Unity

This is the last newsletter article I write while our Year 12 students are still at school. At the end of this week they will be dismissed for the final time and approximately 1,000 students, staff and parents will clap them out of the school as they take their place in society.

We trust that the education they have gained at GCC has prepared them for this new role of their lives. We strongly believe that education is not just about gaining an OP or a certificate or a headful of knowledge, education is so much more multidimensional than this.

Our Year 12s will always remain very much a part of our community. I love the definition of community, being a group of individuals who share a “common unity”. As you know, our theme for 2015 is Unity and it is fitting that the last article I write for our Year 12s is also on this important theme.

I was shocked this week to see the tragedy unfold in Paris. How can people be perpetrators of such atrocities? Part of the reason, I believe is that they do not belong to that community. They do not share the same belief system and values that everyone else does. Our values help define us as a community and at GCC we adhere to a simple set of values that we have aligned to the acronym GREAT

• Godliness
• Respect
• Excellence
• Attitude
• Teachability

We celebrate and encourage these values whenever we can. Unity and hence Community are so important in our society.

Two weeks ago, we held our annual Awards Night and we reminded students of their commitment to attend this event. It is the most important event in our calendar as it brings the entire Secondary School together in unity to celebrate the God’s goodness to us over the year, as well as the achievements of all our students. Not everyone received an award as that would diminish the importance of those awards that were given. Everyone joins together to celebrate in unity. I therefore continue to encourage every parent to insist that students attend this event next year. Awards Night is so important to building the community that is GCC and hence it is why we make attendance compulsory.

Important Compulsory Wednesdays in 2016 dates for your calendar

Whilst Wednesdays are given to students in Year 11 and 12 to explore careers, and various other study options such as TAFE and University programs, these days are still school days. In 2016 we are endeavouring to reduce the number of disruptions to our academic program by holding various events on these Wednesdays. Students need to make a special note of these days and ensure that their employers and other instructors know they their attendance at school will be required.

These dates are:

• 10 February – Secondary Swimming Carnival
• 23 March – Secondary Cross Country Carnival
• 25 May – Secondary Athletics Carnival
• 22 June – Start of the Year 11 camp

David Heyworth, Head of Secondary School