Catholic Education Diocese of Cairns

08/09/2026

Join Napcan for a free webinar: ‘From Voice to Action: Safe and Meaningful Youth Engagement Across All Ages and Stages’.

How do we ensure children and young people can participate safely, meaningfully and with genuine influence over the decisions that affect them?

Join us as we explore that question and more, in ‘From Voice to Action: Safe and Meaningful Youth Engagement Across All Ages and Stages’, the final webinar in NAPCAN’s National Child Protection Week 2026 free series.

From the early years through to youth leadership, this session will discuss how organisations can go beyond consultation and tokenism to create safe, inclusive opportunities for children and young people to be heard and help shape services, systems and communities.

Featuring:

Bridget Isichei, Northern Rivers Preschool, Byron Bay

Jodie Griffiths-Cooke, ACT Commissioner for Children and Young People

Kano Ravalji, CEO of Third Culture Australia

Genevieve Hernandez, Anglicare Victoria

Moderated by Ruby Curnow-Grieve, NAPCAN Youth Speak Out member.

Friday 11 September | 10 am–12 pm AEST | Online

Register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8912836325643180635



National Child Protection Week is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.

07/09/2026

Beat exam stress with these top tips from St Monica's College, Cairns 🤩

📚 Beat Exam Stress! 📚
Exams can be stressful, but we have some tips to help you stay calm and focused:
Plan Your Study Time: Create a study schedule and stick to it.

- Take Breaks: Short breaks can help you stay fresh and alert.
- Stay Active: Exercise can reduce stress and improve concentration.
- Get Enough Sleep: Rest is crucial for memory and focus.
- Stay Hydrated and Eat Well: Fuel your body for optimal performance.

Behind every great achievement is a well-organised plan!

07/09/2026

National Child Protection Week

This week is National Child Protection Week. This year's theme is Every conversation matters - shifting conversation to action. It reminds us of our commitment to be proactive in ensuring that every child feels safe in our schools and beyond. By shifting conversation to action, we can help build communities where every child experiences real safety, care and protection.

The week will culminate in Safeguarding Sunday on 13 September - a day dedicated by the Catholic Church to nurturing safety, dignity and hope in our community. The 2026 theme for the day, Love protects, recognises that safeguarding is a practical expression of Christian love. When communities prioritise the safety, dignity, and wellbeing of children, young people and vulnerable adults, we embody the love and care that is at the heart of the Gospel.

For further information, resources and webinars, go to: www.napcan.org.au/ncpw/

Napcan

05/09/2026

𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆 🥰

Happy Father's Day to all of the fathers and father figures.

On this day, we thank God for the fathers who lead with love, serve with kindness, and inspire with faith.

Bless them today and always.

Amen.

02/09/2026

Early Acceptance Success at CQU 🌟

Mount St Bernard College, Herberton is proud to celebrate College Captain, Grace Hart, who has received an Early Acceptance Offer into the Bachelor of Nursing at Central Queensland University (CQU). Congratulations, Grace!

CQUniversity Australia

🌟 Early Acceptance Success at CQU 🌟
Mount St Bernard College is proud to celebrate College Captain, Grace Hart, who has received an Early Acceptance Offer into the Bachelor of Nursing at Central Queensland University (CQU).
This achievement reflects Grace's unwavering commitment to her studies, her dedication to excellence, and the leadership she has demonstrated throughout her time at the College. As College Captain, Grace has led with integrity, compassion and confidence, embodying the values that are at the heart of our Mercy tradition.
Moments like these are truly special and are shared by our entire College community. We congratulate Grace and her family on this wonderful achievement and look forward to seeing the positive impact she will make in the healthcare profession.
💙 Congratulations, Grace! Your future is bright, and we are incredibly proud of all you have achieved.

