Weekly Newsletter #12 - 5 May 2021
Reflection
Early April marked the death of a theological icon whose ecclesial contribution bridged two centuries. Hans Küng was a Catholic Christian theologian whose influential writings have been criticized by the Vatican, which in 1979 stripped him of his right to teach as a representative of the Church. Ordained a priest in 1954, Küng was the youngest theologian to participate in Vatican II, with his views aligned to both the spirit and fruits of the Council. His polemic on ecumenism, interreligious dialogue, papal infallibility, and more lately, his defence of the option for assisted suicide in cases where intolerable suffering was an affront to human dignity, both challenged and enlarged the essence of what it means to be Church.
Inherent in his writings was the underlying conviction that central to faith and Christian doctrine and practice must be the Gospel:
Catholicity in time and in space is only meaningful for me if there is, at the same time, a concentration on the Gospel. If [the Church] includes everything, and has no criteria for what is really Christian or not, then Catholicism becomes a syncretism of all sorts of superstitions and abuses. The Gospel has to be the norm.
During this Easter season, as liturgically we await the coming of the Spirit, this prayer by Dr Küng finds resonance as we prepare for the coming Plenary Council:
A Prayer of Hans Kung
Come, Holy Spirit
Wash what is stained! Expose the self-satisfaction of the churches and cleanse us of our guilt;
Heal what is wounded! Help those who have been hurt by an unjust Church law and those who have not been treated fairly in the Church--especially women;
Water what is barren! Enliven those who have become resigned in the Church and those who have been marginalized and especially let young people live in renewed hope;
Bend what has become rigid! Humiliate the obstinacy of theologians and hierarchies and shake all false security, so that everything will not always remain as it was;
Warm what has become cold! Drive out all our fears and anxieties, our prejudices and restrictions, and open our hearts with your love that knows no bounds;
Direct what is going astray! Enable us to call what is error and injustice by its name and to work in the Church and in society for truth, justice, and peace.
Hans Küng, from Why I Am Still a Christian
From the Executive Director
Last Friday, I attended the Central Zone (CZ) Principals’ meeting. Most of the meeting was devoted to listening to, discussing and providing feedback on presentations from five CZ schools (all CZ schools will have an opportunity to present to their colleagues) on their key pedagogical approaches to education. It was exciting to witness the diversity, deep thinking and passion each of these schools have for making a positive difference to students’ lives, as we all strive to bring fullness of life to all in our school communities.
This week I have enjoyed visits with the following schools in the Northern Zone:
- Marian College, Ararat
- St Patrick’s School, Stawell
- St Brigid’s College, Horsham
- St Patrick’s School, Nhill
- St Mary’s School, Warracknabeal
- Our Lady Help of Christians, Murtoa
Annual Report to the School Community (ARCS)
Principals will be busy completing the annual report to the school community (ARSC). As you may be aware, there have been some technical/responsiveness issues with the eduDOCS platform. Please find further information here.
Secondment Opportunity at St Mary’s Primary School, Donald
An opportunity for a fixed term secondment is available to a qualified DOBCEL School Teacher to facilitate a well-earned Long Service Leave break for Principal Anne Anderson. This full time, teaching position is available for all of Term 3 and is a unique opportunity to experience a different learning environment and to work with a small team of learning professionals and students. I ask all Principals to make your teaching staff aware of this opportunity to support a fellow Principal in our diocesan education community and to also help provide a unique teaching experience for someone who would benefit from this experience. Further details are in the Career Opportunities section below.
CEB Staff Appointments
Last week Lucia Bongiorno (CEB Psychologist) informed us of her intention to resign her position, effective as of 16 July 2021. Having worked as a psychologist at CEB for the past four and a half years, Lucia now intends to move into private practice. On behalf of CEB I wish Lucia all the best with her future endeavours. The process to fill the vacancy created by Lucia’s resignation has been initiated.
Tom Sexton
Executive Director, Catholic Education Ballarat
DOBCEL Policy Implementation Update
VRQA requires all DOBCEL schools to implement policies and procedures by mid-2021.
Summary Documents
The below Summary Documents outline policy and procedure key points and changes, actions required by schools by Wednesday 19 May, and the document locations in eSORT.
Policy Implementation Timeline
The current the Policy Implementation Timeline is available to download.
