All Staff Edition, Week 9, Term 3, 2025

Peace Be With You

These are the words that the risen Jesus used in greeting and we repeat each time we gather as the Eucharistic community—the body of Christ. A desire for how we wish to be with each other and in the world.

In a world that often feels fractured, loud, and relentlessly chaotic, the concept of peace can seem like a distant and fragile dream. We are bombarded daily with headlines of conflict, images of division, and the constant hum of global unrest. It is easy to feel overwhelmed, to believe that peace is a monumental task, a political ideal achievable only by nations and leaders. Yet, from a spiritual perspective, true and lasting peace begins in the quietest, most sacred place: within the human heart.

Peace is not merely the absence of war; it is the presence of an inner stillness that can hold the world's turmoil without being consumed by it. This is the peace that transcends understanding, the one that we cultivate through intentional practice. It is found not by silencing the world's noise, but by finding a deeper, more resonant desire within ourselves—a desire of calm, compassion, and unwavering hope. This is being and living in relationship with God, the source from which all other forms of peace flow.

When we are centered in God, our actions, words, and even our mere presence become instruments of love and peace. We are able to see the shared humanity in those we might otherwise consider "other." We can listen without judgment, respond with empathy, and seek common ground instead of drawing lines. The path to a peaceful world is not paved with grand gestures alone, but with the millions of small, daily acts of kindness, forgiveness, and understanding that spring from a peaceful soul.

To a world in turmoil, the spiritual perspective offers a radical truth: the most powerful revolution begins not in the streets, but in the sanctuary of the heart. By cultivating our own inner peace, we contribute to a collective field of peace that can transform the world, one breath, one thought, one act of love at a time.

Take some time in stillness and silence to be in relationship with God and to cultivate your own inner peace.
Where and how are you called to be instruments of peace in your life?
Reflect on the words of St Francis of Assisi. What does each one look like for you?

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not  so much
seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.

Principal, St Michael’s Catholic Parish Primary School, Nowra

I am pleased to announce that following a recruitment and discernment process, Bernard Cumming has been appointed to the substantive position of Principal at St Michael’s Catholic Parish Primary School, Nowra. Bernard will commence in the role from the beginning of the 2026 school year.

Read the full announcement here (18 September 2025).

Peter Hill
Executive Director of Schools

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

Following a recruitment and discernment process, I am pleased to announce that Lisa Murphy has been appointed to the substantive position of Assistant Principal at St John the Evangelist Catholic High School, Nowra. As Lisa is currently performing the position of Acting Assistant Principal, she will commence in the role immediately. 

In addition to her time in the role of Acting Assistant Principal at St John the Evangelist throughout 2025, Lisa has also held a number of leadership positions, teaching and leading in our Diocese since 1999.

Lisa’s qualifications include a Graduate Diploma (Education) from the University of Wollongong, a Bachelor of Mathematics and Geography from the University of Wollongong, and is currently undertaking a Graduate Certificate in Religious Education at the Australian Catholic University. Lisa is an active member of the St Michael’s, Nowra Parish.   

Please join me in congratulating Lisa on her appointment to this position. 

Natasha O’Donoghue
Director – People and Culture

Priestly Ordinations

Deacons Joseph Nguyen, Sinh Le, and Darren McDowell have been accepted for Ordination as Presbyter. Their Ordination will take place on Saturday 13 December 2025, at 10.00 am at All Saints Catholic Church, Shellharbour. Read the full announcement from Bishop Brian Mascord here (12 September 2025).

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

Catholic Education Office

Education Officer – Behaviour and Wellbeing (Secondary)

Primary

Holy Family Catholic Parish Primary School, Ingleburn
School Support Officer – Student Wellbeing Officer (20 hours per fortnight)

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

St Michael’s Catholic Parish Primary School, Nowra
Creative and Performing Arts Teacher (0.8 F.T.E)
Physical Education Teacher (0.8 F.T.E)

St Thomas More Catholic Parish Primary School, Ruse
Classroom Teacher

Secondary

St Joseph’s Catholic High School, Albion Park
Support Class Teacher – Autism
Support Class Teacher – Multi-categorical

St John the Evangelist Catholic High School, Nowra
Middle Leader (3pt) – Leader of Learning

Corpus Christi Catholic High School, Oak Flats
Diverse Learning Needs Teacher

St Benedict’s Catholic College, Oran Park
Science Teacher (2 positions)
Visual Arts/Religious Education Teacher

K-12

St Francis Catholic College, Edmondson Park
Assistant Principal – Pastoral Care (K-12) 

World Mission Month Launch

Thank you to the Magdalene Catholic College, Narellan community for so warmly hosting the Wollongong Diocesan launch of the 2025 Catholic Mission’s World Mission Month on Thursday 11 September 2025. A special word of thanks to Fr Feleki for representing Bishop Brian and for presiding so joyfully over the liturgy.

