Updates

Education Mass – Expression of Interest for Choir, Musicians, and Percussionists

Due: Friday 14 February 2025

Calling all spirit-filled vocalists, musicians and percussionists!

Expressions of interest to support the music ministry at this year's Education Mass are now open.

Newcomers are welcome and participation is simple. Music is supplied in advance to assist with preparation and a short rehearsal prior to the Mass will tie everything together.

• Date: Tuesday 25 February 2025
• Time: 6 pm - 7.30 pm
• Venue: St John Vianney Co-Cathedral, 1 Cabbage Tree Lane Fairy Meadow

Please complete this form by Friday 14 February if you are interested in sharing your talents for this Spirit-filled event.

Liturgy Help

Liturgy Help is a unique online subscription service fully authorised by the Catholic Church to publish official liturgical texts.

It provides parishes, schools, and other Catholic communities with easy access to the Church’s rich liturgical texts, streamlining the preparation of materials for liturgy and prayer.

All school staff members can access this resource, however, first time users will need to set up an account using this link.

If you experience difficulty accessing the site, please refer to the Liturgy Help Cheat Sheet.

DOW Lenten Program - 50% discount available for CEDoW schools

The Diocese of Wollongong’s 2025 Lenten Program book and CD named METANOIA is now for sale via the DOW website.

As in previous years, the book and CDs are available at 50% off for DOW parishes, schools and religious communities.

In order to take advantage of the special price on the website, select the purchase option Australian Catholic Religious Group, enter ABN, and then apply the coupon code: dowspecial during checkout.

Any questions please email orders@dow.org.au or call (02) 4222 2411.

The resource is also available via Sora. Please see the link here.

Computer Virus Protection: “Sophos” to “SentinalOne”

We're excited to announce that, commencing on 19 February, CEDoW will be transitioning our Endpoint Protection Software (antivirus), which is currently installed on every staff member's managed computing device (Apple Mac/PC Laptops and workstations), from ‘Sophos’ to ‘SentinelOne’.

This change will happen seamlessly in the background, with no action required from end users. Rest assured, all systems will be updated automatically, and your device protection will continue without disruption. 

As always, if you have any questions or experience any issues during the transition, please don't hesitate to reach out to the service desk 1800 DOW HELP | help@dow.catholic.edu.au. 

Attendance Policy and Procedure

Audience: Principals and school leaders, SSSOs

The updated Attendance Policy and Procedure are in effect as of 31 January 2025. As part of the system support provided to schools, several fact sheets and an attendance flowchart have been produced as resources for use in your school communities. These resources will also be linked via Quicklinks in Gateway for schools to access when required. Please see the links below for resources you may want to access now:

Flowchart

Fact sheets

School Road Safety and Education – Teacher Relief: Funding Opportunity

As part of the ongoing commitment to road safety education, the Centre for Road Safety (Transport for NSW), through Catholic Schools New South Wales (CSNSW), has provided funding to help schools keep road safety a key focus.

As part of this commitment, CEDoW is offering funding opportunities for each school in 2025.

1. 2025 Road Safety Network and School Delegate

To support effective implementation of Road Safety education and road safety plans within schools, a Road Safety Network will continue in 2025. Each school is requested to provide a school based delegate to be the point of contact for road safety education and planning support.

Schools have been requested to provide a contact for the CEDoW Road Safety Network. In the event schools have not provided a delegate/contact the school principal will remain the CEDoW road safety contact.

Please indicate your 2025 school based road safety delegate in the following document: CEDoW 2025 Primary and Secondary Road Safety Delegate/Contact List

2. Road Safety Network Meeting 2025

• Monday 24 March 2025 (Semester 1) for primary and secondary road safety delegates.

3. Road Safety Funding 2025

Please review the following information on how schools can utilise the Transport for NSW Road Safety Education funding in their school context: Road Safety Funding School Use Overview (10 February 2025).

4. Bus Safety Week – 17-23 February

As students return to school, it is an important time to revisit bus safety with staff, students, and families. During Bus Safety Week, revisit the key messages regarding safety on buses.

Bus Safety Week runs from Monday 17 to Sunday 23 February 2025.

The Be Bus Aware campaign will be in the market from Monday 17 February for approximately four weeks.

Please take the opportunity to utilise and share these key messages with your school community through explicit education and publication with parents and carers: Bus Safety Week - School Resources for Education and Promotion.

Safety Alert – Wasps

Over the past few weeks, there have been several reported wasp stings across schools.

Wasps tend to be more active during late summer and early autumn, and with an increase in outdoor play and activities, there is a greater risk of wasp-related incidents.

As a result, we ask everyone to take extra care and be aware of the following safety measures:

• Remain Calm and Move Slowly: If you spot a wasp, encourage students to stay calm. Sudden movements can provoke the wasp.
• Avoid Wasps Nests: Do not approach or disturb any visible nests. Wasps are more defensive at this time of year.
• Ensure Food and Drinks Are Covered: Wasps are attracted to sugary substances, so encourage students to keep food and drinks covered during outdoor breaks and avoid leaving them unattended.
• Protective Clothing: Wear light-colored clothing, as wasps are more attracted to dark colours, and avoid bright, floral patterns.
• Playground Awareness: Supervising staff should be extra watchful around areas where wasps may congregate, such as near bins or areas with fruit trees.
• Regular Grounds Checks: Conduct regular checks of the school grounds, including playgrounds and surrounding areas, to identify any new wasp nests. If a nest is found, take immediate action to have it removed.

