3 April 2020

Principal’s Reflection

“Our efforts at education will be inadequate and ineffectual unless we strive to promote a new way of thinking about human beings, life, society and our relationship with nature.”

Pope Francis wrote these words in ‘Laudate Si’ – his letter to the world on the environment. This could not be more appropriate as we all face the challenges of a new economic and social reality. We are all facing difficult weeks and months ahead. How will we do that? After watching the news last night, it would seem that the two options are redecorating our houses while in lock down or self-medicating with alcohol! Hopefully these won’t be our only options. Can we learn to be kinder, more patient, more forgiving through all of this? During our quarantine period, we will celebrate Easter at home. The Christian story is built upon things being tough, and even disastrous, before new life emerging. Maybe this is giving us a chance to live out this in our families in very obvious ways. Faith and Hope go hand in hand. We need plenty of both. The opportunity for a few more moments of prayer might be one of the upsides in these difficult days.

Fr Greg Boyle sj founded ‘Homeboy Industries’ in Los Angeles. Fr Greg runs this ministry for those who want to get out of life in Gangs. Homeboy Industries teaches ex Gang member’s trades and skills that they need in life. He is a wonderful guy and, but for Covid19, we would have had him here in our Diocese for students and staff this year. He regularly does a short YouTube link. This one is terrific, given what we are going through at the moment. Take four and a bit minutes with your kids and watch it.

On-line learning next term? I’m certain that there will be more directions from Government in the next couple of weeks about what school will look like from 20 April. Staff at Shalom have been working towards being ready for school as we have had it this week. We will be open for children of essential workers (anyone in a job). We are ready to teach in an on-line environment. We will run our normal timetable – four periods a day. As you will see below, these will be shortened as we don’t think it will be a reasonable expectation for young people to be sitting in front of a computer for 75 minutes a lesson. We will start the day with a short prayer just before 9am. The proposed timetable is below:

Timetable for On Line Learning

Children of Essential Workers who are attending at Shalom will follow the programme above. We will look after young people here from 8.30 to 3pm. The afternoon session from 1.40pm to 3:00pm will be physical activities and sport.

Personal Learning Goal – students could decide on something they can learn or create e.g. a new language, how to knit, how to cook, how to CODE, how to create a YouTube clip, musical instrument etc. - they research on line or get someone to teach them.

Reminder of GEM – Gratefulness, Empathy and Mindfulness – this could be part of our welcome in the morning; Our Campus Minister Cheryl Petersen has also created a list of good meditation apps

I think that it will be important for our young people to be in a regular routine to get through this. I would encourage parents to start from Day 1 with this. Is it possible to set up a space at home from which they can work other than their bed?

Please check out this link for Learning@home with Shalom.

Ms McKeown has also unearthed some amazing links to some wonderful on-line learning resources. Check out this Doc.

Office Closure – the Shalom Office will be closed over the coming two weeks. Anyone needing anything urgent should contact us by email at shalom@shalomcollege.com This email address will be regularly monitored over the break.

Mr Dan McMahon
Principal
McmahonD@shalomcollege.com

Newsletter Articles

Curriculum

Thank you to all our Shalom families who supported the College this week during the ‘Student Free’ period, ensuring their students were able to complete the scheduled assessments, field work and other curriculum activities.

Year 12 Internal Assessments

As previously indicated schools were awaiting direction from QCAA regarding the reduction of assessment for Year 12 General and Applied subjects. Yesterday I sent a letter to all Year 12 students and parents identifying the internal assessment instrument (IA) that subjects will not complete. Our decision is based on the QCAA subject specific directions and consideration of what is in the best interest for our students. This will allow the College to effectively manage the teaching, learning and assessment during the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. It will also provide some breathing space for both students and staff.

Term 2

In preparation for Term 2 our “Learning @ Home With Shalom” page has been set up to provide information to parents and students. This will serve as a hub for the most up to date information regarding learning at home and will be updated regularly with any changes. Please take the time to read the guidelines for students and parents to familiarise yourself with our expectations around how ‘Learning @ Home’.

Students will be able to access their Term 2 Timetable via Student Café by Friday 17 April 2020.

Mrs Gail Norris
Assistant Principal – Curriculum
Gail_Norris@shalomcollege.com

Mission

As we approach a very different Easter a feeling of uncertainty keeps creeping into my consciousness. I can squash it at the moment because we are so busy but once we move into our holidays I am sure it will become more real.

