Document Owner | Office of the Director |
Approval Date | 21 March 2018 |
Release Date | 23 May 2018 |
Compliance Date | 01 February 2019 |
Review Date | 01 December 2023 |
Updated |
10 October 2020 |
Version History Amended 10 October 2020 |
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Education Policy in Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) is developed to support the implementation of consistent and comprehensive practices to guide quality Catholic learning and teaching in systemic schools in the Diocese of Wollongong.
Education Policy is developed within the context of documents and frameworks. These include:
Catholic Schools have a missionary and ecclesial mandate that impels them to listen to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. We are called to respond to the environmental crisis of the 21st Century by proactively engaging with Pope Francis’ challenge from Laudato Si' for an ecological conversion. This requires a strategic, planned approach whereby sustainable practices and ecological values are promoted and supported across the system of schools.
This involves schools embedding ecological values into school programs and practices that promote an ecological and sustainable culture that encourages everyone to live out his/her ecological vocation and engage in what Pope Francis describes as the ‘core business’ of caring for our common home.
This Policy has been developed to support school staff in meeting their compliance obligations according to the New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) and the Australian Education Act 2013.
It is expected that school staff will take all reasonable measures to comply with this Policy.
The Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) Environmental Education and Action Policy must be implemented in conjunction with the following policies and documents where relevant:
1.1 | nominate a Wollongong Environment Network (WEN) Contact to support environmental education and action in the school | ||
1.2 | ensure that the Wollongong Environment Network (WEN) Contact participates in CEDoW Environmental Education professional learning experiences | ||
1.3 | provide opportunities to share professional learning in order to develop the ecological awareness and engagement of all staff | ||
1.4 |
develop a School Environment Management Plan (SEMP) that: |
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1.4.1 | is informed by the six areas of the ASSISI Framework: Whole School Planning; Religious Dimension; Learning and Teaching; Ethical Resource Use; Caring for Country; and Community Relationships | ||
1.4.2 | includes actions that are informed by the CEDoW Environmental Assessment Tool | ||
1.4.3 | is reviewed and updated on a 3-year cycle | ||
1.5 | develop and implement school-based procedures for environmental practices for waste management and stewardship of resources and grounds | ||
1.6 | discern and plan for opportunities to celebrate and engage in Environmental Action Days of Significance | ||
2.1 | ensure that the Wollongong Environment Network (WEN) Contact collaborates with the Religious Education Coordinator in relation to environmental celebrations and activities | ||
2.2 |
ensure that environmental activities are linked to the prayer and liturgical life of the school |
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2.3 | ensure that the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation (1 September) is celebrated through liturgy | ||
2.4 |
provide opportunities for staff to engage in appropriate formation and professional learning in Catholic Social Teaching principles, eco-spirituality, eco-ethics and the eco-theology of Laudato Si’ |
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3.1 | provide regular opportunities for students to engage in ecological learning experiences in outdoor settings within the school grounds or other local contexts | ||
3.2 | ensure that learning and teaching programs address the Learning Across the Curriculum aspect of Sustainability of the NESA syllabuses | ||
3.3 | ensure that the learning and teaching program incorporates at least one unit of work that explicitly addresses ecological themes in: | ||
3.3.1 | each Year in K-6 | ||
3.3.2 | each course in Years 7-10 | ||
3.4 | ensure that ecological activities and practices are authentically linked to syllabus outcomes | ||
4.1 | review the ethical use of resources utilising the CEDoW Environmental Assessment Tool to inform the School Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) | ||
4.2 | engage in recycling and endeavour to use recycled products | ||
4.3 | utilise the CEDoW Quality Learning Environments Position Paper when establishing or improving any aspects of the school site | ||
5.1 | utilise the CEDoW Quality Learning Environments Position Paper for the establishment, improvement or maintenance of buildings, grounds and outdoor learning spaces that acknowledge the local biodiversity of the school site | ||
5.2 | ensure that there is a physical acknowledgement of the local Aboriginal land on which the school is situated in recognition of the traditional ownership of the Aboriginal people and their connection to country | ||
5.3 | utilise the CEDoW Aboriginal Communities Consultation and Protocols Guide in working with and respecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, students and families to inform the design and/or cultivation of grounds | ||
6.1 | foster relationships with the local Aboriginal community that utilise their traditional knowledge and connection to country to support environmental education and initiatives | ||
6.2 | engage in local environmental service and advocacy projects and ensure alignment with Catholic Social Teaching | ||
6.3 | provide opportunities to collaborate with parish, parents and community in environmental initiatives and actions | ||
There are no CEDoW Procedures for this Policy.
Australian Education Act 2013 (Cth)
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2018C00012
Education Act 1990 (NSW)
https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/#/view/act/1990/8
Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW)
https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/#/view/act/2011/10
Laudato Si’ Encyclical Letter
http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html
NESA Registration Systems and Member Non-government Schools (NSW) Manual
https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/regulation/school-registration/registration-system-and-member-non-government-schools-manual
NESA Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/teacher-accreditation
Australian Professional Standard for Principals
https://www.aitsl.edu.au/tools-resources/resource/australian-professional-standard-for-principa
Diocesan Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy
https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/about-us/policies/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-education-policy/
Diocesan Assessment and Reporting Policy
https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/about-us/policies/assessment-and-reporting-policy/
Facilities Maintenance for Systemic Schools in the Diocese of Wollongong Operational Policy and Procedures November 2017
http://infopoint.dow.catholic.edu.au/AdmSrv/SPO/Resources/Schools%20Maintenance%20Policy-%20November%202017%20CEDoW.pdf
Safety Wellbeing and Professional Services (SWAPS) Infopoint Site
http://infopoint.dow.catholic.edu.au/HumRes/Safety,WellbeingandProfessionalServices/default.aspx
CEDoW Quality Learning Environments Position Paper (Primary)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gPgH0QVSEPCrQRs8TvDItLQoq5Q0oFwZ/view
Sustainable Schools NSW
https://www.sustainableschoolsnsw.org.au/
Download the CEDoW Environmental Assessment Tool here [Download as a Word doc, or complete the self-assessment in Google doc format by selecting 'Open with Google Docs' then going to File > Make a Copy]
The Environmental Education and Action Policy Self-Assessment is provided to support schools in their implementation of all Policy expectations.
Download the Environmental Education and Action Policy Self-Assessment here [Download as a Word doc, or complete the self-assessment in Google doc format by selecting 'Open with Google Docs' then going to File > Make a Copy]
A range of resources to support the implementation of this Policy is available to schools and teachers via the following webpage.
Wollongong Environment Network