DOBCEL Early Career Teacher sessions Term 4
1st Year Early Career Teachers
📆 Date: Wednesday, 11 November 2026
⏰ Time: 2:15pm – 3:15pm
💰FREE
📍Online (link will be provided once registered)
Click here to register.
2nd/3rd Year Early Career Teachers
📆 Date: Monday, 26 November 2026
⏰ Time: 2:15pm - 3:15pm
💰FREE
📍Online (link will be provided once registered)
Click here to register.
The purpose of the Term 4 sessions for both the first year and second / third year cohorts is to provide an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the year, while strengthening connections with fellow early career teachers through networking and collaboration.
We will also continue our focus on educator wellbeing through sessions delivered in partnership with Be You, the national mental health and wellbeing initiative led by Beyond Blue.
Please contact Julie Cooper or James Murphy for more information.
Expression of interest – Sounds-Write training
Siena Catholic Primary School is offering a 4-day training program in Sounds-Write, a highly effective Structured Synthetic Phonics program. This training will equip educators with the skills and knowledge to implement a research-based approach to teaching reading and spelling. There will be both a focus on F-2 training.
Sounds-Write facilitator: Jacinda Vaughan
Training dates: 8, 9, (10- real time teaching day across the school observation) 11 and 12 February 2027. Wednesday is a training free day - no payment required. The reason being is so that we can provide staff with a brain break in what is an intensive training schedule.
Location: Siena Catholic Primary School, 150 Eleanor Dr, Lucas
Cost: $1,089 for the program plus catering $80, across the four days of training.
We invite expressions of interest from all who are keen to attend by registering via the link and adding names/ contact details to the Registration Document. To express your interest or have any questions answered, please contact principal@slucas.catholic.edu.au.
Sacred Heart Mildura achieves Flare Primary Literacy Lighthouse Accreditation
Congratulations to the team at Sacred Heart Primary School in Mildura on their recent decision to become an accredited Flare Primary Literacy Lighthouse School.
As a Lighthouse School, Sacred Heart will play an important role in bringing the Flare approach to life, road-testing the methodology and working alongside the Flare team to explore, refine and share effective literacy practices. Through collaboration, professional learning and a shared focus on improving outcomes for every student, the school will help shine a light on what high-quality literacy teaching can look like in practice.
A heartfelt thank you to Mark, Breeana, Christine, Sophie and the entire Sacred Heart team for their unwavering commitment to continuous improvement.
Catholic Network Australia's Christmas Design Challenge
Forget the blackline master colouring-in copies this Christmas season...
Bring the Christmas story to life through creativity, digital design and storytelling!
This Christmas, CNA is inviting students in Years 3–12 from Catholic schools across Australia to create a digital Christmas card that creatively shares the Christmas story with their chosen audience.
Students will combine text, imagery, animation and sound, bringing together Religious Education and Digital Literacy while exploring the possibilities of digital storytelling in Canva. Teachers can have access to on-demand resources, Drop-in Q&A Workshop, and support to help you and your students get started.
Key dates:
- 9 November | 3pm AEDT | Drop-in Q&A Workshop
Have a question or need some help? Join us live. - 25 November | 5pm AEDT | Submissions Due
Submit up to 5 entries per class to be part of the showcase. - 30 November | 1–2pm AEDT | Live Showcase & Celebration
Join us as we celebrate and showcase digital Christmas cards created by students across Australia.
Can’t make the dates? You can still take part!
We know school and end-of-term calendars look different across our schools. You don’t need to submit an entry to participate. Access the on-demand resources and complete the challenge at a time that works for your students. We simply ask that you register your interest, even if you don’t plan to submit an entry, so we can capture and celebrate participation from Catholic schools across Australia.
Any questions please reach out to Rebecca:
rebecca.sherriffs@cna.catholic.edu.au
Book now for Term 1 - Primary Mathematics Leaders' Network 2027
Primary Mathematics Leaders across our Diocese is focused on uniting school leaders providing a dedicated framework needed to align system-wide practices, establish consistent expectations, and ensure every primary classroom is backed by high-quality curriculum design.
Joining the Leaders’ Network in 2027 enables leaders to actively drive system-level enablers - from whole-school planning and early intervention to targeted, high-impact professional learning. Engaging directly with this scope of work allows our Maths Leaders to move beyond fragmented approaches, ensuring that positive learner identity, agency, and academic progress are systematically supported across all our schools. Together, we can transform these shared insights into measurable excellence and sustainable achievement for all primary students across the Diocese.
Here is a video from Mel Kupper of St Patrick's Primary School, Nhill: