Please note the following dates in your diary:
2026 dates are set as best as possible at this point in time.
Please be mindful they may be subject to change and continue to check.

Term 4 Week 3

Week 4 Friday 30th October- Icypole day Friday 30th October- World Teachers day

Week 5 Monday 2nd November- Student Free Day Tuesday 3rd November- Melbourne Cup Public Holiday Saturday 7th November -  Bunnings BBQ

Week 6 Tuesday 10th November - Prep 2027 first transition visit Wednesday 11th November- Yr 5 Leadership incursion Saturday 14th November - CARNIVALE

Week 7 Monday 16th - Prep excursion Friday 20th November- Icypole day

Week 8 Monday 23rd November- Closure day Tuesday 24th November - Prep 2027 second transition visit Friday 27th  November- Junior Athletics Day Year 2/3 - school oval Saturday 28th November- Election Day BBQ

Week 9 Monday 30th November- Junior Athletics Day Year Prep/1 - school oval Tuesday 1st  December - Yr 6 Disco Wednesday 2nd December- Carols Evening Thursday 3rd December -  Special treat day

Week 10 Tuesday 8th December - Whole school step up day and Prep 2027 third transition day Tuesday 8th December- Parent teacher meetings Wednesday 9th December - Parent teacher meetings Friday 11th December - End of year mass 9.15-10.15am

Week 11 Monday 14th December - Final Assembly 11.45am-12.45pm Monday 14th December - Yr 6 Graduation  Tuesday 15th December - Last day of school for 2026  (Adventure park for Year 6) 2.30pm Finish

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This Week is Pentecost Sunday, the birthday of our Church.

Through the witness of the apostles, Pentecost became recognised as the birth of the Church. The disciples, once fearful and uncertain, ( as we can be as well ) were transformed into courageous witnesses who spread the message of Jesus to people of many nations and languages. This event highlighted the universal mission of the Church and the guiding presence of the Holy Spirit in Christian life.

Specialist Theologians and Church leaders have further developed the understanding of Pentecost as a celebration of unity, mission, and renewal. Modern Christian communities see Pentecost not only as a historical event but also as an ongoing invitation for believers to live with faith, courage, and openness to the Spirit’s guidance in everyday life.

For Clairvaux, schools and faith communities today, Pentecost reminds us of the importance of community, inclusion, and using our gifts to serve others. It encourages our children and us to become active witnesses of compassion, justice, and hope within the world around them.

Brendan

2027 Prep Enrolments

Tomorrow, families with a child commencing Prep in 2027 will receive notification regarding their enrolment application to Clairvaux.

For families who already have a child or children attending Clairvaux, this news will further strengthen your family’s connection and involvement within our school community. For some, it may also mark the milestone of welcoming your youngest child into school life as the kindergarten years come to an end.

For our new families, this will be an exciting beginning for them as they prepare to commence their  journey with their first child at Clairvaux and become part of our vibrant school community.

This year we received a very large number of applications. We will have 100 new prep children in 2027.  Application numbers were 140+.  While many families will receive an offer in this first round, unfortunately some families will experience disappointment at this stage. A waitlist process will remain in place for those families. Confirmation of acceptance of an enrolment offer must be received by 5th June.

I would like to sincerely thank our current families for the way you advocate for our school. Your support plays a significant role in strengthening our community and reputation. We are a community of 429 families who all want the very best for their children. By choosing Clairvaux, you have made a commitment to be part of a large and connected school community.

With this comes shared expectations regarding the quality of teaching and learning, as well as the school’s educational reputation within the wider community. At Clairvaux, we continue to build a community grounded in our vision of being an “authentic learning community shaping and enriching our world” within our Catholic school context.

Little things that happen around here

It is always great  to hear about the little elements of kindness or good moments that happen at Clairvaux.  We received this message from a thankful Mum this week.

A side note, there’s a boy in grade 6 named Jacob M, I think he is Finn’s buddy. I would like you to pass on to his teacher/parents how kind and helpful he is to the preps. On two occasions he has walked Leo from the church car park gate to his playground at drop off when Leo was feeling reluctant to leave me. It’s so heartwarming to see, and Leo instantly feels happy and confident to say goodbye to me. 

There are many examples of leadership shown by all of our Year 6 students. The care and support they demonstrate each day reflect the true spirit of servant leadership.

