Weekly Newsletter #12 - 4 May 2022
Reflection
A Big Heart Open to God
The Easter story is at the heart of the way The Church and school communities are called to operate. We are invited to enter into transformation, hope and continual new life each day, as we bring about the reality of the risen Jesus present, in the work that we do. This is a story of immense “Good News” Each day is a new beginning, as that first Easter Sunday was. Some days too, which is totally understandable, there may be the temptation to maintain the “status quo” as we are too tired, or too anxious or too cash strapped or too something, to imagine anything a new or indeed be the bearers of new life!!
In his book “A Big Heart Open to God: A Conversation with Pope Francis” Antonio Spadaro, SJ interviews Pope Francis. It is a delightful, warm hearted conversation giving the reader an insight into the spirit of Pope Francis. He says
Pope Francis is comfortable with grey. He speaks out against what he calls a ‘doctrinal security” and offers a gentle critique of those who stubbornly try to recover a past that no longer exists” Pope Francis asks us to move away from a church that “locked itself up in small things in small minded rules” Instead he invites the church into a world of uncertainty, which is where most of us live anyway.
This is the world in which Jesus of Nazareth walked: the real world in which people experienced uncertainty and confronted the need to make decisions. It is the milieu of the everyday believer. Jesus entered the world in first-century Palestine, and the church must be comfortable in that same world today. (p.46)
Maybe there is something in this wisdom that invites school communities and The Church as a whole to experience Easter in a transformative life giving way in how we are with people and all of creation?
Spadro A (2013) A Big Heart Open to God - A conversation with Pope Francis
Harper One America: New York
This last week, the Catholic Church celebrated The Feast of St. Joseph the Worker on 1st May. The following information has been prepared by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service to help reflection and action.
From the Executive Director
On Monday the CEB Leadership team met at St Mary’s Primary School in Donald. We enjoyed our day meeting the students and staff and enjoying some great country hospitality.
One of our key topics for discussion was school staff recruitment. There is a growing issue of staff shortages across our Diocese and this problem is mirrored in education systems across the country. We are expecting this shortage to grow in the coming years. We have put a number of strategies in place to alleviate this critical issue, including strengthening our relationships with Universities, with particular focus on ACU Ballarat where student teacher intake numbers have dropped to around 20 in the last three years. We are working with Professor Zlatko Skrbis, Vice-Chancellor and President of Australian Catholic University to turn this around. Planning for an overseas recruitment campaign is also underway.
As an example of our teacher shortage, St Mary’s Primary School in Ararat is currently short a Grade 3/4 teacher and despite extensive efforts we have been unable to find a replacement as yet. We are desperate to fill this position and we would welcome a discussion with anyone interested in helping us out on a short, medium or longer term basis.
Please contact Roxanne Leed, Principal or Janet Claassen, Education Consultant Mid North for further information.
This Sunday we celebrate Mother’s Day, an opportunity for us to show appreciation for the effort and achievements of mothers or mother figures. While it’s not the only occasion we honour our mothers, it is one that lets the most important woman in our lives know just how greatly she is appreciated.
Originally, Mother’s Day wasn’t a celebration of motherhood, but a time during Lent when people returned to their mother church – the main church – for a special service. The tradition of gifting came from families reuniting at this Mothering Sunday service too with children picking flowers on route to church and gift bouquets to their mothers.
Whether you’re planning on taking your mum out to a delicious brunch or enjoying a low-key night in with a Mother’s Day-inspired movie, I wish all Mothers and mother figures a wonderful day.
Tom Sexton
Executive Director, Catholic Education Ballarat
Leadership Meeting in Donald
On Monday 2 May 2022, the Leadership Team held their meeting at St Mary’s Primary School, Donald. The Team were warmly welcomed by students Libby, Elijah, Skye and Sophie. Libby and Sophie led us in the Acknowledgement of Country, followed by a tour of the school by all four students.
It is the intention to continue to hold the majority of these meetings in a school setting so as to be a presence throughout the Diocese.
Our Diocesan Community - April 2022 Edition
The latest edition of 'Our Diocesan Community' is now available. This publication features news from around the Diocese both in and surrounding our school communities.
