Weekly Newsletter #3 - 16 February 2022
Reflection
To Dream...
As we look ahead into 2022, what is it we hope for? What does our world need most? How can we bring this about? What are our deepest dreams? Or what is it we deeply yearn? The concept of dream and dreaming does not enjoy an overly good wrap within our western culture. If one is called a dreamer there is almost the connotation that they are removed from reality. In the great Australian movie “The Castle’’ we encounter that famous line “Tell ‘im he’s dreamin” more than once! This line is used to indicate that the price for a certain item is not a sensible proposal, in fact is quite farcical. A message from our culture generally, could be that dreaming is pointless. This is contrary to what it is to be human.
Every human heart has deep yearnings, or dreams. Without dreams our humanness is reduced. If we focus all our attention on the functionary, aspects of life, we are diminishing what it is to live. Most, if not all living creatures deal in the functionary. What are we to eat? Where are we to live? What is our job? And how do we get people into work? How do we survive? These are all important aspects of being human - but it is not the whole. Humanity needs dreams, without them we are not complete.
What are your hopes and dreams for 2022? For yourself? Your community? How can we bring about our dreams? How can we contribute to God’s dream for the world this year?
In 2020 Pope Francis and Austen Invereigh wrote a book called “Let Us Dream The Path to a Better Future”. The following quotes may provide us with some food for thought as we dream of the year ahead.
"This is a moment to dream big, to rethink our priorities -what we value, what we want, what we seek and to commit to in our daily life, on what we have dreamed of. What I hear at this moment is similar to what Isaiah hears God saying through him: Come, let us talk this over. Let us dare to dream."
“We have to see clearly, choose well and act right. Let’s talk about how. Let us dare to dream.”
“We can reorganise the way we live together in order to better choose what matters. We can work together to achieve it. We can learn what takes us forward, and what takes us back. We can choose.”
Dreaming is at the very heart of the human experience. Let us relish this deeply human activity as we go on the adventure of the year ahead, inspired by God’s dream for the world.
From the Executive Director
Following on from last week’s newsletter, I would like to highlight another idea from Pasi Sahlberg’s newest book, "Finnish Lessons 3.0 - What can the world learn from educational change in Finland?."
The idea of collaboration between schools, collaboration is not a new idea for us here in our diocese.
In Finland, “the basic assumption is that educating people is a collaborative process and that cooperation, networking, and sharing ideas among schools eventually raise the quality of education. When schools collaborate, they help one another and help teachers create a culture of cooperation in their classrooms.” Collaboration has been one of the key drivers in Finland’s educational success.
The Finnish experience serves to emphasise the power of collaboration and why we should continue to implement and practice collaboration in its many forms across our diocese, including the notion of Communities of Practice which are being developed via our Wellbeing Review recommendations.
Tomorrow I look forward to hosting our first online Leadership Gathering for principals in 2022.
People & Development Update
COVID-19 Vaccination Booster Requirements.
To limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) within the population of school settings, Victoria’s Minister for Health has released COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination (Specific Facilities) Order 2022 (no. 5) (the ‘Order’).
The Order, as updated from time to time, impose obligations on DOBCEL as the operator of Catholic primary and secondary schools in the Diocese of Ballarat in relation to the vaccination of employees, contractors and volunteers.
Critical Dates
- By 25 February 2022, all education workers fully vaccinated with two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine on or before 25 October 2021 are to be fully vaccinated (boosted) with an approved COVID-19 vaccine, unless a medical exemption applies, and to show evidence of their vaccination status.
- By 15 March 2022, all education workers fully vaccinated with two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine after 25 October 2021 are to be fully vaccinated (boosted) with an approved COVID-19 vaccine, unless a medical exemption applies, and to show evidence of their vaccination status.
Where an employee is unable to access a COVID-19 vaccination appointment outside of their usual school hours, up to 4 hours of paid special leave may be granted by the Principal.
Where a new or existing employee is unable to meet the required deadlines to be fully vaccinated (boosted) with an approved COVID-19 vaccine, they will be deemed to be either partially vaccinated or unvaccinated and will not be able to attend for duties on-site.
