Lumen Christi Primary School, Delacombe Lumen Christi Primary School has successfully upgraded to SIMON and Microsoft Business Central, two integrated digital platforms that streamline school administration and finance. For Kristy Callanan, Finance Officer at Lumen Christi, the move has been a positive step forward for staff and families alike.   Modernising School Systems After years of using older software, the school embraced the opportunity to move to cloud-based platforms. SIMON, an Australian system designed for schools, manages student learning, attendance, reporting, and communication in one place. Business Central supports finance and operations, helping staff process transactions efficiently and accurately. “Staff have been very positive. Everyone has been happy with…

DOBCEL is proud to offer Early Career Incentives bonus payments for graduate teachers commencing their careers in DOBCEL schools. What’s on offer? ✅ $5,000* graduate sign-on bonus ✅ $10,000* graduate sign-on bonus in identified remote or small schools *Pro-Rata payment for part-time Additional for remote and small schools: ✅ $5,000 relocation support ✅ $9,629 annual remote allowance (paid fortnightly for 3 years) – Equivalent to POL 3 (CEMEA) – Indexed annually Limited funding available. Application Link: ECIP2026 Applications open 17 October – 14 December 2025. For more information, kindly contact James Murphy or Vicki Dekker.

The Diocese of Ballarat Catholic Education Limited (DOBCEL) has welcomed the offer made by Catholic school employers across Victoria to deliver a minimum 7% wage rise for all Catholic school staff from the start of the 2026 school year, along with significant improvements to employment conditions. The proposal, developed by Catholic school employers through the Victorian Catholic Education Authority (VCEA), demonstrates a shared commitment to valuing and supporting staff across Victoria’s 333 Catholic schools. DOBCEL Executive Director, Mr Tom Sexton, said the offer represents an important step toward a fair and forward-looking agreement that reflects what matters most to Catholic education communities. “This offer reflects what matters most to our…

We are excited to announce that DOBCEL has joined CEnet, Catholic education’s not-for-profit technology services organisation, giving our schools access to a national network of 18 dioceses and more than 370,000 students and staff across Australia. For our schools, this means stronger, more reliable and cost-effective digital services that support teaching, learning and administration. CEnet’s collaborative model combines the benefits of scale with the flexibility for local solutions, helping us deliver engaging, innovative learning for students and valuable support for staff. “Joining CEnet marks an exciting step forward for Catholic education in the Diocese of Ballarat,” said Paul Jans, DOBCEL’s Assistant Director, Business Services. “These high-quality, collaborative technology services will strengthen our schools’…

St James Primary School Celebrates Collaborative Research on Digital Play In celebration of the collaboration St James has with Deakin University, ACMI, and the Australian Research Council , the amazing work we have done in Digital Technology has now been  published. Please see the Digital Play Report Digital Play Report FINAL 12 May 2025 Web.  This research project builds from the existing long-term partnership between Deakin University and St James Primary School, Sebastopol, where researchers, teachers and students continue to explore and extend understandings of digital play. St James has a long-standing commitment to implementing a play-based learning approach through all year levels within the school. More recently, the school…

We were delighted to announce the winners of the 2025 Spirit of Catholic Education Awards, during the Catholic Education Week Dinner on Friday, 30 May. These prestigious awards honour individuals and teams who exemplify the values and mission of Catholic education through their dedication, leadership, and service. Chosen from a remarkable group of 15 nominees across the Diocese, this year’s winners have demonstrated exceptional commitment to fostering faith, community, and excellence. Congratulations to the following 2025 Spirit of Catholic Education Award Winners – Carmel Hanley, Lumen Christi Primary School Delacombe, Principal Nominated for: SCHOOL AS COMMUNITY Chris Young, Catholic Education Ballarat, Team Leader: Payroll Nominated for: COLLABORATIVE CULTURES Jacinta Skilbeck (Director Faith & Mission), Natasha Cummings (Social Justice…

DOBCEL is delighted to share the wonderful news that Cathy Duynhoven, Business Manager at St Joseph’s Primary School, Warrnambool, has been named the winner of the 2025 Dunlop Sisters Professional Development Award, presented by Enquiry Tracker. Now in its second year, the Enquiry Tracker Dunlop Sisters Award recognises the leadership, service, and professional growth of women in education across Australia. The award honours the legacy of the four Dunlop sisters – lifelong educators and the inspiration behind Enquiry Tracker founders Antony and Gregory Campitelli. Cathy’s recognition is a testament to her unwavering commitment to Catholic education, her deep care for her school community, and her leadership that consistently reflects the…

On Thursday, 8 May, educators from across the Diocese of Ballarat gathered both in person and online for a professional learning session focused on supporting schools in the selection of a Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) program. With representation from each of the four zones, the session aimed to deepen understanding of effective phonics instruction and its vital role in early reading success. The session aligned with DOBCEL’s commitment to a 10-year Primary Literacy Strategy, delivered through Flare. This strategy supports schools by providing: Tailored professional development for primary educators A knowledge-rich literacy curriculum with aligned resources and assessments Systems to track student progress and provide effective interventions Strong literacy leadership…

Today, school leaders from across the Ballarat Diocese took part in a dynamic full-day workshop focused on building confidence and capacity to lead Consent and Respectful Relationships education. Hosted by the VCEA in partnership with Jesuit Social Services, the session offered practical tools, rich discussion, and a shared commitment to fostering respectful, inclusive school cultures. Held at Red Lion, the event brought together leaders from both primary and secondary schools. DOBCEL Deputy Director: Catholic Education, Matthew Bryne, says “This professional learning is another great opportunity to grow our capacity to respond to complex questions about relationships and sexuality from the perspective of the Catholic tradition. Educators do amazing work in educating to…

DOBCEL’s 2025 Network Collaboration Days are off to a powerful start, with two energising sessions already held in the Central and Southern Zones — marking a significant milestone in our journey toward DOBCEL 2035. Last Thursday, nearly 500 staff gathered at the Mercure Ballarat for the first session in the Central Zone. Just days later, staff from across the Southern Zone came together at St Joseph’s Primary School in Warrnambool. Both events centred around the themes of connection, collaboration, and reimagining the future of education through the bold vision of the DOBCEL 2035 Strategy. Participants were inspired by the insights of educational leaders and thought partners — Professor Pasi Sahlberg…