Weekly Newsletter #11 - 27 April 2022
Reflection
Reflection on Easter Life - Sister Carolyn McWatters RSM
The event of Jesus’ resurrection electrified his followers, turning their worlds upside down and filling them with unbounded joy. They slowly moved from a state of grief, fear and foreboding to a freedom of spirit and a realisation that life as they had known it would never be the same. The external world hadn’t changed at all, but their hearts and spirits underwent radical transformation.
They found themselves plunged into a new reality, the contours and shape of which would be profoundly sharpened and deepened over time. The disciples came to understand that they were held in the grip of a love so powerful that it transcended not just suffering, but death itself. Jesus’ life showed them who they were and who they could become. A new way of living opened up for them.
Our world today, in many ways, is in ‘a state of grief, fear and foreboding’ Many in the world do not have the necessities of life. Communities here in Australia have been devastated by floods. COVID 19 is a continual threat to many in the developing world because limited access to vaccines and so many innocent people’s lives have been shattered by the war in Ukraine. There are many places, people and parts of creation experiencing a “Good Friday Event” in their lives at this very moment.
The Easter Sunday event invites our school communities to “raise Jesus” every single day. We are called to be like those first disciples and to be “plunged into a new reality” What might this new reality look like? What can we do to make Jesus truly present in the world? How can Christians be “electrified” individually and collectively, turning the world upside down and filling it with unbounded joy because of an encounter with the presence of Jesus.
As we approach this new term let us be reinvigorated by the new life of Easter transforming the world and especially our school communities with the Good News of Jesus.
From the Executive Director
Welcome back to Term 2. I hope everyone has had a restful and holy Easter break.
I am - like all of you - hoping for a more settled and predictable Term. At our CEB staff meeting yesterday, we spoke about the need for us to be beacons of hope for our school communities during these demanding times. We acknowledged the COVID-19 challenges of Term 1 on school communities and CEB staff. We expressed our thanks and gratitude for how we as a greater community have coped with this pandemic.
It remains our number one priority for CEB staff to provide exemplary service to all our schools. On a very practical level we discuss the continued need to reduce the workload on schools, particularly in light of the work required to implement the new Victorian Child Safe Standards and Ministerial Order 1359 by 1 July 2022.
The new standards include additional requirements to:
- involve families and students in efforts to keep children and young people safe,
- focus on safety for Aboriginal children and young people,
- better manage the risk of child abuse in online environments,
- improve governance, systems and processes to keep children and young people safe.
A separate Executive Update will be sent to Principals in regard to the new Victorian Child Safe Standards and Ministerial Order 1359.
With the Federal Election campaign now well underway, I will be sending out to Principals a DOBCEL Election 2022 Information & Reference Material Pack this week, including information from the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) and the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC).
Tom Sexton
Executive Director, Catholic Education Ballarat
Day for Daniel - Friday 28 October 2022
The Daniel Morcombe Foundation has reached out to us in the hope of the continuation and expansion for the national child safety education and awareness day.
Please see the below message from the Foundation.
This year marks the 18th annual Day for Daniel, to be held on Friday 28 October 2022 and endeavours to raise awareness of child safety, protection and harm prevention. This national day of action advocates for safer communities for children and empowering them to ‘Recognise, React and Report’ when they feel unsafe.
‘Wear Red - Educate - Donate’ is the theme for Day for Daniel as we strive to have schools, early learning centres, businesses, and communities across Australia take action and conduct child safety activities in their local communities to help in ‘Keeping Kids Safe’.
The objectives of Day for Daniel are:
- To raise awareness about child safety and protection while promoting a safer community for children,
- To educate children regarding their personal safety and empower them to ‘Recognise, React and Report’,
- To provide FREE educational materials to every registered school, and
- To honour the memory of Daniel Morcombe.
More than 1.5 million people participated in Day for Daniel in 2021, continuing to grow year on year. In 2021, over 5,500 school and early learning centre registered their participation across Australia, along with hundreds of businesses and workplaces including the Australian Federal Police.
We are asking if you may be able to provide assistance in the promotion of Day for Daniel, as well as the use of our Keeping Kids Safe resources.
For more information, please visit www.danielmorcombe.com.au or contact our team on 1300 326 435.
Learning & Teaching Update
Monash Pilot - Q Project.
DOBCEL schools have been invited to participate in a pilot project. The Q Project at Monash University has commissioned ORIMA Research to develop a self-assessment tool for educators. The tool aims to assist educators to develop their use of research to improve their teaching practice, and ultimately learning for young Australians.
The assessment tool was developed, tested and improved early this year, and we are now seeking schools, or staff groups within schools, who might be interested in participating in a formal pilot of the tool. This will involve using the entire assessment tool as well as the results reports and support resources.
For schools participating in the pilot, this will be an opportunity to gain early access to the tool ahead of its public release later in the year, and to provide feedback to influence the design of the final version of the tool. The Q Project team are education research specialists, and the tool is designed to assist schools and individuals to improve their research use - whether they are just starting out with research or are experienced in this space.
