Principal's Welcome

Dear Families,

Welcome back to another great term of learning!

Our students have settled back into the daily school routine with ease and are well and truly into setting learning goals, inquiring into their big question and embracing outdoor time with their peers. 

Whilst we have only been back at school for one and a half weeks, so much has already happened!

EXCURSIONS

Both the Year 3 and 4 students have started their investigation into our history focus by attending excursions. This tuning activity has really helped our students to understand their BIG QUESTION for this term.  The Year 4 students had a chance to go to Australian Centre for Moving Image (ACMI) & The Ian Potter Centre: National Gallery Victoria (NGV). Their focus was:  "The experience of this excursion at the beginning of the term will ‘tune’ students into Australia’s rich history. Students will have the opportunity to delve into the origins of videogames and look at what has changed and what has stayed the same over time. This learning experience will encourage our students to make further discoveries around the past, present and future of video games and other various digital technologies throughout Term 3."

Year 3 students had the opportunity to do lots of city walking, visiting Melbourne City & NGV. Their focus was:  "This term, the students are inquiring into the big question: How and why do people choose to remember significant events/moments of the past? and the excursion will help them to unpack the questions:  What makes the news and why? How and why do we remember/commemorate events of the past?"

All of our students have had the opportunity to take part in the woodwork incursion.  These wonderful word work pieces will be featured at our ARTS CELEBRATION on the 2nd November!

We look forward to sharing our other year level excursions and incursions. 

WORLD YOUTH DAY COMMISSIONING MASS

On Sunday, I had the privilege to witness 500+pilgrims gather for the 2023 World Youth Day commissioning Mass. What an amazing site! Archbishop Comensoli was also obviously moved, opening his welcome with, “The church is full! We are full! And it is so good to see that the majority in attendance are under the age of 40, such an exciting time for our youth”. You couldn't help but be swept up in the excitement that our pilgrims are about to face.  We wish Natasha Ravanello and Oriana Belanti all the very best as they undertake such an important spiritual journey.  At mindfulness on Friday, we will be having a small prayer service as a school to pray for our emerging leaders.

You can find a short video taken on Sunday at St Patrick's cathedral on our school instagram page!

Important Messages

BURNLEIGH DVE

Many parents have been doing U TURNS at the front of the school entrance, interrupting traffic flow and potentially putting children in harm’s way. Many of our neighbours have also complained about parents doing u turns in their drive ways or even parking in or across their driveways.  Please refrain from doing u-turns around the school drop off zones or neighbouring houses. 

CROSSING SUPERVISOR

Many of you have been asking after John, our Circular Dve crossing supervisor. John has had to undergo some surgery and has been absent for a number of weeks. He is doing well but will continue to be away for a while longer. Thank you to those of you who have been asking after him and we ask that you keep him in your prayers. We wish him a speedy recovery.

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Congratulations to Mrs  Madeline McNamara and her husband Liam who are expecting their 2nd baby in December.  Such exciting times ahead!

SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL- EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

Thank you so much to all those parents who have emailed me with their expression of interest to be considered for the Parish School Advisory Council (PSAC). Expressions of interest close tomorrow and we will then begin the selection process.  The PSAC is made up of two parents from each school with an additional parent/parishioner from the parish.

This is the letter sent out last week:

Dear Parents

Parish Advisory Council

Expressions of Interest

At the request of the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) board – our governing body, we are establishing a Parish Advisory Council to support the principals, parish priest and leadership team of our three schools:

• School of The Good Shepherd - Gladstone Park 
• St Carlo Borromeo - Greenvale
• Mary Queen of Heaven - Greenvale

While no particular expertise is required, the school seeks people with a range of diverse skill sets to best advise the principal, united by a desire to provide the best possible education for our students.

A balanced membership with parent voice on the School Advisory Council is well-placed to advise the principals about important matters, particularly those related to the school’s mission and students’ success.

The needs of the council will be given priority in terms of ensuring a balance of gender, cultural diversity and skill sets.

Therefore, we are calling on you to express your interest in being part of the Parish Advisory Council. If you are an active member of the Parish of the Good Shepherd and have children in one of our schools and wish to be part of this exciting development, we would welcome your application in writing emailed to your school’s principal by Friday July 21st.

Carmela D'Amato cdamato@sogsgpark.catholic.edu.au

Kevin Gleeson kgleeson@scgreenvale.catholic.edu.au

Renae Gentile rgentile@mqhgreenvale.catholic.edu.au

Rev. Fr Dishan Candappa 

Parish Priest

The PSAC will meet once a term to discuss parish and school issues, concerns and achievements.  If you haven’t yet sent through your expression of interest and would like to be considered, please email me : cdamato@sogsgpark.catholic.edu.au

Have a wonderful fortnight everyone!

School of the Good Shepherd 

Address: 88 South Circular Rd, Gladstone Park 3043

Telephone: 9338 7686

School Office hours:  8:30am- 4pm