It was a significant term at Silkwood as we settled many new families and team members into our beautiful community. In addition, our community has once again grown as we welcomed another 80 new students to our Mount Nathan, Robina, and Distance Learning campuses, and to support this growth, we welcomed in 20 new Advisors and Support staff. This made for a very busy Term.
It was magical to close the term with our amazing Autumn Harmony Festival. The purpose of this festival is:
We also gave back to our local community in a way that made a difference. The Nerang Food Bank is struggling to meet the demand of families needing food support. They shared a sad story about the growing homeless due to the rental crisis. It is a very tough time for many families, so our community's contribution was welcomed and appreciated. They told us it meant families could have a few extra surprises in their food packs for that week.
We build on this giving back element with our community projects during the year. They are part of our newly redesigned ‘Exploring Program’.
This program is focussed on Silkwood-inspired year-level developmental content and experiences to support students with:
Advisors plan their Advisory exploring time through the following learning experiences:
This term, our new Real World Learning Coordinators and Advisors have been working hard to implement our Exploring Program's unique aspects. You will notice more experiential activities and inquiry projects than in previous years as a result of this. Watch for this change in your child's up and coming exhibition at the end of Term 2.
We have also been rolling out our new Student Culture with the support of our new Student Support Coordinators.
"Our Student Learning Culture is about creating the right atmosphere for students to engage with and progress their learning. It is equally as crucial as providing students with engaging learning experiences. This significantly changes how we work with our students and respond to behaviour issues. We worked through implementing the new student values and guiding principles last term, and in Term 2, we will introduce additional elements."
— Valerie Campbell-Hogg
So, to close this term, I would like to share our new parent information on our Student Learning Culture (below) with our families. Enjoy your break, and see you all again soon.
Valerie Campbell-Hogg
Our Student Learning Culture
Our Student Learning Culture is about creating the right atmosphere for our students to engage with and progress their learning. It is equally as important as providing students with engaging learning experiences. This is what our Student Learning Culture is all about – creating a school environment which enables students to:
Research shows that engaging students in learning that ‘they feel’ is meaningful is the best way to support students with their mental and emotional well-being. Our Student’s Individual Learning Plan (ILP) does just that and is, therefore, the focal point for our Student Learning Culture. We start from this place to grow our student culture and circle back to this should challenges arise.
We underpin this focus with:
And our Vision for student behaviour:
To achieve this, we approach behaviour development as an integral part of the learning at Silkwood. Just as students set goals around reading, writing and math, they also set goals to develop the personal skills they need for:
Behavioural development is a part of every student’s learning at Silkwood and is included in a student’s individual learning plan (ILP).
Our Student Learning Culture focuses on behaviours that support a safe, caring and growing learning community.
We do this through:
Our four Student Values are:
Each learning community expresses ‘what we mean’ by these values through age-appropriate guiding principles. These then define our expectations for student behaviour through a positive framework rather than a rules-based approach.
When guiding principles are not being honoured – we hold a Discovery Discussion:
A discovery discussion may be as simple as refocussing student’s attention and reminding them of our expectations or may require a more complex discussion around changes needed to a student’s ILP to:
Our student learning culture is a deliberate move away from traditional schooling approaches that focus on using:
Which messages to students – ‘we’ (the adults) are ‘in control’ and ‘in charge’ of your behaviour.
Then through age-appropriate processes, the student is central to discussions and decisions about changes to their learning plan and behaviour.
These discussions require an attitude of shared responsibility, which we call ‘working in partnership’, between the school team, students, and their families. This is the cornerstone for students' success with ‘Learning in The Silkwood Way’.
Term 4 Important Dates
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 app. Please refer to this page as a reference point before contacting the school.
Where families may need to know specific information regarding an event, our Community Relations Team will distribute relevant information to families of the applicable year levels leading up the event.
This Year we launched "Making Learning Visible at Silkwood". This is a new Silkwood initiative for all Parents and Carers to see our Learning Program in action and to create a visual journey of our student's time at school.
To make it easier for everyone, we have created 3 Silkwood Facebook Groups; Primary, Middle and Senior campus-focused. You are welcome to join any groups if you wish to follow what your student is doing at school or what to expect for their future years at Silkwood.
In Term 1, as part of Silkwood School’s seasonal festivals calendar, we hosted the Autumn Harmony & Harvest Festival – ‘celebrating inclusiveness, diversity, respect and belonging for all Australians.’
