Research states that, “An arts-rich education from an early age develops individual creativity and self-expression. Arts participation can increase learners’ confidence and motivation, thereby improving school attendance rates, academic outcomes and the well-being and life skills of children and young people.” (Australian Institute of Art Education)

In 2022, we will continue to celebrate the Arts at Good Shepherd Catholic College. Students have the opportunity to study Visual Arts, Drama and Music as well as Instrumental Music. This year our talented Arts students have participated in Mulkadee, Rock Pop Mime and the State Honours Ensemble Program. Tonight, our students will present some of their favourite songs and Christmas carols for their end of year 2021 Ensemble Concert in the Lumen Christ Centre. If you are free, please join us.

Here are some snaps of just some of the activities in the Arts this year:

Rock Pop Mine

Senior Visual Art Work - Arts/Tech Showcase

Instrumental Ensemble

Remembrance Day

This Thursday our Student Leaders will represent the College at a wreath-laying ceremony for Remembrance Day. A minute’s silence will be observed at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month to remember all the soldiers who have died fighting to protect the nation. Students at school will also pause to offer up a prayer for the fallen soldiers and for peace in all nations.

Commendable Achievement Assembly
 
Next Wednesday we will acknowledge the many students at the College who always try their best at school. They are awarded to students in each year level who are nominated by their teachers for being dedicated to their studies and always completing their work to the best of their ability. Students and Parents will be notified by email if they are receiving an award.

Effective Study Strategies

As we enter the part of Term where assessments and exams become the focus for both teachers and students, students should be investing in time revising the content and practising the skills they have learnt this Semester.  

QCAA has published some helpful articles on study techniques. All their resources are available on their public site, and are well worth investigating.

I’ve summarised their techniques from their article on Effective Study Strategies below:

1. Review your notes and learning goals for each topic.  Next to each goal note how well you feel you have mastered the goal. This will highlight where you need assistance or extra time on a topic.
2. Review your content. Investing a small amount of time on a topic often is more effective than revisiting a topic once only but for a prolonged period of time.
3. Align study with assessment questions. Revise exam type questions - this will strengthen your exam writing techniques.

As exams approach, please make an early start to revising, while you still have time on your side.  Finish this year well.

Year 10 Exam Block

Last week, Year 10  students and families were emailed the Term 4 Year Exam Block schedule and expectations. This Exam Block will commence on Monday November 22 and conclude on Friday November 26 (Term 4, Week 8).

As it was in Term 2, students should arrive at the exam room (the LCC this term) with all of the equipment required, 10 minutes prior to the starting time. Session 1 begins at 9:10am, and Session 2 at 12:00pm.

Only students sitting exams or completing assessments are required to be on campus during this week (this does not apply to students with incomplete assessment - see below). Students are not required to return to school upon the conclusion of their exams; as soon as students complete their final exam, they are finished school for 2021! However, if students would like to join us for the end of year activities, BBQ and liturgy on Friday, they are welcome to come to school If students do attend school on Friday, they need to sign into the College Office as they do on all exam days.

Please read the expectations for this Exam Block carefully; if you have any questions regarding the Exam Block expectations, please contact your Pastoral Leader:

• Year 10 PL Mr Jordan Harries - jharries@goodshepherd.catholic.edu.au 

Finally, students who have incomplete assessment will be required to attend school each day during Exam Block. Mr Harries will contact students (and their families) if they are required to attend school during the exam week.

Dates for your planning:

Term 4, 2021:

• Year 12 Graduation Thursday 18 November
• Year 11 Retreat Sunday 21 - Wednesday 24 November
• Year 10 Exam Block Monday 22 - Friday 26 November
• Friday 26 November - final day 2021

Term 1, 2022

• Year 7 and 12 Students return to school Monday 24 January
• All remaining Year Levels return to school (8-11) Tuesday 25 January
• Australia Day Public Holiday Wednesday 26 January

Headspace Parent Information Workshop  -  Thursday 11th November

Tomorrow, we have Headspace Schools delivering Mental Health and Wellbeing Workshops for our Year 7, 8 and 9 students.  Below is an outline of the sessions that will be delivered:

Year 7 & 8 Student Session:  Standing Strong: Bullying and Mental Health

• Identify the ways your body and brain react to stress 
• Review bullying’s impact on mental health
• Find spaces and activities to help you stand strong
• Explore who you can talk to and seek support from

Year 9 Student Session:   Self-Care: Looking after your mental health

• Understand mental health and the importance of looking after ourselves
• Understand what self-care is
•  Develop a healthy headspace action plan
• Identify where, when and how to seek support

I encourage parents to discuss with their child what they were able to take away from the workshops and see if there are any strategies that they can personally implement to enact self-care.  We would also love your feedback if you think we should provide more of these types of workshops for students.

