“Not in the clamor of the crowded street, not in the shouts and cheers of the crowd but in ourselves are triumph and defeat”. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

As we come to the end of another enormously busy year, it is important to reflect on the journey of 2018 at Good Shepherd and consider the achievements of this community, which of course have been considerable this year. Most importantly however, as noted by Longfellow, is that these achievement are very much the result of every single member of our community who have committed themselves to the mission and vision of this college throughout the year; “to journey together in faith with ‘Christ our light’, educating and empowering young people to experience the community, live the values and achieve success”.

It would take me considerable time to list all the events of the year, so I will mention the highlights as I see them and hope that this small glimpse into the hectic life of this contemporary learning environment will provide some sense of the amazing year we’ve had.

Term 1 began with Opening Mass where we invested our new college captains for 2018; Phoebe, Callum, Kate, Kaleb, Mikayla and Khade.  Year 12 and Year 7 retreats followed, along with celebrations of “Bullying – No Way Day”, “World Day of Social Justice”, and “World Day of Prayer”. Perhaps the highlight of the term was the Annual GSCC Easter Fete, once again a great success, despite the huge storm, thanks to the enormous efforts of the College P&F team. The annual Columba College sports exchange (Rugby League and Netball) was expanded this year to include Debating and it was great to see GSCC compete in both the Junior and Senior sections.

Term 2 saw the launch of the Inaugural GSCC Concert series, a program of four wonderful concerts featuring some of the very best Mount Isa musicians and singers (featuring our new Yamaha mini grand piano). My thanks to Daniel Johnson for his generous gift and for organizing the concert series. GSCC also played host to TCEO’s Year of Youth concert which featured Jesse Manibusan from the USA. The college had great success in the Annual Mount Isa Eisteddfod, our ensembles doing remarkably well. The College was well represented at the National P&F Conference held in Townsville. Our indigenous students participated in the “Deadly Choices” program throughout the term and the senior leaders in the Smarter Stronger program, while the ATSI committee completed our RAP (Reconciliation Action Plan). We also commenced the “Emerging Leaders Program” at this time. Over the June/July break our Netballers and Rugby League players travelled to Charters Towers and Townsville to compete successfully in the QISSN/Confraternity State Carnival.

Term 3 started with a whirlwind of activity. Within the space of four weeks we had the Year 11 Retreat to Canberra, the Year 10 retreat to Magnetic Island, the Interschool Athletics, the Mulkaee Arts Festival’s performance of “Alice” (this year three of our students had lead roles), the GIO Cup (Rugby League), Catholic Education Week (including GSCC Feast Day), the JCU Careers Expo and NAIDOC Week (featuring guest artist and nationally acclaimed writer Boori Pryor). The college also successfully completed its five year Renew with external validation. The term also featured the Royal Pines Hospitality Camp and the completion of our upgrade to the external recreation area (the “Shepherd’s Hut”) to include courts for Basketball, Volleyball and Badminton, a full sized labyrinth and a stage area for “outside performances”, adding considerable capacity to the college facilities. The term ended with the celebration of RUOK day. I might also mention that this year saw the formation of the GSCC Anti-Cyberbullying Committee, a student led initiative.

Term 4 has been filled with the usual end of year activities; the Indigenous Graduation Mass in Townsville, the Netball Presentation Night followed by the GSCC Sports Award’s Night, the highly successful Academic Awards Night attended this year by the Bishop of Townsville, the Bishop’s Dinner and MAPASS presentation, World Teacher’s Day, our Pink & Blue (Cancer Awareness) Day and finally our Graduation Mass, Assembly and Dinner. This week (the final for our students) we will celebrate the coming of Christmas with a Carols Night on Wednesday in the LCC and our final assembly and Christmas liturgy on Friday.

May I take a moment now to thank all those “individuals” that make up team GSCC. The energy and enthusiasm of this community ensure that every week is an event and that joy and celebration are part of what makes this a community. May the passage of Christmas be a wonderful time of recreation for family and loved ones and may you return in 2019 refreshed and ready for another amazing year here at Good Shepherd.

God bless,
Peter Scott

Who can believe that another year has passed. It has been a busy year, both in the classroom and outside of it. It has been fantastic to see so many of our students achieve personal success.