Despite the threatening weather, the gathering was a joyful and prayerful celebration of students, teachers, clergy, and community members, marking the official launch of this year’s campaign. The 2025 theme, Missionaries of Hope, is being celebrated in conjunction with the Jubilee Year of Hope.

This year’s Catholic Mission initiative seeks to raise funds for communities in Zambia with both practical assistance and the message of Christian hope. By working alongside local Church leaders, Catholic Mission helps provide nourishment and a sense of dignity for families, especially children, who are most affected by hunger.

For more information about this year’s campaign and ways to be involved (including the Socktober fundraising initiative), please visit the Catholic Mission website.

CEDoW Length of Service Awards

Length of Service Awards for CEDoW staff achieving milestones of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 40 years of service is in progress. Principals will contact staff to verify the years of service information provided.

For any queries regarding length of service, please contact Sharon Anderson, Administrative Officer – Leadership and Professional Growth, at andersons04@dow.catholic.edu.au.

Opportunity for Early Career Teachers: Mentoring and Coaching Development Program

As part of CEDoW’s partnership with the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), we are inviting Early Career Teachers (ECTs) in their 2nd to 5th year of teaching to take part in a unique research program: The Impact of Online Mentoring and Coaching Training on Retention of Early Career Teachers in Australian Schools.

This is a free, online program designed to provide you with personalised support from an expert coach while contributing to research that will shape the future of teacher retention in Australia.

We are seeking to recruit 15–20 ECTs in their 2nd to 5th year of teaching and currently employed with CEDoW, with priority given to teachers in regional schools.

Why get involved?

• Personalised support: Receive coaching from a trained mentor to strengthen your professional practice.
• Flexible and accessible: Online and manageable alongside your teaching role. 
• Part of something bigger: Your participation will help address Australia’s teacher retention challenge.
• Regional focus: Priority will be given to ECTs in regional schools, and ideally those in their 2nd–5th year of teaching.
  

How to Apply

Expressions of interest should be submitted as soon as possible and will close on Friday 26 September (Term 3, Week 10). Submit here: Expression of Interest Form.

For more information, please see the flyer or contact Vanessa Taylor, Professional Officer – Early Career Teacher Support at vanessa.taylor@dow.catholic.edu.au.  

Phonics Screening – Improving Foundational Literacy

We are pleased to announce that the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check Reports are now ready to be explored on Yellowfin. This valuable resource provides an overview of students’ phonics skills and offers insight to support targeted teaching and intervention. Schools using the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check have been provided with a 'how to' guide for unpacking their data.

We encourage all Year 1 teachers, principals and instructional coaches to review these reports, or their own school phonics assessments, to inform instruction and ensure every student builds a strong foundation in literacy.

The Year 1 Phonics Screening Check assesses how well students can blend sounds together to read words. It is designed to be administered towards the end of Year 1, allowing students sufficient time to develop foundational phonics knowledge. Importantly, it is timed so that any gaps identified can still be addressed with timely interventions and targeted teaching strategies.

This screening complements the existing practices schools use to monitor students’ progress in developing key literacy skills. This year’s reports provide an overview of phonics proficiency, helping teachers better understand student outcomes and plan next steps. School leaders are encouraged to look for correlations between their Year 1 phonics data and Year 3 NAPLAN results in the domain of 'spelling' as well as consider elements of growth within cohorts. 

Special thanks to Joanne Treffone and Alexandra Hingston for their work in developing the CEDoW Phonics Screener. 

Numeracy Toolbox Updates

Mathematics Term 4 Sample Units of Work

In an effort to support the core work of teachers, CEDoW sample Mathematics units of work have been developed to align with the sample scope and sequences of learning developed by Dr Christine Mae, currently in use in a number of schools.

The sample units of work serve as a scaffold to support teachers in programming clear sequences of learning aligned to the syllabus. Teachers are encouraged to use these sample units alongside the teaching advice and examples provided in the NSW K-10 Mathematics Syllabus to contextualise the learning for their students. These units of work can also be directly accessed here.

Adjustments to Term Four Sample Units

Following reflection and feedback from schools, and building upon the revisions made to the Term Three Mathematics units, further refinements have been implemented for the Term Four sample units of work. These adjustments include:

• Clear Learning Intentions and Success Criteria: The learning intention and differentiated success criteria for each learning sequence drive the teaching and learning within the sequence. The success criteria can be contextualised for different cohorts to ensure that students are both challenged and able to demonstrate success regardless of their starting point.
  
