REGISTRATIONS NOW OPEN: 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.
Join us for an enjoyable day of learning, questioning and connecting.
To avoid missing out, click here to secure your place today.
Getting the Most out of Gaming webinar (Ref: 78/23)
The Council of Catholic school Parents NSW/ACT, in conjunction with the eSafety Commissioner, are 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 and 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.
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.
Managing suicidality and self harm - Black Dog Webinar (Ref: 65/23)
In response to increasing numbers of students presenting with complex mental health issues, Catholic Schools NSW (CSNSW) partnered with The Black Dog Institute in 2022 to develop guidelines for school counsellors to manage suicidality and self-harm.
In this 60 minute webinar, Dr Kris Kafer from The Black Dog Institute will discuss clinical issues around suicidality and self harm and familiarise staff with the CSNSW guidelines.
The webinar will take place on Tuesday 2 May and will commence at 3.30pm.
This webinar is aimed at principals, assistant principals, school leaders, school counsellors and wellbeing staff. However, anyone interested in increasing their understanding of the process around managing student mental health in a school setting is welcome to attend.
Register HERE!
Register Now: Dr Justin Coulson Webinar: School Sucks! (Ref: 64/23)
School non-attendance is an increasing concern across all education sectors in Australia. Evidence suggests that the causes of non-attendance can be divided into three subcategories: students who dislike coming to school; those with psychosocial issues and those experiencing difficulties at home.
Wellbeing staff, chaplains, school counsellors, student attendance officers and teachers are invited to join Justin Coulson at 10:00 am on 3 May for the School Sucks! webinar.
Justin will discuss some of the psychosocial issues around non-attendance and practical strategies staff can use to recognise, respond and support vulnerable students.
Register for the webinar HERE.
Register today: Positive Schools Conferences for All Primary and Secondary Educators - Special Offer Expires Sunday (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 2023 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.
All Catholic school educators who register are welcome to use the discount code CATHED23 which will provide a 10% discount on the registration fee.
Please note that this offer can only be used once per person and will last until 30 April, 2023.
Find more information and register here: Positive Schools 2023 LR
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.
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]).
Applications closing Sunday - Together for Humanity’s Intercultural Understanding Partnership (ICUP) Grants (Ref: 67/23)
Together for Humanity, an inclusive educational organisation that seeks to foster intercultural understanding, has just launched a new call for expressions of interest for an Intercultural Understanding Partnerships with schools. It is a funding opportunity that allows schools who are successful to receive up to $10,000 to address an intercultural and/or interfaith challenge in the school community.
ICUP schools can work closely with an experienced, highly skilled facilitator using a collaborative approach to implement and review initiatives that directly address the identified issues.
Projects can address a range of issues including:
- increased incidents of racism,
- challenges in schools with a high number of refugee enrolments,
- providing regional students with an understanding of, and connection to, people from different cultures,
- facilitating greater belonging for Indigenous students and more.
To apply, complete their online Expression of Interest (EOI) or download the EOI pdf and email it to [email protected].
Applications close 30 April 2023. Applicants may be contacted for further information.
Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for a follow-up interview. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by email.
If you have any questions prior to submitting your EOI, please contact Andrea Hogg on [email protected] or 0493 024 228
For more information see the flyer here: 2024_2025_ICUP_Flyer_Final.
NESA 2023 WriteOn Competition Now Open (Ref: 73/23)
The WriteOn 2023 Competition is now open!
The competition is open to all students in Years 1 to 6, including home-schooled students. Students write an imaginative text of up to 500 words using the image as stimulus.
Teachers are encouraged to consider the stimulus image for discussion across learning areas, and to also include the competition as part of their Term 2 English program with the NSW English syllabuses.
Each school/home-school can submit a maximum of 3 entries – one entry per Stage of learning (Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3).
Apply via the online entry form here.
Entries close at 4.00 pm on Friday 16 June.
Applications now open for the NSW Youth Advisory Council (Ref: 74/23)
Recruitment for the 2024 NSW Youth Advisory Council (YAC) is now open!
Last year, a diverse and dedicated group of children and young people were appointed to the YAC and provided feedback to the government over the year. You can support the recruitment of the YAC again this year by reaching out to the children and young people in your networks and encouraging them to apply here.
Membership of the YAC is open to children and young people aged between 12-24 years residing in NSW. Applications are sought from children and young people from diverse backgrounds, life experiences and from different locations around the state. Written or video applications are welcome.
The 12 member YAC provides a direct avenue of communication between young people and the NSW Government. The YAC meets regularly throughout the year to discuss a range of topics and provide feedback on policies, procedures and resources affecting children and young people. Members also provide feedback to government agencies and decision makers, community organisations and the NSW Advocate for Children and Young People on issues concerning children and young people.
Applications close 21 May 2023.
Please share the link below for young people to apply or seek further information about the YAC.
2024 YAC registration information
You can access the media kit link below with a newsletter header, poster and social media tiles and stories that you may wish to use to promote recruitment for the 2024 YAC.
If you have any questions, feel free to call the office on (02) 9248 0970 or email us at [email protected].