Year of prayer
Pope Francis has designated 2024 a ‘Year of Prayer’ in preparation for next year’s Jubilee Year. The Year of Prayer will be ‘dedicated to rediscovering the great value and absolute need for prayer in one’s personal life, in the life of the Church, and in the world,’ Pope Francis said.
‘I ask you to intensify your prayer to prepare us to live this event of grace well and to experience the power of God’s hope. That is why today we begin a Year of Prayer,’ he said in his Angelus address on 21 January.
The Dicastery for Evangelisation will publish resources to help Catholic communities participate in the Year of Prayer. The Jubilee Year of Hope begins on 24 December 2024 and concludes on 6 January 2026.
A jubilee, which has Biblical roots, is a special year of grace and pilgrimage in the Catholic Church.
Free new resources abound
The Commonwealth government is investing $3.5 million to help teachers manage classrooms through a range of free, evidence-based resources. The ‘Engaged Classrooms’ resources were developed by the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) in consultation with teachers and classroom management expert Dr Tim McDonald.The first set of resources is available here.
The Australian Institute for teaching and school leadership (AITSL) has also released a number of resources aimed at supporting teachers in different stages in their careers, across a range of settings. You can find them here.
The Mastery in Mathematics Term 1 lesson resources are now available for the Australian and Victorian Curricula for Years 7 and 8, along with curriculum maps and professional learning resources. They are provided by the National Catholic Education Commission with Ochre Education.
With the warmer months on us, it’s timely to remind students of the dangers of UV rays and the importance of sun safety. The new Sun and UV at School skin cancer resources will assist primary and secondary school students to make healthy, safe, and proactive choices regarding sun protection to reduce their risk of skin cancer into the future. Access teaching and learning materials here.
Meanwhile, The National Allergy Council has updated the best practice guidelines for anaphylaxis prevention and management in schools and children’s education and care services. The National Allergy Council’s Allergy Aware resource hub includes the best practice guidelines and supporting resources developed by the National Allergy Council, along with a range of other evidence-based, best-practice resources developed by ASCIA and Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia.
Parish profiles to help Catholics better serve their local communities
More than a thousand profiles of Catholic parishes across Australia have been published, including data on educational background and attendance at educational institutions.
The parish ‘social profiles’ draw on data captured in the 2021 Australian Census and examine the Catholic and local population within parish boundaries.
The reports provide statistics on a range of demographic measures, including age, sex and country of birth, that present the evolving nature of Catholic parishes.
They also contain important information on the language people speak at home, the make-up of their families and households, their income levels, occupation, and employment status.
Find your parish report here. Read more here.
Working towards a safer internet
Next Tuesday (6 February) is Safer Internet Day. It’s a global initiative to raise awareness of online safety issues, led by the eSafety Commissioner in Australia.
The Safer Internet Day’s message is to take three simple actions when approaching online safety: Connect. Reflect. Protect. You can download the campaign kit and classroom resources here.
In brief
The Catholic Church in Australia celebrates Word of God Sunday on the first Sunday in February each year. A number of resources to commemorate Word of God Sunday are available from Catholic Australia.
Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop of Perth Timothy Costelloe as a consultor of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops. The appointment is in conjunction with Archbishop Costelloe’s concurrent appointments as a Member of the Preparatory Commission, and as one of the nine President Delegates to the Synod. Read more.
Seventy-six Year 12 graduates from Catholic schools across WA have been recognised as Catholic Education Western Australia Ltd’s (CEWA) high achievers for 2023. The award recipients included those students who achieved an Australian Tertiary Admission Ranking (ATAR) of 99 and above, as well as those who received a Pinnacle Award from the School Curriculum and Standards Authority in ATAR and VET pathways.
What’s On
Bookings for Deadly Learners programs are now open: The programs support STEM learning opportunities for Indigenous students. To schedule a workshop, use the new online booking platform. You can also submit a request for up to $500 towards resources for your classroom for 2024 here. If you want to support the cause, you can purchase DeadlyScience resources and books here. Every purchase contributes to our mission of promoting STEM education for Indigenous learners.
Neurodiversity Celebration Week (18 – 24 March): Find the 2024 Events Schedule
and 2024 social media pack here.
E-Safety commissioner professional learning program for teachers: Free professional learning designed for educators and others working with children and young people. Find the program of events and opportunities here.
ADHD Foundation Australia Online ADHD Educational Series Term 1, 2024: Leading a Neurodiverse Classroom Book early seats limited, 28 Feb.
March 2024: Supporting children and young people with a dual diagnosis of ADHD and Autism; and Supporting Executive Functioning in the Classroom.
Find the full program of events here.