CEB Staff Newsletter #41 - 15 December 2023

Message from the Executive Director

To my staff, both familiar faces and our newer staff who joined us throughout the year, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for all the work and effort you have invested in your roles throughout the year. Together, we are making a profound impact on the lives of 18,500 students across our diocese.

Our shared commitment to being exemplary in governance and service is truly appreciated by our Board and schools. I have visited all our schools at least once over the year,  in each of our schools, principals express their deep appreciation for your work. I too express my deepest appreciation to each one of you. Your efforts throughout 2023 have been terrific.

Each week, our teams quietly collaborate with schools, impacting not only locally but also at the state level. Sometimes we are helping and guiding schools and their staff in our normal service and governance provision, at other times we are helping and guiding schools and their staff through complex and sensitive matters.

As we approach the end of the year, I wish each of you a calm and restful Christmas break. Before finishing for the year, I encourage those in or visiting the Ballarat office to view the wonderful Nativity Scene displayed at reception. Thank you to Kate Lawry and Susan Crowe for putting this together.

I will be finishing up a few days early this year to go on a long awaited family holiday to Canada for our first white Christmas, we had planned to do this in 2020 but like many things it had to be postponed due to Covid.

While I’m away Matt Byrne will be the Acting Executive Director.

Thank you once again and Merry Christmas.

Bishop's Christmas Appeal 2023

Please see below a letter regarding the Bishop’s Christmas Appeal for 2023. The letter shows how funds have been distributed this year.

Thank you for your continuing generosity towards this appeal.

CEB Staff Meetings 2024

Please download the attachment below for the list of CEB Staff Meetings, dates, times and locations being held in 2024. 

A whole staff CEB meeting has been introduced for Term 4 as it was identified that as a whole staff group, we do not have the opportunity to meet face to face from July through to the following March. This new meeting will lead into the whole staff Mass and dinner.

The Mass and dinner are an opportunity for CEB to recognise the important role that your partners play in their support of you and is a small way in which CEB can say thank you to them. With numbers increasing every year, we are looking forward to seeing more staff and partners in 2024.

2024 DOBCEL/CEB Meeting Calendar FINAL

Please click the link below to download the final version of the 2024 DOBCEL/CEB calendar.

2024 Meeting Calendar

Culture Amp 12 Month Self-Reflections

                                     DUE NOW!!

A reminder that 12-month self-reflections for the CEB office should now be complete! Please ensure all self-reflections are complete before leaving for the Christmas break. 

• For instructions to update the status of goals and complete the self-reflection click here.
• For team leaders click here for instructions.

If you have any questions about Culture Amp please speak with Fiona Murphy or Tania Lund.

Article submitted by Fiona Murphy.

CEB Christmas Giving - Thank You!

In the true spirit of giving, we want to express our deepest appreciation for your enthusiastic participation in our CEB Christmas Giving. The kindness and generosity from our staff across all CEB offices will touch the lives of those less fortunate, bringing comfort and joy during this festive season.

The Ballarat office has raised a generous total donation of $470 and provided non-perishable items to St Vinnies, Wendouree.

Thank you for participating in these meaningful initiatives throughout our diocese to create positive change in our communities.

Article submitted by Tania Lund.

People and Development Update

 In 2024, CEB will launch a new CEB Workplace Giving Program. The Workplace Giving Program aims to promote and support action in advancing the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. As part of the program we have carefully selected two agencies, who live out the principles of Catholic social teaching which were the focus of our last two formation days held at VEMI in Macedon.  

The two selected partners are the Ballarat Catholic Bishop’s Charitable Fund and Caritas Australia.  

Donating to these agencies through workplace giving allows you to make regular donations through your pre-tax pay. Small contributions can have a big impact and every dollar can change lives. Participating staff can select any amount of money to contribute pre-tax from their fortnightly pay to contribute to one or both partners and can change these amounts at any time.  

 Click here to view the CEB Workplace Giving Program FAQs or to participate in the program complete the CEB Workplace Giving Payroll Form, which is accessible via Knowledge Banks, and submit via email to payroll@dobcel.catholic.edu.au. The program will officially commence the pay cycle starting 29 January 2024.   

The current staff donation scheme concluded on the 1 December 2023, and we would like to extend appreciation to those who have participated for your support and generosity. Your contributions have made a significant impact to those supported by Catholic Mission – Myanmar and various agencies throughout the years via the Office Donation Fund. 

 We look forward to providing you with updates on the CEB Workplace Giving Program in the future. 

Please contact Tania Lund, Staff Wellbeing & Engagement Advisor if you have any questions on the program. 

Article submitted by Tania Lund.