  
• Embedded Formative Assessment opportunities: ‘Check for understanding’ guides teachers to engage in ongoing formative assessment, reflecting on how well students are able to demonstrate success in relation to the success criteria.
  
  
• Suggested Activities: These are examples of ‘what’ teachers can plan in order for students to demonstrate their understanding. The teacher will utilise High Impact Strategies to ensure consideration of the essential elements Agency, Environment, Equity, Relevance and Rigour when contextualising the learning sequences for the needs of their class.
  
  
• Additional Rich Task: At the end of each of the first units K-6 a rich, open-ended task has been added. This is an example of a task that could be used as a summative assessment to support the ongoing formative assessment opportunities embedded within the daily teaching and learning. During the pupil vacation period, ALL units of work will be updated so that each unit has an example of a rich task.

A number of teachers from our diocese engaged in the process of ‘quality assurance’ prior to these units being released onto the toolbox. This is an important process to ensure that the sample units of work reflect the intent of the syllabus and align to the scope and sequence of learning.

The CEDoW K-12 Learning team would like to thank the following teachers for their role in this important process: Belinda Evans, Shirley Jancetic, Melissa Allen, Chantelle Zuza, Grace Sullivan, and Dominique Hogarth.

Progression of Mathematical Vocabulary

The toolbox has been updated to include a ‘Progression of Vocabulary’ from ES1 to Stage 3 for each focus area in the NSW K–10 Mathematics Syllabus. These documents sequence the progression of vocabulary from Early Stage 1 to Stage 3. The intent is that teachers may use these documents as a tool to support the development of carefully sequenced and differentiated teaching and learning programs.

Students should be provided with opportunities to develop confidence in using some or all of the vocabulary identified in the Teaching Advice in the Mathematics Syllabus and in these documents to communicate their mathematical thinking.

2026 CSSA Trial HSC Examinations

In support of school organisation for the 2026 school year, the 2026 CSSA Trial HSC Examinations Timetable dates have been released.

The CSSA, a division of Catholic Schools NSW, creates premium CSSA Trial HSC Examinations by education experts. Our writers and assessors have syllabus expertise and extensive teaching experience to create the CSSA Trial HSC Examinations.

Key dates to assist schools:

The 2026 CSSA Trial HSC Examinations Timetable is scheduled from Monday 3 August, to Monday 17 August 2026, with a security period up to and including 8:00 am, Thursday 20 August 2026.

Apply Now: 2026 CSSA Trial HSC Examinations – Expressions of Interest for Committee Member Roles

The Head of Curriculum and Assessment is seeking expressions of interest for the following positions:

Committee Member for the following 2026 CSSA End of Year Examinations:

• Studies in Catholic Thought I and II
• The letter regarding the Expression of Interest requirements for the Committee Member role with the CSSA and the application process is found here.

Committee Member for the following 2026 CSSA Trial HSC Examination:

• Legal Studies
• The letter regarding the Expression of Interest requirements for the Committee Member role with the CSSA and the application process is found here.

Interested applicants are asked to submit a cover letter and current curriculum vitae to Monica O’Brien, Head of Curriculum and Assessment, at cssa.exams@csnsw.catholic.edu.au by 9:00 am, Friday 19 September 2025.

NESA News: New 7–12 Curriculum Support Materials

More than 30 new resources are now available to support teachers delivering reformed syllabuses.

7–10

• Agriculture
• Aquatic Technology
• Child Studies
• Geography
• Technology and Engineering Technology
• Visual Arts

11–12

• Ancient History
• Dance and Dance Life Skills
• English Advanced
• English EAL/D
• English Extension
• English Standard
• English Studies

Resources include sample assessment schedules, sample units, parent and carer guides, outcomes worksheets, sample scope and sequences, teaching advice, Aboriginal Education support, and teaching and learning support.

Explore new K-12 resource here.

CEDoW Library 

ACEN eBook

This week’s Sora eBook edition is Open a Book for an Adventure. 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 features a Physical Education theme. 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. 

Palms Spring 2025 Update: New Beginnings and Relationship Building

Please see here the latest newsletter from Palms Australia, including information regarding international volunteering opportunities.

The Bishop’s Annual Appeal

The Bishop’s Annual Appeal will be promoted in our diocese during September.

To find out more or make a tax-deductible donation, please visit www.dow.org.au/giving, scan the QR code above, or call (02) 4222 2400 to make a donation over the phone.

“Our faith calls us to help one another through prayer and action. Offering dignified support and care for our retired clergy, who have always cared for us; and the sound and holistic formation of our Seminarians, our future priests, are my responsibilities as your Bishop. I seek your prayers and practical support to help me ensure that I can do this. Your donation to this appeal is very much appreciated.” — Bishop Brian Mascord

Anti-Bullying Professional Learning Webinars

You are invited to a professional development webinar to discuss the recent updates to our anti-bullying procedures. For more information, please see the flyer below.

