Past News Items (2006)

Reading Recovery Graduation
December 18, 2006

The 2006 Reading Recovery Training Group graduated on December 12 at the Catholic Education Office in Wollongong.  In the twelve years since Reading Recovery has been operating in Diocesan parish Primary Schools, 157 teachers have participated in this professional learning.  School principals, school Reading Recovery Support Teachers and partners attended this ceremony to welcome the newly trained teachers into Reading Recovery teaching.  These teachers will support our most confused literacy learners in Year 1 for the next 2-3 years and share their professional learning with colleagues in their schools.

Back (L-R) Jane Stackhouse (Albion Park), Margaret Graham (Narellan Vale), Jenny Denmeade (Rosemeadow), Michele Chrittenden (Bowral), Catheryn Sale (CEO RR Tutor), Laura Fleming (Thirroul), Maryanne Barker  (Dapto)
Front (L-R) Bernadette Baker (Helensburgh), Dawn Glase (Ingleburn), John Tubridy (Acting Director of Schools), Trish Thomas (Warrawong), Maureen Christensen (Camden).

Retirement Farewell
December 15, 2006

After a career of 40 years in education and 26 years  in Catholic education, John Tubridy, Acting Director of Schools and Head of School Services officially said farewell to friends and colleagues at a retirement dinner held on Tuesday December 12, 2006. The Villa D’oro Function Centre in Wollongong was the venue for an evening of warmth and goodwill and collegial appreciation for a career which has literally touched the lives of thousands of children and school staff.

Speakers on the night included life-long school friend and Catholic Education Office colleague, Michael King, teaching colleague and principal Ken Bryant, John’s son Matthew and daughter Kate and Bishop Peter Ingham. The toast to John was made by principal Gayle McMahon and a vote of thanks to Annette Tubridy was made by Head of School Services, Paul McCann.

Bishop Peter thanked John for the job he had done in the capacity of Acting Director in 2006 and acknowledged that it was not an easy position to fill. “The heart of the Catholic School” said Bishop Peter “was the altar of the Church.” John was acknowledged by all speakers as a man of humility and of great integrity.

In his speech of reply, John thanked all for their kind words and especially paid tribute to his family and friends and to his wife Annette. He expressed his thanks to all in the Church who work for the mission of the Church. He acknowledged the vital role played by Catholic schools in that mission while reminding all of the importance of all Church agencies.  

John’s last official day at work will be January 19, 2007. Please view the photo gallery for pictures of this event...

VET Student Awards
December 15, 2006

Many Vocational Education and Training Students attending Wollongong Catholic Education Office Registered Training Organisation schools have recently received awards for their outstanding achievements in their respective industry areas.

Amongst the award recipients are eight students who have each received the Australian Vocational Student Prize of $2000. The Australian Vocational Student Prize (AVSP) recognises Year 12 students who demonstrate exceptional skill, commitment and achievement while undertaking an Australian School-based Apprenticeship or a Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Schools programme. Students are nominated for the prize by their school principal.

On 28 November, nineteen VET students and two VET teachers also received awards at the Illawarra Vocational Education in Schools Awards held at Villa D’Oro Function Centre. View the full list of all those who have received awards and the photo gallery...

High Awards
December 8, 2006

Congratulations to Head of School Services, Paul McCann, on receiving a number of awards recently, recognising his significant contribution to his own professional development and to his contribution to the professional development of others in education.

Honours Awarded to Paul McCann in recent weeks have included:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) through the Australian Catholic University; Fellowship of the Australian Council for Educational Leadership NSW; Certificate of Appreciation from the Australia & New Zealand Education Law Association ANZELA and Appointment as an Honorary Senior Fellow of the University of Wollongong.

More...

Special Education Conference 2006
December 8, 2006

New Standards – Curriculum, Management, Assessment and Reporting in Quality Educational Settings

On Thursday 30 November and Friday 1 December, 2006 over 160 teachers from all educational sectors attend a two day Special Education Conference entitled, New Standards- Curriculum, Management, Assessment and Reporting in Quality Educational Settings.

Held at mater Dei Special School at Narellan the conference was a partnership between Mater Dei, Wollongong Catholic Education Office, NSW Catholic Education Commission and The University of Sydney.

More...

Professional Assault Response Training
Predicting, Understanding & Managing Aggressive/Assaultive Behaviour
December 5, 2006

Professional Assault Response Training (known as PART) was held at the Catholic Education Office on Tuesday 21st November and Wednesday 22nd November 2006. PART is a participative workshop providing a comprehensive systematic and practical approach to challenging situations.

The November participant group collectively held over 300 year’s experience which allowed for constructive discussion on topics including reasonable force, self control, crisis communication and teamwork.

More...

Science Enrichment Day
December 4, 2006

The science enrichment day held by St Joseph’s Catholic High School on Monday 27 November was a great success. The schools involved were Nazareth, Stella Maris, Ss Peter & Paul’s and St Paul’s Albion Park.

Six children from Stage Two came from each school to participate in investigative, hands on science activities. The day was jointly organised by Emma Mansbridge from Nazareth and John Payne from St Joseph’s and it is hoped that more days of this kind will follow. Special thanks to Shannon Marecic and the Science faculty at St Joseph’s.  It was a wonderful learning experience for all involved.

Read-on and view the photo gallery...

CDF Sports Awards
December 1, 2006

On November 24 this year the Diocesan Sports Council staged the 10th Annual CDF Sports Awards to recognise the outstanding achievements of students from primary and secondary schools across the Diocese. The evening proudly sponsored by the Catholic Development Fund attracted over 450 guests to St Mary Star of the Sea College. It was a fitting culmination to a busy sporting year and certainly a positive advertisement for the pathways and structures now available to our students and teachers.

Photo Galleries of the night are available here; Teams Awards, Primary Medallions, Secondary Medallions, Ched Towns Awards, Primary Reds, Secondary Blues, Most Outstanding, Vince Villa Awards and the nights action. Schools can contact John Sparks to request any original photo images.

Over 180 students and 5 teams were presented on the night with most outstanding awards going to the following students:

• The Father Ward Trophy Most Outstanding Girl Primary Sport – Tegan Richards, St. Pius X, Unanderra
• The John Gamble Trophy Most Outstanding Boy Primary Sport – Te Haumi Maxwell, Nazareth Catholic Primary School
• The Terry White Trophy Most Outstanding Secondary Sportswoman – Joint winners Lauren Sparks, St Mary’s College and Chloe Tighe, St. Patrick’s College
• The Bishop Ingham Trophy most Outstanding Secondary Sportsman – Lincoln Tighe, Edmund Rice College

Pat Farmer (MP), was the special guest speaker and recalled some inspirational stories of his ultra marathon running days. Pat related these stories with great passion and stressed the importance of the sporting challenge and how to learn from sporting disappointments.  

The Vince Villa Trophy was awarded to the champion secondary schools across all sports in 2006 with St. Mary Star of the Sea College winning the Girls, John Therry and Edmund Rice joint boys winners and for the first time Magdalene Catholic High was awarded the Champion Secondary School across all sports.

Diocesan Schools Expo
December 1, 2006

Approximately 1400 staff from Catholic Schools across the Diocese gathered together for a day of shared professional development at Rosemeadow on Friday November 17. John Therry Catholic High School hosted participants from 7 Diocesan Secondary and 29 Parish Primary Schools with assistance from Our Lady Help of Christians Parish Primary.

Keynote speakers included Dr Marie Emmitt Dean of the Faculty of Education, Australian Catholic University National and John Finneran, Community Relations Manager, Caritas Australia.

The key feature of the day was staff participation in staff-run Workshops. A total of 82 presentations were made by staff from across primary and Secondary schools covering topics as diverse as Literacy Development through Film, Garage Band-the Music Production Software to Peer Support and Classroom Management. Bishop Peter Ingham was a special guest on the day which incorporated the 2006 TolR8 and CDF sponsored Excellence in Schooling Awards Presentations. A big vote of thanks was registered to the chief organiser of the day, Mark Raue, Head of Religious Education Services and the staff of John Therry and Our Lady Help of Christians schools. Please view the photo gallery for pictures of this event...

Spirituality Program
November 30, 2006

49 staff from 12 Primary and 3 Secondary Diocesan Schools recently completed the Spirituality Animators Program held at Bellambi Resource Centre.

In this second year of the Program’s life, the demand for places from the schools was double that of 2005, an indication of how highly beneficial Schools have found the Program for both the school as a whole and the individual staff who participate.
The Program aims to assist staff with processes and material that will enable them to take forward staff spirituality themselves. The model recognizes the principles of subsidiarity and collegiality and complements other formal programs offered through the Religious Education Team at the Catholic Education Office. It is presented by members of the RE Team with occasional outside presenters. Read-on and view the photo gallery...

Youth & Young Adult Coordinator Appointed
November 30, 2006

Christy Honeysett has been appointed to a new shared position in the Diocese of Wollongong. She will become the Youth and Young Adult Coordinator with the responsibility of building and maintaining networks and communication with youth and young adults across the Diocese, including schools. Christy will become a part time member of the Religious Education Team at the Catholic Education Office, as she fulfils her broad Diocesan duties.

SHIP Awards
November 30, 2006

A presentation ceremony for Catholic and Department of Education schools was recently hosted by Warilla High School on Friday November 24.

At this gathering the Illawarra Health Promoting Schools Network awarded grants of up to $1,000 to seven Diocesan schools. The School Health Incentive Project (SHIP) awards are designed to encourage schools to develop and implement projects that promote health and wellbeing in their schools. The successful schools had identified a variety of health issues to target including social skills and resilience, nutrition and physical activity.

The seven awardees were: St. John Vianney’s Primary, Fairy Meadow; St. Michael’s Primary, Nowra; Ss. Peter & Paul Primary, Kiama; St. Pius X Primary, Unanderra; Nazareth Catholic Primary, Shellharbour; St. Francis Xavier’s Primary, Wollongong; St. Joseph’s Catholic High School, Albion Park.

A Class Act Performing Arts
November 21, 2006

Nearly 2000 students from across the Diocese of Wollongong participated in the fifth annual Catholic Schools “Class Act” Performing Arts Spectacular at the WIN Entertainment Centre on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 October, 2006.

With the theme of “A Sense of Spirit” students from 30 schools took audiences on a tour of the origins of the Diocese and highlighted the historical and landmark features that define the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, Macarthur and Southern Highlands, through music, dance and song. Please view the photo gallery for pictures of this event...

Student Leaders Recognised
November 16, 2006

Students, staff and parents gathered to commission 2007 High School Leaders at the annual Reception held on Thursday November 9 at Holy Spirit College, Bellambi. 47 school captains and vice captains joined together from 12 schools across the Diocese to pray and be blessed by Fr  Honorio  Hincapie who represented Most Rev Peter Ingham, Bishop of Wollongong.

Students spoke publicly about their schools and what it meant to be a leader in their school. They all spoke of their schools with great pride and emphasised the achievements of students in the academic, sporting and cultural fields. But they also talked about their Christian commitment and the schools commitment to social justice. Many proud parents joined in this year's ceremony with a special Sprinkling of Water rite involving principals and parents.

Please view the photo gallery for pictures of this event...

Diocesan Public Speaking Final, 2006
November 13, 2006

On Friday 10 November, the Final of the Diocesan Public Speaking Competition was held at St Therese Parish Primary School, West Wollongong. Six finalists presented their speeches in both the Year 5 section and the Year 6 section. Every one of the twelve finalists came from a different diocesan school, which demonstrates the commitment in our schools to public speaking.  The sponsorship of the Catholic Development Fund, which was represented by Manager, Mr Tony Sanderson, allows this competition to grow in size and interest each year.

A new aspect of the final this year was the decision to podcast the speeches. This gives access to the finals speeches for those parents, teachers and students who were unable to attend the day. It will also provide a valuable model for children in our schools who may wish to enter the competition in future years.

The standard was very high and the adjudicator, Mrs Deirdre Gosling, found the task of choosing three place-getters in each section very difficult. She commented on the children’s appropriate use of the language and of grammar. She praised their vocabulary and the way in which they organized and presented their arguments.

The final was conducted with good grace and in the spirit of sportsmanship, the finalists  listening with respect to each speech and congratulating those who received trophies. Mr John Tubridy, Acting Director of Schools represented the Catholic Education Office and presented trophies to the Year 6 prize-winners.

The winner of the day was, however, public speaking itself, which was given a boost in our diocese through the hard work in our schools and the excellent standard of the finalists.

Narellan Vale Extensions
November 8, 2006

Students, staff, parents and special guests joined together in prayer and celebration at the official opening and blessing of new buildings at St Clare’s Narellan Vale on Friday November 3, 2006. Officiating at the ceremony held in the new library building, were the Bishop of Wollongong, Most Rev Peter Ingham DD together with local federal member for Macarthur Pat Farmer.

Other members of the official Party were the parish priest of Camden, Father Michael Williams and Narellan Vale parish priest Father Allan Hartcher together with the school principal, Vince Campbell, Acting Director of Schools John Tubridy, Rob Elliot from the Camden Council and local indigenous representative Brenda Chalker.

Principal Vince Campbell, Bishop Peter and Director of Schools John Tubridy thanked the contribution of the Federal government of $961,119, the Campbelltown Catholic Club’s donation of $195,000 and the of the remainder of the $2.5million  for the project from the Camden Parish.

Pat Farmer congratulated the students on their behaviour and asked them to go home at the end of the day and to say thank you to their parents for the sacrifices they have made to help build the fine school that is St Clare’s, Narellan Vale.

Please view the photo gallery for pictures of this event...

High School Funds Refurbishments
November 8, 2006

Staff, students, parents and special guest joined Bishop Peter Ingham at the official opening and blessing of refurbishments at John Therry Catholic High School, Rosemeadow on the afternoon of Friday November 3, 2006.

The school has invested $1.65M in improvements to the schools Administration and Staff Facilities Areas together with the addition of six purpose built areas for enhanced Learning Technologies facilities.

Special guests included Parish Priest Fr Chris Sarkis together with the Acting Director of Schools John Tubridy. Principal, Peter Orman thanked the contribution of the Parents and Friends and acknowledged the support of the Campbelltown Catholic Club, architects Charles Glanville and Associates, builders, Steve Watt Constructions, the Catholic Development Fund and the Catholic Education Office.

Please view the photo gallery for pictures of this event...

Advisory Committee Visits Wollongong
November 8, 2006

On Thursday 2 November 2006, Acting Director of Schools, John Tubridy welcomed to Wollongong  the Catholic Education Commissions Aboriginal Education Advisory Committee. The committee is made up of Aboriginal Advisors from each of the NSW Diocese. The group met at the Catholic Education Office on Thursday and then at the Illawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre on Friday 3 November 2006.

Resilience for Staff & Parents
October 31, 2006

On Monday October 16, St Paul’s Albion Park hosted a professional development day where staff from Ss Peter & Paul’s Kiama and Nazareth Shellharbour City came together with St Paul’s staff in a day of learning entitled “Making Great Schools Greater- the relationship between resilience and academic success” with renown clinical psychologist and family therapist Andrew Fuller as the facilitator. Representatives from St Pius Unanderra, St Joseph’s Bulli and our Lady Help of Christians, Rosemeadow also joined the day.

