CEB Staff Newsletter #58 - 6 June 2025
- Staff News
- Celebrating the 2025 Spirit of Catholic Education Award Winners
- Pilgrims of Hope October Formation Experience Update
- Early Career Teachers (ECT) Session in the North
- Support Gemma in ‘Dancing With Our Stars’!
- People and Development Updates
- Social Justice Update
- Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community
Staff News
Farewell and Thank You – Sushant and Shraddha
This week we say farewell to two valued members of our team, Sushant Thapa and Shraddha Khatiwada – whose last day with us is today.
Sushant joined the organisation in February 2022, followed by Shraddha in May 2022, both as SIMON Web Developers. Over the past three years, both have played a key role in the development and enhancement of our digital platforms, helping to shape a more responsive and effective SIMON experience for schools.
Their technical expertise, collaborative approach and commitment to quality have been deeply appreciated across the organisation. Beyond their contributions to the platform itself, both Sushant and Shraddha have brought warmth and positivity to the team and will be missed both professionally and personally.
We thank them for their dedication and wish them all the very best for their next chapter.
It's National Donut Day!
Staff at Catholic Education Ballarat offices in Ballarat, Horsham and Warrnambool joined in the fun of National Donut Day!
The celebration brought smiles, laughter - and of course - plenty of donuts, as teams came together to mark the occasion. National Donut Day is more than a sugary treat. Click here to find out more information about this wonderful treat and the history of National Donut Day.
By gathering for this light-hearted celebration, staff enjoyed a delicious moment of connection.
Thank you to everyone who joined in - and shared a donut or two! Thank you to Executive Assistant to the Deputy Director: Catholic Education, Elise Hart, for organising this wonderful initiative for us all to enjoy together!
Staff Drinks, Friday 13 June!
Dear colleagues,
It's time for a catch up!
Western Hotel - Friday 13 June from 4.45pm! Feel free to bring along a friend or family, pop in for a quick hello or stay a while. We know that not all staff from CEB are in Ballarat, and you may consider meeting with your colleagues from other CEB sites in a local venue.
There is no obligation, just an invitation to gather, buy yourself a drink and have a social chat with one another. We look forward to seeing you at the Western Hotel, 1221 Sturt St, from 4.45 pm on Friday 13 June!
Please hit 'accept' on the calendar invite if you are planning on joining us (or send me an email if you can’t locate the invite).
Thanks
Jo-Anne
Celebrating the 2025 Spirit of Catholic Education Award Winners
We were delighted to announce the winners of the 2025 Spirit of Catholic Education Awards, during the Catholic Education Week Dinner on Friday, 30 May.
These prestigious awards honour individuals and teams who exemplify the values and mission of Catholic education through their dedication, leadership, and service. Chosen from a remarkable group of 15 nominees across the Diocese, this year’s winners have demonstrated exceptional commitment to fostering faith, community, and excellence.
Congratulations to the following 2025 Spirit of Catholic Education Award Winners –
Carmel Hanley, Lumen Christi Primary School Delacombe, Principal
Nominated for: SCHOOL AS COMMUNITY
Chris Young, Catholic Education Ballarat, Team Leader: Payroll
Nominated for: COLLABORATIVE CULTURES
Jacinta Skilbeck (Director Faith & Mission), Natasha Cummings (Social Justice & Community Service Coordinator) & Natalie Elliot-Jackson (Learning Diversity Assistant), Emmanuel College Warrnambool
Nominated for: SCHOOL AS COMMUNITY
Ned Baldwin, St Alipius Primary School Ballarat East, Maintenance and Garden Worker
Nominated for: SCHOOL AS COMMUNITY
You can click on the name to read the full nomination.
Their contributions reflect the core principles of the DOBCEL Strategy 2035 - Deeper Collaboration, Networked Local Innovation, and Collective Autonomy and Agency - and serve as an inspiration to all within our Catholic education community.
We commend all nominees for their outstanding work and thank them for the positive impact they continue to make in the lives of students, families, and colleagues.
We proudly congratulate our 30 Years of Service to Catholic Education Award recipients for their unwavering dedication and faithful service to Catholic education - your commitment inspires us all.
To learn more about the winners and their inspiring stories, please visit the DOBCEL website.
Let us continue to celebrate and support those who embody the true spirit of Catholic education.
Pilgrims of Hope October Formation Experience Update
Thank you to all those who have registered for the Pilgrims of Hope formation experience in October. At the moment there are 89 people who have put in their preferences. If you have not registered for an event click here to nominate your choice. Every effort will be made to ensure that at least one of your first three preferences are met.
To explore each of our Pilgrims of Hope formation experiences please watch this video or the following presentation to assist in making your choice.
Registrations will close next Friday 13th June. Following that, groups will be organised and you will be notified of your Pilgrimage choice by Friday 4th July.
