In This Sunday's Gospel reading is the feeding of 5000  What does the message hold for us? In the reading, Jesus has deep compassion for people, meets both physical and spiritual needs, and uses what little we have to provide abundance. as a school community. We also have times of challenge in our lives. 

The story of the Feeding of the 5,000 also speaks so directly to the heartbeat of our school community. It touches on the exact reality that we also  navigate every day: balancing big responsibilities, facing moments of scarcity or burnout, and discovering that when everyone brings their small part, extraordinary things happen

May the reading provide us with the courage and resilience to turn to God in prayer to guide us. 

A Strong Start and Looking Ahead to 2027

We have made a wonderful start to the new school term! Currently, all of our staff members are meeting with me for their Annual Review Process. This is a valuable opportunity for us to reflect on the year’s highlights, with a particular focus on our learning model and classroom practice.

While our day-to-day focus remains firmly on the rich learning happening in our classrooms right now, this time of year also marks the beginning of our strategic planning for 2027. Our goal remains steadfast: to continue delivering the exceptional Catholic education our school is known for and to maintain our strong, vibrant role within the local community.

To ensure our school remains responsive, strong, and sustainable into the future, we will continue to adapt and evolve how we work. We have a great deal to be proud of. The professionalism and dedication of our staff in delivering high-quality Catholic education is well recognised both in our school and across the wider community.

It is no secret that the broader education sector is facing financial headwinds, and Catholic schools across Victoria are not immune to these economic pressures. Please be assured that we are committed to stewarding our resources responsibly, navigating these challenges thoughtfully, and ensuring our educational standard remains as high as ever.

Big News from Clairvaux: Celebrating 100 Days of Prep!

Today we celebrated a huge milestone: our Preps' first 100 days of school!

They certainly seemed to have aged a great deal when we saw them arriving at school this morning! Learning has clearly taken a physical toll since they started earlier this year. The schoolyard was filled with grey hair, wrinkled skin, walking frames, magnifying glasses, walking sticks, grey moustaches, braces, hair nets, and more!

A massive thank you to our "older" ladies, Prue, Vicki, Siobhan, Bianca, Caitlyn, Blaza, Damian, Ainslie and Bridge, for looking after our elderly Preps today, and for guiding them through their first 100 days at Clairvaux.

Our Preps have matured a great deal and learned so many new things over these past 100 days. We are so proud of how far they've come!

Year 1 Grandparents & Special Friends Mass

Continuing our celebration of the elders in our community, we warmly invite you to our Year 1 Grandparents and Special Friends Mass next Friday!

Together, we will look back at what life was like in previous generations. The students are especially excited to see the special artifacts that bring back memories of their grandparents' own school days.

• When: Next Friday at 9:15 AM
• Where: St. Bernard’s Church (followed by Morning Tea)

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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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At Clairvaux safeguarding your family’s personal information is one of our highest priorities. We want to inform you about some recent updates made by Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) to our Privacy Policy, Privacy Collection Notice, and Photography and Recording Permission Form.

These updates are designed to give you greater clarity and control over how your child’s information and images are used.

What Has Changed?

• The Privacy Policy & Collection Notice: These documents outline exactly how MACS manages, stores, and protects personal information relating to staff, students, and parents. The latest update provides much clearer guidelines on how and when we will seek your consent to use photos and videos of students.
• The Photography and Recording Permission Form: This form has been simplified and now includes specific scenarios outlining how photos and recordings may be used by the school where consent is provided. We send this form via PAM and ask newly enrolled families to indicate their consent,

Closed Platforms vs. Public Media: What This Means for Your Child

The biggest practical change is how we distinguish between our closed school platforms and publicly accessible media.

• Our Closed Platforms (Seesaw & School Concert Recordings): Seesaw is a secure, closed app, and school concert recordings are only distributed directly to our internal parent community. Because there is no external public access, photos and videos will be published and shared here normally (without blurring).
• Public Platforms (Social Media & Website Newsletters): Your explicit consent applies directly to platforms that can be accessed by the general public. If you do not consent, your child's face will not appear on our school social media channels or in the school newsletter hosted on our website.

