As some of you will have already read in the statement from the Commission Chair, Hon. Margaret White AO, I have advised the Bishops of Queensland of my resignation from the role of Executive Director.

After seven-and-a-half years at QCEC, the time is right for me to move on to other challenges and to take a career path that allows more flexibility.

I am fortunate to be able to leave the role at a time of my choosing and knowing that a great team is in place in the Secretariat to ably support the Commission in its work.

I will remain as Executive Director until 27 January 2023, and I look forward to continuing to work with you until then.  

Yesterday I attended a roundtable consultation convened by the Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman on proposed changes to Queensland’s Anti-Discrimination Act.

The changes, which have been proposed in a report from the Queensland Human Rights Commission (QHRC), will potentially impact on the operation of Catholic schools in various ways.

It was a very open and constructive discussion and the Attorney-General committed to further such consultations as the government progresses its considerations of the Review Report. Pleasingly, the timeline for any changes was clarified, with the Attorney-General indicating that there will be a full process of Government response to the review, exposure draft, Parliamentary Committee consideration and many further consultations. These will occur during 2023 with the proposed legislation to be voted on in 2024 for enactment in 2025. I look forward to these further opportunities for us to consult with government on behalf of the sector prior to new legislation being introduced into Parliament.

Access the QHRC review of the Act here.  

The Queensland Government has announced an independent review of the accreditation framework used for non-state schools across the state.

The purpose of the review is to ensure the powers granted to the Non-State Schools Accreditation Board are fit for purpose and that the accreditation legislation supports the provision of high-quality education and promotes public confidence in non-state schools.

The review will consider the regulation of non-state schools in other jurisdictions, assess the powers currently in place, consider the balance between imposing standards and minimising any regulatory burden, and make recommendations for improvements.

QCEC expects close consultation throughout the review, given that the Catholic sector is the largest provider of non-state schooling in Queensland. QCEC will advise of opportunities for Catholic School Authorities to provide input into the review and report as the process progresses. 

The NAPLAN National Report 2022 was released this week with results mostly stable at a national level from 2021 to 2022, apart from a decrease in Year 5 numeracy and Year 9 spelling.

The purpose of the report was to provide nationally comparable data on the national and state and territory results for each test domain and year level assessed, and for each year level by gender, Indigenous status and language background other than English.

In summary, findings showed national level results had defied predictions of drastic falls in performance related to COVID.

When looking at average scores, most long-term trends since 2008 either show steady progress, particularly in primary years, or are stable except for Year 9 spelling.

Over the long term, writing results which had been in decline up to 2018 are turning around, showing an upward trend for Years 5, 7 and 9 since 2019.

Aside from numeracy, the Year 5 results were also pleasing as 2022 was the first year this cohort sat their NAPLAN tests, following the cancellation of NAPLAN in 2020. 

QCEC will provide a presentation to the Commission at its November meeting on the NAPLAN 2022 results including the performance of Queensland Catholic sector students. 

The NAPLAN 2022 data portal is available here.

The recent Federal Budget cemented the election commitments to education funding made by the Government and provides funding certainty for Catholic schools.

It was pleasing to see the commitment to further support for the Non-Government Reform Support Fund.

This funding has been vital for the Catholic sector to support the implementation of initiatives under the National Schools Reform Agreement and we welcome news that the funding will continue into next year and beyond. 

Queensland Catholic kindergarten families are among those set to benefit from free or cheaper kindergarten from 2023 as part of the Queensland Government’s $1 billion investment in kindergarten services.

A new Kindy savings webpage has been launched for families to determine their eligibility for Queensland Government subsidies for services commencing next year. 

There are 29 Catholic kindergartens currently operating across Queensland, delivering a fully accredited program to almost 1,000 children.

Kindy savings resource packs are available for Catholic School Authorities to share with their staff and schools. If you would like to find out more about these materials, contact kindyfunding@qed.qld.gov.au. 

Last week I met with Principals of RI PJP schools at our final gathering for 2022. 

This was an opportunity to discuss current legislative reviews that are occurring, provide updates on national and state policy issues and EB10 matters. 

It was also an opportunity to farewell Robyn Anderson, Lourdes Hill College and Peter Chapman, Edmund Rice Education Australia, and wish them well for the future. 

