Priority Items

2022 CSSA Trial HSC Examinations: Expressions of interest for committee members (Ref: 313/21)

The CSSA Trial HSC Examinations are prepared by committees of practicing teachers, university lecturers and educational consultants in a variety of HSC courses.

 The Head of CSSA Exams is seeking expressions of interest for the following positions:

 Committee Members for the following 2022 CSSA Trial HSC Examination

  • Investigating Science

A letter regarding the Expression of Interest requirements for the roles with the CSSA and the application process is provided below.

Interested applicants are asked to send a Cover Letter and current Curriculum Vitae to Monica O’Brien, Head CSSA Exams, to [email protected] by 9am Friday 12 November 2021.

2022 CSSA TRIAL HSC EXAMINATIONS-EOI-Committee Member-Investigating Science


Two for one deal - DISruptABILITY Conference (Ref: 244/21)

Catholic Schools New South Wales are generously providing additional sponsorship for the upcoming DISruptABILITY Virtual Conference. Each registered participant will be gifted an additional complimentary registration and enable them to invite a colleague to the NESA accredited conference for FREE! We hope that this additional assistance, will allow and encourage your schools to bring more of your team to the conference and further build a collaborative whole-school approach to supporting students with disabilities.

This inaugural conference will build upon the high-quality professional learning that Catholic Schools New South Wales has been delivering as schools navigate the dynamic policy space for both education and disability. As Catholic educators, we are called beyond fulfilling our legislative obligations for students with disabilities and should always be in a reflective cycle of more effective ways of delivering successful outcomes for students. The virtual conference will be grounded in internationally recognised best-practice evidence. An engaging and interactive conference program will provide participants with insights, knowledge and skill acquisition in evidenced based practices, as well as opportunity for collaborative networking. It will be an opportunity to engage critically with the disruptive trends in education and inspire in our Catholic school educators and leaders a continuing commitment to excellence, with an emphasis on how to create and sustain positive partnerships between all stakeholders, which ensures every child achieves their potential in every classroom, every day.

REGISTRATION: One-flat rate $495 – creating a high-quality virtual experience, live and on-demand.

AUDIENCE:
This conference seeks to be inclusive of all those who provide educational support and care for students with disability in our schools, and so schools are encouraged to bring teams including:

  • School leadership teams
  • Learning support and/or diverse learning teachers
  • Pastoral care and wellbeing coordinators
  • Leaders of learning and/or pedagogy
  • Classroom teachers and teachers’ aides
  • Parent & carers, Diocesan Parent Organizations
  • Parish Priests & Pastoral Parish Staff
  • System staff

CONFERENCE DETAILS

WHEN: Thursday 18 & Friday 19 November, 2021

WHERE: Virtual & On Demand

LEARN MORE & REGISTER: https://eecw.eventsair.com/disruptability-2021

NESA ACCREDITATION

We are pleased to announce that participation in the conference will give 8 hours of NESA Priority Professional Learning in the priority area of Students/children with Disability addressing standard descriptors 1.6.2, 1.5.2 and 7.3.2 towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.

FLYER_Disruptability-Conference_NESA-Accreditation

FLYER_Disruptability-Conference_who-should-attend


HSC Results and 2022 HSC Training (Ref: 314/21)

The release of HSC results on January 24 next year means that the Catholic Schools New South Wales HSC Results Analysis will not be available when schools return. Processing the data usually takes 3-4 weeks and at this stage plans are to upload the reports on or before Friday 28th February.

Next year the intention is to offer an expanded range of support services including:

  1. targeted briefings immediately after the release of the HSC results,
  2. Catholic Schools New South Wales HSC Analysis (DeCourcy) training,
  3. NESA delivered Assessment and Results Analysis Package (RAP) training targeted at specific audiences,
  4. bespoke support for diocesan offices and RI/MPJP schools.

We are keen to hear from you about the HSC analysis training made available each year. To this end we will be issuing a survey to past participants, and we look forward to your feedback.

