Our Diocesan Community - March 2013 1 - Catholic Diocese of ...

Catholic Education welcomes in a new year
A NEW VISION FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION OFFICE BALLARAT (CEOB)
During 2012, the Catholic Education Office Ballarat - in liaison with the Ballarat Diocesan Schools Advisory Council (BDSAC) and school
leaders from across the diocese - re-defined our vision of service and leadership. It is to this new vision that each CEOB staff member
has made a commitment in 2013 – and we look forward to aligning our work more fully with the new vision as the year unfolds.
VISION
With Jesus Christ as our source, the Catholic Education Office Ballarat strives, through service and leadership:
• to nurture respectful and trusting relationships,
• to facilitate learning that builds capacity and promotes flourishing,
• to enable effective stewardship.
BEGINNING OF SCHOOL YEAR MASS 2013
Principals, teachers and support staff from the seventeen Primary and three Secondary schools in the local Ballarat area, gathered with
staff from St Alipius Catholic Kindergarten, the Australian Catholic University, the Catholic Education Office and the Diocesan Office to
begin the 2013 school year. Bishop Paul commissioned all who attended the Mass, asking them to support Catholic Education and all
who have a role in this important aspect of our Church life. The Mass was con-celebrated with Priests of Ballarat who were encouraged
to continue to sustain the staff, students and parents in each of our Catholic schools.
In his Homily, Bishop Paul reminded us that “The Scriptures teach us that if we ask for wisdom, all the other gifts we need will be given
to us as well.” For as we heard in our first reading today from the Book of Wisdom: "I prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded
and the spirit of wisdom came to me. I deemed riches nothing in comparison with her. Beyond health and beauty I loved her. Yet all
good things came to me with wisdom, and countless riches at her hands." As teachers and those who work in education, we should be
asking for the wisdom to guide our students in their life journeys.
This gathering of staff involved in Catholic education was one of a number of such gatherings around the Diocese. It is an important time
to welcome and commit Staff who are new to our schools. It is also a time for those who have been involved in Catholic Education for
some time to reflect upon the important role that each one plays in the lives of young people in our schools.
At the various celebrations across our Diocese, we welcomed the following Principals in 2013 and wish them every blessing in their
school leadership:
• Catherine (Kate) Harney, St Patrick’s Primary School, Stawell
• Margaret Timms and Noreen McLeish (Co-Principals), Sacred Heart Primary School, Casterton
• Michael Mahoney, St Mary’s Primary School, Colac
• Michael O'Riley, St Francis Xavier Primary School, Ballarat East
• Paul Delahunty, St Patrick’s Primary School, Nhill
• Peter Morgan, Emmanuel College, Warrnambool
• Sonia Turner, St Augustine’s Primary School, Maryborough
• Vince Muscatello, St Paul’s Primary School, Mildura
New staff members were also welcomed to the Catholic Education Office
• Tony Perkins – Educational Consultant – Primary
• Kevin Cummins – Education Officer – ICT
• Jesse McCluskey – Speech Pathologist
• Leesa Battistello – Religious Education Officer – Primary
• Carmel McCormick - Religious Education Officer – Primary
• Jo-anne Van Der Voort - Religious Education Officer – Primary
• Jim Waight - Religious Education Officer – Primary
We wish to take this opportunity to hope and pray that each of us, whether new to our role or one who has been in a role for some time,
will be people Journeying together in Faith and in Grace.
Peter Kerwan and Susan Crowe - Catholic Education Ballarat
Working together for the system
Four education leaders from our diocese are participants in a new Masters in
Educational System Leadership being offered by Australian Catholic University.
During January, Audrey Brown (Director of Catholic Education), Julie Duynhoven
(Manager, Finance and Administration, Catholic Education Office), Daniel
Gooch (Principal, St Mary’s School, Donald) and Leigh Mitchell (Assistant
Director of Catholic Education), joined a cohort of school and system leaders
from across Australia at a summer school in Sydney to commence the study.
The week-long residential enabled participants to reflect on their leadership,
explore how school and system leaders can work more effectively to maximize
student learning and discern how they might address the challenges facing
Catholic education now and in the future. Project work for the course will engage
participants in problem solving with leaders from other states and overseas.
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Our Diocesan Community - March 2013