Weekly Newsletter #17 - 5 June 2024
Reflection
What is Ordinary??
As the Church’s Liturgical calendar returns to Ordinary Time, it is a time to consider what is in fact “ordinary”. Through the “ordinary” people can experience quite literally the extraordinary. This may often be through the sacred, or moving beauty, wonder, pain and the whole myriad of what it is to be human. In the “ordinary” everyday, Christians experience the great creator spirit, the presence of God being revealed through all creation. Today is World Environment Day, on this day we remember the glory of all living and nonliving things which also may be envisaged as ‘the ordinary” which as we know the environment is far from “ordinary!!”
Each day, there is an opportunity to stop and become truly aware. A time to be conscious of what might be experienced in the “ordinariness” of the coming day. The following poem “A Morning Offering” by John O’Donohue, speaks of the “ordinary” in each morn and what the approaching day might offer.
A Morning Offering
I bless the night that nourished my heart
To set the ghosts of longing free
Into the flow and figure of dream
That went to harvest from the dark
Bread for the hunger no one sees.
All that is eternal in me
Welcomes the wonder of this day,
The field of brightness it creates
Offering time for each thing
To arise and illuminate.
I place on the altar of dawn:
The quiet loyalty of breath,
The tent of thought where I shelter,
Waves of desire I am shore to
And all beauty drawn to the eye.
May my mind come alive today
To the invisible geography
That invites me to new frontiers,
To break the dead shell of yesterdays,
To risk being disturbed and changed.
May I have the courage today
To live the life that I would love,
To postpone my dream no longer
But do at last what I came here for
And waste my heart on fear no more.
O’Donohue, J (2007) Benedictus: A Book of Blessings Bantam Press: London
From the Executive Director
Congratulations to St Patrick’s, Port Fairy who has been named the Sustainability Victoria ResourceSmart “Community Leadership School of the Year”.
This is an outstanding achievement by all staff, students and families involved over several years, and it is wonderful to see our Catholic schools leading the way in educating the next generation on such an important issue. You can read more about the St Patrick's award and program here.
We also congratulate the St James’ Sebastopol community on reaching the state finals for these awards.
On Monday, DOBCEL Chair Terry Harney and I were delighted to host Professor Elizabeth Labone, CEO of the Victorian Catholic Education Authority (VCEA). This was the first opportunity for Professor Labone to visit the diocese since she commenced in the role on 20 May.
The VCEA plays a vital role in statewide leadership and advocacy for Catholic education, and the meeting was an opportunity to brief Elizabeth on the great work happening across our school communities, along with the particular challenges we face in regional areas.
It’s worth noting that we are part of a Victorian Catholic school sector educating 213,000 (approx 20%) students and employing 28,000 teachers and staff across 496 school communities.
After a few weeks away, I am looking forward to meeting with Principals via video-conference tomorrow and travelling to Coleraine for our DOBCEL Board meeting next week.
This week’s stimulus piece is a podcast featuring Prof Yong Zhao and school system reform.
With sincere thanks for your ongoing hard work as Semester 1 assessment and reporting approaches.
With best wishes
Tom Sexton
Executive Director, Catholic Education Ballarat
Executive Director, Tom Sexton and DOBCEL Chair, Terry Harney met with Professor Elizabeth Labone, CEO of the Victorian Catholic Education Authority (VCEA), on Monday.
Professional Learning Program
Please click the 'Download Here' button below to open the flyer.
New CSPA Family Engagement Resources
New, exciting, family engagement resources for parents and school staff.
Catholic School Parents Australia (CSPA) is excited to announce that a new suite of resources is now available on the Gearing Up for Parent Engagement website.
Australian Government funding assisted a dedicated CSPA project team to develop six Video-Workshops and Facilitator Guides - three for primary and three for secondary schools.
Hear useful and at times challenging comment from such specialists as Andrew Fuller, Prof John Hattie, Prof Donna Cross & Dr John Edwards - as well as other valuable research findings from around the world.
A local facilitator is instructed via the guides on how to lead principals, school staff and families through a series of video-workshops to explore many aspects of engaging families in learning and wellbeing.
You are encouraged to use the many practical ideas on the website to develop a better understanding of how to grow the partnership between home and school to benefit all within the school community.