Catholic Identity & Mission Update
Catholic Theological College is advertising a series “Engaging Your Faith” - short sessions (1 to 1.5 hours) offering an opportunity to explore faith through a variety of topics including: Theology, Spirituality, Biblical Studies, Vatican II, Pastoral Studies, Laudato Si, Christian Meditation, Lectio Divina, Interfaith Relations, and Science and Religion.
These sessions are all delivered via zoom with the majority being facilitated in the evening. Please view this link to book.
All topics are presented by lecturers of Catholic Theological College. Each session will be added to TAP so they can be utilised for accreditation to teach in a Catholic School or to maintain accreditation to teach RE in a Catholic School.
To learn more, please view the flyer here.
2022 CESA hosted ACU Master Unit THCT605: Enhancing Catholic Identity - Introducing the Leuven Project.
The ACU Master Unit THCT605 Enhancing Catholic Identity – Introducing the Leuven Project is a theological formation program developed in collaboration by Australian Catholic University (ACU) and the Catholic University of Leuven (KUL). The unit explores contemporary theology in the area of Catholic school identity, and in particular focuses on the theology, methodology and pedagogy of the Enhancing Catholic School Identity Project (Leuven Project) as developed by KUL. It can be undertaken as part of a Master Degree at ACU or as an interest-based professional learning activity.
To learn more and submit your application, please view the flyer here.
Enhancing Catholic School Identity Professional Learning.
The Enhancing Catholic School Identity (ECSI) Intensive program will introduce participants to current research and learning for ECSI across the categories of Scripture, Mission, Virtue Ethics and Recontextualisation.
It will run every Tuesday for 4 weeks commencing 31 May. Please click here to view the flyer for more information and here to register for the course.
Please email Gina Bernasconi for more information.
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).
Book Week Webinars.
PETTA have released a four-part on-demand webinar series for the 2022 Children’s Book Council of Australia awards short-listed books. Two of these are open and free to view and 2 are exclusive to PETAA members.
To find out more, please go to our HIVE Literacy Updates here and here.
Bump It Up Wall Posters.
Interested in feedback for writing? Or maybe making writing skills visible?
The BIUW is a visual display made up of a collection of writing samples with corresponding ‘I can statements’, carefully matched to the curriculum, with a clearly defined learning progression.
Contact your Education Officer to partner with you in developing implementation opportunities for the BIUW.
This BIUW is now available directly from the printer. $76 (+ GST and postage, if required) includes 50 hard print posters.
Direct your request or inquiries to Ross Fletcher, at Fletch Printing.
502 Barkly St, Ballarat. (03) 53318004
www.fletchprintingandgraphics.com.au
Mathematics Teaching and Learning Centre (ACU) Webinar Series.
An opportunity to participate in high quality professional learning webinars with a focus on the learning and teaching of mathematics.
Bookings can be made here.
To read more about these online Webinars go to the Latest Maths News on the HIVE.
ACER - New PAT Adaptive assessments expanded.
Reflective of ACER’s commitment to continuous improvement, parallel testlets within the PAT Adaptive assessments have been added. The addition of this new content means that students sitting a PAT Adaptive assessment for the second time will always be given different questions to those they have previously answered.
This expansion increases the number of possible unique pathways through each PAT Adaptive assessment from 96 to 768.
Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community
School Vacancies
- Classroom Teacher (Terms 3 & 4) – Siena Catholic Primary School, Lucas – fixed-term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 9 May)
- Maths & Science Teacher – St Patrick’s College, Ballarat – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 11 May)
- Classroom Teacher – St Mary’s, Swan Hill – fixed-term position at 1.0 FTE or part-time (closes 13 May)
- Classroom Teacher – St Alipius Parish School, Ballarat East – fixed-term at 1.0 FTE with possibility of extension into 2023 (closes 13 May)
- Director of Faith and Mission (POL 4) – St Mary MacKillop College, Swan Hill – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 23 May)
- Classroom Teacher – St Mary’s Primary School, Ararat – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 31 May)
- Casual Relief Teachers – St Alipius Parish School, Ballarat East (closes 30 June)
- Casual Relief Teachers – St Francis Xavier, Ballarat East (closes 9 December)