CEB Staff Newsletter #35 - 7 October 2022

Connect with the DOBCEL Catholic Education Ballarat Platforms

Catholic Education Ballarat are pleased to formally announce the implementation of various social media platforms that provide opportunities for all members of the DOBCEL Community and beyond to connect and stay up to date with the latest!

With exciting campaigns on the horizon to promote staff recruitment and student enrolment across the Diocese, it would be appreciated to get as many CEB Staff connected as possible to help spread the good news of our own initiatives, our schools and beyond.

Please see the links below for the platforms.

Weather Alert

The ongoing La Nina weather event and recent rains have caused localised flooding across the Diocese.  This may result in some road closures.

For the immediate future, CEB staff need to check road conditions before travel to ascertain that it is safe to travel. If staff encounter flooding despite your check, you should not enter flood waters and return to your regular working location.  

Please contact schools to cancel or re-schedule any appointment impacted by road closures and contact your team leader. There are a number of weather alerts for rain and flooding being issued today.

For all latest information please visit the Vic Emergency website

Please reach out to your team leader if you have questions or concerns.

200 Gillies St - Front Entry and Reception now open

After considerable delays due to various issues, with many of them being beyond our control, we are delighted to advise you that the front entry and Reception at Gillies is now operational with Reception being staffed during the hours of 8:30am and 5:00pm Monday to Friday.

Reception will unlock the front door when they arrive each morning and the door will automatically lock at 5pm weekdays.

Outside of these hours staff can enter and exit via the front entry using their fob to enter and by pressing the green mushroom button, located adjacent to the front door, to exit. The airlock auto door will always be operational to ensure compliant emergency egress.

We ask that all visitors and deliveries access the office via Reception on Gillies St North.

Reflective/Prayer Space

Many thanks to Susan Crowe for setting up a place for reflection or prayer in the Chapel space in the Ballarat Office.

This space is open to all for prayer, contemplation or reflection. Please enter via the new foyer area. Communal prayer will take place here commencing on Friday 14th October at 8.30am.

Announcement of Retirement - Felicity Lane

Felicity Lane has announced that she will be transitioning to retirement in 2023 after a period of leave, effectively finishing up at the end of 2022. 

Felicity has served Catholic Education in the Ballarat Diocese for 42 years, the last 15 years as an Education Officer for Catholic Education Ballarat.

Felicity has worked across all zones within the Diocese, in both primary and secondary settings, and before moving to her role at CEB, taught at St Mary’s Clarkes Hill, St Columba's Ballarat, St Brendan’s Dunnstown, Lumen Christi and St Paul’s Mildura.

Felicity worked in various roles across her career including Classroom Teacher, Assistant Principal, REL and Education Officer - Learning & Teaching.

Felicity noted that she was grateful for the many and varied opportunities she has been given, for those who have guided her journey as an educator, for the colleagues and the friendships formed, for the welcomes received and the laughs along the way.

She expressed what joy it has been to work with teachers and students within schools, and particularly the classroom learning environment.

Felicity has always been passionate about education and every child’s right to learn and should be justifiably proud of her achievements.

CEB will have the opportunity to acknowledge Felicity’s great contribution to our Diocese over the past 42 years later in the year. 

Swan Hill Service Centre

Please be advised that the large meeting room at the Swan Hill Service Centre has been provided to St Mary’s Primary School for use as a classroom as they undertake some major capital works during Terms 4, 2022 and Term 1, 2023.

Any visiting DOBCEL staff can still utilise the side offices or alternatively St Mary’s PS will assist you in finding an appropriate space within the school should these not be suitable or already in use.

Thanks for your understanding.

Big Blue Table – Wednesday 19 October

A morning tea will be hosted in the Ballarat office lunchroom on Wednesday 19 October at 10.30am to raise funds for Beyond Blue. Every dollar raised will go towards funding Beyond Blue’s Support Service.

When someone feels alone, or overwhelmed, or like they don’t know what to do next – no matter who they are, where they live or what time of day it is – it's vital that they know Beyond Blue is there for them. This fundraising morning tea will help to ensure that Beyond Blue can answer every call!

The Big Blue Table is also a chance for us to come together to share food, to smash the stigma about mental health and do something for our own wellbeing.
If you would like to participate by bringing/making a food item for morning tea, please contact Kerrie Zammit.  We encourage other CEB service centres who would like to participate to arrange a local morning tea (contact Kerrie Zammit 03 4344 4350 for more information).

Staff News

Nicole Jenkins.

Nicole will be taking on a permanent position within the Wellbeing Team from January, working 0.6 FTE as an Education Officer: Learning Diversity.  We are delighted that Nic will continue in this capacity.

Maria Richards.

We are delighted to announce that Maria will be joining the Wellbeing Team as Education Officer: Learning Diversity from the beginning of 2023. Maria will be working part-time, supporting schools in the mid-North region of the Diocese and she comes to us from St Patrick’s College Ballarat where she has been the Enhanced Learning Coordinator and teaching Literacy and Mathematics.

Amber Innes.

We warmly welcomed Amber to the Marketing and Communications Team this week. Amber will be assisting Alexander Brodie with the delivery of e-correspondance and online content strategies to highlight the good news and events that are shared across the Diocese. Amber is a Marketing Graduate from Federation University.

Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community

Catholic Education Ballarat

• Leader: Learning and Teaching – to commence January 2023 (closes 7 October)
  
• Payroll Officer – to commence November 2022 (closes 17 October)
• Policy and Governance Administrator – to commence November 2022 (closes 24 October)