National Catholic Education Commission

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

The eSafety Commissioner is offering a range of free professional learning opportunities for educators and others working with children and young people.

Designed to build confidence in supporting safer online experiences, eSafety's professional learning covers the latest online safety research, case studies, and practical teaching and support strategies.

Upcoming Term 3 hot topic webinars include:

👉 How AI is influencing new online risks for children and young people
👉 Recognising online coercive control in young people's lives
👉 AI-generated images and videos: navigating the deepfake threat

These sessions provide valuable insights and resources to help educators integrate online safety into teaching, learning and student wellbeing programs.

Register for a free webinar and explore the full range of Term 3 professional learning opportunities today 👉 https://bit.ly/3Sb22RN

REGISTER YOUR SCHOOL FOR BULLYING NO WAY Week - 17–21 August 2026

Schools, parents and communities are encouraged to get involved in Bullying No Way this August and help create positive change.

By signing up, participants will receive a free event toolkit packed with customisable resources, creative activity ideas and practical tips to help spread the message and make their involvement a success.

Together, we can build safer, more supportive and inclusive school communities for all students.

Sign up today and be part of the movement: https://www.bullyingnoway.gov.au/bullying-no-way-week/

National Centre for Pastoral Research (NCPR) director Dr Trudy Dantis encouraged all Catholics to tick the “Catholic” box this year, while noting that some may need to identify in a slightly different manner.

READ the full article:
https://mediablog.catholic.org.au/catholics-encouraged-to-identify-themselves-in-the-census/

DOWNLOAD the media release:
https://www.catholic.au/s/article/Catholics-encouraged-to-identify-themselves-in-the-Census

🧡 Refugee Week 2026 | A Million Stories 🧡

This Refugee Week (15–21 June), we celebrate A Million Stories — a reminder that every refugee and migrant brings unique gifts, experiences and hopes for the future.

In Catholic schools, we are called to build a culture of welcome, recognising the dignity of every person made in the image of God. Pope Leo XIV has urged communities to see refugees and migrants not as strangers, but as our brothers and sisters.

Together, we can foster belonging, inclusion and hope for all.



Find out more about Refugee Week https://bit.ly/3QEz504

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PLAY

"Protect Play, Protect Childhood" is the theme of this year's International Day of Play, highlighting the importance of ensuring every child has opportunities to play, learn and thrive.

Today is a global reminder that play is far more than recreation – it is a fundamental right of every child and an essential part of healthy development, wellbeing and learning.

UNICEF highlights the important role play has in helping children build creativity, resilience, confidence, friendships and a sense of belonging. In Catholic schools, these experiences are an important part of educating the whole person – nurturing students academically, socially, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

Across Catholic schools, play, sport and collaborative learning help students develop their God-given gifts and reach their full potential. On International Day of Play, we celebrate the joy of childhood and our commitment to supporting every child to flourish.

Find resources for parents, schools and educators on UNICEF's International Day of Play website. https://bit.ly/3PXrBVP

Today and tomorrow the National Catholic Education Commission Student Wellbeing Network is meeting at the offices of the Victorian Catholic Education Authority - VCEA in Melbourne.

A two day program looking at student wellbeing issues including expert sessions from Jesuit Social Services, Monash University and
The University of Melbourne as well as rich discussions about the complexity of wellbeing issues for the students across our schools.

So wonderful to have all our state and territories represented as we dive into the challenges our young people are facing and the role of education in helping students navigate their wellbeing to benefit their learning, their development and their relationships.

Thank you Dr Hannah Faye Orchard, Alyssa O'Sullivan and Andrew Long for organising our agenda.

hashtag hashtag

POSITION ADVERTISED.

Catholic Education Tasmania has commenced recruitment for a new FULL TIME MANAGER: FIRST NATIONS EDUCATION.

This important leadership role will provide system-wide direction for First Nations Education across 39 Catholic schools and colleges throughout Tasmania, supporting improved outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, strengthening engagement with students, families, Elders and communities, and leading a statewide team and network of educators.

The position offers an opportunity to help shape and advance culturally responsive education across the Catholic education sector in Tasmania.

Further information and the application package are available via the Catholic Education Tasmania Careers website https://bit.ly/4xjiMWS

Applications close Wednesday 24 June 2026.

The NCEC welcomes Alison Forster as the new Executive Officer of Catholic Schools Catholic School Parents Australia. Congratulations on your appointment.

🎉Appointment Announcement 🎉

Catholic School Parents Australia is delighted to welcome Alison Forster as our new Executive Officer.

With a career dedicated to Catholic education since 1996, Alison brings a wealth of experience in leadership, advocacy and supporting families at every stage of their child’s learning journey. Most recently serving as Director of Catholic Early Learning and Care in the Diocese of Cairns, Alison is well placed to lead CSPA into its next chapter.

We look forward to the positive impact of her work across our national community. 💙

https://cspas.schoolzineplus.com/newsletter/article/146

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S UPDATE

NAPLAN data and its role in education

As NAPLAN data becomes available to schools and parents in the coming months, amidst various media articles and commentaries that translate data into indicators of success and areas for improvement, there will inevitably be conversations about data and its purpose and value in informing families, teachers, and schools. Data cannot answer questions for us, but it is a valuable tool for us in doing so.

There are some who criticise the imperfection of NAPLAN, such as it being merely a point-in-time measure. But NAPLAN is a valuable source of data for teachers and parents to help identify and support students who require intervention and targeted assistance; it better informs decisions. It sits alongside the various measures and assessments that schools use to ensure our students are developed academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.

At these times, it is worth remembering that transparent reporting and clear data add to our ability to best educate our children. It is important to measure progress, and it is important in improving decisions. It is also essential to a core principle of Catholic education: parental and family choice in education.

Parents and carers must be free to choose education based on their values and aspirations. The more information that informs these choices, the more it helps families make decisions about their child’s education and allows them to find the right fit for their family.

The Hon. Scott Ryan
Executive Director
National Catholic Education Commission

Sign up for the NCEC E-newsletter by going to https://ncec.catholic.edu.au/ and hit "Subscribe' at the top right-hand corner of the Home Page.

🏅 CATHOLIC EDUCATION LEADERS RECOGNISED IN KING’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS

**Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that the story in the link contains an image and references to a person who has passed away**

Three leaders whose work helped shape Catholic education in Australia have been recognised in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours.

🎖️ Geoffrey Joy received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), honouring a lifetime of service to Catholic education, including his leadership as Executive Director of Catholic Education- Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn from 1993 to 2006.

🎖️Michele McDonald received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) recognising her significant service to education. As Assistant Director of Learning Services with the Catholic Schools, Diocese of Lismore she supports learning and teaching across 45 Catholic schools from Port Macquarie to Tweed Heads

🖤 The late Professor Peter Buckskin AM PSM was posthumously appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his outstanding contribution to education, Indigenous leadership and reconciliation. Among his most significant contributions to Catholic education was his leadership of the national More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teachers Initiative (MATSITI), which sought to address the under-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers in Australian schools.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4eg0Nbk

📸 Photo: Geoffrey Joy with Archbishop Francis Carroll (Catholic Voice); Michelle McDonald (Catholic Schools Diocese of Lismore)