To ensure you are aware of the obligations for education workers in a DOBCEL education facility resulting from the Order, all DOBCEL employees must read and comply with:
Further to the CECV School Operations Guide, the following leave table may assist with leave classifications where people need to isolate and not attend work due to a positive result for COVID-19 or being classified as a household contact.
Catholic Education Week Dinner and 30 Year Awards night.
The 2022 Thirty Year Service Awards will be celebrated and acknowledged at the Diocesan Catholic Education Week dinner on Friday 27 May at the Damascus Events Centre (DEC).
To enable DOBCEL to plan for the awards, we need to identify staff members who have become eligible this year for their 30 Years of Service recognition. Please note that any staff member who has been recognised in previous years will not be included, and that any maternity leave or leave without pay taken by staff throughout their career is not included when calculating years of service.
Could you please take the time to identify your staff members who may qualify for recognition in 2022, then follow the link and complete the form by Friday 11 March.
The February edition of the Flourish Wellbeing eMag is here!
The February 2022 edition of the Flourish Wellbeing eMag is now available.
In this issue:
- Are you suffering from burnout?
- Healthy eating simplified.
- You feel what you eat.
- Memory, thinking and sleep.
- Women's heart disease.
- Apps and mental health.
- ... and more!
Converge International
For information about Converge’s Employee Assist Program (EAP) please click here.
Business Services Update
Catholic Capital Grants: Call for grant funding applications for major capital works.
Principals and governing authorities are advised that applications for the 2022 round of the Australian Government Capital Grants Program (CGP) and round 4 of the Victorian Government Non-Government Schools Capital Fund 2019–2023 (VGNGSCF 2019–23) will close at midnight on Friday 11 March 2022.
Please see Circular for further information.
We encourage as many schools as possible to apply and as there is not long now until applications are due.
If you require additional support with your application, please contact:
Ashley Wiseman
Manager: Planning and Infrastructure
0484 819 360
or Penelope Irish
Properties and Facilities Advisor
0429 473 351
Catholic Education Updates
Catholic Identity and Mission Updates.
Lenten Resources.
To assist staff prayer and reflection for this coming Lenten season, Jim Waight has compiled a list of Lenten resources. These can be used by individuals or at a whole staff prayer gathering or in a way that best suits the context of your school community. Jim has also created a PowerPoint presentation - May our Hearts be Open - A Lenten Journey to Easter, which schools can use within the school community.
Interpreting Biblical Texts for Contemporary Times.
Please see below Associate Professor Robyn Horner’s communication about and endorsement of an ACU unit facilitated by Dr Janine Luttick pertaining to engagement with scripture. Robyn has been formative in supporting and forwarding the incredible work of ECSI. An increasing number of colleagues across our diocese have had the fortunate experience of working with her closely through the ECSI Intensive unit or ECSI 101 conducted through ACU and more recently her facilitation of and keynote address at the National Recontextualising Pedagogy 2021 Conference. Likewise, Janine is a most skilful practitioner who engages her colleagues and students with immersion into scripture. Many of our diocesan colleagues have worked with Janine in the past on Bibliodrama. Janine will also be a keynote presenter at our future REL Conference in August.
Please see Robyn Horner’s recommendation and Dr Janine Luttick’s description of the unit. You can email Janine should you have interest/queries about the unit.
My very talented colleague, Dr Janine Luttick, is delivering a unit in biblical hermeneutics this year, and I am bringing it to your attention because I think it will be a great help with recontextualisation. You or someone you know might benefit from formal (degree or non-award) or informal (audit) participation.
She writes: “In semester 2, I am teaching a unit, ‘Interpreting Scripture for Contemporary Times’ (THBS606). This is the first iteration of the unit, which I am offering in multimode. This basically means that the unit is online, and includes synchronous interactive online seminars spaced over the semester that students need to attend. (The dates for the seminar are already ‘in the system’ so students know the schedule well in advance.) I would be very grateful if you could suggest this unit to those students who are interested in this area. Some of you have directed students to the unit in past times, only to discover it was not running. Now, finally, it will go ahead. The unit has been designed to accommodate two learning approaches: 1) abstract and theoretical or 2) theoretical and practical, which is determined by the student as they work through each module. While the original target audience was teachers, there is now a lot of ‘learning room’ in the design of the unit for students who don’t fit that category.”
