On Monday I attended the Catholic Education Week mass in Townsville presided over by Bishop Tim Harris. I was inspired by his homily on the individual gifts of every student in Catholic education in the Diocese. He referenced the parable story of the Mustard Seed which was also shared in the Year 5, 6, 7 & 8 Mass yesterday. The story compares the mustard seed to the Kingdom of Heaven and that when the seed is given the best possible opportunities to thrive, it can grow into the largest of trees. The story reminds me of what we try to do for our students here at Good Shepherd Catholic College - that is provide the right Catholic environment, caring teachers, a strong curriculum and engagement with parents and parish, to provide the best possible education for our students - so that they can  grow into confident, compassionate and responsible citizens.

In our Scholars’ Assembly today, we recognised those students in our school who are thriving at our College and achieving outstanding academic results in their studies. In Semester 1, these  students have shown a consistent commitment to completing homework, handing in quality assignment work and striving to always improve on their work. They are an example to all students that with persistence, you can achieve great things. 

Thank you to the teachers and school officers who support our students every day, encouraging their individual gifts and talents. We thank our parents for your never-ending support of the College. We value the strong partnership between home and school and look forward to the conversations with you this afternoon at our Parent / Teacher / Student interviews.

Congratulations to our Mulkadee students who travelled to Townsville last week. Good luck to our Hospitality students who will be completing their competencies at Seaworld next week for their Certificate II in Hospitality.

This Friday is our Feast Day. It is a compulsory school day and I look forward to seeing all of our students attending to celebrate our special day.

Finally, congratulations to Mrs Amy Webb and Mrs Pelly Morganson, who are the Good Shepherd nominees for the Spirit of Catholic Education Awards for 2021.

Have a blessed week.

Elevate Education - Parent Webinar Series

Elevate Education are providing parents of Good Shepherd Catholic College exclusive access to their Parent Webinar Series.

The next webinar is on 4 August 2021, 7:00-8:00pm.  Please register here. 

Attendance is free of charge.

The webinars on offer:

• August 4th - Technology devices and how to stay focused and balanced.
• August 18th - Note taking skills to help your child deepen their revision.
• September 1st - Exam Homestretch and how to support your child in the final weeks.

Webinars will be available to watch on replay for the 2 weeks following the dates above. Registrants will be emailed a link to watch a replay the morning following the webinar.

Should you have any questions or would like to contact Elevate directly, details are listed below:

1300 667 945

✉️ auscoaching@elevateeducation.com

https://au.elevateeducation.com

https://www.facebook.com/ElevateEd/

Assessment Calendars

Assessment Calendars have been distributed to students during Week 2. These are also accessible via the College website under the Students tab, followed by the Studies & Assessment link.  

Parent / Teacher / Student Interviews

Thank you to everyone who attended the Parent / Teacher / Student Interviews. If you were unable to book a meeting on the night, please contact your child’s teacher or teachers to make an alternative arrangement. An open channel of communication is key as parents, teachers and students work in partnership to improve the educational outcomes of our young people.

School Photos - delay

We thank you for your patience as we await the arrival of our school photos. The company who prints the photos has been impacted by lockdowns in South Australia. All of the work has been completed in the background, we are now just awaiting the lifting of restrictions so that the actual printing can take place. We hope that they will be on the way to us as soon as possible.

What’s on @ GSCC

Each week, we publish the ‘What’s on @ GSCC’ document. This is a fantastic way to keep up to date with College events and activities. I send the file in an email to all parents, as well as a post to Facebook. You are also encouraged to keep up to date using our online school calendar. 

Over the next few weeks I will be sharing with parents some tips from Safe on Social Media on how they can support their children in navigating the online world better.  With the ever changing world of online behaviour and the ease of access to others online, it is important that we give our children the necessary tools to ensure their safety.  This week I am sharing tips 1 to 4:

1. Talk as a family about what is ok and not ok to share online.

 For example:

• Whether any member of the family shares a photo of the house or pet's name online.
• When to share family holiday photos and what photos can be shared.
• What is not to be shared online.

If your child is receiving their first device, make sure that you get them to do a little presentation or write a small project sheet on cyber safety in the lead up to their first social media apps on the device.

2. Respect the age recommendations.

It is not illegal for a child to use social media under the age of 13yrs with their parents' permission. But they need to remember to update their age on any site that has asked for it when they turn 13yrs. This way, the app will not think they are older. As an extreme example, if your child signs up to use Facebook when they are 10yrs, and they have to lie and say they are 13yr, by the time they are 15yrs, if not corrected, the app will think they are 18yrs. Then they can get a Tinder account as it relies on Facebook for verification!

3. Respect the classifications on games.

The average age of a gamer is 34-36yrs old. Classifications are there for a reason. It is not ok for a child under the age of 18yrs to be playing R Rated games even with their parents!!! If your child is playing online games, set healthy boundaries around time playing as well.

4. Teach your kids to think twice before they accept a friend request or chat to a random stranger through a game. Just because someone is a friend of their big brother or sister or cousin who goes to another school does not mean they should let them into their life. Also, talk to them, that online someone may ask to be their online boyfriend or girlfriend (we hear this a lot from primary school-aged children at the moment). If this happens, they need to tell you immediately so that you can help block and report. They never know who they are talking to.

