As we a begin a new school year, we extend a warm welcome to the students, staff and families who will form part of our Catholic school communities.

More than 149,000 students, including 11,000 excited Preps will commence this year.

We also welcome two new schools, St Ann’s School at Redbank Plains, opening this week and Woodstock Flexible Learning Centre, in the Gold Coast hinterland, opening later in the year.

Our Year 12 students, along with their peers across other sectors, will be the first cohort to complete the new Queensland Certificate of Education.

Another milestone we will celebrate in 2020 is 175 years since the opening of the first Catholic school in Queensland – a reminder that today’s schools are building on a strong foundation.

I would like to thank all staff for their continued efforts in preparation for another great year and I look forward to seeing the many achievements 2020 will bring.

Photos sourced from Facebook.

Photo above: St Ursula's College, Yeppoon

Photo above: St Ann's School, Redbank Plains

Photo above: Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School, Thursday Island

Photo above: St Joseph's Primary School, Bracken Ridge

Photo above: St Stephen's Catholic Primary School, Pittsworth

Our thoughts and prayers are with Aunty Joan Hendriks, her family, friends and communities after her passing last weekend.

Aunty Joan, Ngugi elder of the Quandamooka people of the Moreton Bay region, worked with many of our Catholic school communities over many decades and was a much valued elder in residence at Lourdes Hill College.

Her work with the National Catholic Education Commission and Australian Catholic University in the field of Aboriginal Education and Reconciliation and Justice has been paramount in highlighting Australian Indigenous identity and faith.

Aunty Joan’s workshops in our schools, churches and local community groups promoted acceptance and understanding, paving the way forward for reconciliation and understanding.

Her legacy will be honoured by QCEC through the annual presentation of the Spirit of Catholic Education Aunty Joan Hendriks Reconciliation Award.

Photo above: Aunty Joan presenting the Spirit of Catholic Education Reconciliation Award named in her honour to 2019 recipient Robyn Bloomfield.

Earlier this month, QCEC’s Chief Operating Officer Chris Woolley and I appeared before the Queensland Parliament’s Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee for a hearing into the Criminal Code (Child Sexual Offences Reform) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2019.

Media focus on this proposed legislation has largely been on the effects of the legislation on the seal of the Confessional.

There are, however, other important aspects to the bill which will affect schools and could be difficult to implement at the local level.

While we support the intent of the legislation, it must be workable in a school context.

As part of our submission we have asked the Queensland Government to consider a review of the complex array of legislation that currently applies in child safety matters.

The committee is due to deliver its report to Parliament next week.

Read QCEC’s submission to the committee here.

Abstracts are being accepted for those looking to take part as presenters at the 2020 National Catholic Education Conference.

Those interested have until 14 February to submit their work which will need to be focused on one of the four streams:

• Catholic Identity and Mission
• Leadership and Governance
• School Improvement
• Communication and Community Engagement

The 2020 NCEC conference The Future is Listening will run from 6-9 September.

Further information can be found on the conference website.

The Queensland Government is establishing a Ministerial Skills Roundtable to assist with improvements in the areas of employment, workforce skills development, and training for quality jobs.

The Roundtable will be chaired by the Minister for Employment and Small Business, and Minister for Training and Skills Development Shannon Fentiman MP, and I have accepted an invitation to join this group.

The first gathering of those invited to join the roundtable was held in December and included discussion of the national VET context and the future focus for jobs in Queensland.

The Catholic education sector has a strong presence in VET in schools and QCEC looks forward to contributing to the discussion of how best to meet future skills demand for Queensland industry.

Bernadette Moodie has recently joined the QCEC Secretariat in the Education team from Mater Dei Primary School in Ashgrove and brings with her considerable expertise in inclusive education and curriculum, particularly in a primary school context.

Bernadette will be working closely with Jeanine  Gallagher supporting our Catholic School Authorities to deepen their understanding of the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on Students with Disability, as well as the State Education Adjustment Program. 

Bernadette will also be responsible for leading and co-ordinating our engagement with the national review of the Australian Curriculum.

Photo above: Bernadette Moodie

EB9 negotiations are continuing and we look forward to positive outcomes in the coming weeks.

Formal negotiations will resume in early February.

These negotiations are important to ensure our school staff are adequately rewarded and that our Catholic schools remain sustainable in the future.

For more information visit the EB website.

Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher Certification

To find out when Assessor Training Programs will commence in 2020, visit the HAT & LT website here.

12 March – Cross Authority New QCE Assessment Forum

Click here to find out more and register.

Missed a Circular? Below is a list of Circulars that have been issued recently. Use your login to access them.


2019 Circulars

139     National compliance manual

140     New legislation impacting schools

141     Teachers suspensions and cancellations

142     NGRSF residual funds for distribution

143     Student Residential Address and Other Collection


2020 Circulars

001     Application for membership for the QCEC Capital Assistance Assessment Committee

002     Ministerial Student Advisory Council

003     Teacher Suspensions and Cancellations

004     Queensland Catholic Schools’ New QCE Forum

005     Training for the NCCD

006     QCEC 2020 NGRSF Workplan

007     Reporting Timetable 1^st Quarter 2020 Update