The Diocesan Parents & Friends Forum then hosted “An Evening with Andrew Fuller” at the Villa D’oro Function Centre. Over 250 parents representing 27 schools as well as other agencies were treated to Andrew’s unique style on “Survival Skills for Parents - parenting strategies for raising resilient children.”

Please view the photo gallery for pictures of this event...

Local Mission Launch
October 26, 2006

Students at the Stella Maris Catholic Primary School at Shellharbour hosted the official Diocesan launch of Catholic World Mission Month at a special ceremony at the school in Shellharbour on Thursday October 19. The ceremony took place to promote the plight of communities across the world in need of financial and spiritual assistance. Visitors at the function included Very Rev Bryan Jones, Vicar General for the Diocese of Wollongong, Michael Deasy, Director of Catholic Mission, John Tubridy, Acting Director of Schools and International Mission Visitor, Dorothy Makasa from Zambia.

Mission Director Mike Deasy said “The Diocese of Wollongong is fortunate to have Dorothy Makasa from Zambia as its international mission visitor. She has first hand experience of the benefits that flow to communities in her homeland through the generosity displayed by Catholics of all ages in Australian parishes and schools.”

Catholic Mission supported 90 projects as proposed by the Zambian Bishops in 2005 including formation and support programs for catechists, a new church and community hall and the digging of wells, the maintenance of existing water systems and the construction of water tanks. Last year $186,000 in mission aid was provided to the southern African state of Zambia and neighbouring Malawi under the Catholic Mission Caring for Children Program”.

Mike thanked Sr Colleen Mills, principal, staff and students at Stella Maris for their support as well as Mark Raue and the Religious Education Team for their special support of the launch event. Please view the photo gallery for pictures of this event...

University Award to Religious Education Graduate
October 25, 2006

The Bishop Ingham Award for Academic Excellence in Religious Education at the University of Wollongong was presented to Rae Sarah Carmichael at the Faculty of Education Annual Prize and Award Ceremony, held on the 29 September 2006. On behalf of Bishop Peter, John Tubridy, Acting Director of Schools presented the award. Rae completed the Certificate of Religious Education (NSW) in 2005, achieving outstanding results.

New Director of Schools Appointment
October 24, 2006

The announcement of a new Director of Schools for the Diocese of Wollongong was made on Wednesday October18, 2006. The new Director, who will begin his appointment from the start of the 2007 is Peter Turner. Peter is currently the Regional Director (Southern) in the Catholic Education Office Archdiocese of Sydney.

A Class Act Performing Arts
October 24, 2006

Nearly 2000 students from across the Diocese of Wollongong will participate in the fifth annual Catholic Schools “Class Act” Performing Arts Spectacular at the WIN Entertainment Centre on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 October, 2006.

With the theme of “A Sense of Spirit” students from 30 schools will take audiences on a tour of the origins of the Diocese and highlight the historical and landmark features that define the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, Macarthur and Southern Highlands, through music, dance and song.

“This year’s show will highlight the tremendous talents of students and teachers and will include a massed choir and massed dancers,” co-director Rhonda Thearle said. “It’s a fantastic way of getting together talented students from the four geographic regions that our schools serve.”

“Planning started in October last year and so it’s been a full year of organisation and preparation with the cooperation and assistance of schools, parents and teachers.”

Young Question Bishop Peter
October 16, 2006

St Michael’s Church at Thirroul was the venue for the most recent gathering of Year 6 students to meet and pray with Bishop Peter Ingham. On Tuesday September 26, classes gathered from the Illawarra Parish Primary schools of Holy Cross, Helesburgh; St John Vianney’s, Fairy Meadow; St Brigid’s, Gwynneville; St Joseph’s Bulli; St Columbkille’s, Corrimal; St Francis Xavier’s, Wollongong and St Michael’s, Thirroul to pray and reflect on their Confirmation and to ask the Bishop about his life and leadership.

A similar day was held at St Thomas Aquinas at Bowral on Tuesday September 19 for students from the Southern Highlands and parts of the Macarthur. Students came together from the Parish Primary schools of St Paul’s, Camden, St Michael’s, Mittagong, St Clare’s, Narellan Vale, St Anthony’s, Picton, St Paul’s Moss Vale and St Thomas Aquinas, Bowral.

A feature of the gatherings was the involvement of large numbers of students who read, processed, sang, mimed and prayed and who provided beautiful music to enhance the prayer and conversation with the Bishop. Another feature at Thirroul was the singing of local teacher Kim Rowling’s beautiful hymn, Fire and the Flame.

The Thirroul Gathering marked the culmination of the five Regional meetings the Bishop has held with Year 6 students as part of their Confirmation preparation and reflection in 2006.

Please view the photo gallery for pictures of these events...

Learning with Technology
October 3, 2006

Twenty four selected students from the Southern Illawarra Primary Schools of Ss Peter & Paul, Kiama, St Paul’s, Albion Park, and Nazareth and Stella Maris from Shellharbour came together on Wednesday September 27 at a special Information and Learning Technologies (ICLT) Enrichment Day hosted by Stella Maris School at Shellharbour.

Organised by assistant principal, Andrew Heffernan, participating children had four pre learning tasks to complete including an iChat video 'Talk to an Expert'. The tasks were related to the TOLR8 competition and involved the children responding in writing to ‘Celebrating Difference’ and a creative writing task taken from one of the TOLR8 themes. The children published their completed tasks using  innovative Rapid Weaver and Comic Life software, expressing their understanding of tolerance and acceptance.

Also on hand to provide expertise and guidance were Catholic Education Officers Mark Woolley, Dave Emery and Michelle McKinnon. Acting Director of Schools, John Tubridy also called in on the students who worked with skill and enthusiasm throughout the day. More including photo gallery...

Building Supportive School Environments
October 3, 2006

An animated and engaging group of teachers, a principal and assistant principals from 12 primary schools across the Diocese attended the third day of the Rethinking Supportive School Environments course. The day was part of a 4 day course that has a focus on building a positive school culture promoting an environment that supports the health and wellbeing of students.  Modules to date have included exploring the values underpinning the work we do in Pastoral Care with a focus on Restorative Practices, the National Safe Schools Framework to address bullying and harassment issues and the influence of social and emotional learning on predicting academic success.

Participants had the opportunity to hear current research on the elements that promote a brain compatible classroom, students’ social interactions and emotions and the positive correlation to learning outcome. They were presented with a range of activities and resources aimed at enhancing social-emotional learning as well as building resilience behaviours in students.

In the afternoon Matt Wilkie education co-ordinator from the Australian Rugby Union informed participants about “EdRugby” a National Education Program for Schools that aims “to teach life values to young Australians through sport’ as a pathway of promoting values or respect, responsibility and cooperation both in and out of the classroom. More...

Excellence in Schooling
September 25, 2006

Principals and Staff in all schools are reminded that nominations for Excellence in Schooling Awards 2006 are due at the end of Term 3. These prestigious Awards sponsored by the Catholic Development Fund are in the categories of Excellence in Teaching, Pastoral Care, School Support, Leadership, Early Career Teaching and Social Justice Advocacy. It is a simple matter to write a submission on behalf of a colleague and have it endorsed by at least two people. The Awards are open to both Systemic and Congregational schools. The Excellence in Schooling Application Form is available from your principal or it can be downloaded through this link.

