Weekly Newsletter #11 - 28 Apr 2021
Reflection
The Easter Challenge …
You believe because you can see… happy are those who have never seen and yet believe.
John 20:29
Every year we hear the stories:
empty tomb, surprised grievers,
runners with news and revelation,
unexpected encounters,
conversations on the road,
tales of nets filling with fish,
and breakfast on a seashore.
And every year
the dull and dead in us
meets our Easter challenge:
to be open to the unexpected,
to believe beyond our security,
to welcome God in every form,
and trust in our own greening.
— Joyce Rupp from Out of the Ordinary: Prayers, Poems, and Reflections for Every Season
From the Executive Director
Monday and Tuesday of this week I attended a CECV Board meeting where, amongst other things, the four executive directors shared and discussed their experiences in regard to the governance changes. Yesterday afternoon we met with three of the four members of the CECV company: Bishops of Sale, Melbourne and Ballarat, to discuss the details of the upcoming review of the CECV. I would expect this review to commence in the coming weeks and it is scheduled to take around 12 months to complete.
I recently came across this thought provoking article written by Pasi Sahlberg, a Finnish Educator and Professor of Education Policy at the Gonski Institute. Pasi writes about government approaches to COVID compared with government approaches to education:
“Education and health are important contributors to a better life. During the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen what evidence-based public health policies look like. But unlike medicine, education operates on the basis of ideology, politics and consensus. We see the inconvenient consequences of that in national statistics and international education indicators.”
You can read the full article here.
Faith in the Future – Pastor and Principal Forum Update
I’m looking forward to gathering together in-person for the first time at the Faith in the Future Pastor and Principal Forum. As per our protocol, all DOBCEL principals are expected to attend this event and I welcome all principals from RI/MPJP schools.
Registrations are now open for the forum which will be held at the Mercure Ballarat on 13-14 May. Registrations close on Friday 7 May.
The official dinner for the two days will be held as part of the Diocesan Leadership Gathering Dinner on Friday evening, leaving Thursday night available for informal zone gatherings.
CEB Staff Update – Ashleigh Freckleton and Sarah Macdonald
We welcome these additions to our Wellbeing Team:
After resigning from her position in February this year to pursue a personal project, Ashleigh Freckleton (Speech Pathologist) will next week return to work at CEB on a part time basis (0.5FTE) for the remainder of 2021. It is planned that Ashleigh will work with the following schools: St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Hopetoun; St Patrick’s Primary School, Nhill; Our Lady Help of Christians School, Murtoa; St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, Stawell; and St Malachy’s School, Edenhope.
Sarah Macdonald (Speech Pathologist), who is currently employed 0.2FTE at CEB, will increase her time to 0.4FTE. It is planned that Sarah will work with the following schools: Ss Michael’s and John’s Primary School, Horsham; St Mary’s Primary School, Donald; St Joseph’s Catholic School, Charlton; St Patrick’s Primary School, St Arnaud.
Tom Sexton
Executive Director, Catholic Education Ballarat
School Operations Guide
The current School Operations Guide is still applicable until further notice. We will let principals know immediately when an updated version becomes available.
CEB Updates
CEB Business Manager School Support Rotation
Standard practice has been for CEB Business Managers to rotate the portfolio of schools they support every 2 years. The current 2 year (3 years due to COVID) tenure expired at the end of Term 1. From the start of Term 2, each school’s Business Manager will be as per the attached list for the next two years.
Please note that the ICON schools will all be supported by Matt MacDonald for the rest of 2021 or until further notice, with Dean Pidgeon retaining 3 schools to ensure an even distribution.
Recovery of School Fees and Levies
An update on the Recovery of Fees and Levies for Primary and Secondary Schools is attached.
