THE WAY (Term 3 Week 1 - 17 July 2023)
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Celebrating the History, Culture and Achievements of First Nations Peoples
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FOR ACTION
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Changes to Student Accident Insurance Claims
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2023 NAPLAN Individual Student Reports
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FOR INFORMATION
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Announcements - Appointments
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Announcements - Resignation
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Diocesan Investment Fund (DIF) Deductions
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WYD23 Entry 2 - The Second Preparation
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Stage 6 Catholic Faith in Action Curriculum Design
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SAM Scholarship Program *2024 Applications Invited*
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Foundations for Early Learning Resources
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Meet the Marker HSC Analysis Series - 2022 STA NSW
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Australian Academy of Science Professional Learning Opportunities
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Inform Period for New Draft Reformed Syllabuses Opening
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NESA Teacher Accreditation Information Sessions
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Australian Teacher Workforce Data Survey
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Kitchen Table Conversations: Encouraging Prayer and Conversation ahead of the Voice Vote
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New School Reform Consultation Paper Released
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MyLearning
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Positions Vacant
Across our Diocese, school communities celebrated National Aboriginals and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week. (Weeks 9 - 10)
School communities across the Diocese celebrated NAIDOC Week, a fantastic opportunity for students to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrating the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.
The theme this year is ‘For our Elders.’ Across every generation, our Elders have played, and continue to play, an important role and hold a prominent place in our community and families. They are cultural knowledge holders, trailblazers, nurturers, advocates, teachers, survivors, leaders, hard workers and our loved ones.
Our schools paid respect in many ways, such as moving liturgies, fun games, enlightening cultural activities, colourful and inspiring handmade collaborative artworks, to shared meals with delicious First Nations recipes with locally sourced ingredients.
At Brooms Head, students from St Joseph’s Primary School, Maclean, actively engaged in various activities that fostered a greater understanding and appreciation of Indigenous culture. Dreamtime story-telling captivated their imaginations while clay-making allowed them to explore their creativity. They also enthusiastically participated in indigenous games, immersing themselves in the vibrant traditions. The highlight of the day was the cultural dancing session, where McAuley Catholic College, Grafton, students showcased their talent and celebrated the legacy of their elders.
Below are a gallery of images from across the Diocese.
Following the recent announcement that Catholic Church Insurance (CCI) would not be renewing Diocesan policies, a new insurance program has been put in place, impacting insurance processes for all liability and general insurance cover, effective 30 June 2023.
These changes will impact the way that Student Accident claims are managed. Protocols are currently being developed with the DLCSL’s insurance broker, AON and will be communicated to schools in the near future.
In the interim, the following steps should be taken in the event of a student accident:
- Student accidents are to be entered into MySafety.
- Until new claims management protocols can be established, all student accident claims are to be referred to Nigel McIntyre, as well as entered into MySafety.
- Please do not provide parents with a claim form as in previous practice with CCI.
- Further communication will be provided to schools on the protocols for student accident claims in the near future.
Individual student reports (ISR) and additional student reports (ASR) will be dispatched to schools from Thursday, 20 July. Please see further details in the attached memo.
Wade Goddard has been appointed to the position of Child Safeguarding Officer in the People & Safety portfolio, commencing Monday, 24 July. Wade will be based in the Clarence Regional Office, supporting schools in the Clarence and Hastings Regions. Wade is an ex-police officer and has recently worked as the Principal Investigator/Complaints Officer with LiveBetter Community Services.
Rebecca Loughton has been appointed to the position of Facilities Coordinator (Corporate) in the Finance & Corporate Services portfolio, commencing Monday, 7 August. Rebecca has been employed with the PCYC since 2014 in the position of Capital Program Manager and Contract Manager.
We welcome and congratulate Wade and Rebecca on their appointments.
Paula Hoey, Payroll Officer at the Catholic Schools Office, has tendered her resignation from the Payroll Team effective Friday, 14 July 2023. Paula will be relocating to Brisbane for family reasons. We wish Paula all the best for the future.
Staff who make deductions to the Diocesan Investment Fund should note that they will see a change on their payslips. This has changed from a deduction amount and is now set up as a secondary bank account as per a request received from the DIF.
If you have any questions, please contact the DIF at the Chancery on 1800 802 516.
A reflection by Zackary Bennett - Teacher at MacKillop College, Port Macquarie.
On Saturday, 17 June 2023, the 35 pilgrims from the Lismore Diocese attended their second in-person formation session in Goonellabah to prepare further for the upcoming World Youth Day pilgrimage to Spain and Portugal. The pilgrims had opportunities throughout the day to get to know each other further, engage with previous World Youth Day attendees on their experiences, as well as finalising their understanding of the logistics prior to departure on 23 July 2023.
