From the Principal's Desk
"Thank you for the Year that was 2011"
Thank you to all students, parents, carers and families and staff for a very good year in 2011. This has been a year where we have achieved a great deal for the future of the College through our ongoing process of school renewal. Some significant milestones have included:

• We have improved our Learning and Teaching environment in the College, particularly in the area of the incorporation of ICTs, digital and on-line learning opportunities especially through the MyClasses learning portal;
• We have introduced a Social Emotional Learning program across the College and particularly in Years 8, 9 and 10 led by our Pastoral Care team and Year Coordinators;
• We have renewed our students management procedures and have confirmed our commitment to the processes to Restorative Justice Practices;
• We have promoted the Catholic identity and image of the College through our website, the media, our advertising and in doing so, highlighted the achievements of the many very good students who make the College;
• We have seen many significant student achievements and successes in state and national testing, in competitions and in quests;
• Our Year 9 NAPLAN results have been very good this year, with achievement by Good Counsel College clearly above Diocesan, State and National averages in all testing areas;
• Our Year 12 students have overcome the hurdles that Cyclone Yasi threw at their learning progress to achieve results which will prove to be one of the best years ever at our College;
• We have finalised the planning for out new $4.5 mill Library and Technology teaching building which is currently out to tender and for which construction will commence in February 2012;
• We are finalising the planning for our $2 mill Trade Training Centre which will see three new Industrial Technology Workshops (Engineering, Furniture and Electro-technology) constructed next to the CHC and a new Hospitality School and Vocational Education Centre being built in a refurbished D Block.

These have been the headlines, but there have been many personal achievements in the College of students and staff which were highlighted at our Awards night in particular, and for all of these I say congratulations and well done.

"Graduation Celebrations and now the last week of school 2011"
What a week for the College and the senior class of 2011 last week with graduation ceremonies commencing with the Farewell Assembly on Wednesday morning, the Graduation Mass on Wednesday evening and the Graduation Dinner at the Reef Casino on Friday night. Each event was special and very memorable. This is a very close and tight group of students who have done very well and been good leaders and role models for the rest of the student body. They are now in our prayers that they have an enjoyable and safe break-up from their school years and that the future delivers for them all they wish for and deserve. The final results for our senior students will be published around the 15th December so watch the local press for some great
outcomes.

For our continuing students in Years 8, 9 10 and 11, our teaching staff are busy correcting final exams and assessment tasks and compiling final results for the semester. All teachers will be at the College next week preparing for and writing end of semester reports, and these reports and various relevant notices and letters will be in the mail by the 6th December.

Included in this mail out will be more details for students in Years 9, 10 and 11 of the roll-out of laptop computers to them for 2012.

"Important Announcements of appointments for next year"
As everyone would be aware Mr Paul Keenan has been appointed College Principal for 2012. The College has been advertising to fill Mr Keenan’s role of and it is with pleasure that I can announce that Mrs AnnMarie Arnold has been selected as Deputy Principal Curriculum for 2012. Catholic Education Cairns, Fr Kerry, the College Administration and the College staff have every confidence in Mrs Arnold’s undoubted ability to fill this role and I wish her well in this important position. We are now calling for expressions of interest from members of the College staff to fill the role of Acting Head of Science for 2012 and we are very confident that we have a number of very capable members of the College Science staff who could fill this position.

During this term the College has been progressing in a recruitment process for a College Sports Coordinator and HPE Assistant. We were fortunate to have a large number of applicants for the position and following short-listing and a thorough interview process I have pleasure in announcing that Mr John Cavanah is appointed as College Sports Coordinator and HPE Assistant. John is a well known and respected member of the local sporting and business community with a personal background as a professional football player, highly experienced football and athletics coach and businessman. He brings a wealth of experience and skills to the College for this position and I am confident that he will lead the College’s sporting endeavours to new heights.

In other areas of the College staff there has been little movement with a very settled teaching staff. We are currently interviewing Senior English/Study of Religion teachers to fill the vacancy created by the departure of Mr Adam Weier. Finally our increased student enrolments for 2012 have enabled us to employ an additional teacher, Mr Trevor Milevskiy, in the area of Information Technologies, Science and Mathematics. Mr Milevskiy has previously worked at St Augustine’s and Peace Lutheran and is return home to FNQ with his wife Dot after working for the last seven years in large charter boarding colleges on the east coast of the USA. Trevor is very up-to-date with the latest in computer based learning and I am sure he will be a wonderful addition to the College staff. Many students in future years will benefit from the developments in the IT curriculum which his experience and expertise will bring.

"Happy Christmas and thank you everyone, Good Bye and God Bless"
And so my final message to you all as Good Counsel College Principal, is to offer warm Christmas greetings of Peace and Goodwill to all. May the message of Hope which comes to us from the Christ child born for us and sent to save us always be our support. Thank you to every member of the College community who has offered acceptance and support to me during my three years here. I have grown to love this College and the community, and I will miss you all greatly in the days to come. But the time has come to go, and family calls and so I say “Good Bye”.

I have done what I could do, and always tried to give my best by following the College motto of “one spirit in Christ”. May God always bless you and keep you safe in the gentle grasp of His hands.

Jeff Schneider, Principal 2009-2011

Jeff Schneider
PRINCIPAL

"Budding Engineers Battle It Out Over Bridges"
These are the headlines from the Townsville Bulletin following the accomplishments of our Good Counsel College teams after they dominated the competition at the Aurecon 2011 Bridge Building Competition in Townsville. For the college, the girls team won the $1,500 first prize along with a $500 encouragement award to entice more of our girls into engineering studies, they also personally took home $250 each to aide them in furthering their skills. The boys won the $1,000 second prize for the college and were also awarded $100 each to continue their skilling. A great achievement by the students and a wonderfull outcome for the college. Follow the link to the Townsville Bulletin article to find out more.