REGISTER NOW: Catholic Schools NSW Education Law Symposium (Ref: 35/23)
Catholic Schools NSW invites principals, heads of governance and compliance, finance officers and others designated as ‘responsible persons’ in Catholic education to attend the 2023 Catholic Schools NSW Education Law Symposium.
The theme of this year’s Symposium is Striving for Excellence: Catholic School Governance and Accountability.
The Symposium will be held on Thursday 6 July.
This professional development forum will cover topics related to the unique governance challenges Catholic schools face. The day will feature presentations by guest speakers and panels, including high profile industry experts and experienced administrators, providing insight and guidance for the future of our sector.
Speaking at this conference will be Mr Paul Martin, Chief Executive Officer of the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). Paul was appointed CEO in 2019 and has spearheaded NESA’s teacher reforms, including the Teacher Accreditation Amendment Bill. Mr Paul will speak at the Symposium and will take questions from the floor in a Q&A session.
Join us for an enjoyable day of learning, questioning and connecting.
To avoid missing out, click here to secure your place today.
Sydney Educational Measurement and Assessment Symposium 2023 (Ref: 76/23)
The Centre for Educational Measurement and Assessment (CEMA) is hosting a one day symposium on Thursday 1 June in the Abercrombie Building at the University of Sydney. Face to face and online attendance options are available.
This research event is designed to gather several different communities to share ideas and interact across boundaries – measurement and assessment – but also settings such as schools, universities, government departments and agencies, commercial entities, and NGOs.
Topics for the day include school improvement, teaching quality, large-scale assessments, validity, measuring 21st century skills, feedback, formative assessment, automated assessment and AI, authentic assessment, collaborative/group assessment, learning analytics and assessment, equity in assessment, policy, leadership, teacher data literacy…
Highlights of the program include:
- a keynote from Professor Dragan Gašević from Monash University on Assessment and learning analytics;
- an expert panel discussion on Using large-scale assessment data with Jennifer English from the NSW Dept of Education, Professor Andrew Martin from UNSW, and Michael Saxon from Liverpool Boys High School; and
- a range of presentations and roundtable discussion sessions contributed by colleagues.
For more information, and to register, click here.
Register today: Positive Schools Conferences for All Primary and Secondary Educators (Ref: 60/23)
Positive Schools is getting ready to present the 15th year of Positive Schools conferences around Australia, and they are excited to be back in Sydney!
Catholic school educators across NSW are invited to attend the conference which will be held from 14-16 June at the Sydney Masonic Centre.
This year’s event theme is Wellbeing In Action, and will offer presentations and workshops to help school communities be trauma sensitive and inclusive.
Find more information and register here: Positive Schools 2023 LR
LIVINGWORKS SafeYARN Workshop (Ref: 82/23)
Join Living Works in the I-Assist program to learn the skills to recognise and engage a person who might be having thoughts of suicide, to confirm if thoughts of suicide are present, and to move quickly to connect the person with helpers who know how to complete the helping process.
Date: Thursday 8 June
Time: 12:30pm – 3:00pm
Venue: Polding Centre, 133 Liverpool Street, Sydney, Level 5
No charge for this course as it is funded by the Australian Government.
Click here to find out more information and register.
Sisters of Charity Learning and Education Programs
The Sisters of Charity Heritage Centre in Potts Point offers tours to suit the learning requirements of both students and staff in Catholic education institutions. The programs are developed to align with current NSW curriculum focus areas, making it easy to include site studies into lesson planning. Subjects include Australian history, personal development, and social justice studies with a focus on individual action and responsibility.
The Centre offer a series of classroom activities on its teachers’ resources page on the Heritage Centre website for Stages 2, 3 and 4, which can be adapted by educators according to individual needs. These activities can be completed in class after attending a tour in person; viewing a series of short virtual tours available online; or engaging in independent, classroom-based learning.
Click here to find more information and to enrol in a program.
Help Raise the Roof for Survivors of Modern Slavery (Ref: 85/23)
The Sisters of Charity Foundation has partnered with The Salvation Army to provide transitional housing assistance and support to survivors, helping them build a new life and become independent.
This unique model provides survivors with accommodation tailored to individual needs and is designed to overcome the barrier of entering the rental market experienced by people with no previous rental or employment history.
Each survivor who enters the program will be supported through their transition to suitable accommodation. The Sisters of Charity Foundation heavily subsidises each rental payment for up to 12 months and provides a lump sum to set up the home with furniture and white goods.
Raise the Roof is a year long campaign designed to source the funding for accommodation and furniture. You can donate at any point throughout the year, although there is a particular focus on 28 – 31 July, with 30 July being the UN World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
Visit here for more information and to donate.
