Weekly Newsletter #17 - 8 June 2022
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Reflection
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From the Executive Director
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Condolences to the St Mary's School, Hamilton Community
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National Reconcilliation Week 2022 at Sacred Heart Primary School, Colac
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NCEC 2022 Conference
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Next Enterprise Bargaining Agreement Process
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People & Development Update
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Learning & Teaching Update
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Student Wellbeing Update
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Planning & Infrastructure Update
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Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community
Reflection
The Holy Trinity
Next Sunday, 12th June, is The Feast of The Holy Trinity. The following reflection by Fr. Richard Rohr, explores Trinity as RELATIONSHIP and the implications for Christians today.
The notion of God as Trinity is the foundation of all Christian thought, and yet it never has been—not truly! Our dualistic minds largely shelved the whole thing because we simply couldn’t understand it. Most Christians do not consciously deny the Trinity, but as Karl Rahner (1904–1984) wrote, “We must be willing to admit that, should the doctrine of the Trinity have to be dropped as false, the major part of religious literature could well remain virtually unchanged.” What a sad statement on our fundamental understanding of God!
The Trinity reveals God more as a verb than a noun, but we rarely speak about God that way in either our preaching or our prayers. God is three “relations,” which itself is mind-boggling for most believers. Yet that clarification opens up an honest notion of God as Mystery who can never be fully comprehended with our rational minds. God is dynamic—a verb rather than a static name. God is Interbeing itself, and never an isolated deity that can be captured by our mind.
Christians believe that God is formlessness (the Father), God is form (the Son), and God is the very living and loving energy between those two (the Holy Spirit). The three do not cancel one another out. Instead, they do exactly the opposite. Recognising the Trinity as relationship itself opens conversations with the world of science. This surprising insight names everything correctly at the core—from atoms, to ecosystems, to galaxies. The shape of God is the shape of everything in the universe! Everything is in relationship and nothing stands alone. The doctrine of the Trinity defeats the dualistic mind and invites us into nondual, holistic consciousness. It replaces the argumentative principle of two with the dynamic principle of three. It brings us inside the wonderfully open space of “not one, but not two either.” Sit stunned with that for a few moments.
God For Us,
We call You Father,
God Alongside Us, we call You Jesus,
God Within Us, we call You Holy Spirit.
You are the Eternal Mystery That enables, enfolds, and enlivens all things,
Even us, and even me. Every name falls short of your Goodness and Greatness.
We can only see who You are in what is.
We ask for such perfect seeing. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen. - Richard Rohr, OFM
From the Executive Director
Teachers in our schools are currently busy writing reports and this important task has been made more difficult this year with the level of student and staff absences and therefore in many schools a higher percentage of missed classes. I want to assure and affirm teachers that reporting on what you can and trusting your teacher judgement is most appropriate during this pandemic. I would like to reiterate what I wrote last week; right now student and staff wellbeing through our Catholic lens and tradition is our highest priority.
I believe during a pandemic, safety, love, hope and mental wellbeing should be our priority, and indeed if we don’t attend to these basic human requirements very little learning can take place. So let us remember that for our precious students to flourish, safety, love, hope and mental wellbeing are foundational to any academic growth.
The DOBCEL Board met earlier this week in Ballarat and as is the usual practice, visited a number of schools. The Board Directors and Bishop Paul highly value their visits to schools. Our next Board meeting will be in Mildura, followed by Horsham and Swan Hill. The Board is looking forward to visiting schools in these parts of our diocese.
Next Thursday morning I will be holding a brief virtual meeting with our Principals. A Zoom invite has been sent out this morning.
Tom Sexton
Executive Director, Catholic Education Ballarat
Condolences to the St Mary's School, Hamilton Community
We keep the St Mary's School community in our thoughts and prayers as they grieve the passing of learning support staff member Jenni Kanoniuk, after a lengthy battle against cancer. Jenni was a dear friend to the St Mary's School community and beyond.
Please remember Jenni, her children, family and friends and the St Mary's School community in your prayers at this sad time.
National Reconcilliation Week 2022 at Sacred Heart Primary School, Colac
We are thankful to Julie Leonard, the Welfare/Wellbeing and Religious Education Leader at Sacred Heart Primary School in Colac, for sharing the below recollections and images of Dr Miriam Rose Ungunmerr Baumann AM's visit last week to the school.
In addition to being a meaningful day for the Sacred Heart Primary School community, Dr Miriam's presence was special for Julie, who lived and worked in Nauiyu Community Daly River with Dr Miriam - a mentor - for two years in 2014/15.