To help clear up the differences, here is a quick guide based on the new policy:

Media Type / Platform	Who Can See It?	How is it Handled?
Seesaw & School Concert Recordings	Only verified parents, teachers, and students.	Shared normally (no surnames) within the secure app or distributed directly to families (no blurring required).
School Social Media	Anyone on the internet (Public).	Only used if you have granted permission. Otherwise, faces will be blurred or omitted.
School Newsletter (via Website)	Anyone who accesses our public website.	Only used if you have granted permission. Otherwise, faces will be blurred or omitted.

Managing Your Consent Online

To make things easier for families, our permission process is entirely digital.

• Existing Families: If you are happy with the permission status you have already given the school, you do not need to do anything. Your current preferences remain securely on file.
• New Families: All families enrolling from this date forward will automatically be sent the new electronic form via our digital platform during the enrolment process. Parents can easily sign and submit their consent directly through the online form.
• Changing Your Mind: You have the option to vary your consent at any time. If you wish to change or withdraw your permission, simply contact the school office and we will resend the electronic form directly to you to sign online.

The full Privacy Policy and Privacy Collection Notice are available to view anytime on our school website. Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping our school community safe and secure.

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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

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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On Monday 20th July, our school community came together for a deeply inspiring Wadawurrung Immersion Day, launching our Term-wide focus on Aboriginal culture, First Nations histories, and connection to Country across all year levels.

A Powerful Opening Ceremony

We were privileged to be joined for the day by descendants of the Wadawurrung people, Corrina Eccles and Billy-Jay (BJ) O’Toole (who completed the beautiful artwork at Clairvaux last year).

The day began with a moving Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony led by Corrina and BJ. Gathering together as a school community for this sacred tradition was a grounding and respectful start to our learning journey. Throughout the morning, Corrina and BJ captivated our students with rich stories of local history, sharing authentic artifacts and insights into the Wadawurrung people’s enduring connection to this land.

Hands-On Learning & Collaborative Art

Following the ceremony, students engaged in a range of classroom and year-level activities exploring Wadawurrung culture. Highlights of the day included:

• Collaborative School Mural: Every student painted an individual tile reflecting what they learned. When combined, these tiles formed a stunning whole-school mural celebrating Wadawurrung Country.
• Class Acknowledgements of Country: Students explored the difference between a Welcome to Country and an Acknowledgement of Country. Each class collaborated to write their own meaningful Acknowledgement of Country, deepening their understanding and appreciation of why we acknowledge traditional custodians. One of these student-led pieces will be selected as our official school Acknowledgement of Country for the remainder of the year.
• First Nations Art Workshop: In the afternoon, Corrina and BJ worked alongside our First Nations students to design a dedicated artwork depicting key elements of Wadawurrung Country. This piece will proudly illustrate our new school Acknowledgement of Country.

This Immersion Day provided a meaningful foundation for the learning taking place across all year levels this term, as classes dive into history and humanities units focused on Country and First Nations perspectives.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Corrina Eccles and BJ O’Toole for generously sharing their knowledge, culture, and stories with us, and to all staff and students for making it such a memorable day of connection and learning.

Once the voting process is completed for our school Acknowledgement of Country and our school mural is finalised we will share them with you as well.

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It has been another wonderful few weeks of learning in Year 1!

In History, students have been exploring the fascinating ancient civilisation of Mesopotamia. They have learnt where Mesopotamia was located, how people lived long ago, and how writing has changed over time. Students have enjoyed discovering the different tools, materials and symbols people used to record information in the past. The Year 1s were able to use clay and ancient symbols (a writing system known as cuneiform) to write their own names.

