All Staff Edition, Week 7, Term 1, 2025
CRSSFIT
A Spiritual Boot Camp | LENT 2025
“Lent comes providentially to reawaken us, to shake us from our lethargy.”
Pope Francis 2021
Week 2 – Summit
The Transfiguration of Christ
Il Pordenone (also known as Giovanni Antonio Pordenone)
Raphael (1515–1539)
Outline
This week we consider the mindset of Jesus and his followers during the transfiguration. We focus on Jesus and how he changed – physically, mentally and spiritually as a result of the transfiguration. The apostles saw his Godly nature.
We are also reminded of how we are transfigured during our whole life when we put ourselves in the presence of God. The peripheral vision of Jesus enabled Him to see the unseen and notice the unnoticed. His eyes were open in every direction, radiating in every direction towards the poor, vulnerable and marginalised.
In our words, thoughts and actions, do we radiate our divine nature to others?
- Catholic Social Teaching Focus: Preferential Option for the Poor
- Body Part Awareness Exercise – MIND
The instructions for this week’s session can be found in the 2025 CR+SSFIT School Program Booklet here.
On behalf of the Director of Schools, I wish to announce the following:
Deborah Manche has been seconded to the temporary position of Project Officer – Enrolments with the Strategy and Communication service area for the remainder of 2025, commencing 10 March 2025.
This short-term position will manage the transition of the Funnel online enrolment project from implementation to business as usual, and provide vital support to schools and CEO teams regarding enrolment processes. In addition, this role will gather and analyse the necessary data to inform the Leadership Team’s consideration of whether an ongoing position with responsibility for enrolments is required (in response to the endorsed recommendation from the 2024 Review into CEO Accountabilities).
Yvonne Keary will continue in the position of Acting Manager – Administrative Services (Marian Centre and Keira Street) for the duration of the secondment and retain responsibility for coordinating the relocation from our Market Street premises.
Natasha O’Donoghue
Assistant Director – People and Culture
Primary
St Justin’s Catholic Parish Primary School, Oran Park
Secondary
K-12
Congratulations to all CEDoW staff and teachers involved in this award-winning program, Cross+Gen. Read more below on the CEDoW website and here in a recent article in the Illawarra Mercury.
STEM MAD and Innovate for Impact 2025
Last year PDHPE students from St Joseph’s Catholic High School, Albion Park took out one of the major prizes at the National STEM MAD Showcase, highlighting the fact that this design thinking challenge can be successfully accessed from any subject area.
From High Potential and Gifted Education to Religious Education, STEM MAD is for everyone.
Watch this short video to find out more and to see the timeline for success.
Join us on Thursday 20 March 2025 at 3:30 pm for a short information session: Zoom link here.
Questions? Please contact the following staff if you have any questions:
Ben Woods benjamin.woods@dow.catholic.edu.au
Mark Woolley mark.woolley@dow.catholic.edu.au
Russ Flannery russell.flannery@dow.catholic.edu.au
Australian Catholics: Online Media Internship Program for Students
For: Secondary Principals and RECs/Leaders of Mission
Jesuit Communications, the publisher of Australian Catholics, offers an annual online media internship program for students in Years 10, 11, and 12 across Australia.
This program provides an exciting introduction to careers in media.
This week-long internship, which will take place via Zoom from 6 to 9 May 2025 (9:00 am—3:30 pm AEST), is a valuable opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of the media industry while contributing to an edition of Australia's largest-circulating Catholic print publication. Additionally, a two-hour introductory session will be held on Monday, 30 April 2025 (4:00 – 6:00 pm).
Applications for the 2025 program close at 5:00 pm on Friday 21 March 2025.
Due Today: Expressions of Interest, Soul of Ireland and Italy Jubilee Year Pilgrimage
26 September - 19 October 2025
Attention: All CEDoW staff. Please note Expressions of Interest close today.
In the 2025 Jubilee Year, the Church celebrates the theme Pilgrims of Hope, encouraging us all to live with hope in God and to share that hope with others.
To celebrate and mark this significant event for our international Catholic community, CEDoW invites staff to participate in a special Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Ireland and Italy, led by Bishop Brian Mascord.
For more information regarding the pilgrimage, including how to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI), please refer to the link here.
EOIs close today Thursday 13 March 2025.
Questions? Please contact Claire Cooney at cooneyc02@dow.catholic.edu.au.
The 2025 Lenten Program: Metanoia
The 2025 Diocesan Lenten Program, Metanoia, is now available in SORA here.
The Metanoia booklet comes with a 76-page (full-colour) booklet. It contains short daily reflections (from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday), perfect for individual devotional reading, in addition to longer-form Sunday Scripture readings, reflections, prayers, questions and visio divina (divine seeing) which is traditionally part of Lenten group gatherings.
