Weekly Newsletter #38 - 4 December 2024

Reflection Piece - The Advent Adventure

This week we continue to explore Advent and what this time of The Liturgical Year may mean in the lives of Christians. Joan Chittister explores waiting and hope in the following reflection  - two themes that are associated with Advent.

Advent is the season of waiting. And who hasn’t waited? When we are little children, we wait for gifts from our parents. When we are young adults, we wait for the lover who will take us to the magic world of Everything. The problem is that the presents pale and the magic world sags all too quickly into reality. But then Advent comes, relentlessly and throughout life, with its words of hope and faith—shepherds and magi, crib and star, Emmanuel and glory—and stirs our hearts to pinnacles of possibility one more time. Ruben A. Alvez wrote, “Hope is hearing the melody of the future; faith is dancing to it today.” The real Christmas gift, for which Advent is the process, is learning to hum hope, learning to dance the divine.

Advent is a high spiritual season when we prepare to birth the Christ in our lives.

From Prepare your heart, Advent begins Dec. 2 | Joan Chittister

Invitation to Prayer

God of All Creation

Again, this Advent we take time to bow to the sacred in all creation.
May our spirits fill the world with beauty and wonder.
May our minds seek truth with humility and openness.
May our hearts forgive without limit.
May our love for friend, enemy, and outcast be without measure.
May our needs be few and our living simple.
May our actions bear witness to the suffering of others.
May our hands never harm a living being.
May our steps stay on the journey of justice.
May our tongues speak for those who are poor, without fear of the powerful.
May our prayers rise with patient discontent until no child is hungry.
May our life's work be a passion for peace and nonviolence.
May our souls rejoice in the present moment.
May our imagination overcome death and despair with new possibilities.
And may we risk reputation, comfort, and security to bring this hope to all creation.

 As Jesus of Nazareth, the babe of Bethlehem, Emmanuel God with us, showed all creation a new way of being.

Amen

Adapted from Mary Lou Kownacki, OSB

From the Executive Director

As the year draws to a close and student celebrations and farewells are a major focus, we also pause to recognise staff who are retiring or leaving the DOBCEL system.

The success of our schools in offering the fullness of life to all depends almost entirely on the skills and dedication of our staff. While celebrating and acknowledging service is a high priority for schools, I also add my thanks, appreciation and best wishes to all teachers and staff who are retiring or departing this year. I particularly recognise and thank those who have served in the diocese for long periods, and in some cases, their entire careers.

We continue to work on plans to activate the DOBCEL Strategy 2035 across the system from next year. Tomorrow we will provide to schools Guidelines for Applying for a Collaborative Innovation Research Prototype, along with an application link. This will be an opportunity for school communities to apply for additional funding to support prototypes based on collaboration with other schools or systems and/or conduct research into innovation and best practice.    

Today, I am visiting St Patrick’s, Koroit and St John’s, Dennington and I thank Principals Tegan McDonald, Amy Atwell and Jan Madden and their communities for the warm welcome and insights into their needs and operations. 

I will round out the week with meetings with the Victorian Catholic Education Authority (VCEA) and with my fellow Directors of Catholic Capital Grants Ltd in Melbourne tomorrow and Friday. 

Best wishes

Tom Sexton, Executive Director

Executive Director, Tom Sexton is pictured with Principal Tegan McDonald and student leaders at St Patrick's, Koroit today. 

Executive Director, Tom Sexton is pictured with students at St John's, Dennington today.

Showcasing our Catholic schools in Action

This section will highlight the wonderful holistic learning opportunities happening in our Catholic schools throughout the Diocese. The DOBCEL marketing and communications team is always looking for positive stories to share with our community. Please email your stories for consideration to: comms@dobcel.catholic.edu.au.

Congratulations to St Mary's Primary School, Colac for winning the 2024 Write a Book in a Day competition

A huge congratulations to St Mary's Primary School, Colac who took home the top prize in a national writing competition! 👏

The students won best book at the 2024 Write a Book in a Day competition, for their book ‘The Vanishing Voice’. 🏆📘

Write a Book in a Day challenges teams across Australia to write and illustrate a novel in just 12 hours to raise vital funds for kids' cancer research.