The entire school got together for a day full of fun and engaging activities. Our community's coming together for these moments is a termly tradition at Silkwood.
Please enjoy the highlights in this gallery.
Cross Country Carnival
Silkwood Cross Country was a huge success. This is one of the Moments That Matter. We could see some serious training as well as lots of fun. The students participated with great enthusiasm. Congratulations to all students who showed persistence to ensure they completed the course. Thank you to all parents and carers who came to support students and the staff committee who organised this event.
Real-World Learning News
Real World Learning Experiences
Silkwood School offers a unique learning environment where every student has a personalised learning plan with the opportunity to complete explorations and projects connected to their interests and passions. The personal project component of the High School learning frame is exploratory, negotiable and directly linked to student areas of interest, passion and potential career explorations. In this learning frame, students have the opportunity to ‘Leave to Learn’, which quite simply means leaving the traditional construct of a classroom for expanding learning opportunities.
Below are some of the highlights of this Term:
Ava
As part of the Personal Interest Learning program Year 11 student Ava R, met with Cara Campbell from Mobile Travel Agents. Ava showed interest in organising her advisory holiday travel to NZ. Ava worked hard researching every single detail. They spoke about every aspect, from the practical part of flight booking, to how to prepare for unexpected events, build commitment with all people involved and other tips... They both agreed that "If you want things to happen, you must go and do it yourself”.
Hunter
Great to see Hunter off to a flying start with his internship at Gold Coast Pet Centre!
Hearing him talk about his passion for fish and marine life was epic, not to mention the positive feedback from his mentor about his professionalism and proactiveness from the get go.
Xahannah
As part of her PILT project on fitness, Xahannah Turner-O’Malley has completed an internship at Milon Premium Health Club in Term 1 where her responsibilities have included: greeting clients, cleaning benches, putting away weights, daily operations of a gym and the role of a PT.
Annika
Epic to see Annika start her internship at Classic Car Clinic this Term!
Speaking to her supervisor Steve, he explained how great it was that Annika could take her learning outside of the classroom and also mentioned that having PASSION was a key ingredient for success.
We couldn’t agree more with you Steve, it is unreal to see students doing what they love and learning from experts in that field!
Addison
Addison has embarked on an internship with Dirty Hands Studio as she has a keen interest in all areas of art. Through this experience, she is gaining an insight into how a studio is run under the mentorship of Iago Lima who manages the studio. If you are in Burleigh, you should check this studio out!
Hannah
Marianne from Healing Hooves has always been an avid supporter of Silkwood's internship program. This organisation helps so many people and this week, Hannah Bennett helped out as part of research for her project on anxiety and animals.
Georgiana
Georgiana Georghiou’s interest project last term was exploring criminology, forensic science, and all the careers that are involved. As a part of her real-world learning explorations, she called Nerang Police Station which has a forensic unit on site. They promptly invited her to tour the site that very afternoon providing valuable insights on potential career pathways. Go Georgiana - your enthusiasm is contagious!
Leo
Leo Baker is participating in a week-long internship with BurlingBrown Architects this week. To enrich this experience, his mentor Mia has given him a design brief to create an ecolodge at Binna Burra. When I visited him, he was finishing off a site analysis, creating a floor plan to scale, and exploring environmental design options such as a green roof and maximizing solar panel efficiency. Thanks to Danielle Woolard for the contact!
Andrew
Andrew has been busy setting up the new Rotrics DexArm - Robotic Arm 4-in-1. He has also been working with several Middle School students discussing modelling programs for their 3D printing projects.
Abby
Abby has been auditing the Junior Fiction collection for a few weeks looking for books that are damaged or need the labelling updated. The books she identified, ware handed over to the Year 6 library volunteers who made beautiful new labels for them. Abby is also providing valuable support to students visiting the library.
Thanks, Fee Mac for your mentorship!
Elijah
It’s always wonderful when an internship develops into a traineeship that is aligned with a student’s interest! Elijah Barrett in year 12 has been completing an internship at The Car Place and his current LTI project has been focused on developing their YouTube channel. As a result, he’s been offered a traineeship linked to a business qualification. Go Elijah!
Joshua
Year 10 student Joshua Turner is creating a documentary to showcase The Silkwood Way in action and the development of the Senior School for his Personal Interest learning.
