23 July 2025

From the Desk of the Acting Principal

Dear Staff and Parents/Carers,

Welcome back to Term Three. It is lovely to see how happy and engaged our students are right from the very first day. This week saw parent teacher interviews for Term Three introduced to our school. We had over 117 interviews booked using the Compass portal. If you were unable to attend this week, please email your child’s teacher to make an appointment if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s report card or any other issues. It is best to bring up concerns sooner rather than later so we can work together to arrive at the best solution for all parties involved.

I would like to welcome Mrs Nadine Anderson to our Good Shepherd Catholic School family. Nadine will begin on Monday as our Acting Assistant Principal - Pedagogy and Learning (curriculum) while Mrs Maxine Nolan takes an extended leave of absence. Nadine brings over 25 years of teaching experience spanning primary and secondary education and offers a comprehensive background in pedagogy and curriculum development. Currently, she serves as a Year 8 Pastoral Leader and teaches English, Humanities, and Religion at Southern Cross Catholic College.

Nadine has extensive experience mentoring pre-service teachers and providing coaching to experienced teachers since 2000 and she has held the role of Behaviour Management and Support Specialist for a number of primary state schools in Townsville. Her collaborative approach to professional development and student learning aligns well with our school’s goals and Nadine is passionate about designing differentiated instruction to support diverse student needs and to allow all students to access the curriculum at the level.

Over the school holidays, we asked Juliet de Valter, an Indigenous artist, to create an Indigenous design for outside the Prep classrooms and outdoor play areas. We are very happy with Juliet’s vision. In the words of the artist, Juliet explains the meaning of both sections.

This mural brings together gum leaves to welcome, cleanse and heal, and boomerangs to celebrate First Nations culture. Butterflies flutter through the design, symbolising transformation and growth. These elements come together to honour culture, invite connection, and reflect each child’s journey of learning and becoming.

This mural transforms the letter ladder into the Ross River, winding through the land with mountains standing in the foreground ground. It honours the Traditional Owners, the Wulgurukaba people, and their deep connection to Country. The large and small circles represent teachers and children sitting together—learning, sharing, and growing. The artwork is a celebration of community, respect, and belonging.

Townsville Catholic Education Office (TCE) collaborates closely with all schools and colleges across the Diocese to consistently improve the Catholic school experience for students, staff, and families. A vital part of this effort is listening to the voices of our school communities.

Over the coming days, TCE will send out a survey to all staff and families, while Yr 5-12 students will complete the surveys during class. These surveys are a vital tool that helps us understand what’s working well and where we can improve. The feedback collected will directly shape future planning, guide school improvement efforts, and foster environments where both students and staff can flourish.

Staff and families will receive the surveys via email on Monday, 4 August, and we kindly ask that you complete them by Monday, 18 August. If you have children attending more than one Catholic school, or if you work across multiple schools, you will get a separate survey for each.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to share your thoughts and help us build stronger, more responsive school communities.

Warm Regards, 
Annette Poulsen
Acting Principal 

apoulsen2@gstsv.catholic.edu.au

From the Desk of the Assistant Principal Religious Education

Pope Francis has proclaimed the World Day of Prayer for Grandparents and the Elderly will be celebrated on the 4^th Sunday in July each year – July 27^th this year. It is marked near the feast of St Joachim and St Anne, the grandparents of Jesus.

Let us pray this Sunday for our grandparents, whether they are with us or not. Let us also pray for the elderly in our society, especially those who feel lonely or are unwell.

Catholic Education Week will be celebrated in Catholic schools in Queensland from 27 July  – 2 August 2025.

This annual event is held to promote the special ethos of Catholic schools and to highlight the great things that take place in Catholic schools every day.  

The theme for this year’s celebrations is:  Communities of Faith, Hope and Love.

Catholic education strives to make a difference in the lives of those in our schools and in the wider community by challenging young people to live out the message of Jesus and to reach their full potential as compassionate, contributing, life-giving members of society.

