News & Events

St Peter’s Catholic College connects primary and secondary students through a shared love of literacy.

On Tuesday 20 October, students, families and teachers from St Cecilia’s Catholic Primary School, St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Shelly Beach, and St Peter’s Catholic College came together for a very proud moment: celebrating our young published authors and illustrators.

Their book, Pathways in Print, is a celebration of the imagination, creativity and talent within our Catholic Schools Broken Bay community. Behind every story and illustration is a student with something to share and dedicated teachers and mentors who helped them find the confidence and skills to bring it to life.

Four school communities; one shared celebration.

From little ideas to published pages

Now in its third year, the program connects talented writers and artists from St Cecilia’s, St John Fisher and Our Lady of the Rosary with St Peter’s Catholic College. It gives students opportunities to develop their creative skills, build friendships and explore where their interests might lead.

The journey began with parents sharing their career experiences at the participating primary schools. These conversations offered a glimpse into different working lives and sparked ideas for the students’ stories.

Published author Lauren McKellar then guided students through writing and editing workshops, helping them shape their ideas and prepare their work for publication.

For the first time, the program also welcomed student illustrators. Through a workshop with St Peter’s art department, these young artists explored visual storytelling and created illustrations to accompany the written pieces.

Students supporting students

A special part of the program was the involvement of St Peter’s students, who mentored the primary school students throughout the experience.

Their support added a personal connection to the partnership between schools. For the younger students, it was an opportunity to learn alongside older peers and get to know students from their local Catholic college. For the St Peter’s mentors, it was a chance to share their experience, encourage others and put leadership into practice.

These relationships are an important part of a connected school pathway, helping students feel a sense of belonging as they look towards the next stage of their learning.

Four school communities, one shared celebration

Led by Kylie Bailey, with the support of Principal Roisin McVeigh, participating primary school principals and teachers, the program reflects the care and commitment our educators bring to nurturing students’ talent. By creating opportunities beyond their own classrooms, they assist young people to discover their strengths, learn from one another and see new possibilities for themselves.

Our Lady of the Rosary, Shelly Beach, St Cecilia’s Catholic Primary School, St John Fisher Catholic Primary School and St Peter’s Catholic College each contributed to a learning experience that extended beyond individual classrooms.

Tuesday’s celebration was a chance to recognise that collective effort. Parents, teachers, school leaders, student mentors and workshop facilitators all played a part in helping bring the book to life.

Most of all, it was a moment for our young authors and illustrators to enjoy their achievement and share it with the people who had encouraged them along the way.

Building pathways across Catholic Schools Broken Bay

Pathways in Print brings CSBB’s connected approach to learning to life. Through collaboration between primary and secondary schools, students can explore their interests, develop their talents and begin to imagine where those strengths might take them.

With St Peter’s Catholic College connecting young writers, artists and student mentors, this initiative shows what is possible when our schools share their expertise and our teachers work together to create opportunities for students to flourish.

For our families, it demonstrates the value of belonging to a connected Catholic school community, where students and educators work together to nurture talent and support the next steps.

Congratulations to our published authors and illustrators from St Cecilia’s, St John Fisher and Our Lady of the Rosary, and to the St Peter’s students who supported them as mentors.

Thank you to Kylie Bailey, Principal Roisin McVeigh, participating primary principals and teachers, Lauren McKellar and the families who helped make this achievement possible.

What a special chapter in these students’ learning journeys.