or external providers and to a set schedule for each term. Our Term 1 Program and activity details are now available here. To book your activities, please contact the providers directly.
We are looking forward to another exciting year of sport at Silkwood! Please read on for the latest news and upcoming District Trials.
— Nikki Fields, HPE & Sports Coordinator
Silkwood Equestrian Team
This year, we are again excited to have students competing in the Equestrian Affiliated Queensland Inter-School Equestrian competition.
Competing at an interschool event is an extra-curricular activity and requires a time and financial commitment by families outside of school hours to train and compete. Please note despite these events across a range of disciplines being an interschool tournament; the school is not involved in the coordination and running of these events.
Conditions of entry:
Students must have their own horse
Ideally, students are already competing or partaking in regular lessons (Recommended to be ready for competition environment but not necessary)
Horses must be EA registered (base)
Riders must be EA registered
If your child is interested in competing in the Queensland Interschool Competition, please click here to find out how to register and all other details relating to this competition.
If you are interested in your child joining the team or have any other questions, please let your child’s Advisor know so further details can be passed onto you by our Sports Coordinator. We have a supportive Facebook group including our past and existing Equestrian Team members, and we’re always happy to welcome more!
District Sports
Silkwood School is part of the Broadwater District Sporting Schools Region. District Trials are a highly competitive, representative sporting pathway for students aged 10-19years wishing to pursue representative pathways in their chosen sport.
Broadwater District School Sport has this year established a Facebook page where students and families can locate the trial calendar and receive updates regarding any possible changes to trials. Please note that all nominations must go through the school nomination process.
If your child is interested in trialling for one of these sports, please inform your child’s Advisors well before the trial date (minimum of two weeks prior).
At Silkwood, our cross-country event aims to provide a fun and developmentally appropriate cross-year level opportunity for students to engage in physical activity.
Our focus is on students actively participating and doing their best, whether that be walking, running, skipping or dancing their way through!
For students interested in expanding their sporting horizons and seeking more competitive opportunities, our cross-country event is also used as an opportunity for students aged 10-19years to trial for the District Cross Country Trial (held in Term 2) and have their times recorded for consideration.
This year’s carnival will be held on Wednesday the 29th March.
District Swimming
The Broadwater District Swimming trial is taking place on Thursday 23rd of February. The District Swimming Trial is a highly competitive trial for students wishing to compete and possibly advance into more competitive pathways such as regional representation.
Consequently, we encourage students partaking in squad swimming or equivalent activity to consider this pathway.
To attend the District Swimming Trial, students must submit their times for consideration in their chosen races, and these times must be signed off by their swimming coach; please note there are no 25m races at the District Trial. Students should pass their times onto their Advisor or hand them into the office to be passed onto the Sports Coordinator. Times must be submitted no later than 1 pm on Friday the 10th of February.
The Annual Gold Coast Interschool Tennis Tournament is happening again on Sunday 20th February at the Gold Coast Tennis Centre in Southport.
The format of this competition is a round-robin doubles tournament with Primary, Middle and Secondary divisions.
Students do not need to be professional tennis players to enter this tournament, but we do recommend they are confident and knowledgeable of the rules and have some experience at playing tennis to get the most out of the day.
If your child is interested in entering this competition, please get in contact with your child’s Advisor, nominations are due by the 10th of February.
Silkwood Community Carers Association (SCCA)
Mission & Vision
The Silkwood Community Care Association (SCCA) is a not-for-profit group of parents and friends who work in partnership with our School Team and the wider community to nurture our strong sense of community at Silkwood School.
We look forward to sharing SCCA news with you later this term!
Committee Members
Thank you to our SCCA Committee
Our SCCA Committee does an outstanding job of keeping our community informed and connected.
We send a HUGE heartfelt thank you to this fantastic team of parents & carers, who generously give their time to support our school community and School Team. We look forward to a more 'connected' year with the challenges of past year's behind us.
We would like to formally introduce our fabulous SCCA Executive Team for 2023!
As we head into a new year of learning, connecting, and growing, it is the perfect time to welcome our incoming SCCA Executive Members. Appointed in November 2022, we would like to congratulate and welcome Angela Derks as President, Cara Campbell as Secretary and Bec Wharton as Treasurer.
We are very excited and thankful for these lovely ladies taking on the responsibilities of leading and running our SCCA Committee. We know 2023 will be a year of great things for our school community.
A little bit about our new SCCA Executive Team:
“This is our 5th year at Silkwood where my 2 little humans are going into grades 5 and 10 (Robina Senior campus this year! 😊 ). The well-being of our family and community is a priority for our family so my husband Peter and I joined the SCCA in the first term here so that we could learn about, and contribute to, the Silkwood community. I was invited to be President in 2022 and am delighted to have the opportunity to play an active role in connecting our beautiful school community through meaningful events and supportive roles.”
— Angela Derks - SCCA President
"Our family have been with Silkwood School for 12 years. We are passionate about the individual learning program that Silkwood have provided for our children. Our Daughter is in Year 9 at Silkwood School and our son graduated Year 12 in 2019 and is currently in his 4th year of a ‘Bachelor of Engineering (Honors) at Griffith University."
