Good Counsel College, Innisfail
Encyclopedia
Good Counsel College
Good Counsel College (GCC) is a catholic co-educational secondary school located in Innisfail
, Queensland
, Australia
. It is a parish
school maintained by the parish of Innisfail
and South Johnston / Mourilyan that also serves Innisfail's outlying regional
areas, generally extending north to Babinda, south to Tully
and Mission Beach
and inland to Millaa Millaa.
The school envisions that this advice be acted upon by members of the school community.
It should be noted however that the school contains and accepts students and teachers from a substantially diverse range of religious and socio-economic backgrounds.
and the Marist Brothers
' Boys' School. Initially the school was organized catering only to students in years 8 to 10. However under guidance from the schools first principal Mr. Peter Albion the school was quickly established as an academic institute offering a full secondary education.
In recent years the school has undergone significant expansion both in terms of enrolments and infrastructure
, having trebled the number of enrolments since its inception in 1975.
is worn by students everyday except Thursday.
There are also a large number of other events that are optional but attended by a significant portion the student body:
The events are generally looked forward to by students and act to establish relationships between students across year levels and with teacher
s whom students may not be in regular contact with.
and offers students substantial sporting programs, facilities and equipment. Good Counsel College is widely represented by a number of teams in various sports. Subsidies are also granted to allow teams and individuals to attend regional, state and national events should they show excellence in their respective sporting field.
The entirety of the student body is actively encouraged to participate in sports carnivals and in some cases, actually required to partake in the Cross Country
unless extenuating circumstances exist.
In recent years, Good Counsel College has established itself as a formidable presence in the Interschool Athletics Carnival against the neighboring state schools. 2004 saw Good Counsel win the event for the first time in history, a feat that was again repeated in 2005. 2006 however saw the title return to Innisfail State High School
.
As is common in Australian secondary schools, students at Good Counsel College are grouped into 4 separate houses. These houses are usually important during interhouse sporting carnivals but are also commonly used to group students at assemblies and especially during mass transport to event destinations. Each house has an elected male and female captain, whom are responsible for aspects of school carnival preparation.
At Good Counsel College it is seen as tradition for members of the same family to be in the same house.
The 4 houses are based on prominent Catholic figureheads.
In recent times Clancy has proven to be the runner up, this is due to decreased participation.
.
In recent times Polding has made a concerted effort to achieve a victory. This could be due to increased enthusiasm, participation and sporting ability.
Good Counsel College (GCC) is a catholic co-educational secondary school located in Innisfail
Innisfail, Queensland
Innisfail is a town located in the far north of the state of Queensland, Australia. It is the major township of the Cassowary Coast and is well renowned for its sugar and banana industries, as well as for being one of Australia's wettest towns...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is a parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
school maintained by the parish of Innisfail
Innisfail, Queensland
Innisfail is a town located in the far north of the state of Queensland, Australia. It is the major township of the Cassowary Coast and is well renowned for its sugar and banana industries, as well as for being one of Australia's wettest towns...
and South Johnston / Mourilyan that also serves Innisfail's outlying regional
Régional
Régional Compagnie Aérienne Européenne, or Régional for short, is a subsidiary airline wholly owned by Air France which connects hubs at Paris, Lyon, Clermont-Ferrand, and Bordeaux to 49 airports in Europe. The airline operates in Air France livery, retaining its name in small titles and logo on...
areas, generally extending north to Babinda, south to Tully
Tully, Queensland
Tully is a small town in Queensland, Australia, adjacent to the Bruce Highway approximately south of Cairns by road and north of Townsville. At the 2006 census, Tully had a population of 2,457....
and Mission Beach
Mission Beach, Queensland
Mission Beach is a small village along the Coral Sea in Queensland, Australia. The popular tourist destination of Dunk Island lies 4 km offshore.-History:...
and inland to Millaa Millaa.
Significance of 'Good Counsel'
His mother said to the servants: 'Do whatever he (Jesus) tells you. John 2:5
The school envisions that this advice be acted upon by members of the school community.
It should be noted however that the school contains and accepts students and teachers from a substantially diverse range of religious and socio-economic backgrounds.
History
Good Counsel College was established in 1975 as a result of the fusion of two separate single sex education institutes: The Sacred Heart Girls School conducted by the Sisters of the Good SamaritanSisters of the Good Samaritan
The Congregation of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan is a Roman Catholic Congregation of religious women commenced by , Australia’s first Catholic bishop, in Sydney in 1857. The congregation was the first religious congregation to be founded in Australia. The sisters form an apostolic institute...
and the Marist Brothers
Marist Brothers
The Marist Brothers, or Little Brothers of Mary, are a Catholic religious order of brothers and affiliated lay people. The order was founded in France, at La Valla-en-Gier near Lyon in 1817 by Saint Marcellin Champagnat, a young French priest of the Society of Mary...
' Boys' School. Initially the school was organized catering only to students in years 8 to 10. However under guidance from the schools first principal Mr. Peter Albion the school was quickly established as an academic institute offering a full secondary education.
In recent years the school has undergone significant expansion both in terms of enrolments and infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
, having trebled the number of enrolments since its inception in 1975.