CEB Updates
Reminder: Faith in the Future – Pastor and Principal Forum Registrations Close Friday
Registrations are closing this Friday 7 May for the Faith in the Future Pastor and Principal Forum. As per our protocol, all DOBCEL principals are expected to attend this event and principals from RI/MPJP schools are also welcome.
Reminder: Diocesan Principal Induction Program Workshop - Registrations Close Friday
There’s not long to go now until the Diocesan Principal Induction program workshop in Halls Gap. If you missed the information letter sent out last month and haven’t yet completed the Google form, can you please do so as soon as possible to ensure your requirements are met. Numbers will be finalised this Friday 7 May.
RE Leaders Conference 2021 – Faith in the Future
As we celebrate 200 years of Catholic Education in Australia, we invite RE Leaders across the diocese to join our RE Leaders Faith in the Future Conference on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 August.
The conference will explore faith education today and into the future. Over this two day conference, keynote speakers Rev Dr Kevin Lenehan, Prof Mary Coloe pbvm and Dr Emmanuel Nathan will provide invaluable insights into the future of RE and faith education in our Catholic schools.
Further details and bookings will be announced over the coming weeks.
New Website Domain Name and Email Addresses
As part of our transition to DOBCEL, we are aligning our website and email addresses with the DOBCEL company name.
Website Impact
Our website can now be accessed via dobcel.catholic.edu.au, however please note that links to ceob.edu.au pages will remain active and will continue to work.
Email Address Impact
CEB staff email addresses are changing to username@dobcel.catholic.edu.au (for example, tsexton@dobcel.catholic.edu.au), however existing @ceoballarat.catholic.edu.au and @ceob.edu.au email addresses will continue to receive emails.
Board Email Addresses
DOBCEL Board Directors also now have the new @dobcel.catholic.edu.au email addresses, however emails sent to their previous email addresses will still be received.
Impact on Schools
The above changes will not impact school email addresses or websites.
F-10 EAL Curriculum Webinars
A series of professional learning webinars to support schools in working with the new F-10 EAL Curriculum
The next webinar, Planning for EAL Learners Across the Curriculum, will be held tomorrow - Thursday 6 May at 3.45pm.
These sessions aim to support teachers in both primary and secondary settings to work effectively with the new curriculum, including how to identify EAL learners and plan for EAL and language learning across curriculum learning areas, how to use contemporary approaches to language learning, and how to support EAL learners’ transitions into school settings. Sessions will also focus on leading for EAL and whole school practices and processes that support EAL learners.
Registration links for the series are here. Note that those who registered for the first webinar don't need to register (they've been invited to the zoom), but new registrations, especially from secondary colleagues, are welcome.
National Reconciliation Week Resources 2021
Reconciliation Australia’s theme for 2021, More than a Word. Reconciliation Takes Action, urges the reconciliation movement towards braver and more impactful action.
Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians - as individuals, families, communities, organisations and importantly as a nation. At the heart of this journey are relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
National Reconciliation Week will take place from 27 May - 3 June.
Schools are encouraged to use this collection of resources to assist with professional learning and planning learning experiences and activities.
Have you checked your PLC’s pulse lately?
Collaboration … Curriculum … Assessment … Instruction & Intervention … Teacher Development … Leadership
In the pursuit of fullness of life for all, schools understand the need for wholistic data sets that inform teacher practice. The PLC & RTI Health Check offers this opportunity.
Every school in the Ballarat diocese now has access to their own personalised PLC and RTI Health Check online assessment tool. Schools who have used the Health Check have been empowered to take a deep dive into their whole-school practices, identify key strengths and challenges and set strategic improvement goals.
To see how the team at St Joseph’s Primary School, Red Cliffs dramatically improved outcomes by using the Health Check as a key element of their school improvement process, watch this short video.
For everything you need to know about the PLC/RTI Health Check, visit The HIVE PLC Health Check Platform. Contact your Learning & Teaching Education Officers to talk more about how you might make the most of this valuable school-improvement opportunity.
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.
Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community
CEB Vacancies
Psychologist
Permanent, Full-time position
Location: Ballarat
Closes: 9am on Monday 24 May
School Vacancies
School vacancies are listed here.
Secondment Opportunity at St Mary’s Primary School, Donald
Long Service Leave replacement (whole of Term 3)
A temporary opportunity for an experienced Teacher or confident graduate exists to join the St Mary’s Primary School, Donald community. To support a DOBCEL School Teacher interested in the opportunity, the following benefits are offered:
- a secondment agreement, guaranteeing a return to your current position and school at the conclusion of Term 3;
- support to find appropriate accommodation;
- financial support for temporary relocation.
