Updates
2025 Australian Catholic Education Conference – Archbishop Francis Carroll Bursary Program
The 2025 Australian Catholic Education Conference will be held from 20-22 August 2025. We are pleased to inform you about the Archbishop Francis Carroll Bursary Program, which supports educators and emerging leaders from rural, regional, and remote areas in attending the event.
In recognition of the challenges faced by educators and emerging leaders in remote areas, the Archbishop Francis Carroll Bursary Program aims to make this conference accessible. Established in honour of Archbishop Francis Carroll, founding Chair of the National Catholic Education Commission, this program offers bursaries to help cover the costs of attending the conference.
A limited number of bursaries of up to $5,000 each will be awarded based on need and availability. These bursaries can contribute towards conference registration, accommodation, return travel to Cairns, and transfers if required.
For eligibility criteria and the application form, which requires Diocese endorsement, visit the website.
Key Dates:
- Applications close: 30 April 2025
- Applicants notified by: 31 May 2025
For more information, including the conference details and application instructions, visit www.2025acec.edu.au.
Australian Catholics: Online Media Internship Program for Students
For: Secondary Principals and RECs/Leaders of Mission
Please share with relevant teaching staff.
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.
Jubilee Year: Soul of Ireland and Italy Pilgrimage, 26 September – 19 October 2025
For: All Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong Staff
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 about the pilgrimage, including how to submit an Expression of Interest, please refer to the link here.
Note: Expressions of Interest close on 13 March 2025.
Questions? Please contact Claire Cooney at cooneyc02@dow.catholic.edu.au.
Called to Serve – Liturgical Ministries Training Day
Reminder: Due Friday 14 March
For: Secondary RECs/Leaders of Mission
This Training Program, a joint collaboration between the Diocesan Liturgical Commission and the Catholic Life, Education & Mission (CLEM) team, is offered to students in Years 10 and 11 in Catholic Secondary Schools in the Diocese of Wollongong.
It is an opportunity for students to learn more about what it means to gather as a Eucharistic community at Mass and develop an understanding of some of the ministries of service that they can be engaged in.
The program will focus on the following three ministries:
- Proclaimer of the Word
- Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
- Music Ministry: Cantor
Six students from each school are to be nominated by their REC/Leader of Mission, with two students then being nominated for each of the three ministries.
When: Tuesday 25 March 2025
Where: Xavier Centre and St Francis Xavier's Cathedral, 38 Harbour St, Wollongong
Register using this form.
Please read here for further information.
Contact: John Coppola – 0477 446 431 | coppolag01@dow.catholic.edu.au.
Laudato Si’ Lenten Prayer and Reflection Resources
For: Primary and Secondary RECs/Leaders of Mission
Please share with your schools.
During Lent, we are invited to embark upon a journey of ecological conversion through reflection, repentance, and renewal.
By committing to concrete changes through fasting and lifestyle changes, we can live more in solidarity with our Earth and each other, reduce our ecological footprint and inspire our sisters and brothers to join this conversion process.
Click here for resources that may assist you in exploring a Laudato Si' Lent with your school community.
The 2025 Lenten Program: Metanoia
The 2025 Diocesan Lenten Program, Metanoia, 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.
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.
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/.
Minor Capital Request Process
Since 2021, the School Properties Office has been calling for minor capital works projects from schools annually.
We have listened to feedback and implemented the following updates:
- Simplified Request Process: The request process has been streamlined using the TechOne ALM Work Request Form. You no longer are required to submit the Project Justification form.
- Work Request Form Modifications: The Work Request form now includes items for identifying different types of work and requested funding sources.
All other process steps remain the same.
Important Dates
- Closing Date for Requests: 30 April 2025
- Decision communicated by Director of Schools: Prior to 30 November 2025
- Work Commencement: From January 2026 onwards.
If you have any questions, you can email properties@dow.catholic.edu.au.
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.
