College Newsletter 31 January 2014

College Newsletter 31 January 2014
From the Principal Dear Parents, Students and Friends of Good Shepherd Catholic College,
Welcome to the 2014 school year. I hope this is a very fulfilling and successful year
for all students. The year has begun very positively which is a great tribute to a
number of staff involved in the planning and preparation.
Mr. Wayne Wood
College Principal
Good Shepherd Catholic College
Cnr Mary and Camooweal Sts
Mount Isa QLD 4825
Ph: (07) 4743 2509
Fax: (07) 4743 5013
www.goodshepherd.catholic.edu.au
I especially extend a warm welcome to all new families joining the Good Shepherd
Catholic College community for the first time. This year we have approximately 130
new enrolments in the College. It is fantastic to have so many families wanting to join
this great College. On behalf of the College community I wish each of our new
families a wonderful journey with us. We are extremely proud of what this College has
to offer the young men and women of Mount Isa. Please be assured of our support,
direction and encouragement for the children you have entrusted with us.
Staff News
We welcome the following new staff to Good Shepherd Catholic College:
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Miss Eliza Harris ‒ Humanities/Legal Studies
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Miss Jade Marinelli ‒ Music
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Miss Rebecca Izzard ‒ English/Religion
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Mr Johnathon Wallace ‒ Maths
AP -RELIGION P7
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Mr Morgan Groth ‒ Maths
FINANCE MANAGER P8-9
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Miss Carly Joyce ‒ English/ History
YEAR 12 COORDINATOR P10
·
Mr Phil Schipp ‒ Religion
·
Miss Sarah Keating ‒ Teacher Librarian
·
Miss Nicole Dalla Vecchia ‒ HPE, Science
·
Mr Mika Raijas ‒ School Officer
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IN THIS ISSUE:
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL P3-4
AP - ADMINISTRATION P5-6
YEAR 11 COORDINATOR P11
SWIMMING CARNIVAL P12
E-LEARNING P13
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NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
College Newsletter 31 January 2014
From the Principal…continued
We wish to congratulate the following teachers on their new positions of added responsibility:
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Mr Phil Schipp ‒ Year 10 Pastoral Coordinator
Mr Senan Keating ‒ Year 12 Pastoral Coordinator
Mrs Lilian Da Costa ‒ Academic Coordinator of Mathematics
Miss Eliza Harris ‒ Academic Coordinator of Humanities
Miss Sonja Vassallo ‒ Academic Coordinator of The Arts
Mrs Gail Laffin ‒ Learning Enrichment Coordinator
Mr Brett Shuttleworth ‒ E Learning Coordinator
Academic Success
Congratulations to all in the Class of 2013 and especially Madeline Hetherton on her OP 1 achievement. We are
particularly proud of the fact that every Year 12 student achieved their Queensland Certificate of Education. Such
an excellent achievement recognises the great talent, commitment and positive work ethic of these students. It also
emphasises the positive and healthy learning culture that exists at the College. Thanks must particularly go to the
Year 12 staff on all their hard work and encouragement. The high standard of academic achievement overall by
Year 12 is something to celebrate as a school community.
Parents and Friends Association
Our Parents and Friends Association is a fantastic way of getting involved in our school community. It is a wonderful
opportunity to have an input into College life and assist the College with disbursement of the funds collected
through the P&F levy. Best of all, it does not require a great commitment of your time!
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The P&F meet on the first Tuesday of every month in the College library. Our first meeting for the year will be held
on the Tuesday 4th of February at 6pm. For more information please contact the office.
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School Fees and Concessions
School Fees will be issued in the next few weeks. Those families who were entitled to fee concessions in 2013 will
need to reapply for concessions to continue in 2014. Please contact Mrs Joanne Davis for the appropriate form as
soon as possible.
On behalf on the College Leadership Team I take this opportunity to wish each of you the very best for the
challenges and excitements of the year ahead. We are here to support you at all times and look forward to working
with you throughout 2014.
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We pray that we continue to experience and contemplate the love of God who will be always present with us in our
journey throughout 2014.
NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
College Newsletter 31 January 2014
From the Deputy Principal
Welcome back, or welcome for the first time for parents of students new to the
College. I hope everyone has had a restful Christmas and New Year and is ready
for the challenges, surprises and gifts that 2014 will bring. As was done with the
students at our first assembly, now is a good time to reiterate the College
expectations to do with conduct, uniform, appearance and jewellery.
