Prayer reflection

The Enduring Legacy of Loved Ones

This week has been a time for quiet reflection, especially around All Souls' Day, when many cultures pause to remember those who have passed away.

In a conversation today with a staff member, we were struck by how quickly time seems to fly, and how clearly we remember what was happening in our lives just one year ago. For this colleague, the year has held a significant challenge: the sudden passing of her father.

As we approach the one-year anniversary of this difficult loss next Saturday, we were reminded of the profound influence and lasting impact those we hold dear have had on our lives.

The shock and grief of loss are challenging times for any family. We extend our collective prayers and thoughts to all members of our school community who have lost family and friends.

May the love, compassion, and mercy that faith models bring comfort to those navigating grief. The legacy and spirit of our departed family members live on, not only in us but also in the generations of children who carry their stories and strength forward.

Class Structures for 2026

The process for determining our 2026 class structures is currently underway. We understand that class placements are important, and we want to assure families that this is an involved process that considers many factors for every child and teacher.

Factors Considered in Placement

All students were recently asked to select up to four friends they wished to be grouped with next year. This is one piece of the puzzle, alongside other critical considerations, including:

• Academic growth and learning needs.
• Social and emotional needs.
• Overall class dynamics and current compositions.
• Any specific adjustments or support required for individual children.

Other Key Dates & Staffing

• Next week marks the beginning of Transition Opportunities for our 2026 Prep children.
• The determination of teacher positions and the appointment of any new staff members will be finalised in the coming weeks. We are fortunate to have a highly qualified teaching group. Our commitment to a low variance approach across all year levels ensures that curriculum content is consistent across each of the four classes.

As we mark the half way of the term lets keep the focus on completing the year in a successful manner.

World  Teachers day

Last Friday, on World Teachers' Day, we honoured  our Clairvaux teachers for their  profound dedication and the moral purpose at the heart of their vocation.

It takes enormous courage to be a teacher.  Every day I watch them walk in, positive and fired up to teach your children.  I would like to thank them for their courage to be adaptable and professional in addressing the academic and social needs of our children.. 

Our teachers behave selflessly for the good of all of the children they meet every single day, and I know that the  children are appreciative for that.

They are all teachers at heart. They were probably role playing as teachers when they were the age of your children. For them there are many unforgettable moments in the classroom when they can hardly contain the joy of teaching, when new learning pathways suddenly open up, and that deep synchronicity with your kids becomes evident. 

Teaching is a journey of hope, and one that will make a huge difference in the learning and future lives of our children.

In  the partnership we share as parents and teachers united together, let’s continue the love, care, and respect for the many reachable moments that occur at school and home, and hold onto hope for a better future.

Enterprise Bargaining Update: A Focus on Staff Conditions and Resourcing.

As many in our community know, employees across various industries are covered by Enterprise Bargaining Agreements (EBAs). As we approach the conclusion of the current EBA for Catholic school employees, negotiations are commencing for the next agreement period.

There has been recent media attention regarding the next award, particularly for teachers. While the EBA for Nurses and Midwives was approved in November 2024, our teaching staff's current award period is set to conclude in December 2025.

The Victorian Catholic Education Authority (VCEA) recently put forward a comprehensive proposal to the Catholic education sector. This proposal was aimed at addressing critical areas including workload, conditions, and wages for all employees. It reflects a genuine commitment to improving the working environment in our schools.The negotiations will continue and we will as a Catholic school plan around the impact and focus upon our mission of being a high quality Catholic school focussed on the strong teaching and learning program.  

Brendan

REMEMBRANCE DAY

Remembrance Day commemorates the moment in 1918 when World War 1 came to an end. We pay our respects to all Australian men and women who have served in war and peacekeeping activities. It is also a time that we think about the soldiers who are currently stationed in war zones all around the world.

