Weekly Newsletter #36 - 20 November 2024

Reflection Piece - The Diocesan Assembly

The Diocesan Assembly took place on the 15th and 16th November. This gathering brought together clergy, representatives of leadership teams from parishes, staff from schools and Catholic organisations. It was a significant time to consider how the Diocesan community develops leadership and governance and ways of journeying into the future. At this important time of discernment we offer the following prayer:

Creator God, 

Your Spirit flows through all creation

You are revealed through the exquisite beauty

 and every community from the Murray to the Sea

We are people from many places and with many talents.

Our faces show our history of pain and joy, of challenge and hope.

We dream of a world of love,

where people can experience justice, solidarity and peace.

We want to walk, guided by your power, love and wisdom

and place all of our potential at the service of life and hope.

We believe in the strength of dialogue, of truth and justice,

of sharing and communion.

We ask you for the gift of discernment.

Grant us the insight to judge wisely and choose true freedom.

Give us the courage to be faithful in our witness.

Grant us the creativity to live in a spirit of celebration and hope.

So that, together, we are able to transform our world

and create a new heaven and a new earth.

Amen.

Adapted from a prayer by Maristely Souza, a volunteer youth leader with the Movement for the Defence of Shanty Town Dwellers, in Divineia, Sao Paulo Brazil.

From the Executive Director

Last Friday and Saturday I was pleased to join a strong number of DOBCEL principals and other staff at the Diocesan Assembly, a significant event in the life of our Diocese in the 150th anniversary year. 

The Assembly brought together clergy and representatives from across 29 Parishes and congregations, Diocesan Agencies, Councils and Commissions, Catholic Education, Health and Aged Care, and Social Services, to focus on the question - How does God want us to lead and govern for a missionary synodal Church in the Diocese of Ballarat ?

Expertly facilitated by Karon Donnellan RSM, the Assembly was a dynamic opportunity to engage fully in our mission as members of the diocese and bring our ideas, experiences and gifts to the table.  

As shared last week, DOBCEL has a number of Collaborative Innovation Research Prototypes planned for 2025 as we begin activating the DOBCEL 2035 Strategy. The second of these, “Leading from the Middle” will be launched on 7th February 2025 by Professor Andy Hargreaves.

During our recent trip to Canada, we met with Andy, who expressed strong interest in our ambitious Strategy and we are excited that he has now agreed to collaborate with us in this work. 

The Leading From the Middle Day will mirror the structure of the Professor David Hopkins School Improvement Workshop announced last week, starting with a 1.5-hour keynote by Andy Hargreaves open to all, followed by an interactive workshop led by Andy, Professor Pasi Sahlberg and Dave Runge, for selected participants. 

This workshop marks the start of a 12-month initiative guided by these leading experts and designed to build the capacity of aspiring leaders to foster collaborative cultures within and across DOBCEL and Diocesan schools, in alignment with the DOBCEL 2035 Strategy. Staff from up to 10 schools and CEB will be selected to participate and schools may nominate teams of up to 3 staff members. Small schools may submit collective expressions of interest, nominating staff from multiple settings. Participants will meet twice each term: one face-to-face session and one virtual session. We look forward to your participation in this exciting opportunity to enhance leadership and collaboration across our school communities.

Calls for Registrations for the keynote and to participate in the 12 month prototype will be made shortly. 

For this week's stimulus, I encourage you to view Andy Hargreaves - Leadership from the Middle: The Beating Heart of Educational Transformation

This week I was privileged to visit St Brigid's, Ballan  and experience the energy and sense of community among staff, students and families as they marked World Kindness Day with a Colour Burst Fun Run culminating in the sliming of Principal Mrs Bosworth and other teachers - all for a good cause ! Some photos are below.

Best wishes

Tom Sexton, Executive Director

Photos from St Brigid's in Ballan...

