How wonderful it was to hear the rain this week. A miracle of nature. Having spent so many years living on the coast, rain was a given and often more of a problem than something to be looked for and cherished. When we see the effects of drought in so many parts of this country, it is truly a blessing to get the rain. I imagine that within a few days we will see things freshen and grow, to spring back to life.

To some extent this is our purpose at Good Shepherd. The seeds of learning were planted at primary school but it is our responsibility now to provide the rain, the living water that will see young minds and bodies flourish and grow. Of course there will be times of drought but it is important to understand that we are all in this journey together, parents, teachers, students and the wider community. No one person can face a drought on their own, they need the support of all. If we look to our core business, which is to water (provide good teaching and learning opportunities) than all will grow.

It was wonderful to see the sporting exchange on Friday where Spinifex State College and GSCC came together on the Rugby field to play, to witness a spirit of youthful endeavour and great sportsmanship in mutual respect for the challenge of the game. Hopefully this will usher in a new era of collaboration between the two colleges in providing similar competition in other sports. And so the drought is broken and we will all flourish as a result.

On Thursday night we will celebrate all that has been great at GSCC in sport this year at the Sports Awards Night. I congratulate all that have represents the college this year. I extend this joy in wishing our 3 Rock, Pop, Mime teams every success on Friday night when they perform. Finally, I invite you all to our major Annual Awards Night next Wednesday where we will recognize all the achievements of our students for 2018. It will be great to have our Bishop, Tim Harris to join with us and it promises to be a great evening, fruit for the labour of many years for our senior students.

As we move rapidly towards the end of the college year, may we all be mindful to end well. Let us not harvest discontent or focus on the minor annoyances but celebrate all things great that have been experienced and achieved this year. May we continue to grow and may the water of knowledge continue to allow us to flourish.

On another note:

From time to time, we see parents expressing complaints or issues about aspects of the College on their private social media accounts. We respectfully ask our parents to contact us directly with any concerns, so that we can help out quickly and provide direct support to our students, parents and staff. Complaining on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or other social media can lead to rumour, innuendo and distortion of facts. 

Our Code of Conduct For Parents and Volunteers, which all parents/carers agree to on enrolment, outlines our complaints procedure and we have found this process to be the most direct way to respond to issues. Our goal is to deal with such issues with compassion, efficiency and within the values Jesus has taught us. We will always involve other law enforcement and student protection agencies where needed, in accordance with our bullying policy, and student protection policies and processes. (TCEO)

2018 Awards Night

Preparations are well underway for our Annual Awards Night. This week, students were emailed if they are receiving an award at awards night. Copies of the list have also been posted on the Notice board at school. Students are encouraged to check these lists thoroughly and notify their Pastoral Leader if they feel there are any errors.

I would like to extend an invitation to all parents and students to attend the event. Awards Night is a fantastic event that showcases the year that was, and gives us an opportunity to recognise the many facets of College life and the successes we have had.

Parents can find a copy of the award recipients attached.

Students who are receiving an Award will be required to attend a rehearsal at the Civic Centre on Wednesday. Students will walk to the Civic Centre under teacher supervision and participate in the rehearsal and then walk back to school. We require students who are receiving an award to arrive at the civic centre no later than 6:45pm and have their names marked off by their Pastoral Leader. Students who arrive after this time, may not be able to receive their award on the night.

If recipients are unable to attend the awards ceremony please let us know for our planning purposes.

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.

Exam block timetables will be released in the next week. This Term there are 3 exam block periods:

• Year 12: Monday 5th November → Friday 9th November
• Year 11: Thursday 22nd November → Friday 30th November
• Year 10: Monday 26th November → Friday 30th November

SET Planning

This Term we begin the formal SET Planning process with our Year 10 students. By now, all year 10 students should have joined the Google Classroom, completed their online SET Plan. We are in the process of finalising dates for these interviews, and parents will be notified when the portal is open for bookings to commence.

SET Plan interviews are roughly 30 mins in length, and guide your child through the subject selection and pathway selection process to ensure they are able to achieve success and reach their goals.

Subject Selection for 2019.

Over the coming weeks, students in Year 8 will be given the opportunity to pick 2 elective subjects to study in YEar 9 2019. Now that they have completed their tasters of all subjects, they will have an opportunity to continue studying two full time next year. I will meet with these students to explain their choices and the process.

Students in Year 9 this year, will also be given a subject selection form to pick their subjects for Year 10. Students may choose to stay in their current subject, or choose from the new electives that begin in Year 10. Subject selections will be due before the end of the year.

