Executive Director’s Update to Principals #50 - 30 October 2023
SchoolTV DOBCEL Engagement
As was presented at last week’s DLG, SchoolTV is partnering with DOBCEL to support your school community on their wellbeing journey.
In a world that is becoming increasingly complex, it is so important that schools feel empowered to better support the mental health and wellbeing of their community. This mental health and wellbeing initiative will be launched in 2024 to help support your school with parent, caregiver and community engagement in student wellbeing.
Your school will have their own SchoolTV website that includes a range of resources, videos and promotional materials to ensure ease of communication with your community to give students every opportunity to thrive.
Better wellbeing for all students starts at home. SchoolTV provides families with the practical tools and strategies to strengthen their parent-child relationships and empowers confidence in starting conversations, enabling understanding, building relationships and fostering connections.
To initiate your schools engagement, we ask that you complete the survey link below. The information we ask you to provide is essential to be able to create your website and ensure you receive all the necessary materials. We understand that it is an extremely busy time in schools, however, we ask that you please complete this at your earliest convenience. The survey asks for ‘school administration’ contacts. Your nominated School Administrator will be supported through the simple introductory steps to initiate establishment of your own SchoolTV website.
You can access the survey HERE.
Should you have any questions please contact Tony Perkins, Liz McIntyre or Mel Frost.
A Spiritual Heritage Pilgrimage to Ireland
It is with regret that we due to the current crisis overseas, that the hoped-for Holy Land pilgrimage in 2024 will not take place. As advised at last week’s DLG, we have contemplated many other options and have settled on the new iteration of a communal pilgrimage for Diocesan Principals in "A Spiritual Heritage Pilgrimage to Ireland." Acknowledging 150 years of the Ballarat Diocese in 2024 seems a fitting time to explore, through the lens of authentic Catholic Identity, our Dioceses’ connections with the past as so many migrants came from Ireland and founded our schools. The pilgrimage is an opportunity to go back to sources and locations of inspiration and through the communal experience, to follow a process that helps us discern new ways to express the Gospel as authentic, alive and fresh for our times.
Microsoft Form - A Spiritual Heritage Pilgrimage to Ireland
Please see the link to a Microsoft Form to indicate your interest to participate in the pilgrimage. It will not be assumed that commitment to the Holy Land Pilgrimage means commitment to the Irish Pilgrimage so I ask you to complete this new form.
If you have any further question, please contact Kate Lawry.
From Business Services
The decision by Catholic Church Insurances (CCI) to enter into run-off earlier this year means they are no longer renewing existing insurance policies. One of these was the Student Accident Policy which expires on 31 October.
We are pleased to announce that group Student Accident insurance has been secured for all DOBCEL schools through Lockton Companies Australia and underwritten by Arch Insurance. This policy largely mirrors the CCI policy that it replaces. Attached are copies of the Personal Accident and Sickness Policy for information and a copy of the Student Claim form for any claims commencing from 1 November.
Lockton’s will issue a Client Number and Policy Number shortly and we will advise schools of these once received to complete any new claims. A copy of this documentation will be stored for primary schools in the "School Finance & Administration" Knowledge Bank under "Insurance".
Please remove any CCI accident policy claim forms from 4pm tomorrow, noting that any existing CCI claims will continue to be managed by CCI until settled.
Any queries can be directed to Paul Jans, Assistant Director: Business Services.