Showcasing our Catholic schools in Action

We are excited to announce a new section in our Weekly Newsletter! This section will highlight the wonderful holistic learning opportunities happening in our Catholic schools throughout the Diocese. The DOBCEL marketing and communications team is always looking for positive stories to share with our community. Please email your stories for consideration to: comms@dobcel.catholic.edu.au.

Mercy Regional College, Camperdown - transformative retreat for Year 10 students!

On Monday, Year 10 students embarked on a transformative retreat at the Seventh Day Adventist Hall in Camperdown. The day’s theme, ‘Connections and Bridge Building,’ guided students through a journey of personal growth, self-discovery and teamwork. The retreat began with team-building activities led by Ms Gardner, including the Balloon Tower Challenge.

Students collaborated to design and construct towering balloon structures, fostering creativity, teamwork, and plenty of laughter. The highlight of the day was the keynote presentation and workshops by guest speaker Luke S Kennedy. Drawing from his personal experiences, Luke shared an inspiring story of resilience, revealing how he overcame challenges such as gang involvement and emotional distress. His candid discussion about "wearing masks" resonated deeply, encouraging students to embrace authenticity and reduce stress.

The day concluded with a reflective liturgy, a time for students to consolidate their learnings and express gratitude for the connections formed. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Luke S Kennedy for his powerful presentations and to all staff involved in creating this enriching experience for our Year 10 students!

Five Diocesan schools working hard on innovative energy technology in Maryborough this week! 

This year, five Diocesan schools - Damascus College, Ballarat, St Joseph's College, Mildura, St Joseph's Primary School, Red Cliffs, St Augustine's Primary School, Maryborough, and St Patrick's Primary School, St Arnaud - are participating in the exciting Energy Breakthrough event in Maryborough from November 20-24.

The Energy Breakthrough is a dynamic collaboration between the Country Education Partnership (CEP) and the Central Goldfields Shire Council (CGSC), designed to inspire and empower students.

Since its launch in 1991, the Energy Breakthrough has offered incredible opportunities for students, teachers, parents, and local industries to join forces in the creation of vehicles, machines, or innovative technology that exemplifies an ‘energy breakthrough.’

What sets this program apart is its three critical assessment areas: Design and Construction, Display and Presentation, and Trials, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience.

More than just an annual event, the Energy Breakthrough involves school groups working tirelessly throughout the year to conceptualize, construct, and rigorously test machines according to precise specifications.

This initiative encourages participants to engage with cutting-edge technology while considering its environmental impact and how it affects both local and global communities. A collaborative, cross-curricular approach is essential for success.

At the culmination of this hard work, these teams will gather in Maryborough for a grand celebration where they can showcase and put their innovative creations to the test.

Best wishes to all the teams participating in the event! Thank you to Alan Strange from Damascus College, Mt Clear for contributing some behind-the-scenes photos that we’re thrilled to share with our community! 

Discover more about the inspiring Energy Breakthrough event here: https://www.eb.org.au/.

Catholic Education Updates

Vatican International Photography Contest - Sport in Motion

In the context of the Jubilee of Sport for the Year 2025, the Dicastery for Culture and Education (Vatican) is promoting an international photography contest, under the title ‘Sport in Motion’. The contest is aimed at young photographers, professional or amateur, under the age of 25.  The contest includes 5 categories of photography: Sport and hope (sport as a message of hope to society); Sport and family (sport as a moment of family life); Sport and disability (sport as a platform for inclusion); Sport and politics (sport as a resource accessible to all); Sport and ecology (the relationship of sport with the elements of nature). 

The deadline for participation ends on April 30, 2025 and the winners will be announced at the Jubilee of Sport (June 14-15, 2025). The winners will be awarded a meeting with the Holy Father, a visit to the Vatican Museums, a workshop in the Osservatore Romano newspaper and the international dissemination of the photos in the Holy See's media.  Entries can be made by email to sportinmotion@dce.va and further information (entry form / rules / jury) can be found on the Dicastery's website https://www.dce.va/it/news/2024/concorso-di-fotografia.html

Wellbeing Updates

CEB Wellbeing Team Farewells

The CEB Wellbeing Team is entering a phase of significant transition with Senior Psychologist Allan Hutchison resigning from his position and Student Wellbeing Education Officers Liz McIntyre and Mel Frost both taking up school-based Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader roles.