"For the past year and a half, I have been interested in film, television, media and editing, hoping to continue this interest in Years 11 and 12. My ultimate goal would be to pursue this further as a career after school. "
Joshua prepared a plan which started by showing the Silkwood history. This week he spent time across all campuses gathering footage and interviewing students and staff. He was very professional and showed that he loves this area and has excellent skills to pursue. We are looking forward to seeing the final results. Well done Joshua!
Kai
Kai had a shadow day with Liam Kriz Audio. This is an opportunity for Kai to explore recording, sound mixing, and mastering first-hand and get professional guidance with his own project work (music composition and recording) this term.
Many of our year twelve students have started internships in the primary school as part of their interest explorations in education this term. Ava Robertson is in prep and the students love her passion for arts and craft. Joining the year one students, Ashton Atkin is hoping to put their scriptwriting talent and passion to use. Ella Martin participated in a shadow day with the year four students gaining an understanding of the developmental needs of these students. And, Oliver Loudon joined the music teaching team.
I have been working with Mel at the primary school, assisting students in a group and one-on-one. I focus on helping out around the classroom and assisting students that need more help.
In my spare time, I have been organising a game composer workshop for term 2.
— Oliver Loudon Grade 12 Music Room Excerpt
Senior Excursions, Conferences and Workshops
This Term our senior students, Rosella and Georgiana, participated in this one-day event run by youth for youth, the Youth Leadership Conference. Designed to inspire, strengthen and empower our future leaders, they had the opportunity to listen to several speakers, such as Wil Massara, Nick Dempsey and Kurt Jones, who shared their methods for creating change and leading with passion. Many pearls of wisdom were shared, such as rejection = redirection, leaders reflect and realign, difficult times create new opportunities and do it!
The students with interest in writing had a great day at Storyfest Gold Coast in Term 1. As part of their Personal Interest Learning Time (PILT), they participated in a series of literary experiences along with workshops, and masterclasses. Storyfest nurtures emerging writers and provides opportunities for readers and writers alike.
As part of the exploring unit, Silkwood Senior students from the STEM advisory and a few others attended their exciting Science Excursion last Term: Biology Show. The World Science Festival held the Fascinating Diversity of Life at QPAC. Students also enjoyed the fantastic Dinosaur Exhibition and the Queensland Museum in Brisbane! It was certainly an adventurous day!!
Student Shines
QLD RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS STATE CHAMPION
Riana Narushima, one of our Year 10 students, competed at the QLD Rhythmic Gymnastics State Championships in Logan last month with outstanding results.
Riana was awarded 2nd place overall with four silver medals in her ribbon, clubs, hoop and ball routines.
Riana is in the highest division for elite gymnasts and has set goals for the Commonwealth Games and Olympics. She dedicates 20-25 hours per week to her training under the guidance of high-performance coach Galrina Yegoroba.
Riana competed in early February at the Prahran Invitational Competition in Melbourne. She placed 2nd overall in Victoria.
She then competed at the QLD Senior Challenge 1 in mid-February and placed 1st overall in QLD.
In March Riana competed at the QLD Senior Challenge 2 and placed 1st overall in QLD.
Riana now prepares for her international competition in Korea at the Rhythmic Gymnastics Love Competition in April.
She will be training and competing with the best of the best gymnasts in Korea.
In May, Riana will compete at the Australian National Championships at the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre in Carrara.
We are very proud of Riana, her commitment, hard work and achievements.
Congratulations Riana on your outstanding success, we wish you good luck in your upcoming competitions.
Social Action Project
Year 12 students Milani and Alana volunteered at Baby Give Back as part of their Social Action Project. First, they completed an induction to understand the company and what they did. They then sorted out the donated toys to ensure they were in good condition and safe to give to children who may have been affected by family violence and/or are less fortunate. Awesome work so proud of you both!
Staff Shine
National Touch Football Champion
Our Middle School Sports and Real World Learning Coordinator, Nikki Fields, is a National Touch Football Champion! So proud of her and her Team. Their potential is endless! Congratulations on this outstanding achievement!
The National Touch League is a nationwide domestic competition for Touch Football in Australia. The annual four-day competition allows thirteen regional teams across Australia to compete in twelve divisions.
Home safe and sound after another cracking week at the National Touch League. After a less-than-ideal campaign, with our Team, looking like it would fold at least twice, and all of the injuries, to come away as National Champions with the Cobra girls is something special.