This year with no visits to or from my children, and no chance to catch up with my Dad, I am going to feel it. So I need to find the positive - is this the answer to my constant lamenting of being too busy? This enforced time at home could be a chance to recharge and revitalise many areas of my life. I can read those books, get out the sewing machine, do some gardening and maybe even give meditation a go.

In a religious sense the Easter I have known all my life will be different. For the first time there will be no services. No chance to join with others to remember the sacrifice Jesus made for us, followed by the celebration of the resurrection on Easter Sunday. Looking for the positive, could this very individual Easter be a chance to clear away the clutter and noise to be able to focus on just the important message? Is this a gift that I wasn’t anticipating? Different doesn’t have to be bad.

Our Parish is providing online access to services, albeit ones with very few participants. We really feel for all our clergy as they try so hard to provide spiritual nourishment at this time. If you wish to join with Fr Peter to celebrate the Easter ceremonies you can do so by clicking on the links below.

Mrs Mary Taylor
Assistant Principal – Mission
TaylorM@shalomcollege.com

The Catholic Parish of Bundaberg

This Sunday, 5 April 2020 is Palm Sunday. Please take home some of this year's blessed palm branches, a prayer sheet and bulletin which will be left at the door of each church as of Saturday evnening. Gather the family together and, with each person holding a branch, pray together. The box will be outside the church door entrance until Wednesday.

ANZAC Day

Mr Peter Robinson
Student Welfare
High Performance Program
Peter_Robinson@shalomcollege.com

Library Update

Reading is a wonderful activity and pastime to plan for the holidays. Here at the library we have plenty of books suitable for students from Year 7 to Year 12.

Currently we can allow one student to borrow up to 20 books from the library. If that is not enough for you, as a Shalom student you also have access to the huge ebook library through Overdrive/Sora.

Below are the instructions for logging into Overdrive. If you have any difficulties with this please come and see Mrs Toll during term time. If you are at home you can ring the Mrs Toll on 4155 8157 during the term.

Miss Wendy Davis
Teacher Librarian
Wendy_Davis@shalomcollege.com

The NCCD – What do I need to know as a parent?

The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) is a yearly count of students by all Australian schools across the country. The aim of the NCCD is to provide the Australian Government with information about the number of students with disability in Australian schools and the type of adjustments they need in order to access and participate in education on the same basis as other students. From 2018, the NCCD will be used by the Australian Government to inform funding for schools, known as the ‘student with disability loading’.

If you are a parent, guardian or carer of a child with a disability who requires ongoing adjustments at school, a teacher or another school staff member will consult with you to understand your child’s needs. This collaborative approach ensures the most appropriate adjustments are chosen to support your child’s learning and participation at school. In some cases, an individual education plan (IEP) or personal learning plan (PLP) may be developed to document specific educational goals and to review your child’s progress over time.

Your child will be included in the NCCD if they require ongoing adjustments at school due to a disability as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. This is a very broad definition of disability, which includes physical and intellectual disabilities, learning disorders such as dyslexia and dysgraphia, and mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. The Disability Standards for Education 2005 set out the obligations of schools towards students with disability.

If your child has a disability, your child’s school will provide information about them for the NCCD, including:

Your child’s year of schooling

The category of disability that best describes your child’s difficulties (one of four categories is chosen by the school team to reflect your child’s greatest area of need: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional)

The level of adjustment your child receives at school (one of four levels is chosen by the school team to reflect the type of support your child requires: quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary adjustment, substantial adjustment, or extensive adjustment).

The information collected by schools for the NCCD will ultimately be provided to the Australian Government Department of Education.

While it is not possible for schools or families to ‘opt out’ of the NCCD, the privacy and confidentiality of all students and their families is treated with utmost importance. Data is collected within each school, and personal details, such as student names and other identifying information, are not provided to local or federal education authorities.

Related resources:

Fact sheets for parents, guardians and carers about the NCCD

NCCD Website

Mrs Joanne Gills
NCCD Project Officer
Catholic Education Diocese of Rockhampton
Joanne_Gills@rok.catholic.edu.au

Shalom College Counselling Service

With the school closure due to COVID-19 these guidelines are provided to support the continuation of limited counselling services during any period of planned student non-attendance at school. The capacity for on-going formal therapy will be limited.

How will counselling be delivered?

Starting in Term 2, 2020 Counselling will be provided through the college email or the school phone number (07 4155 8111), until there is a full school closure or community lockdown. Then counselling will be through the school email service or another platform that is suitable to both parties. We currently have 3 counsellors available.

