THE WAY (Term 4 Week 10 - 11 December 2023)
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Message from the Director
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Forest Fantasia Comes to Life at Xavier Catholic College, Ballina
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FOR ACTION
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2024 Diocesan Calendar Update
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Teacher Accreditation: Change of Employment
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Maintenance of Accreditation: Annual Fee
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FOR INFORMATION
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Announcements
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Bishop Greg’s Christmas Message 2023
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Shared Future Program Update
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NSW and ACT Catholic Systemic Schools Enterprise Agreement 2023
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End of Year Pay Updates
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Greatest Of All Time Retreat
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Mandatory Accreditation at Proficient
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Regional Mentor Coordinators 2024
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HSC Showcase 2022
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Podcast - InitiaLit in Practice: An interview with the K-2 teachers
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Podcast to support new Mathematics Syllabus
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2024 K-2 English Component A Documents
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Accessing the DoE K-6 Units of Work
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Opportunity to study a Certificate III Education Support
As we approach the end of a very busy year and Christmas approaches, please accept my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for your unwavering dedication and hard work throughout this extraordinary year. It's been a year filled with challenges and successes in equal measure. There have been moments that have tested us and moments that have filled our hearts with joy, all of them underpinned by your dedication and commitment to Catholic Education.
As a Catholic community in the midst of the busyness of this time of year, I encourage you to pause and reflect on the deeply resonating themes that the Birth of Christ stirs in us. May this message of hope and love rejuvenate your spirit and fill your hearts with warmth.
I encourage each of you to take a well-deserved break to rest, rejuvenate, and cherish precious moments with your friends, family, and loved ones. Embrace the peace that this season brings, allowing it to recharge you for the opportunities that await in the coming year.
Thank you once again for your outstanding contributions and unwavering dedication in 2023. May the blessings of Christmas fill your homes and hearts with immense joy, and may the New Year ahead be filled with promise and fulfilment.
Yours in faith,
Adam Spencer
Students and staff from Xavier Catholic College, Ballina, showcase their creativity with a spectacular collaborative artwork inspired by the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly (Bundjalam). (16 November 2023)
A beautiful display of country and creativity at Xavier Catholic College, Ballina, as students and staff come together to create a collaborative artwork inspired by the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly (Bundjalam) for the Regional Arts Cultural Exchange Forum.
The Regional Arts Cultural Exchange Forum is a Sydney Catholic Schools Visual Arts Initiative, offering a unique opportunity for art students from regional Catholic schools to engage in a collaborative experience and foster meaningful conversations. Artists from different schools were brought together to promote learning, knowledge-sharing, and the creation of a collaborative art installation.
This year’s theme voted by the students was Forest Fantasia: Into The Woods.
Xavier students desired to create something that could be suspended for maximum impact in the space and could best reflect their region: a colourful version of a Richmond Birdwing Butterfly (Bundjalam) and vine. The Bundjalam is the totem of the Bundjalung people, indicating the abundance of butterflies once found in the Northern Rivers.
The students successfully completed their shared vision task due to their sustained engagement, enthusiasm and commitment to this wonderful activity.
‘It enhanced our ability to do different types of art, like using oil pastel and ink and sculpture. I collaborated with other year groups I wouldn't normally talk to. Being able to choose the project was really good because we got to do things that resonated with us: butterflies, leaves, and patterns. I liked that we all got together, and it was just really fun,’ said Year 8 student Felix.
In keeping with the sustainability focus, the group used paper bags from Coles and Woolworths donated by staff members and recycled cardboard, paper, wire, felt, string and hessian to build the large-scale artwork.
‘It was very rewarding for all of us to see it come together. We anticipate with excitement what the final collaborative artwork will look like once it is installed with all the other schools' projects.’ said project lead and Visual Arts Teacher Mrs Jasmin Rogers.
