We are always excited to hear of the achievements of our Graduates and their plans for the future. Students of Good Shepherd Catholic College performed admirably at the end of 2020, and have been successful in their applications to university, TAFE, Glencore School Leavers’ Programs and full-time employment. Here is a list of some of the courses that our students have enrolled in:

Student Destinations (Graduates of 2020)

Central Queensland University - Cert III Visual Art; Bachelor of Education (Secondary)

James Cook University - Bachelor of Business; Bachelor of Nursing; Bachelor of Criminology; Bachelor of Science (Zoology & Ecology)

University of Sunshine Coast - Bachelor of Arts; Bachelor of Creative Industries; Diploma of Creative Industries; Bachelor of Science

Queensland University of Technology - Bachelor of Education (Secondary); Bachelor of Creative Industries

Torrens University - Diploma of Arts

TAFE - Diploma of Nursing; Diploma of Design/Visual Art

Glencore Apprenticeships -  Fitter Welder; Electrical Fitter Mechanic; Diesel Fitter; Radio Technician

Other Apprenticeships - Kretschmann Engineering; George Fisher Mobile Maintenance; Cert III Health Services Assistant (Mater Education); Hairdressing

Glencore School Leavers’ Program - Electrical and Refrigeration

Employment - Navy Defence; RAPS Iceworks and Mt Isa Basketball; Nursing Assistant; Administration (Duchess Road Automotive Repairs); Travel Officer (North West Hospital Health Service); Receptionist (Skin Coaches); Traineeship (Dept of State Development)

Farewell to the Hammonds

Sean Hammond, who has done an awesome job overseeing support in our Design and Technology Centre is also leaving us. They will both be greatly missed.

Each week in our Newsletter, we will include an extract from our Annual School Improvement Plan. This is our road map for 2021 and what we want to achieve. Please contact me at the College if you would like to provide feedback on anything noted here.

Assessment Calendars

Assessment Calendars have been distributed to students during 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.

After a busy start to 2021 students should now be settled into their timetabled classes, working hard and learning lots of new and exciting things! Subject changes have closed for Term 1; however, students who still want to change subjects will be allowed to do so at the beginning of Term 2.

Compass Parent Portal 

Last week, I included an introduction about the Compass Parent Portal in my article. The Compass Parent Portal is the platform Townsville Catholic Education uses for schools to provide up to date attendance, wellbeing and academic information to teachers and families.

To access the Parent Portal, parents/carers must come into the front office to collect login information (office hours are 8am - 4pm Monday to Friday). We are unable to provide login details unless we can see you to verify your details; this is important due to the sensitive and sometimes confidential information that you will have access to on your child’s portal.

If you have not collected your login details from the office, please do so by the end of Week 4 (19/02/2020)

For returning parents, if you have forgotten your password please see the steps on the document below to reset it.

Compass School Manager - Smart Phone Application 

If you do not have a smartphone, you will access the desktop site here: Compass School Manager Desktop Site

Compass Parent Portal - logging an absence

If your child is absent from school, you are able to enter this information directly using the Parent Portal (this replaces the need to call the office - absences can be entered at any time before 8:25am; you can also approve absences at a later time if you did not meet the 8:25am cut off). Please see the instructions below to assist you with this process.

How to add an absence for your child using a computer

Parent App Update Information (V2)

Resetting Passwords - Instructions for Parents

Student Representative Council (SRC)

Leadership is something fostered in all year levels here at Good Shepherd. Our Student Representative Council plays a very important role in the College and is a great opportunity for students in all year levels to be involved in all aspects of College life. In addition to our Student Leadership team, the following students will make up our Student Representative Council for 2021 is:

Year 7: William Webber and Millie Dare

Year 8: Jamisynn Roberts and Beau Kelly

Year 9: Pantrea Adams and Magelia Tabone-Cook

Year 10: Malachi Munns and Lisa Hennessey

Year 11: Rachael Scrimgeour and Sophie Greenhalgh

I look forward to meeting regularly with the SRC to discuss student issues or concerns and for them to lead a range of initiatives over the year.

Parenting in a Digital World

Last week I sent all parents a flyer and RSVP form for our upcoming parent information session on “Parenting in a Digital World” which we will be hosting in the Lumen Christi Centre on Thursday, 25th February from 5pm.  This information session is to provide parents with a better understanding of the online world, social media and gaming and how it affects our children. Please complete the RSVP form to register your attendance. Childminding and light refreshments will be provided. If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact the College Office on 47432509.

Welcome to Week 3

This week we celebrated our Opening Year Mass.  The message in this mass was all about Compassion and how we all have a part to play.  One of my favourite readings is St Paul’s letter to the Romans where he says:

Brothers, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 

For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.  We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness. 