Day Uniform
The day uniformUniform
A uniform is a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, security guards, in some workplaces and schools and by inmates...
is worn by students everyday except Thursday.
| Male (Grade 8 - 10) | Female (Grade 8 - 10) | Senior Male | Senior Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gray with navy pinstriped buttoned shirt, navy shorts, navy knee high socks, black leather shoes, official school hat | White blouse with small blue tie, light blue skirt, subtle white socks, black leather shoes, official school hat | As junior uniform, with solid blue shirt | As junior uniform, with larger navy tie and navy skirt |
Sports Uniform
The sports uniform is the same for all students and is always worn on a Thursday. It consists of a Blue, Yellow and Navy sports polo, Good Counsel branded sports shorts and socks, with students own trainers (clean and in good condition) and the official school hat.Formal Uniform
The formal uniform is generally reserved for school captains and vice captains when representing the school on formal occasions.| Male | Female |
|---|---|
| Official navy jacket with navy tie, navy pants, black leather shoes, official school hat | Official navy jacket with navy tie, navy skirt with stockings, black leather shoes, official school hat |
School Spirit
The relatively small size and the focus on the school as a 'community' as pioneered by staff has established a notable sense of togetherness in the school. This is fostered by many whole school events such as:- Athletics Carnival
- Swimming Carnival
- Cross CountryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
- Stations of the CrossStations of the CrossStations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St...
demonstrations - Feast Day (incorporating a morning liturgyLiturgyLiturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
followed by fun activities at school such as dodgeball, music concerts, LANs and a slip and slide) - WalkathonWalkathonA walkathon , walking marathon or sponsored walk is a type of community or school fundraiser in which participants raise money by collecting donations or pledges for walking a predetermined distance or course...
(hosted by the Student Representative Council as a fund raiser)
There are also a large number of other events that are optional but attended by a significant portion the student body:
- Themed discos
- Lunchtime concerts
- Lunchtime events such as 'Pizza Days' and 'Golf Days' as organised by the Student Representative Council at the time
- ANZACANZAC DayAnzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all...
Commemorations
The events are generally looked forward to by students and act to establish relationships between students across year levels and with teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
s whom students may not be in regular contact with.
Sport
The school holds sport in high regard in the curriculumCurriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
and offers students substantial sporting programs, facilities and equipment. Good Counsel College is widely represented by a number of teams in various sports. Subsidies are also granted to allow teams and individuals to attend regional, state and national events should they show excellence in their respective sporting field.
The entirety of the student body is actively encouraged to participate in sports carnivals and in some cases, actually required to partake in the Cross Country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
unless extenuating circumstances exist.
In recent years, Good Counsel College has established itself as a formidable presence in the Interschool Athletics Carnival against the neighboring state schools. 2004 saw Good Counsel win the event for the first time in history, a feat that was again repeated in 2005. 2006 however saw the title return to Innisfail State High School
Innisfail State High School
Innisfail State High School is one of two high schools situated in Innisfail, Queensland, AustraliaThe school has students from Year 8 to Year 12. The school was established in the 1950s and its motto is Honor Et Labore which means "Honor and Labour". 2009 marks the final year of ISHS as the...
.
House system
At Good Counsel College it is seen as tradition for members of the same family to be in the same house.
The 4 houses are based on prominent Catholic figureheads.
Clancy (Green)
Named after Fr Michael Clancy who was the longest serving priest in Innisfail's early history (1895–1931). Fr. Clancy was an integral part of Innisfail's early development especially with respect to the Catholic Church's presence.In recent times Clancy has proven to be the runner up, this is due to decreased participation.
Marcellin (Red)
Named after the Blessed Marcellin Champagnat founded the Marist Brothers. The Marist Brothers were an organization dedicated to the Christian Education of youth.MacKillop (Purple)
Originating from the Blessed Mary MacKillop, a prominent religious figure in Australian history and founder of the Sisters of Saint Joseph: an order of nuns dedicated to educating the poor and disadvantaged in Australian society.Polding (Blue)
Named after Bishop Bede Polding, the first bishop of New South Wales, who arrived in Sydney in 1835. He was responsible for the creation of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan, who in turn were responsible for the Catholic female education in early InnisfailInnisfail, Queensland
Innisfail is a town located in the far north of the state of Queensland, Australia. It is the major township of the Cassowary Coast and is well renowned for its sugar and banana industries, as well as for being one of Australia's wettest towns...
.
In recent times Polding has made a concerted effort to achieve a victory. This could be due to increased enthusiasm, participation and sporting ability.
Past School Captains
| Year | Male Captain | Female Captain | Male Vice Captain | Female Vice Captain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Gary Yang | Amy Thomson | Enosh Neville | Bridgette Carr |
| 2007 | Christopher Coco | Jessica Beavon | Damien Payard | Renee Kubala |
| 2006 | Jesse Parisi | Zoe Bartolo | Reece Hinchy | Jessica Vick |
| 2005 | Wayne Norris | Stephanie Lizzio | Tyrone Malcomson | Jennifer Carr |
| 2004 | Hayden Malcomson | Jill Raleigh | Daniel Massa | Emma Romano |
See also
- List of schools in Queensland
- Education in AustraliaEducation in AustraliaEducation in Australia is primarily the responsibility of the states and territories. Each state or territory government provides funding and regulates the public and private schools within its governing area. The federal government helps fund the public universities, but is not involved in setting...
- Good Counsel Homes