“Culture isn’t necessary for the survival of humankind; for that you only need bread and water. With bread to eat and water to drink, humans survive; but with only this, humanity dies. If human beings aren’t deeply moved by beauty, if they don’t close their eyes and activate their imaginations, if they aren’t capable of asking themselves questions and discerning the limits of their ignorance, they are merely men and women, they are not complete persons. Nothing significant distinguishes them from any other animal.  The Librarian of Auschwitz

There has been much discussion recently about Catholic Education, in particular what it is that sets us apart from other non-Catholic educational institutions. We have to be very careful in this conversation as there are many other fine institutions offering excellence in teaching and learning, so what is it with Catholic education that offers a difference. I, myself was educated in a State school, Trinity Bay in Cairns, my first experience of Catholic education was when I began my teaching career at Ignatius Park College in Townsville over 40 years ago. It was this experience that was to shape the rest of my life as teaching became more than a career, it became a way of life. I became a Catholic in my early thirties, married a Catholic woman and raised three children in the Catholic faith, who, all products of an excellent Catholic education, have built highly successful careers, a tribute to a Catholic culture that became a way of life for us all. 

Catholic education is built upon a rich culture with which it shapes the destinies of the lives of young people. With traditions and rituals thousands of years old, a mission and vision to serve the whole child, Catholic education is open to all who share its values, values which lie at the heart of what it means to be human; love, honesty, beauty, truth, justice and the knowledge that comes from a ‘good’ education, an education that will prepare them for the changes ahead.

So, what do we understand to be a “good” education? We hear so much about “lifelong learning”, “digital worlds”, “multiple intelligences”, the importance of STEM subjects, literacy and numeracy; we see an ever-changing workplace of more robots, more youth unemployment, greater incidences of stress and anxiety. Indeed, the workplace over the next 20 years in Australia will become a very different place than it has been for last 20 years. As educators in Queensland, even our profession is going through significant change. We cannot even begin to imagine where the next generation will find employment as they commence what has, over the last few years, expanded from 40 years of work to 50.  We can however, prepare them for change. Students today need resilience, creativity, critical thinking skills, adaptability, an ability to work well in teams, and most importantly, they need an understanding of the ongoing value of a “good” education and an appreciation of the importance of cultural understandings if they are to be prepared for a rapidly changing world. This sort of ‘lifelong learning’ goes well beyond the classroom and beyond their twelve years of formal learning, it is informed by the strong cultural tradition and a belonging to community which is at the heart of ‘the difference’ of a Catholic education.

At Good Shepherd, we work hard to understand the needs of the young students in our care. We know that learning is not only about good curriculum, whether that be an academic pathway or a vocational one, it is also about excellent pastoral care and a focus on student and staff wellbeing, it’s about offering choices and ensuring we are closely connected to this community, it’s about exploring a dimension of faith that will support them in times of need and give fundamental purpose to their lives. Finally, it’s about rigor, a good work effort and a knowledge that nothing can be achieved without effort, whether this be in the classroom, in the workplace, on the sports field, on the stage or in the community, a truly holistic education that serves students’ needs physically, intellectually, socially, emotionally and spiritually.

Of course, it “goes without saying” that the opportunities for diverse, engaging and effective educational experiences don’t happen without the tireless efforts of dedicated staff. Whether they be classroom teachers, middle and senior leaders, coaches and managers of sporting and academic teams, directors, choreographers, musicians and artists, staff who work with our indigenous students or those who work with students with individual learning needs, all play their part. They in turn are supported by our office and service staff, our tireless P&F members and the hardworking College Board. All work in the service of GSCC, to ensure our students get the very best education, a ‘good’ education. We must never forget that GSCC is a community, we grow in strength together and we share in the successes that come with it, together.

As educators, we have an enduring hope that what we teach our students in our classrooms, on the field, on the stage, or in the liturgy, will echo for a lifetime in their minds. That the seeds we plant, water and lovingly tender might grow love and passion in our students’ hearts. That the love of learning may feed their souls and enable successful and fulfilled lives.

In all that is change, we remain human, and that is the essential part of teaching and learning. As educators, we have a fundamental role to ensure the humanity of every one we work with. In order to build a successful future we experience the community through living the values of hope, justice, respect, honesty and love. At GSCC, we want students to be responsible learners, to manage their own behaviours and work diligently and collegiately for success. We want young people who are deeply moved by and seek out beauty, who are able to activate their imaginations and develop creatively, who continually ask questions and challenge themselves to overcome the limitations of their ignorance. We strive for this each and every day, to enable young people who will be strong enough to withstand the demands and challenges of the contemporary world.