The impact of Allan Hutchinson’s contribution over the past 23 years cannot be easily quantified as his work has reached across the whole of the DOBCEL system and into all aspects of school management and development.

We are eternally grateful for Allan’s expertise and contributions and wish him well for the future. Allan will conclude at CEB on Friday November 29, 2024.

As Senior Education Officer Student Wellbeing for the past six years Liz McIntyre has always brought the focus on student wellbeing to the fore, working to establish the systems and structures that support the Student Wellbeing Team as we now know it.

Joining the Student Wellbeing Team in 2023, Mel Frost has also contributed significantly to the establishment of models of practice. 

Liz and Mel have worked in support of Student Wellbeing Leader Networks and system innovation, particularly with the introduction of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader role via the Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative. We thank Liz and Mel sincerely for their work and are pleased they will not be lost to the DOBCEL system.

Recruitment processes to replace Allan, Liz and Mel are underway.

SchoolTV School Subscription to continue in 2025

It is exciting that we will again have School TV as a resource in 2025 with DOBCEL to maintain the subscription cost for all DOBCEL schools. NB If you have received a request for subscription payment direct from SchoolTV please disregard. This has been sent in error.  

DOBCEL SchoolTV sites have received 26,981visits so far in 2024 with top topics being the Special Report Wellbeing, Raising Boys, Cultural Diversity, Friendship & Belonging and Neurodiversity. SchoolTV continues to update and evolve the service that it offers to schools, and we look forward to expanding how we best utilise this resource as a means to engage and support family and school partnerships and build greater understanding about the issues that impact student wellbeing.

On a practical note, last year each school was asked to nominate three administrators to be responsible for School TV. If you have changes to the administrators for 2025, please email your new contact(s) to Mel Frost (mfrost@dobcel.catholic.edu.au). You will need to provide their name, role and contact email. Any schools who are employing a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader (MHWL) in 2025 may consider adding this person.

Please also ensure you inform Mel of any admin officers you need removed. This may be because they have left the school or have had a change in role and are no longer responsible for the management of School TV in your school.

If you have any queries please don't hesitate to contact Mel.

Catholic Education Ballarat joins the 16 Days of Activism campaign

Catholic Education Ballarat is proud to join the 16 Days of Activism campaign to prevent violence against women.

Catholic Education Ballarat is proud to participate in this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign in Victoria. This year’s campaign encourages all Victorians to work together to prevent violence against women.

More than 1 in 3 women have experienced men’s violence. On average, a woman is killed by a man she knows every 10 days, and in 2024 that number is much higher. Safety for women is not a given in any community – and neither is respect.

“It doesn’t have to be this way. Violence against women is preventable. This 16 Days of Activism and beyond, we have an opportunity to come together to progress a future where all Victorians are safe, equal and respected,” said Respect Victoria’s Chair Kate Fitz-Gibbon.

“To eliminate men’s violence against women we need to address the harmful attitudes and behaviours that drive violence in society. Importantly, everyone has a role to play. This 16 Days of Activism let’s work together to challenge harmful ideas about gender and power, and to create a future where all women live free from violence,” said Professor Fitz-Gibbon.

Community activities for the 16 Days of Activism will begin on Friday 22 November in Victoria, with the Walk Against Family Violence.

The campaign will end on Sunday 10 December, which marks the global Human Rights Day.

Join the 16 Days of Activism and help build communities where women are safe and equal. It all starts with respect.

For more information visit head to the Safe and Equal website for the community calendar of events happening across the state, and the Respect Victoria website for tips and tools.

