Executive Director’s Update to Principals #9 - 7 March 2024
Principal Attestation for 2023
Principal Attestation checklists have been opened on CEVN, and are required to be completed by 27th March 2024. Your attestation will be automatically uploaded to the ARSC.
Annual Report to School Community (ARSC):
The 2023 ARSC has undergone a review following the engagement of a new software company - SmarterSoft. A simpler online process for completing the ARSC has been developed. Some headings have been changed and each school is required to complete fewer aspects of the ARSC. The report has been broken down into seven sections:
Section 1 - Vision, Mission, School/College overview and Principal’s Report
Section 2 - Catholic Identity and Mission
Section 3 - Learning and Teaching
Section 4 - Student Wellbeing
Section 5 - Leadership
Section 6 - Community Engagement
Section 7 - Financial Performance
As has been the practice for the last three years, some school data will already be uploaded in the template – including school information, NAPLAN data, student attendance, teacher qualifications and post school destinations (Secondary).
Principals can access SmarterSoft for preparation of their ARSC from Wednesday 20th March, 2024.
The ARSC 2023 must be completed by 10th May, 2024.
This new template does not allow for uploading of photos.
VRQA Minimum Standards and Child Safe Standards Compliance Reviews:
As a result of the new Memorandum of Understanding between the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) and Victorian Catholic Education Authority (VCEA), the VRQA Minimum Standards and Child Safe Standards Compliance Reviews will, from 2025, be organised by VCEA. At the request of VCEA and to align ourselves with the other three dioceses, the VRQA compliance reviews will now be implemented over a four-year cycle. We will endeavour to make these changes as minimal as possible and our Compliance and Risk Support Officers will continue to support you to meet the VRQA requirements. School Validation and Planning Reviews will remain as a five-year cycle.
The draft four year cycle is available below for your information.
If you have any queries for any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact Dr Susan Crowe 0419 887274. scrowe@dobcel.catholic.edu.au
ACU (Fitzroy Campus) Catholic Schools Expo
Representatives from DOBCEL will be making a presentation at the ACU Teaching Students Catholic Schools Expo at its Fitzroy Campus on March 13. Representatives from MACS, Sale, and Sandhurst dioceses will also be presenting.
This event is not designed to be an active recruitment job fair, but more a Catholic schools Expo. Students across all years of their teaching study, and all ACU campuses, are invited to attend.
DOBCEL will be aiming to increase awareness of ‘teaching in a Catholic school’ in our region. DOBCEL’s presentation will focus on promoting Catholic Education across the diocese, from the Murray to the Sea, and sharing the fabulous opportunities on offer across all diocesan schools.
Given the broad audience, we will be encouraging teaching students to consider teaching (and undertaking placements) in a Ballarat diocese school as a great career prospect. DOBCEL will filter inquiries through to relevant schools as required.
ACU has advised a similar session will be held in Ballarat during second semester this year, which will be smaller, but will represent a larger population of ACU Ballarat teaching students. We will share more information about this session when details are provided.
DOBCEL’s Talent Acquisition and Marketing have been working closely together to produce collateral for these opportunities. Click here to view the Early Career video that will form part of our presentation to ACU students.
If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Hanley, Talent Acquisition Partner.
Staff for recognition of 30 years service to Catholic Education
Emails have been sent this morning to Principals with staff who have been identified as being in their 30th year of service to Catholic Education.
Should you not have received an email but believe you have a staff member eligible to be recognized for 30 years of service, please contact Kerrie Zammit ASAP prior to 13 March, so these staff can be appropriately recognised at the Catholic Education Week Mass and Dinner.
Deputy/Assistant Principal and Senior Leader Network 2024 - Update
Late last year members of this Network, along with Principals, were provided the opportunity to complete a survey on the professional learning they felt would be most beneficial.
Feedback from this survey has informed the professional learning that will be covered, and will include:
• Leadership Formation
• Understanding the School Improvement Framework
• Sharing of experience/best practice
The Network is for both primary and secondary leaders. However, where differentiation of content is required, this will occur.
Please note, that the update letter for network participants (below) will be sent out to the DP/AP and Senior Leader Network members tomorrow morning.
For any queries please contact Fiona Murphy or Janet Claassen