We ask that any teachers who are considering submitting an application for certification next year complete an online Notice of Intention to Apply for Certification. This form will only take 5-10 minutes to complete and provides the necessary applicant information for planning purposes as well as assisting the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) processes.

It is important that QCT is able to accurately ascertain applicant numbers for 2023 and for QCEC to forward plan the deployment of assessors to undertake the assessment of HAT and LT applicants.

The Notice of Intention to Apply is now open on the HAT and LT Certification website. 

Applications will close at 5.00pm on Monday 14 November 2022. 

QCEC is conducting information sessions in each diocese during November/December on: 

• the capital assistance program, program guidelines and criteria for capital expenditure 
• application eligibility and the application process 
• role of the Capital Assistance Assessment Committee (CAAC) and Capital Assistance Reference Group (CARG) 
• assessment and ranking of applications by the CAAC 
• cost review process undertaken by the CARG 
• appeal mechanisms open to unsuccessful applicants 
• ongoing Conditions of Compliance that apply to successful applicants 
• post-occupancy compliance audits and ongoing compliance requirements post-project completion. 

To register your attendance or for more information click here. 

The Commission has endorsed the theme of Communities of Faith, Hope and Love for Catholic Education Week in 2023.

The continuation of the 2022 theme will give school communities the opportunity to build on their activities and celebrations. 

Updated resources will be available on the Catholic Education Week website early next year. 

The Department of Education will host two Respectful Relationships Education (RRE) Professional Development sessions in November.

The online sessions were developed to assist school communities to navigate updated RRE resources and incorporate new materials into classroom learning from 2023.

Each session will cover information about the new Respect Program and the updated RRE hub. The first session commences on Thursday 3 November from 7.15-8:15am, with the final session scheduled for Tuesday 29 November from 3.30-4:30pm.

Additional professional learning opportunities will be offered in Term 1 2023. For more information, please email Respectful.Relationships@qed.qld.gov.au. 

The winners of the Queensland College of Teachers 2022 TEACHX Awards have been announced.

A special congratulations to Visual Arts Teacher Leanne Shead from St Monica’s College, Cairns, who was among the six outstanding teachers selected for their excellence in the educational sector.

Leanne was awarded the Dr Alan Druery OAM Excellence in Teaching Award. Read more about Leanne’s story here.

Image: TEACHX winner Leanne Shead with students

Teacher Maryann Ebsworth from Columba Catholic College, Charters Towers, recently received the Charles Perkins Memorial Award for Academic Excellence at the University of Sydney.

The Science Middle Leader and Indigenous Education Teacher received the award for her research in 2021 on Aboriginal Language Revitalisation.

Congratulations Maryann on such a wonderful accomplishment. 

Congratulations to four new recently appointed principals: 

Daniel Crump - Stuartholme School, Toowong 
Tricia Howard - Our Lady of Dolours Primary School, Mitchelton 
Jayne Solomon – St Joachim’s Primary School, Holland Park 
Michelle White – St Mary’s Primary School, Maryborough

Congratulations to three Year 12 students from Queensland Catholic schools who were recently awarded the StuditaliA Prize by the Queensland Department of Education and the Consulate of Italy.

Students Jasmine Wu from All Hallows’ School, Brisbane, Louise Whittaker from Ryan Catholic College, Townsville, and Mary Franco from San Sisto College, Carina, received the prize, which recognises students who achieved excellence in Italian language studies.

Students will join a small group of prizewinners on a visit to Italy after finalising their studies.

Image source: Grace Grace MP Facebook page 

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

2022 Circulars 
 
122     AITSL - Disability Standards for Education Workshop - Teacher Nominations 
123     2022 123 Outcomes of CECV Ltd Review 
124     2023 Capital Assistance Round - Important Dates 
125     ACU Turn To Teach proposal 
126     Reporting Timetable 4th Quarter Update 
127     Announcement new Principal Stuartholme School 
128     Workplace Health and Safety Reg 2022 
129     Scholarships and Grants for 2023 
130     Information Sessions - 2023 Capital Assistance Round 
131     Federal Budget 2022-23 
132     Respectful Relationships Education Professional Development Opportunities 
133     2023 Levies 
134     QCEC Commission Chair Announcement 
135     Qld Representative Schools Sport Team Official Applications