CEB Staff Newsletter #36 - 14 October 2022
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.
Catholic Education Ballarat Staff Formation
Our staff formation experience at Mt. Macedon, two weeks ago was a great success.
Thank you to everyone for the way that you entered the two days. It was a wonderful opportunity to explore what is at the heart of the Catholic story and vision and the implications of this for our contemporary world. It was also another important opportunity for us to build the culture of our organisation as we developed greater relationships with each other.
Many thanks to the following colleagues who prepared and/or facilitated our workshops:
Matt Byrne, Bernadette Luckman, Kim Hawkes, Megan Ioannou, Paul Jans, Bernie Tolan, Jo-anne Van der Voort, Justin McInerney, Tim O’Farrell, Murray Macdonald, Jo-Anne Bond and Jim Waight.
These sessions were an opportunity for us to connect Catholic Social Teaching with the world in which we live and work.
Sarah Johnson did a magnificent job regarding the organisation of the event, which ran so smoothly. Thanks also to Kerrie Zammit for providing us with the entertainment/games during and after dinner.
Thank you to Matt Byrne for driving the bus to and from Mt. Macedon and for ferrying people between the two venues, this was a very welcome addition.
We would be most grateful if you may be able to take a moment to reflect upon your experience of the formation days and provide some feedback here.
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).
People and Development
Blended Work Arrangement Update.
Blended Work Arrangement (BWA) for 2022 are due to expire at the end of the current school year (Jan 2023).
CEB committed to conducting a review of the Blended Working Arrangement. This review was held throughout Term 3, in consultation with all Team Leaders. A recommendation of two distinct arrangements was made to Directorate, and accepted, aligning to the feedback we received from the review and survey.
These two arrangements are intended to reflect that the nature and way of working is different for office-based roles and those who frequently work in schools. That is:
- BWA for staff who are predominantly office-based; and
- BWA for staff who are regularly school based.
While mostly unchanged, the Blended Work Agreement Operating Procedure has been updated to reflect this variation.
CEB staff are invited to apply for a new Blended Working Arrangement for 2023. Should you wish to apply for a BWA in 2023, please return your completed application to your Team Leader by 11 November 2022.
You can access a copy of the updated BWA Operating Procedure, which includes the application process, responsibilities, and application form here or via Knowledge Banks:
Please note, approval of a BWA request is conditional on the home office endorsement by the OHS Coordinator.
If you have any questions about the Blended Work Agreement, please speak with your Team Leader in the first instance or contact the Human Resources Team.
ELMO Performance and Development Portal coming soon.
In this 35 second video, ‘Frank the Explainer’ shares some insights into the new ELMO Performance and Development Portal which will be ready to use in November.
Click here to meet Frank!
Staff Room Reminder - Ballarat Office
We are very fortunate to have a staff room with great facilities available each day.
With two dishwashers available on rotation, all staff have the shared responsibility to stack them appropriately and turn them on when full. Overloading or adding items that should be washed by hand because they are too large, such as platters, prevents the machine from operating properly.
Please ensure you use the dishwashing tablets available in the cupboard next to the machine.
Thank you for your support in this matter.
Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community
Catholic Education Ballarat
- Payroll Officer – to commence November 2022 (closes 17 October)
- Policy and Governance Administrator – to commence November 2022 (closes 24 October)
- Data and Information Analyst – Project Opportunity – 10-week maximum appointment (closes 24 October)
- Compliance and Risk Support Officers (CARSOs) – 2 positions, one each based in the Ballarat and Horsham Offices (closes 31 October)