This amazing artwork will be displayed in the foyer of the Sydney Catholic Schools' head office in World Square, alongside other schools' artworks. Schools will also be invited to an unveiling of the artwork in Term 2, 2024.
In order to streamline our Diocesan calendars to allow ease of use, from 2024 onwards, the three existing calendars, ‘dio Term Dates/Events,' ‘dio PD’ and ‘Dio Meetings’ will be merged into one new calendar labelled ‘DIO CALENDAR.'
‘DIO CALENDAR’ will be visible and active for all staff from 1 January 2024.
Please see below instructions on how to add this new calendar:
- In Google Calendar, click ‘+’ next to ‘Other Calendars.'
- Click ‘Subscribe to calendar.'
- Type ‘DIO CALENDAR’ into ‘Add calendar.'
- Subscribe.
Teachers are advised to update NESA about a change in employment via their eTAMS account:
- before commencing a period of leave of 6 months or longer,
- when moving from full-time to part-time/casual or vice versa,
- when changing schools, or
- when retiring.
Teachers are advised to leave the ‘end of contract’ date blank when changing details regarding a change of school or moving to full or part-time employment. Evidence will be required to be uploaded to support a change from full-time to part-time/casual employment, such as a Statement of Service or Contract. Please notify NESA of any change of employment for 2024 by 27 January 2024, as this may affect requirements around the annual fee.
Teachers are reminded that the Annual Fee to NESA is payable by the end of January 2024. Thank you for meeting this requirement in a timely manner. Receipts can be used as proof of being a teacher if evidence is required for discounts, etc. Payments are tax deductible.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS OFFICE - APPOINTMENTS
Regional Ministry Assistants (RMA)
As part of a new model for Youth Ministry in 2024, the following 12-month CSO positions have been appointed, commencing in January:
Jacob Somers has been appointed to the position of Regional Ministry Assistant based in the Hastings Region. Jacob is a 2023 Year 12 graduate of St Joseph's Regional College, Port Macquarie, where he has been a member of the Senior Leadership team and a Student Leader of Mission.
Jaz Letchford has been appointed to the position of Regional Ministry Assistant based in the Hastings Region. Jaz is a 2023 Year 12 graduate of MacKillop College, Port Macquarie, where she has been a recipient of multiple outstanding achievement awards.
Josiah Varney has been appointed to the position of Regional Ministry Assistant based in the Clarence Region. Josiah is a 2020 St John Paul College, Coffs Harbour, graduate and served as a Youth Minister there in 2021. He has since been a member of the Proclaim Lismore Wildfire Worship Team.
Ashlinn de Dassel has been appointed to the position of Regional Ministry Assistant based in the Clarence Region. Ashlinn is a 2022 graduate of St John Paul College, Coffs Harbour, and has been a Mission Assistant there since 2023. She attended World Youth Day and sang with the Proclaim Lismore Wildfire Worship Team.
Eliza Blunn has been appointed to the position of Regional Ministry Assistant based in the Richmond Region. Eliza is a 2022 graduate of St John's College, Lismore and has been a Mission Assistant at Mount St Patrick College, Murwillumbah, in 2023. She attended World Youth Day and sang with the Proclaim Lismore Wildfire Worship Team.
Oliver Dwyer has been appointed to the position of Regional Ministry Assistant based in the Richmond Region. Oliver is a 2023 Year 12 graduate from Xavier Catholic College, Ballina, where he was the College Captain and recipient of the 2023 Character and Christian Leadership Award.
Halle McClymont has been appointed to the position of Regional Ministry Assistant based in the Tweed Region. Halle is a 2022 graduate of Mount St Patrick College, Murwillumbah, where she received the Religious Contribution Award and was a Mission Assistant there in 2023.
