Dear Colleagues,

Term 2 Welcome

I sincerely hope that the school holiday break provided welcome opportunities to relax, renew and spend quality time with family and friends. I take this opportunity to welcome you to the start of term filled with fresh possibilities and renewed purpose. Each of you brings something truly special to our schools — your passion, creativity, and solid dedication to making a difference in the lives of our young people.

Term 2 is a chance to build on what we’ve started, support each other, and continue creating an environment where staff and students can thrive. Give us a generous spirit to be enthusiastic and courage to accept new opportunities. Inspire us as a community to continue to work together with renewed purpose.

Thank you for all that you do.

Easter Reflection

Over the school holidays, we celebrated the joy of Easter and remain in the Easter Season until the feast of Pentecost. Easter is the great celebration of Jesus' power over death. It is a time to know that in his resurrection, we too can overcome all the 'little deaths' we experience throughout our lives. Those little deaths come at us in the form of our very own suffering when we experience shame, guilt, embarrassment, fear, the consequences of our decisions, and the loss of friends or loved ones.

These 'little deaths' are never welcomed but in them we know the hope that Jesus gave us to overcome and grow into fullness. As Jesus rose to a new kind of life, we are saved in knowing that we can choose to rise to a new kind of life on a daily basis.

Children too, need to know and experience this rising every time life hits them with a little death. We cannot make smooth the pathway for children but we can help them to navigate a course by helping them to name emotions, realise the impact of how they respond to others in the midst of strong feelings and become self-aware human beings.

Hope and the choosing of life gives children healing and helps them to become all that God calls them to be.

ANZAC Day

Like many of you, I joined my community on ANZAC Day to commemorate all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations, and the contribution and suffering of all those who have and continue to actively serve.

Today, we enjoy the freedom won for us by the ANZACS. May we, and those who follow, prove worthy of their sacrifice.

And as we gathered, it was a moment to pause in solidarity not to champion war, but to pray for peace…in our hearts, in our relationships, in our families, our communities, and between all nations and all peoples across the world.

Teacher Scholarship Recipients

On Tuesday, 15 April, Mark Spencer presented the Faith Story Witness course to our Teacher Scholarship recipients. This course introduces the story and vision of our Diocese. The formation day looks at our deep connection with Aboriginal Spirituality, the history and development of Catholic education in Maitland-Newcastle, and the rich charisms found in our schools. Our teacher Scholarship recipients meet twice a year to develop a network and build their capacity as future teachers in our diocese.

Learn more about our Teacher Education Scholarships here: https://www.mn.catholic.edu.au/teacher-education-scholarships/

St Thereses’ Primary School, New Lambton – School Visits

I sincerely thank Sallyanne Stanbridge and her staff for their commitment to our students and the New Lambton school community. Your hard work, passion, and care shape not only the minds of our learners but also their character and future.

Our visit to St Thereses underscored the school's commitment to its dual heritage. The school encourages students and their families to incorporate the values and ideals of the charisms into their daily lives.

Thank you for your vital role in creating a nurturing and inspiring learning environment. As we continue this journey together, I encourage you to take pride in the impact you make every day.

The team had the pleasure to join the Holy Week liturgy led by 6W.

With my best wishes,

Jacqui

The Jubilee Year is now well underway, and our eight Local sites of Pilgrimage are open and ready for visitors.

Collect a passport at any church along the way. Receive an official stamp, and on each page re-affirm the spiritual journey you’ve committed to this Jubilee Year.

An indulgence is on offer with prayer, Eucharist and acts of mercy - just to name a few.

As a one-off special event, Mission & Evangelisation is facilitating an opportunity for people of the Diocese to visit every Church over three days in partnership with each Parish. Join us at one Church, or them all. It's up to you.

Between Friday May 16 - Sunday May 18 each Church will host pilgrims over a few hours. This will be a chance to complete your passport and meet new people along the way.

We hope you and your family might consider joining us.

Click here to register for the Diocesan Local Churches Pilgrimage

System AWTL Module for Category B Staff – Accreditation to Teach

Friday 9^th May 2025 – Murray Room 841 Hunter Street 8.45am-3pm

To be a Catholic educator, one enters into a calling to be builders of the Kingdom (or dream) of God, one lesson, one child, one interaction at a time.  Catholic educators are privileged to ‘be’ the face of Christ, through their sense of inclusion, their joyful embrace of life and their unconditional love for each student.  The whole school culture becomes an opportunity for an encounter with God.

