It is hard to believe it is already Week 4! Thank you to the many parents and friends who attended our Beginning of Year Mass last week. It was a wonderful community event and our students shone. We wish our Captains, Student Leaders, Year 12s and SRC members well in their leadership.

This week our teachers are finalising their Professional Learning Plans for the year. During this process, our teachers reflect on their own strengths as a teacher, the  goals of the school and the strategies they will employ throughout the year to improve the academic outcomes of their students. They share this information with a colleague and in doing so, build professional learning communities. One of our key focuses this year is making explicit for our students the learning intentions of each class and what the criteria for success is for each task. Please talk to your sons and daughters about what they are learning in class - this also strengthens our professional learning community.

Laura Jackson, our Acting Learning Enrichment Middle Leader is currently building her Inclusive Education Team here at Good Shepherd Catholic College. This team will work together to ensure that all of our students can access the curriculum fairly. They will work in collaboration with Yvonne van der Worm our Guidance Counsellor, Meaghan Mannix our Speech and Language Pathologist and our Indigenous Education team to support individual students as well as provide guidance to the Senior Leadership Team about ways to support all students. We wish them well in their important but challenging work.

Next week we welcome Bishop Tim Harris to Mt Isa where he will launch Project Compassion at St Joseph’s. We will have a large contingent of students there to represent Good Shepherd Catholic College. Ash Wednesday will be marked at the College with a liturgy in the Lumen Christi Centre at 9.50 am. Please join us. 

Thank you to everyone who has joined our P&F Committee and College Board:

P&F Executive

President - Terrene Frost

Vice President - Tracey Pearce

Treasurer - Barbara Baker

Secretary - Silvana Gowland

College Board

Chair - Timothy Moes

Parish Representative - Fr Mick Lowcock

Principal - Kathleen McCarthy

SLT Representative - Pelly Morganson

Teacher Representative - Emily Watson

Parent Representative - Kim Higgs

Community Representative - Michele White

Community Representative - Vacant (preferably someone with a business background)

Have a blessed week.

It has been great to see our students becoming more comfortable as they settle into their classes and get to know their teachers. At Good Shepherd Catholic College your child’s homeroom and classroom teachers are the first point-of-call. We do however have an experienced and dedicated team of Curriculum Leaders to assist further if need be. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce who is responsible for each of our departments:

Moving into the fourth week of the term I would like to commend the vast majority of students who have been arriving to school on time, in the correct uniform, behaving appropriately, and are ready and excited to learn! Thank you to our parents/carers for your support in ensuring that students are adhering to these College expectations. I look forward to these high standards being maintained for the remainder of the year.

To ensure that we have a safe and happy learning environment for everyone at Good Shepherd, it is vital that all students follow our four College expectations:

1. Respect all people and things
2. Be in the right place at the right time
3. Come prepared to learn
4. Follow instructions the first time

Computer Use

A reminder for all students that computers are not to be used in the playground during lunch times. Students are allowed to use their computers in the library during lunch times if they need to complete class work, assessment or homework.

Computers will be confiscated for the remainder of the day if they are not used appropriately or are being used during lunchtimes in the playground.

Sale of Food and Drinks
We have had increasing incidences of students selling food and drink items for personal financial gain. These sales pose significant concerns for our College community:

1. Energy drinks and soft drinks are banned on school grounds due to the potential risks if sold or supplied to students who have medical conditions or allergies;

2. There are food safety guidelines for the handling, preparation, and storage of food to prevent food-borne illness. We cannot guarantee that these guidelines are being followed if food items are being brought onto College grounds and stored incorrectly. Food allergies are also a risk; and

3. The sale of any items on school grounds for personal financial gain is prohibited.

The only exception to the sale of food and drinks is when the College has approved fundraising activities in which the correct food and drink safety guidelines are followed.

There will be serious consequences for student who do not adhere to these expectations.

Communication Matters!

It is the time of term where students will be working hard in their classes, gaining all of the knowledge and skills they require before the busy assessment period begins. 

As the year progresses, I’m sure you will have questions, and sometimes concerns regarding your child and their schooling. Below are the communication channels at GSCC:

Your child’s teachers are always happy to hear from you, so please feel welcome to contact them by phoning the College (4743 2509), or emailing them directly. A list of staff email addresses can be found on our College Website → Our School Staff. 