East Timor Support
September 25, 2006

As part of its commitment to solidarity with Catholic schools in developing nations, the Diocese of Wollongong has been involved in a hosting program for Catholic Education Office personnel from the Diocese of Baucau in East Timor. Fr Antonio Goncalves Freitas, the Director of Schools, and Fr Tomas Lopes da Cruz, the Vice-Director of Schools, visited Wollongong in September for two weeks to experience first hand the way that Catholic Primary schools are administered in the Diocese. The visitors were accommodated at St Francis Xavier Cathedral and St Michael’s Nowra, presbyteries, and spent time in schools at St Michael’s Thirroul, St Brigid’s Gwynneville, Holy Cross Helensburgh, St Columbkille’s Corrimal, St Michael’s Nowra and St Francis Xavier’s Wollongong. They also took the opportunity to concelebrate with the Bishop at a number of confirmation ceremonies and to make a presentation to all the Principals of the Diocese.

School Support Officer Conference
September 25, 2006

Over 100 personnel from schools and representatives of the Catholic Education Office and Independent Education Union made up the composition of the first combined CEO-IEU Conference for School Support Officers held at the Wollongong Golf Club on Thursday September 21.

The Conference was an opportunity for school support staff together with their principals to trace the history of their roles in schools and to consider how the role might be enhanced in coming years. School Support Officers spoke on the subjects of “Working as Partners in the Classroom,” and “Partnering in the Class,”  primary principals and support officers on “Playground and Bus Duty and a secondary principal and support officers on “Creating a Learning Team” while  classroom teachers spoke on “Changing the Culture” and “Professional Development” from a teacher’s perspective.

The Catholic Education Office was represented by Acting Director, John Tubridy and Head of Employee Services, Jane Comensoli. The Independent Education Union representatives were Dick Shearman, General Secretary and organisers Pam Smith and Les Porter. Please view the photo gallery for pictures of this event or download the Powerpoint Presentation.

Religious Literacy Assessment 2006
September 18, 2006

Part A of the 2006 Assessment of Religious Literacy for Year 4 students was completed on Monday 4 September. This was followed by a marking day which was held at the Catholic Education Office on Thursday 7 September.  Teachers from across the Diocese gathered at the CEO to mark the Part A Student Workbook. The day was very successful in that all of the marking for the short answer questions was completed and teachers were able to share their learnings and understandings of religious literacy for their Year 4 students. Dr Shukri Sanber and Prof. Jude Butcher from Australian Catholic University were also in attendance at the day. The papers are currently being computer marked and collated at the ACU.

The Part B Extended Task Assessment is derived from the Year 4 Unit, One with God’s Creation. Year 4 classes are currently working on this part of the assessment in their schools. This involves school-based marking with  results being sent into the CEO and ACU for reporting back with Part A in the formal report package that is given to students in term 4. There will be an opportunity to view children’s work samples from Part B later in the year at the Resource Centre at Bellambi and at the Catholic Schools Expo on 17 November. It is also expected that at each school there will be opportunities to showcase the Year 4 children’s work.

Please view our photo gallery for images of the Marking Day.

High School Celebrates Literacy and Numeracy Week
September 13, 2006

National Literacy and Numeracy Week, August 28-September 1, was celebrated at John Therry Catholic High School at Rosemeadow for the first time across all Key Learning Areas. To this end, KLA’s were asked to provide student work samples demonstrating their literacy and numeracy skills as well as to run competitions to test student literacy and numeracy.

The positive response from students and staff culminated in a week-long display of student work in the school Library, enthusiastically viewed by all Years 7-10 classes.
One of the highlights of the week was the daily Literacy & Numeracy competition with daily prize winners. Performances by the Year 12 Drama students, in the Library, had the students enthralled. ‘Story time’ was a great success, too, with the students eagerly sitting round Mrs. Lockyer, the story teller, to hear Australian tales that ranged from picture books to senior fiction.

Competitions were held on-line as well as in class, throughout the week and the daily Trivia Question, in the daily notices, got a lot of minds working, early in the morning! As a result of the week long celebrations, seventy students received awards for achievement in the areas of Literacy and Numeracy across KLA’s at an all-school assembly on Friday, September 8, 2006.

Please view the photo gallery for pictures of this event.

Balloon Relay for Literacy and Numeracy Week
September 12, 2006

National Literacy and Numeracy Week was celebrated in NSW during the week commencing August 28. National Literacy and Numeracy Week is an Australian Government initiative during which the learning and teaching of numeracy and literacy are celebrated in schools.

As part of the week’s celebrations several schools across the Diocese participated in the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers Reach for the Stars initiative. The Reach for the Stars “core activity” took place in National Literacy and Numeracy Week, where students undertook an activity in their own school, reported on it via the Internet, and then explored their own results and a summary of the information provided by schools across Australia.

This year’s core activity involved a class 'balloon relay' where the students had to predict how long it would take them to complete the relay. More....

My Sydney Harbour Bridge Competition
September 6, 2006

Congratulations to Shannon Chan in Year 6 at St Francis Xavier’s Catholic Primary School, Wollongong, who is one of the five finalists in ‘My Sydney Harbour Bridge’ Competition. There were over 100 entries from throughout NSW.  The competition is being held to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, 19 March 1932. Judging took place on Tuesday, 8 August by artist, Reg Mombassa and Caroline Mackaness and Louise Cornwall. Shannon’s artwork will be featured on 80 Adshel posters and 80 City of Sydney bus shelter sites around Sydney from September 4-19.

The community will be able to vote for their favourite design via SMS or the Historic Houses Trust (HHT) website www.hht.net.au/whats_on/children from 4 –19 September or the school’s website www.sfx.woll.catholic.edu.au.  The poster with the most public votes wins the competition.  Please support Shannon and vote for her artwork.

The winning artwork will be unveiled and officially announced on 13 October.  The winning entry will then appear in the Bridging Sydney exhibition which will be held at the Museum of Sydney from 19 December 2006 to 29 April 2007, in lead up to the 75th Anniversary celebrations.

World Youth Day Coordinator
September 6, 2006

Daniel Hopper has been welcomed to the position of World Youth Day Coordinator for the Wollongong Diocese. Daniel commenced in this role on Monday 21 August. He will work with young people in preparation for WYD 2008 and will be in touch with schools as part of his work. World Youth Day is an opportunity to really energise our local communities to take up the challenge of faith formation. Schools and parishes in the Diocese are currently undergoing an audit to see how they can assist in accommodating pilgrims during the WYD week.

Conversation with Bishop Peter
August 29, 2006

St Paul’s Parish Church, Albion Park was the August 29 venue for the third Year 6 Prayer and Conversation with Bishop Peter Ingham in preparation for Year 6 Confirmations in the Diocese of Wollongong.

Schools travelled from near and far to participate in this significant annual event. Students and teachers came from St Mary’s Star of the Sea Primary at Milton, St Michael’s Primary, Nowra, Ss Peter and Paul Primary, Kiama, Nazareth and Stella Maris from Shellharbour and St Paul’s Primary at Albion Park.

The Meeting witnessed wonderful participation from all schools and a challenging series of questions put to the Bishop from representatives of all six schools. Students also featured in the Entrance Procession, Blessing of Holy Water, Penitential Rite, Readings of the Word, a sung Responsorial Psalm, Liturgical Movement and a Procession of Gifts.

Please view the photo gallery for pictures of this event.

Educator Award
August 24, 2006

The Illawarra/South Coast branch of the Australian College of Educators (ACE) in association with the University of Wollongong Faculty of Education awarded to principal Gayle McMahon, an award for Outstanding Achievement in Education at a special ceremony on August 8 in Wollongong.

During Gayle’s 27 years of service to Catholic education, 11 of which have been as Principal, her vision that Catholic schools continue to be places of educational excellence has been explicitly and constantly demonstrated. As the Principal within the St Columbkille’s School community Gayle, endeavours to continually explore current trends in curriculum development, promote the development of excellence in teaching practice for her staff as well as valuing and publicly acknowledging the achievements of all members of the school community.