Schools are busy places, I would like to wish all staff, students & parents a very relaxing and enjoyable Christmas break. May you each take the time to rest, recharge and spend time with your loved ones.

Semester 2 Reports

Parents/carers should receive the Semester 2 Report Card in the mail late next week.

Teachers use evidence and their experience with students in classes over the semester to determine a qualifier that matches each Positive Learning Element. The qualifiers includes: Excellent, Consistently good, Some improvement recommended, Improvement needed and Major improvement required.

An additional piece of information will be included in this Semester's Report Card, which outlines the breakdown of Overall Level Of Achievements for the Cohort in that subject, as well as a dot which indicates your child's relative position. We hope you find this information useful. While the Report Card is based on the achievements of Semester 2, we have also included the overall result for the Year.

Students and parents are strongly encouraged to read the Semester 2 Report Card together and reflect on comments made by teachers. Ultimately, we provide report cards so that students and parents get valuable feedback that should help them to reflect, set goals and either maintain or improve results in the future.

Report Cards Online

For those parents who have already created their Compass Parent Portal Account, Report Cards will be made available online on Friday 7th December. A Text message will be sent informing you of their release. If you have not yet created your account contact the College Office for further details on how you can do this.

The Compass Portal allows you access to live attendance data, Report Cards, and other important information about your child’s education. We highly recommend you get create your account now.

Release of Year 12 results - OPs & QCE

Our Year 12 students will not receive a Semester 2 Report Card; instead they are issued a Senior Statement by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority.

From 9 am on Saturday 15 December, all results contributing to the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE), OPs and Field Positions will be available in student learning accounts on the Student Connect website: https://studentconnect.qcaa.qld.edu.au/. From Monday 17 December, students will begin receiving their Senior Education Profiles in the mail.

Depending on students’ individual circumstances, their profile will comprise one or more of the following documents:

• QCE
• Tertiary Entrance Statement (for OP eligible students)
• Senior Statement

I would encourage students to ensure they can access their learning accounts, and let me know before Friday 7th December if they need login details.

Tertiary Entrance Rank students

Just a reminder that students who are wishing to use their Tertiary Entrance Rank to gain entrance into university must request their rank by calling QTAC (Queensland Tertiary admissions Centre). Students should have their LUI number ready for the phone call. This is the only way students can get access to their rank, so they must contact QTAC either online at http://www.qtac.edu.au/home  or via phone.

As we come to the end of another school year, it is a fantastic time to celebrate your successes, reflect on the goals you set earlier in the year and look forward to the future (and school holidays!).

End of Term Family BBQ

This term, we are finishing with a number of Christmas themed activities on Friday morning (30/11), followed by a BBQ, Christmas Carols and a brief Prayer Service. All parents are invited to attend our traditional family BBQ where will we celebrate the joy of the Christmas season with staff and students.

The BBQ will commence at approximately 10:45am and we expect students will be dismissed at 11:45am.

Departing Families

For those families leaving at the end of the year, we thank you for your contribution to the College community, we also wish you the best of luck in your future endeavours. If your child is not attending Good Shepherd in 2019 and you are yet to inform the College, please contact us on 4743 2509 before 4pm Thursday 6 December.

Senior Retreat Program

In alignment with the changes to Senior Schooling in Queensland, the College has undergone a review of its Retreats Program. From 2019, to ensure there is minimal disruption to teaching and learning time, we will offer the following experiences for senior students:

Year 10 Camp: This camp will focus on leadership, team building, resilience and maturity.

Year 11 Ski Trip: This excursion allows students to experience Sydney, Canberra and the Ski Fields. It will take place during the July school holidays, has capped attendee numbers and students will attend by invitation only.

Year 12 Retreat: This is a compulsory Retreat that signifies the transition from Year 11 into Year 12. It focuses on spirituality, reflection, goal setting and leadership. Students travel to Mungalli Falls Outdoor Education Centre, south of Cairns.

For current Year 10 students and families, please carefully read the communication included with Report Cards regarding the revised Senior Retreat Program.

