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Catholic Schools NSW is pleased to release the program for Connected Catholic Communities – Belonging and Flourishing | 2024 Symposium to be held in Sydney on Tuesday, 12 March, including a Masterclass with Dr Anne Henderson on the afternoon of Monday, 11 March.

As the demands and pressures of contemporary life increase, our schools are often called upon to be more responsive to an array of complex family needs.

Evidence shows that addressing the health, wellbeing, and relational needs of students, families and the community fosters optimal learning and development and a sense of belonging and connection.

The Masterclass and Symposium will be an opportunity to continue the conversation and build capability through evidence-based practice, creating flourishing Catholic communities that meet family needs holistically.

Who Should Attend?

Similar to the highly successful inaugural Symposium held in November 2022, we are again bringing together stakeholders from a range of education settings, including early childhood services, schools and universities, along with other ministries of the Church, such as parishes, social services and health to explore the possibilities of enhanced school-community partnerships.

What’s the Imperative for this Work?

The CSNSW Connected Catholic Communities initiative responds to Plenary Council Decree 3, which calls on those responsible for Catholic education to: “identify and respond to the needs of the diverse and distinct circumstances of Catholic schools in Australia” by building partnerships that enhance the vision of Catholic education as an instrument of evangelisation and an essential dimension of the contemporary mission of the Church.

The recommendations of the Expert Panel of the recent Review to Inform a Better and Fairer Education System also provides further impetus for this work, calling for “steps to embed and strengthen linkages between schools and other services, such as community, family, health (including speech and occupational therapists), and disability support services”.

Keynote Speakers:

The keynote speaker and Masterclass facilitator will be international researcher and practitioner Dr Anne T Henderson, who will be focussing on the theme of Belonging. We will also be launching the CSNSW Discussion Paper: “Reimagining Services and Work in Schools: Transformational opportunities for the community, students, and workforce”.

Don’t miss this important event for our Catholic community with these three simple steps:

1. Mark your calendars today.
2. Fill in the Expression of Interest so we can connect with you.

Share with your colleagues – both inside and beyond the school gate.

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Teachers are encouraged to take advantage of online training on 13 February 2024 which aims at developing an understanding of Results Analysis and how to use the Results Analysis Package (RAP) data sets to create teaching and learning goals.

This training will be provided by NESA staff, with concurrent sessions suitable for both beginners and those at an intermediate stage.

Session: An Introduction to the Results Analysis Package (Beginners)
Date: Tuesday 13 February 2024
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 pm
Register via this link

Session: An Introduction to the Results Analysis Package (Intermediate)
Date: Tuesday 13 February 2024
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 pm
Register via this link

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Teachers, school leaders, and system officers are invited to attend a series of seminars presented by Dr John DeCourcy, discussing the intricacies and importance of understanding and analysing HSC Data.

The Seminar Programme spans the following 3 seminars, some with multiple times, and each with a particular audience in mind. Those thinking of registering are reminded to ensure they have a functioning NetID login and that they can access both the HSC Data Analysis Users portal and an online Tutorial within that portal designed to support intending participants.

More information about the tutorial, prerequisites, and the entire programme can be found here: Seminars-2024-outline

Please see below for the date and time of each seminar with registration links.

HSC Analysis #1: Introduction to the Analysis

Who: Teachers, KLA coordinators, school leaders and interested persons who have not previously attended an HSC seminar.
When:
1.  Tuesday 13 February 2024 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm (full)
2. Friday 23 February 2024 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm.
Where: Macquarie University City Campus, Level 24, 123 Pitt Street, Sydney.

Programme description:  This seminar proposes to discuss why and how data should be used within schools to shape the direction of pedagogy. It will also cover an introduction to the idea of Comparative Learning Gain and how this can be used to understand HSC data.

Register here:
1. Introduction | Catholic Schools NSW – first session (full)
2. Introduction | Catholic Schools NSW – second session

HSC Analysis #2: A detailed reading of your Analysis

Who: Experienced users, including teachers, coordinators, APs or Principals who have previously attended at least one HSC Analysis Seminar.
When:
1. Thursday 15 February 2024 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm.
2. Tuesday 27 February 2024 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm.
Where: Macquarie University City Campus, Level 24, 123 Pitt Street, Sydney.

Programme description: Participants will have the opportunity to spend the majority of the seminar in a detailed, guided reading of their own school’s Analysis. This will include a consideration of ways to resolve any problems highlighted by the Analysis.

Register here:
1. Reading| Catholic Schools NSW – first session
2.Reading| Catholic Schools NSW – second session

HSC Analysis #3: Leading your school in the Analysis

Who: Principals, Aps, Leaders of Curriculum or Pedagogy and anyone with a whole school focus.
When: Monday 19 February 2024 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm.
Where: Macquarie University City Campus, Level 24, 123 Pitt Street, Sydney.

Programme description: This seminar will explore the intersection of leadership, data, teacher professional learning and student achievement. Participants will come away having considered a range of leadership responses to their school’s Analysis. Multiple members of a school’s senior leadership team are encouraged to attend.

Register here: Leading| Catholic Schools NSW

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The Catholic Schools NSW (CSNSW) CSSA Symposium – ‘Writing across the curriculum’ will be held on Monday 18 March 2024 at The Amora Hotel, Jamison Sydney.  CSNSW invites Diocesan Representatives, Principals, School Leadership, Key Learning Area Coordinators, Stage 4–5 Year Coordinators and teachers in Catholic education to join us at the CSNSW CSSA Symposium – ‘Writing across the curriculum’.