My congratulations go to the students who have had success this year, either academic, sporting, cultural or in their personal lives. We celebrate this success, for we know that they are preparing for the changes that will inevitably come; they are preparing to live successful lives, for they understand the value of a “good” education, they have not only engaged with and embraced our College culture they have been responsible for shaping it, for they ARE Good Shepherd Catholic College.

Student book lists are now available for 2020. All items can be purchased from a number of locations in town including MacRae News, McCarthys Newsagents and Kmart. Book lists are available via the link below. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact the College Office.

Year_7_Booklist_2020.pdf

Year_8_9_Booklist_2020.pdf

Year_10_11_12_Booklist_2020.pdf

Congratulations and thank you to all students who performed at the College Awards Evening Last week. We greatly appreciate the effort you put into rehearsing for the performances.

A reminder that all students must sign in to the College Office if they are arriving late to school and must also sign out if they are departing early. We require parents/guardians to notify the Office of this via phone or through the Compass app. 

I would like to thank our 2019 College Leaders for their contribution to our community this year. They have represented our College with pride and have led our SRC with integrity. In Week 6 at our Year 12 Final Assembly they will handover their leadership positions to our upcoming Year 12 students for 2020. I would also like to make special mention of Maddison Hegarty our Indigenous Student Representative and Helen Powers our Spiritual Student Representative for their contribution this year.

The new QCE system in senior has led to a revamp of our assessment policy. This will be published live on our website today and visible in the new school diaries for 2020. The policy has been adapted to include the rules and regulations as stipulated by The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA). 

An important change that I would like to bring to your attention is the change to the application and granting of extensions. In Years 11 and 12 the applications and approval come directly from QCAA. Thus, meaning that the decision and control of these are no longer made by the school. It is vital that students are applying for extensions 3 days prior with the relevant documents (medical certificate or evidence) so this process can be submitted through the Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments (AARA) department at QCAA. 

Please find an exert from the assessment policy below:

“In Years 11 - 12, AARA will be authorised by the Assistant Principal for Teaching and Learning, or QCAA. Students in Year 11 and 12 will require documentation such as a medical report or evidence of verified disability. Year 11 and 12 students should note that extensions will not be granted for External Assessment.

Completed extension application forms need to be submitted 3 days before the due date (unless absent on the due date – then they should be returned the next school day). In the case of extended absence due to illness up to and including the due date – the student must produce a note (Year 7 – 10) or a medical certificate (Year 11 - 12). This must be attached to the form”. This is visible on page 3 of the College’s Assessment Policy. 

We understand that the assessment policy can be overwhelming at times as there is a lot of information to remember. The College have worked hard to create a flow chart to assist teachers, parents and students with the submission of assessments guidelines:

If a student does not submit an assessment in Years 11 or 12 and do not have a draft or classwork that can be marked, they will receive a ‘Not Rated’ result for that subject. If students are receiving this they will be at risk of not receiving the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) point for that subject. This process is not applicable if a student has had an extension approved through the AARA system. 

Last week the College celebrated its Annual Awards Night, recognising the cultural, academic and sporting achievements of students this year. It was great to see so many parents and students attend to join with us. I wish to congratulate all of our award winners on the night. Especially to our Special Award winners. The commitment and dedication that you show towards your learning is pleasing to see, you have represented Good Shepherd Catholic College well and should be proud of your achievements.

I would also like to thank those that went above and beyond for the evening, without the behind the scenes work that occurs leading up to events like this, they wouldn’t be possible. A big thank you to all presenters on the night, we also thank all of our generous sponsors, presenters and announcers. We would also like to thank our talented pianists, Gyan Angon, Jordana Hoek and Igee Petalcorin for providing us with background music for the evening. 

In particular, we must also acknowledge the College Administration Team, especially Mrs. Joanne Davis, Mrs Siobhan Russell, Ms. Pilar Gregor, Mrs Cassie Hosking, Mrs Belinda Thompson and Mrs Christine Valentine for their tireless work behind the scenes in organising this event. Also to Mrs Donna Cole who worked tirelessly to cater the event and Mr Marcus Maschke for setting up and packing down the event. 

We thank them all very much. 

Even though we are heading towards the end of the school year, the sporting department at GSCC continues to work at getting as much student participation as possible in all sorts of sporting activities. The Year 8 and 10 HPE classes are learning new dances to be performed later in the term either for assessment or assembly, whilst Year 7 and 9 are trying their hands at lots of sports brought to us from other countries. Best wishes go to the Year 12 students preparing to conclude their HPE  studies over the next fortnight, whilst the Year 11’s transition into their Year 12 program of study.

