Executive Director’s Update to Principals #44 - 14 September 2023
Request for Student-Free Days and Notification of School Closure Days (Primary Schools)
Schools are asked to complete the form at the following link here regarding proposed Student Free Days and School Closure Days in 2024. All DOBCEL Primary Schools are asked to please complete the form by Friday, 3rd November 2023.
Please refer to the attached documentation to support your understanding of the definitions and procedures relating to allocating Student Free Days and School Closure days.
When planning your school calendar, please keep in mind formation opportunities in Catholic identity for your staff.
A separate process will be shared with DOBCEL Secondary Schools.
Crucial Conversations Workshop – 2024 Dates
In 2024, the 2-day Crucial Conversations workshop will be run four times, once per term at various locations around the Diocese. If demand warrants, further workshops will be added to the calendar throughout the year.
For your advanced planning purposes, the dates for 2024 will be advertised as follows -
Term 1 - Week 5
- Ballarat location
- Wed/Thur 28 & 29 Feb
Term 2 - Week 7
- Warrnambool location
- Tue/Wed 28 & 29 May
Term 3 - Week 7
- Swan Hill or Mildura location
- Tue/Wed 3 & 4 Sep
Term 4 - Week 6
- Location TBD based on participant locations
- Tue/Wed 12 & 13 Nov
The cost per participant is still to be confirmed (due to unknown training material costs for 2024) but is estimated at $650 for the two days, including training materials (plus any travel and accommodation expenses).
These dates will be advertised on the DOBCEL Professional Learning calendar and will be open for anyone to register and attend.
If you would like to discuss the possibility of running a Crucial Conversations workshop at your school, please contact Fiona Murphy via email or on 04473 371 177 to discuss.
FIRE Carrier Forum Day - Friday 20 October
What is a FIRE Carrier?
'FIRE carriers are students and staff who share a passion for learning about First Nations culture and history and are committed to sharing this knowledge and promoting Reconciliation within and beyond the school community. To be a FIRE Carrier is to exercise an important role in the school community to further reconciliation and support First Nations people' (FIRE Carrier Program Information Booklet)
How does my school participate?
Opening the Doors Foundation, with the support of DOBCEL and the Ballarat Diocesan Secondary Principals, are facilitating a FIRE Carrier Forum Day on Friday 20 October in Ballarat (Venue to be announced) for all Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Ballarat.
The Forum Staff Day will provide representatives from participating schools both primary and secondary (likely the Principal and a couple of others depending on the size of the school and roles):
- an Introduction to the program, including the history, roles, Opening the Doors Foundation and Aboriginal Catholic Ministry (ACM)
- exploration of the Covenant and actions aligned to cultural recognition and awareness, spirituality and practical recognition and justice
- the role of the program sitting above the RAP
- workshop opportunities on the Covenant and barriers for schools to address.
Those schools that participate could then look to a Commissioning as a FIRE Carrier school at the start of the 2024 year.
Please advise of your interest in the program by completing this form by Friday 6 October.
For further details, please contact Jeanette Morris or Tim O'Farrell.
30+8 & TIL Forums (Primary Schools)
Further to our discussions at the recent online Diocesan Leadership Gathering, we are scheduling three online forums to bring together the Primary Principals of similar sized schools to discuss how they are managing the implementation of the 30 + 8 and Time in Lieu. Maree Baker, Manager Human Resources, will be in attendance. Attendance is optional, however we are keen to hear and learn from your experiences. We will arrange a separate event for Secondary Principals via your Education Consultant, Tim O'Farrell.
Please register your attendance below at the session that best suits your school size.
Small Schools:
- Wednesday 11 October
- 11.00am -12.30pm
Medium Schools:
- Tuesday 17 October
- 10.30am – 12.00pm
Large Schools:
- Wednesday 18 October
- 11.00am – 12.30pm