THE WAY (Term 3 Week 9 - 11 September 2023)
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Fostering Faith, Friendship and a Love of Learning at Xavier Catholic College, Ballina
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FOR INFORMATION
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Announcements
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Update to cover: Co-responsibility in the Service of the Mission
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Accreditation at Proficient
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Upcoming Changes to NESA Maintenance of Accreditation
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Annual Cycles of Improvement (MyCOI)
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Referendum Proposal: An Indigenous Voice to Parliament - Information and Guidelines for Catholic Schools
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New K-10 Auslan Syllabus
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Transition to School Resources
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WorldSkills Success
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NESA Syllabus Launch Inform Session: Health and Movement Science 11–12
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Reminder: RSL and Schools Remember ANZAC Art Competition for 2024
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Positions Vacant
Xavier Catholic College, Ballina, students are making a difference in the learning experience of students at Our Lady of Fatima High School, Turiscai, Timor-Leste. (31 August 2023)
Since 2019, Xavier Catholic College, Ballina, has embarked on a unique social justice cause with a Sister-School Memorandum of Understanding with Our Lady of Fatima High School, Turiscai, in Timor-Leste. This ongoing relationship across borders and cultural differences has provided amazing opportunities for students from both schools to develop mutual understanding, cultural awareness and shared faith.
Xavier Catholic College has been supporting the remote school community through fundraising and an Immersion Program. A group of senior students and staff returned from a trip to the community in July this year. The group was warmly welcomed into the school, and they could see how their fundraising efforts had helped set up a computer lab at the school.
‘The students were all incredibly excited about the computer room, and we were surprised by being invited to an unveiling ceremony - the Xavier Catholic College Ballina School crest had been carefully embedded into the wall outside the computer lab,’ said Leader of Creative Arts Leanne Broadly.
While in Timor, the Xavier students were invited to lunch at the Presidential Palace with the President of Timor-Leste, His Excellency Dr Jose Ramos-Horta, who was delighted to hear about the sister school connection and was very appreciative of the friendship and financial support from Xavier College.
The students also had the unique opportunity to have a round table discussion with the Education Minister of Timor-Leste and share what they hoped to achieve. While Xavier College helped fund the new computer lab, the school did not have internet access due to its remote location. The outcome of this meeting is a credit to the school, with the Timorese Government agreeing to a pilot program to fast-track internet access for students of Our Lady of Fatima High School. This will allow Xavier students to continue to support the Our Lady of Fatima High School students through an inter-school Zoom English conversation program. This is a first for Timor-Leste.
On Thursday, 31 August, the President of Timor, the Cardinal of Timor, and the Timorese Minister for Education made the trip to Turiscai to launch this program. The students at Xavier were able to Zoom with the students from Our Lady of Fatima High School using the computer classroom they helped to fund.
‘I am so grateful for the opportunity to visit Timor Leste on the school Immersion and to meet in person the President of Timor Leste and hear his personal opinions and experiences in Timor and the ongoing relations between Timor and Australia. This has been able to continue with our Zoom call to the president when he visited our sister school in Turiscai this week. Our connection to Turiscai and our advocacy has made a real difference as it has allowed that community to be seen and to be visible to the Government of Timor, and it is amazing to see how our involvement and friendship in Turiscai is really making a difference in the lives of students there,’ said Year 12 student Landon.
Congratulations to the students and staff on this achievement and ongoing commitment to support the Our Lady of Fatima High School community.
RESIGNATIONS
Graham Penman, Manager, Financial Services, has tendered his resignation effective Friday, 20 October 2023. Graham commenced with the Catholic Schools Office in April 2021. Graham has accepted an appointment with the Sofitel Hotel Group on the Sunshine Coast.
William Withers, Manager, Payroll, has tendered his resignation effective Friday 1 September 2023. William has only been with the CSO for a short period of time and has accepted an offer from his previous employer to return to them.
RETIREMENT
Allen McDonald, Finance Officer (SAS School Support), has informed the CSO of his intention to retire, with his last day being Friday, 15 December 2023.
