Community Participation Program (Parent Volunteers)

St Mark's has always been a school that values having a strong sense of community. We believe that a thriving community is one where parents, carers and friends have opportunities to contribute to the life of the School actively. This is why we have the Community Participation Program (also called the Parent Commitment Hours Program), which is a continuing tradition of the School and condition of enrolment. The program serves as a means of building community spirit and connection among our families. It also teaches our students the importance of connection and participation through service, even for adults who are their role models.

The program is administered by the St Mark's Parents and Friends' Association, but the program is a policy of the School. The P&F provide ongoing positive support for the development of the School. We encourage all parents and friends to take advantage of the various opportunities available to contribute to the School, whether that be through volunteering in person or from the comfort of your own home. Parents, carers, grandparents, aunties, uncles and your children can volunteer! Opportunities to participate exist both in and out of standard working hours and are communicated in the Weekly Bulletins and on the St Mark's School App. By working together to support the School, we can continue to build a strong and vibrant community for years to come for the benefit of our students.

Ongoing Participation Opportunities

Cafeteria

You can make friends with salad! Join us in the cafeteria on any day of the term! Simply select your date preference with our Cafeteria Sign Up register. See you soon!

Please note that before volunteering in the Cafeteria, you must complete a City of Joondalup Food Safety Course. Volunteers can register and access the course here, and the course is free when the discount voucher FSJOOND359 is entered on the shipping methods page in the Redeem Online voucher field.

You may also claim 2-hours of Parent Commitment Hours once you've completed the course.

Uniform Shop

The Uniform Shop is always seeking new volunteers! Join us in the high fashion stakes of St Mark's! Simply select your date preference using our handy Uniform Shop Sign Up register!

Other Participation Opportunities

Sports

Handy with a stopwatch? Throughout the year, St Mark's requires volunteers to assist at our many sports carnivals and events. Sports volunteer opportunities are communicated in the School App or weekly sub-school bulletins.

The Arts

Join the creative crew! With a range of exciting events and productions across the year, we love a helping hand! Volunteer opportunities are communicated in the School App or weekly sub-school bulletins. You can also become a member of our Arts Society and opportunities will communicated to you directly. Register your interest by sending an email to the St Mark's Arts Administrator.

Exam Supervision

Prefer peace and quiet? We are looking for help with exam supervision every year. These opportunities generally occur towards the end of Term 2, in September/October for Mock Exams and in Term 4. Look out for the call out via the School App or weekly sub-school bulletins.

Lab Technician Assistance

Calling all curious minds! Get ready to don a lab coat and join our team of mad scientists! The St Mark's Science Department requires assistance at various times throughout the year. Opportunities are communicated in the School App or weekly sub-school bulletins.

So Many More

As a K-12 school there is always so much going on and we welcome community participation with open arms. Whether it is for busy bees, career mentoring, cooking up a storm, guiding beginning readers, covering books, photographing events, document control, watering gardens, attending P&C meetings or helping in classrooms - you name it! Keep an eye on the opportunities communicated in the School App or weekly sub-school bulletins. See you at the school soon!

Recording Participation

Each family is responsible for logging their own hours, and these can be logged online at any time. The P&F recommend that you log your hours as soon as possible after completing the task. A separate submission should be made for each activity completed.

Please click the link below to log your hours:

Parent Hours Log

Please find below the current Parent Commitment Hour reports logged up to 1 December 2024. To check your individual log, you will need your family code, as shown on your St Mark's account statements.

Please contact the P&F's Community Participation Coordinator, at parentcommitment@stmarks.wa.edu.au if you have any questions regarding the Program.

Family Participation Contribution

The School requires a minimum of 10 hours of commitment per family per annum, but many families provide well in excess of this requirement. The Parent Commitment Hours program is administered by St Mark’s Parents & Friends’ Association (P&F), but the program is a policy of the School. If the 10 hours commitment is not completed, a fee of $330 (GST does not apply) will be levied by the School and donated in full to the P&F as a contribution toward financing community aspects of the School.