A major focus of these new resources is to build capacity in both families and school staff to work in partnership. This website invites you to access the information on-line or you might wish to download each of the resources.
These new family engagement resources can be found here.
Catholic Identity and Mission Update
Happy World Environment Day
A Reading from Laudato Si’
So we cannot fail to consider the effects on people's lives of environmental deterioration, current models of development and the throwaway culture.” (Pope Francis, Laudato Si', no. 43)
Healing Our Throwaway Culture: A Focus on Plastics
World Environment Day is celebrated across the globe today, June 5th, and is an occasion for us to celebrate the generosity and abundance of our Mother Earth. It is also a day to recognise that our planet, even though it has been so generous to us, cannot produce everything at the high speed that the industrial society demands from it. This year, we are called to consider the growing problem of plastic pollution - “Planet vs. Plastics”.
Over the past 50 years, world plastic production has doubled. It is estimated that the production of plastic products accounts for 4-8 percent of global oil production. A 2023 report from Pacific Environment called for a 75 percent reduction in plastic production by 2050 to avoid a disastrous increase in global temperatures. We must deal with the plastic crisis if we are to control the climate crisis, to improve the health of our air and oceans, and to protect the earth’s biodiversity and human health. The time has come for us to focus on the plastics crisis, its impacts, and how we are called to respond and heal what Pope Francis calls “our throwaway culture.”
Throughout Laudato Si’, Pope Francis decries what he calls the “throwaway culture.” At first blush, given the overarching ecological theme of Laudato Si, this may seem to be solely a critique of wasteful consumerism. However, it is far more than that. It is a critique of a mindset and world view that discards people, promises, values and community bonds when they seem to lack immediately obvious or quantifiable value in the eyes of the world.
Pray:
Today, we face a creation longing to both be healed and be praised!
We gather today to praise God.
Our earth is precious and is in need of gentleness and kindness as we face pollution and climate change.
We pray for all of creation: the sky, land, sea, and all living creatures.
We pray that God grants us the wisdom and ability to protect all our brothers and sisters, and all ecosystems and natural habitats, freeing them from harm and inhumane actions.
We will protect the earth from plastic pollution, keeping the earth in God’s loving care.
We are created for relationships: with God, with one another, and with the earth.
Let us honor those relationships today and every day.
We seek to care for our common home, the earth, to heal rather than wound, to treasure rather than discard.
Let us understand that all creation is connected and in need of healing.
God of providence, transform us, that we may place the welfare of our common home and your people before our fleeting desires.
Grant us divine wisdom and embolden us to replace systems of destruction and wasteful consumption with systems of justice and sustainability.
May we commit to new ways of honoring God’s creation as a means of sharing Jesus’ transforming Love.
And let us seek God’s grace, justice, and mercy for all.
Eco-action:
Watch the video linked below to discover the truth of our throw away culture:
2024 Earth Day: Healing Our Throwaway Culture: A Focus on Plastics
What changes can you make in your own daily life to avoid the “Throwaway culture”?
Could it be digging that reusable coffee cup out of the kitchen draw and actually using it each day, or is it remembering to leave your reusable bags in the car, taking your own reusable container with you to the shop when purchasing fresh food, or packing reusable cutlery in your bag… The options are endless, but the time is right. So, what change will you make?
Taking a Step further:
The Catholic Climate Covenant have created a one-hour program that will help your community learn about how plastic production, consumption, and disposal are impacting human and planetary health, and give you strategies for personal, community, and systemic actions. The Earth Day program can be used on June 5 or on any day that fits your community’s schedule.
Click the link below to find out more and access the program:
Earth Day | Catholic Climate Covenant
Upcoming significant Ecological Events:
- Saturday 8 June 2024 World Oceans Day
- Wednesday 12 June 2024 UN World Day Against Child Labour
- Sunday 16 June to Saturday 22nd June 2024 World Refugee Week
- In a world marked by displacement and the search for refuge, this year's Refugee Week theme “Finding Freedom” – with a focus on family – encapsulates the profound journey of resilience, strength, and unity that defines the refugee experience.
