In a wonderful example of community spirit and togetherness, students from four Blue Mountains primary schools came together recently for a special Mountains Encounter retreat focusing on what they’ve done and can do to help ensure everyone in society has equal rights, opportunities and is treated fairly.
Students from the Faith In Action (FIAT) teams at St Finbar's Primary Glenbrook, St Thomas Aquinas Primary Springwood, St Canice's Primary Katoomba, and Our Lady of the Nativity Primary Lawson gathered at St Finbar's for the afternoon retreat which, over the past few years, has brought considerable benefits to both students, their schools and the wider community.
Students reflected on what they’d learnt throughout the year and their involvement in social justice initiatives such as Project Compassion, food drives and volunteering for Vinnies and Jesuit Refugee Services.
Mountains Encounter, overseen by Lauren Maund, Director of Catholic Identity and Mission, aims to strengthen bonds among students while offering them opportunities to explore their faith through various enriching activities. Students took part in team-building exercises, faith formation workshops, and reflections centered on the Advent season. The main message was to encourage students to embrace their roles in carrying forward Christ’s mission of service and unity.
One of the highlights of the event was the traditional sausage sizzle dinner where students got to share a meal while learning about each other and their different communities in the Blue Mountains.
The retreat was more than just a gathering, it was a demonstration of how schools in the Blue Mountains are living out their faith through action. Their dedication to social justice and building community proves that living your faith can make a real difference in our world.
Photo Gallery
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au
-
22 Jul 2026
Little Learners - School Readiness Program
Little Learners is St Canice’s School’s fun, free, play-based school readiness program designed for children aged 3.5–5 years who will be starting school in the next 1–2 years.
07 Aug 2025
St Canice's Brekky Club
All students are invited to join the St Canice's Brekky Club. Brekky Club will now run on Thursdays – 7th, 21st, and 28th August.
-
29 Jul 2026
From Facebook
❄️ Vinnies Winter Appeal Food Drive 💙 As part of our commitment to supporting our community and living out our Catholic faith, St Canice’s is participating in the Vinnies Winter Appeal Food Drive. Each week, we will be collecting essential items to help support families in need. Students can place their donations in the collection baskets located at the front of each classroom. Members of our Faith in Action Team (FIAT) will visit classrooms each week to remind students of the upcoming collection item. 🛒 Weekly Collection Schedule: 🥛 Week 3: Long-life full cream dairy milk 🐟 Week 4: Small tins of tuna 🥣 Week 5: Soup 🥫 Week 6: Baked beans or spaghetti 🍅 Week 7: Tinned vegetables (especially tomatoes) 🍘 Week 8: Savoury biscuits 🍪 Week 9: Sweet biscuits 🥣 Week 10: Breakfast cereal Thank you to our wonderful St Canice’s community for your generosity and support. Together, we can make a difference and help those in need this winter. 💙 #VinniesWinterAppeal #FaithInAction #StCanicesCommunity
29 Jul 2026
From Facebook
🎶✨ What an incredible day for our talented St Canice's Harmony and Choir students! ✨🎶 Last Friday, our Harmony and Choir students travelled to Nagle College in Blacktown to perform at the CAPTIVATE Arts Factor Primary Choral Learning Exhibition. Our students proudly performed Beds Are Burning and Rainbow Connection, showcasing not only their beautiful voices but also their confidence and joy of performing. We were especially touched to receive this wonderful feedback from a fellow school: "I just wanted to let you know that your school choir was amazing! Their love of what they are doing certainly shone through their pieces and had me captivated. I am certainly no music expert except to know that I really liked what I heard your young singers present. And your conductor has such passion (and skill) for her craft! It was inspiring. So, please pass on my congratulations to all for a magnificent performance." We couldn't be prouder of our students for representing St Canice's with such enthusiasm and spirit. A special thank you to our wonderful music teacher, Ms Frazer, whose passion, dedication and encouragement continue to inspire our young musicians every day. Congratulations to everyone involved on a magnificent performance! 💙🎵👏 #StCanicesPrimary #CaptivateArtsFactor #SchoolChoir #ProudMoment #CatholicSchoolsParramatta #MusicMatters
MORE NEWS
29 Jul 2026
From Facebook