CDF Capital Investment Account
The CDF Capital Investment Account deposit form is attached as an Excel file and also available in eSORT under:
ORGANISATIONAL AND GOVERNANCE REQUIREMENTS\D. BALLARAT DIOCESAN REQUIREMENTS\
2. GOVERNANCE\2.7 DOBCEL Finance Policies Procedures
Schools wishing to transfer funds should complete the form and return to their CEB Business Manager. If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact Julie Duynhoven on 5337 7132 or via email.
Updated Teacher Accreditation Platform (TAP) Manuals
The Teacher Accreditation Platform (TAP) manuals have now been updated for schools in the Ballarat diocese. You can view these manuals and access TAP via the Accreditation page on our website.
Respectful Relationships Education
Respectful Relationships Education (RRE) has been a strong staple of the Wellbeing aspect of schooling across the diocese. School personnel have undertaken Respectful Relationships training in the past and are now incorporating other models such as ReLATE, SWPBS and/or Zones of Regulation into Wellbeing to address student and staff wellbeing as a whole school community approach.
The Fullness of Life for All Relationships and Sexuality Scope and Sequence that accompany the DOBCEL Relationships and Sexuality Policy is presently being audited to identify and highlight for teachers where consent education exists within the resource.
The RRE ‘Partner school’ Expression of Interest is now open via DET’s website and closes on Monday 31 May.
See further information on Respectful Relationships Education in the Diocese of Ballarat, and contact Tony Perkins or Liz McIntyre for enquiries.
Focus Tier 2 Strategies for SWPBS Framework Workshop Two
This workshop will focus on building staff capabilities with writing a functional behaviour assessment. Presented by Dan Petro who is a behaviour analyst and director of Behavioural Resources Australia. During this two-session presentation, participants will learn an evidence-based process designed to increase staff capacity in the prevention of Behaviours of Concern incidents, while teaching the student specific skills in support of future success.
Registrations close this Friday 30 April - see further details and registrations here.
Co-Creating an Educational Landscape
An invitation to participate in this new project with colleagues across the diocese
Co-creating an educational landscape for the diocese of Ballarat is an invitation to participate in a process of reflection and dialogue; an opportunity to learn with and from each other as we ‘.... take a step further and never be satisfied with conventional things.’ (Pope Francis, 2013). And as one principal colleague commented on the opportunity to use this tool:
“We see how this process could enable us to reflect, review and create strategic direction through professional inquiry – it reminds us to take the time to reflect on some simple but important questions.”
Curious about these questions?
- Why this? Where did this come from?
- What is this project?
- How will this happen?
- Why might we be interested?
- What does Pope Francis have to say?
- What are school colleagues saying about it?
- When will this happen?
- How do we register to find out more and to participate?
Find out more about this exciting opportunity to learn from others across the diocese, and register here to participate.
EAL Updates
EAL reporting resources have been updated and now include some student work samples for each EAL Curriculum pathway.
The scope and sequence diagram has also been updated and now includes a separate section for Initial Diagnostic Activities for primary and secondary teachers.
There are also some new plurilingual posters for teachers of early, mid and late immersion EAL students and differentiating learning sequences in a number of learning areas.
EAL Professional Learning
CEB’s second EAL webinar, ‘Planning for EAL Learners’ will now be on Thursday 6 May and the ‘Assessment and Reporting’ webinar on Thursday 20 May. The plurilingualism sessions that were to be separated for primary and secondary have now been combined on Thursday 27 May. See further details here.
PETAA and VicTESOL are also currently offering some excellent online PD on explicit teaching of language/grammar in genre-based text and modules/resources for teachers of EAL students.
200 Years of Catholic Education - Faith in the Future Updates
Reminder: RSVP for 200 Years of Catholic Education – Celebration of Eucharist
Please find attached an invitation to all schools of the diocese to join in celebrating 200 Years of Catholic Education across the nation on Monday 24 May.
The DOBCEL Board is inviting every school in the diocese to send a representative group of students to attend the Mass for the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians. Due to COVID restrictions, the Cathedral can accommodate only 300 students and teachers, therefore we are suggesting five student representatives and one teacher from each school.