In addition to the student sessions, I outlined in my newsletter article last week that we will also be hosting a parent/carer workshop at 5pm in the Sacred Space of GSCC.  RSVP is required for this session and you can do so by emailing me on pmorganson1@goodshepherd.catholic.edu.au or by calling the front office on 4743 2509.

QMEA Ambassador for 2022

Congratulations to Amy Jones who has been selected as a 

QMEA (Qld Minerals & Energy Academy) Ambassador for 2022.

Amy will participate in a number of activities that will increase her understanding of the resources sector and provide leadership and networking opportunities with other students and industry representatives.

She will travel to Brisbane at the end of November to attend the first part of the Ambassador program which will include a welcome dinner, professional networking, surprise challenge (sounds exciting!) and the annual QMEA Breakfast.

There were many worthy applicants for this program, however QMEA only had 20 positions available so we sincerely congratulate those students who put their hand up to have a go!

“We spend our youth making memories for our old age and now you’re paying for creating those memories.”  

Doctor John Warren told me that about 10 years ago when I asked him why I kept physically breaking down whenever I tried to get back into fitness. 

 Then we smiled at each other and he added, “but I wouldn’t swap a moment of it.”

As parents we want our children to be safe and get a good job so their future is secure. I wanted that for my daughters until I went on my first overseas trip to Los Angeles and Panama in January, 2019. Now, I would advise anyone finishing school to start planning some adventures to create memories.

How do you make memories? You do things, see things and meet people.

I’ve never sat around a table saying ‘remember when we played that video game?’ You see when we mix with people we talk and do things and if we are in new places with new people we experience new things that create memories.

A friend used to take her nieces and nephews somewhere special each Christmas instead of buying presents so they would create memories. I played a lot of sports and the trips I went on have left me with lots of memories that still bring a smile to my face.

I worked with Vanessa Strasser’s uncle and he went to Europe for two years when he finished his apprenticeship. During summer he worked at a Swiss Chalet taking tourists white-water rafting and at night served in the bar.

During the off-season he’d rent a room at a bed and breakfast in England and use it as a base to travel around. Sometimes he would go down the local and have a drink with whoever was in there and often would be invited home for tea; then he came home to Mount Isa and saved to do it all over again.

Three times he did it before meeting his wife and settling down. 

Laura Thinee’s uncle and a mate went from Mount Isa to Wales to play Rugby Union for a season. The club got them a job and a place to stay and they had the time of their life and made some great friends.

One of my best friends Shane King went from here to Canada to play Softball. The club got him a job and place to stay and then on weekends his team travelled all over Canada and the USA playing in tournaments.

Sophie, Olivia and Holly Greenhalgh’s mother and father met while working for Contiki tours in Europe. Mum Melissa was in admin and dad Simon went all over Europe looking after the fleet of buses.

Miss Johnstone left here two years ago to teach in China and is still there, while Miss Conway and Miss Scott are in England. The World is a small place now compared to when I was young.

Brisbane was a three-day car journey, there was no internet, no mobile phones and some of my friends finished school never having seen the ocean, never visited Brisbane and never been on a plane.

I hear some students say they don’t want to get “stuck” in Mount Isa but I can tell you this, Mount Isa provides the opportunity to set yourself up and if you desire, to travel.

An electrician I worked with spent time in the army and got a trade. He worked for two years and then went travelling all over Asia, then he’d come back and start again. Eventually the wanderlust subsided and he settled down but has all those memories to call on.

My wife travelled around Europe with her friend for four months and when our girls are older we plan to go over together and take a European River Boat Cruise (hopefully the first of many such adventures). 

I love Mount Isa and I have enjoyed travelling around Queensland and Australia with various sporting sides but experiencing different cultures is something very special.

Parents worry about their children, we want you to be safe and have a good life. Sometimes though we forget that the best times we had were when we had no money, no assets and no idea; and by God they gave us some of the best memories of our lives.