For further information contact Gary Molloy: [email protected]


Professional Learning

Teacher Librarian Professional Learning Community Conference (Ref: 316/21)

The theme of the Conference is Racing towards new frontiers: Teacher Librarians steering to success.

The annual conference provides a forum for teacher librarians and school library staff in Catholic and Independent schools in NSW and the ACT to share expertise and learn new skills.

The 2022 TLPLC conference 

Rydges Mount Panorama Hotel, Bathurst

26 & 27 May 2022

Registration

The Teacher Librarian Professional Learning Community (TLPLC) operates under the patronage of the Conference of Diocesan Directors, Dioceses of NSW (CDD) and reports to CDD annually on its activities and matters relating to learning and teaching in its sphere of influence.

TLPLC Save the Date-1

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National Centre for Pastoral Research 25 Year Lecture (Ref: 310/21)

The National Centre for Pastoral Research (NCPR) is celebrating 25 years of service to the Church.

To mark the occasion, this lecture will look at how research and analyses undertaken by the NCPR have informed the planning for parish, school and other ministry developments, and have supported major Church initiatives, including the Plenary Council.

Delivered by
Most Rev Michael McKenna Bishop of Bathurst

Respondents
Mr Daniel Ang
Director, Sydney Centre for Evangelisation, Archdiocese of Sydney

Ms Danielle Cronin
Director, Education Policy, Catholic Schools NSW

Wednesday 17 November

NCPR 25 Year Lecture flyer

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Webinar for parents and carers eSafety parent guide to digital technologies and mental health (Ref: 318/21)

The Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT invites you to a free one-hour webinar designed for parents and carers of young people aged 10–18.

Details

Monday 22 November 2021, 7.30-8.30pm

It will cover:

  • what do to about accidental exposure to content about suicide, self-harm or eating disorders
  • using games, apps and social media to support mental wellbeing
  • the pros and cons of digital mental health platforms
  • strategies for young people to support friends online.

Registration

Questions should be directed to [email protected]

Resources

CCSP – guide to digital tech and mental health – A3 Poster

CCSP – guide to digital tech and mental health – A5 Flyer

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The Ultimate Guide to Telehealth School Counselling Webinar (Ref: 315/21)

This webinar offers practical information to effectively provide clinical services to children and is available to school counselling staff in Catholic Schools across NSW.

The 60-minute webinar includes:

  • Technology set-up
  • Session planning
  • Engagement activities
  • Video example of school counselling via telehealth
  • Privacy and confidentiality considerations
  • Registration for The Ultimate Guide to Telehealth

Registrations close: Wednesday, 17 November

Webinar Date and Time

Wednesday, 24 November 2021

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM AEDT


Event Link 

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Free Webinar: Understanding transitions - disaster recovery and resilience (Ref: 307/21)

This interactive webinar, on Tuesday 30th November, 3.30-4.30pm (AEDT) will outline the importance of supporting transitions for children, young people, families, and educators.

This session will acknowledge the cumulative impact of community trauma and provide insight and knowledge for educators around the ways children and young people may require increased support to manage transitions.
Register here.

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Legal

Business Interruption Insurance, second test case on Covid-19 losses (Ref: 305/21)

This note provides information that may be relevant to school systems who may have contracts with third parties or negotiating with Covid-19 impacted businesses.

The Federal Court of Australia recently handed down its decision in the second test case for Australian business interruption insurance in Swiss Re International Se v LCA Marrickville Pty Limited [2021] FCA 1206. The full decision is here.

This follows the NSW Court of Appeal’s decision in the first COVID-19 business interruption insurance test case (First Test Case). The first test case considered whether business interruption policies issued by insurers in Australia excluded cover for the COVID-19 pandemic through a reference in exclusion clauses to the Quarantine Act 1908 (Cth) (Quarantine Act), even though this Act was repealed in 2015 and replaced with the Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cth) (Biosecurity Act. The NSW Court of Appeal found in favour of the policyholders that the exclusion clauses were not triggered. In June 2021, the insurers’ application for special leave to appeal was refused by the High Court of Australia, meaning the NSW Court of Appeal is the binding decision.

