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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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.
30 Jul 2025
Little Lyrebirds Playgroup
Little Lyrebirds Playgroup is a FREE event for all little ones aged 0 - 6. Held at St Canice's Primary School every Wednesday of the school term, 9am-10:30am. Everyone is welcome.
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16 Mar 2026
From Facebook
Sunshine, smiles, and lots of playground fun today! ☀️😊 Our students loved spending time outside enjoying the beautiful weather, playing with friends, and making the most of the sunshine. It’s wonderful to see so many happy faces in the playground! Days like these are perfect for fresh air, laughter, and a little extra energy before heading back to class. 🌳⚽ #PlaygroundFun #HappyStudents #SchoolLife #stcaniceskatoomba💙🩵
13 Mar 2026
From Facebook
☕ Parent and Carers CAFE Meeting – Thursday 19th March at 2:00pm Parents and Carers are warmly invited to attend our CAFE meeting in the Library. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with other families and help support and strengthen our school community at St Canice’s in 2026. We would love for you to join us! 💛
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16 Mar 2026
From Facebook
Sunshine, smiles, and lots of playground fun today! ☀️😊 Our students loved spending time outside enjoying the beautiful weather, playing with friends, and making the most of the sunshine. It’s wonderful to see so many happy faces in the playground! Days like these are perfect for fresh air, laughter, and a little extra energy before heading back to class. 🌳⚽ #PlaygroundFun #HappyStudents #SchoolLife #stcaniceskatoomba💙🩵
13 Mar 2026
From Facebook
☕ Parent and Carers CAFE Meeting – Thursday 19th March at 2:00pm Parents and Carers are warmly invited to attend our CAFE meeting in the Library. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with other families and help support and strengthen our school community at St Canice’s in 2026. We would love for you to join us! 💛
13 Mar 2026
From Facebook
International Women's Day 2026- Balance the Scales. Today our students and Mrs Baddock attended St Columba's Catholic College Springwood for their International Women's Day Breakfast. This year's conversation inspired the girls to reflect on a future where all women and girls are safe, heard and free to shape their own lives.
13 Mar 2026
From Facebook
Brekky Club – Thursday 19th March 🕗 8:20am – 8:40am Free breakfast will be available for all St Canice’s students! We’re looking for parent/carer volunteers to help out. If you’re able to lend a hand, please contact the school office on 4780 6800. Thank you for supporting our Brekky Club! 🥣🍞
11 Mar 2026
From Facebook
During Strings today, Year 4 not only played a variety of pieces on their chosen string instrument (Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass), but they also had a go at writing some of the notes they were reading on the clef (Treble, Alto, Bass) specific to their instrument. #LoveLiveLearn #StCanicesPrimary #stcanicesprimaryschool #cspdparramatta #captivatestringsprogram #strings #stcanicesmusic #MusicEducation #Year4Strings #stcaniceskatoombamusic
11 Mar 2026
From Facebook
🐣🎩 Easter Hat Parade – Monday 23rd March at 8:50am 🐰🌸 We’re excited for our Easter Hat Parade on Monday 23rd March at 8:50am! Children are invited to come along wearing their Easter hats and join in the fun. Younger siblings are also welcome to take part in the parade. Please remember there’s no need to go to any expense—homemade and simple hats are absolutely perfect! We can’t wait to see everyone’s creative ideas. 🎨🐥
11 Mar 2026
From Facebook
Big smiles, busy bodies and brilliant minds in action today! 🎉 Our Kindergarten friends have been loving their Gross Motor Program with some hands-on literacy games! 🎲📚 It’s amazing to see how movement and learning go hand in hand. We are so proud of our enthusiastic Kindergarten superstars! ⭐ #KindergartenFun #LearningThroughPlay #GrossMotorSkills #EarlyLiteracy #LittleLearners #stcaniceskatoomba💙
10 Mar 2026
NAPLAN: What Parents Really Need to Know
Each March, families across Australia hear a lot about NAPLAN. The National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy. But what does it really mean for your child in 2026?