- Refugee Week 2024 - Ballarat Program
- Refugee Week Educational Resource Pack
- Thursday 20 June 2024 World Refugee Day
- Sunday 4 July to Sunday 11 July 2024 NAIDOC Week
- Held across the country from 7-14 July 2024, NAIDOC Week will celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
- This year’s theme chosen by the National NAIDOC Committee is, ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud.’ This theme honours the enduring strength and vitality of First Nations culture – with fire a symbol of connection to Country, to each other, and to the rich tapestry of traditions that define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Article submitted by Sarah Page.
SOPHOS Antivirus
As part of our organisational effort to improve our Cyber Security across the Diocese we are offering our SOPHOS antivirus endpoint protection software to all DOBCEL schools to download and install onto staff endpoint devices.
The licensing for this software is owned by DOBCEL and will be free for all our schools to download and distribute onto staff devices.
The SOPHOS endpoint protection software is usable on both MAC and Windows Operating systems.If you are interested in having your staff devices setup with our AV, the DOBCEL ICT Team will be more than happy to assist. If you are interested in implementing this at your school you can submit your expression of interest to helpdesk@dobcel.catholic.edu.auThey will just ask that you are able to answer the following questions:
- What is the number of staff devices at your school?
- What Operating systems do your staff devices run? Windows, MAC, other, a combination of multiple? Are you able to provide a list operating systems per device.
- Does your school have a current IT Administrator?
- Does your school have a shared drive that all staff can access to download and install the AV, if not can you provide a list of all staff emails for us to distribute the software.
The ICT Team are available for any questions, if your staff devices are already protected by 3rd party software they are also happy to discuss this.
Article submitted by DOBCEL ICT Team.
Simplify, Secure, and Supercharge Your School's SIMON
Register interest now!
At DOBCEL, we're dedicated to helping schools achieve excellence through innovative and industry-leading technology solutions.
We are excited to announce the launch of our new DOBCEL Private Cloud offering - a secure, managed hosting environment tailored specifically for SIMON, your school's learning management system.
Why choose our private cloud?
Security at the Core:
Hosted in a secure, controlled environment, our Private Cloud ensures your school's data is protected by state-of-the-art cybersecurity measures, thanks to our trusted partners SOPHOS and RocketCyber. With SOPHOS MDR (Managed Detection and Response), SOPHOS XGS Next-Gen Firewalls, and 24/7 monitoring by RocketCyber vSOC (virtual Security Operations Centre), your SIMON system will benefit from constant monitoring, proactive threat detection, and swift incident response by our team and security partners.
Streamlined Updates & Maintenance:
With our DOBCEL Private Cloud, our SIMON software developers can seamlessly roll out the latest updates and patches, ensuring your system is always up to date. No more downtime or delays due to manual updates - your school's SIMON system will be optimized, secure, and compliant at all times.
Unmatched Performance & Reliability:
Self-hosting SIMON on-site requires dependable infrastructure such as power, internet, hardware, cooling, and more. With our Private Cloud, your school can bypass these challenges. You'll benefit from a high-performance environment that's consistently available, allowing your staff and students to focus on learning.
DOBCEL’s Own Private Cloud
A private cloud is a computing environment that provides similar benefits to a public cloud -such as scalability, flexibility, and resource efficiency - but is for exclusive use by DOBCEL schools meaning our data stays in Australia, in regional Victoria, yet is hosted in an Enterprise-grade datacenter.
Expert Support & Peace of Mind:
Our ICT team work ‘hand in glove’ with SIMON Schools to offer the best of both worlds in terms of support. No more calling the IT guy to help with a server issue; we work alongside the team at SIMON Schools to provide the best-of-breed infrastructure. Allowing their development and support team to focus on enhancing your SIMON experience.
When you choose to move your SIMON to the DOBCEL private cloud, it allows peace of mind with operational High Availability and access to your SIMON when you need, it as well as the opportunity to better secure your schools data. We also take care of your backups with our Data Integrity Partner DATTO. Using the same technology found in DOBCEL’s Centralised Backup Program, we not only protect your SIMON, but validate and ensure your backups can be restored quickly and efficiently.
Ready to Learn More?
