It is always wonderful to welcome our new Year 7s for their Orientation Days. They are filled with excitement and a nervous energy as they get ready to start high school. At Good Shepherd we work hard to help our new students settle in quickly to secondary school, providing them with the pastoral care they need to feel supported during the transition. Dedicated Homeroom Teachers, nurturing wellbeing and pastoral programs and a focus on friendship are some of the ways that we assist our students. Our point of difference, though, is our inclusion of a Christian values-based education. We wish to instill in our Year 7s as they start this next part of their learning journey, that they should love one another and treat others with kindness and compassion, just as Jesus did. This week our new Year 7 students came from the local primary Catholic and a variety of the state schools. Regardless of where our students went to primary school, when they come here, they are all part of the same Good Shepherd community.

We are looking forward to our Awards Night next week, which is divided into Junior and Senior categories. This is the pinnacle event of the year and an opportunity to honour the academic achievements of our students and acknowledge those who will receive Special Awards. Please ensure that you have secured your tickets.

This weekend is the 10th anniversary of the Canonisation of St Mary MacKillop. Sister Monica Cavanagh, Congregational Leader of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, summarised the significance of this occasion: “The 10th anniversary of St Mary MacKillop’s canonisation is a chance for us to reflect on Mary’s legacy and the valuable lessons her life experiences have taught us. She faced hard times and adversity over the years, from her family’s poverty to the loss of many loved ones throughout her life. She carried on, strengthened by her faith and her determination to serve others.”

St Mary MacKillop continues to be an inspiration to us all and as one of our key founders, her charisma permeates the College. Here is a prayer to honour her:

Assessment Calendars

Assessment Calendars have been distributed to students at the beginning of Week 2. These are also accessible via the College website under the Students tab, followed by the Studies & Assessment link. 

The Assessment Calendars are designed to:

• assist students to plan their study time
• help students to prioritise
• be an organisational tool
• communicate due dates to parents/carers and students

NB: Parents and students are encouraged to be mindful of the assessment due dates, and to arrange for specialist appointments/holidays and trips, around these dates. Wherever possible, students should also minimise paid work/casual employment, and cut back during busy weeks of the term. 

Parents and Carers with any questions or concerns in regards to subject curriculum or assessment are encouraged to contact the classroom teacher first. Following this, the Curriculum Leader for each Learning Area is available to speak with you regarding any concerns you may have.

Year 6 to Year 7 Orientation Days

On Monday and Tuesday this week, our College welcomed the newest members of our community who are joining us as Year 7 students in 2021.

Over the two days, students were able to get a feel for what life is like as a student of Good Shepherd by engaging in rotations that covered both the core and elective subjects that we offer.  These two days give the students an opportunity to meet other Year 6 students from different schools, interact with some of the staff who will be teaching them next year and also familiarise themselves with the College routines.

The success of days like these can only occur from the input of our amazing staff and I would like to thank Mrs Kate Thinee, our Year 7 Pastoral Leader for organising and facilitating the event and our Curriculum Leaders and teachers who prepared engaging content for the students.

We cannot wait to welcome these students back in 2021 to start the school year with us.

Awards Night

Our Annual College Awards Night will be held at the College next Wednesday, 21 October. Unfortunately this year the event has limited tickets available due to COVID-19 restrictions. Only those with a ticket (one per award recipient) will be able to attend the evening. More details regarding the live stream will be sent next week.

Subject Changes

From today, no subject changes will be processed in junior subjects. There are only 6 weeks remaining of this term, and students who want to change electives can do so when subject choices are sent in Week 4.

Student Absence

A reminder to families to contact the College Office, or enter student absence details into Compass each day your child is away from school.

Upcoming Events

Click to access the most up to date School Calendar

This week we launched our fundraising and awareness raising campaign for Catholic Missions.  

The focus for 2020 is The Arrupe Welcome Centre in Cambodia.We are collecting plastic bottles that we will recycle and use the money raised to go toward a water filtration system for the centre. Clean and safe drinking water is a major need in Cambodia to prevent illness, especially in children.

Congratulations Abbie Firth & Isabella Lee 

U12’s QLD School Sports Softball State Championships Northern region representative at Redcliffe.

U14’s State Championships for Softball - Townsville/Mt Isa representative at Ipswich.

Indigenous_Education_Emerging_Leaders_Invite_1_.pdf

Indigenous_Education_Emerging_Leaders_Invite_1 pdf 1.67 MB

Health Students Celebrate

This week our students finish their TAFE courses, including those who studied Health. Here they are with their certificates.  Congratulations to all TAFE students - what a massive year juggling TAFE and your regular schoolwork.  Hats off to you all.

Ignoring signs leads to regret (and speeding fines)

This week in Gospel Group we discussed a reading about signs. As individuals we are always looking externally for signs from others that we are doing well; whether it be a good mark, a winning score or a compliment on how we look.

The problem is this all depends on circumstances we can’t control. A teacher may disagree with our answer, an umpire doesn’t see something or we don’t get the compliment we are after.

This leads to frustration, confusion and often anger and suddenly a huge pressure begins building inside and you feel like exploding. 

This pressure might be a sign to stop and reflect on what’s happened or is happening. For those who believe in God the pressure may be a sign from the big man, for others it may be your subconscious.

The build up of pressure is a sign of change or a truth we do not want to accept. 

Any change brings fear with it because you are stepping into the unknown and outside your comfort zone. Accepting a truth about yourself brings enormous pressure also because in most cases it means acknowledging failure. 

“I didn’t pass the exam because I didn’t study hard enough.”

“I lost because I didn’t play well enough or I didn’t train hard enough.”

“Nobody complimented me because …” well this is a tricky one. Maybe people didn’t compliment you because they were jealous, maybe they were too shy, maybe they just couldn’t be bothered or maybe they didn’t like your outfit.

The first two you can influence but the third one is hard because you cannot make people do something they don’t want to do.

Laura Geitz was captaining the Queensland Firebirds in a Grand Final and they were trailing by several goals going into the last quarter. The team was rattled and flustered by an opposition that was all over them and so she approached the umpires to vent her frustration.

One umpire turned to her, held up her hand and said quietly, “you need to calm down.”

When Geitz returned to her team they were all talking heatedly and venting their frustrations. She stepped in, held up her hands and said. “We need to calm down.”

The message got through and they calmed and spoke about what the problem was, admitted they were not coping and devised a strategy to follow. The Firebirds stormed home in the final quarter to claim their inaugural National Championships.

In the middle of all that movement, pressure and noise they found a calmness that allowed them to identify; why they were feeling pressure, a courage to admit they were not coping and the resolve to change.

So when you are under pressure find a quite place, calm down and ask why. 

However, when you do be prepared to face the greatest threat you will ever face in life – honesty with yourself.

Remember Senior Youth Group this Sunday 4pm-6pm at the CIA Room at the Parish. Topic is Relationships. 

Junior Youth Group next Friday 6pm-8pm in the Penola Centre at St Joseph's.

Gospel Group for students Monday second break, for staff Monday 8:00am.