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good.

What more can we ask for our community in this year where we strive to be compassionate people.  Little acts of kindness in our day to day lives is how compassion becomes part of who we are – 

‘Let love be genuine……. Hold fast to what is good’

Next week on Wednesday we begin the season of Lent.  There is mass at 6.30am at the Parish and then we will have our Ash Wednesday Liturgy at 11.30am in the Lumen Christie Centre.

Be transformed

God’s blessings

Anne-Marie

Everybody has a part

Too many people look at the superstar and forget the workers who allow them to shine. You see superstars win games but it is the people underneath them that keep them in the game and allow them to have their glory.

Many years ago, my father was asked to pick the Best and Fairest for a Rugby League game in Mount Isa. A centre for one team scored four tries but when they asked my father he nominated the five eighth, the player inside him.

Those who asked couldn’t understand, “but the centre scored four tries?” “Yes,” my father replied. “But who was it that set him up, all he had to do was put the ball down, the five eighth did all the work.”

Don’t be taken in by the person who talks the loudest, wears the flashiest clothes or uses the smartest words; gold doesn’t sparkle unless someone polishes it.

In the 1970s a College Basketball Coach told his team that whenever they scored the person who scored was to turn around and acknowledge whoever passed it to them. The reason was to say thank you for the work they had done to help them score.

Now every team in every sport has a statistic that recognizes “assists,” the little one percenters or extra efforts that help a team win but only team mates see. Those on the outside see the person up front but the person up front knows who to thank.

Wayne Gretzky is the greatest Ice Hockey player ever, so good was he that he was nicknamed “the great one.” In 1,487 games he scored 894 goals, (approximately one every 1.7 games) at the time of his retirement Gretzky held 61 National Hockey League records and is still the all-time leading goal scorer.

Dave Semenko played 575 games in the NHL and scored 65 goals, approximately one every nine games. 

Semenko played with Gretzky for the Edmonton Oilers. In Gretzky’s early career and knowing how good he was Semenko cleared the ice in front of him so Gretzky could use his skill and talent to score. If anyone ever threatened Gretzky physically on the ice Semenko stepped in but by nature he was not violent. 

When Semenko passed away Gretzky said “He was known as a goon or a rock-head, but the ironic thing was he was pleasant, witty and gentle. He would never hurt anyone, and it used to always surprise us when he actually would fight.”

Gretzky appreciated Semenko so much that when he was presented with a car for being the MVP in the 1983 All-Star game, he promptly handed the keys to Semenko to show his appreciation. 

Gretzky’s name will live forever while Semenko’s has faded from most people’s minds. Semenko was limited but knew he could help Gretzky shine by doing the hard work. His reward, apart from a brand-new car?

Respect and friendship. 

2020 Graduates Rewarded with Glencore Scholarships

Congratulations to 2020 Graduates Panashe Tembo and Taysha Hall who are recipients of Glencore Excellence Scholarships.  Each young lady will receive $5000 toward their studies and at the end of 2021 will complete three months of paid vacation work in their chosen fields.  Panashe will study Bachelor of Business and Taysha a Bachelor of Science.  Both will commence their studies at James Cook University very soon.

Work Experience

By now all Year 10/11/12 students have received correspondence about work experience for the year.  If you would like more information, or help with finding a placement for your child, please contact Liesel Armstrong larmstrong1@goodshepherd.catholic.edu.au 

TAFE

Week 5 will see the commencement of TAFE for a number of our Year 11 and 12 Students.  During the year they will undertake up to 6 weekly blocks learning new skills and working toward a formal qualification in their area of interest.  The courses include automotive, health, engineering (diesel fitting), electrical, cosmetics, plumbing and construction.  We wish our TAFE students the best of luck as they embark on their new learning journey.

School Based Traineeships & Apprenticeships

Our students have been working hard over the Christmas holidays securing traineeships and apprenticeships.  Some of these placements include hospitality, business, animal care, mechanical, carpentry and diesel fitting.  If you would like more information about how these work please contact Fiona Coghlan fcoghlan@goodshepherd.catholic.edu.au 

International Love your Library Day

Sunday 14 February 

All this week, students have been invited to tell us what they love about our library.

Anniversary of National Apology Day

On 13 February 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered the National Apology to Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for the injustices of past government policies, particularly to the Stolen Generations. This is an important event in Australia’s history.

Our library houses many wonderful resources that promote and expand our understanding of our indigenous peoples.

Many resources can be found online and in particular ABC Education offers a digibook by Bruce Pascoe. The link can be found at: 

https://education.abc.net.au/home#!/digibook/3122184/bruce-pascoe-aboriginal-agriculture-technology-and-ingenuity

The National Australian Museum

The National Museum of Australia has developed an interactive timeline of over 120 significant events in Australian history from 65,000 years ago to the present day. The site has student-centred resources that include critical thinking activities, quizzes, maps, videos and learning resources related to the Australian Curriculum.

