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.

2026 Term 2

Week 10 Monday 22nd June - School ends at midday 12pm to allow for Parent Teacher Meetings Monday 22nd June - Parent Teacher Meetings Midday - 6:30pm Tuesday 23rd June - Yr 6 Italian Kitchen day Wednesday 24th June - Parent teacher Meetings 3:40pm - 7:00pm Friday 26th June - Assembly 9:10 am - CSC semester two badge presentations Friday 26th June - Last Day of term 2 - 2:30pm dismissal

2026 Term 3 Week 1 Monday 13th July - Student free day - staff PD day Tuesday 14th July -  First Day of Term 3

Week 2 Monday 20th-31st - Book Fair in the library Monday 20th-Whole School Indigenous Immersion Day Friday 24th-City to Surf Athletics-Selected student

Week 3 Thursday 30th-Special Treat Day  Thursday 30th - prep 100 days of school Saturday 1st - Year 5/6 social event - Clairvaux Connect

Week 4 Tuesday 4th -Day 1 School Improvement Day-Review Wednesday 5th - Day 2 School Improvement Day-Review Friday 7th - Yr 6 multicultural Melb. excursion  Friday 7th - Yr 1 grandparents day mass 12pm

Week 5  Tuesday 11th-Prep Ambulance Visit Friday 14th August - St Bernards Day Mass (9:15am) and Mannya Lapathon

Week 6  Wednesday 19th August - Confirmation Preparation Day  Friday 21st - Year 5 incursion market manoeuvers

Week 7 Monday 24th - Teeth on Wheels, Monday 24th - Year 3 democracy Incursion Friday 28th - Teeth on wheels Sunday 30th - Confirmation Mass 1pm and 3:30pm

Week 8 Monday 31st - teeth no wheels third visit Tuesday 1st - year 1 Sovereign hill excursion  Tuesday 1st -Division Athletics Wednesday 2nd - Yr 2 wool museum and bollard walk Thursday 3rd - Father’s Day Stall  Friday 4th - Father’s Day open Morning

Week 9 Tuesday 8th - year 4 bodyworks evening  Thursday 10th - RUOK Day

Week 10 Tuesday 15th - Minty’s Birthday Friday 18th - Book Week Parade and final day of term - we will incorporate a brief assembly into the book parade - 2:30pm dismissal

2026 Term 4 Week 1 Monday 5th October - First Day of Term 4 Saturday 10th October - Parents social night

Week 2

Week 3

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

Week 5 Monday 2nd - Student Free Day Tuesday 3rd - Melbourne Cup Public Holiday

Week 6 Wednesday 11th - Yr 5 Leadership incursion

Week 7 Monday 16th - Junior Aths Day Year 2/3 Tuesday 17th -Junior Aths Day Year Prep/1 Friday 20th - Icypole day

Week 8 Monday 23rd - Closure day

Week 9

Week 10

Week 11 Tuesday 15th - Last day of school for 2026

---

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

---

First Eucharist Celebrations

Congratulations to our Year 4 students (and some Year 6s) who received the Sacrament of Eucharist for the first time last weekend.  It was wonderful to see the students confidently and reverently take this important step in their faith journey, surrounded by their families and the St. Bernard’s parish community.

Thankyou to our families for their support, the Year 4 teachers for their guidance throughout the preparation process and to Fr Tho for celebrating these special ceremonies.

We would also like to thank the staff members who generously assisted at each of the Eucharist ceremonies.  Whether helping with liturgy, welcoming students and families,  preparing the church or assisting behind the scenes, your time and dedication helped make each of the masses memorable occasions.

We are very proud of our students and wish them every blessing as they continue their faith journey.

Sacrament of Confirmation

Next term our Year 6 students will begin preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.  Through Confirmation, candidates renew their Baptismal promises, and strengthened by the Gifts of the Spirit, are encouraged to live as active followers of Jesus in their daily lives.

CONFIRMATION DATES:

• Confirmation Family Faith Evening -Thursday 23rd July  6.30pm
• Confirmation Preparation day - Wednesday 19th August
• Sacrament of Confirmation Ceremonies - Sunday 30th August 1pm  & 3.30pm

---

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.

---

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… 
     

---

---

Carnivale News

Clairvaux Carnivale has a strong reputation in the community, and the word is starting to spread that the event is on Saturday 14 November.
This incredible fete is organised by parents and proudly supported by generous donors.

We are asking for contributions from our school families, and there are tubs in the classrooms to collect your donations.

There are many ways you can support the event and help make it a success!

• Lucky dip and small gift donations – please send your donations with your child by Friday 19 June.

We would love to gather new lucky dip prizes, novelty items, and small gifts to sell such as fidgets, small LEGO packs, stickers, matchbox cars, bubble
wands, sidewalk chalk, slime or putty, mini craft kits, plush toys, puzzles,
temporary tattoos and other sensory items.

• Silent auction and prize donations

For the silent auction and prize games, we need a large quantity of goods and
vouchers for services of any value. All prizes are wonderful, and coffee
vouchers are great too! Maybe you run a business or have a connection to a
shop or restaurant to ask. Businesses are publicly acknowledged for the
contribution. Please contact Gemma on the Carnivale Committee for more
information on 0480 349 756 or email clairvauxcarnivaledonate@gmail.com

•  Spread the word

Please tell everyone to save the date!

•  Display a Carnivale sign at your house

If you live on a main road near Clairvaux, we would like to display a Carnivale real estate board or sign at the front of your house. Having many signs around the area will boost attendance on the day.

•  Follow Clairvaux Carnivale on socials

Facebook: facebook.com/ClairvauxCarnivale
Instagram: instagram.com/clairvauxcarnivale/
Contact us

Donations: clairvauxcarnivaledonate@gmail.com
General enquiries: 

or contact Gemma on the Carnivale Committee 0480 349 756

Your support will be greatly appreciated!

---

---

---

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. 

---