THE WAY (Term 4 Week 1 - 4 October 2021)
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FOR ACTION
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Our Mob's Story - A Vision Representation of our Community
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Parent Webinar: Talking about Puberty with Michelle Mitchell
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Reminder: Accreditation at Proficient
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FOR INFORMATION
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Announcements
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The Soul
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SHINE Year 9-12 Youth Ministry Gathering Cancelled
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Year 5 Retreat Exuro
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Wellbeing for Learning Podcasts
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Maintenance of Accreditation - PD Requirements
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NESA Accreditation - Change of Employment Circumstances
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Accreditation at Proficient
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2021 CSNSW DISruptABILITY Virtual Conference
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Celebrating 200 Years of Catholic Education Creative Arts Virtual Gallery
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Working with Children Check Extension due to COVID
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Positions Vacant
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My Learning
We are seeking a piece of artwork/installation that your school has commissioned from a local Indigenous artist. The symbolism may represent a blend of Catholic and Aboriginal Spirituality or depicts local customs and stories.
If your school has multiple artworks, choose the most significant piece that depicts your school's place within the community and the community within your school.
A photographer will be available to take professional images of the piece to be published in the book. For further information please contact Jan Seymour or Doreen Flanders.
Schools wishing to be involved please complete this form.
Attn: Years 4, 5 and 6 Primary School Teachers
Term 4 is often the time many teachers cover the Puberty and Changes units within the PDHPE curriculum. To encourage parents to have effective conversations with their children that will support the content being explored in class, Parent Assembly are hosting a 'Talking about Puberty' webinar for parents with tween and teen expert Michelle Mitchell. Please share this flyer with your parent community early in Week 1 as the webinar will occur on Thursday, 7 October.
RESIGNATION
Renay Condon, Principal of St John’s Primary School, Mullumbimby, has been appointed to the position of Principal at St Mary’s Primary School, Beaudesert, commencing 2022. Renay joined the Diocese in 2011 as Assistant Principal at St Joseph’s Primary, Alstonville before taking up the position as Principal of St Joseph’s Primary, Coraki in 2015. She was appointed to her current position in Mullumbimby in 2018.
On behalf of Catholic education in the Diocese of Lismore, we extend our sincere congratulations to Renay on this appointment.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS OFFICE APPOINTMENTS
Aleasa Kermode has been appointed to the position of Education Officer – Primary commencing on 5 October 2021. Aleasa was previously employed as the Assistant Principal at Mount St John Primary School, Dorrigo.
Christy Ismay has been appointed to the position of Early Learning Education Officer K-2 commencing January 2022. Christy is currently employed as the Education Officer – Primary completing her 3 year secondment to this role.
SCHOOL APPOINTMENTS
Sonya Piccoli has been appointed to the position of Assistant Principal – Mission at St Finbarr’s Primary School, Byron Bay commencing January 2022. Sonya is currently employed as the Leader of Catechesis and School Evangelisation at St Finbarr’s Primary School, Byron Bay.
Scott Hardgrove has been appointed to the position of Assistant Principal – Mission at St John Paul College, Coffs Harbour commencing January 2022. Scott is currently employed as the Middle School Co-ordinator at Frankfurt International School in Germany.
Eamon Brown has been appointed to the position of Assistant Principal – Mission at St Joseph’s College, Banora Point commencing January 2022. Eamon is currently employed as the Acting Assistant Principal – Mission at St Joseph’s College, Banora Point.
We congratulate Aleasa, Christy, Sonya, Scott and Eamon on their appointments and look forward to their commencement in their new roles.
The Soul newsletter will return to a fortnightly edition in Term 4 corresponding with the return to face to face teaching in schools. The focus of the newsletter remains on spiritual communion and the health and wellbeing of staff during the pandemic. Schools are reminded that all content in The Soul is available for sharing within schools and their communities.
This event, previously postponed from August and rescheduled for 18-19 November, has now been cancelled due to uncertainty in the lifting of current restrictions and the availability of a venue due to the postponement of the HSC exams. SEACS have produced Module 2 in the 'SHINE unplugged' series which commenced in 2020, and will be provided to schools to run their own SHINE.