Gayle is highly respected for her educational commitment and demonstrated leadership by the Catholic Education Office and is often called to provide consultation particularly in the area of policy develop and School Review and Development.  She is passionate about quality learning and teaching and ensures that she remains current and relevant in all educational endeavours.

Working with Students with Special Needs K-12
August 16, 2006

Forty nine School Support Officers from schools across the Diocese were presented with Certificates by Acting Director, John Tubridy at a graduation ceremony at Catholic Church Offices on Thursday August 10. Participants had engaged in a four day course to improve learning for students. The course offered professional learning opportunities in Meeting Student Needs, Literacy, Numeracy, Behaviour Management and Inclusive Technology.

An integral support for the course was the myclasses page which invited participants to discover the benefit of on-line professional dialogue and access to resources. Another exciting innovation will be the on-line course evaluation offered to the participants. This course complemented other professional learning offered to School Support Officers through the Catholic Education Office. Education Officer Celia Elphick commented that “the atmosphere and dialogue in all of the workshops over the four days was lively, challenging and overflowing with strategies to assist school staff improve learning for all students in our schools, regardless of their needs.

Please view the photo gallery for pictures of this event.

Moments of Grace!
August 7, 2006

Beginning Teachers enjoyed another networking opportunity on Monday July 31, 2006. Their curriculum focused day led by Michelle McKinnon and Cynthia McCammon had them flying red paper aeroplanes, designing assessment experiences and discussing “moments of grace”.

Inspired by snippets from the movies Kindergarten Cop and School of Rock some moments of grace in their teaching careers so far included the following:

• Year 4 wrote to the TV station asking for Tom Williams to take me on a date for my birthday!! Tom wrote back declining but sent two autographed photos – one for me and one for the class!!!
• Following our instincts
• Treating children as individuals
• Taking that ‘minute’ to listen to their stories
• Letting high school students still be ‘kids’ by offering rewards and motivation
• When it ‘finally’ clicks
• Belief and confidence
• Consideration of cultural difference
• When the whole class is interested and ‘on-task’
• Children writing in a straight line
• A change in attitude after teacher suggested a change in diet
• A complete change in student attitude after the teacher recommended a student have their eyes checked (she needed glasses!)
• Creating a hands-on project for a child with learning difficulties
• Giving a child with behaviour problems a job or some responsibility and watching their behaviour change

Thank you to our beginning teachers – the future of education is in good hands!

Please view the photo gallery for pictures of this event.

Victorian Principals Visit Wollongong Innovations
August 3, 2006

Over two days 30 principals and administrators from Victorian Department of Education Schools visited the Diocese of Wollongong as part of their professional development. The principals had been extended a welcome by the previous Director of Schools, Greg Whitby. Hosted by the Catholic Education Office the group visited St Clare’s Narellan Vale and Magdalene Catholic High School on Wednesday 26 and Corpus Christi, Oak Flats and St Joseph’s Catholic High School at Albion Park on Thursday July 27.

Innovation in curriculum delivery, integration of classes, the use of information technologies and new styles of architecture to match curriculum innovation were features of the school visits. The principals were greatly impressed with their school visits and were debriefed over lunch at the Catholic Education Office in Wollongong.

Please view the photo gallery for pictures of this event.

Br John Taylor Award Ceremony - Mark Raue
July 27, 2006

Friends, family and colleagues of Mark Raue, Head of Religious Education Services, Wollongong Catholic Education Office, gathered at Villa D’Oro Function Centre on Thursday 20 July to celebrate Mark’s receiving of the prestigious Brother John Taylor Award for excellence in Catholic Education. Mark was presented with a medallion and a cash study grant of $5000 in recognition of his contribution and achievements to Catholic Education both in Wollongong and beyond.

The ceremony incorporated some of Mark’s music, which was played and sung by teachers, CEO staff, Diocesan representatives and students from St Francis Xavier’s Catholic Primary School, Wollongong. Students from Holy Spirit College, Bellambi led the gathering in prayer and special guests included Most Rev Anthony Fisher DD, Dr Brian Croke and Most Rev Peter Ingham DD.

It was an opportunity to celebrate not only Mark’s award and contribution to Catholic Education, but also to recognise and affirm the great work done in religious education in the Diocese of Wollongong.

Please view the photo gallery for pictures of this event.

2006 TolR8 Competition - Celebrate Difference
‘TolR8: InOv8 and CelRbr8 our Differences’
July 19, 2006

Our TolR8 competition in schools is to stimulate creative thinking about tolerance, human rights and dignity.

Following on from the success of last year, the 2006 TolR8 Competition will focus on raising awareness of the need to embrace and accept differences. Students are invited to submit a creative piece of writing, artwork, short movie or song which explores the issues around difference. This is at a time when there are many societal pressures (particularly peer pressure) regarding difference.

Entries are to be submitted to the CEO by Tuesday 24 October 2006. Prizes for outstanding entires will be awarded at the Diocese of Wollongong Catholic Schools Expo Day in Campbelltown on 17 November 2006.

Further information including examples of syllabus outcomes for both primary and secondary students is available here.

“Respect the Past, Believe in the Future”
July 19, 2006

Throughout the year students of St Michael’s Primary School, Nowra participate in various cultural activities. During the last week of term two, the school celebrated NAIDOC week.

NAIDOC, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Day of Commemoration, celebrates the survival of Indigenous culture and the Indigenous contribution to modern Australia. All Australians are encouraged to participate in NAIDOC Week activities. This year’s theme is “Respect the Past, Believe in the Future”.

The schools celebrations began on Monday, June 26 with a Welcome to Country and flag raising ceremony. Aunty Jean Wellington and Aunty Grace Crossley welcomed teachers, students and guests. Students played an active role in running the flag raising ceremony. Ex students, now attending St John the Evangelist Catholic High School played the didgeridoo, bullroarer and clap sticks. A morning tea and a yarn up were held with Elders, community members, staff and students. More...

Support Teacher Recognised
July 17, 2006

Congratulations to Therese Campbell (Diocesan support teacher – vision impaired) who was recently recognised by Vision Australia for her contribution in this important area of education. Therese works across the Diocese of Wollongong with students, parents and teachers to provide a supportive learning environment in the regular classroom. This award recognised the specialised nature of the work which Therese does and the dedication and passion she brings to her role. She was joined at the award ceremony, held at the Vision Australia office in North Wollongong, by her parents and her son. Well done Therese. More...

MANSW Annual Conference 2006 Bright Ideas at Novotel Brighton Beach, Sydney 8 – 10th September For further information and registration forms go to: http://www.mansw.nsw.edu.au/

Mathematics Enrichment Day

So you think petrol is expensive!!! If you ride exactly one kilometre on a bicycle, how many times do the wheels go around? How do you construct a cardboard canoe and get your team across the river? The answers to these and many other questions were investigated and explored by twenty four Year 5 & 6 students at the recently held Mathematics Enrichment Day at St. Paul’s Primary School, Albion Park.

The day provided an opportunity for the students from St. Paul’s, Nazareth Primary at Shellharbour City, Ss. Peter & Paul, Kiama and Stella Maris at Shellharbour to work collaboratively in order to solve a variety of problems and investigations. The day was organised and facilitated by Lynda Blacka (Numeracy Co-ordinator St. Paul’s) and Shirley Brady from the Catholic Education Office.

View the photo gallery of this event...