Please contact Anne Russell, CEDoW Resource Centre Manager at russella01@dow.catholic.edu.au for further information.
Primary Student WEN Day 2025
Final reminder
For: WEN Contacts
Due: Today, Thursday 13 March 2025
Contact: Beth Riolo (riolob01@dow.catholic.edu.au)
Four Stage 3 students, accompanied by the WEN Teacher Contact from each primary school, are invited to attend a day of eco formation, inspiration and action, Caring for Our Common Home - A Call to Action! Primary Student WEN Day.
Thursday 20 March 2025 at St Brigid’s Catholic Primary School, Gwynneville
Please click on the link below for further information and to register for the Primary Student WEN Day 2025.
2025 Overdue NESA Fee
CEDoW has been contacted by NESA regarding the non-payment of the annual fee by a number of teachers in our system of schools.
All teachers who have not yet paid the annual fee, which was due 5 February 2025, have been sent a reminder from NESA.
For more information on how to pay your fees please click here.
CEDoW Accreditation to Work, Teach and Lead
Is your CEDoW Accreditation to Work, Teach and Lead up to date?
Accreditation to WTL Level/s and any additional requirements are outlined on your contract.
If you still require more information or have any questions, please email: wtlaccreditation@dow.catholic.edu.au.
For general information on CEDoW Accreditation to Work, Teach and Lead please visit the following website: https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/employment/accreditation-cedow/.
CEDoW Scholarship Support
For some areas of Accreditation to Work Teach and Lead, CEDoW offers Scholarship Support.
Please visit the following website for more information and to apply: https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/employment/cedow-scholarships/.
NCCD Update: Revised Date for Adjustments to Be in Place
Please note that there has been an amendment in the CEDoW 2025 Timeline for Personalised Planning and the NCCD. The date by which adjustments need to be in place to ensure that students receive 10 weeks of adjustments in order to be included in the 2025 NCCD is Friday 9 May 2025.
This amendment should be communicated with all teachers engaged in Personalised Planning.
Attendance Updates
Compulsory Schooling Conferences: The fortnightly spreadsheet may automatically populate the words 'conference required' in the column, however, you need to have implemented attendance improvement planning processes at a school level prior to progressing to this step.
This is supported by section 5.16 of the new Attendance Procedure which states that system referrals should be made when a student’s attendance falls below 70%. However, this section shouldn’t be read in isolation—the steps for targeted intervention 5.8 to 5.14 need to be completed by the school first.
Principal Consideration – Application for Exemption from Attendance: A reminder not to press the green approve button for the leave when first saving the template, only press save. All supporting documents should be uploaded to this section as a PDF and schools need to ensure that families have completed the documents correctly.
CatholicCare School, Student and Family Program – School Counselling
The video below highlights the work of CatholicCare Wollongong's school counsellors in partnership with Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong.
Find out more about the program here.
You may wish to share this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?
CatholicCare – Growing Into Me
Growing Into Me is a program that supports schools in providing an opportunity for parents and children to understand and explore the physical and emotional changes experienced through the puberty journey.
Download the flyer here.
For more information or to register interest complete the online form here.
Closure of the ACE Online Website
NESA is retiring the ACE Online website on 19 March 2025 and redirecting users to the clarified ACE Rules Read for further information.
NESA’s clarified ACE Rules were published on 14 October 2024. With the publication of these clarified rules, NESA will now be retiring the previous ACE Online website containing the old (superseded) rules.
From 19 March 2025 users will no longer be able to access the content on the ACE online website, and will be automatically redirected to the clarified ACE Rules.
ACEN eBook of the Week
This week’s theme is Graphic Novels.
See the link here to explore the eBook titles for primary, secondary, and staff through the Australian Catholic Education Network (ACEN). Click on each image or use the QR code to access further information. To sign in to Sora, select "ACEN" as your school.
If you have any questions, please contact Jim Gallagher (gallagherj01@dow.catholic.edu.au).
Reminder: Catholic Business Connections – March Luncheon
We're excited to remind you about the upcoming Catholic Business Connections luncheon. Please see information here.
Date: Wednesday 26 March 2025
Please feel free to share this in your school newsletters and communications, inviting parents and carers to consider joining the Catholic Business Connections.
Catholic Business Connections offers an opportunity for professional and business women and men in our diocese (both active and retired) who share common values, to network and engage with each other and leaders representing the diocese.
Catholic Business Connections gathers three times a year for lunch and to listen to guest speakers chosen to inspire with their unique stories and share how they relate their work and spiritual life experience to the context of living in a modern world.
