CEB Staff Newsletter #6 - 18 February 2022
Sister Anne Forbes - RIP
Today we received news of the passing of Sister Anne Forbes. Please see the message below from Mary Ryan of the Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea.
"This is to inform you that Sister Anne Forbes died peacefully in the early hours of this morning at Mercy Place Ballarat. Anne’s ministry was primarily in education in the Ballarat Diocese. She was a founding staff member at St Martins in the Pines (1967), now Damascus College. Anne also taught at St Patrick’s College Ballarat. Anne was the Diocesan Director of Caritas for some years, a work which she loved. Anne also spent time in Timboon and Wendouree Parishes, sharing her music ability and visiting the locals.
In Ballarat especially, Anne became a champion advocate for the East Timorese for many years. She made a home for many East Timorese students who came to Ballarat for education and created a safe haven for these young people, they treasure her presence in their lives today.
Anne was a woman of Justice and Mercy.
Anne’s funeral will be held on Friday 25th February at St Alipius Church, Ballarat East at 1pm. The funeral will be livestreamed. Please contact Pat Cashin Funerals for details."
Staff Announcements
Tim O’Shea
We are delighted to welcome to the SIMON Team as a Web Developer. Tim comes to us from Federation University where he worked as a Web Development/Programmer with the CeRDI research team.
Chai Venkatesh
We are saddened to be farewelling Chai from the SIMON Development Team after 4.5 years. Chai has been a terrific member of the team and we wish her well as she gives up the commute from Melbourne to better support her family. Chai’s last day with us will be Wednesday 16 March.
Latest COVID Updates For CEB
Vaccination Booster Requirements.
To limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) within the population of school settings, Victoria’s Minister for Health has released COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination (Specific Facilities) Order 2022 (no. 5) (the ‘Order’).
The Order, as updated from time to time, impose obligations on DOBCEL as the operator of Catholic primary and secondary schools in the Diocese of Ballarat in relation to the vaccination of employees, contractors and volunteers.
Critical Dates
- By 25 February 2022, all education workers fully vaccinated with two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine on or before 25 October 2021 are to be fully vaccinated (boosted) with an approved COVID-19 vaccine, unless a medical exemption applies, and to show evidence of their vaccination status.
- By 15 March 2022, all education workers fully vaccinated with two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine after 25 October 2021 are to be fully vaccinated (boosted) with an approved COVID-19 vaccine, unless a medical exemption applies, and to show evidence of their vaccination status.
This Order applies to all DOBCEL employees. To ensure you are aware of the obligations for education workers in a DOBCEL education facility resulting from the Order, all DOBCEL employees must read and comply with:
Vaccination Status Required
In compliance with the Order, all Catholic Education Ballarat employees are formally requested to provide evidence of their COVID-19 booster vaccination (or medical exemption) to the Assistant Director People and Development via covid@dobcel.catholic.edu.au no later than the following dates:
- If you were fully vaccinated on or before 25 October 2021, please provide evidence of your booster vaccination by COB 24 February 2021.
- If you became fully vaccinated after 25 October 2021, please provide evidence of your boost vaccination by COB 14 March 2022.
Vaccination information may be recorded in a variety of documents, such as a letter from a medical practitioner, a certificate of immunisation, or an immunisation history statement obtained from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
There are different options for all staff to provide evidence of COVID-19 vaccination:
- COVID-19 digital certificate using the Service Victoria app or Medicare app.
- COVID-19 digital certificate in a smartphone wallet.
- a current COVID-19 digital certificate issued by Services Australia and displayed through the Medicare App, Service Victoria App, or equivalent smartphone wallet, that states that a person is unable to receive a dose, or a further dose, of any COVID-19 vaccine that is available in Australia.
- A printed copy of the COVID-19 digital certificate.
An education worker may be an excepted person if they are able to show that they meet the relevant exemption requirements under the Order.
Where a new or existing employee is unable to meet the required deadlines to be fully vaccinated (boosted) with an approved COVID-19 vaccine, they will be deemed to be either partially vaccinated or unvaccinated and will not be able to attend for duties on-site.