Sourced:  Safe on Social Media

Beware the Lion in Sheep’s Clothing

The Gospel reading where Herod asks the Three Wise Men to tell him where Jesus was so he could pay homage to him is a great example of something I always tell people; the important thing is not what someone does but why they do it.

The real reason Herod wanted to find Jesus was completely different to that he said; he wanted to remove someone who threatened his reign.

How often in history have people killed siblings so they could wear a crown. As royalty they were privileged but they desired power and power is an intoxicating mistress.

For many, power feeds ego and any challenges are met with resistance; sometimes consciously and sometimes sub-consciously. Herod wanted Jesus gone because it was best for him but a true leader stands aside if it is the best thing for their people.

Our own Pope Francis showed a great example of this humbleness in 2005 when a new Pope was too be elected. He and Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger were the leading candidates and after the third ballot Francis was second behind Ratzinger. 

Pope Francis urged his fellow Cardinals to support Ratzinger for the good of the church. They did so and Ratzinger became Pope Benedict until he stood down in 2013. 

Despite Francis's views being different and his decisions possibly undoing his legacy, Benedict supported Francis in the subsequent election. Pope Benedict knew his job was done and the church needed Pope Francis’s leadership to move forward. 

Both were selfless acts. 

The longer a person is in power the greater the risk their ego will begin affecting their decisions. They stop listening to others and begin thinking they are always right and anyone who disagrees is wrong, without ever considering their point of view. 

There are many examples of politicians voted in because they listen to the people who are voted out when their position’s power leads their ego down the path of arrogance. Rather than listen they decide what is best for everyone and their way is the only way. 

When you see people do things always ask why. I know some people who do things and are seen as saints who are really doing things for recognition and acknowledgement. 

When I worked for the Queensland Rugby Union a young forward in the Under 19 Academy could bench press and squat more than Senior Squad members. He held a number of records in the gym and people always asked him what he was lifting.

He proudly told them but you won’t know who he is because he never made it to the big league. He was too slow and lacked mobility because of his concentration on strength; instead of working on how to improve his game he let his ego make decisions.

When you go to a gym the biggest challenge is keeping your ego at bay and not lifting weights too heavy for you. For some it is walking into a gym or simply going for a walk.

Our ego is too scared to put us in a position where someone we don’t know looks at us and makes a judgement we never hear. So rather than doing the right thing for us we sit at home and have another coke and packet of chips. 

In 1983 the United States Football League (USFL) was launched but didn’t compete against the NFL because it played in Spring rather than Fall and Winter. It gave players outside the NFL a chance to play professionally and people the opportunity to watch football when they normally couldn’t.

In August 1984, the USFL voted to move from a Spring to Fall schedule in 1986 and compete directly with the NFL. This was done at the urging of New Jersey Generals majority owner Donald Trump and a handful of other owners as a way to force a merger between the leagues.

It was suicide but as part of their strategy, the USFL filed an antitrust lawsuit against the National Football League in 1986. The three big networks all had contracts with the NFL and so wouldn’t sign the USFL who claimed the NFL monopolized.

The jury ruled in favour of the USFL but it was a victory in name only as the jury awarded the USFL a damages judgment of just $1, which under antitrust laws, was tripled to $3. The decision effectively ended the USFL's existence. 

So, the decision of a handful of owners, who had power, ended the dream of hundreds who fulfilled a lifetime ambition of playing professional football. All because of ego. 

So, when you are making decisions think, ‘will this help me or others or am I doing it to stroke my ego?’ 

Congratulations to Olivia Greenhalgh for being selected to participate in the State Honours Ensemble Program held in Brisbane, hosted by Griffith University Conservatory of Music. She has been selected to be one of the participants, from ten regional and coastal State Honours Ensemble Program weekends held earlier in the year. She will be playing Clarinet for the State Ensemble. This will take place from 30th of September to the 3rd of October. Congratulations again on your selection Olivia.

James Cook University - Early Offers

Congratulations to the following Year 12 students who have received Early Offers to study at James Cook University next year.

Several universities are offering similar programs so please contact me if you would like more information about specific institutions.

• Jamie Ahearn
• Emily Brown
• Patrick Vaillant-Roche

TAFE Excellence Awards

Five of our senior students have been nominated for the annual TAFE Excellence Awards.  They are:

Brayden Kerkhoffs, Yr 11

Engineering

***

Isaiah Ladisla, Yr 12 

Electro technology

***

Jack Petitt 

Automotive Pre Vocational Preparation

***

Connor Baker, Yr 12

Automotive Electrical

***

Arnold Rittner, Yr 12

Automotive Electrical

Good luck gentlemen!

Year 8 Science Textbooks

Students need to return their Nelson and Pearson Science textbooks, pictured below.

If your child thinks they may have lost either of these texts, they should speak to a Library staff member and a catalogue and shelf check will be undertaken.

