Assessment Calendars

Assessment calendars were distributed to students this week, and a copy emailed to parents for your information. Assessment calendars can also be accessed from the College website.

This Term there are 2 exam block periods for Year 12 only:

• Year 12: Week 4 Thursday and Friday 3-4 August
• Year 12: Week 9 Monday- Friday Mock Exams

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. Wherever possible, students should also minimise paid work/casual employment, and cut back during busy weeks of the term. 

Also be reminded that 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.

Parents and teachers working together

Parents' engagement is well researched and cannot be stressed enough.

A child’s academic achievement depends on many factors, but no one factor is as significant as a parent’s involvement with their child’s learning.  

Studies have indicated that these children tend to have a more positive self esteem, be more motivated to learn, are more positive about school, achieve better grades, and have higher aspirations.  

An article by the Queensland College of Teachers encourages parents with the advice below:

Parents need to know that they can make a big difference when they:

•       hold high expectations for their children;
•       show interest in the things their children are interested in;
•       value learning and model the behaviours of successful learners;
•       give specific, rather than general, praise; and
•       establish routines that promote health, well being and regular study.

Perkins, K. (2014). Parents and teachers: Working together to foster children’s learning. The Research Digest, QCT, 2014 (10). Retrieved from http://www.qct.edu.au

Please be in touch with your child’s teacher for any support you may need.

Communication 

NAPLAN Reports

From 2023, new reporting standards have been introduced for NAPLAN.  Parents and Carers can access more information here: Information for Parents and Carers NAPLAN 2023

Individual reports will be posted to parents as soon as the reports arrive later this term.

Please ensure that the school has the most up to date postal address (as displayed in compass).

School Photos

School photos were distributed in Homerooms this week. If your child was absent on Monday, the photos are now at the College Office. Family photos are also available from the office.

Subject Changes

All elective subject changes for Years 7 - 10 must be submitted to the office by this Friday (morning). No changes will be possible after next week; however, changes are available again in the first two weeks of Term 4.

If students in Years 11 are considering subject changes, there must be a discussion with Mrs Wood before commencing the paperwork. If a change is agreed upon, the form must be completed and submitted to Mrs Wood asap.

Exam Blocks

There are two exam blocks this term, both for Year 12 students.

• Block 1 - Thursday 3 & Friday 4 August
• Block 2 - Monday 4 - Friday 8 September (this is the external exam preparation block - compulsory mock exams)

I will send details about this next week.

Date Claimer: QTAC Information Session

Year 12 students and families are invited to attend the 2023 QTAC University Information Session on Wednesday 16 August from 5:30pm - 6:30pm. This session will cover important dates, how to apply, how to order your preferences, pathways, responding to offers, EAS, ATAR release and access, as well as other general information. This information session will be held at GSCC, in F1 and all Year 12 students considering university entry next year are encouraged to attend.

Year 10 into 11 - SET Planning

A reminder to continue to talk to your teachers about your senior subject options. On Thursday morning, I will send the Edval form that students will use to select their top 6 subject preferences for 2024. This assists us as we generate senior subject lines for Year 11 2024

Once students have selected their preferences, we will gather feedback on the subject offerings. 

SET Planning will then take place in Week 8 & 9, where Year 10 students and families will be required to meet with a member of the College tracking team to complete the senior education and training plan for Year 11 & 12. I would recommend that students begin talking to their teachers about senior subjects, so that the preference selection process is as accurate as possible.

A reminder that the form I will send on Thursday is not subject selection - it is a guide for us to set the lines for next year. Subject selection will take place once these lines have been set (this will be before SET Planning Meetings commence). There is no rush to do this form, and you should consider your options carefully before submitting. The last date for completion will be Wednesday 26 July. 

Emails from GSCC

It appears that a number of emails from our @goodshepherd.catholic.edu.au email addresses are finding their way into junk or spam folders. Unfortunately, it is not something we can solve from our end, but you are able to put rules and filters in place on your devices to ensure that College emails go to your inbox rather than junk mail! Below are useful support links for you to help resolve this issue. 

• Mark or unmark Spam in Gmail
• Mail goes to the Junk folder by mistake in Outlook
• Fix issues with Yahoo Mail filters

Contacting Staff @ GSCC

Did you know that you can access staff email addresses through the College Website? If you go to ‘OUR COLLEGE’ and then ‘OUR STAFF’ you just need to click on the name of the staff member and this will open a new email, with their email address prefilled.

Lockdown Events: 

Last week we conducted a lockdown drill at GSCC. Coincidentally it happened to be on the same day as the stolen car situation in town. We managed this very well and our students were very responsive to the situation, we are very proud of their actions. We were lucky enough to be joined by Seargent Michele White, who walked around with me to check the response. One area of concern that Michele and I would like to raise with parents is the use of phones to contact your child if you are aware of a lockdown. I understand the fear and need to know what is going on, however, in the event of a lock down can you please ensure that you are not contacting the front office for information. Should we be in a real lockdown situation, emergency services would also be trying to contact our phones and this could flood the phone lines. 

