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.
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Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au
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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.
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04 Aug 2026
From Facebook
💯✨ 100 Days Brighter! ✨💯 Today, our Kindergarten students celebrated a very special milestone – 100 Days of School! 🎉 Over the past 100 days, they have grown in confidence, made new friends, learnt so many new skills, and become valued members of our St Canice's community. To mark the occasion, our Kindergarten class enjoyed a fun-filled day of activities centred around the number 100, with plenty of smiles, laughter and creativity along the way. Congratulations to our wonderful Kindergarten students on reaching 100 days brighter! We can't wait to see all the amazing things you'll continue to achieve throughout the rest of the year. 🌟💙 #100DaysBrighter #100DaysOfSchool #StCanicesPrimary #KindergartenMilestone
04 Aug 2026
From Facebook
🖤💛❤️ Message Stick – Celebrating 50 Years of NAIDOC ❤️💛🖤 St Canice's was honoured to be selected to create a Message Stick as part of the "50 Years of Deadly" NAIDOC Week celebrations, an initiative inspired by the Jarara Team at Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese. Led by Taleishah, students worked alongside Ms Rose and Ms Dani in a creative workshop where they explored ideas, shared stories and designed a Message Stick that reflects the place we are proud to call home. Drawing inspiration from the breathtaking beauty of the Blue Mountains, our students chose symbols that represent the Katoomba region and the deep connection to Country. The Message Stick features the Three Sisters, waterfalls, waterholes, bushland, kangaroo tracks, people and meeting places—all significant symbols that tell the story of our local environment and community. Using vibrant colours and meaningful Aboriginal symbols, our students created a Message Stick that honours the sacred land on which we learn, play and grow. It acknowledges the footprints of the First Nations Peoples who have cared for this Country for countless generations and reflects our commitment to walking together in respect, reconciliation and care for our shared environment. We are incredibly proud of the creativity, thoughtfulness and respect our students brought to this special project. 🖤💛❤️ #NAIDOC2026 #50YearsOfDeadly #StCanicesPrimary #BlueMountains #WalkingTogether #RespectCountry #CatholicSchoolsParramattaDiocese
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04 Aug 2026
From Facebook
💯✨ 100 Days Brighter! ✨💯 Today, our Kindergarten students celebrated a very special milestone – 100 Days of School! 🎉 Over the past 100 days, they have grown in confidence, made new friends, learnt so many new skills, and become valued members of our St Canice's community. To mark the occasion, our Kindergarten class enjoyed a fun-filled day of activities centred around the number 100, with plenty of smiles, laughter and creativity along the way. Congratulations to our wonderful Kindergarten students on reaching 100 days brighter! We can't wait to see all the amazing things you'll continue to achieve throughout the rest of the year. 🌟💙 #100DaysBrighter #100DaysOfSchool #StCanicesPrimary #KindergartenMilestone
04 Aug 2026
From Facebook
🖤💛❤️ Message Stick – Celebrating 50 Years of NAIDOC ❤️💛🖤 St Canice's was honoured to be selected to create a Message Stick as part of the "50 Years of Deadly" NAIDOC Week celebrations, an initiative inspired by the Jarara Team at Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese. Led by Taleishah, students worked alongside Ms Rose and Ms Dani in a creative workshop where they explored ideas, shared stories and designed a Message Stick that reflects the place we are proud to call home. Drawing inspiration from the breathtaking beauty of the Blue Mountains, our students chose symbols that represent the Katoomba region and the deep connection to Country. The Message Stick features the Three Sisters, waterfalls, waterholes, bushland, kangaroo tracks, people and meeting places—all significant symbols that tell the story of our local environment and community. Using vibrant colours and meaningful Aboriginal symbols, our students created a Message Stick that honours the sacred land on which we learn, play and grow. It acknowledges the footprints of the First Nations Peoples who have cared for this Country for countless generations and reflects our commitment to walking together in respect, reconciliation and care for our shared environment. We are incredibly proud of the creativity, thoughtfulness and respect our students brought to this special project. 🖤💛❤️ #NAIDOC2026 #50YearsOfDeadly #StCanicesPrimary #BlueMountains #WalkingTogether #RespectCountry #CatholicSchoolsParramattaDiocese
04 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Today, our Stage 3 students captivated an audience of Stage 2 students and staff as they delivered their Voice of Youth speeches. Our Year 6 students presented their speeches for the opportunity to progress to the next stage of the Voice of Youth competition across the Parramatta Diocese, while our Year 5 students embraced the chance to build their confidence and develop their public speaking skills in preparation for next year. The variety of topics was inspiring. We laughed, reflected, and at times were deeply moved by the powerful stories, thoughtful perspectives, and creative ideas our students shared. We are incredibly proud of every student who stepped up to the challenge. A special congratulations to our Year 6 candidates and to Mr McCarthy for supporting and inspiring our young speakers throughout the process. Well done, Stage 3! Your courage, preparation and passion were on full display today. 👏🎤✨
01 Aug 2026
From Facebook
📚 Is your child starting school next year? Or perhaps you're still deciding? Now is the perfect time to begin the conversation and start the enrolment process. We are currently finalising our enrolments for next year and would love to hear from you. Whether you're ready to enrol or simply have questions, our friendly team is here to help. 📅 Register for our Community Open Day Wednesday, 12 August | 9:30 am – 11:00 am Or contact us today to arrange a personalised school tour, learn more about what St Canice's has to offer, or discuss your child's enrolment. We can't wait to welcome your family to the St Canice's community! 💙
31 Jul 2026
From Facebook
🌟 Check Out What’s Happening at St Canice’s Next Week! 🌟 There’s always something exciting happening across our school community! 📚✨ Here’s a snapshot of Week 3: And don’t forget… 📢 Community Open Day is coming up! We can’t wait to welcome new and existing families on Wednesday 12 August, 9:30am–11:00am to explore our school, meet our staff and discover what makes St Canice’s such a special place to learn and belong. 💙 We’re looking forward to another wonderful week of learning, connection and celebration at St Canice’s! 🌈📚
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?
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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.