❄️ Vinnies Winter Appeal Food Drive 💙 As part of our commitment to supporting our community and living out our Catholic faith, St Canice’s is participating in the Vinnies Winter Appeal Food Drive. Each week, we will be collecting essential items to help support families in need. Students can place their donations in the collection baskets located at the front of each classroom. Members of our Faith in Action Team (FIAT) will visit classrooms each week to remind students of the upcoming collection item. 🛒 Weekly Collection Schedule: 🥛 Week 3: Long-life full cream dairy milk 🐟 Week 4: Small tins of tuna 🥣 Week 5: Soup 🥫 Week 6: Baked beans or spaghetti 🍅 Week 7: Tinned vegetables (especially tomatoes) 🍘 Week 8: Savoury biscuits 🍪 Week 9: Sweet biscuits 🥣 Week 10: Breakfast cereal Thank you to our wonderful St Canice’s community for your generosity and support. Together, we can make a difference and help those in need this winter. 💙 #VinniesWinterAppeal #FaithInAction #StCanicesCommunity
29 Jul 2026
From Facebook
🎶✨ What an incredible day for our talented St Canice's Harmony and Choir students! ✨🎶 Last Friday, our Harmony and Choir students travelled to Nagle College in Blacktown to perform at the CAPTIVATE Arts Factor Primary Choral Learning Exhibition. Our students proudly performed Beds Are Burning and Rainbow Connection, showcasing not only their beautiful voices but also their confidence and joy of performing. We were especially touched to receive this wonderful feedback from a fellow school: "I just wanted to let you know that your school choir was amazing! Their love of what they are doing certainly shone through their pieces and had me captivated. I am certainly no music expert except to know that I really liked what I heard your young singers present. And your conductor has such passion (and skill) for her craft! It was inspiring. So, please pass on my congratulations to all for a magnificent performance." We couldn't be prouder of our students for representing St Canice's with such enthusiasm and spirit. A special thank you to our wonderful music teacher, Ms Frazer, whose passion, dedication and encouragement continue to inspire our young musicians every day. Congratulations to everyone involved on a magnificent performance! 💙🎵👏 #StCanicesPrimary #CaptivateArtsFactor #SchoolChoir #ProudMoment #CatholicSchoolsParramatta #MusicMatters
28 Jul 2026
From Facebook
🌿 Community Open Day at St Canice’s Primary School Katoomba 🌿 New and existing families welcome! 💙 Come along and discover what makes our school community so special. ✨ Meet our dedicated and passionate staff 🏫 Explore our vibrant learning spaces 📚 Visit our open classrooms and see our students’ learning showcased 🌟 Discover the exciting opportunities we offer 🤝 Connect with other families in our wonderful community Bring the whole family and enjoy a relaxed sausage sizzle BBQ while getting to know our school, our staff and the St Canice’s community. 📅 Wednesday 12 August 📍 St Canice’s Primary School Katoomba We can’t wait to welcome you, share our learning, and show you what makes St Canice’s such a special place to learn and grow! 💙 Register Today https://info.parra.catholic.edu.au/open-day/stcaniceskatoomba #StCanicesKatoomba #CommunityOpenDay #BlueMountainsSchools #CatholicEducation #Kindergarten2027
27 Jul 2026
From Facebook
🎉 You're Invited! 💙💛 Our St Canice's community warmly invites all parents, carers and grandparents to join us as we celebrate the Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. 📅 Wednesday 5 August ⛪ Liturgy: 12:00 pm in the School Hall 🧺 Family Picnic: 12:45 pm on the Lower Playground Following our liturgy, we invite you to stay and enjoy a picnic lunch with your child on the lower playground. It's a wonderful opportunity to come together as a school community to celebrate the life and legacy of Australia's first saint while sharing an afternoon of faith, friendship and connection. Please bring: 🧺 A picnic lunch or something special to share with your child. 🪑 A picnic blanket or camp chairs for your comfort. We look forward to celebrating this special occasion with you and hope to see many of our St Canice's families there! 💙
23 Jul 2026
From Facebook
📚✨ A wonderful morning at Katoomba Library! ✨📖 A small group of St Canice's students enjoyed a fantastic visit to the Katoomba Library's weekly Storytime program with Ms Kate and Ms Sarah. Filled with engaging stories, fun songs and creative craft activities, Storytime is a wonderful free community program held every Wednesday during the school term from 11:00 am – 11:45 am. It's also the perfect activity to enjoy after the Little Lyrebirds Playgroup, which runs every Wednesday during school term from 9:00 am – 10:30 am at St Canice's. Families with children aged 0–5 are warmly invited to come along, connect with other local families and enjoy a fun morning before heading to Storytime at the library. Our students had a fantastic time listening, learning, creating and discovering the joy of books. 📚💙 A big thank you to the wonderful team at Katoomba Library for providing such a welcoming and engaging experience for our community! #StCanicesKatoomba #LoveOfLearning #Storytime #LittleLyrebirds #CommunityConnections #ReadingForLife