An article about their achievement was featured in the local Colac Herald over the weekend.

St James, Sebastopol win Victorian Schools Garden Award

A huge congratulations to St James Parish School, Sebastopol community for winning the prestigious Kevin Heinze Perpetual Award at the 47th Victorian Schools Garden Award Presentation Ceremony.

Check out the amazing award winning garden – “Our Common Home – Koling Wada Ngal (Let’s walk together)”.

The new space will be formally opened and blessed on Friday 13 December.

Find out more about the Victorian Schools Garden Awards here: https://www.vsgp.org.au/shining-success-at-the-47th-victorian-schools-garden-award-presentation-ceremony/

Check out the garden video on our website news item: https://dobcel.catholic.edu.au/st-james-sebastopol-win-victorian-schools-garden-award/

St Joseph's College, Mildura - St Vinnies Christmas Appeal Participation

Social justice is an important aspect of our Catholic identity, inspiring us to advocate for a fair and equitable world. Well done to all the Religious Education students in Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 at St Joseph's College, Mildura for purchasing gifts for the St Vinnies Christmas Appeal. 

The true meaning of Christmas

 Yr 2’s joined Yr 4 buddies to plan and celebrate an end of year Mass at St Joseph’s, Warrnambool last Friday.

The buddies travelled together on buses and prior to Mass spoke about their Religious Education topics for the term and shared some of their gifts and talents of Forgiveness, Creativity, Perseverance, Resilience, Teamwork, Positivity to collectively build a nativity scene.  

While at Mass students joined in with the songs, responses, prayers and offertory procession.

After walking back to school, students enjoyed an icy pole before a play time together with their buddies. 

It was a very special way to celebrate and give thanks for a great year of learning !

Catholic Education Updates

Enrol in the THCT605: Enhancing Catholic School Identity:

Catholic identity is our shared responsibility, it resides with anyone who chooses to work within Catholic Education in the Diocese of Ballarat. It resides most critically however with our Leadership in every school and CEB. Catholic Identity is a whole of school, whole of system undertaking – it doesn’t live in the silo of RE and can’t be relegated there. The religious dimension of learning in a Catholic school/DOBCEL reaches into every domain of learning and involves everyone – to greater and lesser degrees. Our principals and Leadership Teams are at the pinnacle and need to be able to identify and communicate the religious dimension of literacy or numeracy, the ways in which Catholic Identity informs conversations with parents and policy making and so on.

However, in the 21C in this diocese, being Catholic, being faithful – while key – isn’t enough to lead.

THCT605: Enhancing Catholic Identity is being offered in our diocese as a foundational and substantive piece to nuance and integrate further aspects of DOBCEL STRATEGY 2035. Each piece will be pivotal to creating the theological shifts towards a Catholic Dialogue school for you as leaders of faith in your respective Catholic school/CEB.

In an environment that is inviting, collegial, engaging and supported, THCT605 will enable you to develop knowledge and skills so that when asked the question: Enhancing Catholic School Identity: What do I do now? You’ll have responses that are confident, faithful to the Tradition and faithful to the context and lives of our learners.

Take the leap of faith – enrol and invite your DP, REL, Director of Faith & Mission or other members of your leadership team to accompany you!

It is intended that this will be the predominant professional learning for faith leaders in 2025 and the intent is it will replace the REL conference.

Please register by 6 December via this registration form: https://forms.office.com/r/rW09SeRMpj

Please click here for the THCT05 Introducing the Leuven Project.

Adult Faith Formation

For those in the Ballarat area - formation on the Eucharist will be offered at St Patrick's Cathedral on this Sunday 8 December. Please click here to view the flyer. 

Caritas Australia’s Global Gifts are Christmas Cards with purpose!

Bring hope and joy to the world’s most vulnerable communities. 

Every card you buy helps build brighter futures for children, women and men experiencing hardship and poverty.

By putting your compassion into action and shopping for the Global Gifts of your choice you will bring hope and joy to the world’s most vulnerable and communities, while giving your loved ones a meaningful Christmas card.

View the range of Global Gifts: www.globalgifts.org.au.