Team sports allow you to be a part of something bigger than yourself, and this week has shown what can happen when a group of determined (and competitive) women have each other's backs and share a common goal. The 27's competition this year was powerful, and it's an honor to play against and alongside so many legends of our sport and be coached by such incredible people.
A huge thank you to my support crew for making the drive for finals day and listening to me whinge about getting up early for training #worthit."
— Nikki Fields
Silkwood Activities Highlights
Team-Bonding and Exploring Activities
The well-being of students has a direct impact on their progress. So, happy students learn better. At Silkwood we take it seriously by promoting Team-Bonding and Exploring activities.
Check out some of the activities this Term:
Year 8 Walks
As part of our Discovery program, Year 8 boys had an excursion to Binna Burra for the Caves Track while the girls walked on the Burleigh Headland walk. Separating the boys and the girls aimed to target adolescent development and encourage positive relationship interactions as they grow. This first excursion is part of an ongoing program aimed at developing healthy relationships that are inclusive and respectful. Through the walk, they reflected on the term and developed positive goals for the year ahead. Next, they wrote and drew in their 'Matilda books' ( A practical exercise to build connection through affirmation ).
What a fantastic day. It’s always a treat reconnecting with Kalindi, and as part of the ‘Holding Tight’ project, Year 11 planted 144 trees and built several nest boxes, finishing the day off with some quality time in the reptile room. Special shout out to Eden, who celebrated his birthday and thanks to Sandy for the surprise birthday brownies!
Year 11 Advisory 1 had a great afternoon undertaking challenges at Hijinx Hotel in Surfers Paradise. They worked together and competed as teams in a series of challenge rooms. There was basketball, hidden art trivia, skill testers, music knowledge and a giant ball pit. Such a blast!
These legends taking part in our first self-defence class last Term for the sport experiential!
Great to be out of the advisory and learning from experts. Gavin is the former XFC lightweight champion, 1st degree black belt in BJJ and 4th Kahn black arm band in Muay Thai.
OSS!
Year 11 Advisory 2 and the Distance education crew enjoying a day at Top Golf to celebrate a successful term and try something new. Stephen Tranter's tips and tricks were handy in teaching proper technique!
Year 6 represented the school beautifully in a world-exclusive exhibition, Pop Masters: Art from the Mugrabi Collection, New York, which pairs three superstars alongside artists inspired by their legacy.
Pop Art is larger than life. Often witty and always insightful, it inspired our students to reimagine the world around us – transforming the everyday into the extraordinary.
Living History Incursion provided students with the opportunity to get up and interact with historical elements. They dressed in costumes, tried on armour, handled some of the weapons (under strict supervision), had a close-up look at reproduction and, in some cases, genuine artefacts.
Last Term, as part of the Visual Arts Unit, Year 1 learned felting. The students ware split into groups, and the activity continues throughout the term. Wet felting is easy and students enjoy playing with the water and soap. The activity involves sensory play and artistic expression while developing fine motor skills. Parents are also invited to participate.
Hands on Clay
During the studies of Medieval Mythology as part of the exploring program, students created Viking Ships out of clay and slap forming. Check out this Interactive and fun session at Primary School.
Year 5 learned about Indian Mythology and culture in their inquiry unit last term. They finished the unit off with a fantastic Indian Festival which incorporated dance, lotus origami, rangoli and a fabulous Indian feast. Some great memories and making moments that matter in the students’ Silkwood journey!
Asian culture is a fascinating thing to discover and explore. Year 1 Advisors prepared different "islands" of fun activities inspired by the Asian culture, and the students could float around islands and play with different things.
In 2022, Year 6 participated in a fossil dig activity during the Camp excursion.
The students flew from Brisbane to Rockhampton to explore a different world – a world deep underground in the 400-million-year-old Capricorn Caves. Under the expert guidance of paleontologists and cave guides, they embark on an adventure of a lifetime. The Focus was on building self-confidence and exploring these incredible caves. They had to dig the cave in different locations, searching for fossils, and the group had some fantastic discoveries.
Oliver’s extinct kangaroo tooth find came from the Harp Chamber, not the fossil dig pits. It was a sensational moment. It has a high rarity score of 5/5 and will be studied further. Two more students with high rarity finds were Juliette and Joshua.
