“Christ, our light”

In Mark’s gospel, chapter 25 Jesus tells the parable of the ten bridesmaids. They took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were sensible and took extra oil whereas the other five were foolish and did not. They did not plan ahead. The bridegroom was late and they all fell asleep while waiting. When the bridegroom finally arrived they woke up. By now the lamps had used up all their oil. The five sensible bridesmaids were able to refill their lamps and go into the reception whereas the other had to rush off to get more oil and by the time they returned the doors were closed and they missed out.

Light has a common metaphorical use in so many texts. We talk about the light overcoming the darkness, letting our lights shine and lighting up our lives. In this instance Jesus is talking about always keeping our light shining, burning bright, ready to light our way.

The weekend before last I had a wonderful opportunity to attend the rodeo. What an amazing three days. I particularly enjoyed the concerts at the end of each day. A great way to end each day of fierce competition in this most demanding of “sports”. On Friday night I heard Birds of Tokyo play and their song Lanterns delivered a very powerful message about light that I shared with the students on assembly last week. In the song they sing about wanting to achieve more, to step out of the darkness and leave for a place where they have never been, having the capacity to “burn bright” all the way being directed with their lanterns on. They state that, “in the light we are clear, there are no questions, no doubt, our day will come, we are ready, we are one, we have nothing to fear”. I thought this a very important message for our young people. They also made the point that “we never carry days on our own”.

At Good Shepherd we live by the motto; “Christ our light”. For those of us with faith, we know that Christ carries our days with us and that through Jesus, not only will we see the light and be lifted by his message but also, we can be the light for others. There is a light in each one of us, we need to keep it burning bright and find hope in the knowledge that in our darkest times, Christ will be with us to light our way.

In Religion this term, our Year 9 students are studying a unit on lay people within our community and how they walk in Christ's footsteps. Their assessment task this term, asks students to research different religious denominations and how they support and work in their community. This requires students to look at the role of lay people, how lay people can be involved in their churches and communities and the responsibilities of lay people within each church. 

We have had various guest speakers from around our community come in to speak to the students about this topic. Representatives from Good Shepherd Parish, Mount Isa Community Church, and The Salvation Army have visited students to discuss these topics. 

Next Friday, the College will be celebrating Good Shepherd Feast Day. The day will begin with a whole school mass followed by Year level rotational activities where students will complete in their house groups to earn spirit points for their houses. The day is a celebration of our house patrons and the history of Good Shepherd Catholic College. Students will be provided with lunch on the day and are invited to wear free-dress with a gold coin donation going to the ‘Catholic Mission- Extraordinary Mission Month’.

On Wednesday the 14th of August our student lead #makeachoiceyouwontregret campaign was launched. The campaign involved students from the College who discussed a range of topics such as online presences and bullying. The #makeachoiceyouwontregret campaign came from listening to students and recognising that they are a powerful voice and there is an untapped wisdom in the voices of our young people. 

We would like to thank the following students who were involved in the program and spoke out about this important issue:

Emily Barturen

Tara Gavan

William Potter

Erena Arsenich

Charlotte Coghlan

Nicholas Thinee

Jackson Siemer

Isabelle Jones

You can view the campaign video on our College Facebook page.

College Uniform - Hair Accessories

It’s important that all students adhere to the College uniform policy. Over the last few weeks we have noticed an increase in students not following the expectations in regards to hair. Girls are only permitted to wear hair scrunchies and ribbons that are of College colours (maroon, white, grey). Students are not permitted to wear hair scarves.

Next month the College will be taking part in the National Child Protection Week which takes place from the 1st - 7th of September. National Child Protection Week is all about celebrating the many ways - big and small - that everyone in a community can make a difference in the life of a child. Each morning during homeroom, all students in the College will be taking part in a range of activities to develop self- wellbeing and to also educate our students on child protection.

There has been some changes to our Year 11 exam block timetable. This information will be shared with parents/students in the next couple of weeks. A reminder that Year 12 students begin their Term 3 Exam Block in Week 9 this term, and Year 11’s will complete exams in Week 1, Term 4. Exam timetables will also be updated and made available on the Senior Portal and College website. 

Students are reminded that they must attend all scheduled exams, arrive promptly and must be wearing their Formal Uniform (unless participating in a practical subject). They must also sign in and out of the College office when on exam block.

Our Year 12 teachers will also be very busy towards the end of this term, collating assessment and results for students for verification. This is the last year that we will be completing verification and we wish our students and staff the best of luck with this process.

 The first of our Principal’s Merit Awards were distributed to students last week on Assembly. Congratulations to these students, particularly for their extra efforts helping out with the Rodeo Ball and assisting our P&F committee for this very important fundraiser. 

