Welcome to Week 6! We have less than three weeks remaining of the 2022 school year, and I encourage students to work hard and make choices for the remainder of our time together this year.

Student Wellbeing

With holidays just around the corner, students are starting to enter into another busy ‘assessment’ time of term. The student wellbeing hub website linked below has some excellent resources for parents who are helping their children to navigate through what can sometimes be difficult teenage years.

2023 Planning

This week, I emailed families with an enrolment intention form. If your family is not returning to Good Shepherd next year, could you please complete the form by this Friday, 11 November so that we can provide you with the departing student paperwork. If you did not receive my email, please let me know.

Remembrance Day

This Friday our Year 11 Legal Studies class 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.

Awards Night

We are looking forward to celebrating student success at our annual Awards Night next Monday, 14 November. Families must obtain a ticket to attend this event, the details for this process was emailed by Trent Wilkinson earlier this term.

Commendable Achievement Assembly

Next Wednesday, 16 November 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.

Farewell Year 12 Students

Next week is a very important week for our Year 12 students and their families. We wish our students well at their Graduation Mass on Wednesday evening and Graduation Dinner on Saturday. These are emotional events for students, staff and families as we farwell them from the College. Although this is the end of their formal schooling, they will always remain part of the Good Shepherd family. Mr Roberts has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure these events are memorable for students and families, and we are looking forward to these as we culminate 13 years of schooling.

A Prayer for our Graduates

Dear God, 

With their classes and exams now complete, may they strive toward excellence in all they do.
With the applause quieted, may they celebrate and lift up those around them.
With the speeches concluded, may their voices rise up to pronounce peace and justice in the world.
With the celebrations coming to an end, may they find bliss in future endeavors and adventures.
With achievements in hand, may their achievements grow and enrich their communities.
Through Catholic Education, may they discover Holiness in the midst of life's blessings as well life's challenges.
As their careers commence, may they conduct their life's work with exceptional skill and integrity inspired to Go Forth and Set the World of Fire from this day onward.

Amen. 

Developing effective study skills

Effective students are those who have clear goals, practised study routines and good organisational skills.

Becoming an effective student is no different from becoming good at anything else - it takes practice, skill, feedback and focus.

Studying is a learned behaviour, and it is very hard to all of a sudden know how to study in Year 11 when the academic pressure is more noticeable.

I highly recommend all students reflect on their study habits and skills. The following list represents a great starting point for improving skills and organisation as a student:

1.     Develop a study timetable.
2.     Take notes in class- highlight key concepts and ask clarifying questions. Really engage in the lesson.
3.     Avoid absence from school.
4.     Attend Homework Help. Make an appointment with your teacher if necessary.
5.     Submit drafts - on time, and as complete as possible. Investing time here means your teacher can give you the best possible feedback and minimises the work for the final submission.
6.     Study regularly and review older work every two weeks.

QCAA’s myQCE has a site, Study Tips,  specifically to assist students with improving their study habits. It’s well worth the time investment.

Years 8-10 Elective Subject Selection

With 2023 around the corner, Year 8-10 electives will be open next Tuesday 15th, at 5pm and close Thursday 17th. Classes fill in order of form submission, and it is important to remember some classes have capped numbers. Once subjects fill up, it will automatically select your second preference.

This week, all students will receive an email with their Webcodes. They need to check they receive this as it is how they access the electives form. The webcode allows them to log into edval, choose the relevant subject selection form and submit their subject preferences. On the forms, students will be given the following information:

When completing this form, you are required to select one subject from LINE 1 and one subject from LINE 2. You should discuss your elective choices with your parents. 
You are NOT allowed to study a subject on more than one line. 
You must select a reserve subject for each Line. Subjects will fill in order of form submission. We will contact you if you did not receive your first preference.
If you have any questions about subjects, please speak to the Curriculum Leader, or you can access the Junior School Curriculum handbook on our school website. 
Submission of this form is considered confirmation of subject choice.

The Elective Subject Lines for 2023 are as follows:

Awards Night and Awards Night Rehearsals

It’s not long until we celebrate academic and special achievements of our student  on Monday 14th! If you haven’t RSVP’d already and are a parent/carer of a reward recipient, please do so as soon as possible via Eventbrite to reserve your tickets.

Students will be rehearsing this Friday 11th during Period 2 for Years 7 and 8 as well as period 3 for 9’s,10’s and 11’s. Year 12’s will be joining us after their external exam block on Monday 14th. Additionally, performers on the night will be rehearsing in the afternoon throughout periods 4 and 5 - They’ll get to show off all the effort they’ve put into their performances this term.

Light refreshments will be provided after the ceremony and water throughout the event. We look forward to celebrating with you all!

GSCC Final Day Schedule - Week 8 Friday 25th

Our short Term is almost at an end with just over two weeks to go! Our final day schedule is a short one with a 1pm dismissal in week 8 Friday 25th November.

We’ll be hosting a BBQ at 12:15pm and all parents/carers are welcome to come and have a chat with us, or your son/daughters teachers before we break away for the holidays. Hope to see you there!

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L)
Week 6 Focus:  Toilets

PB4L Praise Notes Rewards Event

As the semester comes to an end in the next few weeks, I wanted to let students and families know that we will be recognising the fantastic work that many of our students have shown in following our PB4L expectations – Be Safe, Be Responsible, Be Our Best and Be Christ’s Light.  Wednesday, 16^th November 2022 will be the last opportunity for staff to issue students with praise notes so that preparations can be made for the end of semester reward event for students who have gained 20 or more praise notes this semester.

Due to the large number students who have already received 20 or more praise notes this term, we will be having an on-campus reward event on Monday, 21^st November 2022.

 A SPECIAL REPORT: Managing Overwhelm

Due to the pandemic, the world we now live in is a very different place. The hyperconnected nature of our current environment means that we are constantly being reminded of the challenges we face via numerous media and social media channels. Our connectivity to the digital world exposes us to a barrage of messages that can leave us feeling overwhelmed. As a result, many children and their parents are reporting higher levels of stress and anxiety.

Our brains have not evolved fast enough to adapt to this digital landscape. The combination of constant access to information and having little control over the situations presented, can be stressful and overwhelming. It is therefore important for adult carers to check in with their children and be aware of what information they may have been exposed to. It may not necessarily be the information itself that is harmful, but more their inability to process and make sense of it. Providing children with the skills and strategies to cope will enable them to flourish and thrive, socially, emotionally and academically.

The blueprint for parenting, based on our own experiences, is no longer fit for purpose in raising kids as citizens of tomorrow. This can be inherently stressful and overwhelming, not only for parents and carers, but children alike. If left untreated or unmanaged, constant stress and anxiety can lead to a number of behavioural issues or health consequences.

This Special Report suggests a number of strategies to help manage any feelings of overwhelm that you or your child may be experiencing.

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:

QMEA Ambassador 2023

Congratulations to Lianna Woodsbey who has been selected as a Qld Mineral and Energy Academy (QMEA) Ambassador for 2023.

Over the next 12 months Lianna will be invited to participate in a number of QMEA activities to help increase her understanding of the resources sector, develop leadership skills and provide opportunities for networking with other students and industry representatives.

We wish Lianna the best of luck in her new Ambassador role.

Grad Week

Congratulations to all our Year 12 students who have finished their External Exams this week, and best of luck with those who have some still remaining to finish the week. We are looking forward to welcoming the Year 12s back to the College as of Monday for their Graduation Week. 

A reminder of the week is as follows:

This week allows students to enjoy their final time together as the 2022 Year 12 cohort. We will also complete a few particulars and information sessions to finish the year and overview various graduation activities/rehearsals.