Navigating Child Protection and The Orange Door: Reporting, Referrals, and Best Practices 

An opportunity for essential training session for schools, facilitated by the Child Protection team, to help you understand the critical roles of both Child Protection and The Orange Door. In this session, the experts will guide you through when to report to Child Protection versus when to refer to The Orange Door, using real-life case examples for clarity. 

Event Details: 

• Date: December 3, 2024 
• Time: 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm 
• Format: Online 

Key Topics Covered: 

• Understanding the role of Child Protection vs. The Orange Door 
• Guidelines on when to report vs. when to refer, with case examples 
• Best practices for responding to a child making a disclosure 
• Identifying signs of child abuse and neglect 
• How to be fully prepared when making a report to Child Protection 

 This is a valuable opportunity to strengthen your knowledge and preparedness in safeguarding students. 
 
To register yourself or your group, simply email Christian Brown christian.brown@education.vic.go.au. 

People and Development Updates

Training Opportunities

Learning Support Officers PD Opportunity

“Why is child safety central to the work of a Learning Support Officer?”

The care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a central and fundamental responsibility of Catholic Education. As we prepare to roll-out a training program specifically for Learning Support Officers (LSOs) working in DOBCEL schools in December, our Child Safe Manager, Jacinta Cook talks about the importance of ongoing training in implementing Victoria’s Child Safe Standards.

Read more about our Child Safe policies and guidelines here:  https://dobcel.catholic.edu.au/child-safe/ 

Learning and Teaching Updates

 English Curriculum Project (ECP) in 2025

The ECP rounded out this year with a fantastic in-person day where schools worked through the new Victorian Curriculum 2.0 for English and considered the implications for planning and unit development from 7 to 10. There was a real chance for collaboration and sharing of ideas and it was a fantastically productive and positive day. The project will continue into 2025 with a clear focus on providing practical and effective teaching methods and resources to support English teachers in their classrooms.

Excitingly, DOBCEL will now host the VCE English Catholic Network (VECN) in 2025. This is the new incarnation of the former MACS VCE English Improvement Network and in its new home, the Network will be making full use of the online learning platform that has been so effective for our ECP program.

The VECN will, like the ECP, be a synchronous and asynchronous program with dedicated spaces for discussion and collaboration. Bringing the same level of expertise to VCE as she does with the 7 – 10 English space, Kirstin Bourne will be the consultant on both projects, working with Julia Petrov to support DOBCEL schools as well as Catholic schools across the state.

As part of the ECP subscription, participating schools will automatically be added to the VCE English Catholic Network at no extra charge.

The cost of ECP subscription for 2025 will remain unchanged. Schools will be charged the same amount as they were for their 2024 ECP subscription.  Further details will be sent to Secondary English leaders.

The ECP Canvas site can be accessed here. 

https://ceob.instructure.com/

For further details, please contact Julia Petrov, Learning and Teaching Education Officer (Secondary) on jpetrov@dobcel.catholic.edu.au or 0432 499 683.

Flare Primary Literacy Update

Click here to access the answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions about the Flare Primary Literacy Strategy.

To access the 2025 Flare PL Calendar, please click here.

To access the 2025 Flare PL Syllabus, please click here.

We suggest that all Guided Literacy Improvement Schools (and anyone working in support of these schools) bookmark these documents.

(To bookmark - click the star at the end of the address bar)

Mathematics Professional Learning for 2025  

Engaging Primary Students in their Mathematical Learning.     

Online Professional learning facilitated by Michael Minas the founder of Love Maths.  

Michael has worked in education for over 25 years and his areas of interest include problem solving and student engagement.   

Rationale:    

To impact on teacher practice through planning for and teaching of engaging Mathematical learning experiences.  

Focus / Learning Intentions:    

• Identify Mathematical tasks which are engaging for ALL students
• Enhance participant’s knowledge of the F-6 Mathematics Curriculum
• Develop a student-centered approach to the teaching of Mathematics.