Professional Learning for Leaders - Clarendon visit

This week, four members of the Leadership Team had the opportunity to attend Clarendon College Ballarat for a School Practice Observation. The purpose of the visit was to support our collective professional learning by observing school leaders and teachers in action. Through these observations, we were able to see strong teaching practices firsthand, deepen our shared understanding of implementation, and engage in professional dialogue to learn both from and with colleagues.

Although we were working within a different educational setting, many of the practices we observed aligned closely with our instructional model. The experience provided valuable opportunities for us to reflect on, refine, and further strengthen the Clairvaux model.

This week marks the halfway mark of Term 2.  The year is flying.

Brendan

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Introducing the New Religious Education Curriculum

At Clairvaux Catholic School, Religious Education is at the heart of who we are and how we live our faith as a community.

Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) has been developing a new Religious Education (RE) curriculum in response to the 2023 Review of Religious Education. The curriculum aims to deepen students’ understanding of the Catholic faith, strengthen their knowledge of Scripture and Church teachings, and help them recognise how faith connects with their everyday lives.

At its heart, Religious Education is about more than learning about religion. It is about creating opportunities for students to encounter Jesus, explore their faith, ask meaningful questions and discover how they can live out the values of the Gospel through kindness, compassion, justice and service to others.

Clairvaux’s journey with the new RE curriculum

Throughout 2026, Clairvaux has been actively involved in the development of the new RE curriculum. Our Foundation (Prep) team has participated in the trial-based learning teams, exploring and implementing draft units of work. Teachers in Years 1, 3 and 6 have also contributed to developing and evaluating draft units, helping to shape the curriculum and ensure it supports meaningful learning at each stage of students’ primary school journey. 

This work is part of a broader process overseen by the Religious Education Reference Group, established by Archbishop Peter Comensoli (Archbishop of Melbourne), with MACS supporting the writing, resourcing and development of the curriculum.

What does this mean for our students?

The new RE curriculum (still in its draft form) will provide carefully developed units of work to support engaging, meaningful and age-appropriate learning. Students will continue to explore key aspects of the Catholic faith, including the stories of the Bible, the life and teachings of Jesus, prayer, liturgy, Catholic traditions and how we are called to care for others and our world.

As we continue this journey, our goal is to nurture students’ knowledge and understanding of their faith while encouraging them to reflect, wonder, question and put their learning into action in their daily lives.

As Pope Benedict XVI reminds us, Catholic education offers students an opportunity to “encounter the living God” and discover a life shaped by all that is beautiful, good and true.

We look forward to continuing to strengthen Religious Education at Clairvaux, supporting our students to grow in faith, hope and love and to become people who make a positive difference in the world.

Advent: A Time to Prepare for Jesus

Our Prep students are currently exploring the Foundation RE unit  Advent: A Time to Prepare for Jesus , learning that Advent is a special time of waiting and preparing our hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus through prayer and acts of kindness. They are also discovering how Mary was chosen by God and how her courageous “yes” teaches us to respond to God with love and put our faith into action.   Yesterday they opened the special Advent box…

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What is the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data? Schools must now complete the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) every year. It counts the number of students who receive additional adjustments or “help” at school because of a disability. The NCCD helps governments plan for the needs of students with disability.

Please click on this link to view further 2026 information from the NCCD website or here for VCEA information.

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This term in Prep, we have continued our learning about living and non-living things as part of our CCed curriculum. As part of this learning, the children designed and created their own “Bug Hotels” to provide safe and suitable habitats for insects and bugs. Our Bug Hotels, which have been placed around the school, have already attracted a variety of creatures, including ants, snails, and cockroaches, allowing students to observe living things in their natural environment.

Yesterday, each Prep class was also gifted a class pet — a stick insect. The students are very excited to welcome and care for their new pet. Throughout the term, the children will have the opportunity to name the stick insect, learn about its needs, and take responsibility for ensuring it has adequate food, water, and a safe environment to survive and thrive. Watch this space… 
     

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Carnivale News

Clairvaux Carnivale is coming on Saturday 14 November!

We appreciate your support to create a fantastic day for families.

There are many ways you can help to make the event a success:

 Lolly and chocolate donations
*No items with nuts please

 Lucky dip item donations

 Silent auction donations – can be vouchers or products

 Small value vouchers - these vouchers could be $5-$15 items, a percentage off a price, or 2 for 1 offers

 Wine donations – wine needs to be delivered to the Office by an adult, or wecan arrange a collection.

Volunteer at Carnivale
We ask that you fill a 2-hour parent shift at Carnivale. You can choose your timeslot and which stall to help with. Please sign up here: https://signup.com/go/WgNb3k

Thank you to our amazing Carnivale sponsors

Please support the businesses that support Carnivale.

