Message from the Director

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to Term 3! 

It was great to connect with all our schools yesterday as we began Term 3. I hope the professional learning day was fruitful and provided some time to plan and embed new syllabuses and consolidate our learning of a coherent instructional learning framework using the waterfall chart. 

NAIDOC Week - Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud

2024 NAIDOC Week was celebrated nationwide from 7 - 14 July 2024. The theme for 2024 was Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud. Many of our schools celebrated NAIDOC week at the end of last term with other schools celebrating this term. It was so great to see the many varied and wonderful ways schools celebrated on social media sites. NAIDOC Week provides an opportunity for all of us to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders cultures and histories. It was great to be at St Philomena’s at the start of their NAIDOC Cup Touch game against Moree Secondary College.

On Monday, July 8th, the Armidale Catholic Schools Office celebrated NAIDOC Week with a combined agency liturgy and brunch. We were very fortunate to receive the Conference Message Stick. It was a moving ceremony where we shared the journey of the message stick across our diocese. I then took the Message stick to Catholic Schools NSW for their NAIDOC Week Celebration.

Congratulations 

Congratulations to Dr Justin Matthews who recently completed his doctorate studies. His thesis was titled School Improvement in a Regional, Rural and Remote Diocese : An Exploratory Case Study. This is a fantastic achievement and one very worthy of our acknowledgement. To read Dr Matthews research please go to https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/researcher/8v8wy/justin-matthews and download his report. Congratulations Justin!

Recognition of Service Awards

On the last day of Term 2, I was privileged to attend O’Connor Catholic College’s Founders Day celebrations. During the liturgy I presented Recognition of Service awards to staff members: Jessica Armfield (5 years), Vicki Channon (30 Years), Denise Fitler (30 years) and Jon Hawthorne (35 years). Thank you and congratulations for your service to our young people and our school communities. 

Have a great term 3 and I look forward to visiting many of your during the term.

Regina

In case you missed these during the holidays: