Schools prepare in the lead-up to the voice
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the date of the referendum on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament as 14 October 2023. The Voice is anticipated to be an ‘independent, representative advisory body for First Nations people’ to the Federal Parliament.
To support activities in promoting balanced engagement with the referendum, Catholic Schools NSW has prepared a brief for school and system leaders to assist in observing relevant compliance considerations, engaging with the school community and obtaining related resources. The brief can be accessed here.
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council also has a website that has collated and created statements and resources on the Voice to help with the process of discernment.
Education Hub Professional learning - Supporting First Nations ahead of the Voice Referendum
Calls for government to do more to prevent child maltreatment
The National Association for Prevention of Child abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN) and partners are calling on the Commonwealth Government to host a National Summit to Prevent Child Maltreatment.
The call , which comes amid National Child protection week, follows the release of the Australian Child Maltreatment study (ACMS) earlier this year which found that child Maltreatment is widespread among Australians.
A NAPCAN spokesperson said a national summit would create a shared space for old strategies to be examined and for new ideas to flourish, so together we can find an outcome fit for purpose and create meaningful change for children and their families. Read more.
Bishops Conference and CRA publish Royal Commission update
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and Catholic Religious Australia have published a report updating the Church’s progress in implementing the relevant recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
The five-year update outlines some key milestones since the 2018 report, including:
• implementation of the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards, now in a second edition;
• establishment of Australian Catholic Safeguarding Limited;
• development of the National Response Framework and related National Response Protocol;
• preparation of new programs for priestly and religious formation; and
• progress on a new national code of conduct.
Download the report here.
Changes to accreditation for Proficient Teachers in NSW
NSW teachers will no longer need their principal or service director to attest to their maintenance of practice against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
From November 2023, proficient Teachers only need to declare to NESA that they have completed the required professional development aligned with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
Teachers will continue to meet their accreditation requirements by completing relevant professional development. Read Paul Martin’s letter here.
In brief
A new K-10 Auslan Syllabus in NSW for schools with students who are first language Auslan users will help them formally study the language of their community and all students to learn from and engage with an important language in Australian society. Find the syllabus here.
Professor Donna Cross recently shared a school checklist to assist schools in reducing bullying behaviour. This checklist is designed to assist primary and secondary school staff review and consider aspects of their school’s built (physical) environment that may help to reduce bullying behaviour and promote student wellbeing.
You can access the checklist here. You can explore the research behind the checklist here.
New mathematics resources: The National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) has commenced working with Catholic systems across the country, in partnership with national Australian not-for-profit organisation Ochre Education, to deliver curriculum resources for Years 7 and 8 mathematics teachers in Catholic schools. Find out more.
Bishops conference appointment: Liturgical expert Jason McFarland has began work as executive secretary to the Bishops Commission for Liturgy, also serving as director of the National Office for Liturgy. Read more.
Reports offer models for how pastoral councils could operate: The National Centre for Pastoral Research has published a pair of reports as part of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference’s response to a review of Church governance. Find out more.
https://mediablog.catholic.org.au/reports-outline-possible-models-for-pastoral-councils-in-australia/#more-9609
What’s On
National Child Protection Week webinar: Let’s get our words right - how to craft messages that drive child abuse prevention. Hear from Nat Kendall-Taylor, CEO FrameWorks Institute US and Annette Michaux, Parenting Research Centre & FrameWorks Institute. Friday 8 September 2023, 10.00am - 11.30am AEST. Register here.
Book launch: The New and The Old: Christian Communities Recontextualise Faith - Jim and Therese D‘Orsa share extensive research and insights to help educators clarify the recontextualisation of faith in a time of deep change; Monday 11 September 2023, 4:00 pm AEST. Register here.
Alannah & Madeline Day: 12 September - Join a day of extraordinary generosity and help children heal from violence and trauma. Find out more.
Ignite conference: a gathering of Catholics for four days of real-world formation, renewal of faith, great people and powerful worship. Join over 2000 high schoolers, young adults, leaders, teachers, priests and religious.
Brisbane: 21-24 September, St Laurence’s College , South Brisbane
Sydney: 28 September – 10 October, Broken Bay Cathedral Precinct, Waitara.
Find out more.