Fortnightly Date Claimer

Week 7

• Year 8 Science - Hard times mine tour
• Good Shepherd Feast Day - Friday 30th

Week 8

• QCS - Year 12- Tuesday 3rd & Wednesday 4th September
• 11/12 ICT Photography Excursion 

QCS - Fast Approaching

In two weeks our Year 12 OP Eligible students will be sitting the Queensland Core Skills Test. This test plays an important role in calculating the student's end of Year Overall Position (OP). As a College, we will start each day with breakfast together and I would like to thank Mr Cullen for his efforts in preparing this for the students.

The students left feeling very positive after their 1 day intensive course last week, which was the culmination of 12 months of preparation. Thank you to Mr John Harrop, Mrs Lilian D’Costa, Mrs Edna Galvin and Mr Peter Scott for their efforts in organising this day. This is one of the most important terms for Year 12 Students, and it is important they push themselves to achieve the best possible results in their upcoming assessment and exams.

Applications for assessment extension

As we approach the busy time of the term it is important that we reflect on the application process for extensions. We as a college recognise that in certain circumstances students aren’t able to complete assessment tasks on or before the due date. This could be due to family circumstances or a student being unwell. If this is the case we have a process at the college that students are expected to follow. 

In education a question that teachers are often asked is “why”. At Good Shepherd Catholic College we set meaningful lesson objectives and success criteria to help students link what they are doing in the classroom to the big picture. The below quote by Nelson Mandela is a friendly reminder of just how important education is in our students' lives:

It is with much excitement that we announce the purchase and renovation of the warehouse on the corner of Simpson and May Streets (behind the college). This will become our Trade Training Centre. With the growth in numbers attracted to studies in Wood, Metal, Engineering and Furnishings the old facilities have struggled to cope. Well over 75% of our senior graduates take up apprenticeships and traineeships in various trades in Mount Isa and we have an enviable record in placing students in these careers. This new facility is sure to enhance our capabilities in offering a high quality experience in design and construction. Coupled with an expert teaching team, I’m sure this most important career pathway will continue to flourish. The project is expected to be ready for 2020.

Are you feeling lucky? You could win tickets to the GSCC P&F Ball! Just head to the College Facebook Page for your chance to win → ****CLICK HERE TO WIN WIN WIN!!!!****

The competition has been extended until Friday - don’t miss out on your chance to win 2 tickets to the GSCC P&F Ball, a prize valued at $300!

 Tickets go on sale this Saturday morning from 8-10am at the front of the College (Mary Street Entrance), be there bright and early so that you don’t miss out! Make sure you are following our event page for all the latest updates on the Ball.

On Saturday August 18, the two College Captains – Erena Arsenic and Jackson Siemer and I presented at the Mount Isa reception for the Governor of Queensland – His Excellency, Mr. Paul de Jersey. It was an important occasion for the college to be represented along with other Mount Isa dignitaries and to have an opportunity to meet this important head of state. My thanks to Erena and Jackson for giving up their time and representing the college as young ambassadors for the youth of Mount Isa.

Bullying and it's Effects

Many of you are aware of bullying and how nasty it can become, but do you know what it really is? Bullying is defined by repeatedly acting or saying negative things to or about a person or group over a period of time. Verbally, this may include calling them names or teasing them about their given name, and physically, it can be as simple as always pushing them over. In a recent article by ReachOut Australia, they further describe bullying as something that is “done on purpose to make a person feel intimidated, threatened or powerless and is often ongoing.”

This suggests the bully wants to feel more powerful than the victim to give themselves an opportunity to “impress” their peers. However, bullying is nothing to be proud of and has major consequences. 

In the article, Bullying and Teenagers by ReachOut, an online mental health organisation, it states, “Bullying can be more than just nasty looks and teasing. It can come in lots of different forms, including, name-calling, spreading rumours or lies about someone, physical intimidation or harassment, targeting a person’s sexuality, religion, race, gender or disability, singling a person out to make them feel alone or different.”

These actions impact the target and most often decreases their self-esteem and confidence. Bullying brings a sense of fear and isolation which also leads them to blame themselves for the situation. It is a major factor in the decline of people’s mental health, which is just as important as their physical health. We are fortunate to live in an era where it is acknowledged and researched to help those who are suffering and in pain, but it is still your decision if you want to live peacefully or cause harm on others to the point where they no longer feel safe being here.

Cyber-bullying, a major concern in today’s modern day society, is a way for bullies to attack unsuspecting targets anonymously and easily. The fact that they are behind a screen gives them a sense of power and security where they feel as if they will not be caught, but there are always consequences.

The first thing the victim must do if they’re being cyberbullied is to not handle it themselves but to tell a trusted adult like their parents, teachers, their Pastoral Care leader, or even the police if the bullying has reached that level of severity. 

Advice was given on the website from psychologist Clare Rowe who discusses about the teenagers years where they find it difficult when they experience bullying. She also gives advice on how parents can support their child through these times.

https://youtu.be/s1Y7Oxsql5A

By Olivia Greenhalgh and Erich Petalcorin