The Teaching Writing: Report of the Thematic Review of Writing (NESA 2018) highlighted the ability to write is critical to educational success. In response the reformed NSW syllabuses have a strengthened focus on the teaching of writing.

In support of the NESA curriculum reform this CSSA Symposium will explore the theme ‘Writing across the curriculum’ and reflects our shared commitment to engaging in current and emerging issues in secondary education in Catholic schools.  The CSSA Symposium event will bring together education and industry leaders to explore how evidence-based practices in writing can be implemented in a secondary education context. The CSSA Symposium program will engage participants to reflect upon how they can embrace change and optimise learning and engagement within their school and beyond.

Presenters include

• Paul Cahill – Executive Director, Curriculum Reform, NSW Education Standards Authority
• Professor Mary Ryan – Executive Dean of Education & Arts, Australian Catholic University
• Christine Jackson, Principal Researcher/Project Lead, and Annie Fischer, Senior Researcher/Project Lead, Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO)

 Presenters of Writing Workshops include  

• Christine Jackson, Principal Researcher/Project Lead, and Annie Fischer, Senior Researcher/Project Lead, Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO)

• Alicia Pringle – Subject Matter Expert: Literacy & Learning Innovation K-12, Catholic Schools Office, Diocese of Armidale

• Catherine Molloy – Supervisor, Teaching and Learning, Sydney Catholic Schools

The Agenda will be confirmed soon.

Event Details

• Date:                                 Monday 18 March 2024
• Time:                                Registration opens at 8.15am for commencement at 8.45am – 4:00pm
• Location:                         The Amora Hotel, Jamison Sydney

https://www.amorahotels.com/sydney/location

The venue is in Sydney CBD and close to Wynard Train Station, the Light Rail, buses or Secure Parking Stations.

Fee for event registration: $160.00

At this time, it is important to acknowledge the Commonwealth Government for the Non-Government Reform Support Funds that were made available to cover the costs of prior CSSA Symposiums. As of 2024, the CSSA has had to reintroduce a fee for registration to each CSSA Symposium. This fee charged is reflective of covering costs incurred to host the event.

NESA Accredited PD: In process – soon to be advised.

Registration: Registration is available via Eventbrite from Wednesday, 31 January 2024. Tickets are limited, so remember to register early to avoid missing out.

The link to Eventbrite is found here.

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Positive Partnerships will be offering two online professional learning sessions for school staff in NSW and ACT in Term 1.

If you’re looking for ways to understand and support students on the autism spectrum, then don’t miss out on these opportunities.

How do I register?

Simply visit the website to register and secure your place at each session.

Monday 19 February      3.30-5pm AEDT               ‘Diversity of autism’

Monday 26th February 3.30-5pm AEDT               ‘Understanding sensory processing’

Who can attend?

These sessions are available to all school staff. Early childhood and before & after school care / OOSH staff are also encouraged to attend.

These sessions are FREE to attend. School groups are encouraged to share the experience together. So why not arrange to participate in the sessions with some colleagues? This is a great opportunity to share the learning together and to discuss the content in light of your own school context.

Also attached is our semester 1 schedule for NSW and the ACT: 2024 Workshops Schedule – NSW and ACT

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Catholic Schools NSW and the Australian Catholic University have been working closely with NESA to have the Graduate Certificate in Education (Highly Accomplished/ Lead Educational Practice) approved by NESA as pilot streamline pathway to Module 1 accreditation as a Highly Accomplished Teacher.

As part of a pilot, teachers who complete the course in 2024 will be awarded a:

• Graduate Certificate
• 40 credit points towards a Master Education/ Educational Leadership and · module 1 of an application towards Highly Accomplished Teacher accreditation.

The course has been developed with accredited, highly accomplished and lead teachers. Several teachers who have completed the course have either returned to tertiary study (master level) or continued the work to be awarded higher-level accreditation. This is a fantastic opportunity for proficient teachers to progress their accreditation.

For further information, see the brochure. You can enroll in the course here. The course is Commonwealth supported.

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As part of the eSafety Commissions Safer Internet Day, enrolments are now open for a free professional learning webinar on how to support positive peer relationships among young people in online spaces.

The ‘middle years’ or early adolescence (8–14 years) is a critical period of physical, emotional and social development that has important ramifications for present and future wellbeing. Notably, during this time, young people begin to spend more time with their friends and less time with their parents and greater amounts of time connecting online via digital media.

Digital media platforms help young people develop and maintain relationships with friends and family, make new social connections and find support networks. However, there are concerns among professionals and parents that young people’s online interactions also have significant negative influences on mental health and wellbeing and are detrimental to ‘real life’ interactions with peers and adults.

Research suggests there is a strong association between peer relationships and mental health in the middle years. Overall, positive peer relationships such as mutual understanding and support are associated with positive mental health and fewer externalising behaviours, such as aggression.

Given young people interact so much online, practitioners should develop ways to promote healthy online experiences, including ways to encourage positive peer relationships. In doing so, practitioners can play an important role in promoting positive mental health and wellbeing.

This webinar will help you:

• Understand the similarities and differences between online and offline peer relationships and interactions.
• Understand the benefits of online peer relationships for young people and some of the challenges they experience while navigating them, including their impacts on mental health and wellbeing.
• Develop insight into how to support young people’s development of positive peer relationships in online spaces and how families can encourage these positive relationships.

The webinar will be held on Wednesday, 21 February 2024, 1:00 – 2:00 pm (AEDT). Click here to register.

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