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Conduct
Mr. Greg Cameron
Deputy Principal
IMPORTANT DATES:
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6TH FEBRUARY STUDENT ID PHOTOS
10TH FEBRUARY OPENING MASS
LUMEN CHRISTI CENTRE
9AM
19TH FEBRUARY SWIMMING CARNIVAL
26TH FEBRUARY YR S 8 AND 10
IMMUNISATIONS
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NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
Good Shepherd Catholic College is a place where students are nurtured into good
people. In line with Catholic Teachings, we offer a holistic education that is
complementary to and acknowledges that the family are the primary educators of
children.
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Like you, we have high expectations for the conduct of your child. While at the
College, students are expected to be respectful, honest, caring and safe. Conduct
outside of these expectations will result in discussions and consequences for the
student. The College utilises the Responsible Thinking Process to assist students in
learning behaviours that are, and are not acceptable while at the College.
Students do not need to access a mobile phone while at school. They are here to
learn and if they need to contact a parent/ carer, they are to do this via the office
student counter. If students are found with their mobile phone it will be
confiscated for up to 7 days.
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Uniform
All clothing that students wear at the College needs to be purchased from the
uniform shop, apart from the shoes, which need to be black leather (school style,
not basketball) purchased externally from the College.
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If your child has lost a piece of their uniform, a note explaining the issue needs to
accompany them to school.
College Newsletter 31 January 2014
From the Deputy Principal…continued
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Appearance
Hair styles are to be conservative and natural in colour. No undercuts or tracks are acceptable. Boys are to
be clean shaven; girls need to wear their hair up if longer than shoulder length. No make-up is to be worn
unless a Pastoral Coordinator has been consulted with reference to skin blemishes.
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Jewellery
Students at the College are able to wear one pair of earrings, one ring and one fine-gauge necklace with a
religious symbol. From the beginning of the year, no facial piercings will be accepted, nor will multiple
earrings in the one ear.
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With all of this out of the way, I am very excited about the year. The College continues to grow, improve and
assist students to attain the best possible outcome when they graduate. If you have a concern please contact
the Pastoral Coordinator associated with the Year level of your child if it is a non-academic issue or the
Academic Coordinator associated with the particular subject if it is a curriculum issue.
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NEWSLETTER PAGE 4
College Newsletter 31 January 2014
From the Assistant Principal: Curriculum
Curriculum in 2014
Welcome to the beginning of the 2014 school year. In particular, welcome to our new
students, our Year 8 cohort and their families. The start of a year brings with it New
Year s resolutions, excitement and optimism about the year ahead. In the next few
weeks all our students will participate in goal setting and begin the process of thinking
about their goals, aspirations and commitments for 2014.
Mrs. Lisa Atholwood
Assistant Principal: Curriculum
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ASSESSMENT
CALENDARS
AVAILABLE NOW ON
THE COLLEGE WEBSITE
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IMPORTANT DATES:
6TH & 7TH MARCH
QCS WORKSHOP
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We need to be positive and realistic with our goals; ensure our goals can be measured
and monitored, perhaps by parents or teachers; and develop strategies for how we can
go about achieving our goals. If we fail to follow these guidelines when developing our
goals they are likely to end in many failed New Year s resolutions as reality sets in and
we become busy and consumed by day-to-day life.
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Developing positive study and homework habits
Successful students have good study habits. In order to be successful, students must
first make some decisions about their priorities, time and resources. Consideration of a
suitable study environment and study schedule is essential as students lead busy lives.
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The Queensland Studies Authority suggests that students in each
year level should complete the following amount of homework &
study each week:
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80minutes x 5 times per week
90minutes x 5 times per week
100 minutes x 5 times per week
110 minutes x 5 times per week
120 minutes x 5 times per week
Studying at the same time each day establishes a routine that eventually becomes a
regular part of a student s life. It is imperative that students make the time to study
habitually in addition to any work or sports commitments. Working too many hours in
paid employment may interfere with a student s primary goal, which is being a
successful student.
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NEWSLETTER PAGE 5
Year 8 Year 9 Year 10Year 11Year 12-
College Newsletter 31 January 2014
From the Assistant Principal….continued
2013 School Results
We had 100% of our
Year 12 cohort leave school having achieved a Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE).
We are very proud of our graduating class of 2013 who achieved excellent academic results.
These fantastic results are witness to the tenacity and team work shown by our dedicated teachers and our Year 12
group from 2013.