Blended Online Learning – Express Your Interest
We welcome all teachers and staff back for an exciting 2025.
To assist CEDoW in planning and scheduling for the year ahead, please complete a short Expression of Interest form (see the link below) for the Blended Online Learning courses on offer, as well as your preferred delivery options by COB on Friday 14 March 2025.
Short courses are self paced (approximately 2 hours).
Topics include:
- The Needs of Students with EAL/D
- Culturally Inclusive Teaching and Learning
- Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder
- Learning Theory
- Working in Partnership with Parents
Parent course topics – available to all staff (certificate upon completion – 4 hours):
- Autism for Parents
- ADHD for Parents
Once the course schedule has been finalised it will be shared with staff through Gateway News and communication flyers.
For more information about available courses, including short courses, please refer to our flyer or visit the OLT website.
Please note: Certificates will only be issued when registering with @dow.catholic.edu.au email address. Requests from alternative email addresses will incur a fee.
Implementing Phonemic Awareness and Phonics in the Early Years Course
For: Primary Principals, Kindergarten and Stage 1 teachers. DLN Coordinators and teachers across Stages 2 and 3 who may have students requiring support in this area.
This three day professional learning opportunity aimed at Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 classroom teachers has been designed to deepen teacher’s knowledge of phonemic awareness and phonic knowledge as outlined in the reformed K-10 English syllabus. Teachers will develop their knowledge, skills and understanding to enhance phonological awareness pedagogy and embed change of practice in line with the new K-10 English syllabus.
Participants will:
- Explore the evidence-based research related to learning to read and develop an understanding of the importance of oral language in developing phonological awareness
- Learn how phonological awareness skills increase in complexity
- Use the teaching and learning cycle, underpinned by the NSW K-10 English syllabus, to support decisions about what students need to learn
- Understand why the explicit and systematic teaching of phonological awareness skills is essential for effective reading instruction
- Consider further teaching strategies and considerations for supporting student development of strong phonological awareness skills
Throughout the course participants will engage in collaborative discussions and interact with practical hands-on strategies and resources to enhance student learning.
Course Name: Teaching Phonemic Awareness and Phonics in the Early Years.
RSVP: Teaching Phonemic Awareness and Phonics in the Early Years.
Venue and Dates: Participants enrolled in the course have the flexibility to choose the venue region that best suits their needs/ geographic location for attending the sessions. If there is a clash with a particular date, participants can join the other cohort.
| Days 1 & 2 | Days 3 – Term 2 |
|
Illawarra Cohort |
Day 3: Participants will collaborate with the course facilitators to analyse their students' phonemic awareness and phonics data, then design targeted instruction based on identified areas for growth. The specific date and time for this follow-up session will be chosen by the school in consultation with the course facilitators to ensure availability. |
Casual release funding is provided. Please use code F02.
Please contact Joanne Treffone (0427 368 312) for any questions.
A Course for Aspiring Leaders
Expressions of Interest are sought from suitable applicants to enrol in A Course for Aspiring Leaders, a CEDoW professional development opportunity focused on developing and supporting future leaders within the CEDoW system of schools.
The course is for those teachers who do not currently hold a formal leadership role within their school but would like to aspire to a leadership role in the future.
A Course for Aspiring Leaders will be conducted over 12 months in 2025 during Terms 1-3 with an opt-in session in Term 4.
There will be two cohorts for this course. An Illawarra cohort and a Macarthur cohort. Please register interest on LMS.
View the course flyer here.
NSW Curriculum Website: The Go-To Destination for all Syllabuses and Teaching Support
The NSW Curriculum website is the go-to destination for all syllabuses, providing teachers with easy access to the latest curriculum updates. As part of the NSW Curriculum Reform, all newly developed syllabuses are available on this platform, along with comprehensive teaching advice and support materials.
Designed as a centralised and comprehensive resource, the website equips teachers with everything they need to confidently plan and deliver teaching and learning aligned with the new curriculum. This website includes syllabus documents, instructional guidance and additional teaching resources.
NESA has released a new instructional video to explain how you can:
- Find the information you need
- Access support materials
- Give NESA feedback on the website.
The NSW Curriculum website can be accessed here.
Please note:
CEDoW primary schools must continue to implement the following syllabuses:
- Creative Arts (2006): Link
- Human Society and its Environment (2012) Geography: Link History: Link
- Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (2018) Link
- Science and Technology (2019) Link
Teachers must only develop and teach educational programs from one syllabus in each Key Learning Area. With the implementation of new CHPS syllabuses, schools will be supported in scope and sequencing ES1-St 3 for the full calendar year. Reporting will be aligned with the implementation of each new syllabus in 2026-2027.
CEDoW Curriculum Implementation Plan
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