Families are also welcome to meet with teachers in person; we would ask that these meetings be booked in advance by using the communication channels above. This will ensure the relevant staff are available to meet with you at a mutually agreed upon time. 

The Compass Parent Portal is also a great way to communicate with your child’s teachers. You can email directly from the portal, making keeping in touch with teachers easy for all.

A reminder to come into the College Office between 8am - 4pm to collect your Portal login information if you are yet to do so.

Last Wednesday, 12th of February, we celebrated our Opening Mass for 2020. It was a celebration and induction of our new Year 7 students, SRC members, College Captains, House Captains and all Year 12s. Students were blessed and listened to the Gospel story about Jesus as a shepherd, laying his life down for his sheep. We also listened to Fr Mick speak about ‘Presence’ and how we can be present to God and those we encounter in our lives.

Next week is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten season where we focus our thoughts on those less fortunate and aim to raise much needed funds for Project Compassion through Caritas Australia.

The Year 12 Cohort is calling for parent volunteers to assist in running the bar service for the Freaky Friday Trivia Night on Friday the 13th of March. On the evening there will be two shifts, 5:30pm - 8pm & 8pm - 10:30pm. If you are able to assist, please email myself at jmarinelli@goodshepherd.catholic.edu.au.

We would also like to thank our generous sponsors Ultimate Kitchens and Elders Insurance for donating prizes for our Raffle Draw.  If you would like to support the Year 12 Cohort of 2020 by sponsoring a raffle prize, please email myself and I will send through further information and details.

District (Mount Isa) and North West Trials

Below are our upcoming sports for both District (Mount Isa) and North West Trials. The dates on this list are when the nomination forms must be signed and returned to the College. Please ensure that if your student wants to nominate themselves that they ask for a form at the College Office.

CONGRATULATIONS LILLIAN!

Year 11 Student Lillian Durrant has recently commenced a School Based Traineeship at the ANZ.  Lillian will study a Certificate III in Business. We wish her the best of luck with her work placement and studies.

We are planning to offer our 2020 Year 10 & 11 students the opportunity to participate in a Ski Trip during the July school holidays in 2021 and am seeking Expressions of Interest from students. The trip will depart on Thursday 8th July, returning Tuesday 13th July, 2021.

The Ski Trip will be capped at 35 students and will only run providing we have sufficient numbers. Students' dedication to school work, attendance, effort and behaviour will be taken into consideration prior to being accepted to attend. The approximate cost of the tour is $2300, however this may vary slightly due to the cost of flights. Families with outstanding fees will need to make an appointment with the Principal to determine eligibility.

The cost includes:

•       Return airfares from Mount Isa
•       Admission to Luna Park
•       Admission to Taronga Zoo
•       Admission to Sydney Sea Life Aquarium
•       Coach Transport to Snowfields
•       2 nights Sydney  
•       1 Night on Mountain at Perisher
•       2 Nights in Canberra
•       Indoor Rock climbing Pass
•       2 Days Lifts/Lessons & Hire (Skis or Boards)
•       5 Dinners & 5 Hot Breakfast
•       Transfers Airport to Hotel and Return
•       Travel Insurance

(This is subject to change depending on availability and scheduling of the trip.)

Please register your interest by completing a permission note which can be collected from the College Office by Monday 24th February 2020. To confirm your place on the trip, you will be required to make a $150 deposit by Tuesday 24th March 2020 once you have been offered a position on the trip. 

Please contact Ms Jade Marinelli if you have any additional questions.

Last week Queensland schools celebrated School Libraries Week. In conjunction with the celebrations, our library ran a “Love your Library” contest, where students who borrowed a book received an entry to a draw to win prizes. There were 112 entries which demonstrates a healthy reading culture at Good Shepherd.

The winners were : Year 7 – Gabby S.  Year 8 -9 – Jorja K. Year 10-12 – Helena S.

We have some exciting news to share with you.

Starting this week and every Wednesday after, Parents and Friends are invited to The Arili Thina Cafe to purchase your Morning Coffee.

By doing so you are supporting our Hospitality students achieve their competencies towards their Certificate ll in Hospitality and all profit going towards their Hospitality Camp to the Gold Coast.  

There is a range of coffees and cold drinks available, please see Menu. Open from 7.30am - 8.50am.  Our students are fantastic baristas, come see for yourself how good they are.