Following the cancellation of the regional Exuro gatherings, resources to assist schools in implementing this retreat have been emailed to leaders. These resources are also available on the Intranet.
Listen to a new podcast by Jennifer Coen, State Manager CSNSW as she discusses the topic of resilience with Paralympian Katie Kelly along with Kristen Douglas, Headspace, talking about mental health literacy and Paul Dillion, DARTA, talking about vaping.
Listening to these podcasts can contribute to 1 hour NESA Elective PD against 4.4.2 of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
Follow this link to access the podcasts. If you have not accessed CSNSW Professional Learning previously you will need to create an account. For further information contact Mary.Ryan@csnsw.catholic.edu.au.
NESA introduced generous interim maintenance of accreditation arrangements for teachers over 2021/2022 so that teachers who are due in this period may complete the balance of the 100 hours of PD required as NESA Elective PD (the 50 hours of NESA Accredited PD has effectively been 'lifted' for this period of time). All teachers who complete a minimum of 100 hours of PD during 2020/2021 will have met the PD requirements for maintenance for their cycle, regardless of when they are due.
Quality Assurance - Getting the 'green tick' in eTAMS indicates that 100 hours of PD has been recorded, but there is no quality assurance to the accuracy of NESA Elective PD entries without a manual check.
Teachers, with the support of the Leader of Pedagogy, are encouraged to check their Elective PD entries during Term 4 and amend or remove entries that do not meet NESA PD requirements e.g. extra-curricular activities, meetings, parent teacher interviews, assessment and reporting. It is important that a teacher's NESA Elective PD entries indicate the professional learning that was undertaken (by clearly referencing a Standard Descriptor) and how the implementation of this learning will sharpen your teaching practice and/or student learning. Evaluations should not read like the activity would be considered the expected work of a teacher.
From 5 February, 2021 NESA Elective PD must:
- Address learning under a specific Standard Descriptor/s,
- Be an approved activity, and
- Meet a minimum of 3 of 5 Criteria.
Each aspect must be met for the activity to be considered NESA Elective PD. The Criteria will assist teachers to reflect on the activity and determine if it does, or does not, constitute PD. It is important to break down more complex or ongoing tasks such as Mentoring or attending PLT Meetings into learning and work. For example:
- Mentoring a preservice of a Graduate teacher. 'Mentoring, coaching and professional dialogue to improve practice' is an approved activity. The Mentor can identify sessions when they have engaged with the Mentee through professional dialogue to improve their practice under a specific Standard Descriptor. If a minimum of 3 of the 5 criteria can be met, then the time spent engaging with the graduate to improve practice can be added. Record in eTAMS session by session, not as a bulk amount of time.
- PLT Meetings. PLT Meetings look different in each school but would generally be understood to provide time for teachers to collaboratively plan and assess. Generally, this would be the expected work of a teacher. If time is spent engaging in planned PD that is an approved activity, sharpens practice under a specific Standard Descriptor, and meets a minimum of 3 of 5 set criteria, then this component of time can be added as NESA Elective PD. Rather than calling the 'course' PLT Meeting identify the key professional learning by referring to the language of the identified Standard Descriptor. Record in eTAMS session by session, not as a bulk amount of time.
Mandatory Legislative Requirements Training as NESA Elective PD
Teachers are required to undertake mandatory legislative PD which constitutes NESA Elective PD. Legislative requirements do not need to meet a minimum of 3 of 5 criteria (it is the law). Examples include courses on Mandatory Child Protection, Bullying and Harassment, anaphylaxis, asthma, excursion risk management, Disability Standards for Educators, NCCD requirements. Teachers need to identify the most applicable Descriptor and evaluate what was learnt (or refreshed) and how this will ensure legislative requirements will be met or contribute to a safe school environment.
For instructions on how to log NESA Elective PD, please go to eTAMS or see your Leader of Pedagogy.