Register your interest with the DOBCEL ICT team as soon as possible via helpdesk@dobcel.catholic.edu.au and we will provide further information and/or begin your migration pathway.
Learning and Teaching Update
General News
2024 Early Career Teacher Retreat - "There Where You Are"
Early Careers Teachers Retreat – years 1, 2 and 3 and any pre-service teachers.
August 14 and 15 2024
The 2024 Early Career Teacher Retreat in Halls Gap is back in term 3. The retreat is run on a three-year cycle and this year is titled “There where you are.” The two-day retreat will provide content and experience on –
- Nurturing your own spirituality
- Caring for my spirit
- Making connections with other early career teachers in The Diocese of Ballarat.
- Why be ecological?
- Sacred Ground
- Caring for our common home.
There will be the opportunity to explore nature as a component of the retreat, reflecting on scripture and Tradition in the process.
Click here to view a little more on the retreat.
Additional details –
Wednesday August 14 and Thursday August 15 2024
- Timings - August 14 - 9:30 to 4:00pm and August 15 - 9:00 – 1:00pm
- Venue – The Country Plaza, 141 Grampians Rd, Halls Gap, VIC 3381 - Web link
- Cost – $200 per person
- meals provided include –
- Day 1 – morning tea, lunch and dinner
- Day 2 - morning tea and take-away lunch.
- Trybooking link
Travel and accommodation are to be organised by participants. A limited number of rooms have been reserved for participants to book at the Country Plaza.
Early Career Teacher (ECT) Days
First year primary and secondary Early Career Teachers gathered in Ballarat at the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership on May 20 for professional development. Teachers engaged in learning more about classroom culture, inclusive education, student wellbeing and positive behaviour management strategies.
What made the day great was:
“The different speakers discussing different areas and being able to discuss what is happening in our classrooms and what has changed since our first PD day.” and “Reinforcement of current strategies as evidence based and learning new ones at the same time. Collaboration with peers and sharing ideas.”
“Thank you so much for today, I found it worthwhile and it was really affirming as well as informative.”
A second group of first year primary ECTs gathering in Robinvale for the first time on May 22nd. The day was marked by the handing on of the message stick. Participants had an opportunity to become familiar with the workings of the Diocese and the myriad of people available for support. There was engagement in how to facilitate prayer, sharing of celebrations and challenges and some collaborative problem solving.
“It was a great day, lovely to meet some new people and be able to work with such knowledgeable facilitators (Kim and Sam). Thank you!”
“Meeting other graduate teachers and knowing that I’m not alone in how I’m feeling (overwhelmed at times etc). A great chance to share any of our challenges and brainstorm some solutions.”
Upcoming Opportunities for ECTs
All second and third Year ECTs are invited to join us online on June 13 from 3:30 - 4:30pm. Register HERE.
In Term 3 all first, second and third year ECTs are invited to attend a two day formation retreat on August 14 and 15th at Country Plaza in Halls Gap. Register HERE
If you are an Early Career Teacher and have not had an opportunity to attend any of the days this year, we have content and resources available online through CANVAS.
Contact Julia (jpetrov@dobcel.catholic.edu.au) to ensure access.
Southern Zone Catholic Library Network - PD Opportunity
Term 2, 2024 Network Meeting and Library Professional Development
School library staff and volunteers are invited to take part in professional learning being held at the Warrnambool Library (8 Kepler St) on June 7. The focus of the event is to assist library staff members to:
- Continuously develop the library contribution to whole school learning.
- Maintaining a quality library collection that meets the needs of diverse learners.
- Promoting independent thought and a love of reading.
- Booking link
Please see the flyer below for more information.
ACER PAT Professional Learning
ACER is pleased to offer a series of webinars targeted to schools using, or about to use, the PAT Progressive Achievement suite online. Here's the schedule for terms 2 & 3.
