Actions
Equip Your Team with EAP Awareness and Support
For: Principals
Due: Now
Contact: Workplace Safety and Wellbeing at whs@dow.catholic.edu.au
First Notice
Over the coming months, AccessEAP will be offering free, open awareness sessions. These 30-minute sessions, held online, will explore how the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) counselling works and the benefits it offers for staff.
Action: Invite your staff to attend. Please share the below resources with your team and encourage them to attend a free session to learn about how they can make the most of this valuable service.
For questions regarding the resources, contact Workplace Safety and Wellbeing at whs@dow.catholic.edu.au.
Year 8 Catholic Student Leadership – Illawarra Cluster
For: Secondary RECs/Leaders of Mission based in the Illawarra and South Coast
Due: Tuesday 6 May 2025
Contact: Matt Turner at turnerm12@dow.catholic.edu.au
First Notice
The Student Leadership Formation Program has been extended this year to include Year 8 students. Participants are selected based on their commitment to their school’s mission statement, as well as their demonstrated relational qualities, such as teamwork and leadership potential. Attendance is not limited to members of a Student Representative Council.
A teacher or year coordinator from each school who works most closely with the Year 8 cohort is invited to attend the day, along with 6–8 student representatives. The event will challenge students to create and plan a project that will benefit their year group at their school or contribute to a broader Macarthur/Illawarra initiative launched on the day. One example of such a project is a "digital discipleship" initiative.
This day has been rescheduled for the schools in the Illawarra Cluster—St John’s, Nowra, Corpus Christi, Oak Flats, St Joseph’s, Albion Park, and Holy Spirit, Bellambi.
The new details are as follows:
Date: Tuesday 13 May 2025
Venue: The Xavier Centre, 38 Harbour Street, Wollongong
Time: 9.30 am - 2.15 pm.
Action: Please register using this form no later than Tuesday 6 May 2025.
Australian Catholic Youth Festival
For: Secondary Principals, RECs, and Leaders of Mission
Due: Now
Contact: Matt Turner at turnerm12@dow.catholic.edu.au or Claire Cooney at cooneyc02@dow.catholic.edu.au
First Notice
The CLEM team is currently working with Harvest Journeys to determine arrangements for a CEDoW student delegation to the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) in Melbourne from 30 November to 2 December 2025. As previously advised, the intention is to send ten Year 10 students from each of our secondary schools, accompanied by one teacher per school. Additional supervision will be provided by CEO staff who will also attend.
Action: Schools have been asked to set aside $10,000 in their budgets to assist with the overall cost of the CEDoW ACYF delegation.
More information will be shared with schools in Term 2. In the meantime, any questions can be directed to Matt Turner or Claire Cooney. The ACYF website can be viewed here.
2025 Federal Election Update
For: Principals
Due: Now
First Notice
Federal election on 3 May 2025 – What you need to know to support your local Catholic school.
To help families and staff stay informed during the election, the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) has produced a two-page document, Catholic Education Benefits All Australians, outlining Catholic education's key priorities and its contribution to the community.
In summary, the priorities are:
- Ensure affordability and choice – every family should have the option of a Catholic education
- Address hardship, wellbeing, and disadvantage – every student deserves access to quality education and the right support, no matter their background
- Build and innovate for the future – investing in school infrastructure and support for early childhood education.
Action: The NCEC requests that principals distribute this two-page document to families, outlining Catholic education priorities for the upcoming election, before the pupil vacation period where possible.
Further information for parents is available on the website here.