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 Caniceโs Schoolโs fun, free, play-based school readiness program designed for children aged 3.5โ5 years who will be starting school in the next 1โ2 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 โ 7th, 21st, and 28th August.
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23 Jul 2026
From Facebook
๐โจ A wonderful morning at Katoomba Library! โจ๐ 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 โ 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 โ 10:30 am at St Canice's. Families with children aged 0โ5 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. ๐๐ 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
๐ Welcome Back to School at St Caniceโs! ๐โจ 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. Weโre looking forward to all the learning experiences, achievements and special moments that this term will bring. #StCanicesPrimary #BackToSchool #LearningTogether #OurSchoolCommunity
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23 Jul 2026
From Facebook
๐โจ A wonderful morning at Katoomba Library! โจ๐ 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 โ 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 โ 10:30 am at St Canice's. Families with children aged 0โ5 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. ๐๐ 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
๐ Welcome Back to School at St Caniceโs! ๐โจ 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. Weโre 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
๐ You're Invited to Our Final Community Open Day! ๐ฟ 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 โ 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. โจ Explore our school โจ Meet our wonderful staff โจ Learn about our caring community โจ Find out how to enrol ๐ Wednesday 12 August ๐ค 9:30 am โ 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
๐ฟ๐โค๏ธ๐ค NAIDOC Week 2026 ๐คโค๏ธ๐๐ฟ This week, communities across Australia come together to celebrate NAIDOC Week โ 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: โจ 50 Years of Deadly โจ ๐ 5th โ 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 โ 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
๐๐ฆ Learning, sharing, and building confidence at St Caniceโs! 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! ๐๐จ๐
03 Jul 2026
From Facebook
Last week, all students at St Caniceโs had the exciting opportunity to participate in a free clinic facilitated by Blue Mountains OzTag. ๐ Throughout the sessions, students developed important skills including passing, kicking, tagging, teamwork, and communication โ 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! โญ
01 Jul 2026
From Facebook
It might be the final week of Term 2, but thereโs no slowing down at St Caniceโs Primary School, Katoomba! ๐ 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 Caniceโs, we pride ourselves on creating a nurturing environment where every child is encouraged to discover their strengths, build confidence, and thrive. ๐ If youโd like to learn more about what St Caniceโs Primary School can offer your child, weโd love to hear from you. ๐ Kindergarten 2027 enrolments are now open โ get in touch today! https://www.stcaniceskatoomba.catholic.edu.au/ Come and discover what makes our school community so special. #StCanicesKatoomba #FutureReady #Kindergarten2027 #LoveOfLearning
29 Jun 2026
From Facebook
๐ Huge congratulations to our very own Ms Sally on the incredible achievement of writing and illustrating her very own book, Skyhawk Sam (2026)! ๐โจ Skyhawk Sam follows a young boy named Sam on a journey to find balance โ both on his bike and within his family โ discovering that true connection means feeling supported, even from a distance. ๐๐ฒ We are so proud to celebrate the creativity and talent within our St Caniceโs community. ๐ Where to buy: Pick up your copy now on Amazon! Congratulations, Ms Sally โ what an amazing accomplishment! ๐๐ #StCanicesProud #AuthorSpotlight #SkyhawkSam #CelebratingSuccess
27 Jun 2026
From Facebook
27 Jun 2026
From Facebook
๐ FREE School Readiness Program โ Little Learners ๐ Is your child getting ready to start school in the next few years? Weโd love to welcome you to Little Learners ! ๐๐ Starting Term 3, our FREE School Readiness Program is designed for children aged 3.5โ5 years and focuses on building the confidence and skills children need for a successful transition to Kindergarten. The early years are such an important time for learning and growth, and we know that preparing for school can sometimes feel overwhelming for families. Thatโs why our program provides a fun, nurturing, and engaging environment where children can learn through play while becoming familiar with a school setting. Through exciting play-based experiences, children will develop: โจ Social and emotional confidence โจ Language and communication skills โจ Early literacy and numeracy foundations โจ Independence and school readiness skills โจ New friendships and a love of learning Join us as we support your child on their journey to Kindergarten and help them build strong foundations for lifelong learning. ๐๐ ๐ Starting Term 3 ๐ง For children aged 3.5โ5 years ๐ Places available now โ come and join the fun! #LittleLearners #SchoolReadiness #StartingSchool #EarlyLearning #stcanices
26 Jun 2026
From Facebook
โฝ St Caniceโs joined the rest of the nation today as we proudly cheered on our mighty Socceroos in their World Cup clash against Paraguay! Students came together dressed in green and gold, enjoying the excitement of the match and showing plenty of Aussie spirit as we supported our team. ๐๐ A special thank you to our wonderful Stage 1 students who prepared some delicious themed treats for everyone to enjoy as part of the celebration. โจ What a fantastic way to come together, celebrate sport, teamwork and national pride. Go Socceroos! ๐ #GoSocceroos #WorldCupSpirit #StCanices