2025 Spirit of Catholic Education Awards
DOBCEL is proud to continue to sponsor an award process recognising the outstanding service and leadership within Catholic education throughout our Diocesan school communities, and Catholic Education Office.
In 2025, the awards align with the DOBCEL Strategy 2035 strategic priorities, which are positioned to support the DOBCEL vision “as partners in Catholic Education and open to God’s presence, we pursue fullness of life for all.”
Guided by the vision, and the DOBCEL Strategy 2035 we will move towards the strategy and commonly agreed intentions through three practical principles:
- Deeper collaboration
- Networked local innovation
- Collective autonomy and agency
At least one award recipient will be selected, with a maximum of three awards each year. Award recipients will be presented during the Catholic Education Week Dinner. All nominees will be acknowledged.
All DOBCEL employees are encouraged to nominate an individual or team who consistently performs in an exemplary way. Nominees can be from a school in the Diocese of Ballarat or the Catholic Education Office.
Award criteria
Nominations can be submitted for any of the following six categories:
- Catholic Identity
- Collaborative Cultures
- Engagement and Belonging
- School as Community
- Rich Pedagogical Practices for Deeper Learning and Wellbeing
- Sustainable Stewardship
Key Dates
- Nominations open – NOW
- Nominations close – Friday 28 March 2025
- Nominees announced – Wednesday 30 April 2025
- Winners announced – Catholic Education Week Dinner – Friday 30 May 2025
Selection Panel
The task of the selection panel is to research each nomination and identify the most outstanding candidate/s in the five categories. All recommended award recipients will be forwarded to the Executive Director.
The panel will consist of:
- Manager Organisational Development – Panel Chair (no voting rights);
- Catholic Education Team representative – panel member; Matt Byrne
- Stewardship team representative – panel member; Jo Huntley
- Business Services representative- panel member; Donna Mason
Nomination Form
Each nomination should describe, in 500 words or less, how the nominee/s have demonstrated one or more of the practical principles: deeper collaboration; networked local innovation; or collective autonomy and agency, in service of the respective nomination category.
Tips for Nomination
A well-crafted nomination that effectively highlights the nominee’s achievements, leadership qualities, and impact against the award criteria is crucial to understand how the nominee is exemplary in the award category.
To best represent the achievements and contribution of your nominee, refer to the image below. Click here to open the pdf version.
2024 Spirit of Catholic Education Awards
Outstanding contributors to Catholic education in the Diocese of Ballarat were recognised with Spirit of Catholic Education Awards and 30 Year Service Awards presented at the Catholic Education Week Awards Dinner in May 2024.
Three outstanding educators received the Spirit of Catholic Education Award, chosen from 17 wonderful nominees from across the diocese.
For the complete list of winners and nominees, and to learn more about their incredible work, visit the link below.