It is understood that this Mass is complementary to local celebrations planned for this day and for many schools this may mean substantial travel, if you wish to offer your places to a school with greater availability, please feel free to do so – however, if you could inform Dr Susan Crowe of your generosity, this would be appreciated.
Please RSVP by Friday 7 May to SCrowe@ceoballarat.catholic.edu.au.
Reminder: Liturgical Resources for 200 Year Celebrations
Liturgical resources to support local celebrations are now available on our website, and have been developed through the CEB Catholic Identity and Mission team.
Timeline of Catholic Education in Australia
View this timeline of Catholic education in Australia, dating back to the first school established in Parramatta NSW in October 1820.
National Mass - Livestream
The National Mass to celebrate the Bicentenary of Catholic Education in Australia will be livestreamed from St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney, on Monday 24 May from 10.15am - see further details here.
Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community
CEB Vacancies
Education Officer, English as an Additional Language
Fixed Term until end of 2021 School year.
Part-time (0.4 FTE/2 days per week)
Location: a negotiated choice of Ballarat, Mildura, Horsham, Swan Hill, Warrnambool office locations
Closes: 9am on Monday 3 May
School Vacancies
School vacancies are listed here.
From Other Dioceses and Beyond
Engaging Your Faith
Engaging Your Faith is a series of short sessions offering an opportunity to explore your faith through a variety of topics including: Spirituality, Women in the Early Church, Church History, Reading the Church Classics, The Eucharist, and Science and Religion, presented by lecturers of Catholic Theological College. See further details and registrations here.
F-10 Curriculum Update
Understanding Civics and Citizenship education in Victoria
Teachers and students are invited to have their say about the implementation and delivery of the Victorian Curriculum Civics and Citizenship Levels 3–10 as part of a research project conducted by Monash University, funded and supported by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) and the Department of Education and Training. See further details here.
Resource Smart Schools
There are a number of interesting activities coming up for schools interested in Education for Sustainability. You do not have to be a Resource Smart School to engage in some of these events. See further details here.
Congratulations to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Merbein on gaining their third star.
Positive Partnerships - Online Parent/Carer Workshop
Join other local families to learn more about autism and ways to strengthen the home-school partnership in this four part workshop is for any parents, grandparents and full/part time live-in carers of a young person on the autism spectrum within Victoria. It is highly recommended that parents and carers register and commit to all 4 sessions where possible. See further details and registrations here.
Inclusive Education Cafe
Loren Swancutt from School Inclusion will host an Inclusive Education Cafe webinar session on Monday 10 May covering the practical application of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) concepts to lesson and assessment design. See further details and registrations here.
Lift the Veil on Forced Marriage
See, Judge and Act about Forced Marriage in your school or community
People in Australia subjected to Forced Marriage live in our midst. Lift the Veil is an important professional learning opportunity revealing the local, national and global realities of this slavery-like practice. The ACRATH webinar Lift the Veil will be held on Wednesday 5 May from 4-5pm - see further details and registrations here.
Leadership opportunities in Regional SA Catholic Schools
- St Joseph’s School, Peterborough
- St Mary MacKillop School, Wallaroo
- St Joseph’s School, Clare
- St Joseph’s School, Murray Bridge
From 2022, as part of the Catholic Education SA Regional Schools Pathways initiative, the above schools are expanding to include Year 7 to 9 secondary education. Experienced educators are invited to join these school communities to lead the areas of curriculum and wellbeing. See further details here or visit the Positions Vacant page at www.cesa.catholic.edu.au. Applications close at 5pm on Monday 10 May.
Copyright 4 Educators Course
For those who work with copyright, the National Copyright Unit (NCU) are holding a free online course - ‘Copyright for Educators’ - which is tailored for Australian school and TAFE teachers and librarians. The course covers Australian educational copyright, copyright compliance strategies, Creative Commons (CC) and Open Educational Resources (OER). Registrations are open for the current intake - see details here.