An appointment system has been set up through the college website and can be accessed through student café/parent lounge. When requesting a counselling appointment please indicate the phone number you wish us to call, as this is important for privacy reasons. The use of a student home telephone number (land-lines if available) is preferred but we realize this is not always possible. The focus of our service will be on maintaining engagement with school, ‘check-in’ support calls, reviewing risk where needed, and supporting young people and their families with coping strategies. Once you have booked an appointment a google doc for Informed consent will be emailed to you.

Informed Consent means you are given sufficient information so you understand and can make appropriate decisions (such as giving consent) for the counselling service. A student 13 years and older may provide informed consent; otherwise, the counsellor would obtain informed consent from a parent/guardian/carer in addition to the students consent. Parent/guardian/carer involvement is encouraged and can be important for ongoing change; however, parents/guardians/carers need to be aware of confidentiality and its limits within the counselling process. Information about confidentiality and consent is linked to the appointment page.

Mrs Karen Miller-Smith
College Counseller
Karen_MillerSmith@rok.catholic.edu.au

IT Department

Students needing help with:

Accessing the school network from home (Foldr)
Zoom Setup
Google Classroom
Family Zone
& more

Head to below for links and setup instructions

If still requiring technical assistance:

Log a case via ServiceDesk

Utilise the Live Chat function on the bottom right of Service Desk

Students or parents can email shalomit@shalomcollege.com

If the above options are not possible, call IT Support on (07) 4155 8131

Mrs Stephanie Johnson
IT Service Desk Manager
Stephanie_Johnson@ShalomCollege.com

Year 12 Induction

Photos from the Year 12 Induction have been uploaded to the Shalom Media Store.

Please click the link – Parent’s usernames are the same e-mail address that is used to communicate with the College. If password is unknown please select the ‘Forgotten Password’ option and follow the prompts.

Photos on this website are digital copies only, not a printed photo. Photos of the YEAR 12 INDUCTION are free of charge.

Goodbye

Today I have resigned from my position as Teacher’s Assistant at Shalom to take up the position as Division 7 Councillor on Bundaberg Regional Council after last Saturday’s Local Government Elections. While Council positions will not be declared until early next week, I currently have a lead of 648 over the second placed Candidate with only a small number of Postal Votes still to be counted. Shalom is in the heart of Division 7 which takes in the area on the southern side of Walker Street between Takalvan Street and the Railway line, the southern side of Maynard Street from the Railway Line to Barolin Street, the western side of Barolin Street running into Goodwood Road and also taking in the eastern side of Goodwood Road from Elvery’s Road to Thomasens Road and including the Strand East and West and Blake Court, taking in the northern sides of Thomasens, Clayton and Woodward Roads, through to Childers Road and the eastern side of Childers Road and Takalvan Streets back to Walker Street.

Thank you to everyone who supported me in the election. However, the biggest thanks goes to Principal Mr Dan McMahon who gave me a job after I was out of work after losing the 2016 Election. Thank you also to Mr McMahon for his valued support over the past 4 years including during my Election Campaign and I hope I have helped all students whom I have worked with. I will always cherish my time at Shalom and I will miss it. Thank you too to all staff, students and families for your friendship and support. A special thanks to the magnificent Learning Enhancement Coordinators whom I have worked with, Mrs Anne Braund and Mrs Keryn Staley, my team Leader Mrs Janell Zunker and the whole Student Services Team, including all the Gappies I have had the privilege to work with, Campus Minister Mrs Cheryl Petersen and Sports Coordinator Mr Simon Gills. I will also be forever grateful to the help and support which I received from the late Mr Robin Wust until his tragic passing almost 2 years ago. I will always remain part of the Shalom family and will continue to help in whatever ways I can, including with cricket and rugby league, but Council will now be my focus.

My goal is to help make Division 7 and our whole region a better Place to Live, Work, Play and Invest in, and we are in challenging times with the world gripped by Covid-19 but I hope and pray, we can all get over the Pandemic as best possible.

As a Councillor, I will be always available and look forward to continuing to engage with many of you over the next 4 years and beyond. I will advise once I have a Councillor phone and email address, but in the mean-time, if there are any Council matters which you wish to raise, please phone 0407 606266 or email Vince.Habermann1@bigpond.com

May God Bless you all
Shalom Chaverim!
Mr Vince Habermann

School Photos

The school photos have been delayed due to the current interruptions to normal business nationwide. The photos are due to arrive once we open the Office again in Term 2. The School photos will be distributed to students upon their return to usual classes, this to adhere to current Covid-19 guidelines in minimising unnecessary outings and contact. The photos are usually distributed to students during their PC Class.