Registration details to follow. 

Cost: $200 per participant

This spaced online professional learning will provide the opportunity for participants to engage with their learnings between the sessions.

Read more  

F-6 Mathematics Curriculum V2.0

Where are you currently on the Roadmap in preparation for the implementation of Mathematics V2.0 in 2025? Reflect on what you have in place and cross reference your progress against the roadmap 

Voices from the field sharing their journey about preparing to implement Mathematics V2.0

Hanna Byrnes, Curriculum Leader, St Joseph's Primary School Red Cliffs

This year we have taught and reported to Mathematics 2.0. As with anything new it has not been without challenges however we have worked hard as a staff, with the support from Teresa Hadden, to unpack the changes that come with Mathematics 2.0. It has been important that time has been given to staff to understand these changes and the Victorian Curriculum has provided documentation that has helped us with this. We have found that it's very important that staff understand the reporting requirements of Mathematics 2.0 as this has implications for the whole school scope and sequences and pacing guides. Unpacking Mathematics 2.0 has allowed our staff to re-engage with how our students develop mathematical understanding and we will continue to do further professional development in this area.  -

Lynn Dwyer, Mathematics Leader, St. Patrick’s Koroit

Some of the difficulties we experienced:

• In term 1 we didn’t realise that we had to select V2.0 within Essential Assessment so were teaching from V1.0
• Reporting requirements were released late term 1 so we needed to quickly adjust our Scope & Sequence documents for terms 2 - 4

Benefits of V2.0

• Clearer guidance on what needs to be taught at each level
• The Mathematics Scope & Sequence chart provides a clear progression of skills supporting us in planning lessons that cater for diverse student needs.

To read more about Lynn’s insights please click here.

For more assistance, please contact: 

Sarah McKnight smcknight@dobel.catholic.edu.au

OR 

Teresa Hadden: thadden@dobcel.catholic.edu.au  

Opening the Doors Foundation: Financial Grants for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students

The Opening the Doors Foundation provides grants to families to assist with the extra costs incurred in the schooling of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary or secondary school students. The 2025 Grant Round is now open, with a closing date of 14 March 2025. For students to commence the 2025 school year with the necessary items, the ideal time to apply is now or before the start of Term 1.

Please note that due to a substantial increase in applications, the Foundation’s Trustees have had to modify the eligibility criteria. The updated criteria and guidelines are outlined on both the Opening the Doors Foundation website and the Opening the Doors Foundation Application. Please contact the Foundation (details listed below), Helen Christensen (0467 415 768) or Jeanette Morris (0408 360 098) for further information.

Pertinent information:

Website: Opening the Doors Foundation; Foundation Application Criteria and Guidelines

App link: Opening the Doors Foundation Application

Phone: 0401 487 414 or 1300 236 356

Email: applications@openingthedoors.org.au

Closing date: 14 March 2025 (applications will not be accepted after this date)

ACER PAT Professional Learning  

ACER is pleased to offer a series of webinars targeted to schools using, or about to use, the PAT Progressive Achievement suite online.    

Wednesday, 4 December 4pm AEDT 
Join to explore what an assessment of critical reasoning skills can tell educators and to find out the benefits of understanding student proficiency in a range of reasoning skills. We will explore how to unpack and effectively use this information. 

DigiCon24 Conference at ACMI, Federation Square. November 28-29!

Read more about DigiCon24 here.

Victorian Curriculum F-10 Implementation

The graphic below displays the expected implementation of the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 within DOBCEL schools.

More information regarding familiarisation and implementation can be accessed here.

Making a Scene at Christmas - Bookings

Making a Scene at Christmas will be on display in Bridge Mall Ballarat from 4 December and bookings are available for schools.

When children visit this display of over 500 Nativities they experience Nativities that illustrate  the story of Jesus birth as told in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.  They get to see and smell frankincense and myrrh and to hold coins that date back to the reign of Herrod, that is the time of the birth of Jesus.

