THE WAY (Term 2 Week 1 - 29 April 2024)
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Celebrating Innovation in Education
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FOR ACTION
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Attendance Webinar
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VPN Required for Data Analytics Platform outside of School & DLCS Office Networks
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FOR INFORMATION
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RiTE Initiative - Teaching School Announcement
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Learning Collaborative Survey Results
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NAPLAN 2024 Results
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The NSW Premier's Vocational Education in Schools Scholarship
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New Syllabus Newsletters - Primary
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HSC Showcase 2023
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MyLearning
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Positions Vacant
Alfina Jackson, the Digital Technologies Coordinator and STEM teacher at St Joseph’s Primary School, Laurieton, has been awarded the ICTENSW Educator of the Year Award. (17 March 2024)
Congratulations to Alfina Jackson, the Digital Technologies Coordinator and STEM teacher at St Joseph’s Primary School, Laurieton, and St Joseph’s Primary School, Wauchope, for being honoured with the prestigious ICTENSW Educator of the Year Award.
The ICT Educators of New South Wales (ICTENSW), a distinguished professional teaching association, has recognised Alfina’s exceptional contributions in promoting and leveraging Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) within her school. Her dedication to advancing teaching and learning across various disciplines, including STEM, has made a significant impact.
‘We live in a time of rapid technological change. The skills in digital literacy and critical thinking that we teach students now are essential to their success in the future, and employment opportunities are yet to be invented. Students are starting school immersed in technology at home, yet may not have the stamina, digital literacy and critical thinking skills to apply their home use to school. Teachers need to be brave and experiment with technology, adapt their teaching and make time to explicitly teach the skills that will support our citizens of the future,’ said Alfina.
Alfina’s leadership and innovative approach to integrating ICT, computer science, and STEM education have earned her respect both within the Catholic Diocese of Lismore and beyond. She is not only a role model for her colleagues but also actively collaborates with students, parents, and educators to enhance the educational experience through technology.
‘I am immensely proud of Alfina Jackson. Her unwavering dedication to advancing STEM education has been inspirational. Her leadership in taking two groups to the STEM Mad National Conference and spearheading professional learning initiatives has significantly enriched our school's academic environment. Alfina's passion for technology and commitment to both her students and colleagues truly embody the spirit of excellence in education. This recognition is a testament to her outstanding contributions and the positive impact she has on our future innovators,’ said Principal of St Joseph’s Primary School, Laurieton, Rick Galvin.
Allfina was a presenter at the 2024 CTENSW DigiTLL (Digital Teaching, Learning & Literacy) Conference in Sydney. Her engaging presentation highlighted the importance of preparing students to be digitally literate across various key learning areas.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Alfina for this well-deserved recognition of her outstanding achievements in education.
The Student Wellbeing Hub is hosting a free webinar that will explore practical and evidence-based strategies for educators to improve school attendance. It will feature current research and unpack how approaches embedded within Multi-tiered Systems of Support can target intervention at the point of need.
Wednesday 8 May 2024
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Register here
From Monday 13 May (2024), Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools (DLCS) staff and school-based staff will be required to use the VPN (Virtual Private Network) when accessing the Data Analytics Platform (Tableau) from locations outside their school or DLCS networks. This change is being implemented to enhance the security of our data and ensure compliance with best practices.
For assistance with setting up the VPN, please refer to the Technology Services intranet page under ‘Use VPN’.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in maintaining a secure network environment.
RiTE Initiative - Teaching school announcement “Reimaging Teacher Education” Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools is partnering with Southern Cross University to reimagine and co-design teacher education and training that will revolutionise and redefine how Teachers are prepared for their career.
Following robust consultation with our schools, we are excited to introduce our Teaching Schools for 2025:
- St Augustine’s Primary School, Coffs Harbour
- St John Paul Secondary College, Coffs Harbour
- St Ambrose Catholic Primary School, Pottsville
- Mary Help of Christians Primary School, Sawtell
- St Joseph’s Primary School, Tweed Heads
The primary goal of our Teaching Schools is to offer high-quality training and development opportunities for both new and experienced teachers. This includes initial teacher education (ITE) for aspiring educators and ongoing professional development programs to enhance the skills and knowledge of existing teachers.
Our Teaching Schools will also engage in research and innovation within education, conducting projects and collaborating with institutions to enhance teaching and learning outcomes. Additionally, they will foster partnerships with schools, universities, and stakeholders to share expertise and resources, benefiting students and educators.
