Executive Director’s Update to Principals #20 - 8 May 2025

Diocesan Leadership Gathering (DLG) Horsham - 15-16 May 2025

The agenda for next week’s Diocesan Leadership Gathering, which will be held in Horsham on Thursday, May 15, and Friday, May 16, is below.   

Please note the following:

Venue Change:  Coughlin Park, 14 Hamilton Street Horsham, located behind St Brigid’s College in Robinson Street. Please enter via the Hamilton Street entrance. Parking is available on Hamilton Street or around the Coughlin Park Oval.

Start time Thursday 15 May: Due to a full agenda, the meeting will commence at 9.00am instead of the usual 9.30am.

Mass cancellation: Mass will not be held at this DLG to allow for a full agenda; however, time has been allocated at the end of the day for prayer.

Bus pickup for dinner: While Mass will not be held, the bus pickup for those wishing to catch the bus for dinner will still take place at Ss Michael & John’s Church as a central pickup point for all attendees.

Annual Report to School Community (ARSC)

A reminder for Principals of the requirement to submit their school’s Annual Report to School Community (ARSC) prior to Friday 16 May 2025.

Invitation: DOBCEL DigiTech Leader Networks

Overview 

The Digital Leader Networks initiative invites schools to join a dynamic Community of Practice (CoP) dedicated to advancing the teaching and learning of Digital Technologies and Digital Literacy. This program is designed for schools with a commitment to innovation, professional growth, and collaboration in the familiarisation and adoption phase of Digital Technologies curriculum and Digital Literacy Foundational Skill. There will be 20 places in this stage of the collaboration.

Requirements for Participation 

1. Dedicated Leadership: One or two staff members responsible for leading Digital Technology teaching and learning at your school.
2. Strategic Vision: A clear commitment to enhancing the teaching and learning with Digital Technology at your school.
3. Professional Learning Commitment: Willingness to participate in regular professional learning (PL) sessions, including time away from school for termly meetings and workshops.

Program Structure and Benefits 

DigiTech Leader Networks 

The initiative will be divided into four regional Communities of Practice—Central, Southern, Mid North and Northern—aligned with the geographical zones of our schools. Each cluster forms the foundation of the CoP, fostering collaboration and innovation across the diocese from a local level. These will form an overarching Diocesan-wide CoP. 

Aims of the Networks: 

• Improve professional development and teacher confidence in Digital Technologies and Digital Literacy. 
• Facilitate resource sharing and best practices to enhance classroom outcomes. 
• Drive innovation and collaboration within and across schools. 
• Boost student engagement and learning outcomes in Digital Technologies Curriculum.

Program Components 

1. Overarching Community of Practice (Online)

A virtual platform for continuous support, sharing, and professional growth. 
Purpose: Provide an accessible, collaborative space for educators to engage, share ideas, and seek resources. 
Key Features: 

• Online Forum (MS Teams or similar): Ongoing discussions, peer support, and resource sharing.
• Webinars and Workshops: Expert-led sessions on digital tools and teaching strategies.
• Resource Sharing Library: A curated repository of lesson plans, tutorials, and best practices.
• Discussion Threads: Focused Q&A and problem-solving on specific topics.
  

2. Zone-Based Networks (Face-to-Face)

Facilitated regional gatherings for deeper, contextual collaboration. 

Purpose: Address region-specific challenges and foster peer collaboration through in-person interactions. 

Key Features: 

• Termly Meetings: Hosted by schools within the zone by ‘lead schools/teachers’, with facilitation by DOBCEL representatives.
• Localised Focus: Discussions tailored to address regional opportunities and challenges.
• Peer Collaboration: Opportunities for joint projects and real-time support.
• School Visits: Witness the teaching and learning of Digital Technologies in action.

Benefits of Joining the DigiTech Leader Networks 

• Professional Development: Access ongoing training and expert insights to strengthen your school’s Digital Technologies program.
• Collaborative Opportunities: Network with like-minded educators to share resources, strategies, and success stories of student learning or achievements.
• Enhanced Student Outcomes: Drive innovation and engagement in Digital Technologies for improved student learning.
• Supportive Community: Be part of a diocese-wide movement dedicated to advancing digital teaching and learning for all learners.

Next Steps for Schools 

To apply to join the DigiTech Leader Networks, schools are asked to use this form to: 

• Nominate one or two staff members as Digital Leader(s).
• In 250 words provide a brief commitment and reasoning to how your schools participation is a key part of your broader strategy.
• regular participation in termly meetings and professional learning opportunities.
• Share your vision for improving Digital Technologies teaching and learning within your school broader zone.

Contact Information 

For further information or to express your school’s interest, please contact Coby Reynolds creynolds@dobcel.catholic.edu.au 

Stewardship Update - Policy

The Critical Incident Management Framework has been updated.

The document, along with detailed instructions for implementation, will be available through eSORT by COB tomorrow Friday 9 May 2025. 

CARSOs will also be advised of the update.

Any enquiries regarding documents, or implementation processes, should be directed to Victoria Fara at vfara@dobcel.catholic.edu.au.

Catholic Education Ballarat Marketing Campaign – TV, Radio, Digital & Social Media

We’re pleased to again deliver a Diocesan-wide advertising campaign to promote our Catholic schools. This campaign builds on last year’s TV and radio activity to support memorability and brand recall. The campaign continues to focus on building brand awareness and encouraging increased enrolment enquiries over time. The TV and radio advertisements remain geographically neutral to appeal broadly across our Diocese. New this year is the introduction of digital advertising to further extend the campaign’s reach.

The campaign invites prospective families — including those who may not have previously considered a Catholic education — to take a closer look and ‘discover affordable, contemporary Catholic education’ available in their area. You can watch the TVC here.

A suite of editable social media assets has also been developed to support individual school promotion, allowing each school to tailor messaging in line with its own brand and community context.

These social media assets have been designed in Canva as editable templates for both Facebook and Instagram. They have been created using DOBCEL branding, however for ease of use, a step-by-step guide on how to edit the templates for each individual school context and using individual school branding can be found here.

For an example of how the social media posts should look once published on both Facebook and Instagram, click here.

Key Messages

Informed by market research, there are 8 key messages which aim to highlight the areas that families value in our Catholic schools as well as address some of the key barriers to enrolment enquiry. Please feel free to use these messages and tailor them for your school.

If you have any queries, please reach out to Ruth Appleyard - Manager, Marketing and Communications at rappleyard@dobcel.catholic.edu.au.

Thank you for your ongoing support in the promotion of Catholic education.