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Dear parents, carers and students,
Welcome to the commencement of the 2024 school year. I hope that you had a very happy and safe Christmas and New Year holiday season. I also trust that your child are ready:
- for a new start;
- to share your gifts and talents; and
- to do your very best at all times.
I would like to take this opportunity of welcoming our new Kindergarten students and students who have joined the Good Shepherd community in Years 1 through to Year 6.
This year our school theme is to celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit as we embody the heart of God in our Holy Spirit Parish.
As we commence the 2024 school year, I would like to acknowledge the outgoing Principal Mr David Austin and the legacy he leaves behind him as he takes on new challenges this year. I am extremely blessed to be joining the Good Shepherd community at this time, and I am very excited to meet all of you.
I would like to invite all parents to the Welcome Breakfast and teacher Meet and Greet on Friday 2nd February from 7:30-8:50am, and please join us following the breakfast in celebrating the whole school Mass at 9:00am.
Staffing:
We welcome the following staff members new to the school and new to leadership roles for 2024:
Principal - Trazel Scott
Assistant Principal - Vanessa Ross
Curriculum Coordinator and STEM teacher - Matthew Maher
Year 5 teacher - Lauren Golding
Year 4 teacher - Claire Imlach
Year 4 teacher - Vanessa Thornton
Year 2 teacher - Danielle Farthing
Classroom Support Assistant - Chloe Durrant
Good Shepherd Expectations
Uniform
Our uniform at Good Shepherd defines us as a community. It supports the Catholic Social Teaching - The Dignity of the Human Person. When everyone in the student community strives to wear their uniform correctly, this action supports all of their fellow students to ensure equality for all. Our uniform pool is a wonderful way to access pre-loved uniforms.
Attendance at school
I would like to thank all parents and carers for making student attendance at school in 2024 your priority!
Ensuring your child attends school every day is a legal responsibility for all parents and carers.
The school day starts at 8:50am and arriving at or before this time is essential to ensure your child starts every day to maximise their learning time. If your child is late by even as little as 10 minutes a day, this time accumulates over the course of the term to days and weeks of missed learning. Our explicit teaching of English (grammar, punctuation, spelling and writing) begins at 9:00am sharp, and students who miss these crucial literacy elements will struggle to keep on top of their learning if they are late to class.
We understand that on rare occasions you might be late to school. If this is the case, please sign in using the Compass kiosk at the front office before sending your child to class.
The school day concludes at 3:10pm. Students are to be collected by 3:30pm. If students are not collected by this time, parents will be phoned, and if parents do not answer, the student's emergency contacts will be phoned.
Hall refurbishment update
There has been significant activity over the holidays on our hall refurbishment. The refurbishment is on track for completion later this term.
School events
Keep in touch with all that is occurring here at Good Shepherd via:
- our electronic Google calendar, accessible via the website;
- COMPASS;
- your child's classroom teacher; and
- our Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Fruit Boost
Please ensure your child comes to school with their fruit boost in a separate container from their main lunch box. Fruit boost is eaten during the morning work period, and we want to maximise learning and minimise break times during peak learning.
Communication
We strongly encourage you to communicate in the first instance directly with your child’s teacher. The teacher is the expert and knows your child, and is best placed to assist you. For more serious matters, the Leadership Team are available to work with you.
I look forward to meeting all our Good Shepherd families over the course of the term. Once again, welcome to the 2024 school year.
With kind regards
Trazel Scott
Principal
Welcome everyone to a brand-new year! I am excited and blessed to be continuing our journey together. I hope you all had a restful, rejuvenating and enjoyable holiday break with your children, your family and friends.
Our Archbishop Christopher Prowse, has inspired our school community to focus on the Holy Spirit for our Whole School Focus.
Our Archdiocese has the following words of wisdom to share with us:
The Year of the Holy Spirit builds upon the foundation laid during the previous year of Walking Together, emphasizing the significance of unity and community in our spiritual endeavours. It is a time to open our hearts and minds, to be receptive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and to grow together as a vibrant and connected church community.
In this year, we are called to nurture a more profound relationship with the Holy Spirit – the divine source of inspiration, guidance, and strength. The Holy Spirit has been described as the Advocate, the Comforter, and the Counsellor. It is through the Holy Spirit that we receive wisdom, discernment, and the grace to navigate the challenges and decisions of our lives. As we align ourselves with the Spirit, we find ourselves on a path of greater understanding, purpose, and peace.
https://www.catholicvoice.org.au/parishes-get-ready-for-the-year-of-the-holy-spirit/
Before his death, Jesus promised his disciples that he would send them “another Advocate”(John 14:16) when he was no longer with them. Then when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the disciples of the original Church, they learned what Jesus had meant. They experienced a deep assurance and joy in their faith and received particular charisms [special spiritual gifts]. To this day there are people in the Church who possess such gifts and have these experiences” (YouCat p.72-73).
This so true for each of us. We are each unique and special in our own right with so many gifts and talents. In this Year of the Holy Spirit we will focus on how the Holy Spirit is always here, ready to guide, support and challenge people with their gifts and talents. In deepening our understanding of ourselves, each other and the Holy Spirit we will in turn deepen our appreciation that we are part of something greater than ourselves. We have a great opportunity and responsibility to nurture, better understand and share our gifts with others so we can spread God’s Good News through our words and actions, and do our part to make the world a better place.
School Student Broadband Initiative
Dear families,
The Australian Government has introduced the School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) to offer free home internet for up to 30,000 families with school-aged students until December 2025.
To be eligible for the SSBI, families must meet the following criteria:
- have a child enrolled in an Australian school (up to year 12);
- not have an active nbn (National Broadband Network) internet service at home (having a mobile internet service does not affect eligibility);
- reside in a premises that can access the nbn network via a standard connection; and
- have not had an active nbn connection during the previous 14 days.
If you believe your family meets these requirements and would like more information, visit the website below and follow the steps to self-nominate: https://www.nbnco.com.au/campaigns/school-student-broadband-initiative
For any additional questions or inquiries, please feel free to contact Matthew Maher at Matthew.Maher@cg.catholic.edu.au.
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