From Around the Diocese
Our Diocesan Community – Issue 2, 2021
Planning for the second issue of Our Diocesan Community (ODC) 2021 is underway and we invite your contributions. We will continue the 2021 themes of Plenary Council / Year of St Joseph. We are hoping to gather stories and experiences in the Catholic community – schools, parishes and agencies from all around the diocese. We also invite you to share significant events that may have taken place over the last few months in your parish, school community and agency.
We hope to have this issue of “Our Diocesan Community” delivered in the week beginning 12 July so the latest date for submissions to this issue is Friday 28 May. Articles should be approximately 250 words maximum in length and accompanied by photos where possible. Photos should be sent as separate JPEG files (not inserted into a Word document). Material can be sent to odc@ballarat.catholic.org.au. A reminder that when sending in photos, permission should be sought from those in the pictures. From time-to-time, these photos will also be used in other diocesan publications.
From Other Dioceses and Beyond
VCAA 2020 VCAL Achievement Award
Congratulations to Carmel Russell who was part of the CECV Pathways and Transition Team who won the VCAA Chair’s Award at the VCAA 2020 VCAL Achievement Awards recently. See further information on the awards here.
The team consisted of Peter Devery - Project Lead (Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools - MACS), Jenny Wilson (MACS), Sam Franzi (Catholic Education Sale), Phil Molloy (Catholic Education Sandhurst) and Carmel Russell (Catholic Education Ballarat).
The awards were presented at Federation Square on 23 April, however unfortunately Carmel was unable to attend the ceremony. The below photo shows (L to R) Phil Molloy, Jenny Wilson, Peter Devery, Mary Oski (MACS - Director, Learning & Regional Services) and Sam Franzi.
Flourish Wellbeing eMag - May edition
The May edition of Flourish is now available. The May issue includes:
- The Silent Pandemic – Family & Domestic Violence
- Exercise for Ageing Heart Health
- National Sorry Day
- Finding a Work/Life Balance
- + more
Australian Curriculum Review
Proposed changes to the Australian Curriculum were published recently and feedback is now invited. Revisions to all eight learning areas (English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, The Arts, Technologies, Health and Physical Education, and Languages), five general capabilities and three cross-curriculum priorities are available for consultation.
Feedback can be provided by completing an online survey. There are separate surveys for each learning area, the general capabilities and the cross-curriculum priorities. The surveys and further information can be found on the Australian Curriculum consultation website.
The public consultation window is 10 weeks, from 29 April until 8 July 2021.
Recontextualising Pedagogy National Conference
The Recontextualising Pedagogy National Conference will be held on Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 November at the Catholic Leadership Centre in Melbourne.
Presented in association with Australian ECSI Professional Learning Consortium, this conference offers an opportunity to showcase new learning and ongoing research into recontextualising pedagogies exploring four areas:
- Leadership
- Student agency
- Teacher professional learning
- Teacher practice
Educators from all spheres of the Catholic school sector are invited to register now. See further information here.
Expressions of Interest Invited
Expressions of interest are invited from researchers, leaders and school practitioners to lead workshops in the following areas:
- Leading in the ECSI Space
- Student Agency and Recontextualisation
- Teacher professional learning
- Teacher practice for recontextualisation
Applications close on 30 July 2021. See further information here.
Family Week: May 10-15, 2021
Family is one of the largest influential factors in a child’s life. By nurturing family relationships and building strong bonds within the family, children learn how to build positive relationships all throughout their lives. CatholicCare Victoria encourages schools to celebrate Family Week this year from 10-15 May to support the nurturing and strengthening of families in their local community. Schools can receive a Resource Pack by registering for Family Week today. See further information here.
Season of Creation Inter-diocesan Seminar:
Enhancing Ecological Stewardship in Catholic Schools
The Cross Diocesan Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee invite you to an online event aimed at enhancing your capacity to explore the intersection of Catholic Identity and Sustainability within your school context. The Church’s teaching on the environment has been reaffirmed with Pope Francis’ ground-breaking encyclical, Laudato Si’ (On Care for Our Common Home) and serves as the inspiration for our inter-diocesan event. The seminar will be held on Tuesday 7 September from 9.00 am - 12.30 pm - see further information here.