06 August 2025

From the Desk of the Acting Principal

Dear Staff and Parents/Carers,

Last Friday, we celebrated Children’s Day with the 5Ps and it was wonderful to see so many students participating and on Monday some of our Prep-Year Two First Nation students were invited to attend the TAIHS Children’s Day event. It was wonderful to be included and will certainly be a tradition we will build on next year. By joining in these events we build a community of support, love and camaraderie.

As we inch our way through our northern winter, a gentle reminder to ensure your child is wearing the correct coloured jumper and tracksuit pants (navy blue) or black tights. Replacement hats can be purchased from the front office and through Flexischools at a cheaper price than at the School Locker. Our second hand stocks are getting very low again, so if your children have outgrown their uniform or shoes please consider donating to the office. All families can purchase these second hand items for $5.00 from the front office. Thank you to all families for supporting our school by ensuring students are wearing the correct uniform each day.

We are also right in the midst of the cold and flu season, which means it’s more important than ever to encourage healthy habits both at home and at school. We’re seeing a number of students affected by common winter illnesses, and we appreciate your efforts in keeping unwell children at home to help minimise the spread of germs in classrooms.

At school, we are reinforcing the importance of:

• Regular hand washing, especially before eating and after using the toilet
  
  
• Using tissues when sneezing or blowing noses, and disposing of them properly
  
  
• Coughing or sneezing into elbows, not hands
  
  

We encourage families to have these same conversations at home, and to ensure children are bringing tissues in their school bags where possible. These small steps help protect not just individual students, but our whole school community. Thank you for your ongoing support in helping us create a safe and healthy learning environment during these winter months.

We are in our final stages of our realigned Behaviour Management Plan and will release the traffic lights system with the types of behaviour, strategies used to diffuse situations and the consequences issued. This new behaviour management plan aligns with the chronicle entries and emails you may have received if your child has not been following the Good Shepherd Way. These emails are intended to keep you informed of behaviours during the day, so you are able to have a chat at night with the expectations you have and the school has for the well being and education of your child.

Just a reminder to complete the school survey you received via the email you have listed at the office by Monday, 18th 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.

Let’s continue to work together to keep our students well, warm, and ready to learn.

Warm Regards, 
Annette Poulsen
Acting Principal 

apoulsen2@gstsv.catholic.edu.au

From the Desk of the Assistant Principal Religious Education

ST MARY OF THE CROSS MACKILLOP

This Friday the 8^th of August, we celebrate the feast of Australia’s first saint - St Mary of the Cross MacKillop.

Mary MacKillop was born in 1842 in Melbourne, Victoria.

Mary cared about the people who had no-one to look after them such as boys and girls who just roamed the streets, children in the country who had no school to go to, people who were old and sick and people who had nowhere to live. Mary wanted more than anything to help these people.

Mary went to work as a teacher in a little country town in South Australia called Penola. There she met Father Julian Tension Woods who also wanted to do something for the poor children who could not afford to pay the money needed to go to school.

Together, in 1866, they began the first St Joseph’s School in an old stable. Two of Mary’s younger sisters also taught in the school and other young women came to help them.

On 19 March, 1866 – St Joseph’s Day – Mary started to wear a simple dark dress and began the Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph. Now as a Sister, she dedicated her life to doing God‛s work. As more and more young women joined Mary as Sisters, they were able to start more schools. All children were welcome at their schools, even if they couldn‛t pay.

In Adelaide they opened a place for women who had nowhere to live, an orphanage for children who had no parents to look after them and a house where poor people could come and stay. The Sisters visited people who were in gaol and those who were poor and sick.

Mary MacKillop died on 8 August, 1909 in North Sydney. Mary helped

many people during her lifetime and after she died the ‘Sisters of St Joseph’ kept on doing the good work she had started.

Mary MacKillop kept her faith in God and bravely challenged those who did not support her vision for a more caring world.

Mary is an important Australian who spent her life helping people, especially children. She is Australia’s first Saint.

Rebecca Kershaw
APRE

rkershaw@gstsv.catholic.edu.au

From the Desk of the Acting Assistant Principal Pedagogy and Learning

I have enjoyed a wonderful first week at Good Shepherd and have been truly overwhelmed by the warm welcome I have received from our staff, students and families. Throughout last week, I have had the pleasure of visiting classrooms. I am so impressed at the amount of learning and engagement displayed by our students and the sense of pride shown by them as they share their work with me. 

This term promises to be full of rich, engaging, and hands-on experiences across all year levels. We continue to build a strong culture of learning at Good Shepherd, and our staff have planned a range of exciting activities that support our curriculum and spark curiosity. We believe that learning not only happens in the classroom, but indeed is part of our everyday lives and can be embraced in a range of settings, both at school and at home.

