It was a tremendous joy to celebrate our Interhouse Swimming Carnival last Friday. Our Year 12 students really wanted the event to happen after it was cancelled earlier in the year. It was definitely worth the wait. I was struck by the inclusive spirit of the students as they lined the pool and cheered on the weaker swimmers - a shining example of the charism of the Good Shepherd in action at the College. Thank you to Mr Harries, Mr Schofield-Smyth, the PE teachers and all staff for their work in bringing together the event.

This Friday we will acknowledge our four founders on a combined Feast Day for Chisholm, Rice, MacKillop and Benjamin. Students can wear their sports uniform with a coloured House shirt for a gold coin. The College will also be supporting the Shave for a Cure charity with a number of our students getting their hair cut at the end of the day. Well done to Year 11 student Charlotte Coghlan who is leading the initiative.

At the end of the week we temporarily farewell Ms Anna Eggmolesse who is going on maternity leave. We wish her well for the rest of her pregnancy and the birth of her baby.

Important - RADII Surveys: We are hoping that every parent will complete the school survey sent to their email address last week. This is valuable feedback for the College, which helps us to keep improving. Please contact the College if you cannot find the link to the survey and we will resend it to you. Teachers and students are also providing feedback.

As we approach the end of the Term, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our parents, staff and students for their continued support for the College. I pray you have a restful and enjoyable break.

Year 11 Unit 3

Year 11 students will begin their third unit of study at the start of Term 4. This is an exciting time as students transition into their first Year 12 work. Students are encouraged to meet with our Careers Officer Ms Fiona Coghlan, throughout this Term to discuss their pathway options for once they conclude their schooling at the end of 2021. 

To be eligible for a QCE, students need to have accumulated 20 points over Year 11 and 12. It is crucial that students are now again considering whether they are in the right pathway. If students have not been receiving a passing grade for their subjects, it is very important that they consider changing pathways to be eligible for a QCE.

Year 12s

Year 12 students have written their mock exams and have been given feedback from their teachers for all their General subjects.

The mock exams are an indication of what the students can expect for their final external examinations. If the mock exams results are not what students or parents were expecting, Year 12s are encouraged to use the remaining time before these external exams, including the holidays, to thoroughly and consistently study, and seek more feedback from their teachers to ensure improvement.

It really is the home stretch now, Year 12s. Finish well!

Student Leadership Interviews

As Term 3 comes to an end, we have been busy conducting interviews with Year 11 students aplying for student leadership positions in 2021. This has been a rewarding experience as the calibre of students who have applied for leadership positions have been outstanding. During interviews, I have been so proud of our school community as I have listened to the students speak highly of our College, what it means to be a part of our community and the experiences they have gained over their years with us. We look forward to finishing interviews this week and then having candidates do their speeches for our school community in Week 1 of Term 4. We wish all candidates the best of luck.

Behaviour Management Review

This Term the Senior Leadership Team planned to get an external consultant to review our behaviour management strategies, particularly the use of the Responsible Thinking Process (RTP). The first step of this process is for a survey to be conducted with students, staff and parents/carers to determine what works and what requires improvement when using the RTP. This will give an overview of how all members of our community see the benefits or detriments of the behaviour management process and how it is implemented in the College. Once the surveys are ready to be sent out in Term 4, I will advise all parties of how to access the survey and provide feedback.  Your assistance with this process will be greatly appreciated.

End of Term 3

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all students and families a very happy and safe break after a very busy term. I encourage each of you to make your personal self care a priority. This holiday break I am setting a personal challenge for myself and to engage in three activities to encourage self care:

1. Turn off my notifications to email and social media accounts;
2. Take time to visit loved ones and spend quality time together; and 
3. Do at least 30 minutes of exercise daily.

What personal challenge can you set yourself to enhance your self care and fill your cup?

Take care. God bless and see you all in Term 4.

RADII Surveys

On Friday 4 September, all parents should have received the link to our 2020 RADII surveys. We would appreciate it if all parents could take the time to complete this survey, providing us with valuable feedback. The email includes our school specific survey link, this link is different for each school in the Diocese. 

As per the email sent by Dr. Jean Thompson, the Research Australia Development and Innovation Institute (RADII), on behalf of the school your child(ren) attends, is undertaking a review of the services it offers to the community. This online survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. The link to the survey is https://surveys.radii.org/surveys; however, you need your survey ID sent in the email to complete.

Please note: RADII surveys are compatible with most PC browsers. In particular, the survey is best viewed and optimized using Chrome version 60 and up.

