This week at our P&F and Board meetings, I presented our final 2020 Annual School Improvement Plan. It has been a year of great growth and positive change. We have coped well with the challenges associated with the pandemic and nurtured our students to success in all year levels. A few of our major achievements include:

• Implementation of the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model of Teaching
• Build Professional Learning Communities
• Modernised our Inclusive Education policies and procedures, especially with the development of our Inclusive Education Committee
• Continued to strengthen partnerships between school, Parish and home
• Launched and reviewed our Reconciliation Action Plan
• Begun a review into our Behaviour Management procedures
• Developed the College’s Catholic Identity through staff formation and reviews of our Religious Education curriculum
• Built an expert teaching and school support team, strong Middle Leaders and a cohesive and forward-thinking Senior Leadership Team
• Strategic planning of our Pastoral Care and wellbeing programs for Years 7 to 12.

Each year we are provided with initiatives from the Townsville Catholic Education office which help lead our goals for the year. In 2021, we will continue our emphasis on learning and teaching, Parent engagement, inclusive communities, Catholic identity and the wellbeing of our staff and students.

As Parents and Carers, I invite you to participate in our monthly P&F meetings to learn more about how we are tracking towards our goals. Each meeting we discuss key activities and achievements as they relate to our School Improvement Plan. I will also be asking for your feedback through our weekly newsletter as we develop our 2021 Plan. 

This week our Acting Education Consultant Mr Tim Ham, acknowledged staff for their milestone years of service:

10 years - Ann-Marie Lesca

10 years - Jacqueline Warren

15 years - Pelly Morganson

25 years - Kathleen McCarthy

Congratulations to Linkyn Macmillan (Year 9) who was asked to perform at the recent Business Awards.

How smart did our Year 10 students Sophie Greenhalgh and Lance Dimarucut look as they laid a wreath at the Cenotaph this week?

Our new Student Leaders also lead a touching and special assembly for Remembrance Day on Wednesday. The College is excited about the leadership potential of our 2021 Seniors.

Next week is a very important week for our Year 12 students and their families. We wish our students well at their Formal on Wednesday night and then their Graduation Mass on Thursday evening. These are emotional events for students, staff and families as we farwell them from the College. Of course though, they remain part of the Good Shepherd family. Mr Harries has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure these events could still go ahead despite Covid complexities. They promise to be enjoyable and special events; fitting farewells for our Seniors. Don’t forget that we will be livestreaming our Formal arrivals for our families who are not able to attend.

A Prayer for our Graduates

Dear God,

We pray for our graduates today and lift them before you. We thank you so much for these we love and for the work you are continuing to do in their lives. They are a gift to us and to many others.

And during this season of new beginnings, we ask that you would make their way clear. We ask that you would keep their footsteps firm and remind them that you are with them, always.

May they sense the freshness of your Spirit over their lives in amazing ways and may they be strengthened, instilled with hope, for the new roads you have in store.

Amen

Effective Study Strategies

As we enter the part of Term where assessments and exams become the focus for both teachers and students, students should be investing in time revising the content and practising the skills they have learnt this Semester.  

QCAA has published some helpful articles on study techniques. All their resources are available on their public site, and are well worth investigating.

I’ve summarised their techniques from their article on Effective Study Strategies below:

1. Review your notes and learning goals for each topic.  Next to each goal note how well you feel you have mastered the goal. This will highlight where you need assistance or extra time on a topic.
2. Review your content. Investing a small amount of time on a topic often is more effective than revisiting a topic once only but for a prolonged period of time.
3. Align study with assessment questions. Revise exam type questions - this will strengthen your exam writing techniques.

As exams approach, please make an early start to revising, while you still have time on your side.  Finish this year well.

2020 NAIDOC 

Due to the COVID-19 disruptions earlier this year, NAIDOC Week Celebrations were postponed on a National level from when it is normally celebrated in the first week of July to this coming week - 8th - 15th November.  As a College we already celebrated NAIDOC on the last day of Term 2 however it is still important to acknowledge this week within our community.

The 2020 NAIDOC Theme is Always Was, Always Will Be and recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are spiritually and culturally connected to this country and were Australia’s first explorers, first navigators, first engineers, first farmers, first botanists, first scientists, first diplomats, first astronomers and first artists.

Their adaptation and intimate knowledge of Country enabled us to endure climate change, catastrophic droughts and rising sea levels.

Always Was, Always Will Be acknowledges that hundreds of Nations and our cultures covered this continent. All were managing the land - the biggest estate on Earth - to sustainably provide for their future. Through ingenious land management systems like fire stick farming we transformed the harshest habitable continent into a land of bounty.

NAIDOC Week 2020 acknowledges and celebrates that our nation’s story didn’t begin with documented European contact whether in 1770 or 1606 - with the arrival of the Dutch on the western coast of the Cape York Peninsula. The very first footprints on this continent were those belonging to First Nations peoples.