We began our preparation with further activities designed to learn more about each other through fun and engaging large and small groups. These opportunities brought many smiles and laughter to our pilgrims as they gained insights into each other’s lives, what some of the surface and deeper links are between our lives, as well as what we are hoping to gain from our upcoming pilgrimage.
In the second session, Kristy Hague (AP Mission - Our Lady Help of Christians, South Lismore), an attendee of the WYD pilgrimage in 2016 to Poland, shared her story and experience to spark the hopes of our pilgrims. Kristy highlighted the ‘God moments’ that she experienced and the places of importance that she visited throughout her spiritual journey, in addition to the strengths and difficulties that she endured throughout the pilgrimage. Kristy’s life-changing experience was enlightening to listen to, and it highlighted how these experiences have positively impacted her life upon returning from her pilgrimage. Additionally, Fr Bing Monteagudo shared his experiences on the many WYD pilgrimages that he has participated in, sharing his story and why he is excited for our WDY23 pilgrims. With 21 years of experience with World Youth Day, Fr Bing’s information was highly appreciated by our pilgrims and made the group evermore thrilled for our religious journey. Fr Bing highlighted the excitement and joy that he felt, as well as the fear associated with his first World Youth Day in Toronto, Canada, in 2002. Fr. Bing also attributes his World Youth Day pilgrimages as one of the main factors leading to his priesthood. The pilgrims were appreciative of the insights shared by both Kristy and Fr Bing.
Our last session was focused on the risks and safety involved with the pilgrimage, in addition to the things that we should be packing for our spiritual journey. Kelli-Ann Bugden, one of the members of the leadership team for the WYD23 pilgrimage, outlined the Pilgrim Agreement, Code of Conduct and Health and Safety Toolkit in order to have a contingency plan in case we are in an emergency or feel unsafe. Lastly, Georgia Hickling ran the pilgrims through the final logistics of the pilgrimage, including flights, accommodation, merchandise, travel tips and a packing list.
As we get ever closer to the beginning of our pilgrimage, we are growing in our appreciation and eagerness for the opportunity that we have been provided. Your prayers would be greatly appreciated.
Catholic Faith in Action curriculum design days are being held in Week 5 of Term 3 at Opal Cove Resort, Coffs Harbour. The focus of the days will be evaluating and developing quality teaching programs for all modules of this course, as well as planning for 2025 and beyond. Leaders of Catechesis and teachers of CFIA are invited to register on MyLearning. Please note release funding is provided for two attendees per school; additional attendees may be self-funded by schools.
The Sisters of the Good Samaritan have launched the 2024 Study and Mentoring (SAM) Program, which aims to promote women’s leadership within the Catholic Church. It offers support to mature-aged (age 30+) Catholic women as they undertake undergraduate or postgraduate theological or spiritual study at a recognised theological institution. Applications are now invited for 2024.
The CSNSW Foundations for Learning website is full of resources that are perfect for the transition to school programs and kindergarten orientation and support the wonderful work that is happening across our schools.
The website will support your community by;
- Assisting teachers and educators to engage families in the early learning of their children;
- Assisting families and educators reflect on how children learn at home and at school;
- Providing practical, evidence-based activities to support literacy and numeracy skills/development aligned to the NSW Syllabus, Early Years Learning Framework and Australian Curriculum; and
- Reinforcing the Catholic schools’ commitment to work in partnership with all families to support children’s learning and wellbeing.
RECENT UPDATE TO THE RESOURCE:
The recent addition to the website is a suite of resources to support children with diverse learning needs in the early years. There are six new pages titled – Belonging, Being, Becoming, Transition, Literacy and Numeracy and Receiving a Diagnosis. They can be used to support conversations with parents and carers and provide helpful suggestions on how families can support their child’s development in the home.
Explore more here!
One of the most helpful and sought-after types of professional learning for senior secondary teachers is participation in marking Higher School Certificate Examinations in their subject area. Unfortunately, that opportunity is not available to all teachers, so the Science Teachers Association of NSW has designed a professional learning activity for those who cannot be involved in marking.
The 'Meet the Marker HSC Analysis 2022 Series' includes the Stage 6 Science course workshops for Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, Physics, Investigating and Extension Science. Each video is 2 hours in length and consists of HSC markers unpacking the results of the previous year’s HSC science exam questions and can be recorded as a NESA Elective PD.
This has been a highly popular form of professional learning, and places are limited.
Meet the Markers is also highly recommended for both early career teachers taking senior classes for the first time as well as experienced practitioners.
