Updates

Results of Education Mass Fundraiser

At the CEDoW Education Mass earlier this year, a generous $1050 was raised for the Catholic Mission Bethlehem University fundraiser—thanks to all who donated to this important cause.

Known as an “oasis of peace” in a land characterised by conflict, Bethlehem University was created following the 1964 visit of Pope Paul VI to the Holy Land. The University is a joint venture between the Holy See (Vatican) and the De La Salle Christian Brothers. It is the only Catholic/Christian university in the Holy Land. The mission of the University is to provide quality higher education to the local community.

Read more here about Catholic Mission’s fundraising initiative for Bethlehem University.

Election Statement 2025: Called to Bring Hope in the Year of Jubilee

Linked is a PDF of the Election Statement 2025: Called to Bring Hope in the Year of Jubilee, released by the Bishops Commission for Life, Family and Public Engagement.

CSSA – Catholic Trial Examinations

The CSSA, a division of Catholic Schools NSW, creates premium CSSA Trial HSC Examinations developed by education experts. Our writers and assessors have expertise in the syllabus and extensive teaching experience to design these examinations. In 2025, the CSSA will offer three online Trial HSC Examinations.

Technological Assistance for Principals/Main CSSA Contacts:

If a principal / main CSSA contact requires technological assistance with signing into their registered school account on the CSSA website, please email service@csnsw.catholic.edu.au.

A CSNSW verification process is in place to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of each principal and their registered school account with the CSSA.

CSSA Website and Individual School Accounts:

School data in individual School Accounts with the CSSA must be kept up to date via the CSSA website under Account Settings.

Relevant personnel in CSSA-registered schools should ensure that school data and fields of information on the CSSA website are checked, updated, and completed as necessary. This will ensure that your school’s address, phone number, email address, and contact details are correct. Accurate information is critical for communication with schools and the secure delivery of CSSA Trial HSC Examinations. Finally, remember to click the “SAVE” button at the end of the process.

For your convenience, the link to the CSSA website is here.

2025 ACARA Key Curriculum Opt-In Online Assessments Available – Term 2

2025 ACARA Key Curriculum Opt-In Online Assessments Available: Monday 5 May – Friday 30 May 2025.

Australian schools can enrol Year 6 and Year 10 students to participate in NAP Opt-in assessments in key curriculum areas. Schools are not required to enrol full cohorts of Year 6 or Year 10 students.

These assessments are part of the National Assessment Program (NAP) NAP website and are entirely optional for schools. The assessments are being phased in over three years, starting with science literacy in 2024. Civics and citizenship will be added in 2025, and ICT (Information and Communication Technology) literacy will be introduced in 2026.

In May 2024, the first optional assessment in Science Literacy was successfully completed. The feedback collected from participating schools was positive and informative, helping to improve the second rollout of the NAP Opt-in assessments in 2025.

In 2025, the two domains available for school participation are:

• Science literacy
• Civics and Citizenship

Registration Opens: 25 March 2025
Registration Closes: 29 April 2025
There is no fee for schools registering to participate in the assessments.

Key Dates:

• School Registration and Enrolment Window: Tuesday 25 March 2025 – Tuesday 29 April 2025
• Test Window: Monday 5 May – Friday 30 May 2025
• Results Window: July 2025 – August 2025

ACARA Will:

• Mark the assessments and analyse the assessment data for schools
• Provide principals with school-level reports accessible from the platform

Registration:

Principals can register their school here by clicking on the ‘NAP Opt-in’ tile on the home page. Each school should only register once via the principal (preferably using the same principal email address as used for NAPLAN 2025, if applicable).

CEDoW Library

ACEN eBook of the Week

This week’s Sora eBook theme is Celebrating Differences.  

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.

ClickView Highlight

This week’s ClickView highlight is Parliament & Paddock to Plate. You can view it here.

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

Free Counselling Session at CatholicCare Wollongong

CatholicCare's counselling service provides support to children, adults, couples and families who are experiencing: 

• Grief and loss 
• Family, relationship and marriage difficulties 
• Stress/anxiety/depression 
• Changes in personal or family situations 
• Pregnancy loss.

Our skilful and compassionate counsellors are qualified professionals experienced in couple, family and individual counselling. The first session is free and subsequent sessions are charged at a flexible, mutually agreed fee.  

Funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services. Please see the link here for more information.

Have an Ethical Easter in 2025

“Every person ought to have the awareness that purchasing is always a moral – and not simply an economic – act.” – Pope Francis

A significant portion of chocolate available in Australia is produced using cocoa beans harvested by child labourers, many of whom endure enslavement and exploitative working conditions.

Indulge responsibly, select ethically sourced chocolate, and support companies working towards eliminating slavery from their supply chain this Easter and beyond.

Click on the links for tips and further information.

Slavery Free Easter Chocolate - Catholic Earthcare

Indulge Responsibly Easter Poster

Also, consider not buying something that is overly packaged. Lots of Easter eggs come encased in several layers of foil, cardboard and plastic - each of which come with an environmental and often human cost of their own. Remember to recycle your foil…

“The knowledge about what we buy is the first act in not being complicit. Look at where those products come from.” – Pope Francis