It was a joy to see our whole College staff and student community gather together for the first time in an assembly since the end of Term 1. And while it has been a different kind of year for all of us, one thing has not changed and that is the school spirit at Good Shepherd Catholic College remains strong as ever. We enjoyed listening to our prospective Student Leader speeches at the assembly and the passion and pride they have for their school. They talked about how they planned to build school spirit even further and discussed creative ways to develop the religion life of the school. I am confident that as a cohort they will be fine leaders of the College and truly live out the mission of ‘Christ our Light’.

A superb example of school spirit was also shown on the last day of Term 3, when our students collected over $2700 for the Cancer Council’s Shave for the Cure fundraiser. Even Mr Schofield-Smyth volunteered (?) to have his legs waxed. Well done to Charlotte Coghlan and the students for a great afternoon and to Mrs Anne-Marie Hammond (APRE) for overseeing the event. We also acknowledged each of our school’s founders on this day with a combined Feast Day. A perfect way to end a busy Term.

This term our teachers are refining their implementation of the model of Gradual Release of Responsibility by trialling a ‘teaching sprint’. This is a 2-4 week intensive application of a particular component of the model. In our case, we have decided to focus on collaborative learning. Staff will then review their outcomes at the end of the sprint and collect data about how they have improved student outcomes. Here is a photo of their workshop with our Learning and Teaching Adviser Ms Nic Beltramelli:

Staffing News: Next week we welcome experienced teacher Mr Steven Guest to our Design and Technology department. Steven is joining us from New South Wales and we look forward to the expertise he will bring to our Junior and Senior Tech classes.

Finally, next Monday and Tuesday we welcome our Year 7 students for 2021 to our Transition Days here at the College. If you have not enrolled your son or daughter yet, please contact the College Monday morning so we can be sure to involve them in these important orientation days.

2020 Awards Night

Awards Night is a fantastic event that showcases the Year that was, and gives us an opportunity to celebrate the successes we have had. 

Lists of the Awards Recipients are expected to go out early next week. Students and parents will be notified. Students are encouraged to check these lists thoroughly and notify their Pastoral Leader if they feel there are any errors.

Awards Night will take place on 21 October 2020 (Week 3, Wednesday): 

Junior (Year 7-9) Awards 17:30-18:30

Senior (Year 10-12) Awards 19:00-20:30

Please take note that this year, Awards Night will be held in our school’s Lumen Christi Centre.

Regrettably, only one parent/carer would be able to attend the Awards Night, per student. Invitations will be emailed to parents/carers of recipients. Please then RSVP to Ms Webb, collect a ticket from the School Office, complete the COVID-19 details on the back and bring the ticket along to Awards Night.

If recipients are unable to attend the Awards Ceremony, please let us know for our planning purposes.

All Gold, Silver, Bronze, and most Subject and Special Awards will be acknowledged at the Awards Night. The Year 12 General Subject Awards and Dux Scholar Award will be presented at our first Scholars Awards Assembly in 2021, after we have received the students' final results. 

Commendable Achievements will be awarded at a school assembly in Week 5 of this Term.

Please see the criteria for Awards Night:

Queensland Mental Health Week

Queensland Mental Health Week (QMHW) is an annual awareness week that aims to shine a spotlight on individual and community mental health and wellbeing.

The initiative is linked to National Mental Health Week and World Mental Health Day, which is held on 10 October every year.

QMHW encourages all of us to think about our mental health and wellbeing, regardless of whether we may have a lived experience of mental illness or not. The week also gives us the opportunity to understand the importance of mental health in our everyday lives and encourages help seeking behaviours when needed.

This year’s theme is Take time — for mental health. 

Take time is about the simple yet proven things everyone can do to boost mental wellbeing! It is also about breaking down the stigma associated with mental illness and reaching out to people in our communities who need support.  Here are some ways in which we can take time for mental health:

Be active – do what you can, enjoy what you do, get moving and improve your mood
Keep learning – embrace new experiences, recognise opportunities, surprise yourself
Connect – talk, listen, be there
Give – your time, your words, your presence
Take notice – remember the simple things that give you joy

Next week our College community will be actively involved with QMHW with resources being available during homeroom and our Pastoral Care lesson.