For a confidential discussion or questions about this requirement please speak with your Team Leader in the first instance. If further advice is required you can reach out to Ange Jones (Assistant Director People and Development) or Maree Baker (HR Manager).
Rapid Antigen Test Kits (RATs) Supply.
We have purchased a nominal amount of Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) Kits for CEB office staff enabling the recommended voluntary, twice-weekly testing at home prior to attending work onsite.
Kits were distributed to regional offices for staff who operate from Warrnambool, Horsham, Mildura, and Swan Hill office locations.
Rapid antigen tests are most reliable when used by someone who has symptoms of COVID-19.
Click here for a guide to when and how to use these tests.
For CEB staff who work in the Ballarat office, please see;
Simon O’Brien (Risk Assurance Officer)
sobrien@dobcel.catholic.edu.au
mobile: 0421 000 325
Two kits (of five individual tests) will be provided to each CEB staff member on request initially. We will revisit and prioritise those people working in schools if supplies begin to run low.
Rapid antigen tests are most reliable when used by someone who has symptoms of COVID-19.
From the Assistant Director: People & Development
New Ministerial Order.
Last week the Ministerial Order 1359 - Implementing the Child Safe Standards- Managing the Risk of Child Abuse in Schools and School Boarding Premises was published. The Department of Education and Training (DET) has stated that this will soon become available on their PROTECT website. DET has also advised that we can expect new guidance, policies, and other resources to become available to schools in mid-March. CEB, alongside the other three Catholic dioceses, is involved in the consultation for the development of these resources.
CEB has a strong commitment to update, replace or create documents that are contextually relevant for our schools and locations. The Manager of Safeguarding and Standards has developed an ‘inform, feedback and consultation plan’ for policies which will involve the Diocesan Child Safety Network, Principals, Educational Consultants, various CEB teams, Standing Committees, and Safeguarding Reference Group prior to DOBCEL Board for policy ratification.
Given the limited time available, information, feedback, and consultation opportunities will be timebound and dynamic, as well as determined by the actual date of the DET policy release. Important updates will continue to be provided via this newsletter.
Thank you all in advance for your patience and flexibility.
From the Manager: Planning & Infrastructure
Gillies Street Office - Carpark.
The carpark at the Gillies Street office is now fully operational - so we take the opportunity to remind all staff that entry to the carpark is only from Gregory Street and the exit is onto Gillies Street only.
Please do not enter from Gillies Street.
Over time some further carpark improvements will take place with line-marking to be repainted and some planting to occur.
Gillies Street Office - Heating and Cooling.
The main heating and cooling systems at the Gillies Street office were replaced and upgraded earlier this week. These updated systems operate on what is called a Building Management System (BMS) that has been set to a constant temperature of 22 degrees in accordance with recommended guidelines and it will automatically turn on in the morning and off in the evening.
Some individual meeting rooms and the staff room operate independently of this system and can be turned on and off using the local wall controller.
Gillies Street Office - Waste Management.
New waste bins have been provided at various stations throughout the building to assist us in becoming better at recycling and managing our waste.
Did you know that 85% of office waste is recyclable? Of the remaining 15% – most of it will fit neatly into a Desktop Mini Bin so we also have some of these available, that can be collected from the Staffroom.
These mini bins will be your responsibility to empty but with proper use, these Mini Bins don't need to be emptied more than any other bin as hardly anything needs to go to a landfill!
If anyone is willing to commit to taking home any office compost, we are also happy to provide a small bin for this purpose so please see Kate Lawry to arrange.
Horsham Office - Update.
Did you know that the fob that we use at Gillies Street also gets you into the Horsham Office? There is no need for a key, just swipe the card reader and you are in.
We have also recently relocated some office furniture from Lyons Street to Horsham so now there are several workstations available for you to use as a hot desk whilst working within the Horsham Region and there are a couple of meeting rooms available also. Click on the link to see some photos of the Horsham office’s new fit out.