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Only a few schools in the State can say they had 100% of their Year 12 cohort receive a QCE. All 61 of our graduating
class from 2013 have left school with the best possible outcome.
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We are also very proud of our OP eligible students. Madeline Hetherton received an Overall Position of 1 and has been
accepted to the University of Queensland to study medicine. Most of our OP students accepted an offer at a university
and have been busy enrolling in courses.
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This year we intend to continue our success and our current Year 12s will be aiming for:
✦ 100% Queensland Certificate of Education Achievement
✦ 100% of students achieving an Overall Position between 1-15
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We know that our Year 12s are capable of achieving these goals and we will be working very hard with them to track
their progress.
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New Academic Coordinators
I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new teachers and to some new Academic Coordinators in
2014. Mrs Lilian D Costa will be the Academic Coordinator of the Maths Department this year.
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We also wish Ms Sonja Vassallo the best as she takes in the responsibility of Academic Coordinator
of the Arts.
And, we welcome Miss Eliza Harris to the position of Academic Coordinator of the Humanities,
and Mrs Gail Laffin to her position of Learning Enrichment Academic Coordinator. We have a very
talented team of Academic Coordinators this year who will work with teachers to ensure the best
learning outcomes for our students.
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I look forward to an exciting year working in partnership with parents, staff, students and community members to help
our students achieve the very best within their unique giftedness.
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NEWSLETTER PAGE 6
College Newsletter 31 January 2014
From the Assistant Principal: Religious Education
Walk in Christ s Footsteps
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
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Psalm 119:105
Welcome to a new college year, hoping that you have had a relaxing and rejuvenating
break celebrating the Christmas season.
Our faith journey in 2014 is leading us on the path to reflecting on our lives and the
Ms. Leisa Priebe
APRE
direction we are choosing to walk. God has shown us the right path and given us all a
purpose in life to fulfil. He has also given us his only son, Jesus Christ, to help us walk the
path he has created for us. This year we are challenged to not only follow Christ, but walk
IMPORTANT DATES:
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5TH FEBRUARY ASH WEDNESDAY MASS
AT 9AM
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10TH FEBRUARY OPENING MASS AT 9AM
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Why walk in Christ s footsteps?
God has commanded us to walk in his ways so that we may have a good life here on Earth
but Jesus Christ came to us so that we may live with God for eternity.
Jesus told him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father
except through me. John 14:6.
How do we walk in Christ s footsteps?
The Book of Micah (6:8) directs us, He has told you, O man, what is good; and what
does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk
humbly with your God?
4TH APRIL STATIONS OF THE
CROSS AT 2PM
YEAR LEVEL MASS AT
THE PARISH: 8:15AM
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25TH FEBRUARY YR 11 & 12 MASS
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in his footsteps.
11TH MARCH YR 9 MASS
Jesus Christ when asked by his disciples how should they live their lives and do what is
right, he replied, You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul,
and all your mind This is the first and greatest commandment. The second: Love
your neighbour as yourself. Matthew 22:37-40
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We are all called to love God, to make him number one in our lives, and we are called to
love each other. For when we walk humbly, sharing our love, care and compassion to all,
we are living as Christ did on Earth...we are walking in his footsteps. The important point
to remember here is that it is not an easy path to travel, to love one another, as Christ did
not add an exception clause. We are called to love the unlovable, the despicable, the evil,
and the intolerable as much as those we call our friends and family. In doing so, we allow
Christ s light to shine through us, guiding others to walk in his footsteps.
Through Christ Our Light, we will live the path that God has created for us and reach our
destination.
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NEWSLETTER PAGE 7
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College Newsletter 31 January 2014
From the Finance Manager
COLLEGE FEES PAYMENT OPTIONS.
There are a number of payment options available at the college to ensure regular and
on time payment of your College accounts. We have a direct debit facility which can
be set up through the Finance Officer, online banking, credit card payments (per
fortnight facility), over the phone credit card payments or payment at the front office.
School fees will be sent out in the mail at the commencement of each term, if you
Mrs Joanne Davis
Finance Manager
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prefer to pay these in one lump sum you will have 4 weeks to finalise payment, as per
the due date on the Statement. Prompt payment of school fees is a requirement of the
signed agreement you committed to, in your child s enrolment contract.
