Weekly Newsletter #24 - 10 August 2022
Reflection
A Reflection on Mary MacKillop.
On Monday 8th August we celebrated the Soleminity of St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop. What does the life of Mary MacKillop mean for Catholic Educators today? The following reflection by Michele Shipperley rsj may offer some insight.
Strong women are rising up and making their voices heard in the workplace, in society and in the home.
Mary MacKillop, a woman ahead of her time, continues to be an exemplar of fearless action and a strong protector of the welfare of women. Samela Harris emphasises Mary’s courageous stance in her writings.
Mary MacKillop, aka St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, is not just a saint, she is a feminist icon. She was out there setting up women’s refuges a century before the #metoo movement. She was a woman who stood up for women when women were oppressed or victims of domestic violence. She was a woman who educated girls when the system discriminated against them. She inculcated them in science as well as the Word of her God. She was a woman who stood up against paedophilia in the Church, a century before it was a public issue. She was a woman who stood up against the bullying patriarchy of the bishops and who was excommunicated for it. She was a woman who dared to go to Rome to put her cause to the Pope in person. She was a woman who rounded up other women, be they educated or lost souls, and gave them a purpose. She was a woman who wished to leave no child without an education.
– Samela Harris, Southern Cross, 11 December 2018
While Mary MacKillop, as a social activist and inspired leader had the audacity and courage to challenge what beset society and the congregation in colonial Australia, this could be a challenge for each of us.
Michele Shipperley rsj. ©Sisters of Saint Joseph. Used with permission of the Trustees of Sisters of Saint Joseph. Not to be reproduced without permission of the Trustees.
Let us pray.
God, through the intercession of Mary MacKillop,
We pray that the fire of your compassion will ignite many hearts.
May Mary’s attentiveness to your dream inspire us.
May her energy to overcome injustice empower us.
May we, like her, make manifest your Presence in our troubled world.
We pray that the beacon of her holiness shine as a blessing for the universal Church and our world.
We make this prayer in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
From the Executive Director
The Principals of our DOBCEL Primary and Secondary Schools met in Horsham last week for the termly Diocesan Leadership Gathering (DLG).
The DLG provided an opportunity for Principals to receive and discuss updates on key issues such as finance, industrial relations, and learning and teaching. A key focus was on Principal Wellbeing, built around sessions led by Dr Aimee Maxwell.
We celebrated Mass together followed by dinner. On Friday our DOBCEL Primary Principals held their zone meetings. It was a very positive two days.
Both today and tomorrow I will join a group of CEB staff at the EduTech Conference in Melbourne. This is part of our plan to continue to support to our schools in the important area of digital technology and its positive application throughout our school communities.
Following feedback from Principals, the Draft 2023 CEB Calendar has been extended to 4pm Friday 12 August. Following this, it is hoped that the 2023 calendar will be published by Friday 19 August. The calendar was emailed to all Principals on 5 August.
I wish to draw attention Sue Paulka's decision to retire at the end of the 2022 school year. With forty years of dedicated service to Catholic Education, I invite you to read more about Sue's announcement below and join me in congratulating her on the next step of her journey.
Tom Sexton
Executive Director, Catholic Education Ballarat
Announcement of Retirement - Sue Paulka
Sue Paulka has conveyed her decision to retire at the end of the 2022 school year. Sue has been an amazing servant of Catholic education for 40 years, with 26 years of that service within the Diocese of Ballarat. She has worked faithfully to positively influence the lives of young people, families and colleagues in the spirit of the Gospel, and her professionalism and care are widely recognized and greatly valued.
Sue has worked as a Classroom Teacher, Specialist Teacher, Curriculum Leader, Deputy Principal, Principal, Education Officer, and for the past 3 years, Learning and Teaching Team Leader. Her contribution will be celebrated as the year progresses and recruitment will commence in the coming weeks.
We congratulate Sue on her decision, thank her for her significant commitment, and wish her well as her contribution is affirmed over the coming months.
Business Services Update
Primary Schools – Recommended Fee Levels for 2023.
With 2023 budget preparations underway, guidance on fee levels is provided below.
A fee band approach is used to determine recommended fee levels and is based on the Direct Measure of Income (DMI) family information.
Fee bands assist schools to determine fee levels that reflect the local community’s financial capacity, while providing consistency with other communities based on socio-economic status.
For 2023, the recommended school fee minimum per bands have been indexed by 3.5% (rounded). This excludes compulsory tuition charges, camps and excursions.
In keeping with the DOBCEL position that families facing financial difficultly should be supported, the Family Fee Assistance Scheme should be promoted to low-income families, with fee relief targeted to genuine need.
DOBCEL Business Managers, Matt Macdonald and Dean Pidgeon will assist in the 2023 budget build process and have scheduled times with all schools to undertake the 2023 budget process.
Once completed, school budgets will be reviewed at the Finance Consultative Committee for recommendation to the DOBCEL Board.
People & Development Update
Catholic Education Multi-Enterprise Agreement (CEMA) Update.
Further to our earlier updates, we remain committed to reaching a new CEMEA as soon as possible and continue to meet regularly to make real progress.
