There is nothing that builds school community and spirit more than an Inter-house Carnival and they are always one of my favourite days of the year. Not because I enjoy the thrill of running or particularly like standing in the sun, but because of the joy of watching students try their best and having the whole school cheering them. This pride and enthusiasm will no doubt be on display tomorrow. We have been promoting to our students that this is a compulsory day and we are also still looking for parent volunteers if you have some spare time to assist.

Year 7 Enrolments

We have been busy enrolling new students to our College for 2022. If you have a child in Year 6 and would like an enrolment package, please contact the office today.

Solar Project

In line with our support for Pope Francis’ Laudato Si encyclical, the College is embarking on a Stage 3 Solar Project. This is a major initiative which will, over time, dramatically reduce electricity costs for the College. We will also have a Tesla battery on site and additional panels added to our Lumen Christi Centre. Works will commence shortly.

Indigenous Garden and Art Project

We are looking forward to commencing Stage 2 of this significant project. The plan has been designed with input from our Indigenous Steering Committee, students and with support from the P&F and the local community. It features our two water tanks painted by local artist Sheree Blackley and will include a yarning circle and garden with native and bird-attracting plants. We are hoping to commence Stage 2 in the next couple of weeks.

Reconciliation Week

This week we have been focussing on Reconciliation Week, with staff and students reflecting on the importance of acknowledging the hurts of the past and committing to working together as Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians to build a more united and just country. We are also looking forward to our NAIDOC Week celebrations in Week 10 and excited to announce that local Mt Isa celebrity Jack Wilson will be joining us for the day. 

Year 10 Semester 2 Senior Subject Trials 

The Year 10 students will be provided with an opportunity in Semester 2 to trial subject selections for Year 11. In the coming weeks students will receive more information about Senior Subject choices and the prerequisites for selecting these subjects. This opportunity provides students with an idea of what to expect in Year 11 and 12. Please have some conversations at home on future career pathways and subjects that your child is interested in, leading up to Semester 2. 

Different pathways are available post-schooling, and as such students need to assess their interests, strengths and talents to make an informed subject selection decision.

The subject selection that students make over the coming weeks and into Semester 2  will set them up for success in Senior Schooling. We have high expectations of our Seniors and we look forward to working with our Year 10 students and their families throughout the coming months, as students develop their Senior Education and Training (SET) Plans.

While we want students to choose wisely, we do acknowledge that knowing what they want to do at this stage is often challenging. The Semester 2 electives program will assist students in picking the right subjects for 2022. 

For 2022, students are asked to make a choice of six subjects.  Students can consider one of the following pathways for Senior Schooling:

• An academic pathway (ATAR) must include at least 4 General Subjects (with a recommendation of 5 General Subjects). This pathway is best suited for students who would like to participate in tertiary study at university, as it will best prepare them for direct tertiary entrance into competitive courses. It is important to review course prerequisites when considering subject selections. 
• A Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) pathway. This is best referred to as the vocational pathway, which can include any combination of subjects (fewer than 4 General Subjects). Students who select this pathway will have the flexibility to complete Certificates that are offered at the College or TAFE, work experience and participate in a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship. This pathway prepares students for further courses after school or entry into employment. 

In Term 3, this will culminate in the Senior Phase of Learning (SPOLIN) Information evening on 9 August. It is very important that all parents attend this evening as information will be provided to support students in selecting their subjects for Senior Schooling. It will also ensure parents are informed and aware of the process going forward. We look forward to seeing you all at this presentation.

Year 10 Exam Block

This week, the Year 10 Exam Block Schedule has been shared with students and families.

This 3 day block from Tuesday 15 - Thursday 17 June will be the first experience of Year 11 and 12 for students. 

It is important that Year 10s are developing good study habits now, so that when they sit their first Senior Exam Block in Year 11 they have already embedded excellent practice into their every day routine.

It is particularly important to note that Exam Block is a privilege and all assessments must be completed in all subjects in order to have the flexibility of Exam Block. If assessment is not complete, students will be required to attend school as normal for the three day block.

Furthermore, to prepare for Year 11 & 12 Exam Block requirements if you are absent for an exam in exam block you must:

1. Contact the College office ASAP, your parents can contact the College Office on your behalf.
2. Have a medical certificate.

These requirements are in accordance with the GSCC Assessment Policy. “If a student is absent from a Senior Exam Block exam, the student will complete an alternate paper in the next available session and a medical certificate must be provided upon their return. If a medical certificate is not provided the student may not be allocated a result for that internal assessment piece, resulting in no credit for the piece / unit studied."

Year Level Masses

Our next Year Level Mass is for Year 9 & 11 students. On Wednesday 9 June (Week 8 - next week), all students in Years 9 & 11 students should arrive directly to Good Shepherd Parish by 8:20am, they will then walk back to school in time for Lesson 2.

MineX Excursion

Students will receive permission letters this week to attend MineX at Buchanan Park next Thursday 10 June. Students will attend if they are in a Year 11 or 12 Applied Subject in lesson 5 next Thursday.

Please only return the permission slip if you DO NOT want your child to attend.

North West Minerals Province Meeting & Exhibition MineX Roadshow Wednesday June 9th 10am - 6pm & Thursday 10th June 10am - 3pm. Meet with industry professionals, mining purchasing officers and managers. Attend and or exhibit and take advantage of the B2B opportunities, guest speaker sessions and great show specials at the event. 

Cybersafety

For most of us the internet is part of our daily routine. It is used for keeping in touch with friends and family, studying, playing games, working, shopping and (for some of us) paying bills. While the internet offers us many benefits, there are also a range of well-being, safety, legal and security risks associated with its use.