Associate Professor Robyn Horner
Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry
Xavier Centre for Theological Formation
Faculty of Theology and Philosophy
Australian Catholic University
Melbourne Campus (St Patrick’s)
Level 4, 250 Victoria Parade
East Melbourne, VIC 3002
T: +61 3 9953 3130
E: robyn.horner@acu.edu.au
W: www.acu.edu.au/theology_and_philosophy
Learning and Teaching.
Introducing the new Learning and Teaching Team members for 2022:
Julia Petrov
Julia is our Secondary Learning and Teaching Education Officer and comes to CEB from St Patrick’s College, Ballarat, where she was Director of Teaching and Learning. Julia will be working with our Secondary colleagues and leading the Improving Literacy in the Secondary Years (ILSY) project.
Julie Cooper
Julie is a Primary Learning and Teaching Education Officer and was previously Leading Teacher at St James’ Parish School, Sebastopol. Julie will be partnering with schools in the Central and North Central Zone schools.
Shay King
Shay is a Primary Learning and Teaching Education Officer and was previously the Student Wellbeing Leader at St Aloysius Parish School in Redan. Shay will be partnering with schools in the Central and North Central Zone.
Casey Stoetzer
Casey is a Primary Learning and Teaching Education Officer and was Deputy Principal and Learning Diversity Leader at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Primary School, Merbein. Casey will be partnering with schools in the northern end of the Northern Zone.
Breeana Wade
Breeana is a Primary Learning and Teaching Education Officer and was previously Assistant to the Principal with responsibility for Learning and Teaching and Systems & Management at St Joseph’s Primary School, Red Cliffs. Breeana’s role this year is Digital Solutions and she will be working towards enhancing and improving our systems and processes within the Catholic Education team.
LOOKOUT Conference – Engaging youth and families from African and Pacifica cultures.
Please note that this conference is next week, please see registration details below.
The first LOOKOUT conference in 2022: Engaging Youth and Families from African and Pacifica Cultures is on next week.
Please register via this link.
Registrations close 21, February at 5.30pm.
Wednesday February 23, 2022. 10.00 – 11.30am, Online (Webex)
Please join the LOOKOUT Centre, Parkville College and South Eastern LLEN to support your work building connection to school and career pathways for African and Pacifica young people. Our speakers are as follows:
- Murray Geddes, LOOKOUT Principal SEVR
- Endal Gage LOOKOUT Multi Cultural Advisor,
- Sebit Okeny and Nhial Deng, Supporting youth from African cultures involved in Youth Justice
- Andrew Simmons, SELLEN, Community Employment Connectors (CEC) program Community Employment Connectors Program | Victorian Government (www.vic.gov.au)
- Centre for Multicultural Youth - Le Mana (Empower) Pasifika Youth Project
Professional Learning.
Improving Literacy in the Secondary Years (ILSY) Professional Learning.
There are several exciting professional learning opportunities coming up as part of the ILSY professional learning program. It is not too late to register for these events (thank you to those already registered). If you require further information about ILSY, please contact Julia Petrov, Learning and Teaching Education Officer (Secondary) on jpetrov@dobcel.catholic.edu.au or 0432 499 683.
ILSY Exec Professional Learning Program. (ILSY Exec PLP)
This professional learning is designed for secondary school Principals and Leaders of Learning for up to two participants from each school. Leaders will engage in workshops and school embedded activities designed to develop the key knowledge and capabilities of effective literacy leaders. The workshops will be presented by Associate Professor Larissa McLean Davies and Dr Pauline Thompson from the University of Melbourne. Registrations for ILSY Exec are still open. Workshop dates: Day 1, Thursday 24 Feb 9am - 3.30pm (Horsham) and Day 2, Friday 12 August 9am - 12.30pm (online).
ILSY Learning Area Leader Professional Learning Program. (ILSY LAL PLP)
ILSY PLP 2022 will build on the 2021 Literacy Leaders program by enabling a deep understanding of the literacy needs of learners in Mathematics, Humanities and Science. Participants will also learn discipline specific literate practices and pedagogies and action learning in their own school context. The 2022 ILSY PLP is suited for Learning Area Leaders and Year 7 and 8 teachers from Humanities, Science and Mathematics. It is recommended that schools send multiple participants and each school can have up to 6 representatives. The workshops will be facilitated by Associate Professor Larissa McLean Davies and Dr Pauline Thompson from the University of Melbourne. The Day 1 workshop will be held at the Red Lion in Ballarat on Thursday 17 March and coaching will commence in Term 2. Further dates and information can be found here. ILSY LAL PLP registrations are still open and close on 11 March.