Please view the update via this link, which provides an overview of who makes up the bargaining team, process in good faith bargaining since 2021, what we’re considering and our focus.
Flourish Health and Wellbeing eMag – August 2022.
The August 2022 edition of Converge International’s Flourish Health and Wellbeing eMag is now available.
In this edition:
- The Power of positive thinking
- Dealing with anxiety
- Homelessness and mental health
- Balancing your financial stress
- The neuroscience of stress
- And more…
For information about the Employee Assist Program (EAP) visit Converge International’s website.
Catholic Education Update
Education for Sustainability: Season of Creation.
“Listen to the voice of creation” is the theme and invitation of this year’s Season of Creation.
The ecumenical phase begins on 1 September with the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, and concludes on 4 October with the Feast of Saint Francis. It is a special time for all Christians to pray and work together to care for our common home.
Links for resources can be found in the articles below.
Graduate Retreat.
On the 1st and 2nd September our graduates are invited to Halls Gap for a retreat.
This opportunity is designed for all graduates both Primary and Secondary in the first three years of teaching.
The last few years have been challenging for all in education. This retreat is designed to nurture the spirits of our wonderful graduates as they begin their career and for them to be sustained in their ministry.
It is a way to acknowledge and celebrate who they are and what they bring to Catholic Education.
This formation opportunity is strongly encouraged as it builds on the connections and relationships that have begun as part of the Graduate Program. The retreat experience is a practical way we can embed that “Formation for mission is a process that is systematic, collaborative, graduated and ongoing. This process holds itself within relationships built on accompaniment centred on self, others creation and God” p. 14 NCEC (2016) A Framework for Formation for Mission in Catholic Education
Regarding accreditation, this will contribute 10 hours . This can be recorded in the normal way via TAP.
The venue for this event is at The Country Plaza Halls Gap. Each school is to book accommodation for the staff from their school.
The Retreat, as outlined on Eventbrite, will commence at 10.00am Thursday 1st September and conclude at 1.00pm on Friday 2nd September.
Please register here via this link.
For further information contact Jim Waight via email jwaight@ceoballarat.catholic.edu.au or 0417 869 912.
Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community
Principalship Opportunities.
- St Francis Xavier Primary School, Ballarat East – to commence January 2023 (closes 22 August)
- St Joseph’s Primary School, Charlton – to commence January 2023 (closes 22 August)
- St Michael’s Primary School, Daylesford – to commence January 2023 (closes 22 August)
- St Patrick’s School, Camperdown – to commence January 2023 (closes 22 August)
Catholic Education Office Vacancies.
- Manager: ICT and Cybersecurity – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE in the Ballarat Office (closes 15 August)
- Education Officer (Learning Diversity) – ongoing position at 0.5 FTE in the Horsham Office (closes 19 August)
School Vacancies.
- Teachers (including Graduate Teachers) – St Mary MacKillop College, Swan Hill – ongoing positions at 1.0 FTE (closes 11 August)
- Director of Wellbeing (POL 4) – St Mary MacKillop College, Swan Hill – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 11 August)
- Director of Faith and Mission (POL 4) – St Mary MacKillop College, Swan Hill – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 11 August)
- VET Coordinator (POL 2) St Mary MacKillop College, Swan Hill – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 11 August)
- Daily Organiser (POL 3) – St Mary MacKillop College, Swan Hill – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 11 August)
- Teaching Opportunities (Term 4 2022 and 2023) – Emmanuel College, Warrnambool – ongoing positions at 1.0 FTE (closes 11 August)
- Several Leadership Positions for 2023 – Loreto College, Ballarat – fixed-term positions at 1.0 FTE (closes 12 August)
- Director of Learning and Teaching (Re-advertised) – Monivae College, Hamilton – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 15 August)
- Speech Pathologist – St Alipius Parish School, Ballarat East – part-time, fixed-term position for the remainder of 2022 (closes 12 August)
- Classroom Teacher – St Patrick’s School, St Arnaud – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 12 August)
- Expressions of Interest (all subject areas for 2023) – Trinity College, Colac – ongoing positions at 1.0 FTE (closes 22 August)
- Teaching Opportunities – Mercy Regional College, Camperdown – fixed-term positions at 1.0 FTE (closes 22 August)
- Classroom Teacher with Deputy Principal Role – St Patrick’s School, Port Fairy – ongoing position with initial 3-year Deputy Principal role (closes 26 August)
- Classroom Teachers; Position of Leadership (POL 2) – St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Warracknabeal – fixed-term position at 1.0 FTE for Term 4 initially (closes 30 August)
- Class Teacher (T4 Parental Leave Replacement/Acting POL 2) – St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Warracknabeal – 1.0 FTE (closes 30 August)
- Digital Technologies Teacher – Our Lady Help of Christians School, Warrnambool – fixed-term position at 0.4 FTE (closes 2 September)
- Classroom Teacher – Our Lady Help of Christians School, Warrnambool – fixed-term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 2 September)
- Casual Relief Teachers – St Francis Xavier, Ballarat East (closes 9 December)
- Casual Relief Teachers – St Columba’s School, Ballarat North (closes 18 December)
- Casual Relief Teachers – St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Warracknabeal (closes 18 December)