Last week was Queensland Mental Health Week and the theme for 2018 was to value mental health – with six steps. These steps are achievable for everybody, and it is important that we keep them in mind as we navigate an incredibly busy term.

Be active – do what you can, enjoy what you do, get moving and improve your mood
Keep learning – embrace new experiences, recognise opportunities, surprise yourself
Connect – talk, listen, be there
Give – your time, your words, your presence
Take notice – remember the simple things that give you joy
Care for our planet – it’s the home we all share

Webinar Opportunity for Parents

Navigating your teen's mental health - Wednesday 24th October

Suitable for parents and carers of high school aged students. This presentation educates adults on how to support the young people in their life.

• 6:30-7:30pm session

Description
Whether your teen is experiencing issues now, or if you want to be prepared for the future, this webinar will benefit any parent or carer of a young person.

Delivered by a trained presenter with lived experience of mental illness, you will gain insight into what it's like to grow up as a young person with a mental illness.

You will learn:
- about anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder
- how to spot early warning signs in young people
- when and where to seek help
- how to support a young person you care about

There are limited spaces for this presentation, so parents are encouraged to register as soon as possible. If you would like any more information, please email community@blackdog.org.au

Rosary

October is set aside as the month of the Rosary. The origin of the rosary has a rich history that continues to bring peace to people’s lives, as all the mysteries can be applied to your everyday, modern situations. It has deep roots, yet is still enduring even in this hectic age. October is the month of the rosary, as October 7th is the feast of our lady of the Rosary.

The Rosary is a way for God’s people to make holy the day, and to remember the life of Jesus and his mother. As the Rosary is said a person meditates on the mysteries (events) of Jesus’ life and that of Mary, mother of Jesus. The Rosary consists of four mysteries (Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, Luminous) with five decades in each. Each decade consists of an Our Father, ten Hail Marys and a Glory Be.

We will be running a Rosary every Thursday morning in the sacred space from 8.15am. All staff and students are welcome to attend. Rosary beads will be provided if necessary.

Bishop’s Dinner

The Bishop is visiting Mount Isa again in October. We are blessed to have him as our special guest for the College awards night on 24th October. He will also be here for the annual Bishop’s Dinner held on 25th October. The event is being held at the Keane's Bar & Grill, The Irish Club 6:30pm for a 7:30pm start. Tickets are $40 per head. If any families are interested in attending, please contact the Mount Isa Parish as there are limited tickets available.

Year Level Masses/Graduation Mass

The last of the Year level masses will be held this Semester. Students in each year level have had an opportunity to attend two year level masses this year. This has been extremely successful, and we have been really pleased with the behaviour of students. All staff are welcome to attend the masses if they would like, please see dates below:

• Year 9 Year Level Mass - tbc (initial date cancelled)
• Year 10 Mass - 01/11
• Year 11 Mass - 07/11

Reconciliation/RCIA

RCIA will commence again this Term for 2019. RCIA stands for Rite of Christian Initiation of adults (or young adults). This process includes several stages marked by prayer, study and discussion. Those who participate in the process gradually come to know God’s love for them in Jesus and grow in love of God and of others. All people who are open to discerning their personal experience of faith and to learning more about

the Catholic Church are welcome to begin RCIA.

The RCIA program for students generally runs on a Wednesday afternoon at the College from 3.15-4.15pm. If you are interested in becoming Catholic or would like to complete any of the sacraments of initiation please contact myself or the Good Shepherd Parish office on 4749 8555.

Halloween vs All Hallows Day

“Halloween" comes from "All Hallows Eve", the Christian Vigil of the celebration of the Christian Feast of "All Saints" (31st October - the evening before All Saints Day). The Catholic holy day of All Saints Day falls on 1 November, which is actually considered a holy day of obligation, followed by All Souls Day on 2 November. Today, the Church celebrates all the saints: canonized or beatified, and the multitude of those who are in heaven enjoying the beatific vision that are only known to God. During the early centuries the Saints venerated by the Church were all martyrs. In 835, Pope Gregory IV moved the celebration for all the martyrs (later all saints) from May 13 to November 1. The night before became known as All Hallow’s Eve. Eventually the name was shortened to the current Halloween. On November 2, the Church celebrates All Souls Day.

Today, Halloween has become synonymous with candy, costumes, scary stuff, witches, ghosts and pumpkins. This imagery however, does not necessarily characterise the Catholic cultural ethos. The purpose of these feasts is to remember those who have died, whether they are officially recognised by the Church as saints or not. It is a celebration of the communion of saints, which reminds us that the Church is not bound by space or time. Therefore, as Halloween stands today, we, as Catholics do not celebrate this event. Instead we still honour All Hallows Eve and All Souls Day as important events in the Catholic calendar.