Applying for Leave - it is easier to apply for upcoming leave in eTAMS than to apply retrospectively. However, if you need to apply for a period of leave retrospectively you can do this by completing the form, including evidence of the leave e.g. Statement of Service, letter from your Principal. Keeping your records up to date with NESA assists with being issued the correct annual fee.
Notifying of change to part-time/casual - Update your employment record, ensuring that you select part-time/casual. You then need to upload evidence of this change of circumstance e.g. Statement of Service, letter from your Principal before NESA can process the change.
Periods of leave and/or working as a part-time or casual teacher during your current Maintenance of Accreditation period have the potential of extending the overall time frame.
We acknowledge their great work and that of their Mentors, and the broader support of their school community in this process.
All staff are encouraged to participate in the 2021 CSNSW DISruptABILITY Virtual Conference.
This inaugural conference will build upon the high-quality professional learning that CSNSW has been delivering as schools navigate the dynamic policy space for both education and disability. As Catholic educators, we are called beyond fulfilling our legislative obligations for students with disabilities and should always be in a reflective cycle of more effective ways of delivering successful outcomes for students. The virtual conference will be grounded in internationally recognised best-practice evidence. An engaging and interactive conference program will provide participants with insights, knowledge and skill acquisition in evidenced based practices, as well as opportunity for collaborative networking. It will be an opportunity to engage critically with the disruptive trends in education and inspire in our Catholic school educators and leaders a continuing commitment to excellence, with an emphasis on how to create and sustain positive partnerships between all stakeholders, which ensures every child achieves their potential in every classroom, every day.
LEARN MORE & REGISTER: https://eecw.eventsair.com/disruptability-2021
The theme is Faith in the Future with entries received from staff, students, parents and parishioners from many of our schools and parish communities across the diocese.
Congratulations to those schools and parish communities who contributed their artwork to create this quality display.
Each school and participating individuals will be receiving a copy of the Creative Arts Virtual Gallery in booklet style to share with their families and friends.
Please refer to the Creative Arts Virtual Gallery site on the Intranet to access the entire range of artwork contributed from across the diocese.The Office of the Children’s Guardian has announced an extension to the expiry date for those staff with Working with Children Checks due to expire from 27 September 2021 until 26 January 2022.
Full notice and procedure are available here.
Your current expiry date has been adjusted due to the extension, however, you will be required to apply for a renewal before the extension expires.
We will continue to contact you 2 months prior to the extended expiry date and once you have received your new details please provide them via this JotForm link as per our current processes.
Information on employment opportunities within the Diocese of Lismore is available via Positions Vacant. Existing staff should apply through the Internal Positions Vacant Page on the Intranet; select School Services, then Recruitment and Positions vacant – Internal site.
SCHOOL
- Principal – St Patrick’s Primary School, Macksville
- Acting Assistant Principal – Learning and Teaching / Leader of Pedagogy – St Joseph’s Primary School, Laurieton (Internal only)
OTHER DIOCESE
There are several vacancies advertised at other Diocese. Further information about these positions vacant is available on their websites:
Staff are reminded to register for all professional learning courses through the My Learning site. The site has the facility to recommend courses to others. This will be potentially useful for Principals and Assistant Principals who wish to recommend staff to register for particular courses.
Staff are reminded that the closing date for courses is five working days prior to the course.
To register, please visit My Learning.
Leading Implementation of the New K-2 Mathematics & English Syllabus- school leaders 21CSO-LIOTNK
The school Principal and a Leader of Learning is invited to participate in professional learning to develop an understanding of the structure and content of the new K-2 Mathematics and English syllabi. Participants will identify professional learning that will need to be planned to support the effective implementation of the new syllabus at their school.
- North Clarence Cluster - 25 October - Via Zoom
- Hastings Cluster - 27 October - Via Zoom
- Nambucca Cluster - 28 October - Via Zoom
- Coastal Cluster - 3 November - Via Zoom
- Richmond & Tweed Clusters - 4 November - Via Zoom