Otherwise the lockdown was a very positive experience and we are happy with our students' response to this. 

Uniform: 

We are now back and in the zone of Term 3, please ensure that your child has the correct uniform at all times. We understand there are instances where students may be in the wrong uniform, if this is the case, please contact either their Homeroom Teacher or their Pastoral Leader via email or a handwritten note. 

Jewellery is also becoming an issue, if a student is wearing the incorrect uniform we will start conducting further jewellery checks during homeroom time and confiscate any excess or incorrect jewellery for the remainder of the day. Students will be able collect this from the front office at the end of the day. 

Please note, if it is cooler weather and your child is cold, they must wear the correct College uniform, a non-college jumper is not suitable. 

Lateness and Absence: 

As a school we encourage you to ensure your child is at school each day and on time. We have had a large number of students coming to school late and arriving at the front office after 8.30am when homeroom has already begun. Please ensure that if a student is late that you are making a staff member aware of this, which can be done in the form of an email or a handwritten note. 

PB4L: 

Our focus for this week is to model respectful behaviour and language towards others. This will come in general conversations and making an effort to make sure that others are feeling involved and a part of our community. However, one of the biggest challenges is making sure that this is happening all the time, particularly when our students are playing, excited and in stressful situations. This is a topic that we will address through pastoral care and homerooms this week. 

School TV: 

This week we are going to revisit the information regarding vaping and e-cigarettes. As we have had an increase in reports and student admission in the past week. 

Over recent months, there has been a growing concern about the impending epidemic affecting young people in relation to the use of e-cigarettes and the trendy pastime of vaping. As this activity grows in popularity, most teenagers are unaware of the associated risks and the potential impact vaping can have on their development and overall health.

Vaping is the act of inhaling a vapour created by an electronic cigarette, or e-cigarette. Although vaping is often marketed as being the “healthy” alternative to smoking, doctors advise that if you do not smoke, then you should not start vaping. Although vaping products are infused with enticing flavours, many contain high levels of nicotine as well as other chemicals and additives, that when inhaled, can cause severe damage to the lungs.

Australia has strict regulations in place for nicotine-containing products and despite it being illegal to use, sell or buy nicotine for use in e-cigarettes, users are purchasing these products through other avenues. A recent Australian study of chemically flavoured liquids used in e-cigarettes which are available here for purchase over the counter, has confirmed concerns about their safety and respiratory health impact. Attempts are being made to regulate vaping and ban the importation of vape products containing nicotine. Unfortunately, manufacturers are developing vaping devices that are cheaper and easier to hide than conventional cigarettes, making it more attractive and cost-effective for impressionable young people.

For more information click here to download vaping fact sheets from the Lung Foundation Australia.

Or, if this Special Report has raised some issues, please seek support from your medical practitioner or one of the following services:

Lung Foundation Australia 1800 654 301 • Quitline 13 78 48

Poisons Information Line 13 11 26 • Alcohol and Drug Foundation 1300 85 85 84

Here is the link to this report: https://goodshepherd.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-vaping-au

If you have any concerns about a student's wellbeing, please contact your child's pastoral leader to look at how we can support them here at Good Shepherd Catholic College.

During the first week of the school holidays, the GSCC Senior Rugby League team travelled to Brisbane to attend the Confraternity Carnival hosted by St Laurence’s College. Before their games, the boys attended the Brisbane Broncos vs Gold Coast Titans NRL match at Suncorp Stadium and an excellent Opening Mass and Ceremony at the College Campus Grounds that celebrated the qualities and values of this prestigious Carnival. Thank you also to MP Robbie Katter who presented the team with their playing jerseys before the trip. 

This year, the team aimed to show as much defensive resolve as possible in the hopes of being a united, respected and tough team. The boys held true to this goal right throughout the Carnival and should be extremely proud of their efforts, falling one game short of making it to the Grand Final of Division 3. There were a number of boys representing the College for the first time and each one ensured that their effort and enthusiasm for the team was consistent in each game. Additionally, this was the final Carnival for a number of our Year 12 players who all excelled on and off the field whilst away. Well done boys. 

After winning our first three games of the Carnival, the boys finished atop of Pool E and went into the finals. This was a tremendous achievement and ensured morale was high heading into the finals. Another victory in the Quarter Final meant that if the boys won the Semi Final they would be in the Grand Final. Ultimately, the boys fell one game short, but were all still extremely happy with their efforts and ability to be a tough, united and respected team. Overall, an outstanding Carnival with the boys finishing 4th in Division 3 with 4 wins and 2 losses from their 6 games.