When we understand that the meaning of ‘catholic’ is not just the name of our Church (noun), but a word describing our ‘way’ of being Christian (adjective).  To be catholic, is to to have a ‘sense of the whole’…and to “include all”.  Through their very presence, all staff in our schools contribute to ‘whole-making’ in our school communities and with each child in our care.

The aim of this program is to build on the experience of ‘Module A: Faith Story Witness’ in helping teachers of all ages and subjects to realise the importance of their role in Catholic schools in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle.

Staff will interact with up-to-date research, contemplative dialogue, prayer, and discussion to build on their previous understanding towards a deeper appreciation of their critical role in our Catholic schools.

The Formation Intentions of this day include opportunities for staff to:

1. Reflect on their personal worldview, the worldviews of others, naming and overcoming bias and the understanding the catholic/Catholic worldview.
2. Understand and apply knowledge from sources about the purpose of the Catholic school and the role of the Catholic educator to their role as teachers.
3. Develop a deeper appreciation of the person of Jesus Christ who is “at the heart of everything” to their role in a Catholic system or school.

The Catholic Educator is an AWTL system module for those working towards Category B:  Accreditation to Teach. 

Click here to register or search for “The Catholic Educator (Module B)” on MNPeople

To support the upcoming Curriculum Focus Days and Self-Evaluation Resource, there will be a short one-hour Teams meeting to outline the processes and overview what to expect on the day. These sessions are not mandatory and are open to any person interested in a refresher on CFD and SER. Please join by clicking on the following links on the chosen day:

Term 2, Week 1

Monday 28^th April, 11.15am – 12pm

Registration for CFDs is available through MNPeople. Support documentation, including an overview of the Self Evaluation Resource process, Curriculum Focus Day, planning documents, and CFD questions, are now available through the School Improvement Tile under Curriculum Focus Days.

The Self-Evaluation Resource will be due:

• Primary: 2 weeks prior to Curriculum Focus Day for your region
• Secondary: Tuesday, 24th June (Term 2, Week 9) for all subjects*, unless an earlier date is specified by your school executive.
• Stage 4 Religious Education: 21^st July

Secondary CFD

Primary CFD – Creative Arts Stage 1 + Mathematics Stage 3

Please contact alicia.dibben@mn.catholic.edu.au if you have any questions about the CFD or SER or would like to book a time to meet.

Thank you for your feedback on the new process for onboarding casual staff. We hope this initiative will streamline recruitment across the system.

The new Expression of Interest form for both Teachers and Learning Support Assistants will be available on 14 April in the Casual Careers section of the Catholic Schools website. Please encourage prospective casual staff to complete the form so they can begin the onboarding process.

Schools are welcome to reach out if they require specifically qualified casual staff — I am happy to assist in sourcing educators from our verified lists.

As we move into Term 2, Principals, Assistant Principals, and ClassCover administrators will be invited to join the Maitland-Newcastle Casual Teachers MS Team. Casual staff will also have access to this platform, which will provide resources, guidance, and information about working within the Diocese. This initiative aims to establish a clear line of communication regarding casual staffing. Further details will be sent directly to Principals, Assistant Principals, and ClassCover administrators in Term 2.

Additionally, we strongly encourage ClassCover administrators to manage their school lists, ensuring they accurately reflect the current availability of casual staff. This will support effective recruitment efforts. If you need assistance with ClassCover, please do not hesitate to contact me at ( aaron.campbell@mn.catholic.edu.au ).

Catholic Schools NSW has announced that Ms Anne Hollands, Australia’s National Children’s Commissioner is their keynote speaker for the 2025 CSNSW Early Years Symposium.

This year's symposium will delve into the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 5. They will explore how governments, families, and communities can empower children to exercise their rights effectively as they grow.

Further details and an expression of interest form can be found here.

Date: Thursday, 4 September 2025 (Week 7, Term 3)

Time: 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Venue: The Peter Cosgrove Centre, Level 18, Tenison Woods House, North Sydney

Cost: There will be a cost to attend this event this year

Interested in joining this event and want to be one of the first to hear when registrations open?

Complete the expression of interest and CSNSW will let you know when registrations open, as places will be strictly limited.