Winner’s Circle Library Promotion

Over the next 2 weeks, in honour of the Olympic Games, the Library will be running a contest where students are encouraged to borrow and read a notable Australian book. Students will receive 2 entries in a draw when they do so. There is a wide variety of fiction, picture books and non-fiction texts to choose from. Gold, Silver and Bronze prizes are on offer.

Premier’s Reading Challenge

4 weeks to go in the Challenge. Congratulations to Grace Doran, Delight Gono and Mariana Taylor, who have already completed the Challenge by reading at least 15 books.

Book of the Week

We are not yet equal, by Carol Anderson, is a young adult version of her best selling book, White rage.

The book examines 5 periods of United States’ history, from the end of the Civil War to the election of Donald Trump, and focuses on how the progress towards full and equal participation in democracy by Black Americans is consistently hindered by racism and racist acts.

It is written in an approachable narrative style that provides teen readers with additional context to these historic moments with sometimes confronting photographs and archival images.

In the Library so far this year………

2988 resources have been lent to staff and students.

Last week 23 students attended Mulkadee Creative Arts Youth Festival hosted by TCEO in Townsville. A big thank you to the teachers Lochlan Toal and Catherine Motterm for attending with myself. Thank you also goes to parent helper Mel Hodgetts for all her support and help. 

I would also like to say a big thank you to The Parents and Friends Association at GSCC for sponsoring the registration fee for each student to attend Mulkadee. I would like to congratulate all students involved. Students certainly represented Good Shepherd Catholic College proudly. If you would like to see some highlights from the week go to the Mulkadee Facebook page and have a look at  the daily videos. 

The following paragraphs are some experiences of the students that attended Mulkadee 2021. 

This was my first time doing Mulkadee and it was so much fun. It was definitely worth the 12 hour drive to Townsville and waking up at 4.30 to get to the bus early that morning. This year's theme was The Wizard of Oz and I played in the string orchestra on the violin. The music was fun to learn and very hard but we got there in the end. The concert was amazing, just being able to play the music for the dancers, the singers and the actors while they performed was really cool. I made so many friends at JCU where we stayed and played volleyball and dodgeball every afternoon after Mulkadee. I have never been a part of something like this before, Mulkadee is the best thing I have ever done and am so glad I got the chance to do it. I definitely recommend this to anyone and I will be back again next year. 

GSCC Student

This past week, I attended Mulkadee for the second time. As always it was a major eye-opener and a great experience. Coming from a state primary school I was not given this type of opportunity before, so when I was first nominated in year 9 to attend Mulkadee I took the opportunity. Coming out of that I said, “I will definitely be back next year!” not knowing what 2020 would bring. Mulkadee 2020 was unfortunately cancelled, due to COVID, like almost everything was in the middle of last year, but it made this year's Mulkadee even better. We presented The Wizard of Oz, which in my opinion was one of the best theme choices ever. The week was very tiring, practicing for 4 of the 5 days of the week, all to put the final product together on Friday, at dress rehearsals hours before the actual show. I went away to be a part of the string ensemble as a violist, which not many people know as an instrument but essentially the viola is the bigger version of a violin and sounds nicer, personally speaking. I was put up the front as the lead for the second time. It was an honour to be in this position, however it meant I had to work harder to be a leader, which left me with an aching back, sore shoulders and blistered fingers. I met so many great new people and reunited with some of my friends from the previous Mulkadee. The friendships and experiences are worth missing out on a week of school. If you are thinking about doing Mulkadee I would do it, it really opened my eyes into the musical world, and it's not just for musicians but actors, dancers and singers too. The music choices are definitely not generic, throwing in some Aussie rock songs here and there to spice up the show even more. If someone asked me if they should do Mulkadee, I would say Yes! 

Rachael Scrimgeour - Year 11 

Last week, I had the opportunity to travel to Townsville for the 2021 Mulkadee - Performing Arts Festival. As part of the Drama Ensemble the days were long, full of movement and quite tiring. As a whole, it was something I would highly recommend to everyone with a passion for the Arts. Between your fellow cast, instructors and teachers who had the pleasure of staying in the same accommodation as us there was never a quiet nor dull moment. Although full days of workshopping and rehearsals can leave you physically exhausted, the feeling of looking into the crowd at the end of the week is something I will remember and be inspired by.

Steph Reddish - Year 12 

Mulkadee 2021 has been a great experience for me, I got to meet a ton of new people and challenge myself to push my abilities to the best. I met a whole bunch of students and there were so many different schools it was so overwhelming, the workshops were really fun to participate in and to sing among others was really fun. They also had really good music choices that were enjoyable to sing and fun to learn. It was fun sitting down on the rises and watching all the actors and dancers run around all crazy for some scenes. The final performance was so fun to be at, the lights, colours and the acting was great.

Winsome Mock - Year 8 

Thank you for purchasing your coffee and breakfast each Wednesday morning at The Arili Thina Cafe.

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

In Week 5 (next week) ,the cafe will not be operating as the students will be on their trip that you helped make possible.

We will see you again on Wednesday in Week 6 from 7.00am - 8.30am.

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.

Due to a lack of participants in recent weeks the Good Shepherd Striders Running Club will be temporarily suspended for a few weeks until the weather warms up a bit. I plan to recommence in Late August.

Thanks

Mr Guest