Corey Tutt Literacy Event: The First Scientists (Ref: 84/23)
All families with children in Catholic Schools are invited to join the Council of Catholic School parents in a literacy event with an acclaimed author and scientist.
Author Corey Tutt will read from his new book, The First Scientists to parents and children. Parents are welcome to attend and hear tips about how reading at home can improve children’s literacy skills.
Corey Tutt will be reading at 6:30 pm on Tuesday 30 May.
Register here by 29 May to attend. If you are in the first hundred registrations, you’ll receive a free copy of The First Scientists.
Getting the Most out of Gaming webinar (Ref: 78/23)
The Council of Catholic school Parents NSW/ACT, in conjunction with the eSafety Commissioner, is holding a 45 minute webinar on Tuesday 23 May to provide families with strategies for supporting children and young people to have safe, positive experiences when playing games online. It is designed for parents and carers of children aged 7 to 14.
It will cover:
- when gaming can be beneficial;
- strategies to promote better in-game experiences;
- how to keep children safe online – using safety and privacy settings in games and platforms;
- strategies to promote more balanced gaming and how to create smoother transitions from game-play to other activities; and
- the key online risks and where to find help for things like bullying and harassment in games.
For more information and to register, click here.
Release of 2023 CSSA Trial HSC Examinations - Final Timetable (Ref: 81/23)
The CSSA Trial HSC Examinations – Final Timetable has been emailed to schools that placed an order with the CSSA. The Final Timetable is also located on the CSSA website.
Refer to the 2023 CSSA Principal Information package for all details pertaining to the CSSA Trial HSC Examinations. This package was emailed to each Principal in early February, as registered in the CSSA website by each school.
A few reminders to assist in school preparation:
- Please note again the CSSA Trial HSC Examinations Terms and Conditions.
- Examinations scheduled for ALL WEEKS must be taken at the time and date specified.
- Rescheduling of examinations prior to the nominated times is not permitted.
- All examinations including students’ scrips MUST be collected at the conclusion of the examination and secured until 8:00 am, Thursday 17 August 2023.
- It is the expectation of the CSSA that schools will NOT modify any examination. The one exception to this is where a topic on which a particular question is based has yet to be covered in class. In such circumstances, an alternative question should be set and presented to students on a coloured insert sheet.
- Duration of each exmination is working time only. See individual examinations for reading time.
CSSA website and individual School Accounts:
School data in School Accounts with the CSSA must be kept up-to-date by individual schools via the CSSA website in Account Settings.
Relevant personnel in CSSA registered schools should ensure that school data available and fields of information on the CSSA website is checked, updated, and completed as necessary. This will ensure that your School’s address, phone number, email address, and contact details are correct – this information is critical for communication with schools and the secure delivery of CSSA Trial HSC Examinations. Remember to click on the “SAVE” button at the end of the process.
Fifteenth International Congress on Mathematics Education - Website Change (Ref: 77/23)
The Fifteenth International Congress on Mathematics Education will take place on 7 – 14 July 2024. This is an exciting opportunity for educators to learn about the latest in mathematics education and share their insights through papers and posters.
The web address for this important event has been updated and you can visit the site to learn more here.
Those interested in attending can find a range of study groups and express interest to study particular topics in depth over the length of the conference. Please click here for more information.
Register your school’s attendance at the 2023 Indigenous Veterans Commemoration Service (Ref: 72/23)
All NSW schools and students are invited to attend and participate in the 2023 Indigenous Veterans Commemoration Service on Friday 26 May 2023 – 10.40am to 12 noon at the Pool of Reflection – Anzac Memorial, Hyde Park Sydney.
The inaugural Indigenous Veterans Commemoration Service in Sydney took place in 2007 and commemorates the service of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Veterans, combining conventional military protocol with indigenous ceremonial display and with a focus on attendance by school children.
Register your school
All NSW schools and students are invited to attend and participate in the service. Join in the opportunity for students to lay a floral tribute using local flora and native plants.
Please register your school’s attendance by emailing Sharon Cooke, Senior Manager, Aboriginal Education ([email protected]).
Wreaths
Wreaths are a symbol of commemoration, and the Indigenous Veterans Commemoration Service Committee acknowledges the importance of local representation from your school and local area.
We encourage schools to make a wreath or floral tribute, as opposed to purchasing them. The connection to your local flora and native plant life is an important element of the service, as they link to country and this simple activity will help reinforce this message.
Local flora and native plants
You can search for your local flora species here (ttps://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/search/spatial.htm). Enter your local government area and hit search and try and find these materials to make your wreath or floral tribute.
If you have any further questions, please contact Sharon Cooke ([email protected]).