Allen has worked for the Lismore Diocese for 45 years, commencing at St Augustine's Primary School, Coffs Harbour, in a teaching role in January 1979 with the Mercy nuns. He taught Kindergarten for the first two years and was the first male teacher to teach Kindergarten on the North Coast of NSW. During his teaching career, he mainly taught Year 6 classes and held the position on the school leadership team as a Coordinator 2 for many years, with a short period as Acting Assistant Principal.
Allen joined the CSO in 1992 in the School Administration/Finance Team, incorporating school network support in the IT Team. He has been involved with the development, implementation and support of Administration/Finance software packages of OASIS, eSchool and SAS2000 before the introduction of Compass.
Allen should be commended for the valuable contribution he has made supporting school leadership teams, particularly his support of school administration staff. His personal approach and dedication to assisting the staff in our schools will be missed.
We wish Graham, William and Allen all the best in their future endeavours.
The Educational Ministry in the Diocese of Lismore: Co-Responsibility in the Service of the Mission document has a new cover. This new look aims to capture a broader sense of the shared mission of Catholic education among families, schools and clergy.
New printed editions will be distributed in due course; however, existing versions are still valid and can continue to be used.
Congratulations to the following teachers on becoming accredited as Proficient teachers.
- Bradley Bugden (St James' Primary School, Banora Point)
- Holly Veitch (St James' Primary School, Banora Point)
- Finton Lynch (St Joseph's Primary School, Tweed Heads)
- Hannah Toohey (St Joseph's College, Banora Point)
- Andrew Camilleri (St Carthage's Primary School, Lismore)
- Jennavene Way (St Mary's Catholic College, Casino)
- Maddie Fischer (St John's College, Lismore)
- Jessica Fouliard (Xavier Catholic College, Ballina)
- Jonathan Adlard (Xavier Catholic College, Ballina)
- Ellie Stretton (St Francis Xavier Primary School, Woolgoolga)
- Maartje Jansen (St Mary's Primary School, Grafton)
- Amrit Tiwana (St John Paul College, Coffs Harbour)
- Jessi Reeves (St John Paul College, Coffs Harbour)
- Mikaela Hannaford (St John Paul College, Coffs Harbour)
- Renee Goldie (St Peter's Primary School, Port Macquarie)
- Zachary Horne (MacKillop College, Port Macquarie)
- Brendan Prince (St Joseph's Regional College, Port Macquarie)
- Katelyn Oppedisano (St Joseph's Regional College, Port Macquarie)
- Lydia Toms (St Joseph's Regional College, Port Macquarie)
- Mahni Lewis (St Joseph's Regional College, Port Macquarie)
- Steve Manning (St Joseph's Regional College, Port Macquarie).
We acknowledge their great work, that of their Mentors, and the broader support of their school community in this process.
Please refer to the attached memo regarding upcoming changes to NESA Maintenance of Accreditation.
6570 Upcoming Changes to NESA Maintenance of Accreditation.pdf
All Australian teachers engage with the Australian Performance and Development Framework (AITSL). As a Diocese, we refer to ‘annual performance and development cycles’ as Cycles of Improvement (COI). The Diocese COI platform is designed to manage requirements at each phase of the cycle. Engaging in cycles of improvement is important at each stage of a career to develop, maintain and document practice as described by the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the relevant career stage to meet teacher accreditation requirements. Further information about MyCOI is available on the Intranet, including a revised overview.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the date of the referendum on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament as 14 October 2023. The Voice is anticipated to be an ‘independent, representative advisory body for First Nations people’ to the Federal Parliament.
It is right we have the needs of First Nations people at the front of our minds as we progress towards this historic vote. Through all of our work, be it in the classroom, staff rooms or office, one recalls our long tradition of promoting a model of civic engagement that supports the common good and respect for all Australians.
In the history of our nation, our Constitution has been amended only eight times in 44 referenda; the document is the foundation of our democracy. Any amendment requires serious discussion and consideration in the best traditions of free inquiry and discovery.