We are looking forward to an exciting Term. Although we are still limited by COVID-19 restrictions, I am looking forward to the return of some events that will allow us to celebrate student achievement.

Subject Changes

For students in Years 10 and 11 all subject changes must be submitted by the end of Week 2 (16 October). Leaving changes any later than this will result in students missing vital content and assessment. Subject change forms are available from the College Office.

Students in Years 8 and 9 should not be making subject changes at this point of the year. 

Elective Subjects - 2021

Over the coming weeks, students in Years 7 - 9 will have the opportunity to select two elective subjects to study in 2021. I will email the specific information to parents and students in each Year Level with instructions for this process.

Please note that on some occasions, the elective classes reach their capacity. This results in students missing out on their first preference. It is important that students complete their elective preference form as soon as they receive it, this will ensure they have the best chance to study their first preference elective subject next year.

Upcoming Events

Welcome to the new Term, one that promises to be busy and productive!

Firstly a big thank you to the students for the great effort in the Shave for a Cure fundraiser.  The College community raised over $2700 which is exceptional. Thanks again to Charlotte Coghlan for her organisation of the event.

Next week we will be launching Mission Month here at Good Shepherd.  Our focus will be on Cambodia and the Arrupe Centre which provides care for those who would otherwise have limited opportunities to lead a fulfilling life. In anticipation of this, can you please save your plastic bottles and containers that you would normally throw out as we will be collecting these as part of our fundraising efforts.  

Another first next week and that is the start of the ALPHA Youth program.  It is a fun get together to explore, to laugh, to listen and to connect.  The groups will be facilitated by Miss Stephanie Apap from St Joseph's and Fr Emene and Fr Mick. It is geared to the students in Years 9 to 11. It is free and it starts next Monday straight after school.  If your child is interested they can come by the office and collect a flyer and then register by emailing me.

This weekend at mass we are celebrating Multicultural Sunday. It is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the vibrant mix of cultures that make up the community of Mount Isa.  Last weekend it was Migrant Sunday. As we are enriched in this country with people from so many various nations, we need to take time to think of the journey that so many have taken to get here.  From the young man from Canada who has fallen in love with an Australian girl or the young girl from Somalia who has spent most of her life in refugee camps not knowing where most of her family are. All that come to our country are looking for a better life and are so grateful for the opportunities that are now theirs.  Let us support them, nurture them and welcome them into our communities.

2020 Book Week 17-23 October

This year’s theme is Curious creatures, wild minds.

From Week 2, the Library will be running contests and raffles to celebrate. 

Students can find more information about getting involved in the Daily Newsletter.

Short Term Loan Laptops

This is a reminder that Short Term Loan laptops are available to students for a 6 week period. Families who are having difficulties or delays in having their child’s laptop repaired or serviced are urged to contact the Librarian to arrange an extension of the loan. Each request for an extension is treated with confidentiality and compassion.

Families sign a document stating that the laptop will be returned before each school holidays. Our IT Specialist upgrades applications and services the laptops in this time. Unfortunately, a significant number of students did not return their short term loan laptop before the last holidays. This means that students will be receiving overdue notices and their loan computer may not have access to all necessary programs Good Shepherd uses. Again families are asked to contact the Librarian if this situation applies to you.

Tuesday After School Supervision (TASS) in the Library.

As Homework Help is not available on Tuesdays, students are supervised in the Library by Miss Drover in Weeks 2, 4, 5, 6 and 8. During this time, the expectations for students are the same as with Homework Help. However, students can use this time for quiet reading, play board games or do mindful/creative activities. Miss Drover will give assistance with assignments and homework if students ask. It is not a time to play computer games, watch YouTube clips or use mobile phones. Students attending TASS will have their attendance noted in Compass for parental reference.