The other Nativities are from twelve African nations, fifteen American nations, eighteen Asian nations and twenty-five European nations – most hand crafted and some highlight issues of social justice or theological interpretation.

We can work with up to fifty children at a time and a session usually lasts for 90 minutes.

If you are a Ballarat school, and you want to book in a day or session please contact Fiona on 0437 426 268.

Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community

Catholic Education Ballarat Vacancy

• Strategy Implementation Manager – Ballarat Office, ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 24 November)
• Marketing and Communications Manager – Ballarat Office, ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 1 December)
  

Principal Vacancy

• Expressions of Interest- Interim Principal, Sacred Heart Primary School, Casterton – fixed term (12 months) or secondment position at 1.0 FTE (closes 25 November)
• Expressions of Interest- Interim Principal, St Joseph's Primary School, Coleraine – fixed term (12 months) or secondment position at 1.0 FTE (closes 25 November)
• Expressions of Interest- Interim Principal, St Joseph's Primary School, Penshurst – fixed term (12 months) or secondment position at 1.0 FTE (closes 25 November)
• Principal - Emmanuel College, Warrnambool – fixed term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 2 December)
  

School Vacancies

• Physical Education Teacher – Sacred Heart Primary School, Colac – fixed term position at 0.8 FTE (closes 20 November)
• Japanese Teacher – Emmanuel College, Warrnambool – ongoing position at 0.8 FTE (closes 21 November)
• Learning Support Officer 2025 – St Patrick’s School, Port Fairy – fixed term position at 0.8 FTE (closes 22 November)
• Learning Support Officer – Marian College, Ararat – fixed term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 22 November)
• Classroom Teacher – Our Lady Help of Christians School, Murtoa – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 22 November)
• Classroom Teacher – Our Lady Help of Christians School, Murtoa – ongoing position at 0.6 FTE (closes 22 November)
• Classroom Teacher – St Joseph’s School, Charlton – fixed term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 22 November)
• Teaching Positions – Damascus College, Mount Clear – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 25 November)
• Classroom Teachers – St Joseph’s College, Mildura – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 25 November)
• Deputy Principal – St Alipius’ Parish School, Ballarat East – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 25 November)
• Mental Health in Primary Schools MHiPS Coordinator – St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Warracknabeal – fixed term position at 0.4 FTE (closes 25 November)
• Classroom Teacher – St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Warracknabeal – fixed term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 25 November)
• Teachers: Various roles to commence 2025 school year – Trinity College, Colac – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 25 November)
• Classroom Teacher – St Malachy’s School, Edenhope – fixed term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 27 November)
• Classroom Teacher – St Patrick’s School, St Arnaud – fixed term position 1.0 FTE (closes 28 November)
• Teacher: Senior English – Emmanuel College, Warrnambool – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 28 November)
• Specialist Teacher – St Joseph’s School, Coleraine – fixed term position at 0.6 FTE (closes 29 November)
• Flexible Classroom Teaching – St Patrick’s School, Stawell – fixed term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 29 November)
• Classroom Teacher – St Patrick’s School, Stawell – fixed term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 29 November)
• Classroom Teacher/s – St Columba’s School, Ballarat North – fixed term position at 0.4 FTE (closes 29 November)
• Casual Relief Teachers – St Aloysius’ School, Redan (closes 30 November)
• Development and Communications Coordinator – Trinity College, Colac – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 2 December)
• Teachers – St Mary MacKillop College, Swan Hill – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 4 December)
• School Counsellor – Marian College, Ararat – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 6 December)
• Learning Support Officer/s – St Columba’s School, Ballarat North – fixed term position at 0.75 FTE (closes 6 December)
• School Wellbeing Officer/Counsellor – St Columba’s School, Ballarat North – fixed term position at 0.4 FTE (closes 13 December)