Weekly Newsletter #6 - 10 Mar 2021
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Reflection
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From the Executive Director
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DOBCEL Policy Implementation Update
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Faith in the Future - Pastor and Principal Forum
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Annual Report to School Community (ARSC) 2020
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30 Year Service Award Nominations - Reminder
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Diocesan Leadership Awards Nominations - Reminder
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Empowerment & Participation Guide for Organisations Working with Children & Young People
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Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community
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Schoolzine Website and eNewsletter EOIs Invited - Reminder
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Celebrating 60 years of Catholic Education in Wendouree - Save the Date
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Out in Front: Leadership and Catholic Women
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Catholic Women invited to National Consultation
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Assistant Director Opportunity - Diocese of Wagga Wagga
Reflection
The Fast Life
Fast from judging others; feast on Christ dwelling in them.
Fast from fear of illness; feast on the healing power of God.
Fast from words that pollute; feast on speech that purifies.
Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger; feast on patience.
Fast from pessimism; feast on hope.
Fast from negatives; feast on encouragement.
Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion.
Fast from suspicion; feast on truth.
Fast from gossip; feast on purposeful silence.
Fast from problems that overwhelm; feast on prayer that sustains.
Fast from anxiety; feast on faith.
- Author Unknown
From the Executive Director
This week I am writing to you from Mildura, having spent time at St Mary MacKillop College, Swan Hill and St Mary’s School, Sea Lake yesterday. I am enjoying the opportunity to understand each of our school communities in more depth and how the DOBCEL Board and Catholic Education Ballarat can support our school communities to thrive.
I am pleased to announce our upcoming Faith in the Future - Pastor and Principal Forum which will be held on Thursday 13 - Friday 14 May. Further details below.
Staff Email Addresses
Last year during the process of transferring staff employment to DOBCEL we noticed that a number of staff are using their personal email address as their primary email address, rather than their official school email address. This poses a number of potential problems:
- School email accounts are stored on mail servers which are designated specifically to our schools, with appropriate levels of security in place. Personal email account data may be stored anywhere in the world, with varying levels of security.
- Personal email accounts are not covered by school security policies.
- All school email correspondence should be conducted via the school email system in case there are ever any legal concerns.
- Emails sent from school email accounts are less likely to be blocked or arrive in the recipient's spam folder as they are sent from an official and reputable system.
- Sending to an incorrect school email address is more likely to bounce back, thus allowing the sender to rectify the issue. However there is a much higher chance that an incorrect personal address may belong to someone else so will not bounce back (eg. johnthomas@gmail.com vs jonthomas@gmail.com). Therefore official, sensitive or confidential information may inadvertently be transmitted to an unintended recipient.
We therefore request all DOBCEL Staff to use their official school email address from now on, and that school email accounts be checked regularly.
Tom Sexton
Executive Director, Catholic Education Ballarat
DOBCEL Policy Implementation Update
The DOBCEL Policy Implementation update scheduled for today has been postponed until next week. We will also provide an updated timeline document in the next Weekly Newsletter.
Faith in the Future - Pastor and Principal Forum
2021 marks an important milestone in the history of Catholic education in the Diocese of Ballarat. The creation of DOBCEL affords diligent oversight of the complex governance of parish schools while offering continued support to parish priests in undertaking the pastoral care of their school community. Our upcoming Pastor and Principal Forum, to be facilitated by Fr David Ranson, will offer an opportunity to come together and explore the proper role of the Pastor in Catholic education and the nature of delegation.
Save the Date
The forum will be held on Thursday 13 - Friday 14 May at the Mercure Hotel and Convention Centre, Ballarat. Further details to be advised.
Annual Report to School Community (ARSC) 2020
As was reported in CECV communication 26 February 2021:
- All schools must publish an Annual Report to the School Community (ARSC) to meet their State and Federal government accountability obligations.
- In 2021, the ARSC for 2020 will be completed online using the EduDOCS platform.
- ARSCs are to be completed in eduDOCS by Friday 21 May, 2021.