Everyday Counts

Last Friday we enjoyed our 5Ps day where we indulged in Pikelets, Poppers, Pizza, Popcorn and PJ’s. If only we could be so comfortable and snuggly everyday! This day did highlight the importance of being present at school everyday. Research has shown that attendance that falls below 94% can have a detrimental effect on both educational outcomes but also student wellbeing.

Positive Impacts of School Attendance:

• Improved Academic Performance:
  Regular school attendance is strongly linked to better academic results, including higher grades and test scores.
• Increased Engagement:
  Students who attend school regularly are more likely to be engaged in their learning, actively participate in class, and develop a positive attitude towards education.
• Enhanced Wellbeing:
  Attending school regularly contributes to students' overall wellbeing, including their emotional health, social connections, and sense of belonging.
• Positive Future Outcomes:
  Regular school attendance is associated with better health, social, and economic outcomes after leaving school, such as higher employment rates and increased earning potential.

Negative Impacts of Poor School Attendance:

• Lower Academic Achievement:
  Students who frequently miss school tend to perform poorly academically, often struggling to keep up with the curriculum.
• Increased Risk of Disengagement:
  Poor attendance can lead to a cycle of disengagement, where students lose interest in school and may be more likely to drop out.
• Negative Social and Emotional Outcomes:
  Missing school can impact students' social and emotional development, potentially leading to feelings of isolation, anxiety, and difficulty forming positive relationships.
• Higher Risk of Dropping Out:
  Students with poor attendance are at a significantly higher risk of leaving school before completing their education, which can have long-term negative consequences.

This term, I am looking forward to working alongside staff to plan and deliver a dynamic and engaging curriculum for our students. I am also eager to continue to get to know all of our Good Shepherd students and watch them engage and interact in their classrooms.

Nadine Anderson
Acting Assistant Principal Pedagogy and Learning

nanderson6@gstsv.catholic.edu.au

What's Happening In Year 3

Year 3 has kicked off Term 3 with a bang! We've hit the ground running with plenty of exciting learning happening in the classroom. This week, we’re putting the finishing touches on our Design and Technologies creations, bringing to life the designs we carefully sketched and planned ourselves. We can’t wait to share our finished products soon!

Dates to Remember

Sports

Jump Rope for Heart Update
We’re three weeks into our Jump Rope for Heart program and thrilled to have already raised $2,694 with 34 enthusiastic students registered and skipping for a great cause! There’s still time to join. Simply sign your child up via this link and get jumping into the fun.

https://www.jumprope.org.au/fundraisers/good-shepherd-catholic-community-school-2025?utm_medium=Email&utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_campaign=JRFH_welcome_teacher_D3

Interschool Athletics Carnival

Good Shepherd had a fantastic day competing at Interschool Athletics, proudly placing 4th out of the 8 schools involved. Our students gave it their all across every event, and we are thrilled to share that four of our athletes have now been selected to trial for NQ – an outstanding achievement! Congratulations to Kyle (4B) for shot put, Ryder (5A) in the 800m, Lachlan (5B) in the 100m and 200m, and Beau (6B) also in the 100m and 200m. We are so incredibly proud of each and every one of our competitors for their hard work and sportsmanship. A big thank you to our dedicated teachers for keeping our students safe and organised throughout the day, and to all the parents and families who came along to cheer – your support means everything to our little school community.  

Library

A Message from our Finance Secretary

This is a friendly reminder that school fees are due by 15th August. Whether you are paying in full or making part payments, we sincerely thank you for your continued support and commitment to your child’s education.

If you would like a copy of the Townsville Catholic Education Office’s Financial Terms and Conditions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office—we will be happy to provide this information.

My door is always open to discuss any questions or concerns you may have regarding fees and charges. We understand that every family’s situation is unique, and we are here to help.

As we journey together in education, let us remember that with faith and grace, God provides the strength and guidance we need to overcome challenges and nurture our children’s growth.

Thank you for being a vital part of our school community.

Danielle Jacobson
Finance Secretary

djaqcobson1@gstsv.catholic.edu.au

Story Dogs

Breakfast Club and Running Club

The Good Shepherd Way

Term 3, Week 4

This week our Good Shepherd Way Gospel in Action value is Hope where I see good all around me.

Our Hope prayer is below:

Term 3, Week 5

The Good Shepherd Way Gospel in Action for Week 5 will be Inclusion where I involve and accept others.

Our Inclusion 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: On the playground. 

In Term 3, Week 5 we are focusing on: On the oval. 

Enrol for 2026

Tuckshop

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