To support activities in promoting balanced engagement with the referendum, Catholic Schools NSW has prepared a brief for school and system leaders to assist in observing relevant compliance considerations, engaging with the school community and obtaining related resources. In particular, schools should refer to the not-for-profit guidelines for charities when considering any referendum-related activity; you will note specific legal obligations can apply.
The brief can be accessed here.
The Deputy Premier and Minister for Education launched the state’s first Auslan syllabus directly to schools and deaf consultants who helped shape the syllabus!
The new syllabus gives students who are first-language Auslan users the opportunity to formally study the language of their community. It also provides all students the chance to learn from and engage with an important language in Australian society.
The new syllabus will be available for schools to plan and prepare from now until the end of 2025, with schools being able to teach the syllabus from 2026. Schools that feel ready to deliver the syllabus earlier can do so.
View the new syllabus here.
The movement from preschool to kindergarten is one of the most significant transitions in a child’s life. Families and schools working together will support a child to transition to school successfully.
Check out the transition to school resources created by Catholic educators for Catholic educators here and here.
After three gruelling days of tough competitions across 15 industries at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, NSW has retrieved the VETiS Shield from WA, securing a total of 22 medals, 16 by students from Catholic schools.
Seven of the eight gold medals achieved by NSW were won by Catholic school students:
- Automotive: Abbey Slater, Newman Senior Technical College, Port Macquarie
- Brick & block laying: Kingsley Threlfo, Newman Senior Technical College, Port Macquarie
- Business Services: Flynn Hall, Newman Senior Technical College, Port Macquarie
- Carpentry: Cooper Williams, Newman Senior Technical College, Port Macquarie
- Commercial Cookery: Claudia Walker, Marist Sisters College, Woolwich
- Health Services Assistance: Lillie Jepp, Newman Senior Technical College, Port Macquarie
- Plumbing: Ryan Fahey St John’s College, Lismore.
The three silver medals won by Catholic school students were:
- Automotive: Felix Gonzales Freeman, studying at Good Samaritan Catholic College, Hinchinbrook (St Joseph Trade Skills Centre)
- Commercial Cookery: Elka Monckton Newman Senior Technical College, Port Macquarie
- Electrotechnology: George Tsopel Marist Kogarah, studying at LaSalle Catholic College, Bankstown (St Yon Trade Training Centre).
The bronze medals won by students from Catholic schools were:
- Electrotechnology: Marley McNamara, Holy Spirit College, Bellambi
- Food & Beverage: Emma Marchant, Newman Senior Technical College, Port Macquarie
- Hairdressing: Jessica Nieradka, Southern Cross Catholic College, Burwood
- Information Technology: Jayden Farrington, Newman Senior Technical College, Port Macquarie
- Tourism: Jasmyn Debreceny, Newman Senior Technical College, Port Macquarie
- Wall & floor tiling: Ashton Pullen, McAuley Catholic College, Grafton.
The Health and Movement Science 11–12 Syllabuses have been released and are available for schools and teachers to use for preparation and planning. In collaboration with the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), CSNSW is hosting a Syllabus Launch Inform Session for you to hear more about these syllabuses. The session will be on Wednesday, 13 September, from 4:00 to 4:30 pm.
In this briefing, we will provide an overview of:
- The new syllabus’s key features
- Implementation timelines
- What support materials will be released
- How to access the syllabuses on the Digital Curriculum.
The presenters from NESA will be Clare Cotton, Director of Curriculum Development and Liz Jones, Subject Matter Expert.
The webinar can be accessed via this link.
To mark the 71st Anniversary of this service in 2024, RSL NSW, the Department of Education, Catholic Schools NSW and the Association of Independent Schools NSW are launching an art competition for NSW school students. The theme of the competition is 'Why Lest we Forget?' inviting students to create an artwork that considers why we commemorate ANZAC Day. Two artworks will be selected for the cover of the 2024 service program, and all finalists’ artworks will be displayed at the Anzac Memorial and included in the program. Please refer to The Way Week 8 Term 3 for full details.
More information, including the guidelines, how to submit artwork, judging and FAQs, can be found here.
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
- 2x Education Officer, Religious Education (Primary)
- Applications Officer.