Next Tuesday, 11th November we will take time as a whole school to pause for a minute’s silence to remember all who have served and sacrificed for peace. We invite students to bring a small bunch of flowers from their gardens at home, to place at the foot of our ‘Lone Pine Tree’ at our school entrance, as a sign of respect and remembrance.  Clairvaux was very honored in 2022 to be the recipient of a tree that is a direct descendant of the lone pine tree at Gallipoli.

On Wednesday, 12th November, our Year 5 students will lead a Remembrance Day mass at St. Bernards Church beginning at 9.30 am.  Parents and families are warmly invited to join us for this special celebration.

November is also a time when as a Church we come together to remember all those who have died, especially our family members.  

They went with songs to the battle 

They were young, straight of limb, 

True of eye, steady and aglow, 

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted, 

They fell with their faces to the foe. 

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old, 

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn, 

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, 

We will remember them. 

Lest we forget

Laurence Binyon (1869–1943) 

Last term we let families know about their child's attendance percentage for this semester. You will now notice on your PAM app that you are able to view your child's attendance as well as full and half day absences. Attendance percentages are made up of late arrival minutes and early pickup times not just half and full day absences.

As well as the importance of having a good, consistent attendance record at school we also encourage you to ensure your child/ren arrive at school on time. We have been noticing a few more children are arriving late at school and often these are repeated late arrivals.

The start of a school day routine is very important for your child to ensure they feel as comfortable and calm as possible. The bell system at Clairvaux allows time for children to unpack their bags before class starts and to be settled when it is time to gather together for the attendance roll, messages about the day and a run through of the daily program. 

When a child arrives late and they miss out on the morning routine this can result in them feeling anxious and unprepared for the day. The advantages to arriving on time include:

• Smooth transition period - students who arrive at school with time to spare have the opportunity to settle into the classroom, prepare their materials and focus their minds on the lessons to come.
• Important information – a typical school day starts with announcements and introductions to new lessons and concepts. Students who show up late may miss out on important details and be unprepared for future class events or key learning concepts.
• Develops long-term positive habits – when students show up on time to school every day, they develop the habit of being punctual with important commitments. 
• Self-esteem - arriving on time every day makes children feel good about themselves.

Arriving on time for school ensures that your child doesn’t miss out on the important learning activities that happen early in the day when they are most alert. At Clairvaux we most often begin our day with a daily review - a short sharp activity designed to expose students to repeated reminders of previous learnings they have addressed throughout the year. At Clairvaux we know the benefits of repeated exposure assists us with embedding knowledge in our long term memory. Set your child up for success and make certain they arrive at school  On Time. Every Time. The only gates staffed in the morning are the Plaza/drop off zone and office gate so please use this entry if you feel your child may need some extra support saying goodbye.

Social media changes are coming

The e-safety commissioner webinars give parents and carers the knowledge, skills and tools to support their children to have safer online experiences.

From 10 December 2025, certain social media platforms won’t be allowed to let Australian children under 16 create or keep an account.

What you need to know:

• The age restrictions are likely to apply to Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, X and YouTube, among other platforms.
• Most online gaming and standalone messaging apps are among the types of services that will not be included.
• Children under 16 will still be able to see publicly available social media content that doesn’t require logging into an account.

Find out more at  eSafety’s social media age restrictions hub. If you can't join our free webinar, we're also developing video guides for parents and carers about the upcoming social media changes for under 16s.

Join one of the free webinars HERE for parents and carers.

To launch our new CCed unit on Astronomy: Space Sciences, Year 6 students enjoyed an exciting immersion day filled with creativity and discovery! Students imagined and designed their own planets, complete with unique names, features, and habitats, before bringing them to life through paper mâché models. Some even added clever touches like planetary rings and extra moons!

We also welcomed Hands on Science, who ran a fascinating workshop exploring electricity and energy. Students investigated circuits, resistance, and how energy can be transformed and transferred through different materials. It was a wonderful day of curiosity, creativity, and hands-on learning as we launched into our final CCed unit for the year!

Year 6 Science

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 
7. 
8. 
9. 
10. 
11. 
12. 
13. 
14. 
15. 
16. 
17. 
18. 
19. 
20. 

Previous Next