If you have more than one child at the school, please respond about the child with the most recent birthday. 

If you have children at other Townsville CEO schools, you will receive a survey for each school. 

You can complete the survey from anywhere you have access to the internet.

Year 12 External Exams

External Exams for Year 12 students commence on October 26 and conclude on November 17. These exams will be run the same as Mock Exams last week, all study and exams will take place upstairs in D Block. It is important that students begin to consider their exam times, and continue to prepare for these over the coming weeks. During the exam block, roll call will take place for the Morning Session at 8:30am, and Afternoon Session at 12:00pm.

As we come to end of a very busy term, please take the time these holidays to relax, recharge and renew!

We thank you Lord, for this term. For our challenges, our successes, and the mistakes from which we have learnt. Be with us as we spend our time with family and friends. Give us strength and courage to do what is right: to be witnesses of our faith.  Help us to be a practical Christian these holidays, to appreciate what others do for us, to give time and effort to help others.  To be peacemakers in our family.  Keep us safe in our activities; give us good rest and good fun. Bring us back refreshed and ready for a new term.  We thank you for our Good Shepherd community of students, teachers, parents, caregivers and friends, a community that cares for us.  May we always be conscious of you in our lives.

AMEN

The end of Term 3 is upon us which has seen many highs and lows as well as interruptions from pupil free days to Feast days, swimming carnivals and was topped off on Thursday with a BBQ lunch. With all assessments and exams now completed you will all be awaiting patiently the release of the Term 3 Report card. Hopefully all students will be pleased with their results as this Term has been a grind at times due to all of the interruptions experienced.

A big thank you to Georgia Thorpe, Ethan Quinlan and Matthew Kirley for helping cook, organize and set up for the BBQ, much appreciated.

I would like to take this time and opportunity to wish all students and families a safe and happy holidays and look forward to a short jammed packed Term 4.

This term, Year 10 students have read and studied William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Through this study, students have been able to reflect on themes of love, family, tragedy and rivalry. 

Highlights from the term were extensive, some of which included students dressing as characters and performing, as well as class debates surrounding the main discussion points that the play evokes.

As Year 10’s move further towards senior schooling, it has been pleasing to see their application within English. This was particularly evident when reading the short stories and diary entries produced for their assessment. Additionally, students were asked to transform the play to a contemporary context, and the settings ranged from Lake Moondarra to Las Vegas and even Nazi Germany. 

Next term’s English study will continue to be rewarding for students, as they analyse and evaluate how human experience is represented within the media. 

Best wishes and take care over the holidays from all of Team English.  

The College Interhouse Swimming Carnival was a real success last Friday, we had such a good day filled with participation and activities for all students. It turned out to be a great day for swimming and all the houses competed well to gain points towards their overall tally. We split the points into two categories, Spirit and Competition with all houses participating throughout the day. We saw an amazing sense of community across our Good Shepherd Students. It was also awesome to see parents during our day and we appreciate your support on these big days. 

Spirit and Competition points are as follows:

Tafe Trade Excellence Awards

Recently six of our students were nominated for the 2020 TAFE Trade Excellence Awards.  

These recognised students are:

Automotive & Engineering Category

Rory Kerkhoffs (Winner)

Adam Holpen

Jasmin Rogers

Cody Cherry Ackerly

Bailey Foschi

Building & Construction Category

Cooper Guningham

Congratulations to you all for your amazing achievement.  There are over 100 students participating in a TAFE courses this year and to be recognised for your efforts speaks volumes about your work ethic and aptitude for your chosen course.  WELL DONE!

Applications are still open for 2021 courses.  

Please refer to one of my (many) emails with instructions on how to apply.

Work Experience

This week many of our Year 10/11/12 students have challenged themselves by organising and attending work placement.  We thank the following businesses for hosting our terrific students:

North West Vet Clinic

Stanwell Corporation

Bike and Rider

Popey's Diesel Service

Kretschmann Engineering

Duchess Road Automotive Repairs

Salon Bronze

Isa Florist

Mood Beauty Lounge

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School

Trevor Morris Builders

St Kieran’s Catholic Primary School

AMCAL Pharmacy

Mount Isa City Council

Remploy

MITECH

A.R.T. Air conditioning and Sheet Metal

Danielle Ann Hairdressing and Barbering

School Based Traineeships

Congratulations to Year 10 students Rhory Kingdom and Ryan Bowler who have recently commenced school based traineeships with Dominos and will study a Certificate III Hospitality.