This year has been an amazing year for our GSCC Netball club. This is the third year we have had a club play in the Mount Isa Ameteur Netball Association. With 60 players and 3 new coaches we are growing more and more, which is fantastic to see. This season started off with 5 student teams; 4 in Juniors and one in the Senior Competition playing for the first time in Division 1.

Firstly, to our GSCC Phoenix team, coached by our very own Miss Caitlin Conway. We admire your endless positivity and commend you for your improvement this year. To another one of our Junior teams, the GSCC Dragons, who made it all the way to the Grand Final and WON! Congratulations on your achievements and thank you to Miss Kristie Broad and Miss Sally Northey for your assistance this year. We also had two teams in the Division 1 Junior Competition - GSCC Flying Flames, coached by James Coghlan and GSCC Fire coached by Miss Lenore Krutzfeldt. GSCC Flying flames were outstanding on the court and especially in their demonstration of sportsmanship and teamwork. The GSCC Fire continued to impress each week, and actually finished minor premiers for Division 1, which is a significant achievement. We look forward to continuing to watch all of our junior players grow and develop over the next few years.

Finally, to our senior team GSCC Roar, this was their first year in Division one, which challenged them to continue to grow and develop. They had some tough competition but held their heads high and never gave up no matter the score. We thank them for being great role models for our younger players. Please see a list of names from each team below:

Some of our special awards on the evening went to:

• Charlotte Coghlan (Most promising umpire)
• Erena Arsenich (Spirit Award)
• Phoebe Ryder (Junior Club Person)

We have loved watching these girls play throughout the season and are also extremely impressed by how much they have all improved. Thank you to all the players, coaches and parents who have made this season great. Looking forward to next year.  

On Thursday 18th of October GSCC is hosting our annual Sports Awards Night in the Lumen Christi Centre. This is a fantastic opportunity for us as a HPE department and wider school community to come together and recognize students, parents, staff and community members who have contributed to the success of school sport throughout 2018. Playing sport is all about learning lessons that help us strive to be the best version of ourselves on and off the field. Fittingly the theme for this year is ‘In Pursuit of Excellence’.

On the night we will be presenting a wide range of awards for students representing the School, District and North West region in their various sports. There will also be awards for ‘Spirit in Sport’ and the prestigious Sportsman and Sportswoman of the year.

For those students who are attending on the night it is important that students are in their full formal uniform. Years 7, 8 & 9 this means they must be wearing their academic uniform with the correct shoes. For years 10, 11 & 12 this means their academic uniform with their blazer, tie and correct shoes.

There have been some changes to the evening, we have additional commitment awards and this year students who have played in the GSCC Netball Club will not receive a certificate, similar to those given at the Annual Netball Club Presentation. This decision was made as playing in local sport club teams, does not align with the School, District, Regional, State and National School Sport pathway. Please see the 2018 Sports Awards criteria. We sincerely apologise for any misunderstandings. Furthermore, the Senior Boys Rugby League teams that competed at various (4) tournaments/games this year, will be recognised as the GSCC Senior Rugby League Program.  

We look forward to celebrating with as many of you as possible.

In week 1 of this term, Good Shepherd Catholic College celebrated National Health and Physical Education day. This is a nationwide initiative that highlights the importance of Health and Physical Education within our schools. Australian school children rank among the worst in the world when it comes to physical activity, with 80% of students between the ages of 5-17 not meeting the Australian Physical Activity Guidelines of at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity activity every day.

In order to reduce these statistics students need better knowledge and understanding on how to lead active and healthy lifestyles. To celebrate this fantastic day the Health and Physical Education department encouraged students and staff to walk or ride to school as well as hosting a range of activities to kick start the day some of these being; a healthy breakfast, 1 minute rower and bicycle challenges, a wall sit competition and numerous dances. Finally in first break students were given the opportunity to beat their teachers in a 30m sprint running race.

Overall, it was a fabulous day to celebrate our bodies and what they can do. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all staff and students who contributed to the success of this day whether it be lending a helping hand or getting involved with the activities.

Being healthy is not a goal instead it is a way of living ~ Alison Zemanek

Last Friday, three of our College Rugby League teams showcased their talents in interschool matches against Spinifex College.  Our Under 15 boys, Open Girls and Open Boys battled out their games at Alec Inch Oval with over 400 locals supporting both teams.  With minimal opportunity for regular training, our teams performed extremely well on the day.

Our Under 15 team went down 32 – 8 in their match against a well drilled and talented Spinifex side.  The boys played extremely well considering that the GSCC team has never played as a team before their game and half of the team made up of Under 14 players and a handful of boys having never played league before.  

