CEB Staff Newsletter #29 - 27 Aug 2021

CEB Staff Announcement

I am delighted to advise that Rachel McGennisken has been appointed Deputy Principal of Trinity College, Colac. Rachel will take up her appointment in January next year. Rachel’s time at Catholic Education Ballarat has been characterised by her commitment to increase student learning outcomes through improved learning and teaching. She has supported our secondary schools in this endeavour. Rachel has also been instrumental in the establishment and the continued development of The HIVE, an initiative that has been very well received by our schools. In addition, she has been the driving force behind the Improving Literacy in the Secondary Years (ILSY) program for our secondary schools, which has seen us partner with Melbourne University.

We wish Rachel all the best in her new appointment and look forward to recognising and celebrating her contribution to CEB at the end of this year.

Tom Sexton
Executive Director, Catholic Education Ballarat

COVID Reminders for CEB Staff

Working On-Site

If you can work from home, you must work from home until Thursday 2 September (inclusive) or until otherwise advised. If there is an essential reason to visit the office, please refer to the Authorised Worker Permit information in CEB Staff Newsletter #27 (Sunday 22 August) before proceeding.

Working in Schools

We request that staff minimise school contact during this lockdown period, supporting schools remotely where needed. If there is an essential reason to visit a school, please refer to the Authorised Worker Permit information in CEB Staff Newsletter #27 (Sunday 22 August) and CEB Staff Newsletter #28 (Monday 23 August) before proceeding.

A reminder that all Staff Newsletters can be accessed in Knowledge Banks > 11. Communications > 2021 CEB Staff Newsletters.

Please also continue to refer to our Executive Director’s COVID Updates for school COVID updates.

CEB Staff Retreat – RSVPs required from all staff

Thank you to those who have completed the Google RSVP form to confirm your intentions for the CEB staff retreat in Mount Macedon. 

For those who haven’t responded, please submit the Google RSVP form by COB Friday 10 September, even if you are not attending, so we have a clear idea of attendance numbers when planning activities. 

If we have not heard from you by this date, we cannot guarantee you will have accommodation. Also, given the responses received so far, we do not have enough people to justify hiring a bus so unless numbers increase, this will no longer be an option.

ICT Helpdesk Implementation at CEB

The ICT Team has been working in recent months to research and trial a helpdesk ticketing system with the aim of further streamlining the support provided to both staff and schools.

We are satisfied with the results of the trial, and would like to formally invite all CEB staff to start using the system where appropriate.

By sending ICT requests to helpdesk@dobcel.catholic.edu.au, a ticket is created which can be assigned to available ICT staff. This ensures that job progress can be tracked more efficiently, helping to provide a prompt and reliable service delivery.

From this point forward, all support requests should be sent to the helpdesk email address.

If you have any questions or concerns about the new system, please let us know and we can talk through them, but from the feedback of the trial process, the experience has been well received so far.

If you have general questions or queries, please feel free to keep using either hmchlachlan@dobcel.catholic.edu.au or dbourke@dobcel.catholic.edu.au 

CEB Employee Enrichment Scholarship 2022

We invite eligible CEB employees to apply for an Enrichment Scholarship for 2022.

The intent of the Enrichment Scholarship is a commitment to:

• professional and spiritual renewal supporting capability and growth
• enhancing wellbeing through opportunities for reflection, renewal, and learning; and
• aligning enrichment opportunities with CEB strategic priorities.

Up to four Enrichment Scholarships will be available to CEB employees in 2022. Further information regarding the Enrichment Scholarship, eligibility and how to apply are outlined in this memo.  Members of the Leadership team are ineligible for this scholarship.

Applications for the Enrichment Scholarship 2022 should be submitted via email to Ange Jones by Friday 17 September.

Staff Prayer

A reminder that Staff Prayer will take place remotely on the morning of Monday 30 August at 8.30am. The google meet link and the prayer for the session will be on our SIMON homepage on Monday.

Staff Wellbeing Support through Converge International

Catholic Education Ballarat, on behalf of the Diocese of Ballarat Catholic Education Limited (DOBCEL), has contracted services with Converge International to support staff wellbeing.

The contract provides a range of services under an Employee Assist Program, commonly referred to as the EAP.  For information about these services and how to access them, please review Staff Wellbeing Converge International Services.

For leadership, there are options to support you in your leadership and caring for the wellbeing of your staff. These services may be beneficial in addition to the other services and support available in partnership with Catholic Education Ballarat. We encourage you to access the services as they may be helpful.  For information about these services, costs and how to access them, please review Converge International additional services.

For more information about the EAP or Converge International, contact Ange Jones via email or on 0400 831 040.

Final Converge International Wellbeing Webinar

Our final Converge International seminar is next Tuesday 31 August from 4-5pm – Looking After Yourself and Others Post-Crisis. You can register for the session here. 

Recordings of each session will be available for 30 days following the seminar. Recordings of previous sessions are now available (updated) and session handouts can be accessed via the seminar overview.

For more information on the webinar series, don’t hesitate to contact Ange Jones via email or on 0400 831 040.

R U OK? Day – 9 September 2021

This year’s theme for R U OK? Day is “Staying Connected”. We know the most powerful way for staff to feel connected is through relationships with their colleagues and the support they experience.  It’s an understatement to say it’s been a trying year. 

We’ve all experienced major disruption in our lives, whether in lockdown, remote learning, returning onsite, and at times somewhere in between. We have a way to go to get through this pandemic and we need to pace ourselves and focus on what matters.  For many, what matters most is maintaining solid relational connection with our workmates and feeling supported by them.  This helps us all cope a little better and get through this year in good shape. 

What can you do to acknowledge R U OK? Day 2021: 

• Is your gut instinct saying someone might not be doing so well? Perhaps they’re just not themselves and you’ve noticed a change in what they’re saying or doing? You’ve got what it takes to ask “are you ok?” and make a difference.  Start a conversation, get involved.

• For students, learning how to support their peers and talk about how they feel is an important life lesson, so where better to start than in the classroom? These resources for primary, secondary and tertiary educators and institutions will help students everywhere start a conversation.  Access R U OK? resources for educators.

• We are working with our EAP Partner, Converge International, for an online seminar for Thursday 9 September (likely from 3.30 to 5.30 pm).  If you’re interested in joining us, put this time aside in your calendar now.  More to follow.

Urgent Help Required! Shepparton Foodshare needs our Support

With a third of the Shepparton community in lockdown the demands for support from organisations like Foodshare have been overwhelming.

How can you help?

Shepparton Foodshare urgently requires financial support so they can purchase food for the growing number of families in need. If you can support this great organisation, please visit Shepparton Foodshare, click on DONATE in the top menu, and make a donation. It’s easy to do and takes no time at all. Most of all, you can be reassured that the funds will be put to good use immediately and donations are tax deductible. 

Please do not be deterred by the statement on their home page which says, ‘Foodshare does not provide food to individuals’, they have diversified their service to meet the overwhelming demand for help. If you think you can help, please visit the Shepparton Foodshare website.

Every little bit helps. Thank you!

Staff Birthdays

We hope these staff enjoy their special day…