Last week GSCC played Spinifex College in Netball. There were 4 games played on the afternoon - U13 girls, U15 girls, Open boys and Open girls. All games were hard fought and very competitive. In both the U13 and U15 divisions GSCC were quite comprehensive victors, whilst the Open boys game ended in a tie after extra time. The Open girls game was a very close affair, with GSCC leading up until three quarter time. Unfortunately the effort caught up with them in the final quarter and Spinifex were able to steal the victory.

The overall shield was won by GSCC though, as we won two and tied another of the four games. Hopefully this is the first year of what will be an annual fixture between both the schools. Thank you to Miss Della Vecchia for organizing the event, and to all the students who trained and competed so brilliantly for the school.

In Week 5 and Week 7 students will have the opportunity to become involved in Touch Rugby League clinics run by the NRL development team. From 11am to 11:30am during first break students can come and try the game of Rugby League. It is open to both males and females. Year 7 and 8 will be on Mondays and Wednesdays and Year 9 and 10 will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Anyone interested is encouraged to come along to the school oval and give it a go. There will be a final carnival on the Friday of Week 8 after school for any students who want to play against other teams.

The 2020 sports calendar is almost ready. It will be available on the school website by the time we return to school in January. The calendar will have all District, Regional and State championship dates on it, as well as any school sport events. Check it out on the sports page on the website.

Term 4 College fees have been sent out in the mail this week and payment is due by the 28th of November, 2019. As the year is coming to a close it is important that payments to your account are up to date, ie payment is paid on time per term or you have a regular payment plan in place. If you find that you have fallen behind in your fees and are struggling to make payments, please contact me at the College, so we can discuss how we can work together moving forward.

It is College policy that, if an account becomes two terms in arrears with no contact made to the College by yourself, your account will be forwarded onto our collection agency for management. This is a situation that we try to avoid but unfortunately if we do not receive contact from you, to advise us of any special consideration for late payment, we will have no other choice.

There are several options available to make payment of your account to the College, these are EFT, online transfer, direct debit or cash payments. Our bank account details can be found on the bottom of your fee statement along with your family code, which you must use in the description to ensure the correct allocation of your payment. You can call and use a credit card over the phone or pay by cash or card at the front office.

If you have any questions regarding your account, if you would like to organise a payment plan or if you would like to discuss your account with the Principal, I encourage you to give us a call, we are happy to assist.

NB: If you have not received a statement of your account by this Friday, please contact the College for a copy.

In week 1, this term, we embarked on a journey to South East Queensland and into the Gold Coast Hinterlands! On this camp, we experienced many great activities. Some of these activities were just on our doorstep which included Cricket and Volleyball to keep us entertained for free time, but also we faced our fears with the Leap of Faith, The Giant Swing, The Survival Challenge, The Giant Ladder, and Wet’nWild. In addition, The camp leader didn’t refrain from telling terrible jokes on a daily basis, in an attempt to make us laugh - luckily we were never short of laughter that week. Halfway through the week, the weather switched from hot and humid at night (with no aircon mind you), to be close to the temperature of the Antarctic - this was when the people of Mount Isa discovered what a fireplace was. The chef didn’t think twice about preparing Master Chef quality food for the boys and girls each and every meal. We were treated by the awesome skills and talent of Miss Marinelli and Isaiah Ladisla on the piano one evening and Mr. Harries’ anticipation to catch just one sunset; however, unsuccessful twice. Two students who should be considered most likely to succeed on the social media platform are Amie & Brooke basically becoming Tik Tok Famous. Our teachers were brought along to protect us and help us grow; however, Miss Scott had other ideas, telling a story so scary BB struggled to get to sleep and Miss Conway attempting to slide down the waterfall even after specifically saying we were not to do so. Some of the events that went on at camp could’ve been featured on Funniest Home Videos, such as Chevez melting his Jumper and Mr Kamffer face planting whilst playing 44 Home. Camp was a great experience for everyone, we even came home with some more intelligent vocabulary from the millennial era such as “#mobtingz” and “it do be like that”. Overall it was a great camp and a priceless experience that brought us all closer together and strengthened our bonds due to the encouragement, laughter and appreciation we shared. Special thanks to Miss Conway, Ms Scott, Miss Marinelli, Mr Kamffer and Mr Harries for putting the retreat together and making it so much fun!

Cooper Gunningham

Year 10 Student