School Register of Missed Counselling Days

Principals are reminded of the critical importance of ensuring that any missed days of student counselling are recorded on the School Register of Missed Counselling Days. This is necessary to ensure that all schools receive their full entitlement of counselling days and that our system of schools is credited as appropriate for any missed days that are unable to be made up. Thank you for your assistance.

Employee Assistance Program

Armidale Catholic Schools Office has engaged EAP providers Centacare New England North West and Acacia EAP to provide counselling on a totally impartial and confidential basis. Professional fees for the first six sessions with a counsellor will be covered by the Armidale Catholic Schools Office. If you live or work in an area where there is no Centacare office, it is possible a counsellor may be able to travel to your town. On most occasions the service is available to employees after school hours or in your own time during holidays. Acacia EAP offers counselling services in person, over the phone, via video and live chat.

Acacia EAP Brochure

Centacare brochure

Influenza Vaccination Reimbursement 2024

As a health and safety measure for staff of the Armidale Catholic Schools System, the reimbursement of the cost of influenza vaccine has been approved once again. This offer covers the cost of the vaccine only (up to a maximum of $30) and does not include the cost of the visit to a medical practitioner.

To claim reimbursement for vaccination complete the 2024 Flu Vaccination Claim Form available here and forward the receipt for the vaccine and completed claim form to Conrad Post at the Catholic Schools Office email accountspayable@arm.catholic.edu.au

For more information on influenza vaccination go to the NSW Health website

UniSuper Supporting Catholic Schools Week 2024

We thank UniSuper for their continued support of Catholic Schools Week across our diocese! To find out more about their services click here.

NSW Government funded study tours

The NSW Premier's Teacher Scholarships provide $10,000 or $15,000 for a five-week study tour within Australia or abroad. The scholarships, funded by corporate supporters and private foundations, are open to permanent and temporary teachers in NSW government and non-government schools, on TAFE NSW campuses and across early childhood centres. Scholarships are awarded in the year prior to the study tour.

The majority of scholarships are for school-based teachers to explore best practice in their chosen focus area. The program delivers significant outcomes for scholarship recipients, students, teacher colleagues and school communities. The NSW Premier's Teacher Scholarships program is an initiative of the NSW Premier's Department and is administered by the NSW Department of Education.

Applications are made directly to NSW Government and close 11:59pm (AEST), Friday, 3 May 2024.

Link to application

COMPASS Outage - 10/5/24 - 12/5/24

A notice from COMPASS

SCHEDULED SYSTEM MAINTENANCE – FRIDAY 10TH MAY, 2024 06.00PM TO SUNDAY 12TH MAY, 2024 05.00PM AEST

At Compass, our priority is to ensure we maintain a high standard of quality assurance, while also striving to deliver significant improvements to the platform. As a result, we wish to advise that the Compass Platform Operations team will be undertaking system maintenance on all Compass portals at the above date and time.

Unfortunately, users will not have access to the Compass portal during this period. Therefore we will endeavour to undertake system maintenance in the shortest timeframe and at times of least inconvenience to the user.

National Careers Week

National Careers Week is an initiative of the Career Industry Council of Australia and aims to celebrate careers, career development, career development services, and career development practitioners.

There are a number of resources that can be found from: https://careersweek.com.au/about-ncw/

Free Webinars from My Future Events:

1. Introduction to myfuture: Key features and resources - Tuesday 14 May 2024, 1:00pm (AEST). Register here

2. Career education for social justice and equity - Tuesday, 14 May 2024, 7:00pm (AEST). Register here

3. Quality career Education in schools: An introduction to key principles and practice - Wednesday 15 May, 1:00pm (AEST). Register here

4. Accessible, effective, and equitable careers and study information for low socio-economic students - Thursday, 16 May 2024, 12:00pm (AEST). Register here

Northwest Careers Expo

Northwest Regional Careers Expo will be held Wednesday 15th May 2024 at TRECC, Greg Norman Drive, Tamworth. More information and registrations can be found at https://nwrce.org.au/

Tamworth Agricultural Careers Expo

The Tamworth Agricultural Careers Expo is a biennial event which offers young people and their parents across the NSW rural regions the opportunity to investigate options for post school career options with a focus on Agricultural career and tertiary education opportunities.This is held at Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School in Tamworth on

6th June, 2024.

Use this link to register your interest

National Simultaneous Storytime

National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. Now in its 24th successful year, it is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy, using an Australian children's book that explores age-appropriate themes, and addresses key learning areas of the National Curriculum for Foundation to Year 6.

The event is FREE, and will be held on Wednesday 22nd May this year. Head to the website for more information and to register your school or class group.

2024 HSC Booster Days

Save the date: UNE is again hosting HSC Booster Days on 12th and 13th June, 2024. Registration and Session details to come. Please contact Briony Looker for more details blooker4@une.edu.au

New Feature in SORA

SORA, the digital library platform, now has a read-aloud feature. Users need to highlight a word or paragraph and select the Read to Me option to use the feature.

Find out more about the read-aloud feature here, and other accessibility features available in SORA with this link.

Aspiring Middle Leaders Course (Nesa Registered)

The Aspiring Middle Leaders Program is for teachers wishing to explore the future career pathways of middle leadership. Leaders wanting to brush up on their interview/application skills are invited to participate as well.

In participating in this program, you will develop a deepened understanding of the transition from classroom teacher to a ‘leader of teachers’. This program will support successful navigation of the recruitment process.

This program includes:

3 x online workshop sessions from 3:15pm - 5:15pm.

Cohort 2: August 1, 8, 15

Registration: HERE

2024 Students as Authors Writing Competition

The 2024 Students As Authors Writing Competition is now open. Regina Menz will judge the competition this year, and the theme is Future Worlds. Schools can download a PDF copy of the promotional poster here, to print and circulate with school communities digitally.

The competition is designed to give students an authentic purpose and audience for their writing and provide an opportunity to showcase the writing talents of our students through publication to SORA, the digital library. Please support students to enter their work via the QR code embedded in the promo poster.

The competition will close June 14th.

Inclusion News

2024 How to interpret the SSSR guide