A Message from the Executive Director

Dear Parents and Carers

Welcome to Issue 6 2023 of Parent Talk. 

This month, Wayne Davie, Chair CCSP, and I have continued meeting with directors of dioceses about the data received in the recent Catholic School Parents Australia Student Wellbeing and Learning survey, talking them through the feedback provided and highlighting any issues that were identified.

We have also finalised our Annual Report 2022, which you can read on our website here.

Much of the Secretariat’s time the last few weeks was spent organising our annual combined meeting with the invaluable help of two of our congregational schools Councillors, Anne Fehon and Olwyn Connelly. This meeting was held on 31 August and 1 September, and brought together members of the CCSP Council and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee.

The meeting was hosted by Headmaster Michael Blake at St Joseph’s College Hunters Hill and was attended by special guests and speakers including the Apostolic Nuncio for Holy See, Archbishop Charles Balvo, who addressed the meeting on Thursday 31 August, and celebrated Mass afterwards.

'The theme of our meeting, Connecting for Growth, was indicative of our aim to reach all parents and families in our Catholic schools in NSW and the ACT. We were proud to hold our annual combined meeting at a congregational school, which was a first for CCSP, and we welcomed leaders in education including from ACU, CSNSW and the Federation of Religious Institute and Ministerial PJP Catholic School Authorities in NSW and ACT,' said CCSP Chair Wayne Davie.

We sincerely thank all those who attended. This meeting was an opportunity for the CCSP Council and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee to gather and affirm our commitment to Catholic education, parents and carers as well as the leaders and staff from CSNSW to each diocese and school across NSW and the ACT.

Around our dioceses, schools gathered with parents to continue to develop relationships and involve parents and carers in the life of the school. Have a look at some beautiful photographs from Armidale and Canberra and Goulburn dioceses in the article Around the Dioceses.

We remind you that the 2023 Roger O’Sullivan Award is open for entries from Catholic schools. CCSP provides this annual grant of $5000 to a school to continue a school-parent partnership project. Find out more here. We can’t wait to see your entries and find out how your school has bridged the gap between home and school, and enhanced student outcomes in faith development, learning and wellbeing of students.

The next eSafety/CCSP webinar on Thursday 9 November at 7.30pm is an important one for primary school parents to attend, as it’s all about social media. Find out how to register here. We look forward to seeing you online.

I was delighted to attend a P & F Association meeting at Holy Cross Catholic School, Kincumber in Diocese of Broken Bay. It was wonderful to meet the many parents and carers who attended the meeting, the lovely community feel that enveloped the meeting and the strong sense of a supportive community where all are welcomed. I presented on the work of the CCSP, parents as first educators of their children, and the importance of appropriate parent engagement.

Lastly, we send thoughts and prayers to all HSC students and their families who are preparing for exams. You can download key HSC dates here.

Take care and God bless.

Catherine Garrett-Jones 
Executive Director CCSP