Term 2 2024
- Using PAT data to target, group and identify student learning [29 May]
- Unpacking ACER’s Adolescent Coping Scale for Schools (2nd ed.) [12 June]
Term 3 2024
- Coping, resilience and fortitude: Supporting adolescents in schools [24 July]
- Understanding and making comparisons using PAT norm data [7 August]
- Analysing data using ACER's Bands, Group and Student reports (Linear assessments) [17 September]
- Analysing data using ACER's Data Explorer (Adaptive assessments) [18 September]
PAT CEB Webinar Recording (May 17 2024)
The recording of last week’s CEB PAT Webinar PAT Assessment to Support Mid-Year Reporting has been uploaded and can be found on the DOBCEL Schools’ Hub’s PAT Assessments & Resources site, under the newly-added Recordings banner. On this site you will also find the Reporting Alignment Tool discussed in the webinar, under the new drop down heading Reporting.
Please contact the PAT Team (Breeana Wade, Teresa Hadden and Lisa Templar) with any questions.
CEP Small Schools Forum
CEP will be hosting the Small Schools Forum on Thursday, June 20, in collaboration with the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership. This event promises to be an enriching experience for all involved, offering valuable insights and opportunities for networking.
Taking place across 7 live sites in Bairnsdale, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Mildura, Moe, and Shepparton, the Small Schools Forum will feature inspiring speakers and presentations from practicing small school principals. Attendees will have ample opportunities to connect with peers and delve into discussions on topics relevant to small schools.
One highlight of the event will be the presentation of the latest research findings on teacher retention in rural schools, providing valuable insights for educators.
All interested individuals, including representatives from small schools across sectors, are welcome to join CEP for this cross-sectorial event. Whether you come as part of a cluster or as an individual, your participation is invaluable. Best of all, this event is completely free!
To learn more about the day download the flyer or to register your interest, please click here.
The Winter Series, CEP’s PD Online, will commence on the 5th of June. Specifically designed by educators for all educators, this season consists of 4 interactive sessions: Sign up at here.
- Women in Leadership: 5 June, 2:00 - 3:00 pm
- Addressing Workload for School Leaders: 12 June, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
- AI in Education: 19 June, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
- Retention of Staff: 26 June, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
Stay informed on the latest industry trends and research, hear inspiring leadership stories, acquire strategies to help balance demanding workloads, learn how to manage AI technology in the education space and gain an understanding of how to retain and engage your team.
Each session is highly interactive, providing participants with the opportunity to ask questions and receive feedback from educational industry experts. Sign up now and take a significant step towards advancing your career and personal well-being.
Digital Technology - Apple Professional Learning
The latest Apple Professional Learning Live schedule is now available. These are free online webinars hosted by Apple to support schools and educators using Apple devices.
There are sessions still to come in June that would be valuable for schools using iPad and/or Mac.
June
- Nurture Digital Well-Being with iPad — Tuesday 4 June — 4pm AEST
- Nurture Digital Well-Being with iPad — Wednesday 5 June — 4pm AEST
- Lead Teaching and Learning Innovation with Apple — Tuesday 11 June — 4pm AEST
- Personalize Professional Learning with Apple — Wednesday 12 June —4pm AEST
- Focus Learning with Classroom — Tuesday 18th June — 4 AEST
- Deploy and Manage Devices with Apple — Wednesday 19 June 4pm AEST
More information on dates and how to register click here.
Richmond Emerging Aboriginal Leadership (REAL) Program - Expression of Interest
REAL Schools is a school-based program that introduces Indigenous students to the work of the Korin Gamadji Institute. Within this program, students will learn about the Richmond Emerging Aboriginal Leadership (REAL) program, including an introduction to the three key pillars of the program: Leadership, Social and Emotional Wellbeing, and Culture.
This interactive program includes cultural games, content from Richmond Football Club Indigenous players and practical social and emotional wellbeing exercises, governed by subject matter experts by our Indigenous psychologist employed by KGI. At the end of the session, students will find out how to enrol in the REAL programs and stay connected with the KGI Team.
About REAL Program
REAL journey is designed in three stages.
- First stage is for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Year 7 & 8.
- Second stage is for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Year 9 & 10.
- Third stage is for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Year 11 & 12.
Where from here?
If you or a support staff member, who are in contact with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students, are interested or wanting to know more about the 2 hour FREE workshop, please email Brady Cooper, Programs Manager - bcooper@richmondfc.com.au to organise a date and time.
