Executive Director’s Update to Principals #48 - 15 November 2024
Reminder - Please complete the Pre-service Teacher (PST) Hosting Expression of Interest Survey
All Principals received a VCEA circular on Friday 8 November to complete a survey expressing interest in hosting pre-service teachers (PST) in 2025.
VCEA is collecting this information from every Victorian Catholic School to compile a list of all placement opportunities to supply to the 11 ITE providers in Victoria.
With the introduction of paid placements in 2025, this list will make it easier for ITE providers and students to view and access the placement opportunities available in Victorian Catholic schools and ideally aid in more students accessing placement opportunities in our schools.
Actions Required
- If your school is interested in hosting a PST placement in 2025, please complete the survey here.
If you do not complete the survey, it will not prevent you from hosting a student, however, your placement opportunity will not be part of the collated list circulated to ITE providers.
The relevant VCEA circular is available below.
Please contact Fiona Murphy with any questions
Closing date for Respectful Relationships Expression of Interest extended
The Department has advised the closing date for Respectful Relationships Expression of Interest (EOI) for non-government schools to participate as a Respectful Relationships Lead or Partner School has been extended to 29 November 2024.
The website has been updated at: vic.gov.au/respectful-relationships.
The Respectful Relationships initiative is a recommendation of the Royal Commission into Family Violence. The initiative supports school leaders, educators and school communities to promote and model respect and gender equality – and teaches children how to build healthy relationships, resilience and confidence.
Taking a whole school approach to Respectful Relationships leads to positive impacts on students’ academic outcomes, their mental health, classroom behaviour and relationships between teachers and students.
You can learn more about becoming a Respectful Relationships School at: https://www.vic.gov.au/ (search respectful relationships).
Interested schools should complete the Lead or Partner School online application form below by 29 November 2024:
Successful schools will be notified by the Department of Education (department) in Term 1 2025.
Lead Schools will receive $20,000 over 2 years and Partner Schools will receive $4,000 in the first year to support implementation of the whole-school approach.
New schools will commence their implementation in 2025.
New schools will receive support from the regional Respectful Relationships workforce to implement the whole school approach, including professional learning to support teachers to deliver respectful relationships education in the Victorian Curriculum.
The new Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships and Building Respectful Relationships teaching and learning resources support schools to address contemporary issues and meet the needs of the school community. The resources are inclusive of all students and were developed by education experts, in consultation with teachers, students and parents from independent, Catholic and government schools.
Diocesan schools are reminded that it is important to complement this program with professional learning regarding Catholic anthropology which is covered in The Fullness of Life for All Professional Development.
Please contact Jim Waight jwaight@ceoballarat.catholic.edu.au or Bernie Tolan btolan@ceoballarat.catholic.edu.au regarding the integration of Catholic identity with the teaching of Respectful Relationships and Human Sexuality.