What to Do If Stung:

If a staff member or a student is stung, it is important to act quickly:

• Clean the Area: Wash the sting site with soap and water.
• Cold Compress: Apply a cold compress or ice pack to reduce swelling and pain.
• Monitor for Allergic Reactions: In rare cases, wasp stings can cause allergic reactions. If the staff member/student experiences difficulty breathing, dizziness, or swelling beyond the sting area, seek immediate medical attention.
• Report and Record: Staff should report any wasp sting to their principal/supervisor and complete the Staff Injury Notification Form. Student injuries should be recorded in Compass on the appropriate Sick Bay or Student Injury Notification Form template depending on the severity of the injury.

If you have any questions regarding this alert, please contact Workplace Safety and Wellbeing at whs@dow.catholic.edu.au.

For CEDoW’s full range of workplace, safety and wellbeing resources please visit the Workplace Safety and Wellbeing Hub on Gateway.

Staff Injury Notification

If you are involved in an incident at work that results in an injury/illness you must report it to your principal/supervisor as soon as it occurs.

Any reported injury or illness must also be recorded via the CEDoW Staff Injury Notification Form. This form is located on the Workplace Safety and Wellbeing Hub on Gateway, under Notification Forms.

The completed notification form will automatically be sent to the Workplace Safety and Wellbeing team and our Worker’s Compensation Insurer - Trinity Insurance, for assessment.

Most importantly a member of the Workplace Safety and Wellbeing team will make contact with you and where required support you in your recovery at work because we know:

• Good return-to-work outcomes are more likely for individuals post-injury/illness when they understand the health benefits of work and are empowered to take responsibility for their situation.
• Work is generally good for health and well-being and an effective means of inclusivity and community.
• Staying active after injury reduces pain symptoms and helps you return to your usual activities at home and work sooner.

What is Expected of All Staff?

1. Reporting:
   
   • All work-related injuries/illnesses are required to be reported immediately. This includes minor injuries/illnesses that may not seem significant at first. It is important to advise the principal (their delegate) or supervisor of any injury/illness that occurs to ensure timely action.
     
     
2. Recording:
   
   • Under the Workplace Injury Management and Workplace Compensation Act 1998 (NSW) section 44(2), schools must report workplace injuries/illnesses to the insurer within 48 hours of becoming aware of them. Given this timeline is critical, record your injury/illness on CEDoW's Staff Notification Form as soon as you report it.
   • If you cannot report the injury/illness due to its severity, an appropriate person at the school will complete the injury notification form on your behalf. It is crucial to submit the form within the 48-hour window, even if all details are not yet available. Additional information can be provided later. 

By staying proactive and adhering to these steps, we can all ensure workplace safety and legal compliance.

If you have any questions regarding injuries at work or Worker's Compensation Insurance contact Workplace Safety and Wellbeing at whs@dow.catholic.edu.au. 

For CEDoW’s full range of workplace, safety, and wellbeing resources visit the Workplace Safety and Wellbeing Hub on Gateway.

NAPLAN 2025 Key dates and deadlines

Friday 21 February: Disability adjustment applications

Submit NESA approved disability adjustment applications (colour contrast modification, assistive technology, scribe and double extra time) through Schools Online by Friday 21 February. Alternative format applications closed in December 2024. Contact the NAPLAN team immediately if an application has not been submitted. Further information is available on the NESA website.

From now: Register for NAPLAN training

It is strongly recommended that all staff involved with NAPLAN engage with training. Staff can register now for live online training taking place from Tuesday 4 February to Friday 7 March. Read about the training options and access registration links on the NESA website.

Student NAPLAN NAP App video tutorial

Looking to help your iPad students learn how to use the NAP App in time for NAPLAN? Use this video tutorial with your class to familiarise your students on the features of the NAP App, and how to navigate seamlessly in the App when using an iPad, so they can succeed in NAPLAN.

NAPLAN Narrative and Persuasive Writing Marking Guide Podcasts

Looking to get the best out of your students in the Narrative and Persuasive writing sections of the Naplan test? In this folder, listen to succinct and detailed podcasts, which discuss the marking guides for both, to ensure your students know what it is the Naplan markers are looking for in their writing. Listen to it in the car, at the gym or while you’re on a walk!

Also in this folder are the marking guide full documents that include annotated student examples.

NESA also have self paced online learning courses for the narrative and persuasive writing marking guides. Log in to the NESA Learning Hub with your NESA details to access these courses.

ACEN eBook of the Week

This week’s theme is Library Lovers Day.

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, contact Jim Gallagher at gallagherj01@dow.catholic.edu.au.  

Catholic Business Connections – March Luncheon

We’re excited to share information about the upcoming Catholic Business Connections (CBC) luncheon.

Date: Wednesday 26 March 2025

Please feel free to share this in your school newsletters and communications, inviting parents and carers to consider joining CBC.

CBC 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. CBC 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.