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 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 Wednesday 29th July - Clairvaux Connect meeting  - all welcome: 7pm at school 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 1School 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 9.15am

Week 5  Tuesday 11th-Prep Ambulance Visit Friday 14th August - Year 5 incursion market manoeuvers

Week 6  Monday 17th - Prep specialist day (please note swap for this week only) Wednesday 19th August - Confirmation Preparation Day  Friday 21st - St Bernards Day Mass (9:15am) and Mannya Lapathon

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

Week 8 Monday 31st - Teeth on 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 Friday 20th - Icypole day

Week 8 Monday 23rd - Closure day Friday 27th  - Junior Athletcs Day Year 2/3

Week 9 Monday 30th - Junior Athletics Day Year Prep/1

Week 10

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

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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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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS

Sacrament of Confirmation

Family Faith Evening with Elio Capra

Thursday 23rd July 6.30 pm at Clairvaux School - Foley Centre

We are delighted to invite all Year 6 Confirmation candidates and their parents / carers to a special Family Faith Evening, facilitated by Reverend Dr. Elio Capra.  Elio, a priest of the Salesians of Don Bosco, lectures in liturgy and Sacramental theology at Catholic Theological College. and is a renowned and inspiring speaker.  This evening is a wonderful opportunity for both parents and students to pause and reflect on their faith journey together.  Fr Elio will guide families through meaningful conversations and shared moments that aim to enrich spiritual growth and deepen faith development in a relaxed and welcoming environment, as we prepare our Year 6 students for the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Confirmation Mass Bookings

The Sacrament of Confirmation Mass bookings will open on Friday 24th July at 9:15 am. 

There will be two mass options available on Sunday 30th August  - 1pm or 3.30pm.   Bookings will be made through  https://www.schoolinterviews.com.au/code/uknhz

Year Level Masses for Term 3

• Year 1  Grandparent’s Mass:  Friday 7th August 9:15 am
• Year 3 Father’s Day Mass: Thursday 3rd Sept  9.30am
• Prep  Family Mass:  Thursday 10th September  9.30am
• Whole School Mass -  St. Bernard’s Day   Friday 21st August 9:15 am
  

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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

The countdown has started to Clairvaux Carnivale on Saturday 14 November!
Our community event is organised by parents and proudly supported by generous sponsors.

Another edition of our Carnivale newsletter will be sent home with students shortly, detailing the exciting activities planned for the day.

You can support this family fun day and major fundraiser for the new junior school playground in many ways. Our contact details are listed at the bottom of this article, and we would love to hear from you if you can assist with any of these tasks, please.

Thank you to everyone who generously donated gift stall items in Term 2.

Join our Coordinators team
We need your help to fill the following roles as part of a large team of
Coordinators. You could share any of these roles with a friend.
Please contact us to find out more information.

This is a good chance to get more Dads involved!
a) Facepainting Coordinator to work with Grade 5 &6 students, high schoolvolunteers, volunteer parents, and Clairvaux teachers.
b) Spinning Wheel or Lucky Envelopes Coordinator to help organise a
fundraising game.
c) Silent Auction and Donations team member – we have a great team in
place, we just need more help because this area will hopefully raise the most
money for the new junior school playground.

Wine donations – by Friday 14 August please
Mystery bottles is a very popular adults stall at Carnivale and to run this
game, we need a large amount of wine. This is our next donation drive for red, white, and sparkling wine. We don’t need non-alcoholic wine, thanks.
Wine donations must be delivered by an adult and cannot be sent to school
with students. Please either deliver your wine donation to the Clairvaux Office
or contact us to arrange an alternative drop-off if the Office hours don’t work
for you.

Display a Carnivale sign at the front of your house or business
If you live or work on a busy street near Clairvaux, we would love to display a Carnivale real estate board or small sign at the front of your property. Having many signs around the area will boost attendance on the day.

Connections and borrowed items
We are seeking parents who have a connection with any of the following
businesses that may be able to help us organise a good rate, or those who
can loan us these borrowed items. The costs to run Carnivale are rising and
we are looking for ways to reduce spending.
a) Connections to any of the following businesses:
- Cool Room hire
- Event Security company
- Portaloo hire
b) Borrow 2 x Bain Maries
c) Borrow Large Eskies

Silent auction and prize donations
For the silent auction and game prizes, we need a large quantity of goods and vouchers of any value. All prizes are wonderful, and small denomination
vouchers are great too like coffee vouchers! Maybe you run a business or
have a connection to a shop or restaurant to ask. Businesses are publicly
acknowledged for the contribution.

Spread the word
Please tell everyone to save the date!

Follow Clairvaux Carnivale on socials and share the posts
Facebook: facebook.com/ClairvauxCarnivale
Instagram: instagram.com/clairvauxcarnivale/
Contact us
Donations: clairvauxcarnivaledonate@gmail.com
General enquiries: clairvauxcarnivale@gmail.com
or contact Gemma on the Carnivale Committee 0480 349 756

Your support will be greatly appreciated!

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MacKillop Family Services foster carers ensure that some of the 9210 children in Victoria living away from their families for safety reasons are also able to share in the joy, care, and stability that every child and young person deserves.

Our need for foster carers in the Belmont and Geelong area who can provide a temporary nurturing and supportive home for vulnerable children in their local community has never been greater.

A short-term placement, a weekend of respite, or a longer caring arrangement can make an extraordinary difference to a child’s sense of belonging, safety and well-being.

Foster carers come from all walks of life. They can be working full or part-time, retired, married or single, in same-sex relationships, and can own or rent their home. MacKillop supports our carers with comprehensive training, ongoing advice, respite care and an around the clock helpline.

If you would like to know more, please call MacKillop Family Services on 1300 791 677 or visit mackillop.org.au/fostercare.

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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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