Primary News
Expressions of Interest for Face-to-Face Sounds-Write Training
One of our Central Zone schools has been offered the opportunity for Face-to-Face training in the ‘Sounds-Write’ systematic synthetic phonics program, provided there is sufficient interest for feasibility purposes. We are currently seeking expressions of interest from schools in our diocese wishing to partner in this training.
The four-day course will be held in Ballarat from Monday August 26 to Thursday August 29
Course fees are approximately $1000 per participant, with a small additional percentage of the facilitator's overall fee to be paid by participating schools. The course will cover all theoretical and practical aspects of the ‘Sounds-Write’ approach, with the addition of tailored advice for implementation in Grades 3-6. Further information on course content can be found by following the link to the Sounds-Write webpage.
Please contact Julie Cooper (jcooper@dobcel.catholic.edu.au) or Susan Vowles (svowles@scballarat.catholic.edu.au) to express your interest NOW.
Maths Bites - Unpacking The Victorian Mathematics Curriculum V2.0
Throughout Term 1 some primary learning leaders took part in familiarisation workshops on the revised Victorian Mathematics Curriculum. During Term 3 we will provide another opportunity for Primary Leaders of Mathematics and classroom teachers to engage in introductory workshops on the F - Year 6 Victorian Mathematics Curriculum V2.0 in preparation for full implementation in 2025.
These ONLINE sessions will be facilitated by Teresa Hadden and Sarah McKnight, Primary Education Officers from CEB.
Please note: The content presented will be an online version of the face to face days offered in Term 1.
The online sessions will take place on:
- Tuesday 30 July, 2pm - 3pm
- Tuesday 6 August, 2pm - 3pm
- Tuesday 13 August, 2pm - 3pm
The content will include:
- The structure and introductory documents for the Victorian Mathematics Curriculum V2.0
- The similarities and differences between V1.0 and V2.0
- The connections between the Achievement Standard, Content Descriptions and Elaborations
- New reporting requirements
- Mapping a Scope and Sequence for the year demonstrating the interconnectedness of concepts.
Please use this link to register.
Structured Literacy Project PL Registration for Term Three
- Level 3 Face to Face Network: Monday 15th July 10am - 3pm
- Country Plaza Inn, Halls Gap. Register here.
This event is recommended for school leaders and places are limited to a maximum of six attendees per school (unless otherwise negotiated).
Please note: There are a small number of tickets left to this event, so we are opening it up to ALL interested participants, whether your school is currently in the Structured Literacy Project or not.
This would be a great opportunity to find out more about Structured Literacy and to do some strategic planning around Literacy improvement in your own context. The agenda for the day is as follows:
10:00 | Welcome, Prayer, Introductions and Review |
10:30 | Why? A compelling case for change |
11:00 | Morning Tea |
11:15 | What?
How?
|
1:00 | Lunch |
1.30 | Where, When & Who?
|
2:45 - 3.00 | Close of Day: Feedback & Certification |
If you have any questions about this event, please speak to your local Ed. Officer or contact Emma Rutherford.
Level 1A Day Two
Cluster 1: St Brigid's Ballan & St Mary's Clarkes Hill | Thu 22nd August 10 - 3 | Sovereign Park Ballarat | Register here |
Cluster 2: St Joseph's Warrnambool & St Patrick's Port Fairy | Wed 21st August 10 - 3 | Deakin Uni Warrnambool | Register here |
Cluster 3: St Patrick's Koroit & St Pius X, Warrn. West | Tue 20th August 10 - 3 | Deakin Uni Warrnambool | Register here |
Cluster 4: All Saints Portland & St Mary's Colac | Tue 20th August 10 - 3 | Deakin Uni Warrnambool | Register here |
Cluster 5: Western Trinity Schools | Thu 22nd August 10 - 3 | Sacred Heart Casterton | Register here |
Level 1B Day Two
These events do not require Trybooking registrations. We will be in touch shortly about arrangements.
Science of Teaching and Learning Australia (SOTLA) Conference
The long-awaited SOTLA conference was held in Sydney on May 27, then again in Melbourne on June 1, drawing enthusiastic crowds of educators and advisors eager to hear from a panel of national and international experts on The Why, the What and the How of Evidence-Based Reading Instruction.