Starting the New School Year Appropriately

If students intend on making changes to their appearance over the school holidays, it is important that they are realigned with College expectations by day 1 2019. In particular, if changes are made to students’ hair these must be rectified by the beginning of next year. Please note:

• Hairstyles must be neat and tidy and no shorter than clipper number 2. No tracks, mohawks or extreme styles or colours are permitted.
• Hair must be kept out of the eyes and off the face.
• Hair longer than collar length must be fully tied up; half up/half down hairstyles are not permitted for students with long hair.

All nail polish, including shellac, gel and acrylic nails must be removed by the first day of term.

Finally, a reminder that students are only permitted to wear the following jewellery items:

• One wrist watch
• One plain gold/silver chain with a crucifix/Christian symbol
• One signet ring
• One earring in each ear. This can be a sleeper, stud or birthstone earring and should be no greater than 3mm in diameter.
• Students must have no other visible piercings - clear jewellery is not permitted.

Pastoral Team 2019

We have a number of changes to our Pastoral Team for 2019. As we say farewell to Miss Jenna Martin, we thank her for the wonderful contribution she made to the College this year.

We welcome two new Pastoral Leaders, with Mrs Kate Thinee undertaking the position of Year 11 Pastoral Leader and Mr Domenico Cullen commencing as Year 12 Pastoral Leader.

I would also like to wish Miss Jade Marinelli all the best in her new role as Assistant Principal Pastoral Care. Jade will commence this position in 2019 as I take 12 months of maternity leave.

The Pastoral Team for 2019 is:

Year 7 - Mrs Pelly Morganson

Year 8 - Mr Willie Morganson

Year 9 - Ms Kylie McCarthy

Year 10 - Miss Caitlin Conway

Year 11 - Mrs Kate Thinee

Year 12 - Mr Domenico Cullen

Assistant Principal Pastoral Care - Miss Jade Marinelli

Happy Holidays!

I would like to wish all students and families a very safe and happy Christmas and New Year period. I hope that you are able to spend time with your family, relax and reinvigorate yourselves before returning for another busy school year in 2019!

Term 1 will commence for Year 7 and 12 students on Tuesday 29 January; followed by students in Years 8 - 11 on Wednesday 30 January.

Preparing for Christmas

Advent marks the beginning of the Church’s new year and is a season of waiting and preparation for the coming of Christ. The word ‘advent’ means ‘coming’. The 2nd December this year, marks the first Sunday of Advent. One of the significant symbols for this liturgical season, is the advent wreath. Lighting the candles on the wreath symbolises the coming of light (Jesus) into the world. Advent wreaths can be used in Church, at school or at home. The first candle (violet) represents hope, the second (violet) peace, the third (rose) joy, and the fourth (violet) love. The central white candle is lit on Christmas Day and represents Christ.

Here are some resources you may like to use as a family, including a video with more information about advent and a ‘how to’ guide to making your own Advent wreath for your home.

https://www.caritas.org.au/docs/default-source/advent-calendars/how-to-make-your-own-advent-wreath---including-blessing-ceremony.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSsMq6UXXwo&feature=youtu.be

Christmas Appeal - Thank you!

Each House Group at the College, have been asked to participate in our Christmas appeal this year supporting families in need. A huge thank you to all students and families that have purchased or donated items. The social justice group will be going around town on Friday, visiting the Good Shepherd Parish with these donations, as well as Mount Isa Special School, Laura Johnson home and various businesses to spread the Christmas cheer.

Another way you can spread Christmas cheer with your family, is by participating in Australia's biggest secret santa, giving gifts to people in need. This is organised through the GIVIT Charity/organisation. More information can be found at the following site: http://givit.org.au/

Finally, I would like to say a big thank you for all that have supported me this year in the acting role of APRE. In particular, I wanted to thank the Senior Leadership team, Peter Scott, Amy Webb and Senan Keating for their guidance, and Jacqueline Warren who will be returning to the position next year. I have been blessed and privileged to be a part of students’ faith journey here at Good Shepherd Catholic College, and in particular in this Year of Youth. I pray that students continue to discover new horizons and spread joy and love in the lives of the people around them.

Looking for something to do this evening?

