This week I addressed our students on Assembly expressing my concern at a couple of physical acts of violence that have occured at the school this year. I spoke about the fact that there is no place for bullying or violence at Good Shepherd and that students who continue to participate in this kind of behaviour will not be able to stay at the College. In 2022, we have introduced our Positive Behaviour for Learning framework and any incident of fighting undermines the great work that we are doing across the whole College.

Thankfully, any kind of physical violence at GSCC is rare and dealt with in a strong and appropriate manner. The great work done by our Teachers, School Officers, Pastoral and Religious Education Teams supports our Positive Behaviour approach throughout the school and we will continue to promote the ‘Good Shepherd’ way of behaving. 

I encourage you to talk to your children about the “One Punch Can Kill’ campaign which is a stark reminder of the danger of physical violence and its potential long-term consequences. 

Now on a more cheerful note

We were delighted to be visited by NRL superstar Jonathon Thurston and Olympic Gold winner Natalie Cook this week. They spoke with students about the power of self-affirmation and I was certainly inspired. My new mantra is: Confidence, Strong, Amazing!

Finally, the staff enjoyed a Twilight workshop this week celebrating our Catholic Identity, in particular the story of the Good Shepherd. We finished the session with some painting and it was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on our roles (in a creative way) as Teachers in a Catholic School.

Assessment Calendars

Assessment Calendars for this term have been published and sent to students, parents and staff.

The calendar is also accessible via the College website under the Students tab, followed by the Studies & Assessment link.

The Exam Blocks for Year 11 will be held in Week 6 and Year 10 in Week 9.  There is no Exam Block for Year 12 this term.

The Assessment Calendars are designed to:

• assist students to plan their study time
• help students to prioritise
• be an organisational tool
• communicate due dates to parents/carers and students

Assessment Calendars should inform the amount of study and assignment work needed at different points in the term and the commitments students make.

NB: Parents and students are encouraged to be mindful of the assessment due dates, and to arrange for specialist appointments/holidays and trips, around these dates. Students should minimise paid work/casual employment, and cut back during busy weeks of the term. 

In Year 11 and 12, all absences from assessments must be approved by QCAA.  Please ensure that if it is absolutely necessary to be absent and that your assessment is not handed in at the stipulated time, that you have all appropriate supporting documentation and submit to Mrs Wood as soon as possible.

Please also see the flowchart to help with navigating student absences, particularly for assessments.

Parents and Carers with any questions or concerns in regards to curriculum or assessment are encouraged to contact the classroom teacher first. Following this, the Curriculum Leader for each Learning Area is available to speak with you regarding any concerns you may have.

NAPLAN 2022

On Wednesday 11 and Thursday 12 May students in Years 7 & 9 will sit their four NAPLAN tests. For students who are absent on the test days, they will catch up on all tests on Monday 16 May. Please see the NAPLAN Schedule below for details:

The Yearbook Cover Art Competition is coming to a close! All you need to do is design and create a cover for the 2022 GSCC Yearbook. The designs will be voted on, and the winner will be used as the cover for the 2022 Yearbook. See the poster below for full details.

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L)
Week 3 Focus: Playground / Oval

This week our PB4L focus is behaviour expectations on the playground and oval:

SchoolTV Focus

This week I wanted to have our SchoolTV focus to be on Mother’s Day.  I am always grateful for the gift that God has given me to be a mother and grandmother.  In all of the varying roles that I have in my life, being a mother and grandmother is the most challenging but also the most rewarding. I want to wish a very Happy Mother’s Day to all of the people who play the role of “Mum’ to our wonderful students each and every day.  I also want to acknowledge all our Mums on staff who balance motherhood in their home and work lives – I am always in awe of your strength and amazing commitment to your families and our College community.  May you all have a blessed Mother’s Day filled with love, laughter and joyous memories with your families.

“Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.” 

Celebrating Mother's Day

Mother’s Day originated from humble beginnings in 1908 as a simple tradition to honour all mothers, living and deceased. However, it did not take long for florists, confectioners and card companies to jump onboard and commercialise the day, much to the disappointment of its founder, Ann Jarvis.

Mother’s Day is a good annual reminder to say thanks to the mums and other special carers who play an important role in our lives, but it is essential we mark the day with love and sincerity. This year is especially important due to the recent pandemic, where mothers played multiple roles over recent months providing care and support to those they love under difficult circumstances. Mothers will often put the needs of others above their own, so it is paramount to remind them to take care of themselves also, especially when it comes to mental health.

Research has shown that women experience some mental health conditions more so than men and at much higher rates. There are many factors that can impact a woman’s wellbeing physically and emotionally. Seeking effective treatment can enable her to engage more readily in everyday activities and fulfil the needs of her children and family. This Special Report highlights the role mothers play in the developmental growth of her children and the importance of self-care for good mental health.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this Special Report, and as always, we welcome your feedback. If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to your special report:

It has been a busy start to Term 2 for our Year 8’s. The first three weeks have been four-day weeks with their Retreat Day held last Friday. To say this has been a hectic start to the Term would be an understatement. Don’t forget the Parent Teacher Interviews that were held last Wednesday, thank you for showing an interest child’s education and meeting their teachers as well. 