— Cara Campbell - SCCA Secretary
"My husband and I have 3 sons. Colby is only 3 however Archie is in Year 1 and Billy has just moved up to the middle school into Year 6. We joined Silkwood in 2020 and have never looked back. My role as Treasurer in the SCCA helps me contribute towards the school that has gifted our boys such a confidence boost in the last 3 years and really seen them flourish. I have loved meeting all the other parents and the others on the SCCA committee."
— Bec Wharton - SCCA Treasurer
SCCA News
We take the opportunity at the beginning of each school year to let our community know more about the SCCA, Silkwood Community Care Association (Silkwood's P&F) and our Class Carer and Community Carer Programs.
Our Class Carers are an amazing group of parents and carers who volunteer their time to support families in the following ways:
Organise year-level playdates or social catch-ups to help families get to know each other and strengthen the class community;
Welcome new families to the class and arrange appropriate introductions with other parents;
Share information of upcoming class or year level events, i.e. excursions, school camps, school-wide events etc;
Direct families on where to find operational information relating to attending Silkwood School;
Encourage and support the members of the class group to get involved in school activities and SCCA events (e.g. Trivia Night, Breakfasts Events, Kids in Business Markets etc.);
Promote the School and its parent engagement opportunities;
Encourage new families to attend a New Parent Morning Tea or meet the Principal (these take place at the start of the school year – unfortunately, they were cancelled in 2022 due to COVID restriction);
Organise gifts of appreciation for Advisor birthdays, World Teacher Day and end of year thank-you;
Support the Advisors by organising parent helpers for requested class and school activities such as School festivals, catering, fresh flowers etc;
Support the School with the moderation of the official Year Level Facebook Groups.
Class Carer Recruitment is carried out at the beginning of each school year. Our Class Carer Program is supported by a Class Carer Coordinator (Year 2 mum, Melanie Bentley) who is responsible for supporting, recruiting, and training Class Carers and facilitating regular meetings throughout the year. A new initiative in 2023 is the introduction of a Community Care Coordinator (Year 3, 6 & 9 Mum, Tiffany Webb). This role specifically focuses on supporting new families as they begin their Silkwood journey. With the tricky start to the year, it has been challenging to get this role up and running. The SCCA and School Team are working on a simple process to implement to ensure our new families are supported as they embark on their Silkwood journeys. Both of these as also volunteer roles.
We look forward to a great year ahead!
Family Facebook Groups
Silkwood School has established Year Level Family Facebook Groups. Their purpose is to provide a positive, respectful, and engaging social media platform for our families to share and discuss information that will enhance a sense of community and connection.
These groups are solely for the student's primary parents or carers. We respectfully ask that Grandparents and other family members refrain from joining the group unless they play a direct role in your child's school and home life and are listed as an approved guardian with the school.
Group members can post and share information directly to the page. These groups are moderated and monitored by our volunteer Class Carers and the School Marketing Team. We provide guidelines as a self-reflective tool, so people can self-determine the appropriateness of what they share. Moderators will remove items that don’t reflect the purpose or guidelines of the group. More information is provided under the 'About' tab in each Facebook group.
At the start of each year, our Marketing Team rolls over each group into the next year level. You will, therefore, only need to join the group once.
Join your 2022 Year Level Family Facebook Group below!
We are finalising additional groups for our community to connect in and look forward to sharing these details with you soon.
SCCA Secondhand Uniform Page
The Silkwood Community Care Association (SCCA) run a dedicated Facebook page for secondhand uniforms.
The purpose of this page is to provide a positive, respectful, and engaging social media platform for the SCCA to sell secondhand uniforms to members of the Silkwood community.
All money raised through this SCCA secondhand uniform initiative goes back into supporting the SCCA and the work it does in the Silkwood Community. All uniforms sold through the secondhand uniform page have been kindly donated by past and present Silkwood families.
Please be mindful this page is solely for the SCCA to manage enquiries (e.g. donations and wanting to buy requests) and sell secondhand uniforms. If you wish to sell your secondhand uniforms, please do so using the dedicated 'Silkwood School Buy, Swap and Sell' page on Facebook.
Helping Hands (OSHC)
Before & Afterschool Services
Silkwood School is committed to supporting parents to balance work and family. We work in partnership with the Helping Hands Network to provide Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) for children in Prep to Year 7.
Helping Hands prides itself on providing children with fun, play-based learning experiences. From exciting activities, healthy nutritious food, to caring motivated team members; the service meets all your child's needs.
Before and After School Care Hours
Before School Care Hours: 7.00 am - 8.45 am
After School Care Hours: 3.00 pm - 6.00 pm
Helping Hands provide a range of activities including arts and crafts, games, sports, science, gardening, drama, board games, dress-ups, cooking activities and fun social time with friends. On request from parents, children can also participate in Homework Club. The service provides breakfast at Before School Care and afternoon tea at After School Care.
For more information and to enrol with the service please visit our page.
