Updates

2026 policy initiatives – new prioritisation model 

The CEDoW Leadership Team recently endorsed a prioritisation model and an annual planning process for school-impacting policy initiatives. This model supports a manageable and measured rollout of new and revised policies, enabling schools to maintain focus on teaching and learning while meeting broader system needs.

During Term 3, review and implementation programs will be developed for 2026. Endorsed programs will be published in ClickUp, typically at the end of Term 3, to support forward planning in schools. 

You can read more about the model and planning process here. 

If you have any questions about the model and planning process, please contact Rebecca Wakeling at wakelingr01@dow.catholic.edu.au. 

Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statements

Attention: Responsible Persons, Principals and SSSOs

Responsible Persons / Principals are reminded that even though they have completed an Annual Disclosure Statement at the start of the year, if circumstances change throughout the year, then an additional declaration must be made at that time.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement forms are available in Gateway using the Governance and Risk link and should be returned via email to governance@dow.catholic.edu.au

Please contact John Barrington or Paula Vera for further assistance.

Important: Wellbeing and Student Support Contacts - Term 3 Update

Attention: Principals, Assistant Principals, Leaders of Diverse Learning and Pastoral Care, School Case Collaboration Coordinators/Managers

There have been so many goings on for our Wellbeing and Student Support team over recent weeks, including team members returning from periods of leave, changes to work days, and new Education Officers joining the team. This has meant that some adjustments have been made to the Wellbeing and Student Support school contacts.

Please refer to this document for the most current allocations.

Term 3 will also see several team members take extended periods of leave. During this time, we are committed to continuing our service to schools with as minimal disruption as possible; however, in some instances, there may be a need to reassign cases. Notifications regarding this will occur through COMPASS.

Important Upcoming Changes to the Corporate Card Process

As part of recent updates within the Financial Services team, we’ve reviewed and refined the current Corporate Card procedures. The changes below are designed to improve efficiency and ensure compliance with reporting timelines.

Card Suspension for Late Submissions

Delays in submitting end-of-month (EOM) transactions create a significant administrative burden and impact CEDoW’s reporting.

To help manage this, from August 2025 (statement transactions 3 July – 4 August 2025), the following process will apply:

• All Corporate Cardholders must finalise and submit their monthly transactions by the due date listed in the ExpenseMe Pro Broadcast Message.
  
  
• You are provided a minimum of two weeks to complete your transactions.
  
  
• If your transactions are not submitted and approved by the due date, your card limit will be reduced to $0 starting 19 August 2025, and will remain suspended until all outstanding transactions are finalised.
  
  
• Once resolved, you must contact Corporate Cards to reinstate your card. Reinstatement may take up to 48 hours.
  
  
• If you are unable to meet the deadline, you must notify Corporate Cards before the due date to request an extension.

End-of-Month System Lockout

To meet monthly reporting requirements, ExpenseMe will be temporarily locked to all users during EOM reporting.

You will receive advance notice each month with the specific dates and times of system unavailability.

Please plan accordingly to avoid disruption.

ACER PAT Updates

The CEDoW PAT Assessment window is Term 4, Weeks 3–6. As has been the practice in previous years, primary schools will administer the PAT Adaptive assessments and secondary schools will administer PAT Linear assessments.

This assessment window is aligned to the collection of samples used to calculate Australian norms, which are an important part of the PAT Maths and PAT Reading reporting, as they help to contextualise students’ levels of achievement.

The following updates have recently been made to the Online Assessment and Reporting System (OARS) platform and/or PAT assessments.

New-look staff management page

1. The updated staff management page in OARS now mirrors the student management page.
2. This change improves consistency across the two pages and enhances access to features and functions.
3. All staff/user permissions remain unchanged.
4. Only staff/users with the ‘Client Admin’ role can access the staff management page.

PAT Adaptive – Bulk Edit Starting Level Functionality

1. Staff can now update the starting level of unstarted PAT Adaptive tests in bulk, rather than individually.
2. On the STUDENTS page, select the students who require the same starting level.
3. Click the TESTS button, select ‘Edit starting level’, and follow the prompts.
4. Click ‘APPLY’.

PAT Adaptive – Practice Test Forms Available

1. Schools with a PAT Adaptive licence now have access to practice test forms.
   1. PAT Adaptive Practice Test 'Lower' is suitable for students in Years 1–4.
   2. PAT Adaptive Practice Test 'Upper' is suitable for students in Years 5–10.
2. When assigning tests, select the relevant practice test from the TESTS drop-down menu.

PAT Early Literacy – New Test Development

1. ACER is developing a new assessment for use in the early years (this will not replace the existing PAT Early Years Reading).
2. The new test assesses phonics, listening comprehension, and reading comprehension.
3. It is currently in the trial phase: 2 June – 8 August 2025.
4. Anticipated release is in early 2026.
5. Schools interested in joining the trial can contact the ACER PAT School Support Team: school.support@acer.org.
6. For more details on this and other trials, visit the ACER School Support Centre: Standalone trials of new PAT content.

Reminder: Term 3 August 2025 Census

Attention: Principals and SSSOs

The date for the upcoming 2025 Census for the collection of student and staff data is Friday 1 August 2025.

Essential information for principals and SSSOs can be found at the following link: Census August 2025.

Reminder: Jubilee Year 2025 – Pilgrims of Hope

Attention: Principals and RECs / Leaders of Mission

The passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday marked the first time a pope has died during a Jubilee year since 1700 – a moment of profound historical and spiritual significance for the Church.

As we walk through this Jubilee Year under the theme Pilgrims of Hope, we are reminded not only of Pope Francis’ legacy of compassion and inclusion but also of the rising witness of faith in our time, exemplified by the soon-to-be canonised Carlo Acutis. His youthful devotion to the Eucharist and digital evangelisation offers a beacon of hope for a new generation, echoing the very message Pope Francis championed throughout his papacy.

Pope Leo XIV has recently announced that Carlo Acutis will be canonised on 7 September 2025. As we prepare for this significant occasion, this is a reminder that previously shared resources developed by the CLEM Team for both primary and secondary schools remain available here.

To assist school communities in their celebration of the Jubilee Year, a CEDoW Guidebook for the Celebration for the Year of Jubilee is available to assist school communities in their celebration of the Jubilee Year. You can view the guidebook digitally as a flip-book or download it as a PDF by clicking the following link: CEDoW Year of Jubilee Guidebook.

More information about the Year of Jubilee can be found on the CLEM Gateway site.

Liturgy Ritual Prayer has also developed a suite of resources for the Jubilee Year, samples of which can be viewed via the following link: Pilgrims of hopeHQ.