Wellbeing Updates

“Holding the Light” 

Remembering Victims and Survivors of Family Violence

This ecumenical service offers an opportunity  to remember and mourn those who have been killed as a result of domestic violence, to stand in solidarity with victim survivors and to reflect and commit ourselves to addressing the causes of violence in our communities. 

The service will be held on Tuesday December 10th at St Alipius Church, Ballarat East at 5.00pm. 

December 10th is the UN Human Rights Day, concluding the 16 days of Activism against gender-based violence campaign from November 25th (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women). This ecumenical service will name the dimensions and dynamics of the serious problem of violence in our society. We will name the God present in and through all our efforts to create lives free from violence. We will seek to hold the light for those who are in dark places and for those whose lives are emerging from darkness.  Joce Bignold, CEO of McAuley Community Services for Women will be the guest speaker.

All members of the community are invited to gather for this service.

As a Diocesan community we stand together with those able to attend this service and join in the commitment to address the causes of violence in our communities.

Attention School Leaders:
Principals, Deputy Principals, Head of Inclusion/Support for Students with Disabilities

Please click here for more information about the 12 Month Professional Development Program for School Leaders. 

Positive Partnerships - Professional Learning

Positive Partnerships is delivering a free government-funded autism professional learning workshop in Hamilton, on the 25th and 26th of March 2025

This workshop will provide a unique opportunity for teachers to increase their knowledge and skills in supporting autistic students. 

It is designed for school staff to attend in teams of up to three teachers/school leaders. Positive Partnerships provides a nominal amount of resource funding to support schools' attendance at the workshop.

For more information about the workshop, including topics covered, please see the flyer below or visit the Positive Partnerships website .

If you are interested in attending, please contact Sally Midwood,via email smidwood@positivepartnerships.com.au or by phone 0461 324 758. 

Please provide the following information for the 2-3 staff wishing to enrol:

• Names:
• Emails:
• Roles: (please note, this workshop is for teachers/leadership, teacher assistants are not eligible to attend).

Places are expected to fill quickly, so please contact us as soon as possible to secure your place.

Happy Holiday Season from the Team at SchoolTV!

Please click on the link below to watch Dr Michael Carr-Gregg's video message.

Message From Dr Michael Carr-Gregg | SchoolTV

Dr Shelley Moore - Melbourne Sessions in April 2025

Dr Shelley Moore will be travelling to Melbourne in April to present a series of workshops exclusively with Illume Learning.

Please click here for the Dr Shelley Moore session details and registration. For any queries, please email admin@illumelearning.com.au.

Learning and Teaching Updates

National Copyright Unit’s free webinars in 2025

The National Copyright Unit is offering a series of free webinars to help teachers navigate copyright. These webinars are open to all Australian government and non-government schools, TAFEs (excluding Victorian TAFEs) and are targeted to educators, librarians and school administrators.

Click here to view the Copyright 2025 Webinar Flyer. 

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.    

Wednesday, Today 4pm AEDT 
Join to explore what an assessment of critical reasoning skills can tell educators and to find out the benefits of understanding student proficiency in a range of reasoning skills. We will explore how to unpack and effectively use this information. 

FIRE Carrier Program

Friends Igniting Reconciliation through Education

The FIRE Carrier Program is a way that schools can show their outward commitment to authentic reconciliation and their support of self-determination in education for First Nations students and their families. All members of a school community are encouraged to share reconciliation with others under the lead of the Commissioned Staff and Student FIRE Carriers.

Each school creates a School Covenant that emphasises the ethos and faith belief of Catholic schools and the social justice responses they are committed to make as part of their Catholic identity. The school covenant focuses on the three core values of Spirituality; Cultural Recognition and Awareness; and Practical Recognition and Justice. Schools commit to actions that meet each of these values. This is a living document that is referred to throughout the year and has the input from the school community including staff and students. First Nations students and families are also invited to contribute if they would like to part of the program.

The FIRE Carrier Program provides a framework for addressing School Compliance including Child Safe Standards and the VCEA Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Action Plan. It is a great opportunity for student leadership, voice and action for social justice.

We look forward to your school becoming a FIRE Carrier School in the future!

For more information about the FIRE Carrier Program send an email to firecarrier@openingthedoors.org.au

You can visit our New FIRE Carrier School Information folder containing our Information Booklet, PowerPoint presentation, Fee Schedule and Expression of Commitment Form ready to share the FIRE Carrier Program with your school leadership, staff and students.

