2025 Term 1 Week 1
A Warm Welcome from Your New Principal
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I hope this letter finds you well and safe, especially in these wet conditions. It is with great enthusiasm that I introduce myself as the new principal of Good Counsel College. I am honoured to join this incredible school community and look forward to partnering with you to ensure the success and wellbeing of all our students.
With 36 years in education, my passion has always been fostering a safe, inclusive, and engaging learning environment where students can thrive spiritually, academically, socially, and emotionally. I firmly believe that a strong partnership between school and home is key to helping our students reach their fullest potential. Your involvement, support, and feedback will be invaluable as we embark on this journey together.
In the coming weeks, I am eager to meet each of you and learn more about what makes Good Counsel College such a special place. During Term 1, I will be sending all parents a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis, where parents can comment on how they see the school. I look forward to your feedback/ideas and encourage open communication throughout the year.
Please know that my door is always open, and I am here to support not only our students but also our families. Together, we can make this school year one of growth, achievement, and a positive working environment for every student.
Thank you for your warm welcome. I am excited to get to know you and work alongside you in the months ahead.
Paul Melloy
Principal
Assistant Principal - Wellbeing
We have had a wonderfully hectic week welcoming our new Year 7 students and other new students who have joined our Good Counsel College family. We had our opening assembly and in Good Counsel College tradition, Year 7 students were welcomed with the whole school applauding and presented with their Good Counsel College badges.
Likewise, our Year 12 students were welcomed to their last first day and received their senior badges and senior jerseys and we wish them every success in the 155 school days that they have left.
Attendance Focus – Lateness to School
In 2025 our focus is attendance, and we need every student to be at school by 8:35am so when the bell rings they make their way to their homerooms. Our homerooms are a core part of our pastoral care and the opportunity to build connections across all the year levels. This attendance is a key part of our Marist Cup competition, and we trust it will be a great opportunity for classes to compete.
Expectations Focus – Student Uniform
Students have received diaries where expectations around uniform are clear, and we have a no-phone policy from 8am to 3pm. We ask parents and guardians to support these expectations with your child.
Wellbeing team
Students have met their Wellbeing Leaders at the different year-level meetings and below is the team available to students for any wellbeing issues or concerns.
We welcome parents to contact the Leaders of Wellbeing should they have any concerns they wish to discuss.
SunSmart Policy
Communication will be emailed to each family around our SunSmart Policy and our implementation of sun safety and sport expectations for the year.
We wish our students a very successful 2025
Mrs Marcelle Foster
Acting Assistant Principal Wellbeing
50 Years Jubilee Celebration
Catholic Education commenced in Innisfail in 1903 with the arrival of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan and further grew when the Marist Brothers started Good Counsel School for boys in 1938. In 1975, Good Counsel College was formed from a merger of the girls’ school (Sacred Heart), conducted by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan, and the boys’ school, conducted by the Marist Brothers.
Good Counsel College will celebrate 50 years of excellence in education in 2025. To mark this special milestone, a day of celebration will be held on Sunday, 8 June 2025.
Share Your Story - Alumni & Staff
Former Good Counsel College students (and staff!) are invited to share their achievements and successes as well as their fondest memories of their time at the college by completing the form on our webpage using the link below. Let us continue to celebrate your accomplishments!
Join the Mailing List
Click on the link below to join our mailing list to receive updates about all the exciting events and activities planned for this special occasion.
Send in your photos
If you have photos from your time at Good Counsel College—whether from the classroom, sports, performances, camps, or special events—we’d love for you to share them with us for display at the celebration lunch.
Email your photos to gcc.gcounsel@cns.catholic.edu.au
Book your Tickets
Tickets for the luncheon are now on sale through TryBooking by scanning the QR code below.
Pilgrims of Hope - Look Beyond
Welcome to 2025 at Good Counsel College.
This year’s Marist theme is Pilgrims of Hope -Look Beyond. Brother Peter Carroll introduces the year as follows: Travel is often used as a metaphor for life’s journey. And life is a journey, though not a linear one. At times it might seem we are going around in circles, repeating wrong turns or taking detours. We want to go in one direction but find ourselves on another path. However, we need to journey with purpose. Occasional wandering is fine, but to be moving ahead we need to know where we are going. A pilgrim is a person who is travelling with a destination in mind, with conviction about the importance of the journey and with determination to reach the goal. Despite preparation pilgrims do not know the terrain to be faced, the conditions to be experienced or the other people to be encountered. There is a mystery involved. Pilgrims set their hearts on the journey. They use their faculties to move towards the destination: their heads to chart the course; their eyes to avoid danger; their body to move forward. As a school community we are all pilgrims on a journey of faith, education and growth. Each year will always throw up unexpected challenges and opportunities for everyone. Our journey is yet to be determined; however we undertake it with hope, we look beyond, moving beyond to new possibilities for renewed life around us.
The theme image for this year is based on artwork by Cynthia Carr Kusmer. The upper image is of the transformative encounter with Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Our own experience with God changes us and renews hope. We are urged to look beyond to see the world and each other differently, with hope. The lower image was captured by photographer Jose Mohan and aims to change perceptions of people in Kannagi Nagar, India. The image sought to positively affected the perceptions of the neighbourhood. The mural is of two children drenched in sunlight painted in a way to humanise those living there. The image of the smiling faces allowed the young people and residents to begin to see themselves differently. The community began to see itself with hope and a future.