02/09/2026

St Gerard Majella School, Woree shines at Opti-MINDS ⭐

Congratulations on the following results:

🥇 Language and Literature – First Place: SGM Team 1
⭐ Language and Literature – Honours: SGM Team 2
🥇 Social Sciences – First Place: SGM Team 3
🥇 Media and Communications – First Place: SGM Team 4
⭐ Spirit of Opti-MINDS – SGM Team 1

🏆✨ SGM Shines at Opti-MINDS! ✨🏆
On Sunday, students from St Gerard Majella proudly participated in the Opti-MINDS Challenge, a creative problem-solving competition that empowers students to think critically, create innovatively, and communicate effectively.
Over the six weeks leading up to the event, our teams dedicated countless hours to preparing their solutions, demonstrating teamwork, perseverance, and creativity every step of the way. Their enthusiasm, commitment, and willingness to embrace challenges were truly inspiring.
All teams represented SGM with pride and excellence.
💙 A heartfelt thank you to our wonderful parents for their support and encouragement throughout the Opti-MINDS journey. 🌟 We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to Mrs Blakeney and Mrs Finlay-Peach for their continued dedication and support, we are so grateful for all that you do. Thank you also to the Opti-MINDS organisers, facilitators and judges.
👏 Congratulations once again to all involved. We are incredibly proud of our SGM students and the way they represented our school! ⭐🏆💡💙
🎉 Results 🎉
🥇 Language and Literature – First Place: SGM Team 1
⭐ Language and Literature – Honours: SGM Team 2
🥇 Social Sciences – First Place: SGM Team 3
🥇 Media and Communications – First Place: SGM Team 4
⭐ Spirit of Opti-MINDS – SGM Team 1

31/08/2026

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 📚

Colourful characters came to life during this year's Book Week celebrations! Staff and students enthusiastically embraced this year's theme, 'A Symphony of Stories' with parades, reading and writing activities that fostered a love of reading and storytelling.

Well done to everyone involved in creating costumes and celebrating another successful Book Week.

Catholic Education Queensland

31/08/2026

𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 🤩

Last week, students gathered for the Student Empowerment Summit, and the energy, wisdom and hope in the room were so evident. The Summit was an important moment in our shared work to strengthen student voice across Catholic Education Diocese of Cairns. It reminded us that student voice is central to who we are as Catholic schools committed to dignity, belonging, dialogue and shared mission.

Student voice matters because each young person entrusted to our care is created in the image and likeness of God. When we listen deeply to students, invite their questions, honour their experiences and create meaningful opportunities for them to contribute, we help them recognise that they are active participants in shaping school communities of faith, learning and service. In this sense, student voice is both a pedagogical commitment and a deeply Catholic one.

The Summit built on the work already underway across our system through Student Voice Forums and the emerging CEDC Student Empowerment Framework. These initiatives invite students to listen deeply and share courageously, to learn and lead, and to become voices for their own communities and for others. Importantly, this work asks us as adults to keep moving from consultation to genuine contribution, and from involvement to shared responsibility. We are already seeing this spirit alive in our schools. ✨

27/08/2026

📣 LAST CALL: Final Year Scholarship

We have partnered with Australian Catholic University, James Cook University and Central Queensland University to offer scholarships to final year Education students as part of our commitment to attract, develop and retain graduate teachers in our region. 👨‍🎓👩‍🏫

Final Year Education Scholarships provide:

✔️ $1200 towards study expenses
✔️ A potential placement in a Cairns Catholic school
✔️ Professional Development program

‼️ Applications close tomorrow, August 28

For full eligibility requirements, further information and to apply, go to: https://bit.ly/3EvThep

JCU: James Cook University, Australia Australian Catholic University (ACU) CQUniversity Australia

26/08/2026

🌟 STEM MAD Success 🌟

A very big congratulations to our STEM MAD winners from Our Lady Of The Sacred Heart School, Thursday Island & Hammond Island and St John's School, Silkwood! 👏

Follow the link to read the full story and find out more: https://bit.ly/46mDwAL