All Staff Edition, Week 6, Term 3, 2025

Peace With Creation

With the upcoming Season of Creation, we are invited to reflect deeply on this year's profound theme: Peace with Creation. This theme resonates powerfully with the spirit of the Jubilee Year, which is a time of grace, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Just as the Jubilee calls us to mend our relationships with God and one another, "Peace with Creation" urges us to restore harmony with our common home.

The Season of Creation begins on 1 September 2025 with the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, a day established by Pope Francis to encourage the Catholic community worldwide to pray for our planet.

The symbol for the Season of Creation 2025 is the "Garden of Peace", which invites us to imagine a garden, not merely as a place of beauty, but as a living testament to peace—a place where every element, from the smallest seed to the tallest tree, thrives in interconnectedness and balance. This image serves as a powerful reminder of the peace that is possible when humanity lives in right relationship with creation. As educators, we cultivate minds and hearts, much like a gardener tends to a garden. We plant seeds of knowledge, nurture growth, and strive to create an environment where our students can flourish. This Season of Creation, let us consider how we can extend this nurturing spirit to the wider creation, fostering a sense of peace and stewardship in our classrooms and beyond.

The concept of "Peace with Creation" is deeply rooted in biblical wisdom, drawing inspiration from passages such as Isaiah 32:14-18 which speaks of a time when "justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. And the effect of righteousness will be peace…” This vision of peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but a flourishing of justice and righteousness that extends to all of creation.

The Jubilee Year has always been a time of abundant remission and pardon of sins and a call to conversion. This spirit of reconciliation and renewal is precisely what Peace with Creation calls us to embrace. Our actions, both individually and collectively, have impacted creation, and this season offers us an opportunity for repentance and a renewed commitment to ecological conversion.

As people who work in schools, we have a unique opportunity to instill in our students a profound respect for creation and a desire to live in peace with it. We can guide them to understand that caring for our planet is not just an environmental issue, but a moral and spiritual imperative.

Questions for Reflection:

How can I integrate the theme of "Peace with Creation" into my lessons and classroom activities?

What small, tangible actions can I take in my daily life to foster peace with creation?

How can I inspire my students to become stewards of our common home, recognising their role in the larger "Garden of Peace"?

Principal – St Brigid’s Catholic Parish Primary School, Gwynneville

I am pleased to announce that following a recruitment and discernment process, Amy-Louise Sammut has been appointed to the substantive position of Principal at St Brigid’s Catholic Parish Primary School, Gwynneville. Amy will commence in the role at the beginning of the 2026 school year. Read the full announcement here (26 August 2025).

Principal – St Anthony’s Catholic Parish Primary School, Picton

I am pleased to announce that following a recruitment and discernment process, Vicky Davidson has been appointed to the substantive position of Principal at St Anthony’s Catholic Parish Primary School, Picton. Vicky will commence in the role at the beginning of the 2026 school year. Read the full announcement here (26 August 2025).

Peter Hill
Executive Director of Schools

On behalf of the Executive Director of Schools, I wish to announce the following:

Following a recruitment process, Erin McGovern is the successful applicant for the temporary position of Administration Officer – Wellbeing and Student Support within the Improvement, Learning and Wellbeing team until the end of the 2025 school year. 

Erin is currently studying at the University of Western Sydney and has previously worked at the Catholic Education Office in Reception Services during 2023. Erin brings to this role her recent experience as a Customer Relations Officer with Camden Council, and as an Administrative Support Officer at Fire and Rescue NSW.

I take this opportunity to congratulate Erin and wish her every success in this new appointment. 

________

Marita Maloney-Muller, Religious Education Coordinator at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, Warrawong will be on leave until 19 December 2025. Following a recruitment process, Richard Gilmore is the successful applicant for the position of Acting Religious Education Coordinator at St Francis of Assisi, Warrawong.

Richard has been teaching in Catholic Education since 2010. He holds a Certificate in Religious Education (DoW) and has fulfilled roles in Catholic Youth Ministry. Richard is a staff member of St Francis of Assisi, Warrawong and a member of St John’s Catholic Parish, Dapto.

Natasha O’Donoghue
Director – People and Culture

Temporary and permanent primary teaching positions are currently advertised across a number of CEDoW schools.