Mrs Mia Dawson
Office Manager
Mia_dawson@shalomcollege.com

2020 Immunisation program for Year 7

Shalom College is participating in Queensland Health’s annual School Immunisations Program. All Year 7 students will be offered free vaccinations as recommended on the National Immunisation Program to protect against vaccine preventable diseases. In 2020, Year 7 students will be offered human papillomavirus (HPV) and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (whooping cough) vaccination. 10

The vaccinations will be conducted by a team of authorised and registered nurses from OzCare.

The Shalom College 2020 clinic dates are

Round 1 – Year 10 Meningococcal ACWY – was completed in Week 9, catch up day for absent students to be confirmed by OzCare.

Round 2 - Year 7 HPV2 – Monday 12 October and Wednesday 14 October

Parents are encouraged to ensure their children have breakfast on the morning of the vaccination.

Ozcare will contact all guardians directly to if a student (with a completed and returned consent form) did not attend the Shalom clinic session.

Year 7 Catch Ups Clinic will be scheduled at Ozcare, date to be advised.

For further information about the School Immunisation Program please call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) or visit the link below or click on the following links; ; immunisation through the school program

The following resources are also available for you

The Public Heatlh Act 2005 requires the school principal to disclose student ant and parent, legal guardian or authorised person information for eligible year 10 immunisation provider if requested.

Year 7 2021

Year 7 2021 Applications Close Friday 8 May

Enrolment forms must be submitted with a copy of the birth certificate and latest report card.

Mrs Georgia Halpin
Community Relations Officer
Georgia_Halpin@shalomcollege.com

Absentees

FOR ALL ABSENTEES

Preferred option is Email absentees@shalomcollege.com or Phone Absentee line 41558181

ALL student absentees should be notified to the office by 9am each day. If no notification has been received, an absentee text message will be sent out to parents to advise of the student’s absence.

Pathways

Planning your future begins with knowing the options and this is why work experience is such a valuable tool in exploring career pathways. Obviously, with the current uncertainties, traditional work experience has not been an option, so the Pathways Department has embraced the virtual world of career exploration.

The following link is a fantastic resource that will allow students to take virtual tours through numerous industry environments, listen to industry representatives give career overviews and research study pathways.

The Pathways Team
Mrs Liza O’Donnell, Mrs Kathy Laing & Mrs Julia Fox
Liza_ODonnell@shalomcollege.com
LaingK@shalomcollege.com
Julia_Fox@shalomcollege.com

Duke of Edinburgh – Bronze Award Recipients

Congratulations to Sophie Bond and Joshua Booth for completing their Bronze Award in the Duke of Edinburgh program. To achieve this both students had to do 2 adventurous journeys in canoeing along with weekly commitments in areas of physical recreation, skill development and community service.

Mrs Debbie Bishop
Duke of Edinburgh Coordinator
bishopD@shalomcollege.com

Sport

Wide Bay Selection

Congratulations to all the Shalom students that attended the Wide Bay Cluster 1 and Cluster 2 trials. Unfortunately, all Representative sport has been cancelled indefinitely. The following students were selected in Wide Bay Teams.

Triathlon

Swimming

Tennis

Surfing

Softball

Golf

Cricket

Squash

Rugby League

Rugby Union

AFL

Football

Netball

Basketball

Representative Sport

The BDSSS Management Group has made the decision to cancel the District Cross Country, BDSSS Rugby League and BDSSS Head of River Rowing Regattas all scheduled for Term 2.

All representative school sport has been cancelled indefinitely.

Mr Simon Gills
Sports Coordinator
Simon_Gills@shalomcollege.com

Year 7 Camps

Term Dates for 2020

Shalom Sunday Markets

After much discussion the Shalom Markets will continue to operate (with restrictions) until further notice!

• Fresh food stalls only – fruit, vegetable & local food products
• No other food stalls – BBQ, tuckshop etc.
• Social distancing to include gaps between stalls (all outdoors)

The running of the markets will be reviewed weekly until further notice.

SHALOM MARKETS 6AM TO 12PM EVERY SUNDAY!

Community Notice Board

Catholic Parish Bulletin

Headspace

Drivers College

Breast Screen Queensland

Triple P

The State Government is funding free access to Triple P, which is the world’s most evidence-based parenting program and has helped more than four million children and their parents around the world develop closer, more positive relationships.

Please click on this link, which will take you to the website where you can access information relevant to your situation.

This link will remain in our Newsletter with Triple P sending us regular updates and helpful tips.