Presenting at the event were:
- Emily Hanford, the award-winning creator of Sold a Story
- Professor Pamela Snow
- Professor Tanya Serry
- Associate Professor Lorraine Hammond AM, and
- Secretary of the NSW Department of Education, Murat Dizdar PSM
Members of our DOBEL Structured Literacy Team, who partner with LaTrobe University's SOLAR Lab, were in attendance at the Sydney event and were affirmed and inspired by the content of the day, and by this very public shout out from Professor Pamela Snow herself! (click image to enlarge)
This event was also held in Melbourne at the weekend, and our Victorian Minister for Education, Deputy Premier, Ben Carroll was in attendance. He spoke about the importance of 'getting the foundations right' and applauded the work of schools and systems who are embedding evidence-based instruction in order to improve Literacy outcomes.
The team looks forward to sharing the day’s insights and affirmations with schools at upcoming PL events.
DIBELS Digital Resource & Workshop Availability
A suite of online DIBELS workshops has been developed to support DIBELS Professional Learning and administration in ALL DOBCEL Schools.
The suite contains:
Workshop 1 (Part 1): The What, The Why and The How of DIBELS (40 mins)
- The Principal Uses of DIBELS
- Administration Fidelity & Approved Accommodations
- Administration Timelines
- Benchmark Goals & Rapidly Progressing Achievement Scales
- DIBELS & the Five Pillars of Reading
- Scoring Conventions
Workshop 1 (Part 2): The Subtests (Between 10 and 25 mins per subtest, all recorded individually for flexible use)
- Administration Procedures
- Administration Practises with Mock Student Scripts
- Moderated Scoring Opportunities
Workshop 2: The DOBCEL DIBELS Data Tool (35 mins)
- Baselining Data Terms
- Data Entry
- Composite Scores, Percentiles & Normative Descriptors
- Effect Sizes (Cohort and Student)
- DIBELS Dashboard
Workshop 3: We’ve got the Data. Now What? Responding with Instruction and Intervention.
- RTI in a Structured Literacy Methodology
- Data Informed Decision Making
- Priority Sub Skills for intervention
- Instruction and Intervention planning
- Progress Monitoring
- Supported Decision Making: Intervention Prescriptions
Level 1 Structured Literacy schools will access these resources as part of their Online Module schedule in Term Three. All other schools are able to access these recordings at any time to support staff learning.
Access to these workshops can be found by navigating through the following path:
www.dobcel.com - Resources - DIBELS - DOBCEL DIBELS Workshops - Online Modules: Asynchronous Delivery
DIBELS Face to Face Workshop Availability: The following workshops are available for schools who wish to undertake Face to Face learning instead of utilising the above online workshops. These dates, and their corresponding registration links, are as follows:
WORKSHOP 3: We’ve Got the Data. Now What? | ||
Ideal for schools already using DIBELS and wish to delve deeper into using the data to inform instruction and intervention. | ||
Time & Date | Venue & Location | Registration link |
Friday 2nd August | Mildura - The Academy | |
Tuesday 6th August | Warrnambool - (Venue TBC based on numbers) | |
Tuesday 13th August | Ballarat - Catholic Education Office | |
WORKSHOP 1: The What, The Why & The How of DIBELS
| ||
Ideal for schools who have not yet begun their DIBELS journey and require a deep dive into the DIBELS suite, the subtests and DOBCEL’s DIBELS data tool. | ||
Time & Date | Venue & Location | Registration link |
Tuesday 3rd September | Warrnambool - (Venue TBC based on numbers) | |
Wednesday 4th September | Ballarat - Catholic Education Office | |
Friday 6th September | Mildura - The Academy | |
If you have further questions about these resources, please contact Breeana Wade at bwade@dobcel.catholic.edu.au
Michael Ymer Yearly Overview Documents
Michael Ymer’s yearly overviews have been thoughtfully designed to align with the Victorian Mathematics Curriculum version 2.0, which reflects the educational priorities and standards set for Victoria. The content for each term has been divided into distinct content strands. There are direct connections made between the strands to enable for deeper learning experiences.
These documents align with the new Mathematics Reporting Guidelines. Schools who attended the recent Professional Learning with Michael received these planners.