- Science Extension exam analysis
- Physics exam analysis
- Investigating Science exam analysis
- Earth and Environment exam analysis
- Chemistry exam analysis
- Biology exam analysis
You may need to create a CSNSW Learning Portal profile by clicking here and then coming back and following the links above.
For further information or support, please contact Mary Ryan at 0409 606 437.
The Australian Academy of Science provides independent, authoritative, and influential scientific advice, promotes international scientific engagement, builds public awareness and understanding of science, and champions, celebrates and supports excellence in Australian science.
The Academy strives to support and promote science through a range of programs and activities. The Academy is currently offering several free online Professional Learning courses during Term 3 for primary school teachers.
The Primary Connections courses include the following:
- Unpacking the 5E model
- Exploring assessment
- Supporting student investigations
- Making your classroom a mathematics community
- Deepening learning with high-level tasks
- The active role of the teacher.
Enrolments open 26 June 2023, and courses open 10 July – 1 October.
Enrol via the professional learning tab on the Primary Connections webpage.
Inform Period for new draft Reformed Syllabuses Opening.
The NESA Inform Period for the next set of draft reformed syllabuses will open on Monday, 17 July.
Educators will have this important opportunity to be informed about these syllabuses via the NESA recordings. The syllabuses for review are:
- CHPS K–6 (Creative Arts, HSIE, PDHPE and Science and Technology K–6)
- Geography 7–10
- History 7–10
- Visual Arts 7–10
- PDHPE 7–10.
These recordings can be accessed via the CSNSW Curriculum Reform Hub. The Have Your Say Period for these syllabuses will open Monday, 31 July, and run for six weeks. The details on where to access the Have Your Say surveys will be provided closer to the opening date.
This term, NESA will offer webinars for teachers, accreditation supervisors/school mentors and principals to:
- understand accreditation requirements for teachers working in casual or part-time roles
- understand Proficient Teacher Accreditation
- understand Higher Levels of Accreditation (HALT).
NESA also offers a range of online, self-paced courses, including the new mandatory Orientation to Proficient Teacher Accreditation course, which all beginning teachers are advised to complete within their first 3 months of teaching; and the new mandatory HALT Orientation course. For more information, please go to the NESA website.
The Australian Teacher Workforce Data (ATWD) provides a comprehensive picture of the teaching workforce nationally to help us understand how to build a sustainable teaching profession for the future.
Each year, through the ATWD Survey, teachers around Australia are sharing the rewards and challenges of teaching to provide a greater understanding of how to better support our profession.
CSNSW encourages you to join the growing 'Teacher Voice' to help us learn more about:
- The hours you spend on teaching and non-teaching activities
- Your well-being and career intentions
- Whether your qualifications and expertise are being fully utilised
- The types of support early career teachers need for a fulfilling career
- The career pathways of teachers.
Every teacher has a unique experience. To understand the modern teaching career, we need all teachers to share their experiences annually.
The ATWD Survey is the largest survey in Australian education and provides the evidence we need to build a sustainable teaching profession. It takes only 10-15 minutes to complete and is for all registered teachers and leaders across schools and early childhood services in Australia.
The ATWD Survey will be emailed to all registered teachers between August and October 2023.
Look out for an invitation from your teacher's regulatory authority.
With a vote on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament due this year, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council has prepared a guide to encourage prayer and discussion about the referendum. More information can be found in the attached document provided by NATSICC.
A new consultation paper around School Reform has been released by the Expert Panel conducting the Review to Inform a Better and Fairer Education System. This review seeks to inform the development and negotiation of the next National School Reform Agreement and Bilateral Agreements with individual states and territories.
The new paper makes recommendations for Education Ministers to inform the next agreement to improve education outcomes in Australia and meet the current and future needs of students.
You can read the consultation paper here.
The Expert Panel, including leaders within the Australian Educational Research field, invites submissions from interested stakeholders around the recommendations outlined in the consultation paper. This feedback can be submitted here.
Inclusion Accredited PD Courses - Registrations Open
The following NESA accredited (20 hours) courses are open for registration on My Learning.
Please click on the links for more information and to register for a schedule:
Crossing Cultures Hidden Histories - Registrations Open
The primary objective of this course is to cultivate participants' understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and languages, fostering reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. There are three schedules currently open for registration on MyLearning. Please follow this link to register for the appropriate schedule. More information about the course can be found in the information sheet attached.
- Tweed & Richmond staff - 5 September (Invercauld House, Goonellabah)
- Clarence & Hastings staff 13 September (Catholic Schools Office - Clarence)
- South CSO staff - 31 October (Catholic Schools Office - Clarence)
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 People & Safety > Recruitment > Positions vacant – internal site.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS OFFICE
- Marketing Officer
- Executive Officer
- Technology Assistant
- Regional Mentor Coordinator.