Year 7 First Day
The beginning of the school year is an exciting time for everyone… but especially for our Year 7 students, who began their high school journey on Wednesday. Welcome Year 7 to our Good Counsel College family!
Year 7 & 10 Immunisations
Good Counsel College participates in the Queensland Health School Immunisation Program (SIP).
The 2025 SIP consists of the following:
- Year 7 - Boostrix (Diptheria, Tetanus & Whooping Cough Booster) & Gardasil 9 (HPV)
- Year 10 - Meningococcal ACWY & Meningococcal B (2 doses)
- Catch up immunisations for other year groups where applicable.
Immunisation sessions including catch up sessions are conducted at your school by Q Health staff.
Arrangements can be made for immunisations to be given at the local Community Health Clinic should this be requested. Please do not hesitate to call Jane 0429645666.
Consent Forms
Immunisation Consent forms have been sent home with students in Years 7 and 10 this week. Completed forms are to be returned to the college office as soon as possible after being received.
Contact
For all your Immunisation questions please contact your local School Immunisation Program Co-Ordinator:
Jane Nolan
School Immunisation Program Co-Ordinator
Cassowary Area Community Health
Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service
jane.nolan@health.qld.gov.au
M: 0429645666
V.E.T. & Careers
The VET (Vocational Education and Training) and Careers office is already busy as we prepare for the commencement of all our TAFE courses next week here in Innisfail and Cairns.
Our Year 10 students are beginning their preparation for work experience, where they will develop resume writing skills and explore their interests and personalities to help identify career pathways suited to them.
Our Year 11 students have embarked on their senior journey, settling into their new subjects, while our Year 12 students continue their studies and will soon be completing their first IA1 assessment. We wish all our senior students success and encourage them to stay focused on their goals.
A reminder that no student should be completing more that 12-15 hours of work per week.
We congratulate our new traineeship students, Sasha Darveniza and Amanda Vue. Sasha has been signed up by Reece Plumbing in a Certificate II in Supply Chain Operations and Amanda has been signed up by Good Start Early Learning, Charles Street in a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care.
Sasha Darveniza
Amanda Vue
Wishing all our students a successful 2025,
Mrs Marcelle Foster and Mrs Kristen O’Brien
VET & Careers
Feast of the senses
This year's FOTS market day will be held on Sunday, 30 March on the Innisfail Esplanade. GCC have once again been asked to assist with ticketing for the Kids Zone.
On the day, students will be required to work in small groups (4-6) on a rotational roster of 2hr-shifts.
Volunteers will be called for next week but in the meantime, students can register their interest by emailing Mrs Hodder-Onaindia lhodderona@cns.catholic.edu.au
Enrol now - Year 7 in 2026
Year 7 in 2026 Enrolment Dates
Feeder School Visits Week 7 & 8 Term 1
Applications Close Friday, 2 May 2025
Interview Day Saturday, 17 May 2025
Letters of Offer sent out Week 10 Term 2
Catholic Education Week Taster Day Week 3 Term 3
Orientation Day (Yr7 in 2025) Thursday, 16 October 2025
Transition Program (identified students) Weeks 1-3 Term 4
College Tours Terms 1 & 2 and by appointment
Enrolment Process
Enrolments are filling fast for Year 7 in 2026.
Enrolment applications can be completed online via the college web page www.gcc.qld.edu.au .
If you know of families with children who will be in Year 7 in 2026, please encourage them to submit their child's application. For further inquiries regarding the enrolment process, please contact the college on 4063 5300 or email our Enrolments Officer, Leigh Hodder-Onaindia at lhodderona@cns.catholic.edu.au .
College Tours
Parent tours are also available throughout Terms 1 & 2 and by appointment. Students will be given a tour as part of Orientation Day.
Tours will be held on the following dates:
- Term 1– 26 February 2025 (3.15pm - 4.15pm)
- Term 1 – 27 March 2025 (3.15pm - 4.15pm)
- Term 2 – 30 April 2025 (3.15pm - 4.15pm)
- Term 2 – 12 June 2025 (3.15pm - 4.15pm)
To book a tour, please click on the link below.
Year 7 Interviews
Year 7 in 2026 interviews will be held on Saturday, 16 May at the college. Applications will close on Friday, 2 May. Applications received after this time will be considered later in the year.
Arrangements for Year 7 interviews will be communicated early in Term 2. Interviews will only be arranged for students with completed applications, including the required documents. Please advise the college of any changes to your contact details to ensure all enrolment correspondence is received.
College Calendars
All college events, special days, meetings and class activities are recorded on the College Calendar and can be accessed via the Student, Parent and Staff portals.
The Assessment Calendar is also located on the Student, Parent and Staff portals. All assessment due dates (drafts and finals) are recorded on this calendar.
Accessing the Calendars
The Parent Portal can be accessed via the college website and through the MyCE app.
To download the MyCE app, visit the Apple App Store or Google Play (android phones)
The following guide provides information on how to log in to the Parent Portal.