Virtual Academy – INNOVATE: Empowering Our Future Thinkers

On Thursday, 10 April, 70 exceptional students from our diocesan Virtual Academy participated in INNOVATE, a full-day immersion into entrepreneurship, AI, and future-focused learning. Hosted at the Q Building, Newcastle Business School, students explored the intersection of innovation, technology, and human-centred design through engaging sessions with leading academics and entrepreneurs.

Highlights included:

• Mentor Walks along the Honeysuckle precinct, enabling students to share their business concepts with HPGE staff mentors
• Interactive sessions with:
• Professor Shah J Miah – Business Analytics & AI
• Dr Timothy Hor – Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Bert Verhoeven – AI-first frameworks and real-world problem-solving
• A guided tour of the Q Building, showcasing the facilities of the University of Newcastle’s world-class Business School

We extend our sincere thanks to our partners at the University of Newcastle and the Newcastle Business School, including Md Lutfur Rahman, Professor Shah J Miah, Dr Timothy Hor, and Bert Verhoeven, for inspiring our next generation of innovators and leaders.

2025 CogAT Administration

As we prepare for the 2025 administration of the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) in term 2 to Years 2, 4, and 7, scheduled testing dates have now been confirmed with all schools.

Resources and Support Available:
A range of professional learning resources is available to support your administration of CogAT via MNConnect – Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) tile or directly via this link:
High Potential and Gifted Education - Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)

Professional Learning Videos:

1. What is CogAT and Ability Data – Why Does it Matter?
2. Understanding the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)
3. Planning for the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)
4. Creating a Test Session in DataManager
5. Administering the Online CogAT

Additional Resources:

• CogAT Administration PowerPoints
• Testing Checklist
• Practice Tests
• Student Online Test Sign-In Link
• DataManager Sign-In Link
• Directions for Online Administration

Administration Support:
HPGE staff will be available to support schools—particularly those new to CogAT or with new GEMs—on at least the first day of testing.

Access and Setup:

• Student Sign-In Codes are uploaded to each School Portal and ready to print
• DataManager setup has been completed; schools should have received an email from Riverside to finalise setup and create a password.

Next Steps:
GEMs should review the instructional videos, check that they can access the DataManager platform and download the student identification codes located on their School Portal. GEMs should set up their Proctor Sessions as per the instructional videos and according to the cohort requirements.. For any NEW student enrolments or if a student is no longer at your school, please email Maree Karaka maree.karaka@mn.catholic.edu.au with the details prior to your testing day and she will make the necessary amendments on the platform.

Upcoming Virtual Academy Events

Semester 1 Digital Tools Online Workshop Week
As part of our Virtual Academy, students will participate in an exciting Digital Tools Workshop Week in Week 1, Term 2. This initiative builds essential 21st-century skills in research, communication, creativity, and self-management.

Students will:

• Select their preferred workshop during upcoming video conferences
• Use the tools to refine their designs for the end-of-semester showcase
• Access these workshops during regular VA video sessions and independent learning time

GEM Term 1 Report Due

A reminder that all GEMs are required to complete the Term 1 GEM Report by Friday, 2nd May (Week 1, Term 2). The link has been emailed to all GEMs.

We value your insights and feedback as we continue to build responsive, effective practices and provisions for our high potential and gifted learners.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to high potential and gifted education. We are excited for what term 2 will bring and are grateful to walk this journey with you.

For questions or support, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

CEnet is delighted to invite you to our national Future: Forward 2025 Conference, a two-day event focused on Artificial Intelligence in Catholic Education. 

This year, we embrace boldness in AI leadership, aiming to bridge gaps, foster innovation, ensure gender equity, and amplify student voices within our educational landscape.

The Future: Forward 2025 conference is designed to bring together decision-makers, theologians, curriculum leaders, educators, and data, IT, and security experts from Catholic education dioceses across the nation. It promises a dynamic blend of hands-on exploration, in-depth discussions, and practical implementation strategies to equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the evolving world of AI in education.

When: 22nd and 23rd May 2025

Where: Campbelltown Catholic Club

Click here to see the agenda and register

Join Steven Payne from Standout Education to help you prepare for your classroom play-along.

In this session, Steven will:

• show you what to expect in the live play-along
• share the educator resources to support your classroom
• provide tips to get the most out of the play-along and the 'Peter Is Here' activities

Click here to register for the educator preparation workshop webinar.

Remember to also sign up for a live play-along with your students: Webinar: LIVE Play-Along - Peter is Here

Dear Assistant Principals

Please see upcoming Professional Learning opportunity to be held on 9th May, 2025.

Click here for course link