Friday saw the students enjoy various sessions throughout their Retreat and participated in group activities with their peers. There were four sessions held throughout the day and included activities around the topics of Trust, Team Work, Kindness and Disappointment and self-reflection. The students enjoyed their lunch that was catered by Subway and enjoyed cake and fruit for morning tea.

A great day was had by all and I would like to thank the following people:

• My homeroom teachers: Mrs Watson, Mrs Nagarajan and Mr Jackson for preparing and facilitating workshops for the day;
• Students: Will Webber, Aiva Hunter, Abraham Grant, Lucas Nel, Sam Pomare, Jay Brown, James Kleinmann, Joshua Warhurst and Hayley Winks for their help during Liturgy;
• Thank you to Ms Puxty for her help with the liturgy and reflection; as well as Sophie Greenhalgh for helping out with technical duties.

This Term will fly by quickly as we have two more weeks that will only be 4-day weeks due to School Athletics Carnival in Week 5 and Show Day holiday in Week 9.

Year 12 Retreat 

After being delayed from Week 1 of Term 1 due to COVID, the Year 12 Retreat was able to finally happen for our students last Tuesday. The day was facilitated by George from YLEAD, an organisation that creates unique learning opportunities for students to grow through leadership, and was a brilliant way to unite all our Year 12 students for the rest of the year. 

The day focused around leadership, motivation and empowering students to work together to build comradery and see the impact that working cooperatively can have on groups of people. The retreat served as a rewarding capstone for the Year 12 students following on from their Year 11 Leadership Retreat which helped them to consolidate their leadership skills as a cohort. 

The College looks forward to seeing how united this group can be in 2022, and watching them build their own legacy before the end of the year. 

Career Tracking and Action Plans 

Last Wednesday, Michele Wood (D/Principal Learning and Teaching) and myself completed a QCE tracking activity with all Year 12 students.  

The purpose of this activity was for students to reflect on their senior schooling results so far and evaluate their current position as they track towards receiving their QCE. Students evaluated their 'banked' QCE points and if they are meeting core and literacy/numeracy requirements. 

Students were each given a copy of their personalised tracking table. We encourage you to ask your child to view this document and have a conversation with them about their current results and any changes that may need to be made. Michele Wood will be contacting students and families with whom we have concerns as you will be required to attend a meeting to discuss options and strategies for your child. 

Please also encourage your child to keep up to date with all the offers and information concerning Universities and Apprenticeships that are shared to their email accounts. 

Graduation Committee 

On Friday our Graduation Committee, made up of a number of helpful Year 12 students, will meet for the first time this year. These meetings will allow the students to provide their opinion on themes, invitations, decorations and proceedings for their upcoming Graduation. I look forward to having a number of productive discussions and meetings with this committee as we ramp up our preparations for the end of the year activities. 

Our annual Hospitality dinner will be held this Friday in the Lumen Christi Centre.  Hosted by our senior Hospitality students, they will prepare, cook and serve a four course meal and finish the night with Barista coffee and shortbread.

Students achieve competencies towards their Certificate ll in Hospitality and also raise funds for their Hospitality Camp later in the year. It is a great opportunity for students to showcase their skills and for you to enjoy a home cooked restaurant quality meal.

Tickets are $55 each, 8 - 10 people per table. Tickets are now on sale from the front office or you can purchase them from Arili Thina Cafe on Wednesday Mornings.

On the night you can purchase Beer and Wine.

Hope you can join us for a wonderful night of good food. If you need any more information please give me a call or email, dcole@goodshepherd.catholic.edu.au

Save the Date

On Saturday the 7th of May, Good Shepherd is volunteering at Park Run. We would love to extend the invite to our Emerging Leaders & families to participate in the Park Run event. Good Shepherd is encouraging Mentors and Mentees within the Emerging Leaders program to attend the event and enjoy the morning walk.

The event commences with a briefing around 6.30am for a start time of 7.00am. The course begins in front of the Judo centre. It is a 5km route.

After Park Run, we are inviting all Emerging Leaders, GSCC students and all families to attend a breakfast at the college. This will begin at 8.00am outside of hospitality. Families & Staff, if you can attend please fill out the RSVP form.

Secondly, Friday the 3rd of June commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Mabo decision. To celebrate such a significant date, we would like to invite all parents and staff to attend a Popcorn and Movie night while watching ‘Mabo’. The afternoon will start with nibbles around the fire at 5.30pm,  followed by the movie in the LCC.  An RSVP link will be sent out later in the term.

Deadly News.