RESULTS:

• GSCC vs St Anthony’s College, Townsville. WIN (32-6) - Player of the Match: Cole Finter
• GSCC vs Ryan Catholic College, Townsville. WIN (26-0) - Player of the Match: Jett Guningham 
• GSCC vs McAuley College, Beaudesert. WIN (30-6) - Player of the Match: Ihaia-John Waenga
• GSCC vs  Ryan Catholic College, Townsville. WIN (28-6) - Player of the Match: John Pekipaki 
• GSCC vs Chanel College, Gladstone. LOSS (40-8) - Player of the Match: Peahi Siufanua
• GSCC vs St Patrick’s College, Gympie. LOSS (14-10) - Player of the Match: Ryder Soper

Congratulations to Ihaia-John Waenga who was awarded our team’s Player of the Carnival Award for his brilliant organisational skills in attack and relentless will to win. Also, special mention to Peahi Siufanua for receiving our team’s Spirit of the Carnival Award for his tireless efforts in the middle of the field. 

GSCC Senior Rugby League would like to use this avenue to once again thank Mobilise, The Buffs Club, CAVA Hydraulics and Engineering, City and Country Realty, Malouf Autos, The P & F Association and Robbie Katter: Member for Traeger for their valuable donations to our team. The help of Carly Cooper, Jericho Young and Col Ryder also needs to be recognised both before and during the trip away. Thank you to all of you for giving up your time in support of GSCC Senior Rugby League.

As part of Mount Isa’s 100 years celebrations, Blake got the chance to perform with William Barton and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra on Country.

Well Done Blake!

Deadly Dancer

During the last school holidays, Year 9 student Kysah Clapham travelled to Mackay to compete in the North Queensland Irish Dancing Premierships. Hard work and dedication paid off, with Kysah placing 3rd overall in her division. She competed against dancers from many other locations, including Townsville, Mackay and Cairns. There were at least four different dances she had to learn for the competition. Kysah has been doing Irish dancing for three years and attends lessons two days a week, as well as occasional Zoom lessons. Her favourite part of Irish dancing is getting to travel for competitions and dressing up in the traditional costumes. Well done Kysah, we are all proud of you!

St Joseph’s Catholic NAIDOC

On Wednesday some of our Emerging Leader students had the opportunity to celebrate and participate in St Joseph’s Catholic School NAIDOC celebrations. Students showed their leadership skills by engaging with other students, helping run activities such as Face painting, Braiding, Indigenous games and also helping with the BBQ. 

Thank you St Joseph’s Catholic School for a great morning.

Townsville University Trip 

Last week a number of Year 10 students visited Townsville to explore post school pathways. Students stayed in James Cook University Saints College accommodation to have a fully immersive experience of what university life and its facilities are like. 

On our first day, students visited the Townsville Port Authority for an information session and tour outlining the vital role shipping plays in ensuring life as we know it runs. Interestingly, students learnt that 98% of all transported goods to Australia arrive via ships. As such, we learnt about the numerous career opportunities within this industry. After the tour we arrived at Central Queensland University Townsville where students were able to learn about a number of pathways offered, tour the campus’ facilities and complete some hands-on medical/nursing learning. 

Once again the JCU UniX exhibition was a great event and well attended by a number of North Queensland schools. The Year 10s had the opportunity to explore the courses available, as well as accommodation options. Students joined lectures based on their preferred career such as Medicine, Engineering, Arts and Media and Education. Each course also had information stalls that demonstrated practical skills such as virtual reality and engineering construction. Following the exhibition, the students were lucky enough to complete a tour and some sports science training with JCU lecturers at the North Queensland Cowboys training facility. 

Overall, this was an excellent trip for the students and I am sure all are focussed for the future thanks to the experience. I would like to thank Liesel Armstrong and Jan Luarca for attending this trip and Fiona Coghlan for her efforts in organising this wonderful opportunity. Lastly, we acknowledge and sincerely thank Glencore and James Cook University for the invaluable sponsorship towards this trip.  

The last week of Term 2 and the School Holidays saw a number of our students participate in Work Experience placements. We are very proud of our students for giving of their time to pursue these wonderful opportunities, and for the tremendous feedback, we have received from their host employers.

Thank to the following wonderful businesses for hosting our students for work experience placements, we really appreciate your support and look forward to working with you again.

• ABC Radio
• Allied Health Mount Isa Base Hospital
•  Atull Plumbing
•  Bax Plumbing 
• Estelle Cardiff Community Kindergarden
•  FVS Airconditioning 
• Glencore Mount Isa Mines
•  Happy Valley State School
•  JCU Allied Health
•  Le Mua Beauty 
• LW & NH Miller - Undilla Station 
• Mount Isa Base Hospital 
• Mount Isa City Council 
• Mount Isa Courthouse 
• Mount Isa Furniture & Bedding
•  Mount isa Vet Surgery 
• SOS Auto Electrics 
• St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School
•  Sunset Tourist Park 
• World Welding & Transport Services

WORK EXPERIENCE IN TERM 2

Applications are now open for work experience placements this term - Closing date 10th of August. Application forms are available in the Careers office should students be interested in applying. Work experience placements will commence in Week 10 of this term and are available to all the year 10’s, 11’s & 12’s. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions or concerns.