22 Jul 2026
From Facebook
🎉 Welcome Back to School at St Canice’s! 📚✨ Our students are back and ready to jump into another exciting term of learning, growing and making memories together. It has been wonderful seeing our classrooms filled with smiles, conversations and the joy of reconnecting with friends. We’re looking forward to all the learning experiences, achievements and special moments that this term will bring. #StCanicesPrimary #BackToSchool #LearningTogether #OurSchoolCommunity
22 Jul 2026
From Facebook
📚 You're Invited to Our Final Community Open Day! 🌿 Come and experience what makes St Canice's Primary School such a special place to learn, grow and belong. Join us on Wednesday 12 August from 9:30 am – 11:00 am and discover our vibrant classrooms, meet our dedicated teachers, and see our students' learning in action. Whether you're considering Kindergarten or another year level, our team will be available to answer your questions and guide you through the enrolment process. ✨ Explore our school ✨ Meet our wonderful staff ✨ Learn about our caring community ✨ Find out how to enrol 📅 Wednesday 12 August 🕤 9:30 am – 11:00 am Register now to secure your place. We can't wait to welcome you and show you around! https://info.parra.catholic.edu.au/open-day/stcaniceskatoomba #StCanicesPrimary #CommunityOpenDay #BlueMountainsSchools #FutureStudents #CatholicEducation #Katoomba
17 Jul 2026
What's It Really Like to Send Your Kid to a Catholic School?
If you've ever assumed that attending a Catholic school means you have to be Catholic and that the fees are expensive, you're not alone. It's a common perception, but for many families, the reality looks quite different.
16 Jul 2026
From Facebook
08 Jul 2026
CSPD students recognised in Refugee Week Creative Competition
Over 125 students from 10 Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD) schools have been recognised for their empathy and powerful storytelling as part of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Australia Refugee Week Creative Competition.
05 Jul 2026
From Facebook
🌿💛❤️🖤 NAIDOC Week 2026 🖤❤️💛🌿 This week, communities across Australia come together to celebrate NAIDOC Week — a time to honour and recognise the rich history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Here in the Blue Mountains, it is a wonderful opportunity for our community to learn, reflect, and deepen our understanding of the First Nations cultures and histories of the Dharug and Gundungurra peoples, while celebrating the oldest continuous living cultures on Earth. This year marks a very special milestone as we celebrate 50 years of NAIDOC Week with the 2026 theme: ✨ 50 Years of Deadly ✨ 📅 5th – 12th July 2026 We encourage our school community to take part in local celebrations, listen, learn, and celebrate the strength, resilience, and incredible contributions of First Nations peoples — past, present, and future. https://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/naidoc-week #NAIDOCWeek2026 #50YearsOfDeadly #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe #BlueMountainsCommunity #CelebrateCulture #LearnReflectCelebrate
03 Jul 2026
From Facebook
03 Jul 2026
From Facebook
📚🦘 Learning, sharing, and building confidence at St Canice’s! Our Stage 1 students proudly shared their learning by reading their information reports on a selected animal to our Stage 2 students. This wonderful activity gave students the opportunity to showcase their research and writing skills while building confidence in speaking and connecting with others. It was fantastic to see our students learning together and supporting one another across stages. Well done, Stage 1! 🌟🐨🐍
03 Jul 2026
From Facebook
Last week, all students at St Canice’s had the exciting opportunity to participate in a free clinic facilitated by Blue Mountains OzTag. 🏉 Throughout the sessions, students developed important skills including passing, kicking, tagging, teamwork, and communication — all while staying active and having lots of fun! A huge thank you to Blue Mountains OzTag for providing such a fantastic experience and helping our students build confidence, skills, and a love of sport. We loved every minute! ⭐
01 Jul 2026
From Facebook
It might be the final week of Term 2, but there’s no slowing down at St Canice’s Primary School, Katoomba! 🌟 From creative Art, hands-on Science, inspiring Music, and active Sport, our students are busy learning, growing, and having fun every single day. At St Canice’s, we pride ourselves on creating a nurturing environment where every child is encouraged to discover their strengths, build confidence, and thrive. 💙 If you’d like to learn more about what St Canice’s Primary School can offer your child, we’d love to hear from you. 📚 Kindergarten 2027 enrolments are now open – get in touch today! https://www.stcaniceskatoomba.catholic.edu.au/ Come and discover what makes our school community so special. #StCanicesKatoomba #FutureReady #Kindergarten2027 #LoveOfLearning