There are 313 Catholic schools in Queensland that educate around 154,000 students and employ more than 22,000 teachers and staff, and most will celebrate Catholic Education Week in some way.

Our school is planning a number of activities during the week including our Catholic Education Prayer Liturgy on Monday 28^th July at 1.30pm.

Rebecca Kershaw
APRE

rkershaw@gstsv.catholic.edu.au

SPIRIT OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION AWARDS 

Huge congratulations to Allan McSherry and Melisia Ellis on their nomination for the Spirit of Catholic Education Award! We are so proud to see their hard work and dedication recognised Allan and Melisia are truly valued members of our school community.

What's Happening In Year 2

Year Two Newsletter Happenings

Wow!  How is it Term 3 already?  We have jumped straight back into our new units in Year 2.  This term we are studying places of significance to our local area in HASS.  We are going to be exploring shipwrecks that are significant to the Townsville area.  During the past two weeks we have been learning about lighthouses and their role in guiding ships as they navigate the ocean.  We have been exploring the Bay Rock Lighthouse that used to be situated on Magnetic Island.  It has now been moved to the Townsville Maritime Museum which we will be lucky enough to attend later this term.  We did a fun art activity over the course of the week.  The children had to carefully tape up their paper and paint a sunset scene.  They then had to draw a silhouette of a lighthouse and cut it out.  The results were amazing!  We cannot wait to continue with  our unit!  Have a great term 3.

Sports

We are participating in Jump Rope for Heart this term – a fantastic fundraising and physical activity program by the Heart Foundation. We are encouraging everyone to help raise funds for lifesaving research and support programs.

Register and create your own secure webpage at www.jumprope.org.au/parents. We will celebrate our fundraising success on Friday the 15th of August.

Thank you for getting involved in Jump Rope for Heart!

Library

Story Dogs

A Message from our Finance Secretary

School fee statements have been sent out today, with payment due by 15th August. Please take a moment to review your statement and ensure that all applicable discounts have been correctly applied. If you notice any discrepancies, contact the school office as soon as possible so we can assist you.

We understand that sometimes families may experience financial difficulties, and we want to assure you that support is available. If you are facing challenges in meeting the payment deadline, please don’t hesitate to organise a time to meet with me. We are committed to working with you confidentially and compassionately to find a manageable payment plan or explore other options that may ease the burden.

Our priority is the wellbeing of our school community, and we believe that with open communication and understanding, we can navigate these challenges together.

As always, we are guided by compassion, understanding, and faith—trusting in God’s grace to carry us through all seasons.

Danielle Jacobson
Finance Secretary

djaqcobson1@gstsv.catholic.edu.au

Breakfast Club and Running Club

The Good Shepherd Way

Term 3, Week 2

This week our Good Shepherd Way Gospel in Action value is Compassion where I show care and concern for others.

Our Compassion prayer is below:

Term 3, Week 3

The Good Shepherd Way Gospel in Action for Week 3 will be Endeavour where I challenge myself to do my best.

Our Endeavour prayer is below:

The GSCS Way

The GSCS Way is our positive behaviour support program here at Good Shepherd Catholic School.

All in our community are encouraged to:

• Give My Best
• Show Respect
• Compassion and Care
• Safe Responsible and Fair

Each week we focus on a different area of our matrix.

This week we are focusing on: In the classroom. 

In Term 3, Week 3 we are focusing on: In the Eating Area. 

Enrol for 2026

Tuckshop

Dates to Remember

School Notice Board

Teacher Contacts

The Parent Portal allows you to:

View your child’s timetable and the school calendar
View up to date attendance information for your child
Enter details of upcoming absences or explain past absences or late arrivals for your son or daughter
Access your child’s Semester reports
Make bookings for Parent Teacher Interviews
View a news feed of school announcements, alerts and updates
Provide consent for school events/excursions
Communicate by email with your child’s teachers
Update your contact details (email and mobile phone number).

The parent portal is a web-based system that can be accessed by clicking this link:

Community News