Enrolment Banners

As a small measure in the Promoting Our Catholic School Campaign, being generated in the Diocese of Wollongong, a number of schools have invested in an all weather enrolment banner to attract the eye of passers-by to their school. Three schools have recently purchased a school specific banner to attract enrolments.

Parish primary Schools at Corrimal, Gwynneville and Camden were recently presented with their banners, the production of which was facilitated by the Office of the Director of Schools.

Photo: Enrolment Banner from Camden with Principal, Assistant Principal and Acting Director

Principals Retreat

The Principal and CEO Leadership Team Retreat was held on the 22nd and 23rd June 2006 at Mary MacKillop Place, North Sydney.

The theme of the Retreat, ‘The Fire Burning in Our Hearts’, focused on what sustained Mary MacKillop in her role as an Educational Leader and what sustains leaders today who work in Catholic Education. Sr Susan Connelly rsj and Sr Marion Gambin rsj facilitated the Retreat and led a number of prayerful and meaningful processes that reflected deep insights into the spirituality of Mary MacKillop. The Retreat concluded with Bishop Peter Ingham celebrating Mass and each participant receiving a copy of the book: Mary MacKillop Inspiration for Today.

Photo: participants at the principals retreat

Reach for the Stars

What is Reach for the Stars? Reach for the Stars is an Australia-wide activity for schools associated with National Literacy and Numeracy Week. Since 2003, the annual event has seen students collecting, sharing and investigating data about their height, travel to school and our coins.

This year, students will explore mathematics and numeracy inspired by the theme “How fast is your class?”.

Reach for the Stars is designed for students from pre-school through to junior secondary, and provides an opportunity for students across the school to get involved in a single event with a numeracy focus. Participation is free and teachers can choose whether they simply spend a few minutes on the core activity, or use the support materials on this website to put together a more extensive learning sequence.

In 2006, the core activity will involve a class 'balloon relay' - how accurate will your class be in predicting how long it will take them to complete the task? For more information, visit the Reach for the Stars Web site.

Journey 2006

The Journey Experience was held recently at Kerever Park in Bowral and was a wonderful opportunity for all participants to have some Sabbath time in their lives. The Journey Experience is: A time apart for personal renewal and refreshment A time to slow down and renew your vision A time to re-energize your enthusiasm for life and ministry

The 'Journey Experience' seeks to rekindle and renew in participants the Ministry of Care and Service encouraging each other to seek ways of reflecting Gospel values more clearly. It is one of the many faith formation opportunities that are offered by the CEO and it was a most rewarding time for all involved.

With Sr Anna Warlow sgs and her team, participants were invited to reflect on their life journey in a warm and nurturing environment over the two and half days. The other faith formation residentials for this year are, Call to Life which will be held at Kerever Park from 24 July to 28 July and Bethsaida which will be held at Mt St Benedict Centre, Pennant Hills from 20 August to 25 August. For further information about any of these faith formation opportunities please refer to the RE webpage or contact Beth Riolo or Pat O’Gorman.

Please view our photo gallery from the recent Journey Experience.

Teachers Aides Congratulated

38 Staff from schools across the Diocese were presented with Certificates in Education Support at a recent Ceremony at the TAFE Illawarra Institute in Wollongong on Thursday June 8.

The staff, who had studied over the last two years, have achieved the Certificate III qualification in Education Support, Teachers Aide Special. Teachers Aides play a significant role in providing support to students with disabilities and are an integral part of the school community.

View the photo gallery of this event...

Service Recognised

34 participants together with family, colleagues and special guests came together on June 9 in Wollongong to acknowledge staff across the Diocese who have given 25 or more years service to Catholic Education. Bishop Peter Ingham presented certificates of service at a special ceremony held at the Villa D’oro Function Centre. The 25 Years Service Awards are a biennial event which recognises the service of participants to Catholic schooling. Any staff member from any school in the Diocese is eligible to apply. Special recognition was given on the day to Netty Broekman, Head of School Services, Secondary at the Catholic Education Office who has chalked up 34 years in Catholic schooling. Netty spoke in response on behalf of the awardees.

View the photo gallery of this event...

Consistent Teacher Judgement Workshops K-6

Over 400 teachers from across the diocese attended 1 of 6 workshops focusing on Developing Consistent Judgements. It was an opportunity to unpack the new Commonwealth assessment and reporting requirements and to discuss their implications at a school level.

The teachers were involved in workshop activities that allowed them to work with colleagues from other schools to explore a range of Mathematics and English work samples and discuss what qualities and characteristics they would be looking for to align to the Common Grade Scale. The positive feedback emphasised the appreciation for the opportunity to develop a shared understanding of the new reporting requirements. Further professional learning opportunities will be available throughout the year in continuing to support this process. Thank you to all who attended and contributed to the success of the workshops.

View the photo gallery of this event...

Young School Leaders Visit

Twelve Year 6 students from the four Southern Illawarra Catholic Primary Schools recently attended a morning tea presentation of certificates as winners of a competition about the nature of leadership. The students, accompanied by relatives and teachers were from Ss Peter and Paul Primary Kiama, Nazareth Primary Shellharbour City, Stella Maris Primary Shellharbour and St Paulís Primary School at Albion Park.

Winning students who visited the Catholic Church Offices in Wollongong on Friday May 12 had contributed a response to the question of what leadership meant to them using a variety of responses including CD PowerPoint presentations, poems and posters.

As well as being presented with a Certificate of Achievement the students were given a CDF pack of goodies. Bishop Peter Ingham and Acting Director of Schools, John Tubridy spoke to the students, their parents and relatives over morning tea. View the photo gallery of this event...

Improving Learning for Students with Special Needs
Certificate of Special Education (Learning Difficulties)

One of the missions of catholic schooling is to provide all children with quality education that fully develops their talents and capabilities. By providing a supportive and nurturing environment, schooling contributes to the development of students’ sense of self-worth, enthusiasm for learning and optimism for the future. The Diocese of Wollongong recognises that people with a disability have a right to seek to be integrated into the community, as they too have an important contribution to make to others. Only by working together can the community hope to find respectful solutions owed to every single person.

As part of this commitment to Special Education and teacher professional learning, a significant Professional Learning initiative has taken place. The Certificate of Special Education (Learning Difficulties) is a 4-day comprehensive course planned and delivered in a partnership with the Catholic Education Office and the University of Wollongong.

Read-on and view the photo gallery of this event...

Certificate in Special Education (Autism Spectrum Disorder)

The Certificate in Special Education (Autism Spectrum Disorder), now in its third year, is facilitated through a partnership with the University of Wollongong and the Catholic Education Office. This course has been designed to address the professional development needs of Primary and Secondary school staff who work with students with autism in mainstream or specialised settings.

The Certificate of Special Education – Autism Spectrum Disorder, aimed to address the professional development needs of educators by providing up to date information about autism and the major issues affecting teachers, families, and individuals with autism. The course has focussed on developing an understanding of ASD and in teaching the strategies and skills that will enable teachers and support staff to be confident and competent in working with students with autism. All participants have completed an in-depth case study of a student who has autism and evaluated the effectiveness of the strategies learned throughout the course.

Dr Deslea Konza, University of Wollongong, and Sonya Rogan, Education Officer – Special Education K-12, Wollongong Catholic Education Office have facilitated the course.

Congratulations are extended to all the participants who received the Certificate of Special Education – Autism Spectrum Disorder presented by Associate Professor Brian Ferry at the graduation ceremony on 12th May, 2006.

View the photo gallery of this event...

Promoting our Schools!

The idea of promoting or 'marketing' your school is a notion that some may think a little distant from the core business of schooling. However, as schools in some parts of the Diocese face declining student enrolments, it comes as a reminder that good schools are always involved in their own promotion.