It is a fascinating website to explore! Did you know that dingoes first came to Australia 5,000 years ago, or the first game of Australian Rules Football was played in 1858 or that free education was established in 1872?

Find it at https://digital-classroom.nma.gov.au/

The start of Term 1 is always a busy period for the Sports Department. This week we have a raft of nomination forms due for several different sports. If your son/daughter would like to participate in one of these sports, they are encouraged to come and get a nomination form from Mr Schofield. It should be noted that the individual nominations are to go straight to North West Trials or another Regions Trials. Only students that can have their skills verified by a HPE Teacher or external Coach are asked to nominate for these sports. Parents must also be willing to travel to the selected trial as these are not school carnivals.

I would like to congratulate Matt Roper in Year 7, who made the Mount Isa School Sport Association Swimming Team. Matt will be competing for a spot on the North West Swim Team in Barcaldine next weekend. We wish Matt all the best for this competition.

Listed below is a current list of sports that students are able to represent the College in at either Mount Isa or North West level. If students wish to compete in these events they are asked to come and see Mr Schofield at break times for more information.

A reminder to all, that if students sign in, they are committed to stay until 4.00pm. If there is a need to leave before this time, students must speak to the teacher on duty and sign out before leaving the Library. This will ensure that all students are accounted for and safe while on the College premises.

If there are any questions in regards to homework times, please email Mr Willard Gono, Mrs Kate Millan or Ms Dottie Frew.

GSCC has commenced a Netball Academy in 2021. The goal of the Netball Academy is to create a positive environment that fosters active and healthy lifestyles with a group of passionate students who are striving to succeed in the sport of Netball. The Academy is designed to assist individual development, ensuring that all athletes selected have an opportunity to advance through the sport. The Academy aims to build a supportive culture of high expectations, performance and leadership, develop players' skills and abilities by accessing high quality training opportunities and netball competitions.

Students in the Netball Academy have one session per week, allowing for a variety of conditioning sessions consisting of a range of skills and drills to enhance each individual player. They will also participate in theory sessions which look at game strategies/rules and other related elements such as nutrition, injury management and prevention. These sessions are extremely important to ensure students receive a holistic approach to the game of netball developing their abilities and knowledge both on and off the court. 

Last week, we had 40 girls trial for the Academy, which was amazing. It is so good to see so many students wishing to excel in the sport of Netball. It is with great pleasure that we extend our warmest congratulations to the following students selected in the first GSCC Netball Academy of 2021:

Chelsea Barlow

Abby Benson

Hannah Cama

Charlotte Fahey

Elizabeth George

Ally Haddon

Amy Haddon

Lasharna Hegarty

Teuila Kohlhase

Lailah Moore

Abbie Pigliafiori

Ruby Rixon

Jamisynn Roberts

Zoe Ryder

Capree Saunders

Laura Thinee

Darcy Webber

Amy Wishart

From the Academy trials, the selectors also picked the top 10 students to represent Good Shepherd at the 2021 Queensland Independent Secondary Schools Netball (QISSN) competition in the June/July holidays. Congratulations to the following students who have been selected into the QISSN team for 2021:

Chelsea Barlow

Abby Benson

Charlotte Fahey

Ally Haddon

Amy Haddon

Lasharna Hegarty

Teuila Kohlhase

Ruby Rixon

Zoe Ryder

Darcy Webber

Under the guidance of Head Coach Julie Hutchinson and Assistant Coach Nikki Dalla Vecchia, we are excited to see this team in their games throughout the year. A big thank you to our selectors for their efforts and contribution last week; Miss Susie Neal, Ms Jen Tyrrell, Mrs Nikki Barlow, Miss Phoebe Ryder, Mrs Sally Holland, Mrs Nicole Henderson. We also wish to thank Mrs Barb Baker for assisting in refereeing the games. 

I just wanted to share some colourful, collaborative work done by 10.1 in RE. 

 Enjoy! 

We have some exciting news to share with you.

Arili Thina Morning Cafe has reopened for 2021

Open every Wednesday morning from 7.00am - 8.45am. Parents and Friends are invited to the Arili Thina Cafe to purchase your morning coffee and breakfast.

By doing so you are supporting our Hospitality Students to achieve their competencies towards their Certificate ll in Hospitality and all profits go towards their Hospitality Camp to the Gold Coast in August. 

There are a range of coffees, cold drinks and breakfast food available. Please see our Menu. Our students are becoming fantastic baristas, come see for yourself how good they are.