ILSY PLP 2021 Cohort Network Workshops.
Our first ILSY network meeting will be held online on Tuesday 1st March for the 2021 cohort only from 3.45 – 4.45pm. Our focus for the network workshop will be ‘implementing ILSY at your school’. It is anticipated there will be a guest presenter. Please register your interest in attending by emailing Julia Petrov, Learning and Teaching Education Officer (Secondary): jpetrov@dobcel.catholic.edu.au
Future online workshops are intended for both the 2021 & 2022 cohorts and will be held on online: Wednesday 8 June, Tuesday 16 August and Thursday 3 November from 3.45 – 4.45pm.
Mathematics Professional Learning Opportunities 2022.
Term 1:
Thursday 24th February - Mathematics Leaders VC 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Thursday 24th March - Peter Sullivan (continuing group from 2021) 9:15am-3:30pm
Term 2:
Friday 13th May - Matt Sexton PL Day. Venue TBC
Monday 23rd May - EMU ongoing with Ann Gervasoni (Day 1) in Ballarat
Thurs 9th June- Matt Sexton VC, following on from PL Day 4:00pm- 5:00pm
Monday 20th June - EMU ongoing with Ann Gervasoni (Day 2) in Ballarat
Term 3:
Thursday 4th August OR Friday 5th August (TBC) - Mathematics Leaders’ Network Day
Monday 22nd August- Peter Sullivan Day 2
Term 4:
Thursday 27th October- Mathematics Leaders VC 4:00pm - 5:00pm
2022 Online VCE English and EAL Day.
VATE are offering an online VCE English and EAL professional learning day on Friday February 18th. Please see flyer for further information.
CEB Graduate Teacher Program 2022.
The Diocesan Graduate Teacher Program is designed to support graduate teacher induction into the Ballarat Diocese and the teaching profession, within the Catholic Education context. It reflects the partnership between schools and Catholic Education Ballarat, who together support the professional growth of graduates.
The program runs over four days in Terms 1, 2 and 3 and is intended to support graduate teachers as they move into the profession by building connections, promoting collegial networking, nurturing wellbeing and enabling personal and professional growth.
The 2022 program is open to graduate teachers in their first year of teaching from both primary and secondary settings. Due to the interruptions of COVID-19, any graduates from 2021 who would like to complete the program are also welcome.
Registrations close this Friday - 18 February. See further information.
Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community
Catholic Education Ballarat Vacancies
- Executive Assistant to the Executive Director – Ballarat Office – full-time, ongoing position (closes 25 February)
- Education Consultant – Central Zone – full-time, fixed-term position (closes 25 February)
- Education Consultant – Mid-North Zone – full-time, fixed-term position (closes 25 February)
- Speech Pathologist – Ballarat Office – full-time or part-time position (closes 21 February)
School Vacancies
- Classroom English Teacher/Tutor – Marian College, Ararat - ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 18 February)
- School Finance Officer – Emmaus Catholic Primary School, Mt Clear – fixed-term position at 0.7 FTE (closes 18 February)
- Finance Officer – St Patrick’s School, St Arnaud – fixed-term position at 0.6 FTE (closes 25 February)
- Gardener – Loreto College, Ballarat – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 28 February)
- Sessional Music Teacher – Piano – Loreto College, Ballarat - sessional teaching (closes 28 February)
- Science/Mathematics Teacher – Loreto College, Ballarat - fixed-term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 28 February)
- Casual Relieving Teachers – St Patrick’s College, Ballarat (closes 28 February)
- Mathematics Teacher – St Mary MacKillop College, Swan Hill – fixed-term position at 0.75 FTE (closes 2 March)
- Casual Relief Teachers – St Alipius’ Parish School, Ballarat East (closes 30 June)
- Casual Relief Teachers – St Francis Xavier, Ballarat East (closes 9 December)