In Religious Education, we have been learning about the sacrament of Baptism. Students have explored the different groups they belong to, including their families, our school community and God's family. They have also learnt about the special signs and symbols used in Baptism and why this sacrament is such a special celebration.

Next week, we are excited to begin our new unit, Then and Now, where students will compare how homes, schools, toys and transport have changed over time. We are also looking forward to celebrating Mass with our Year 1 grandparents on Friday 7 August at 9.15 am. After Mass, our grandparents will join us in the classrooms to share stories, memories and treasured artefacts from the past, helping bring our learning to life.

We are so proud of the enthusiasm, curiosity and kindness our Year 1 students continue to show every day. We look forward to many more wonderful learning adventures together throughout the term!

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In 2026, our school is participating in Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools – School Improvement Surveys (MACSSIS). MACSSIS is an annual process whereby schools listen to the thoughts and feelings students, families and staff have about how their school can improve. These surveys help inform the ongoing improvement of schools across the Archdiocese of Melbourne.

One of the main goals of the family survey is to identify the strengths to be celebrated and continued to work on and areas for improvement in our school. MACSSIS data benefits everyone within our school and provides valuable community insights on areas that each school can focus on. Clairvaux  believes it is important to encourage families as well as staff and students to have a voice and contribute to shaping the ongoing improvement of the school.

This feedback is invaluable to our progress as an effective school community and is backed by evidence-based research and best practices, and a great way for us to monitor trends from year to year. 

MACSSIS is a set of surveys that have been built specifically for Catholic schools in Melbourne by the Learning Services team at MACS, in partnership with researchers at Learning First and in wide consultation with principals in our schools. In 2026, students, families and staff are invited to participate in MACSSIS via our secure and purpose-built online platform. The online platform is where our school leaders will access the summary reports that visualise the results of the student, family and staff surveys. 

In the upcoming weeks families will be emailed a unique code to fill out the survey anonymously. We really do value this feedback and would appreciate as many families as possible taking the time to help us make informed decisions about the future of our school processes. You can watch a short clip here.

The only data we do see is how many families from each year level participate. The year level with the most surveys filled in will receive an extra long playtime once we have the results!!!

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www.teethonwheels.com.au
Phone: (03) 9338 1191
Email: info@teethonwheels.com.au

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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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Clairvaux Connect – easy ways to get involved. Clairvaux Connect is our network for families to connect with each other, with the school, and to provide extra benefits for students outside of their standard education. Our parent volunteers organise a whole range of activities and events to build Clairvaux’s community atmosphere.

You can help with initiatives without having to attend meetings.
Join a sub-group to help make events and initiatives happen, without being part of the core team with meeting responsibilities.
These groups mainly operate online and initiatives are organised remotely, although you could always catch up for a coffee.
Please contact us if you would like to be added to any of the following sub-groups:
a) Clairvaux Social Events
b) Clairvaux Fundraising Events and Initiatives
c) Clairvaux Canteen, Treat Days and Special Food Events like St Bernard’s Day
d) Clairvaux Carnivale
e) Clairvaux Uniform Shop
f) You can also ask to be added to the main Clairvaux Connect WhatsApp group if you would like to be informed in what’s planned overall and be linked into the core team.
Helping on the day
If organising isn’t for you, then there will be one day opportunities as well such as helping in Canteen, the Uniform Shop, Father’s Day stall, assisting the Family Support Network, or at Carnivale.
Please keep an eye out for those opportunities via Clairvaux’s newsletter, Seesaw, emails and the Clairvaux
Chatter Facebook group.

We’d love to hear from you!
How to contact us
Email: clairvauxconnect@ccsbelmont.com.au
Text: Gemma 0480349756
Facebook: DM the Clairvaux Chatter page www.facebook.com/groups/302867856508231/

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HELMETS ARE ESSENTIAL WHEN RIDING YOUR BIKE OR SCOOTER TO SCHOOL.

Please see the information below from the TAC website.

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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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