We congratulate and welcome Jacob, Jaz, Josiah, Ashlinn, Eliza, Oliver and Halle to the Catholic Schools Office and wish them the best in their appointments.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS OFFICE - RETIREMENT
Kathy McAlister, Teacher (Online Education Centre), has informed the Catholic Schools Office (CSO) of her decision to retire at the end of this year. Kathy began her career within the diocese at McAuley Catholic College, Grafton, serving from 1999 to 2010, and then St Joseph’s College, Banora Point, from 2011 to 2021. Kathy’s most recent position has been as a Teacher with the Online Education Centre from 2017 to 2023.
We thank Kathy for her contribution to the team and the wonderful work she has done to support students enrolled in the Online Education Centre and throughout the diocese. We wish Kathy all the best for her retirement.
Please see attached Bishop Greg’s Christmas message.
The Shared Future Program is out with its most recent update. You can find what's been happening this term on this link.
For more information about the Shared Future Program, please visit our intranet page.
As you are aware, a majority of Teachers and General Employees recently voted in favour of a new NSW and ACT Catholic Systemic Schools Enterprise Agreement 2023.
An application for approval of the Enterprise Agreement has been lodged with the Fair Work Commission by our bargaining representative, Catholic Employment Relations. The Agreement will commence seven days after its approval by the Fair Work Commission. You will be advised when the Agreement has been approved by the Commission and how you can access a copy of the Agreement.
If you have any questions on this matter, please use the HR Helpdesk or contact your HR Business Partner.
As we approach the Christmas holiday, we’d like to clarify holiday pay, especially for averaged staff whose work patterns have changed during the year. For school staff who have started during the course of the year, varied their hours, or had more than four weeks of leave, may see their pay adjusted over the Christmas break.
Please see the attached memo for more information. The factsheet can also be found on the intranet here.
Earlier this term, over 60 Year 10 boys attended G.O.A.T, the newest retreat added to the CSO’s Student Discipleship Continuum in 2023. Focussing on Jesus Christ as the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time), the experience featured keynote speakers, testimonies, small group work and physical challenges enabling students to foster teamwork, reflection, and prayer.
Facilitated by school staff members, parish Youth Ministers, Mission Assistants, priests, and members of the CSO team, the students were in the hands of a dedicated group of Catholic men with the intentional outcome of building faith, courage, service and comradery.
A night ruck, deep prayer experiences and the sacrament of Reconciliation during the evening session enriched connections and allowed the young men to build on their relationship with Christ.
Culminating in a memorable Mass, celebrated by Fr. Anselm Okeke, the final day ignited a sense of purpose and unity, leaving an indelible impact on the students.
The retreat has received some great feedback, including the following:
'I absolutely loved the G.O.A.T retreat and wished I could go and do it all over again.' - Student.
'My son was one of the 60 boys who attended the retreat and came home full of excitement, eager to tell me all about the experience. Of course, the fun physical outdoor activities were a hit, but he loved the Mass, reco and the wonderful witness of the male mentors. As a mum, hoping to keep my kids close to God, retreats and experiences like this are an incredible blessing and support for our parenting efforts.' - Parent.
We cannot wait for next year.
Congratulations to the following teachers on becoming accredited as Proficient teachers.
- Maddison Smith (St James' Primary School, Banora Point)
- Philippa Reynolds (St Finbarr's Primary School, Byron Bay)
- Jordan Attenborough-Doyle (St Joseph's College, Banora Point)
- Zoe Boxshall (Mount St Patrick College, Murwillumbah)
- Jake Hetherington (Mount St Patrick College, Murwillumbah)
- Kaitlyn Still (Mount St Patrick College, Murwillumbah)
- Samantha Bennett (Xavier Catholic College, Ballina)
- Amber Beverley (Xavier Catholic College, Ballina)
- Michaela Molzow (Xavier Catholic College, Ballina)
- Matthew Carter (St Mary's Catholic College, Casino)
- Kye Murphy (St Augustine's Primary School, Coffs Harbour)
- Ashleigh Fowler (St Peter's Primary School, Port Macquarie)
- Holly Swadling (St Peter's Primary School, Port Macquarie)
- Cornelia Bezuidenhout (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.