- Schools must publish the report on their website within 6 months of the end of the previous school year.
- In 2021, schools are asked to wait until 30 June before publishing on their website.
Guidelines and support material have been created to assist with completing the report and can be found on the ARSC site from Tuesday 9 March. An earlier date was initially set, however this was not possible to achieve. Templates for each individual school have now been uploaded to the site.
If you have any queries regarding completing the ARSC, contact Susan Crowe via email or on 0419 887 274.
30 Year Service Award Nominations - Reminder
The 30 Year Service Awards for 2021 will be celebrated and acknowledged at the proposed Diocesan Leadership dinner on Friday 14 May at the Mercure Hotel and Convention Centre.
A reminder that we are seeking nominations of staff members who have become eligible this year for their 30 Year 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.
Please see further details in the attached letter (Word document) and submit the details of any staff members who you think may qualify for recognition in 2021 by this Friday 12 March.
Diocesan Leadership Awards Nominations - Reminder
On behalf of the DOBCEL Board, the Executive Director of Catholic Education Ballarat recognises outstanding service and leadership within our Diocesan schools and school communities.
There are three Diocesan Awards where a DOBCEL employee or School community member can be nominated to be recognised for their particular expression of leadership:
- The Partnership Award
The Catholic Leadership Award
The Fullness of Life Award
A reminder that nominations are invited via this form until Friday 19 March.
Empowerment & Participation Guide for Organisations Working with Children & Young People
Child safe organisations value and celebrate children and young people for who they are and the contributions they make. They also recognise that because of their age, children and young people can be disempowered and are at greater risk of experiencing harm.
Organisations have an obligation to empower children and young people, and to uphold their human right to participate in decision-making that affects them. Some organisations are already skilled in doing this, while others remain unclear about what empowerment and participation look like and are yet to take first steps.
The Empowerment & Participation Guide for Organisations Working with Children & Young People is designed to assist adults to empower and involve children and young people in their organisation, in line with the Child Safe Standards. It contains guidance, tools and tips.
Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community
Principal Vacancies
Principal – St Joseph’s Primary School, Warrnambool
Contract, Full time position
Closes: Monday 15 March
Principal - St Brigid’s College, Horsham
Contract, Full time position
Closes: Monday 19 April
CEB Vacancy
Speech Pathologist
Fixed Term, 0.8FTE Parental Leave replacement for 2021 school year
Location: Horsham
Closes: Monday 15 March
Schoolzine Website and eNewsletter EOIs Invited - Reminder
The opportunity to secure a new Schoolzine website and eNewsletter solution at a special Diocesan price of approximately 50% off is currently available. See our information page and FAQ document for more information on increasing your school’s digital engagement with existing and prospective families.
Expressions of interest for Phase 2 are open until Thursday 1 April. To request a quote and initiate the process for your school, submit an EOI form or contact Emma Newman via email.
Celebrating 60 years of Catholic Education in Wendouree - Save the Date
Our Lady Help of Christians School, Wendouree will celebrate 60 years of Catholic Education in Wendouree on Friday 15 October, 2021.
Register for event updates on the OLHC Wendouree school website or by phoning the school office on 03 5339 4726.
Out in Front: Leadership and Catholic Women
Australian Catholic University is hosting an online panel presentation and discussion of theologically informed conversations about Catholic women in leadership across a range of organisations on Wednesday 17 March at 6.30pm. Registration is essential. Visit the Diocesan website for further information.
Catholic Women invited to National Consultation
Catholic women are invited to participate in a national consultation with two bishops and to mark their diaries for a national gathering in September. The national consultation, which will take place on Saturday 27 March via Zoom, invites women to articulate and celebrate their contribution to and vision for the mission of the Catholic Church in Australia. For further information visit the Diocesan website or the Australian Catholic Bishop's Media Blog.
Assistant Director Opportunity - Diocese of Wagga Wagga
The Diocese of Wagga Wagga is seeking applications for an Assistant Director of Corporate Services employment opportunity. See further details here.