Breach of this contract will result in legal action (please refer to our debt collection
COLLEGE FEE
STATEMENTS WILL BE
ISSUED BY WEEK 4
EACH TERM
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policy in the enrolment pack). If you are experiencing financial difficulties and find
that you are unable to pay your College account, please contact the Finance Officer
immediately to discuss your options. If your account falls more than one term in
arrears and no contact has been made by you to the college, then you may be
contacted for a meeting with the Principal.
DIRECT DEBIT
If payments are being made to the college via Direct Deposit (online banking) or via
UPDATED FEE
SCHEDULES CAN BE
VIEWED ON OUR
COLLEGE WEBSITE
www.goodshepherd.catholic.edu.au
our Direct Debit Facility, then it is up to you to make sure that these payments are
increased each year to allow for the increase in College fees and that these payments
are cancelled when your debt is paid in full.
Westpac Bank
Account Name:
Good Shepherd Catholic College
BSB Number:
034-203
Account Number:
133183
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Please remember to use a clear description when making your payment so it can be
correctly identified. The best description is your family code (for example SMITH01
which may be found on your school fee statement or if you are unsure of the code,
please ring the college office and ask one of our office staff).
NEWSLETTER PAGE 8
College Newsletter 31 January 2014
From the Finance Manager…continued
Issue No. 123
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING PERSONAL CHANGE OF CIRCUMSTANCES
Please be aware that the signed Enrolment Contract that is put in place at the commencement of your child s schooling
at the College is a legally binding contract and acts as confirmation of liability. Signatories of this contract are responsible
for the payment of all school fees for the duration of the child s attendance at the College.
If circumstances at home change (ie child moves out to live with another parent, guardian etc) and you are no longer
responsible for the payment of the fees, then you must contact the College Office to arrange the changes to the
appropriate paperwork. The person who has signed the Enrolment Contract is ultimately responsible for the payment of
the account. If payment has not been received by the College, it is this signatory who will be followed up by our
Collection Agency regardless of circumstances.
If there are any changes to a child s living arrangements, the College Office must be notified immediately so updates can
be made to the student s information and emergency contacts.
CENTRELINK CONCESSION CARD DISCOUNT
As outlined in your enrolment pack, families with a current centrelink concession card are eligible for a discount on their
child s tuition fees, here at the College. To receive the discount, you are required to present your card to the College,
where a copy will be taken for your file. It is up to you to make sure that we have a current copy for our records. When
your card expires you must remember to bring the new card to the College to update our records. Once again it is up to
you to ensure that the College has an up to date copy of your card, otherwise the discount will not be applied to your
college fees.
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STUDENT NOT RETURNING TO THE COLLEGE
It is a requirement that you notify the College if your child will no longer be attending Good Shepherd Catholic College.
A form is to be filled out at the front office as formal notification that your child will not be continuing schooling with us.
If there are any outstanding school fees at this time they will need to be paid in full. (Please refer to our payment and
bad debt policy in your enrolment Booklet).
COLLEGE BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE LEVY
The current Building and Maintenance Levy of $508.00 per year is not tax-deductible.
If families wish to make a tax-deductible donation towards buildings and maintenance, please come and see me at the
College.
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NEWSLETTER PAGE 9
College Newsletter 31 January 2014
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Welcome back to all our students and families for the 2014 school year. I hope that your
summer holidays gave you time to relax and enjoy the company of family and friends.
2014 offers our Year 12 students the chance to complete the first chapter of their lives as
they begin to make the transition into adulthood and exploring the options beyond
schooling.
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Mr Senan Keating
Year 12 Pastoral Care
Coordinator
This week saw our Year 12 students begin their role as leaders of our College, welcoming
the Year 8 students and giving them a glimpse of what to expect and offering some of
them a helping hand as they received their books and textbooks ready to start the year,
reminiscing and remembering what it was like walking in on their first day.
Over the next few weeks, Mrs Lisa Atholwood and myself will meet with each of our OP
eligible Year 12 s and any student who is currently not on track to receive the Queensland
Certificate of Education (QCE). Letters will be sent home with the students and meeting
times can be made by contacting the College office on (07) 4743 2509. These meetings
occur before and after school in weeks 1, 2 & 3 and allow us to provide feedback on how
your child is going in their subjects and to provide an estimation of their Overall Position
(OP). For those students who are currently not on track to achieve their QCE, we aim to
identify why, and develop some individual personal goals to ensure they graduate with this
important certificate.