Regional Mentor Coordinators are employed to support the School Mentor (Accreditation Supervisor) in giving explicit feedback to a beginning teacher about the development and demonstration of practice against the Australian Professional Standards at Proficient. The following appointments have been made for 2024:
Tweed: JJ Purton-Jones (jj.purtonjones@lism.catholic.edu.au), Monday & Tuesday.
Richmond: Carmel Driscoll (carmel.driscoll@lism.catholic.edu.au), Wednesday - Friday.
Clarence: Carmel Driscoll (carmel.driscoll@lism.catholic.edu.au), Wednesday - Friday.
Hastings: Alice McGrath (alice.mcgrath@lism.catholic.edu.au), Thursday & Friday.
Thank you to Sammy Walters, who competently performed the role of Regional Mentor - Richmond in Term 4.
The Lismore Diocese HSC Showcase celebrates and captures the talents of our 2022 HSC students, reflecting their creativity, innovation, technical skills and conceptual development. These projects represent the culmination of months of diligence and commitment by students, planning and designing, developing their skills and applying them to the task of creating inspirational and engaging works.
Spotlight On …
St John’s College, Lismore (Visual Arts)
Student: Finlay Buchanan
Title: Superposition
Statement: Superposition is the idea of the world from outside the perspective of time, a fifth-dimensional point of view where time is not a straight line.
In Episode 5 of Conversations across the Diocese, K-2 teachers at St Joseph’s Primary, Port Macquarie, have a conversation with their Education Officer, Karen Townsend, about the implementation of InitiaLit in 2023. They discuss how they have applied the principles of the Science of Learning to enhance their teaching practices to support them in developing the knowledge of content and pedagogical practice required to implement the English syllabus. They discuss strategies to support student learning and engagement, such as chunking, developing consistent protocols across K-2 and how they use assessment data to ensure that teaching is targeted to student learning needs.
All current Podcasts, including Episode 5, can be located on the Intranet under New Curriculum.
In this episode of Conversations Across the Diocese, Melinda Thompson, Education Officer (Mathematics K-12), discusses the new K-10 Mathematics syllabus.
All current Podcasts, including Episode 6 - New Mathematics Syllabus, can be located on the Intranet under New Curriculum.
The 2024 K-2 English Component A (InitiaLit and Sounds Write) Scope & Sequences and Component A (InitiaLit and Sounds Write) Units of Work termly templates have now been finalised for use in 2024. These documents can be accessed via the Primary English page on the intranet.
Schools may choose to:
- Have two separate documents for a unit - one for Component A from the intranet and one for Component B from the DoE website. You may choose to link the Component A document to the Component B document.
- Merge the Component A component of the unit aligned to their SSP program with Component B from the DoE to form one single program document.
Note: This will be a school-based decision, and schools are encouraged to select the option that best suits their context.
For any questions, please contact Alli O’Donnell - Education Officer (English K-12).
As previously communicated in Primary Curriculum Newsletter #26, the DoE Units of Work for K-6 are best accessed directly from the DoE webpage to ensure that teachers have the most recent version. Links to the K-2 Units of Work, 3-6 Units of Work and DoE resources for both English and Mathematics are accessible via the Primary English page and the New Curriculum page on the intranet.
For any questions, please contact Alli O’Donnell - Education Officer (English K-12).
ENROLMENTS ARE NOW OPEN!
A Certificate III in School-Based Educational Support (CHC30221) is ideal for people seeking employment or looking to sharpen their skills as an Aboriginal Education Worker or as a teacher’s aide in schools, preschools or other educational environments.
Expressions of interest are now being received from system support staff.
Course duration: 6-9 Months.
This course attracts Smart and Skilled funding. Please contact the John Henry Institute for further details.
Course delivery: Face-to-face workshops, blended delivery or Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
See the attached document for more information.