Last year, Sacred Heart Primary School Principal Jack Lenaghan, visited Dr Miriam in the Nauiyu Community. Both Julie and Jack were both excited to see her again.
"Sacred Heart Primary School, Colac began celebrating National Reconciliation Week 2022 with Dr Miriam Rose Ungunmerr Baumann AM. Miriam addressed all the Sacred Heart students and staff during the Monday morning gathering.
Throughout the day Miriam was engaged with students and staff as they were learning and experiencing first hand Dadirri /Da- did-ee/ Inner deep listening and quiet still awareness.
Each class had the opportunity to ask questions and spend time with Miriam as she talked about reconciliation, Dadirri, Indigenous culture, art and any other place the children’s inquiring minds led the discussions.
Miriam spoke to smaller groups of children throughout the day about making connections, belonging and how we can ‘Be Brave, Make Change’. She designed and sketched symbolic connections before painting them on a beautiful flat piece of tree trunk sourced from Jane Daffy (Deputy Principal) from the Otways. This beautiful piece of artwork will be erected in a prominent position at the front gate entrance so we can all connect and know ‘We belong here’ as we enter Sacred Heart School in Colac. The message an 8 year old boy heard from Miriam was ‘Never think that you don’t BELONG here’.
The school community enjoyed some ‘Kangaroo Stew’ for lunch leading up to Miriam’s reflection of the day.
During the afternoon session two Indigenous Daly River boys (and Monivae students), Brent and Judas performed a traditional Aboriginal cultural dance with Miriam’s granddaughters, Timena and Tynisha, also from Nauiyu community, Daly River. In a united voice everybody joined in together singing the Aboriginal Lord’s Prayer.
After school, staff from St Mary’s, St Brendan’s and Trinity College joined the Sacred Heart staff in a casual discussion forum with Dr Miriam Rose Ungunmerr Baumann AM, seeking ways we could make a stronger connection with first nations peoples and boarding students like Brent and Judas. Miriam invited us to walk with her and do as she has done for many years, go gently and ‘Walk in two worlds’."
NCEC 2022 Conference
Early Bird Registrations close Friday 17 June.
This is the first time in six years that Catholic educators have been able to attend a national gathering. With the COVID-19 pandemic still presenting challenges for many school communities and education offices, NCEC want to ensure maximum participation.
You can now register for the conference via this link, and attend LIVE at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre or participate VIRTUALLY. It’s your choice.
Next Enterprise Bargaining Agreement Process
For Melbourne, Ballarat and Sandhurst Governance Boards, the VACPSP has been discussing the EBA with the key CECV employer negotiation team; made up of Alecia Touhey, Michael Clarke & Jacinta Andrews. This team is representing CECV. They have been working with stakeholders & the IEU Vic Tas.
The key negotiation team are seeking further wide-spread primary principal insight, ideas and thoughts on matters raised by the enterprise bargaining process. Issues to discuss include teacher workload, direction of work, release time and the current 'in principle' Victorian government enterprise agreement.
This is an important opportunity for VACPSP primary principal members from across Victoria to inform these discussions.
To facilitate this dialogue a ZOOM meeting is planned for Thursday 9 June from 1.30pm to 2.30pm. Knowing your time is valuable and to facilitate widespread engagement the on-line environment is being used.
The details are:
Thursday 9th June 2022 at 1.30pm - 2.30pm
ZOOM MEETING link: CLICK HERE
Please RSVP as soon as possible to admin@vacpsp.org.au
Thanks for considering this opportunity.
People & Development Update
Notice of Representational Rights. (NERR)
Over the coming week you will receive a copy of a Notice of Representational Rights.
What is a Notice of Representational Rights (NERR)?
When you make an enterprise agreement, you must tell employees about their rights. This includes their right to have a representative during the bargaining process.
I received a NERR last year. Why am I getting another one?
The initial NERR include reference to the Diocese of Sale Catholic Education Limited (DOSCEL). DOSCEL have decided to commence bargaining on their own individual agreement and therefore we are required to reissue the NERR.
Do I have to appoint a bargaining representative?
No, you are not obliged to appoint a bargaining representative for the purposes of bargaining for the proposed enterprise agreement. If you do not appoint a bargaining representative, you will still be given the opportunity to consider and vote on the agreement once the negotiations are completed.
I am a member of one of the relevant unions. Do I need to do anything?