Major sponsor

Buxton Real Estate is once again our major sponsor for Carnivale and a strong Clairvaux supporter. As Geelong area experts, Buxton offers a comprehensive range of real estate services, including sales, leasing, and property management - servicingneighbourhoods across Geelong, including our surrounding suburbs of Highton,Belmont, Wandana Heights, Grovedale, Waurn Ponds, Armstrong Creek and MtDuneed.
Contact Director Tony Moorfoot on 0419 789 112, or visit buxton.com.au/highton

Gold sponsors

Sequence Digital: KIDS! Shhhhhh... This is actually a crack the code puzzle:
ATX LD Z QHCD OZRR OKDZRD. Shift each letter in the code to the next in the key:
A becomes B, B becomes C, and so on until Z (which becomes A). KEY:
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ.
ANSWER: _________________________.
Now tell a grown-up the answer, and that Sequence Digital's ad had the puzzle.
We're makers of fine websites and apps, owned by a Clairvaux Dad, and real fun to work with. Get in touch with Patrick Blampied on 03 9088 0784 or
sequencedigital.com.au

Roslyn Finance: When was the last time your mortgage had a checkup? If your homeloan's over a year old, you're probably paying a "loyalty tax", lenders reward new customers, not existing ones. Roslyn Finance helps families save time and money, and it costs you nothing, lenders cover our fees. Contact Clairvaux Connect parent and CPA, Ben Walsh, on 0421 919 822, or visit roslynfinance.com.au to book a free, no obligation 30-minute chat.

Arthur Reed Photos: We’re delighted to have Arthur Reed Photos return as a Gold Sponsor in 2026! A family-owned school photography business, Arthur Reed Photos has been operating from its Geelong headquarters for over 60 years. They provide high-quality school photography at an affordable price, combining advanced technology and quick turnaround times with excellent customer service.
1800 032 028 | customerservice@arphotos.com.au

Ninedots Build Advocates: For more than a decade, Ninedots Build Advocates has supported families and investors with expert guidance throughout a new home or investment build. From Builder Selection, Quote and Contract Reviews and Build Consulting through to Building Inspections and Project Management, Ninedots helps clients make decisions, avoid mistakes and build with confidence. Ninedots offers 3D and Virtual Reality Floor Plan Experiences, helping clients visualise and refine their home before construction begins. ninedots.com.au

Kelly Club: A huge thank you to Kelly Club, Clairvaux’s trusted before and after school care and holiday program provider, for supporting our school community as a Gold Sponsor of the 2026 Clairvaux Carnivale! Kelly Club provides fun, engaging and caring programs where children can learn, play and connect before and after school and throughout the holidays. We’re incredibly grateful for their generous support and commitment to our families. Thank you, Kelly Club, for helping make this year’s
Carnivale possible!

Surf Coast Signage is supporting Carnivale yet again as a Gold Sponsor and are printing many of our Carnivale signs. Based in Torquay, the team provides signage solutions to businesses across Greater Geelong, Melbourne, and Australia wide.
Producing a range of signage from large format prints to car wraps and installations, all helping their clients stand out from the crowd. You’ll see the exciting Carnivale signs that they produce around Geelong!
surfcoastsignage.com.au

Silver sponsors

Buzz Weddings and Events
Coerver Coaching
Flip Out
Full Spectrum Solutions
NumberWorks’nWords
Melbourne Stars
Paisley Park Early Learning
SC Technology Group
The Y Geelong

Bronze Sponsors

AWM Electrical and Data Suppliers
Barwon Water
Curate + Gather
Checkered Flag Property Services
Dodds Fitness
Elders Insurance
Geelong Indoor Sports + Inflatable World + Ready Steady Go Geelong
Geelong Mobile ATMs
M4 Australian Security
Ocean Air Yoga
Sensory Smart Kids
The Virtual Reformer Pilates Room (Highton)
We Made

Please contact us:
General enquiries: clairvauxcarnivale@gmail.com
Donations: clairvauxcarnivaledonate@gmail.com
Gemma - Carnivale Committee 0480 349 756
Facebook DM: facebook.com/ClairvauxCarnivale

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Alongside the Carnivale, our Clairvaux Connect group are busy organising lots of fun events for our community. Coming up we have junior school social catch ups, more treat days and a Dads night. Keep a lookout for more information regarding these events.

On Thursday 11th June at 7pm we will be holding our AGM for Clairvaux Connect. Please watch for an email in the next week about the roles we are hoping to fill. 

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