If you didn’t attend and would like to access the planners the cost is $150 for the set and involves a PLT on how to use them effectively.
To order the planners and book a PLT please contact Julie Cooper or Teresa Hadden.
2024 reporting advice for primary language specialist programs
2024 reporting advice for primary language specialist programs is now available here. Reporting examples and wording are provided on pages 2 & 3.. Two of the most frequently asked questions are:
Does my school need to report on F - 6 Languages?
Yes. All schools registered in Victoria must ensure they:
- monitor and report on students’ performance, in accordance with the minimum standards for school registration; and
- implement and report against the Victorian Curriculum’s achievement standards for Languages
Does my language teacher need to provide a progression point for Languages reporting?
No. Schools are not expected to report against age expected levels in the Victorian Curriculum for Languages. However, schools are required to display student achievement using a five point scale.
Note: Teachers as Co-Learners schools have been provided with separate reporting advice.
Micro - credentials in higher Education Courses for Primary and Secondary teacher professional development and leadership upskilling.
10 fully sponsored places available to CEB teachers for 2024 from low SES, Rural, Regional and Remote schools for semester 2 commencing July 29 .
Applications for Semester 2 close on July 15.
This learning is online and primarily asynchronous with synchronous non-mandatory course engagement sessions.
Course outlines
Applications close on July 12th so if you are interested please contact Teresa Hadden (thadden@dobcel.catholic.edu.au) ASAP
Secondary News
ILSY Exec Boost - ILSY for Executive Leaders
Improving Literacy in the Secondary Years (ILSY) for Executive Leaders has been designed to develop the capabilities of Secondary Principals and Senior Learning Leaders to improve student learning outcomes through a whole school approach to disciplinary literacy. Founded in contemporary research, evidence and best practice, this program will be facilitated by Professor Larissa McLean Davies and Dr Pauline Thompson from the University of Melbourne.
This workshop will be in Ballarat on Thursday, 6 June, from 9.00 am - 3.00 pm (not 16 May as previously advertised). Course and catering costs are covered by ILSY funding. Please see attached flyer below.
Please register your school's participants via this link. Registration closes Monday, 3 June.
For further information, please contact Julia Petrov, Learning and Teaching Education Officer (Secondary) jpetrov@dobcel.catholic.edu.au or 0432 499 683.
Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community
School Vacancies
- Mathematics Teacher – Loreto College, Ballarat – fixed-term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 6 June)
- Year 1/2 Classroom Teacher – St Augustine’s School, Maryborough – fixed-term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 7 June)
- First Nations Student Support Officer – Damascus College, Mt Clear – fixed-term position at 0.6 FTE (closes 7 June)
- Classroom Teacher – St James’ School, Sebastopol – fixed-term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 7 June)
- Exam Supervisor – St Patrick’s College, Ballarat – casual/relief position (closes 10 June)
- Classroom Teacher – St Brigid’s College, Horsham – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 10 June)
- Learning Support Officer – St Brigid’s College, Horsham – ongoing position at 0.72 FTE (closes 10 June)
- Classroom Teacher – St Aloysius’ Primary School – fixed-term position at 0.8 FTE (closes 11 June)
- Drama Teacher – St Mary’s School, Swan Hill – fixed-term position at 0.4 FTE (closes 12 June)
- Math Teacher – Emmanuel College, Warrnambool – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 12 June)
- Loreto Rowing Opportunities – Loreto College, Ballarat – casual position (closes 14 June)
- Service Desk Support Officer – St Patrick’s College Ballarat – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 16 June)
- English/Humanities/Indonesian Teacher – Trinity College, Colac – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 17 June)
- Casual Relief Teachers – St Patrick’s College, Ballarat (closes 28 June)
- 2025 Teaching Expressions of Interest – Loreto College, Ballarat – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 5 July)
- Casual Relief Teachers – St Paul’s Primary School, Mildura (closes 12 July)
- Expressions of Interest for all Subject Areas commencing 2025 – St Patrick’s College, Ballarat – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 17 July)
- Casual Relief Teachers – St Columba’s School, Ballarat North (closes 30 August)
- Casual Relief Teachers – St Aloysius’ School, Redan (closes 30 November)
Article submitted by Sarah Hanley.