No, your union will automatically become your bargaining representative, unless you appoint someone else or revoke the union’s status as your representative.
Further information on NERR’s can be found here.
Learning & Teaching Update
Teaching Excellence Program.
The Teaching Excellence Program (TEP) will continue in its second year in 2023 and will have an intake of 500 teachers.
In 2022, two teachers from our Ballarat Diocese have been involved in the program, Sarah Slater from St Patrick’s College Ballarat and Fiona Holland from St Mary’s Warracknabeal. Both Sarah and Fiona have gained enormously from the professional learning the program offers.
Please scan the QR code below to register an expression of interest in applying for the 2023 program or contact Samantha Meerbach for further information.
Student Wellbeing Update
Below are dates for Professional Learning from The Student Wellbeing Team.
Please contact Liz, Brooke or Anne for any further information.
Professional Learning.
- SWPBS / Network Day / Building Tier 1
- Exploring the new Tool of the TFI located on Social Behaviours
- Strategies for Tier 1 and Tier 2
Date: 5th of August
Time: 9.00am- 3.30pm
Location: Ballarat
If you require any support in SWPBS please do not hesitate to call or email Anne Ruddell.
Youth Mental Health First Aid.
Youth Mental Health First Aid training equips people with the knowledge and confidence to approach or respond to students who may need information or support. The impact of that first supportive conversation for any individual, and in particular a young person, in a time of need can be profound.
An Hour of Power.
We welcome and extend an invitation to the Hour of Power. It is our hope that you will be able to take something practical back to your school community. If you would like to share your wisdom/knowledge/ideas please contact our team. All contributions are welcome.
The next Hour of Power will kick off at 4.00pm via a Zoom platform on Thursday 21st July. The topic for discussion is:
Strengthening Student Attendance.
We invite you to join the discussion to enhance understanding of the relationship between engagement, attendance and achievement and to explore the complexities of supporting students and families in this area.
Our special guest is Associate Professor Lisa McKay-Brown.
Lisa is the Assistant Dean Diversity and Inclusion at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne.
Her current research projects focus on school refusal, working with behaviours of concern, and the implementation of inclusive education frameworks in schools in South America. She has particular interests in tiered responses to school attendance issues, and interdisciplinary interventions for school refusal.
Date: Thursday 21st July
Time: 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Join Zoom Meeting here.
Meeting ID: 896 6235 2108
Passcode: 662467
Planning & Infrastructure Update
Portable Allocation 2022 Survey.
As a part of the Catholic Education Ballarat’s planning for 2023, we are currently in the process of:
- Auditing current placements of CEB relocatable classrooms
- Accessing school relocatable allocations needs for 2023
Could all schools please complete the 2022 Application for Placement of DOBCEL Portable Classrooms survey here no later than 24th June.
If you have any questions relating to this, please contact Penelope Irish (CEB – Properties & Facilities Advisor).
Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community
Principal Vacancies.
- Emmaus Catholic Primary School, Mt Clear - to commence mid-Term 3 or by negotiation (closes 13 June)
- St Francis Xavier Primary School, Ballarat East - to commence mid-Term 3 or by negotiation (closes 13 June)
- St Alipius Parish School, Ballarat East - to commence January 2023 (closes 13 June)
- St Aloysius Primary School, Redan - to commence January 2023 (closes 13 June)
- St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Warracknabeal - to commence January 2023 (closes 13 June)
Deputy Principal Vacancy.
- Deputy Principal – Student Engagement & Staff Development – St Brigid’s College, Horsham (closes 27 June)
School Vacancies.
- Classroom Teacher – Sacred Heart Primary School, Colac – fixed-term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 10 June)
- Learning Support Officer – St Mary’s School, Swan Hill – fixed-term position at 0.8 FTE (closes 17 June)
- Casual Relief Teachers – St Alipius Parish School, Ballarat East (closes 30 June)
- Casual Relief Teachers – St Francis Xavier, Ballarat East (closes 9 December)
- Casual Relief Teachers – St Columba’s School, Ballarat North (closes 18 December)
Catholic Education Ballarat Vacancies.
- Speech Pathologist – Ballarat or Warrnambool Office – ongoing position at 0.5 FTE (closes 20 June)
- Communications Administration Officer – Ballarat Office – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 24 June)
- Manager: Finance and Accountability – Ballarat Office – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 27 June)
Other Opportunities.
- Lecturer/Senior Lecturer – Australian Catholic University Strathford Campus (closes 20 June)