The key enrolment period for Wollongong Diocesan schools is set as Term 1. However, principals need no reminding that the enrolment period never really closes. Enquiries come into many schools on a daily basis and vacancies, wherever they occur, should be filled. Enrolment enquiries, even when no vacancies exist, should be treated with the greatest respect and attentiveness as the quality and welcome of frontline staff will have a bearing on future attitudes to enrolments at that school. Every positive experience builds good future custom and every negative one destroys a potential relationship.

While there are expectations on schools that they professionally approach the enrolment processes, including the provision of an information package with school information, enrolment form and the like. There is also an expectation that they will be out promoting the school with specific enrolment advertising.

The Acting Director of Schools, John Tubridy, has recently written to all staff to encourage them to actively support the promotion of each and every Catholic School in the Diocese.

"I will be requesting in Term 2 that all principals, in consultation with their parish priest and staff review their strategies for promoting our schools. I would urge you to support this endeavour."

In coming months Peter McPherson from the Office of the Director will head a working party to assist principals to ensure that we use innovative methods to reach as many families as possible to maintain good future enrolments. In the meantime, schools are encouraged to continue to use every opportunity to promote the authentic Catholic nature of our schools, to promote the relationship with the Parish, to promote the quality of the teaching, the quality of the pastoral care and to work towards quality processes such as school newsletters and websites, which present our public face to the community at large. School signage and the role of frontline staff such as school secretaries should not be underestimated.

By supporting the principal in promoting enrolments we provide the opportunity for many children from the Parish and those who seek a Catholic education to have the opportunity to learn and live the Catholic faith.

New School Visitors Impressed

Local Federal Members of Parliament, Jennie George, Member for Throsby and Sharon Bird, Member for Cunningham, returned to the classroom recently when they were special guests at Corpus Christi Catholic High School at Oak Flats. The two MP’s who were teachers in previous careers were escorted through the innovative first stage of the buildings on Tuesday May 2 by principal Jenny Allen together with Acting Director of Schools John Tubridy, Head of Secondary School Services, Netty Broekman and Shellharbour City Parish Priest, Very Rev Bryan Jones.

The state of the art school which opened with its Year 7 intake of 130 students at the start of this year has been funded in part with an initial Federal Government Block Grant of over $2 million. The first stage buildings will cost over $6 million. Remaining buildings will be constructed over the next 5 years at a total cost of approximately $20 million.

The student laptop computer assisted learning program at the school is just one of the many innovations the school is implementing including an integrated curriculum. Student learning is not structured in old fashioned classrooms but in learning groups in large and flexible open learning spaces. Read-on and view the photo gallery of this event...

Wollongong Schools ANZAC Service

The City of Wollongong RSL Sub-Branch Returned and Services League of Australia organised the annual combined Schools ANZAC Service at MacCabe Park Wollongong, Thursday May 4. This year 21 schools attended the service including 2 systemic schools: St John Vianney's Parish Primary School, Fairy Meadow and St Brigid's Parish Primary School, Gwynneville. All students contributed by addressing the crowd with their contribution to 'What ANZAC Day Means to Me' and then laying a wreath. View the photo gallery of this event...

Professional Assault Response Training

Professional Assault Response Training (PART) was held at the Catholic Church Offices on Thursday 4th May and Friday 5th May 2006. The PART workshop operates from the basic premise that staff members who have developed a systematic approach to planning, understanding and managing aggressive behaviour are less likely to injure or be injured than those who have not following the basic principles of approach, problem solving, emergency response, individual differences, teamwork and rights and responsibilities.

Day 1 focused on the theory component of PART and saw participants pour through pages of information covering; purpose, professionalism, preparation, identifying stressors and positive outcomes, response framework. Warm up exercises tested the participant’s agility and balance through moves such as pivots, sidesteps and back steps.

Day 2 focused on crisis communication, evasion, restraint and documentation/debriefing/reviewing. Participants learnt physical ways to respond to aggressive behaviour and saw them (in slow motion) evade and deflect punches and kicks and then release their way from holding attacks such as pinches, bites and scratches.

Read-on and view the photo gallery of this event...

Assessment and Reporting Leadership Team Workshops

Term 1 saw the completion of the Assessment and Reporting workshops K-12. The primary workshops were held at various locations across the diocese and were very well attended by principals and their leadership teams. The afternoon sessions provided the opportunity to unpack the current assessment and reporting agenda and to share common issues that may have arose. It was also a chance for teams to collaboratively plan an implementation strategy to best suit the needs of their school.

The Secondary Leading Learning Networks attracted approximately 140 Secondary Coordinators and teachers across all KLAs including VET, Teacher Librarians and Administration Coordinators. Evaluations were overwhelmingly positive regarding the input and discussion of assessment and reporting, the Board of Studies ARC website workshop and opportunities for networking with colleagues.

The workshops were well received and thanks must go to Anne-Maree Creenaune and her team in Education Services who worked together to present at each workshop. View the photo gallery of this event...

Walk Safely to School Day

Several schools across the Diocese participated in Walk Safely to School Day on Friday 7th April. WSTSD is a public education campaign initiated by the Pedestrian Council of Australia. It targets child pedestrian safety in government and non-government primary schools, and takes place across NSW. The principal aims of the day are to encourage parents and carers to walk to school with their primary-aged children, and to promote the key road safety message: Hold an adult’s hand when you are crossing the road. The day also seeks to support the development of vital road safety skills in children and healthy behaviours such as increasing incidental physical activity by walking to school. View the photo gallery of this event...

Participating schools were:

Tales of Work and Life
A product of the “EOW Book” project

Sharing personal stories from staff across the Diocese to illustrate the changing face of work and some of the challenges and opportunities for the future.

Equal opportunity, work/life balance, the advancement of women into leadership and other workplace issues have been very much on the agenda in recent times. Our workforce has a wealth of life experience and stories to tell about this. As a result our EOW Committee (Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Committee) embarked on the “EOW Book” project to gather personal stories that display some of the ways in which our workplace and work environment has been evolving and adapting. This is intended to celebrate the achievements, highlight the challenges and recognise the unique nature of schooling in shaping the future generation.

Read the Tales of Work & Life here...

Prior to this we had published the personal stories of job sharing teachers, uncovering real professionalism and the sort of personal commitment and valuable experience that could help others.

There is still time for you or your school to contribute a story to add to the “EOW Book” project. Please refer to the EOW Book Project Brief for further information (.pdf). At this stage it is an electronic publication that can continue to grow; however, we do intend in time to publish Tales of Work and Life as a book.

The EOW Committee would like to sincerely thank all those employees who contributed to the “EOW Book” project.

Student Leaders Day Highlights Cross-School Cooperation

More than 200 Year 6 students representing four Southern Illawarra Primary schools recently gathered for a day of prayer and inspiration at a unique Young Leaders Day. Held on Thursday March 29 at St Paul’s Primary School at Albion Park, the students from St Paul’s, Albion Park, Stella Maris, Shellharbour, Nazareth, Shellharbour City and Ss Peter and Paul, Kiama, lead in prayer and reflected on the topic of leadership while special guest speakers shared their perspectives on what it means to be a leader.

Speakers on the day included Vocations Director, Fr David Catterall, sport psychologist and writer, Paul Smith, Catholic Earth Care Director, Col Brown and Team Management Psychologist Danielle Heffernan, as well as St Joseph’s Catholic High School student leader, Nathan Shelton. A highlight for many was the attendance of recent Commonwealth Games gold medallist and local Wollongong resident, Kerryn McCann.

The great success of the day served as a lesson in cross-school cooperation with the four schools having established in late 2005 an informal network to better share resources and expertise and to improve learning opportunities for all in their school communities.