This nation’s story began at the dawn of time.

NAIDOC 2020 invites all Australians to embrace the true history of this country – a history which dates back thousands of generations.

Year 8 - 10 Elective Subject Selection

Subject selections for 2021 have now closed. Some students have been emailed with a notification of second preference, all other students have received their first preferences. If students change their mind over the holidays, parents/guardians can email me directly with requests.

Exam Block

This week, Year 10 & 11 students and families will be emailed the Term 4 Year Exam Block expectations. This Exam Block will commence on Monday November 23 and conclude on Friday November 27 (Term 4, Week 8).

As it was in Term 3, students should arrive at the exam room (the LCC) with all of the equipment required, 10 minutes prior to the starting time. Session 1 begins at 9:10am, and Session 2 at 12:00pm.

Only students sitting exams or completing assessments are required to be on campus during this week (this does not apply to students with incomplete assessment - see below). Students are not required to return to school upon the conclusion of their exams; as soon as students complete their final exam, they are finished school for 2020! However, if students would like to join us for the end of year liturgy on Friday, they are welcome to come to school – the liturgy commences at 12:30pm and will be followed by a BBQ.

Please read the expectations for this Exam Block carefully; if you have any questions regarding the Exam Block expectations, please contact your Pastoral Leader:

• Year 10 PL Louise Wiles: lwiles1@goodshepherd.catholic.edu.au
• Year 11 PL Nicole Dalla Vecchia: ndallavecchia@goodshepherd.catholic.edu.au

Finally, students who have incomplete assessment will be required to attend school each day during Exam Block. Miss Wiles and Miss Dalla Vecchia will contact students (and their families) if they are required to attend school during the exam week.

Click to access the most up to date School Calendar.

Millions of Australian families will be spending this Christmas in poverty. Many of them are facing hardship for the first time and have suddenly found themselves frightened about how they will keep a roof over their head and put food on the table let alone celebrate on Christmas Day. 

Vinnies is taking pressure off families who are at breaking point by providing food hampers, emotional support, and help with essentials.

We ask you to buy one extra item when you go shopping that can go toward the Vinnie’s Christmas Appeal.  This could be a ‘Christmassy’ food item or decoration, or you could purchase a gift suitable for a child.  (If wrapping the gift, label it to show who it is suitable for – eg “5-7 year old girl”)

Bring the item in and place in the container outside the Chaplain’s Office.

As we approach our final week for Year 12 students before they depart, we want to wish them all the best in their future endeavours and express our gratitude for their contributions to GSCC over the past 6 years, well done and best wishes!

A few reminders for Graduation Week 2020, 16th November - 20th November

• Monday and Tuesday are not optional days for our Year 12 students - All students are expected at school
• While at school you should be wearing your Senior shirts and regular school uniform
• Students will be dismissed from both the Pool and Parish on Monday and Tuesday afternoon @ 2pm 
• The school bus will be driven to both the pool (Monday) and the Parish (Tuesday) for those students who do not have a means of transport on those days
• Wednesday (Formal evening at Buchanan Park) - students are not expected to attend school
• Thursday (Graduation Mass at Good Shepherd Catholic College) - Students are not expected to attend school
• Friday - Students are not expected to attend school

Please see our Week 7 overview below:

Yr 10 Retreat 

‘How do I Shine?’ is the Pastoral theme in Yr 10 and challenges students to reflect on their gifts from God. The three-day Retreat encouraged students to explore this theme further and delve into the strengths that they can bring to the cohort. The Retreat was held on and off campus and utilised various local venues and community volunteers.

The following articles are reflections written by Yr 10 student volunteers. 

Spirituality at Lake Moondarra. By Willow Shaw

To begin the three days of Year 10 Retreat, we went to Lake Moondarra where started with Liturgy. As a cohort, we first gathered together to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land. Mrs Hammond then spoke to us about the theme 'shine', what it meant, and how we show our true potential. Father Mick wished us luck for the next few days and invited us to sing our Retreat song. Whilst listening to the song, Permission to Shine, we used our Retreat booklets to underline words that resonated with us. We then did a reflection on ways that we think we shine. To finish the morning off, we were gifted small charms with the motto 'How do we shine?' and separated into small groups to form a yarning circle. During this we continued to talk about the theme and personal experiences. We used the charms and string to form a bracelet or necklace which we were able to wear throughout the rest of the Retreat. Overall, the liturgy was an inspiring way to start the next three days.