Early Career Teachers (ECT) Session in the North
After a couple of false starts, our 2nd/3rd Year Early Career Teachers session in the North finally went ahead this week at St Mary’s, Robinvale. It was a wonderful example of cross-team collaboration, with contributions from Catholic Identity & Mission, Wellbeing, and Learning & Teaching.
A special thank you to Samantha Meerbach, Jim Waight, Carmel Clarke, Monique Ryan, Ellen Dowie, and Helen Christensen for leading the Our Story Matters – Empowering Voices session.
Support Gemma in ‘Dancing With Our Stars’!
We are incredibly proud to share again that our very own Miss Johnson has bravely stepped up to take part in this year’s ‘Dancing With Our Stars’ - a wonderful fundraising event run by the Ballarat Foundation.
This community initiative raises vital funds to support those experiencing hardship across our region. Every dollar raised goes toward creating brighter futures through local food programs, education support, mental health services and more.
To help Gemma reach her fundraising goal, she’s running an exciting Raffle - and she’d love your help!
🎟️Tickets are just $5 each or 3 for $10
🧊First Prize: 6 premium tickets in a Superbox to a spectacular live ice performance at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday, 20th July at 2:00 PM (please note: food and drinks are not included)
🧊Second Prize: 4 premium tickets in a Superbox to a spectacular live ice performance at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday, 20th July at 2:00 PM (please note: food and drinks are not included)
👗Third Prize: A $200 voucher for Jericho Road Clothing
This is a fantastic opportunity to support a great cause and go in the running to win some incredible prizes.
Scan the QR code on our posters around the school or visit the link below to purchase your tickets today!
https://rafflelink.com.au/dwos-gemma
Let’s rally behind Miss Johnson as she takes to the stage and helps make a lasting difference in our community.
Thank you for your generous support!
People and Development Updates
6-Month Self-Reflection/Annual Review Process - Goes Live Tuesday 10 June 2025
The 6-month self-reflection process for the CEB office opens on Tuesday 10 June 2025. The self-reflection process aims to ensure an opportunity for conversation to affirm and reflect on your achievements to date in 2025 and provide space to discuss and capture any support or growth and development opportunities for delivering on the goals you set for 2025.
Each person will receive an email from Culture Amp (notifications@cultureamp.com) containing a link to complete the self-reflection. You can access your self-reflection via the email or by logging into your Culture Amp account. The link to the self-reflection is located on the home page.
Before completing your self-reflection, you should update the status of your goals. Once you’ve completed the self-reflection, submit it to your team leader; and expect to have a meeting to discuss your reflections.
6-month self-reflections and meetings should be completed by Friday, 17 July 2025.
Instructions for updating the status of goals and completing the self-reflection can be found here.
If you have any questions about Culture Amp please speak with Fiona Murphy or Emma Baldwin.
2025 Employee Engagement Survey Results
Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2025 Employee Engagement Survey and for those who were able to join us for the debrief session this morning. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us build a stronger, more connected workplace.
For those who couldn’t attend - or if you’d like to revisit the discussion - we’ve made the session recording and results slides available:
Watch the Recording
View the Results Slides
Some result highlights –
- 118 staff provided feedback and shared almost 400 comments on their experiences working at CEB
- The CEB overall engagement scores is 78% (up from 72% in 2023)
- 93% of people responded to the survey
- 399 comments provided
- Biggest increases in category scores are Action (up 16%), overall Engagement (up 6%), leadership: Team Leader (up 5%) and Feedback and Recognition (up 5%).
All teams will have the opportunity to visit and discuss their team results over the coming weeks.
If you have any questions or thoughts you'd like to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Fiona Murphy or Emma Baldwin.
Social Justice Update
Response to the Cry of the Poor
Please find linked below the April edition of the Social Justice Trends magazine. In light of the Church's commitment to reconciliation, justice, and recognising the ongoing connection of Indigenous peoples to the land, I would encourage you to read the article on pg. 19 “What about the Uluru Statement” by Peter Arndt.
↳ Social Justice Trends - March 2025 - Office For Justice, Ecology and Peace
Upcoming Key Social Justice Dates:
World Oceans Day - Sunday 8th June 2025
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought - Tuesday 17th June 2025
World Refugee Day - Friday 20th June 2025
NAIDOC Week - Sunday 6th to Sunday 16th July 2025
World Day Against Trafficking in Persons - Wednesday 30th July 2025
Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community
CEB Positions
- Case Coordinator – Complaints Resolution – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 8 June)
- Speech Pathologist – fixed-term position at 0.5 FTE (closes 15 June)
Principal Recruitment
- Principal – St Brendan’s, Coragulac – fixed-term at 1.0 FTE (closes 15 June)
- Principal – St Patrick’s, Port Fairy – fixed-term at 1.0 FTE (closes 15 June)
- Principal – St Joseph’s, Penshurst – fixed-term at 1.0 FTE (closing 1 July)
- Principal – St Joseph’s, Coleraine – fixed-term at 1.0 FTE (closing 1 July)