CEB Staff Newsletter #27 - 5 August 2022

Circuit Breaker Long Weekend and Catholic Education Ballarat Support

Over the next fortnight, many schools across the Diocese will be accessing the Circuit Breaker Long Weekend after considering the cumulative and current impact of the pandemic on their school setting. Given that there is some variance in the time that breaks are being taken, and in some cases, not being taken at all, CEB offices will be open and available to provide support across this period as normal.    

Workforce and student illness implications have placed enormous pressure on schools and families. It is important that CEB, as a governance and service entity, is available to support those schools who elect to continue to operate across this period. The extended office closure over the Christmas/New Year period is intended as ongoing recognition of CEB staff contributions.

Planned ICT Upgrades on Saturday 6th August

Our CEB ICT Team are undertaking some upgrades that require an electricity outage at 200 Gillies Street between 7:30am and 4:00pm on Saturday 6th August.  

Given this is a Saturday the impact should be minimal, but it is requested that ALL staff be off site during these hours.   

We also note that the following ICT services etc. may also be disrupted during this period:    

• Onsite: Access to internet, SIMON, Sharepoint, Desktop phones, payroll and finance systems, shared file server (z drive), printers.   
• Remote offices: SIMON, Sharepoint, Desktop phones.   
• External access to onsite services: SIMON, Sharepoint.  
• Phone system will be offline but all calls will by default route to our backup mobile number.
  

Should you have any queries please contact either Ashley Wiseman or Damian Foster regarding any ICT related issues. 

Planned Landscaping Works in 200 Gillies Street Driveway Entry on Monday 8th August

This coming Monday 8th August, further landscaping works are scheduled to be carried out in the Gillies Street carpark, this time along the driveway entry.

It is requested that all staff please use available on-street parking on this day to ensure clear access for these works to occur.

Please note that access to pool cars parked in the carpark will still be available on this day, but please take care when taking and returning vehicles.

If you have any queries, please contact either Ashley Wiseman or Penelope Irish.

Thank you for your cooperation. 

DOBCEL Board Director Visits

Ms Anne Pekin will be attending the Board Office in Ballarat on August 9 and 10, while Ms Helen Weadon will be in attendance on August 25. Both Directors will be available to staff if needed.

Catholic Education Ballarat - Staff Formation

On the 29th & 30th September our Catholic Education Ballarat Formation is taking place, with Formation for Mission as the focus. This is taking place at beautiful Mt. Macedon at the Victorian Emergency Management Institute. 

What is Formation for Mission? “Formation of Catholic Educational community members is Christ centred. It is an intentional, ongoing, and reflective process that focuses on growth.”  (NCEC; A Framework for formation for Mission in Catholic Education p.9).

It is important that formation respects and protects the religious and spiritual integrity of each person, and acknowledges that our community will have a diverse range of religious and spiritual perspectives. This does not diminish our responsibility to form people in the Catholic identity that underpins our schools without expecting them to conform to a ‘Catholic’ perspective that is not their own. Good formation should progress our ability to ‘dialogue’ with one another.  

These two days will be a way for us to explore Catholic culture and identity, and what is at the heart of all our work. This will be done by a combination of keynotes that are followed by workshops which participants will be able to choose. 

Content for the professional learning that we will experience is Catholic Social Teaching and the implications for all our many and varied roles across the organisation. To find out a little more of what Catholic Social Teaching is, the following links may be helpful. 

CST Tool Kit (designed for use in schools but gives a good overview of Catholic Social Teaching) 

Catholic Social Teaching in 3 minutes | CAFOD 

Please Indicate Your Attendance Below

Please complete the form (also accessible by the link below) by Friday 12 August to ensure the necessary arrangements can be made.

Please speak with your Team Leader if you cannot attend, and submit the appropriate leave form in ELMO by Wednesday 17 August. Also please note, you are still required to complete the Form as to provide an accurate attendance number.

Thank you for your efforts in completing this form, as it goes a long way to helping colleagues organise this fantastic opportunity for everyone to take part in our Formation.

175th Anniversary of All Saints Parish: Portland, Heywood & Dartmoor

Over the weekend of 27 and 28 August, celebrations will be held for the 175th anniversary of All Saints Parish Portland. All Saints is the oldest Parish in the Catholic Diocese of Ballarat. It was founded in 1847 by Bishop John Bede Polding OSB of Sydney with the first Parish Priest appointed being Rev Fr John Kavanagh who arrived in September 1847.

There will be several occasions where the Parishioners will celebrate the founding with the penultimate gathering taking place at the Sunday Mass on 28 August at 10.30am, which will be celebrated by Bishop Paul. Following the Mass there will be a commemorative tree planting and a luncheon.

If you would like to attend, please email Kerrie Zammit prior to Friday 12 August as the Parish requires confirmed numbers for seating and catering purposes.

Staff News

We Farewell:

Pauline Fahey

Pauline Fahey is currently working out of the Warrnambool Office as a Curriculum Adviser – Visiting Teacher offering support to schools in the Southern Zone.  This week Pauline tendered her resignation, effective 30 August to take up an opportunity at Murrupurtiyanuwu Catholic School on Bathurst Island with her partner Shoni. Pauline will be sorely missed after 25 years of service to Catholic Education Ballarat however we know that Pauline will have much to offer Murrupurtiyanuwu Catholic School and their students. 

In confirming her resignation Pauline stated “During my time at CEB I have been privileged to have worked alongside many professional, dedicated, and knowledgeable colleagues, all working in pursuit of the best outcomes for the students, teachers, and families of our Diocese.  I will miss these connections, the many chats, challenges, the laughs, and the friendships that I have made. I go however, excited as well as a little daunted, eager to experience the challenges that this new chapter holds for me.” 

We are sincerely grateful for the support Pauline has provided to students, schools and CEB during this lengthy period service. In accepting Pauline’s resignation Tom Sexton responded “Like you, I have mixed feelings in accepting your resignation, you will be a big loss to the diocese, on the other hand you are going to serve a community with much higher needs than exist in our diocese. I would like to thank you for your extensive service over 25 years - a remarkable achievement. I’m sure the many connections you have made during this time will remain strong. I wish and pray for your every success in the future.” 

We are well advanced with plans to find a replacement for Pauline which we expect will be for the remainder of the 2022 school year. The ongoing position, to commence 2023, will be advertised in the coming fortnight. 

Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community

Catholic Education Office Vacancies.

• Manager: ICT and Cybersecurity – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE in the Ballarat Office (closes 15 August) 

• Education Officer (Learning Diversity) – ongoing position at 0.5 FTE in the Horsham Office (closes 19 August)