Opening the Doors Foundation

Financial Grants for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students

The Opening the Doors Foundation provides grants to families to assist with the extra costs incurred in the schooling of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary or secondary school students. The 2025 Grant Round is now open, with a closing date of 14 March 2025. For students to commence the 2025 school year with the necessary items, the ideal time to apply is now or before the start of Term 1.

Please note that due to a substantial increase in applications, the Foundation’s Trustees have had to modify the eligibility criteria. The updated criteria and guidelines are outlined on both the Opening the Doors Foundation website and the Opening the Doors Foundation Application. Please contact the Foundation (details listed below), Helen Christensen (0467 415 768) or Jeanette Morris (0408 360 098) for further information.

Pertinent information:

Website: Opening the Doors Foundation; Foundation Application Criteria and Guidelines

App link: Opening the Doors Foundation Application

Phone: 0401 487 414 or 1300 236 356

Email: applications@openingthedoors.org.au

Closing date: 14 March 2025 (applications will not be accepted after this date)

Victorian Curriculum F-10 Implementation

The graphic below displays the expected implementation of the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 within DOBCEL schools.

More information regarding familiarisation and implementation can be accessed here.

2025 Pathways and Transition Funding 

The Victorian Catholic Education Authority (VCEA) has released the 2025 Funding Arrangements for Vocational Education and Training (VET) and the Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC).

• As the 2025 arrangements differ from those of 2024, it is recommended that schools review these carefully.
• To be eligible for funding, schools must enrol students on the Victorian Assessment Software

System (VASS) by Friday 2 May 2025. After this date, VASS will not allow schools to:

− enter or withdraw enrolments for Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), including VCE

Vocational Major (VM), Unit 3–4 sequences

− enter enrolments for units of competency for VCE VET scored Unit 3–4 sequences.

For all enquires please contact Carmel Clarke, Education Officer: Applied & Vocational Learning cclarke@dobcel.catholic.edu.au or 0419 534 355.

English Curriculum Project 

Backward by Design Assessment Seminar recording and resources available

Our final seminar for the year looked at the Victorian Curriculum modes as a means of thinking about assessment and retrieval. We talked about the challenges of knowledge that the skills we test rely upon, as well as the possibilities for a reading unit or reading activities that we could consider using in the classroom. There was a quick dip into AI (what did and didn’t work!) and a sample lesson plan to show how to use models to scaffold student writing. Access Seminar Eight here.

Forum 4 – Linking the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 with the VCE - Thursday, 5 December at 3.30pm.

We will focus on two key areas that link the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 and the VCE.

1. What place do audio visual texts have in the 7-10 space now that the VCE no longer requires an analysis of them? They are part of the requirement for the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 but do they have to be used or created as part of a backwards mapping from VCE process now?

Kirstin will suggest how and when we can create and analyse these texts.

     2. Forms of writing. In the light of VCE changes, it is clear that students need as much opportunity as possible to create a range of texts using different forms and for a range of purposes before they begin Years 11 and 12. Kirstin will explore the teaching possibilities of this writing and also how we might do this without resorting to miniature versions of VCE units in 7 – 10.

ECP in 2025

As part of the ECP subscription, participating schools will automatically be added to the VCE English Catholic Network at no extra charge.  Further details and dates can be found here.

The ECP Canvas site can be accessed here. 

https://ceob.instructure.com/

For further details, please contact Julia Petrov, Learning and Teaching Education Officer (Secondary) on jpetrov@dobcel.catholic.edu.au or 0432 499 683.

Primary Leaders of Learning Meeting Schedule 2025  

Our Primary Leaders of Learning network aims to provide a platform for open dialogue, sharing of evidence-based teaching practices, and collaboration among primary school leaders.   

By coming together, we can leverage our collective knowledge of learning and experiences to enhance the quality of education we provide to our students.