Acting Director of Schools John Tubridy thanked the students for inviting him to their special day and in return promised to invite three students from each school to morning tea at the Catholic Education Office. The students will be chosen from a submission describing what leadership in a Catholic School means to them, in any form they so choose.

St Paul’s principal Vicki Attenborough thanked all the day’s participants as well as sponsors Dairy Farmers, Bakers Delight and the Catholic Education Office.

View the photo gallery of this event...

Effective Learning & Teaching

Early Stage 1 / Stage 1 The first of the Effective Learning & Teaching Courses has been completed. The course covered aspects of both Literacy & Numeracy. Components included: Using SENA data to drive programming; Development of Number Sense; The importance of Visualisation; Importance of children’s recording  Running Records;  Guided Reading

Many positive comments and feedback from participants have indicated a high level of satisfaction with, and effectiveness of, the course. Certificates were presented to participants by Michael King and Noel Henry.

View the photo gallery of this event...

Catholic Education Office Leadership Team visit to St Paul's Parish Primary School Albion Park

On 20 March 2006 the Catholic Education Office Leadership Team held its fortnightly meeting at St Paul's Parish Primary School Albion Park.

The agenda included a meeting with the Parish Priest Father Peter Tien and the Principal Mrs Vicki Attenborough who both gave an overview of the schools history and its current progress.

Members of the Leadership Team visited all classrooms to show support to the teachers and support staff for the quality Catholic learning and teaching offered to children of the parish.

K-6 Diocesan Advisor’s Workshop

Catholic Education Commission Sydney
Thursday February 23 & Friday February 24, 2006

Anne-Maree Creenaune, Belinda Hughes, Maria Spinks, Shirley Brady and Cynthia McCammon represented our diocese at this two-day forum, which was the first ever meeting of Catholic Sector Primary Advisors from across NSW. The purposes of the workshop were to affirm our Catholic identity in the context of State and Commonwealth accountability requirements and to recognize the importance of the role of the primary school in the continuum of formal learning.

Through formal and informal means, participants were able to develop and confirm common messages on K-6 curriculum, assessment and reporting issues. Anne-Maree Creenaune and Belinda Hughes presented a workshop titled A-E Standards: Developing Consistent Teacher Judgments, which was extremely well received. Evaluations revealed that participants found this workshop clarified many issues, which they had felt were previously unresolved.

REC Conference 2006

The annual Religious Education Coordinators’ Conference was held recently at Hartzer Park, Bowral, with the theme of “Religious Art and Imagination”. Keynote speaker was Sr Rosemary Crumlin, reknowned authority on religious art. Rosemary introduced the participants to some beautiful original works from indigenous artists and captured the imagination of the RECs with her deep knowledge and wonderful ability to tell a story.

Dr Peter Mudge from the Catholic Education Office in Parramatta was the after dinner speaker and he shared his personal interest in religious art and poetry.

Bishop Peter Ingham also attended the conference and spoke to the RECs about their responsibilities for role modeling mature committed Catholic lives to the young people and children in their care. John Charadia, a creative arts advisor from the Catholic Education Office in Sydney, facilitated the second day and demonstrated a vast number of strategies for integrating creative arts with Religious Education.

View the photo gallery of this event...

National Carer Counselling Program (NCCP)

The National Carer Counselling Program (NCCP) is an Australian Government Initiative, managed by Carers Australia and is being rolled out in every State and Territory via the Commonwealth Carer Resource Centres within each State Carer Association.

This program provides short term counselling for people caring for a relative or friend whom is frail aged, with dementia; has a disability; receiving palliative care; has a mental illness; with challenging behaviour.

Andrew Tuddenham from Andrew’s Psychological Services is an approved counselling service provider with this program in the Wollongong and Shellharbour area. Andrew has met all the NCCP requirements including participation in the Carers NSW
Carer Sensitive Awareness Workshop.

If you would like further information detailing Andrew’s Tuddenhams services please contact Leah Crawford or 4253 0913 for a complimentary brochure, or download the National Carer Program .pdf.

Director of Schools Bids Farewell

Held at the Kembla Grange Racecourse Function Centre on Tuesday February 28 over 200 guests gathered to wish outgoing Director of Schools, Gregory Whitby the best with his new appointment as Executive Director in the Diocese of Parramatta.

The dinner function also allowed a variety of speakers to reflect on Greg's six years at the helm of the Diocesan system in Wollongong. Primary schools were represented in the speeches by Vincent Campbell principal at St Clare's Narellan Vale and Secondary schools by Karen Young from St John the Evangelist in Nowra. Netty Broekman, Head of School Services, Secondary, gave a CEO Leadership Team perspective while Peter Fogarty, Head of Administrative Services made the toast to the Director. Bishop Peter spoke of Greg's commitment to ensuring that each school is authentically Catholic and that our schools contribute to the evangelising mission of the Church. In his reply Greg complimented the Bishop on his own leadership style and gave thanks to all who worked for Catholic Education in our Diocese. Master of ceremonies for the evening was the new Acting Director, John Tubridy.

Presentations made by Paul McCann on behalf of all present included a framed poster from the Diocesan School Principals including the Learn, Lead, Support and Grow Motto together with each schools logo and principals signatures.

View the photo gallery of this event...

Education Mass, 2006

The annual Education Mass of the Diocese of Wollongong was held at St Francis Xavier Cathedral in Wollongong on Tuesday February 14. The large congregation which filled the Cathedral participated in the liturgy of the mass which included the commissioning of three new principals together with over 30 teachers and support staff new to the Diocese.

Director of Schools Gregory B Whitby introduced the new principals in what will be his last official ceremony as Director. Don Spencer, principal at St Thomas More Parish Primary, Ruse; Jenny Allen, principal Corpus Christi Catholic High School, Oak Flats and Anthony Kenna, principal St Paul’s Parish Primary, Moss Vale were presented to Bishop Peter Ingham by two students from their schools as they upheld their commitment “to service to all members of their school community, to the nurturing of a school of holiness where quality learning and teaching is promoted and where Christ is at its centre.”

New staff received a special blessing with the following words: “Send your spirit upon these teachers and support staff and fill them with your wisdom and blessings. Grant that they may find their work in our Catholic schools to be a rewarding privilege and that they may unselfishly devote themselves to the children and young people placed in their care.”
Bishop Peter wished them all great happiness in their vocation but warned that if our teachers were not in themselves people who practised the faith, then they had “lost the plot.” “You can’t give what you don’t have” he emphasised.

View the photo gallery of this event...

New Directions for Catholic Education

In conjunction with Bishop Kevin Manning of the Diocese of Parramatta, I wish to announce that the Director of Schools for the Diocese of Wollongong, Mr Greg Whitby, has accepted an appointment as Executive Director of Schools in the Diocese of
Parramatta.

I wish to express my personal appreciation for his leadership of our Catholic Parish Primary and Secondary schools in the diocese. Mr Whitby has had a positive impact on the quality of the provision of Catholic schooling in the diocese. On behalf of the Catholic
community in our diocese I thank him for his hard work and professional contribution to this important Mission of the Church.

Mr Whitby’s appointment to the Parramatta Diocese is in recognition of his quality as an educator and his personal leadership capability. I am sure that he will be welcomed by the Parramatta Catholic community. He had previously served in senior roles in the Catholic Education Office in Parramatta prior to his appointment by Bishop Philip Wilson as Director of Schools in Wollongong.

Mr Whitby will complete his appointment in Wollongong on 3 March, 2006 from which time I have appointed Mr John Tubridy who is currently Head of Cluster South East as Acting Director until a new Director is appointed.

Most Rev Peter W Ingham DD
BISHOP OF WOLLONGONG

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