 Cyberbullying statistics tell us that:

• 1 in 5 Australian young people reported being socially excluded, threatened or abused online.
• 55% sought help from their parents, 28% from their friends; 38% blocked the offending social media account; 12% reported it to the website or platform.
• 1 in 5 Australian young people (15% of kids, 24% of teens) admitted behaving in a negative way to a peer online — such as calling them names, deliberately excluding them, or spreading lies or rumours. Of these, more than 90% had had a negative online experience themselves.

Unfortunately, over the past few weeks we have seen an increase in reports of students who have been involved with the inappropriate online use or students who have been victims of cyberbullying. Our biggest challenge as a school is ensuring that students are reporting any forms of cyberbullying to the correct authorities. Students are also reluctant to report these matters in fear of losing access to their devices.

The eSafety Commissioner is a wonderful resource for students, families and staff to access and offers various functions and powers, under Australian Government legislation, to foster online safety.  They offer lots of information about key topics that we may encounter through the use of online platforms.

If you would like further information, please access the eSafety Commissioner webpage at https://www.esafety.gov.au/.

 I would also like to remind students, parents and carers that they can report cyberbullying incidents to be actioned  to the following email:  nobullying@goodshepherd.catholic.edu.au.

Be Tough - Ask for Help

Why, for no reason, I really thought I was going crazy and that I was the only person in the World feeling this way. I started worrying that there was something wrong with me.

Then I rang my dad, whose response was to laugh. For a moment I felt worse; there really was something wrong with me. Then he told me, “it’s just life.” 

Without him I don’t know where I would have turned and what I would have done, which is why I am open with what I went through and willing to help anyone feeling the same way.

I now know that I was never alone in how I was feeling, in fact since then I’ve discovered just how common it is that people feel this way. 

The problem is, despite all the good work being done, people are still scared to put their hand up and ask for help. My father was in the mining industry and when he went through a period of depression it was scary for my mother, my sister and I.

He showed tremendous courage, with the help of a good doctor, to take control and it was amazing what happened when he did. Suddenly other workers approached him to share their concerns, however they always did it on the quiet.

Asking for help is the first step, the second is realising there is nothing wrong with you. People manage diabetes and it is the same with depression once you work out how to control it. For me it is exercise and writing but there are other outlets.

AFL player Dayne Beams suffered from mental illness for years but couldn’t find an outlet. His problem was that it was pretty hard for exercise to be your outlet when you were doing the training of a professional footballer.

In December 2019 Beams, still in his prime footballing years, stepped away from the game to focus on his mental health. Beams visited a mental health facility and stumbled across art therapy.

When he was at the facility he was given a program and two things stood out that he ‘knew” he would not like; art and yoga. Turned out they were the two things that Beams enjoyed the most and still does to this day.

This big strong footballer enjoys yoga and art, two things he knew he wouldn’t like. Remember last week Drew Lane spoke about saying yes - put the two together. 

One in eight males will suffer from depression and one in five from anxiety. There is no rhyme or reason to who gets depression, the most important thing is to ask for help. 

There were times when I was in some dark places but the thing that provided a light was the love of those close to me and knowledge that there was something inside of me wanting to get out.

I’m lucky depression didn’t hit me until I was older because experience had shown me no matter how low you feel the tide will turn. Young people don’t have that experience which is why I, and others, put our hands up.

Hopefully, if you need to you also will.

It’s finally arrived. Our annual GSCC Athletics Carnival is on again tomorrow, Thursday, June 3rd after a 1 year hiatus. Students have been training for track and field events during HPE classes this term, and finally get the chance to compete against each other tomorrow. Please take the time to look at the important information below as well as the program of events.

When: Thursday, 3rd June

Where: Sunset Oval (students to be dropped off and picked up from the oval)

Time: 8.10 am for roll call, or 7.45am for 800m runners

During the day we would love for family members to come and support their child. Times for events are only an approximate and may change on the day. Please note that students compete in the age group of which they turn that year. For example all students born in 2007 will compete in the 14yrs age group. We wish all students the best of luck and may the best house win. 

This term Year 7 Science have been focussing on the physics component of the curriculum and learning how and why we move, start, stop and also stay stationary. Newton’s Laws of Motion have been explored and also how life with gravity is interesting when we start to actually think about it, and see how it makes life easy and also more difficult.

These are a few of 7C’s prac lessons over the last week.

Yesterday GSCC started the Push against Mental Health Challenge - we push-upped, squatted or sat-up to show we acknowledge and also will not accept that Mental Health is ignored - we pushed against it.

I was very proud of the few who took part - had a go, and did not make excuses!!

Saying it’s too hard to do a push up or a squat is the same as ignoring the issue of mental health. It's not too hard, it doesn’t matter that you are wearing a skirt, it’s not SHAME… PUSH against Mental Health together. 

In the tuckshop line, walking by - you can PUSH anywhere!

Harrison Wilson you made us very proud with your positive attitude and great involvement!!

Every Wednesday morning from 7.00am - 8.30am. Parents and Friends are invited to The Arili Thina Cafe to purchase your morning coffee and breakfast.

By doing so you are supporting our Hospitality students to achieve their competencies towards their Certificate ll in Hospitality and all profits go towards their Hospitality Camp to the Gold Coast in August. 

There are a range of coffees, cold drinks and breakfast food available. Please see our Menu. Our students are becoming fantastic baristas. Come see for yourself how good they are.