Sienna Wilson travelled away for Secondary School Girls Softball towards the end of Term one. Sienna has completed a Q & A to give an insight to Sienna’s softball skills and inspirations. 

What was the event you travelled away for? How long were you away for?

I played 3 carnivals in 4 weeks - Secondary School Girls Championships (Northern) in Redlands, Under 14 State Championship (Toowoomba) in Toowoomba, and Under 14 National Championships (Queensland) in Canberra.

How did you go to the carnival? Team and personally!

I had a different experience with each team. In the Secondary School Girls, I was the youngest of the team. The age group was between 13 and 18 years of age. We only won one game but I learned a lot from playing with the older girls and the Northern coaches. Under 14 State Championships in Toowoomba, we finished the carnival in 3rd place and won the President's Cup final against Ipswich. I was a pick up player in the Toowoomba team so I had to adjust to new coaches and players I've never met before. I made really good friends at this carnival and had a great experience. Lastly, Nationals... we went through the championship undefeated and had to play Metro Strikers in the Grand Finals. This was one of the toughest games we played and we won by 1 run. I was extremely excited to be told I was pitching in the final game, this is one of the best achievements so far in my Softball career. 

Why do you enjoy the sport? 

I love Softball because you can make a lot of new friends and play in a team sport. It challenges me mentally and physically (some games can go for 2 hours). When you are on the field or in the batter's box, you get a lot of support from the coaches and crowd. Each carnival I set new goals to try and improve my skills.

Do you have any role models in sport? If so, who? 

My mum  and nan because they have supported me through my whole life they have travelled with me to Townsville and Brisbane for training. They have been there on my bad days of softball and my great days. They have always given me pep talk before the games and after. They sat there nervously watching me play my national games and were crying the whole time because they were so proud. But overall they would be my role models because I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for them.

Great job Sienna! On behalf of the Indigenous Education Team, we are so proud of your achievements.

Interschool Netball

The Sports Department would like to thank all parents, teachers and students who came down to support our Netball teams in Round 1 of the Interschool Tri-series last Friday afternoon. Both school’s played extremely well, tying the Round 1 match-ups.

• Open Boys (Win)
• 15's Girls (Win)
• 13's Girls (Loss)
• 14's Girls (Loss)

Round 2 is scheduled for Friday Week 6 27th of May. Mark this down in your calendars as we look to come back even stronger!

Athletics Carnival 

With the Athletics Carnival only two weeks away, the Sports department is working steadily behind the scenes to make this one of GSCC’s best carnivals yet. In order for the day to run smoothly, we are looking for some extra volunteers to help run events on the day. Anybody that is interested in helping out on the day of the carnival can email Mr Young at jyoung@goodshepherd.catholic.edu.au May the best house win.

Representative Sport

Below is a current list of sports that students are able to represent the college in at either Mount Isa or North West level. If students wish to individually nominate for Northern Representative sport, please collect forms from the office - note: only students who play these sports competitively are eligible.

Acknowledgements

Finally, the sports department would like to acknowledge the following students on their sporting efforts. Sienna Wilson: Queensland Representative - Australian Softball Champion April 2022

When: Thursday mornings
Where: GSCC Oval (Enter via May St Gate)
What time: 7:00am - 7:40am
What is it: Athletics /endurance running and or walking training
Who is it for: All students and teachers
Permission: Students will need to collect a permission note from the office
Cost: Free
How often: Come occasionally or as many sessions as you like
Equipment: Running shoes, comfortable clothing, water bottle
Prizes: Weekly lucky door prize of $10 canteen voucher
2 major awards at Sports Award Evening later in 2022
Information: See Mr Guest for any information/ questions

Term 2 2022 Training Program:

Week 1:
200m repeats x 5 (x 3 sets - 1 min walk/ jog between repeats, 200m walk/ jog between sets).

Week 2:
800m repeats x 4 x 1 set - 2 min walk/ jog between repeats).

Week 3:
500m repeats x 3 (x 2 sets - 2 min walk/ jog between repeats, 400m walk/ jog between sets).

Week 4:
Pyramid: 200m, 400m, 600m, 800m, 600m, 400m, 200m. (1 min walk/ jog between repeats).

Week 5:
400m repeats x 4 (x 2 sets - 2 min walk/ jog between repeats, 400m walk/ jog between sets).

Week 6:
300m repeats x 5 (x 2 sets - 1 min walk/ jog between repeats, 200m walk/ jog between sets).

Week 7:
Pyramid: 200m, 400m, 600m, 800m, 600m, 400m, 200m. (1 min walk/ jog between repeats).

Week 8:
200m repeats x 5 (x 3 sets - 1 min walk/ jog between repeats, 200m walk/ jog between sets).

Week 9:
3000m (alternate striding 100m, jogging 100m)

Week 10:
600m repeats x 5 (x 1set - 2 min walk/ jog between repeats).