PLOL Meeting Dates 2025 and Agenda Items for Term 1

Term 1: Wednesday 5^th March 1:30 – 3pm

Agenda Items: 

Educational leadership

Curriculum updates

Reporting to Mathematics V2.0

Term 2: Wednesday 28^th May 1:30 – 3pm

Term 3: Wednesday 27^th August 1:30 – 3pm

Term 4: Wednesday 22^nd October 1:30 – 3pm

Flare Primary Literacy Update

Click here to access the answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions about the Flare Primary Literacy Strategy.

To access the 2025 Flare PL Calendar, please click here.

To access the 2025 Flare PL Syllabus, please click here.

We suggest that all Guided Literacy Improvement Schools (and anyone working in support of these schools) bookmark these documents.

(To bookmark - click the star at the end of the address bar)

Mathematics Professional Learning for 2025  

Mathematics Professional Learning for 2025 

Engaging Primary Students in their Mathematical Learning.     

Online Professional learning facilitated by Michael Minas the founder of Love Maths.  

Michael has worked in education for over 25 years and his areas of interest include problem solving and student engagement.   

Rationale:    

To impact on teacher practice through planning for and teaching of engaging Mathematical learning experiences.  

Focus / Learning Intentions:    

• Identify Mathematical tasks which are engaging for ALL students.   
• Enhance participant’s knowledge of the F-6 Mathematics Curriculum.
• Develop a student-centred approach to the teaching of Mathematics.

Registration details to follow. 

Read more  

F-6 Mathematics Curriculum V2.0

Where are you currently on the Roadmap in preparation for the implementation of Mathematics V2.0 in 2025? Reflect on what you have in place and cross reference your progress against the roadmap. 

Voices from the field sharing their journey about preparing to implement Mathematics V2.0

For more assistance, please contact: 

Sarah McKnight smcknight@dobel.catholic.edu.au

OR 

Teresa Hadden: thadden@dobcel.catholic.edu.au  

Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community

Catholic Education Ballarat Vacancy

• Education Officer: Student Wellbeing – Ballarat or Horsham Office, ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 4 December)
• Employee Relations Consultant – Ballarat Office, ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 4 December)
  

Principal Vacancy

• No Principal Vacancies

School Vacancies

• Teachers – St Mary MacKillop College, Swan Hill – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 4 December)
• School Counsellor – Marian College, Ararat – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 6 December)
• Learning Support Officer/s – St Columba’s School, Ballarat North – fixed term position at 0.75 FTE (closes 6 December)
• 2025 Teaching Opportunities – St Joseph’s College, Mildura – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 6 December)
• Learning Support Officer – Mercy Regional College, Camperdown – fixed term position at 0.5 FTE (closes 6 December)
• Reception and Administration Officer – Mercy Regional College, Camperdown – ongoing position at 0.4 FTE (closes 6 December)
• Classroom Teacher – St Mary’s Primary School, Warracknabeal – fixed term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 6 December)
• Classroom Teacher - 2025 – St Joseph’s School, Coleraine – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 9 December)
• Classroom Teacher – St Malachy’s School, Edenhope – fixed term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 9 December)
• English Language Teacher – St Patrick’s College, Ballarat – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 9 December)
• Classroom teacher – St Patrick’s School, Camperdown – fixed term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 11 December)
• Instrumental Tutors – Woodwind/Cello/Piano – Damascus College, Mount Clear – fixed term position at 0.4 FTE (closes 11 December)
• Mental Health & Wellbeing Leader – St Patrick’s Primary School, Ballarat – fixed term position at 0.4 FTE (closes 11 December)
• Mental Health Wellbeing Leader – Sacred Heart School, Casterton – fixed term position at 0.4 FTE (closes 13 December)
• School Wellbeing Officer/Counsellor – St Columba’s School, Ballarat North – fixed term position at 0.4 FTE (closes 13 December)
• Classroom Teacher – St Joseph’s School, Charlton – fixed term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 13 December)
• Learning Support Officer – St Brigid’s College, Horsham – ongoing position at 0.45 FTE (closes 16 December)
• Music Teacher – St Patrick’s School, St Arnaud – fixed term position at 0.4 FTE (closes 18 December)
• Classroom Teacher – St Patrick’s School, St Arnaud – fixed term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 18 December)
• Sport/Classroom Teacher – St Patrick’s School, St Arnaud – ongoing position at 0.6 FTE (closes 18 December)