Tonight (Wednesday 28th November) at 7pm, the GSCC String Ensemble and the Catholic Excellence Band look forward to performing Christmas Carols with you. The students have been working hard since last term to prepare a selection of carols to sing with you to celebrate the Christmas season. It will be an evening of jollity, showcasing the skills of our instrumental musicians.

Doors open at 6:30 pm, so join us for refreshments before the Carols begin!

Technology holiday guide for parents

Congratulations - Ryan Abraham, Sydneh Corrigan & Xian Lane

Ryan has commenced a School Based Apprenticeship with Clancy Corporation and will study a Certificate III in Air Conditioning Refrigeration.  

Sydneh will study a Certificate III in Business Administration with Ausure Insurance & Finance.

 Xian will commence work at National Australia Bank and will study a Certificate III Business.

Jordana completes Traineeship

Congratulations to Jordana Hoek for completing her Certificate II Retail Services with McDonalds.   

Nicely done Jordana.

BIG YEAR FOR SCHOOL BASED TRAINEESHIPS AND APPRENTICESHIPS

2018 has been the busiest year yet for traineeships and apprenticeships.  We finished the year with 37 students working with their host employers, many of whom are well and truly on the way to completing their qualifications.

We now thank our host employers for the effort and opportunity they have provided to students:

Shaine Hunter Locksmith

APG Glass & Aluminium

St Kieran’s Catholic Primary School

McDonalds

Maxima

ANZ Bank

National Australia Bank

Townsville Catholic Education Office

Lord Cattle

North West Hospital & Health Service

ADG Corporation

MAK Diesel & Earthmoving

Calibre Training & Development

Steelcon Cava

Sanchez Constructions

KFC

AMCAL Pharmacy

Pizza Hut

Natural Beauty & Medi Clinic

Clancy Corporation

ISA Hair Design

The Buffs Club

SMH Equipment

Leonie Winks Photography

Westpac

Salon Bronze

Bellaobsessions Hair Salon

Reece

Ausure Insurance & Finance

Technology would like to take the opportunity of this final newsletter to thank some of the people from our wider school community who have helped us throughout the year.

As part of our new Furnishing year 11 and 12 subject there is a unit on Glazing. Mr Dean Kelly, the whole year 11 class and myself are all extremely grateful to Mr Mark Roberts from APG who came and spent several lessons with our students teaching them the basics of cutting and fitting glass. He was also able to supply us with glass and tools so that your students could gain experience in another new area. This year’s work involved creating small glass frames (pictured below) which we then etched on our laser engraver. Next year students will be using this skills as part of creating a TV cabinet.

In the workshops in general we have had lots happening this year that has involved the purchase and upgrade of equipment. We have received huge support in this from Mr Brett Peterson from Mount Isa Mining Supplies. With the assistance of his team, that has included product research and organising forklifts, we have been able to stretch our budget. This means better equipment and more opportunities for your students.

Over this last year Hospitality has had a deteriorating relationship with its washing machine and dryer. Last week they both died. While in the process of organising replacements Harvey Norman Mt Isa donated new machines.

At the beginning of next year in all our workshop classes from years 9 to 12 will have a new school uniforms to be worn in all practical classes. Everyone will be receiving more in depth information about this soon.Thanks to Joe Butterworth from Totally Workwear Mount Isa for a huge amount of help organizing cost effective uniforms and arranging the embroidery of the school logo and student names.

I would also like to thank all my staff this year who have contributed so much of who they are to make our subjects work. Without them our Children's education would be much poorer.

Library Resources

All Library resources borrowed by students are now due to the Library. This includes textbooks, English novels, calculators, short loan laptops and chargers.  All students and parents will be receiving a daily email with a list of all items still checked out. Please note, Library check ins are updated daily prior to this email.

In accordance with correspondence via our College newsletter in Term 1 and verbal communication by our Librarian, as the borrower, students are responsible for tracking and returning all items borrowed. Even if students believe they have returned items, they may have mixed their books up with another student's and returned this item. Unfortunately students are still responsible for the item that was checked out to them at the beginning of the year.

If these items are not returned to the College Library by 3pm Thursday 30/11/17, the non-refundable replacement cost associated with these items will be invoiced or charged to College fees.

Book Reviews