K-12

St Francis Catholic College, Edmondson Park
Classroom Teacher (Primary)
EAL/D Teacher

Secondary

St Joseph’s Catholic High School, Albion Park
School Support Officer – Curriculum Administration (70 hours per fortnight)

St John the Evangelist Catholic High School, Nowra
English Teacher
Religious Education/Music Teacher

John Therry Catholic College, Rosemeadow
Middle Leader (3pt) Leader of Wellbeing
English Teacher
Middle Leader (2pt) – Diverse Learning

Mount Carmel Catholic College, Varroville
Middle Leader (3pt) – Pastoral Care

Primary

St Paul's Catholic Parish Primary School, Albion Park
Classroom Teacher
Creative Arts Teacher (0.6 F.T.E)
Physical Education Teacher (0.6 F.T.E)

St Joseph's Catholic Parish Primary School, Bulli
Classroom Teacher

St John the Evangelist Catholic Parish Primary School, Campbelltown
Classroom Teacher
Diverse Learning Support Teacher (F.T.E 0.6)

St Paul's Catholic Parish Primary School, Camden
Classroom Teacher

St Columbkille's Catholic Parish Primary School, Corrimal
Classroom Teacher

St John's Catholic Parish Primary School, Dapto
Classroom Teacher
Support Class Teacher (Autism)

Mary Immaculate Catholic Parish Primary School, Eagle Vale
Classroom Teacher

Good Samaritan Catholic Primary School, Fairy Meadow
Classroom Teacher

St Brigid's Catholic Parish Primary School, Gwynneville
Assistant Principal

Holy Family Catholic Parish Primary School, Ingleburn
Classroom Teacher

Ss Peter and Paul Catholic Parish Primary School, Kiama
Classroom Teacher

St Paul's Catholic Parish Primary School, Moss Vale
Classroom Teacher

St Clare's Catholic Parish Primary School, Narellan Vale
Classroom Teacher

St Michael's Catholic Parish Primary School, Nowra
Classroom Teacher

St Justin's Catholic Parish Primary School, Oran Park
Classroom Teacher

St Anthony's Catholic Parish Primary School, Picton
Classroom Teacher

St Patrick’s Catholic Parish Primary School, Port Kembla
Classroom Teacher

Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Parish Primary School, Rosemeadow
Classroom Teacher

St Thomas More Catholic Parish Primary School, Ruse
Classroom Teacher

Stella Maris Catholic Parish Primary School, Shellharbour
Classroom Teacher
Physical Education Teacher (F.T.E 0.6)

Nazareth Catholic Primary School, Shellharbour City
Middle Leader (2pt)
Classroom Teacher

St Michael's Catholic Parish Primary School, Thirroul
Assistant Principal

St Pius X Catholic Parish Primary School, Unanderra
Classroom Teacher

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Parish Primary School, Warrawong
Principal
Classroom Teacher

St Therese Catholic Parish Primary School, West Wollongong
Classroom Teacher

CatholicCare Counsellors Staff Development Day – 24 September 2025

A message from CatholicCare

CatholicCare will be hosting our annual Staff Development Day on Wednesday 24 September 2025. All school counsellors rostered to work on this day will be attending the event, and therefore, there will be no counsellor coverage in schools on that date. We appreciate your understanding and support, and we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Tina Acevska, Manager, School, Student & Family Program (SSFP), mobile: 0419 462 621.

Positive Behaviours for Learning

Victorian Education has produced a series of Positive Classroom Management Strategies in ‘placemat’ format.

Each of the eight placemats presents evidence-informed practices that create safer, more purposeful learning environments supporting student learning, wellbeing and behaviour.

Classroom Behaviour Expectations and Rules

Help your students thrive! When students know exactly what is expected of them, they are more likely to demonstrate those behaviours. This placemat provides a simple, effective framework for creating and teaching classroom rules that are observable, measurable, positively stated, understandable, and always applicable (OMPUA). Give students the structure they need to succeed academically and behaviourally.

Classroom Procedures and Routines

Free up your students' working memory and reduce their cognitive load! Well-established routines help create predictability and structure, which is critical for the success of all students, especially those with diverse learning profiles. By clearly defining and teaching procedures, you can increase instructional time and create a positive, collaborative classroom culture.

Encouraging Expected Behaviour

Build stronger teacher-student relationships and promote student motivation. The placemat on encouraging expected behaviour provides a menu of techniques to acknowledge and reinforce positive behaviour. Learn how to use specific, positive feedback frequently and immediately, with a goal of a 4:1 ratio of positive to corrective feedback.

Discouraging Inappropriate Behaviour

Turn behaviour errors into teaching opportunities. This placemat provides a continuum of instructional responses to address inappropriate behaviour, just as you would with academic errors. The educative approach focuses on using brief, calm, and respectful corrective feedback to re-teach expectations and guide students toward the desired behaviour.

Active Supervision

Be present and purposeful in your classroom. Active supervision involves moving, scanning, and interacting with students to create opportunities for teaching, prompting, encouraging, and correcting behaviours. This simple yet powerful strategy reduces inappropriate behaviour, increases student engagement, and helps pre-empt escalations.

Opportunities to Respond (OTR)

Boost student engagement and academic outcomes! Opportunities to Respond (OTR) are instructional questions or cues designed to elicit a student response. By presenting varied OTRs at a brisk pace, you can increase on-task behaviour, make learning visible, and provide immediate feedback to students.