Attached is an information flyer. Schools who would like to participate can register their interest here.
If you have any questions or would like further information about the pilot, please do not hesitate to contact Erin Newell or the ORIMA QURE team (Tel: (03) 9526 9000, email: qure@orima.com).
Transition Learning and Development Statement - Opportunity to provide feedback.
Foundation teachers are invited to contribute to a discussion on the Transition Learning and Development Statement (TLDS) and other tools used when children transition to school.
Foundation teachers are invited to join a one-hour online focus group with other teachers across sectors to discuss their experiences with the TLDS and other assessment tools used to share information when children transition from kindergarten to school.
Focus groups will be conducted by the Department of Education and Training (DET) and will be held in Term 2 between Monday 9 May and Friday 27 May.
Anyone wishing to participate in a focus group should enter their details at Urbis Events | Eventbrite
Teacher replacement costs will be provided to schools to enable teachers to participate in these focus groups.
For all enquiries, please contact Matt Byrne, mbyrne@dobcel.catholic.edu.au
Professional Learning Opportunities.
Professional Learning for Primary Leaders of Learning with Matt Sexton; Director of the Mathematics Teaching and Learning Centre at ACU.
This professional learning program will support primary leaders of curriculum to develop their skills related to:
- Driving change
- Building relational trust
- Using effective meeting protocols
Please Register here. - Please note that registrations will close this Friday, April 29th.
We then invite you to complete this survey by Friday 8th April. The data will be used to support the planning for the day.
Dates: 13th May 9:15am - 3:30pm and Webinar chat 9th June 4:00pm - 5:00pm
EMU Ongoing with Associate Professor Ann Gervasoni.
These 2 days of connected Professional Learning will be held in Ballarat on Monday 23rd May and Monday 20th June.
The 2 days of EMU Ongoing Professional learning are designed to improve student outcomes and build EMU teacher / leader/ classroom teacher capability. The days will be facilitated by Associate Professor Ann Gervasoni (Monash University), with a focus on catering for all students in their Zone of Proximal Development.
PETAA Learning – Free Webinar Featuring Gabrielle Wang for Remote Schools.
PETAA is proud to provide an online session for students featuring Australian Children’s Laureate Gabrielle Wang! Gabi will share the important role her Chinese heritage has played in her creative journey and why exploring stories about diverse people and cultures is so important. Kids will also get a sneak peek inside Gabi’s journey to create her upcoming novel Zadie Ma and the Dog Who Chased the Moon.
Dates: 5 May 2022, 2:00pm – 2:30pm AEST Free for eligible schools; registration is essential.
SWPBS Professional Development Network Day.
We have many schools engaging in the SWPBS framework and see a fantastic opportunity to network and share. Hence, we will be running a Leader’s day on 13 May in Ballarat.
We see this time as sharing ideas, what is working well and how can we support each other on the journey of embedding SWPBS practises in our schools.
Business Services Update
CDF Capital Investment Account - Reminder.
Just a reminder as the audit period concludes, that the CDF has a Capital Investment Account product for DOBCEL schools. Funds should be transferred to the CDF Capital Investment Account from the school’s general account by 30th April each year.
This account is for the specific purpose of isolating school reserves for planned capital works.
Schools are able to transfer excess reserves to a CDF Capital Investment Account on the following conditions:
- Schools must have a masterplan in which capital works have been identified.
- Schools must have an active maintenance plan.
- Schools are only able to transfer operating surpluses, noting that it is not permitted to use recurrent grant income for capital projects.
- Schools are required to record funds held in the CDF Capital Investment account in their school bank account balances separately in the general ledger and in the Annual Financial Statement.
- Applications are to be completed before 30th April.
The Capital Investment Deposit Form will be signed by the school Principal and authorised by the Assistant Director, Business Services.
When a school commences a capital project it can apply to the CDF for a return of all or a portion of the account to fund the building works. Six months’ notice of withdrawal is required by the CDF.
Funds transferred to the Capital Investment Account will not be taken into consideration for General Recurrent Grant Special Factor claims or previously committed Supplementary Capital Fund support.
Should you wish to discuss this further, please contact your Education Consultant, Business Manager or the Assistant Director, Business Services.
Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community
Catholic Education Ballarat Vacancies
- Manager: Organisation Development – Ballarat Office - ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 2 May)
- Staff Wellbeing and Engagement Advisor – Ballarat Office - ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 2 May)
School Vacancies
- Education Support Staff – OLHC School, Wendouree – fixed-term positions at 0.5 FTE (closes 29 April)
- Classroom Teacher (Terms 3 & 4) – Siena Catholic Primary School, Lucas – fixed-term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 9 May)
- Director of Faith and Mission (POL 4) – St Mary MacKillop College, Swan Hill – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 23 May)
- Casual Relief Teachers – St Alipius Parish School, Ballarat East (closes 30 June)
- Casual Relief Teachers – St Francis Xavier, Ballarat East (closes 9 December)