The Second Test Case consists of ten distinct small business claims across a range of business sectors and locations and deals with the proper construction of policy clauses relating to claims for business interruption in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision provides insight on whether certain business interruption insurance policies provide cover to businesses for losses arising from COVID-19 and gives guidance on the meanings around disease definition, Covid-19 outbreak proximity, the impact of government orders, and other policy wording matters.

The judgment concludes that for nine of the ten proceedings for business interruption claims are not covered. Meaning, the insurers were not liable to make any payment in response to policyholders’ claims for indemnity. The findings were essentially that cover could extend to any loss that arises from the presence or outbreak of infectious disease at the insured premises or within a specified radius of the insured premises.  The Court held that for one particular policyholder (Meridian Travel) that there could be cover for policies where there is an identified case of COVID-19 at the premises and that case of COVID-19 causes loss. However, in those circumstances it would also be up to the insured to demonstrate that the cause of their loss was the presence of COVID-19 at or near their premises.

Further, as is the case in most insurance policy wordings, the Court found that exclusions which referred to listed diseases under the Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cth) would be effective to exclude cover. (There is usually a standard exclusion for Infectious Diseases in policies, noting that The Quarantine Act exclusion is no longer available to insurers to decline cover for COVID-19 losses).

The Federal Court’s decision is listed for appeal next month.

For further information contact the Catholic Schools New South Wales legal team: [email protected]

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School Newsletter

Vegetable Week & The Big Vegie Crunch event (Ref: 317/21)

Only 5% of NSW children eat enough vegetables. The Big Vegie Crunch seeks to increase children’s knowledge, exposure and positive attitudes towards vegetables.

Vegetable Week, featuring the fun event ‘The Big Vegie Crunch,’ is a free, school-based event for NSW primary schools, funded by NSW Health.

The goal of ‘The Big Vegie Crunch’ is to get NSW primary school students to break the record for the highest number of children eating vegetables simultaneously – and to get kids excited about vegetables!

It’s a fantastic and veg-citing way to start your school year with a health-promoting crunch.

Vegetable Week

Monday 28 March to Friday 1st April 2022

The Big Vegie Crunch

Thursday 31 March 2022, 10am

Registration

An event for NSW primary schools (including those schools that teach a primary curriculum) only.

Resources

VWBVC2022KeyContactPromotionalEneAL


Australian Reconciliation Convention (Ref: 288/21)

The 2021 Australian Reconciliation Convention is a once in a generation event, the first national reconciliation gathering in more than 20 years.

Delivered over three half-days exclusively via EventCast, an award-winning, immersive and interactive event platform, the Convention will be a vibrant and historic landmark event in Australia’s reconciliation journey.

You will be able to connect with audiences and organisations from across Australia, interact during panels, share your reconciliation stories, and more – all from the comfort of your own home or workplace.

Website


Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Planning Scholarships at UNSW (Ref: 306/21)

Applications are now open for Aboriginal scholarships at University of New South Wales and University of New England.

The four scholarships are aimed at increasing the Indigenous workforce in planning and public spaces, and ensures future planning work integrates the social, cultural, and economic impacts to Aboriginal communities. Applications for University of New England close 3 January 2022, applications for UNSW close 30 January 2022.


Wellbeing resources to help schools get back on track (Ref: 308/21)

The Student Wellbeing Hub has updated its COVID-19 wellbeing resource page to help teachers, students and families get back on track as New South Wales and Victoria emerge from lockdown.


Update on routine school vaccination in Term 4 2021 (Ref: 319/21)

NSW Health is recommencing routine school vaccination in some schools in Term 4 2021 and so PHUs who have capacity will be directly contacting schools in their area to reschedule clinics this term. 

PHUs will also be offering catch-up vaccination in 2022 to students at school who missed vaccination in 2021. 

Parents may instead choose to take their eligible children to their GP for a free HPV or dTpa vaccine (Year 7) or Meningococcal ACWY vaccine (Year 10). NSW Health will communicate this advice to GPs.

Full updated advice about the routine school vaccination program is now available on the NSW Health website at www.health.nsw.gov.au/schoolvaccination