Webinar Details
Date: Wednesday 22 October 2025
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Audience: All primary and secondary staff

Add this session to your calendar: You can add this event to your calendar directly from the link in the flyer.

You can view the flyer, including a direct link to add the professional learning session to your calendar, here.

Save the Date: Primary Curriculum Implementation Support – English K–6 Professional Learning, Day 4

Target audience: Instructional leaders supporting teachers in planning and programming (including principals, assistant principals, middle leaders, and/or instructional coaches).

Date: Week 2, Term 4 – Tuesday 21 October 2025

Time: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm TBC

Course Venue: Wollongong Location TBC

Learning Intention: Make authentic connections across focus areas to foster deep conceptual understandings of subject-specific content. More information to follow.

*Additional participants to be funded by the school

Click here to register your attendance. Registrations close on Tuesday 14 October 2025.

Facilitators: Alexandra (Lexie) Hingston at hingstona01@dow.catholic.edu.au and Sharyn Stafford at staffords01@dow.catholic.edu.au. 

Men's Retreat

An opportunity for men to gather together to reflect on life and make sense through faith.

Location: A walking trail within the Diocese.

Date: Monday 17 November 2025 (Term 4, Week 6).

Faith Walks – see the flyer here.

A Day of Quiet and Contemplation – Listening to Life

The Staff Spiritual Formation team is pleased to announce an upcoming personal formation opportunity available to all staff within our system. The day, titled “Listening to Life,” is a Day of Quiet and Contemplation designed to offer staff a chance to pause, refuel and replenish the Spirit.

This one-day retreat will take place on Wednesday 26 November 2025 (Week 7, Term 4) in the beautiful grounds of The Hermitage in Mittagong. The program includes opportunities for reflection, prayer, conversation and silence, with a special emphasis on the practice of Christian Meditation.

All meals and facilitation for the day will be covered by the CEO, however, please note that release funding is not available. Due to the nature of this retreat, spaces are limited. Interested staff are encouraged to seek approval from their Principal, Assistant Director or Team Leader before registering on LMS. Registration closes on Friday 7 November 2025.

See the flyer here.

K-6 Curriculum Support

The CEDoW 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 any enquiries, please contact: learningk-12support@dow.catholic.edu.au.

Introduction to K-6 PDHPE and Science and Technology 

Recently, we had an overwhelming attendance at the Introduction to the K–6 PDHPE Syllabus Zoom session. This session provided leaders and teachers with an overview of the key messages of curriculum reform and the new 2024 PDHPE syllabus. Participants explored the implications of implementation, began developing an implementation plan, and gained an understanding of the resources and supports available to schools.

Throughout this semester, schools are continuing to familiarise themselves with the syllabus and support materials in preparation for implementation in 2026. Schools can reach out to the ILW Learning K–12 team learningk-12support@dow.catholic.edu.au for further assistance at any time.

Introduction to K-6 Science and Technology via Zoom

School instructional leaders and teachers are invited to engage in this professional learning opportunity: 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 this professional learning opportunity can be accessed here.

Science and Technology Date: Wednesday 17 September 2025 Time: 3.00 pm – 5.00 pm Location: Zoom Registered participants will receive a calendar invite with a Zoom link prior to the day.

NESA K–2 Implementation Survey: English and Mathematics

NESA is seeking feedback from teachers and leaders on how the K–2 English and Mathematics syllabuses are being implemented in classrooms.

This survey aims to capture teachers’ experiences, approaches, and insights to help NESA understand what’s working well and where you may need further support. Your input will help shape the development of future support materials and advice.

The surveys are open now and close on 19 December 2025:

• English Syllabus (2022): K-2 Implementation Survey
• Mathematics Syllabus (2022): K-2 Implementation Survey

New: K–6 CHPS Curriculum Advisor

CEDoW primary schools are strongly encouraged to appoint a teaching staff member as Curriculum Advisor for each CHPS KLA to support the implementation of new syllabuses in 2026–2027.

The role of a KLA Curriculum Advisor is to support their school as an in situ knowledgeable other and to maximise the contextual understanding of changes to curriculum brought about by NSW curriculum reform.

• 2026 – Science and Technology Curriculum Advisor and a PDHPE Curriculum Advisor
  2027 – HSIE Curriculum Advisor and a Creative Arts Curriculum Advisor

Please see the CHPS Curriculum Advisor Role Description for more information.

Principals are asked to complete this Curriculum Advisor Nomination Form by Monday, 17 November 2025 (Term 4, Week 6). If you have any questions, please contact learningk-12support@dow.catholic.edu.au

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