The Open girls’ team played a strong game coming away with the win 20 – nil.  Their attacking and defensive game was one to remember with Maddison Hegarty and La Keira Maher leading from the front.

The Open boy’s team had a convincing win with a score of 34 – 10.  This was the last match for our Year 12 boys, many of whom have played Confraternity for the past two years.  It was also good to have some fresh players put their hand up to have a run despite not being in this year’s Confraternity team.  Trent Bakhash, Darcy Ryder, Lane Currie, Kaleb Bennett and Will Seimer had strong individual performances that lifted the whole team to beat a strong Spinifex team.

I’d like to thank a number of people who contributed to the success of the carnival:  Ms Emily Craven (Spinifex Sports Coordinator) and the Spinfex College staff who proposed the day,  organised game officials and NRL Development to attend. The GSCC Confraternity Staff; Mr Domenico Cullen, Mrs Pelly Morganson and Mr Mika Raijas for their assistance in preparation before, during and after the games and the GSCC staff, students and parents who came to support such a wonderful event in which rugby league was the winner.

Yours in Rugby League

Willie Morganson

Cert II in Resources and Infrastructure Work Preparation

Congratulations to Seth Wilson and Patrick Baker who last term successfully obtained above qualification.  The students completed this over a two week period, much of which they did in their own time. Well done gents!

Responsible Service of Alcohol

Fifteen of our Senior Students completed this qualification last term.  This will open work opportunities in clubs and pubs. Great pay for weekend/Uni work.

CONGRATULATIONS BRITTNEY

Brittney Brummell has commenced School Based Apprenticeship with Bellaobsessions Hair Salon.  Brittney will study a Certificate III in Hairdressing. Well done Brittney!

Work Experience

Once again a HUGE thank you to the follow businesses who hosted our students for work experience this term.

Mt Isa Vet Surgery, St Joseph’s Kindy, ABC Radio, BAM Auto Electrical, MAK Diesel, Osborn Consulting Engineers, Sweet Building and Roofing, Miner’s Mate Mechanical, Airside Logistics, Wardles Accounting and Business Advisory, Sankvik, Hello World, North West Hospital and Health Service, AERCO, Sanctum Medi Spa Retreat, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School,  St Paul’s Lutheran Child Care Centre and Glencore.

Instrumental Music

I would like to introduce our new Instrumental Music Teacher Ms Catherine Motteram. With over 20 years experience as both a Classroom and Instrumental Music Teacher, she loves working with students to develop their love and knowledge of music. Ms Motteram will be teaching our Brass, Woodwind & Percussion students at the College and will also be working at St Joseph's Primary School and St Kieran’s Catholic Primary. Along with this, she will be taking over the directing of the Catholic Excellence Band which rehearses every Tuesday morning.

All instrumental students should now have received the timetable and first lesson for the term. A reminder that lessons will now take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you child is interested in commencing lessons with Ms Motteram, information letters can be collected from the College Office.

Hello to all and a big welcome back to term 4!

We cannot believe that we are welcoming you to the final term for the year, I am sure that you will agree with us in saying that this year has flown by!

Please see an overview below of what the students will be studying this term in Humanities:

Year 7: Exploring how Australia’s legal and political system protects its citizens

Year 8: Responding to business opportunities in the global market
Year 9: Examining how Australia’s political and legal system enable change

Year 10 Social & Community Studies Elective: Sportspeople & The Media

Year 10 Modern History Elective: Terror and the New Imperialism

Year 10 Ancient History Elective: Investigating societies of the past

Year 10 Geography Elective: Sustainability

Year 10 Legal Studies: Laws and citizens

Year 11 & 12 Legal Studies: Introduction to Criminal law

Year 11 & 12 Modern History: Imperialism and Globalisation in the Post-9/11 World

Year 11 & 12 Social and Community Studies: Gender and Identity

History Club:

Interested in joining our History club? In term 4, our History Club students will be meeting each fortnight. The history club will be participating in various activities such as examining historical artefacts, building a catapult and participating in a school-wide treasure hunt activity. If you are interested or have any questions, please contact Miss Algie.

Senior Subject Selection for 2019:

Year 10 students are now enrolled in their second and final elective for the year. The Humanities department have had many conversations with students in regards to their future planning and subject selection for 2019. If you have any questions or require more information about the Humanities subjects being offered or some advice on the best path for students to take, please feel free to contact us at any time.

On behalf of the Humanities Department, I wish you a happy, safe and productive term 4!

Kind Regards,

Samantha Kelley