Wallaby Walk by Mirari Villanueva

On the first day of the Yr 10 Retreat, we travelled to the lake via buses and attended Liturgy followed by yarning circles and then Wallaby Walk. During the Wallaby Walk we took in the spectacular sights of the Lake from higher ground and we were left in awe and wonder of God’s great creation. At Lookout One, Roslyn Von Sendon spoke to us about the Kalkadoon culture and history in the area. At Lookout Two, Tammi Webber shared more about Indigenous Spirituality, the importance of animals, totems and Dreaming’s to our people. At the final lookout, the teachers lead us through Dadirri, the practice of it is inner, deep listening and quiet, still awareness. Being the end of October, we were blessed to have been doing this on such a cool day.

Love Bites with QLD Police Service at Terrace Gardens. By Faith Finter

Love Bites was run by the QLD police service with Senior Constable Michelle White and Constable Bianca Carlos leading the sessions. The program is centred around developing positive and respectful relationships. Group B commenced their first, of three, sessions on Wednesday whilst Group A started on Thursday, the second day of retreat. The two parts of the worksop were: ‘Relationship Violence’ and ‘Sex and Relationships’. One of the first activities each group started with was an interactive activity of ‘Ok vs. Not ok’. For this, a question was asked regarding something in a relationship e.g ‘Is it ok for your partner to hang out with their friends without you?’ Everyone was told to choose a side of the room either for ‘Ok’, ‘Undecided’ or Not ok’. Opinions were then discussed and the group openly expressed their view. This is only one example of many deep, reflective activities. Overall, this workshop was a good chance for the grade to bond and become comfortable with one another. Everyone learnt what was key for a respectful relationship whether this is a friendship or a more intimate relationship.

‘How do I Shine?’ By Sophie Greenhalgh

At our Retreat this Term, we participated in the ‘How Do I Shine?’ activity which was led by Ms. Wiles here at school. The activity centered around self-image, and we were given the opportunity to learn about Ms Wiles’ experience at school when she was our age and her self image as a 15-year-old. We were then asked to anonymously write about our own self-image, which may have been affected by our peers around the room. After this, Ms. Wiles handed everyone a piece of paper, and as it passed around the circle we were able to write positive affirmations about one another, showing us that our self-image is not what people actually believe we are. The entire activity was eye-opening and gave us a chance to learn about one another as well as build each other up. 

Lectio Divina. By Stephanie Marsh

At the Year 10 Retreat 2020, we participated in many activities, including the Lectio Divina activity with Mrs Hammond. This activity was based on the practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's word. It doesn’t intend to get you to study the scripture, but find what was meaningful to you within the scripture. The scripture we reflected on was Matthew 5:14-16. The thing that stuck with me from this activity was, “they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven”.

The Road Ahead. By Dean English

During the Road Ahead session (Beacon Foundation), we attended zoom calls to a range of professional mentors for all across Australia. They were informative and made us all think about our future lives. These discussions gave us the opportunity to ask relevant questions about the possible pathways to some really interesting careers that we may not have thought about before. The mentors were from a range of careers including nursing, life coaches, engineers, entrepreneurs and  people responsible for creating jobs of the future. It was interesting to know that some of the ideas we have for jobs and careers may not even exist in the future and this emphasises the importance of the skills that we learn at school. This was a very worthwhile activity to do and each of us really did get something out of it. 

Minute-it-to-win-it and Team Work Games. By Lochlan Dew

One of the sessions that we participated in was the Minute-it-to-win-it and team work games. First activity two groups stood 10 metres apart and attempted to throw balls into a bucket placed on their teammates head. We were mostly unsuccessful until we started working together and formalising strategy. That when it became easy and turned into a race!  Next up was a cup stacking activity. Five group members tied five pieces of string to a rubber band and had to unstack and restack six cups. This was surprisingly hard and took many tries to complete but we soon figured out that communication was the key to success. These games were a great way to end day one and day two of retreat. We worked with different people, earnt chocolate and lolly prizes and just had some fun!

Culmination Activity at the Pool. By Amy Jones

To finish the Yr 10 Retreat, all students met at the town pool for the culmination activity. We were all given the opportunity to reflect on the activities we participated in over the three days and were asked to answer the questions “How do I Shine?”. We wrote a word, a quality, a gift that we bring to the College on a small, imperfect tile. Together, our small imperfect tiles and our identified gifts were placed together to form a larger mosaic on a wood panel. This mosaic created a perfect shining sunset and will be gifted back to the College and hung in the sacred space. This activity was enjoyable and united everyone.

On 11 November a Remembrance Day ceremony was held in Mount Isa hosted by the Mount Isa Council. At the ceremony representatives of the community including the RSL, Police, Fire Service, Ambulance and other community members laid wreaths in memory of those who have fallen in the service of Australia. Two representatives of Good Shepherd, Sophie Greenhalgh and Lance Dimarucut, looking very smart in their blazers, represented the school and laid a wreath. Good Shepherd was proud to participate in this very special community event.

Groundsperson

Visit the link to apply - https://tceo-external.applynow.net.au/jobs/ni/TCE673-groundsperson