04 Mar 2026
From Facebook
Today, St Canice's Primary School proudly held our first Community Open Day for 2026! The weather cleared just in time for us to head outdoors and enjoy a delicious BBQ breakfast and plenty of fun. There were bubbles, chalk drawings, and our Little Lyrebirds Playgroup had a wonderful time at their teddy bear picnic 🧸✨ All students performed beautifully alongside Ms Frazer, and Aunty Carol warmly welcomed us all into the new school year. Families were then invited into classrooms to experience and be part of the rich learning that happens every day at St Canice’s. If you or someone you know would like to learn more about what we can offer, please contact us at https://www.stcaniceskatoomba.catholic.edu.au/
02 Mar 2026
From Facebook
Are you looking for a welcoming, inclusive, and fee-free primary school in Katoomba? 🌿✨ At St Canice’s Primary School, located on Katoomba Street, we provide a supportive learning environment where all classroom supplies and excursions are included at no cost to families — because quality education should be accessible to everyone in our community. 👶 Little Lyrebirds Playgroup We also host Little Lyrebirds, a free playgroup for children aged 0–6, every Wednesday from 9:00–10:30 am during school terms, right here on our school grounds. It’s a wonderful way to connect, play, and become part of our community. 📅 Open Day – Wednesday, 4th March | 9:30–11:00 am Come along to meet our teachers, explore our classrooms, and discover what St Canice’s can offer your family. 📞 Call us on 4780 6800 🌐 Visit www.stcanices@parra.catholic.edu.au We can’t wait to welcome you to the St Canice’s community! 💙
02 Mar 2026
From Facebook
🌊🐋 Our Whale, Our Promise – Canice’s Journey Continues! 🐋🌊 In 2017, St Canice’s proudly exhibited a spectacular 7-metre baby humpback whale sculpture at the International Sculptures in the Rainforest Exhibition at Scenic World. This incredible whale was created by our talented students and staff using recycled and upcycled materials collected from the local tip, student homes, and our wider community. ♻️💙 ✨ Sea urchins from old curtain rings and cable ties ✨ Seaweed made from plastic bags turned into “Plarn” (Plastic Yarn) ✨ Barnacles from crocheted squares ✨ Sea waves from recycled plastic lids Through this project, we made a pledge as a school to care for our land and minimise plastic use wherever possible. What we do on land has a direct impact on our oceans — and on magnificent marine life like whales. As part of our commitment, St Canice’s raised funds to symbolically adopt a humpback whale named Canice, supporting the important conservation work of the Whales of Guerrero Research Project. Did you know? Every humpback whale is unique! Their tail (fluke) patterns are like fingerprints, allowing researchers to identify and track them across the oceans. 🌎 We’re excited to share that Canice was recently spotted on 21 January in Mexico! You can follow Canice’s journey via Happywhale and see where our whale travels next. We are so proud of the creativity, environmental leadership, and global awareness shown by our students. Together, we continue to make a difference — from our school grounds to the oceans of the world. 💚🌏 #stcaniceskatoomba💙 #Sustainability #WhaleConservation #ReducePlastic #CareForCreation
02 Mar 2026
From Facebook
02 Mar 2026
From Facebook
📸 School Photo Day is TOMORROW - Tuesday 3rd March! All students are required to wear their full summer uniform for their photos — sport uniform is not to be worn. To order your child’s school photo, please follow the link sent to you via your Compass Parent Portal from MSP. We look forward to seeing all those bright smiles! 😊
27 Feb 2026
From Facebook
Stage 1 have been enjoying some very fun activities in History. We have been learning all about mummies in Ancient Egypt! We have wrapped some toys to make them into mummies, made a sarcophagus very special with some gold and jewels and even made some canopic jars for organs after mummification (just pretend, phew!) We have also learned some ancient stories about the Sun God, Ra. We have been retelling the stories with puppets and masks. Great work Stage 1!
24 Feb 2026
From Facebook
📸 School Photo Day – Tuesday 3rd March! School photo day at St Canice's is happening next week on Tuesday 3rd March. All students are required to wear their full summer uniform for their photos — sport uniform is not to be worn. To order your child’s school photo, please follow the link sent to you via your Compass Parent Portal from MSP. We look forward to seeing all those bright smiles! 😊