Staff News

With the year drawing to a close, we are pleased to announce that in the first two weeks we will have some new faces in the Ballarat Office. 

Damian Ferrari

Damian will be joining us on Monday 15 January as Case Manager: Complaint Resolution. Damian comes to us from Orange Door in Ballarat where he was the Service System Navigator. Prior to that, Damian worked for Victoria Police Force for over 30 years with one of his roles being Officer in Charge of Ararat Police Station.  

Nadia Warnes

Nadia begins her role as Executive Assistant to the Deputy Director: Stewardship on Thursday 18 January. Nadia has significant experience in events management where she has been the Conference and Sales manager for VIC/TAS/SA and WA for Accor and more recently the Conference and Events Corporate Manager for Mercure Ballarat.  

Gerard Delaney

Gerard joins us as Marketing and Communications Manager and will begin his role on Thursday 18 January. Gerard is very familiar with Catholic Education, coming to us from MACS/CECV where he was employed as a Media Advisor. He was also the Executive Officer- Communications and Public Affairs for Queensland Catholic Education Commission and the Manager- Communications and Marketing for the Catholic Education Office for the Diocese of Rockhampton.  

Sarah McKnight

Sarah will be joining us on Monday 29 January as Education Officer: Learning and Teaching. Sarah will be seconded from Damascus College where she was the Instructional Development Leader for 2023. 

Article submitted by Sarah Hanley.

SIMON Team - Last Day BBQ

The SIMON Team would like to invite the Ballarat Diocesan Education Offices around the land to participate in some last day festivities on Thursday 21 December. Staff are invited to dress as something culturally significant to themselves.

In Ballarat, the SIMON Team will be cooking up a sausage sizzle and we invite other offices to do something similar, feel free to bring a salad to contribute.

As the day progresses, please feel free to share photos with Marketing & Communications.

Article submitted by Kevin Brodie.

Christmas Shutdown Cleaning Schedule - Gillies Street Office

Please note that the last day for cleaning at the Gillies Street Office over the Christmas Shutdown Period will be on Friday 22 December.

Carpet steam cleaning is taking place on Monday 8 January and cleaners will commence back in the office in the afternoon on Friday 12 January. They will undertake a detailed clean prior to return of staff on Monday 15 January when the normal cleaning schedule will resume. 

It is also requested that all staff please remove anything from the fridges in the staff room prior to the closure period.

Anything left behind will be thrown out.

Article submitted by Ash Wiseman.

Gillies Street - Office Chairs

The new office chairs have now arrived at Gillies St and the old ones have been relocated to the shed in the car park. Staff will have the opportunity up until the Christmas shutdown to take these home for personal use on a first in basis.

Access to the shed will be made available via Reception.

If you have any questions, please contact Penelope Irish on email or on ph. 0429 473 351.

Article submitted by Ash Wiseman.

Central Zone Mass - Ballarat Diocese

CEB staff are invited to join colleagues from Central Zone Primary and Secondary School communities to celebrate the beginning of the 2024 school year with mass at St Patrick's Cathedral. Further details can be found below.

For those who do not work in the Ballarat Office you might like to enquire how your local community is marking the start of the year.

Article submitted by Jo-Anne Bond.

CEB Payroll – Advanced Processing

In line with the upcoming office closure, please find below deadlines and information regarding the upcoming pays over December and January. If you have any questions, please email Payroll.

Any changes to deductions, banking, superannuation, or taxation details will also have the same cutoff time as leave entries and approvals.

Salary Packaging files from Smart Salary and Paywise have also been requested early, if you have any planned changes to your Salary Packaging arrangements, please get in contact directly with either Smart Salary or Paywise AS SOON AS POSSIBLE so it can have every possible chance of making it into the correct pay.

Leave Notes:

• Please ensure leave is entered and approved in ELMO by managers by 6pm on the date listed above to be included in the applicable payrun
• You do not need to enter Public Holidays or the Gifted Leave in ELMO
• Instructions on how to enter or approve leave in ELMO are on the ELMO home page just under “My Team”
• It remains managers responsibility to ensure all leave entries are entered into ELMO and leave balances are not exceeded

Casual Timesheets, Contract Variations, New Starters & Terminations Notes:

• Please ensure timesheets are approved and emailed to payroll@dobcel.catholic.edu.au by 10am on the date listed above
• Any changes to contracts, new starters or terminations, please ensure all the required details and documents are provided to People & Development in adequate time, allowing for the People & Development team to submit per the above deadlines

Remember, to ensure you are paid correctly and within the correct timeframe, as a CEB staff member it is your responsibility to ensure your leave is entered correctly and prior to the due dates. Anything received outside of the above deadlines will be actioned in the next available payrun.

Article submitted by Chris Young.