Activity Sequence and Choice

Empower your students and increase task completion. For students who can do a task but are reluctant to start, offering choices and strategically sequencing activities can be a game-changer. This placemat provides guidance on how to offer choices in tasks, materials, or even the order of work to build independence and create more equitable learning environments.

Task Difficulty

Ensure your work tasks are a perfect match for student skill levels. When work is too difficult, it can lead to disengagement and problem behaviour. Learn how to adjust task length, time, or response mode to ensure more students experience success and promote on-task behaviour and task completion.

2025 Ready Set School Bag

Transition to School (Kindergarten) Information

For children and their families, transitioning to school is a significant time that can have a considerable impact on a child’s longer-term academic, social and wellbeing outcomes.

The Transition to School (Kindergarten) Information is designed to support principals and their staff, including Kindergarten teachers and Senior School Support Officers (SSSOs), in planning their school's Transition to School processes in collaboration with their respective Heads of CCSI.

Within the document, schools have access to a range of optional resources, including templates, to support the administration involved in planning transition events and activities. SSSOs may contact Kylie Hawke at hawkek04@dow.catholic.edu.au or Lisa Burton at burtonl01@dow.catholic.edu.au if they have any questions or require additional support.

Ready Set School Bag

The Ready Set School Bag is a resource designed to support both parents and children as they play, explore, and learn together. Each bag is given directly to the child during School Orientation to help prepare them for a positive start to school.

For 2025, CEDoW will provide the following items to be included in the bag. Schools are also welcome to include any additional items at their discretion.

• Ready Set School Bag


• Ready Set School Booklet


• Picture Book


• Totem Card

Arrangements will be made with the SSSO’s working on site during the student vacation period and all remaining bags will be delivered to schools by the first week of Term 4.

Thank you for your continued support in helping children and families feel confident and connected as they begin their school journey.

This Week’s CEDoW Library Resources

ACEN eBook

This week’s Sora eBook edition is Own Voices.

Use the link here to explore eBook titles for primary, secondary, and staff through the Australian Catholic Education Network (ACEN). To sign in to Sora, select “ACEN” as your school.

ClickView Highlight

This week’s ClickView highlight for primary and secondary is public speaking. You can view it here. 

If you have any questions, please get in touch with Jim Gallagher, Library Services Manager, at gallagherj01@dow.catholic.edu.au. 

Courage to Continue Overnight Retreat

The Courage to Continue Retreat is a spiritual formation opportunity for staff who have previously completed the Courage to Be Retreat. Held in the beautiful grounds of The Hermitage in Mittagong, this overnight retreat will take place on Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 September 2025 (Term 3, Week 9).

This retreat invites participants to revisit and deepen their understanding of what it means to live courageously. Together, we will explore themes such as the courage to connect, to feel wholeheartedly, to listen to the stirrings of the Spirit, and to find and use our voice. These reflections aim to support and inspire us in turning up to life with renewed hope and courage.

Throughout our time together, we will draw on a variety of processes including input, gentle discussion, personal reflection, prayer and Christian Meditation. There will also be time to reconnect with others who began this journey with you and to feel God’s loving presence and support.

You are warmly invited to take part in this meaningful experience. Day One will be funded by the CEO (C15), and Day Two is to be funded by schools. Please register through LMS by Friday 29 August 2025. Prior approval from your principal, assistant director or team leader is required before registering. Due to the nature of this retreat numbers are limited so please register as soon as possible.

View the flyer here.

K-6 Curriculum Support

The K-6 Curriculum Support page contains: 

• Important links to external and internal sites
• Professional learning
• Planning and programming support
• Assessment and reporting
• Professional reading

For enquiries, please contact: learningk-12support@dow.catholic.edu.au.

Introduction to K-6 PDHPE and Science and Technology via Zoom

School instructional leaders and teachers are invited to engage in two professional learning opportunities: Introduction to the PDHPE syllabus and support materials (via Zoom), and Introduction to the Science and Technology syllabus and support materials (via Zoom), which will provide an introduction to each syllabus, NESA support material and CEDoW support material.

Registration for both professional learning opportunities can be accessed here.

PDHPE Date: Thursday 4 September 2025 Time: 3 pm - 5pm Location: Zoom Registered participants will receive a calendar invite with a Zoom link prior to the day.

Science and Technology Date: Wednesday 17 September 2025 Time: 3 pm - 5pm Location: Zoom Registered participants will receive a calendar invite with a Zoom link prior to the day.

Schools can also request in situ support in collaboration with the CEDoW - ILW Learning K-12 team in preparation for the implementation of Personal Development, Health and Physical Education and Science and Technology in 2025 and 2026.

To register your interest, please complete this form.

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