This week we reach the halfway point for the Term, which is hard to believe. Our Year 12s have begun their external exams and all of our other students will soon be commencing important assessment. I encourage you to be familiar with our Assessment Calendars, as sometimes students will not be set specific homework, but should be drafting their assignments and preparing for tests. The Assessment Calendars can be found here - just click on the tab for the correct Year Level. If you are concerned that your son or daughter is not completing homework or assessments at home, please contact their Pastoral Leader who can assist.

This Friday, we celebrate World Teachers’ Day and we will take the opportunity to thank the great staff we have at Good Shepherd. One of my favourite quotes is, “A teacher affects eternity, they may never know where their influence stops”. I am still inspired by the teachers who had a positive impact on my life and I am very proud of our GSCC teachers (and staff!) who are absolutely committed to supporting our students to achieve their best. 

We will also acknowledge Day for Daniel this week by wearing red on Friday and educating students about how they can keep themselves safe. Children are never too young or too old to learn the three Rs: Recognise, React and Report.  Recently there has been new legislation introduced that has greater penalties attached for not reporting harm or suspected harm to young people. When incidents happen at school or we hear of things happening at home that might be concerning, we are required by law to report them. The staff of the three local Catholic schools were able to join together this week to learn more about the legislation and our responsibilities in this area.

Finally, I have been reflecting on Fr Emene’s homily this week. In last week’s Gospel the Pharisees tried to test Jesus by asking, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”. Jesus replied, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ He goes on to say that the second commandment is to “love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matt 22: 34-39) I was struck by the simplicity of what God is asking of us - to love Him and to love others. Our classrooms and workplaces are surrounded by rules, policies, codes of conduct, and principles. However, if we can love God and each other, everything else should take care of itself.

Awards Night 2020

We had a wonderful Awards Ceremony last Wednesday evening.  Thank you to everyone who was a part of the event, and a big congratulations to all our Award Recipients for 2020.

Awards Assembly

Next week, during a school assembly, we’ll acknowledge all our students who have been nominated by their teachers for Commendable Achievements throughout 2020.

2021 Student Leadership Team

 After weeks of Leadership Formation Workshops, applications, interviews and speeches by our Year 11 candidates, I am very pleased to announce that our 2021 Student Leadership Team is as follows:

2021 Elective Subject Selection

On Friday afternoon (30/10) students will be sent the online 2021 Elective Subject Selection Forms. This form will be sent to their school email, and should be submitted as soon as possible. The instructions and form link won’t be sent until approximately 5:30pm, this is to allow students and families time to discuss subject selections before submitting them.

The online form is very easy to complete. Students will receive an email (at approximately 5:30pm) that will include the following instructions:

STEP 1: Click: spring.edval.education/login

STEP 2: Enter your WebCode (your student specific webcode will be in the email you receive tomorrow afternoon)

STEP 3: Select the elective subjects you want to study in 2021 along with a reserve for each elective line (Important). You are choosing subjects on both lines.

STEP 4: Click [Submit]. 

Elective subjects fill in order of form submissions, so it is important that students complete the selections early to avoid disappointment. Once subjects are at capacity, we move to the student’s second preference.

The elective subject lines for 2021 are listed below:

If you have any questions regarding particular elective subjects, please contact the relevant Curriculum Leader:
The Arts: Saskia Brown sbrown16@goodshepherd.catholic.edu.au  

Design & Technologies: Ann-Marie Lesca alesca@goodshepherd.catholic.edu.au 

Vocational Education & Training (VET): Donna Cole dcole@goodshepherd.catholic.edu.au    

Calendar Update

Click to access the most up to date School Calendar

Today was the Culmination of our Catholic Missions fundraising. We were able to raise over $500 and while the money is most helpful, the students through homeroom prayer, were given insight into how many children live in very different circumstances and how we believe as Catholics that we have a responsibility to help those less fortunate.

Next we will be asking for donations for the annual Vinnie’s Christmas Appeal. More on that next week!

This week has also seen the Year 10 students on Retreat. Their theme has been ‘How do you Shine’. While I am sure you will hear more about their activities in the coming weeks, I would like to share with you a couple of quotes that they were asked to consider:  

‘As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same’

‘What is the difference between being cocky and being confident.’