Sports Awards

Due to the nature of this year we are not going to hold a Sports Awards night in 2020. We have not had enough sports on to warrant a whole night of celebration. However, we will celebrate our Junior and Senior Sportsmen and Women at our annual School Awards Night on the 21st of October. We will also announce our house spirit and competition winners at this event. 

Sports Term 4

We currently have two Year 7 girls away with the Northern Region U12yrs Girls Softball team, we wish Isabella Lee and Abbie Firth all the best whilst away at the State Championship in Redcliff. 

Next week our GSCC Netball team are travelling to Townsville to participate in the Southern Cross Catholic College Netball tournament involving Catholic Schools within our diocese. This event is to highlight and contribute to the upcoming Mental Health Awareness week (10th - 18th October). As a school we wish these girls the best in their competition and safe travels. A big thank you to Nikki Dalla Vecchia and Julie Hutchinson for organising this for our girls and providing this opportunity to compete. 

Please keep an eye out in both the school notices and newsletter for any North West opportunities that arise in the coming weeks.

Julia commences traineeship

Congratulations to Year 11 student Julia Sitinjak who recently commenced a school based traineeship with Mt Isa Central Pharmacy (AMCAL). Julia will study a Certificate III Business Administration.  This opportunity came about because Julia did a work experience placement at the business last term.

TAFE

Year 11/12 Students will complete their final TAFE block next week.

Congratulations to all of our students for the amazing work they have put into their 

TAFE courses as well as their regular school studies.  This has been a huge effort!

There are only a few spots left on the 2021 courses.  Contact me directly for more information.

Gospel Group

Sometimes we fear asking a question not because we do not know the answer; but fear that we do

What you find with spectators is that there are extremes; some supporters paint their face, dress in club colours and are fanatical while others display their support in a much more subdued manner. That is me, I believe in God but I don’t stand on a street corner and shout it out to the World; that is not who I am.

Our Grandparent’s generation accepted what they were told and did as they were asked. Today’s generation does not blindly accept or follow but asks, why? If the question cannot be answered in a lot of cases the person asked doesn’t know the answer, they are just doing what they have been told to do without knowing why they do it.

As a coach I never told players what to do unless I told them why they should do it. First of all, this showed them the reason behind my request and how they would benefit from it and secondly added to their ability to think and solve solutions for themselves.

It is the same with the Bible and Catholic leaders. You should question. By questioning you learn, by learning you gather knowledge and by gathering knowledge you make better decisions.

Next week I am beginning a Gospel Group in the Sacred Space, second break Monday for students and Tuesday from 8:00 to 8:30 am for staff.

The Bible is a book that tells a story and like any book you create the characters in your mind. Until the Harry Potter movies came out we all had a picture of what Harry, Ron and Hermione looked like. Same story – different images. Same with the Bible.

Last year when the CIA Youth Group attended World Youth Day we were staying in Los Angeles - where we visited Disneyland and Movie World and a Lakers game. Sorry, got distracted. A few of us also attended a small church in the neighborhood we were staying for an early morning weekday Mass.

The Priest read the Gospel and then gave his Homily. As Father Emene and I were walking back to have breakfast he asked what I thought of the Homily. I replied that it was nothing like what I was thinking after hearing the Gospel. 

He asked what I thought and then told me what he thought and they were different; both to each other and the Priests. The Gospel is a small story about Jesus’ life that has a lesson within it; what the lesson is depends on you.

That’s what the Gospel Group sessions will be. We will read the Gospel for the day and then have a chat about what you think it means. Here’s the important thing though, you don’t have to be Catholic to get something out of it – just like you don’t have to believe in magic to enjoy Harry Potter.

Think about coming?

Reminder that there is Junior (Year 7 and up) Youth Group this Friday from 6-7:30 at Penola Centre, St Joseph's and a Senior Youth Group (Year 10 – age 25 year + Taku) next Sunday 18 October from 4 – 6pm at the CIA Room at the Parish.

Reminder that there is an upcoming P&F meeting on Tuesday 13th October at 6pm in the Library. All is welcome.