A formal announcement of the Teaching Schools to the wider community will be made later in Term 2, 2024, with further details to follow. We are excited about this new chapter in teacher education and look forward to the positive impact it will have on our educational community.
Thank you to staff in all our schools who engaged in the Learning Collaborative survey during Term 1. Your insights will be invaluable as part of the review.
We received 327 responses which will provide insights into:
- how well the approach has catered for and continues to cater for individual and school learning and improvement needs,
- participants’ perceptions of their change in knowledge, skills and attitudes,
- participants’ perception of the changes in teaching practices.
Phase 2: School Visits Data Collection, Analysis, and Interim Report
During the second phase of the review, on-site visits to selected schools will be conducted within the diocese. These visits will involve observing classrooms and school environments, conversations with key staff and school improvement strategies/artefacts. The data gathered from these school visits will be analysed alongside the survey data from Phase 1, enhancing the understanding of the system's strengths and areas for improvement. An interim report will be created, presenting a more comprehensive view of the system's status, including successful practices observed during the school visits and potential areas of growth in order to lead to second-order change.
If you would like to host a school visit as part of the review, please email Michele McDonald, Assistant Director, Learning Services.
ACARA has confirmed a successful completion of 2024 NAPLAN. Congratulations to you and those involved at your school for your part in this process. Please find further information in the attached memo.
The NSW Premier’s Teacher Scholarships provide an excellent opportunity for educators to collaborate with other professionals in their chosen focus area and inspire positive outcomes for students in NSW schools. Please see the information sheet attached.
The latest edition of the Primary Curriculum Implementation Newsletter can be found on the intranet under New Curriculum. Newsletter #4 includes information for leaders and teachers about:
- System Professional Learning Opportunities
- Mathematics
- English
The Lismore Diocese HSC Showcase celebrates and captures the talents of our 2023 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. We are excited to launch the third year of our HSC Showcase, highlighting the outstanding work of our HSC students.
Spotlight On …
Mount St Patrick College, Murwillumbah (Visual Arts)
Student Name: Sasha Nendrikse
Title: Fragile
Statement: Fragile explores the delicate and transient nature of life in all its forms. Ecosystems, species and individual organisms within our world, are all inherently vulnerable and temporary in nature. It is this impermanence that interests me. Through my Body of Work, I aim to prompt viewers to reconsider the way they view their own fragility and inevitable death, ultimately an essential part of life's beauty; allowing them to understand the importance of embracing their own place in the web.
7-12 Leaders of Curriculum Professional Learning
This course provides Leaders of Curriculum with the opportunity to engage in professional dialogue with colleagues to support them to comply with relevant legislative, and administrative requirements, policies and processes. This is for one Leader of Curriculum per school.
Participants can register on MyLearning using this link.
- 22 May - Clarence Regional Office, Coffs Harbour
Secondary Assistant Principal Learning and Teaching Network
Secondary Assistant Principals Learning and Teaching meet regularly to collaborate around curriculum, assessment and pedagogy.
Participants can register on MyLearning using this link.
- 23 May - St Joseph’s Regional College, Port Macquarie
Secondary Registration and Accreditation Dates - Implementation of NSW Curriculum (Secondary)
Teachers will develop knowledge and skills to lead colleagues to develop learning and teaching programs using comprehensive knowledge of curriculum, assessment and reporting requirements.
Participants will understand and comply with the requirements of the relevant NESA syllabus, the RANGs manual and Catholic Schools Office Guidelines for Developing a Quality Education Program - Secondary and the Guidelines for Quality Assessment and Reporting Practices K - 12 as they support colleagues to design, implement and evaluate teaching programs.
Follow the MyLearning link here to register.
- Stage 5 Elective Food Technology & iSTEM - Tuesday, 4 June
- Stage 5 Elective Textiles Technology - Wednesday, 5 June
- Stage 5 Elective Industrial Technology (Metal & Timber) - Thursday, 6 June
- Stage 5 Elective Child Studies & PASS - Tuesday, 25 June
- Stage 5 Elective Music - Wednesday, 26 June (Invitation Only)
- Stage 5 Elective Visual Arts - Thursday, 27 June (Invitation Only)
Note: My Learning registrations for Stage 5 Elective Computing Technology and Stage 5 Elective Languages coming soon.
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
- Senior Payroll Officer
- Risk & Compliance Business Partner (South)
- Risk & Compliance Business Partner (North)
- Pastoral Care Officer (Tweed)
- Professional Experience Advisor
SCHOOLS
- Assistant Principal - Mission - St Carthage’s Primary School, Lismore
INTER-DIOCESAN