‘We often worry that if we let our personality and share our talents too brightly, we’ll be perceived as being too much, are we supposed to walk some kind of middle line between shine and shame?’

St Paul tells the community in Corinth 2000 years ago and the message is the same today:

You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven.

QMEA Visits the College

This week some of our Year 9 students participated in a QMEA Beaker.Bots.Build Workshop. The students were involved in three activities including: Robotics, Coal Sorting and Perforated Well Casing.

All of these activities required the students develop and execute a plan and record their findings.

Girls for Mining (G4M) - Close out Function

Each year our 10/11/12 female students are invited to participate in a mentoring program with Glencore employees.  

This gives the students the opportunity to learn about various careers and to develop networking skills.  During the close-out function Glencore Representative Matt O’Neill talked about the importance of encouraging more women to work in the mining industry as they bring valuable skills to the workplace.

Latest Careers Newsletter

Hi students, here is the link for our latest Careers Newsletter. Topics include:

• Most needed jobs in Australia

• International Freight, Transport & Logistics

• Optometry (eye Doctor) as a Career

• Tips on Choosing courses for 2021

• Comparing Universities

• TAFE – Advantages of doing a Diploma

• Selfstart – starting your own business

https://www.careertools.com.au/resources/newsletters/qld/2020/t4_w4_2020_qld.pdf

Gospel Group this week featured the Parable of the Mustard seed which is described as the World’s smallest seed but grows into a large plant that birds can shelter in.

When the CIA Youth Group attended ACYF Sydney in 2017 we all received a mustard seed in cotton wool. By keeping the wool damp, the mustard seed germinates and begins growing. Unfortunately, no mustard seed made it out of the hostel we stayed in and some were actually lost before our rooftop Mass finished.

The biggest success starts with the smallest dream.

Margie Ryder loves the Paul Kelly song “From Little Things, Big Things Grow.” You see Margie was the lady who suggested to others around the Julia Creek Town and Country bar that a triathlon would attract people and put the town on the map.

That idea was the seed and after explaining to several of those present just what a triathlon was they began to water and feed their little seed.

Just so happens there is a creek 25 kilometres from Julia Creek that could be used for the swim leg. The 25 kilometre ride into town took care of the bike leg and five times around a kilometer course in the main street would take care of the run.

But why would people come all the way to Julia Creek to do a triathlon?

“Even if you’ve competed all over the world, it’s the sort of event you can’t stop talking about, it’s so different. It really sticks in your mind.” That was said by Brad Beven, the World’s best triathlete in the ‘90s who won four World Cups and competed all over the world.

You see when it was decided the event needed an ambassador the committee went straight to the top. Beven agreed and spread the word of this unique outback event.

The Race Club came on board and suddenly the Artesian Express Race meet had 10 times the number of spectators. The crowd needed somewhere to party and let their hair down at night and so the PBR came to town and afterwards music and dancing until the wee hours.

In 2008 Bevan chatted to a local middle-aged lady who had no idea who he was. After listening to her dreams and plans and associated complications he changed her life.

Brad referred her to the Wesley Corporate Health unit for testing, where physiologist Rod Cedaro identified various health issues including 'diabolically' high iron levels, skeletal imbalances and ongoing back problems.

She spent 10 days at the Wesley Back Rehab unit and then joined Bevan and Cedaro’s Croc Squad to begin training. She overcame middle-age and all her health issues to complete the 2009 Dirt’n’Dust.

If you have a dream nurture it, you never know where it will take you and who it may help.

Gospel Group Monday 2^nd break for students and staff Tuesday 8:00am in Sacred Space. Youth Group this Friday (30/10/20) at Kruttschnitt Oval from 6-8 with Touch and Soccer on the agenda.

Senior Youth Group next Sunday (6/11/20) 4-6 CIA Room, Good Shepherd Parish.

Parents are not to park outside of the designated yellow waiting bays in the Drop Off/Pick Up area at the front of the school. Please do not pull up at the gutter to collect your child - this is dangerous and could potentially cause an accident. We appreciate your assistance in this safety matter.