As you may be aware, Mr Ben Penna and his family are set to tackle a new adventure as
they soon make the move to China. I wish them all the best as they embark on this new
chapter of their lives. Mr Penna has entrusted me to continue the great work that he has
already done with these students and see them through to that holy grail….Graduation.
We have an exciting year planned for 2014, with our first big event being Year 12 Retreat
(Term 2), which will see us heading to Magnetic Island for some sand, surf, reflection and
group bonding. More information about this coming soon!
I look forward to the year ahead, embracing not only its rewards, but also the many
challenges I am sure it will bring.
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NEWSLETTER PAGE 10
College Newsletter 31 January 2014
Attention 2013 Year 12 Graduates and
Parents Next Tuesday we will be having a get together for all 2013 graduates and parents. We will
cook a BBQ for dinner and soft drink and water will be provided.
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When: Tuesday 4 February 2014
Where: Good Shepherd Catholic College Lumen Christi Centre
Time: 6pm
We hope to see you all there.
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Mrs Amy Webb
Year 11 Pastoral Care
Coordinator
Kind Regards,
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Mrs Amy Webb
Year 11 Pastoral Care Coordinator
[email protected]
2014 Year 11 Canberra Retreat Information Evening
To ensure that families have all relevant information, it is important that we meet to discuss the Canberra
Retreat. At the meeting we will discuss:
■ Specﬁc trip details (itinerary etc)
■ The costs and possible payment schedules
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The requirements for the lead up to the retreat
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Fundraising opportunities
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The requirements / expectations for students while we are away
Where:
Good Shepherd Catholic College, Lumen Christi Centre
Date:
Wednesday, February 19th 2014
Time:
6.30pm start (we should conclude by 7:15pm)
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Please note that it is an expectation that all students who are travelling to Canberra attend this information
evening with their parents or guardians.
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I Look forward to meeting with you all
NEWSLETTER PAGE 11
College Newsletter 31 January 2014
2014 Swimming Carnival
It s time again for the first major Good Shepherd sporting event of the year to begin. After
the huge success of the 2013 Swimming Carnival students have begun getting excited with
a large number of students nominating for races and expressing ideas for House Themes.
The Swimming Carnival will be held on Wednesday 19th February at Splashez Aquatic
Centre from 8:30am. All students are expected to meet at the Aquatic Centre by 8:30 for
roll call. As this is a school function the students entry into the pool will be paid by the
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Mr Paul Roose
Sports Coordinator
College, however guardians and supporters will be required to pay a $4.00 entry fee upon
arrival.
The students will be given various opportunities throughout the day to purchase snack
foods from the canteen and there will also be sausages & onion sandwiches for $2.00 or
they can bring their own packed lunch. Proceeds from the BBQ will go towards the
Confraternity Rugby League team and QISSN netball team trips to the Gold Coast in June.
The Carnival is expected to conclude at 2:30 ‒ 3:00pm and students can be picked up
from out the front of the pool or PCYC. The pool has outlined the following items which
are not to be brought to the carnival; streamers, zinc, hair spray or body paints. As this is
a significant event on the school calendar we are always looking for extra helpers on the
day. If you would like to assist at the carnival or if you have any further questions please
contact me at the school or via email.
May the best house win!
NEWSLETTER PAGE 12
College Newsletter 31 January 2014
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Good Shepherd goes Google..
2014 proves to be an exciting year for the College as we embrace the Google
revolution, introducing Chromebooks for our Year 8 s & 9 s. This week, the students
were introduced to our ICT policy and the expectations that the College will have of
them with regards to the use of their Chromebooks in the classroom. Each student
was given an information pack to take home, which contained a copy of the policy,
as well as a few documents outlining the conditions and obligations of both the
Mr Brett Shuttleworth
E Learning Coordinator
parents and the student and a Program Participation Agreement.
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Teachers are excited about the change this will bring to collaboration and digital
learning within the classroom and are eager to get their Google on with the students.
In order for us to be able to issue the students with their chromebooks, we ask that
parents familiarise themselves with these documents and return the signed Program
Participation Agreement to the College Oﬃce no later than Monday 3rd February.
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Year 8 s will receive their Chromebooks and cases on Tuesday 4th February and the
Year 9s will receive theirs on Monday 11th February.
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Should you have any questions regarding any of the information you received in this
pack, or have not received one, please contact the College Oﬃce on (07) 4743 2509
to discuss the matter.
NEWSLETTER PAGE 13

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