Newsletter Week 9 Term 1 2024

Holy week and Easter season

This morning we enjoyed a beautiful prayer and a music reflection of the passion of Jesus.  Our children provided us with a reflection of the final days of Jesus .  The reverent  way that all in our school community participated was an excellent way to conclude our first term  This morning and in every day this year we have  seen the presence of Jesus in our lives.   

A happy and holy Easter time and a restful and safe holiday to all at Clairvaux.  May it be a time of new beginnings and growth for us all.

A message from Pope Francis

May the Holy Spirit inspire and sustain us this Lent and Easter

so that we may experience his divine splendour and thus, confirmed in faith,

persevere in our journey with him.

—-------------------------------------------------------------

and a Message from Van Vine, Year 3 for Easter

“Christ has risen!”    delivered in the Year 3 class this week with passion.

National Summit for Educators 

On Monday and Tuesday of this week Christine, Kat and myself attended the Teaching Matters 2024 - National Science of Learning Summit hosted by Catholic Education Tasmania.

The speakers at the summit who led the presentation were: Jan Hasbrouck, Lyn Stone, Tom Sherrington, Pamela Snow, Lorraine Hammond, Jenny Donovan, Nathaniel Swain, Brendan Lee, Toni Hatten-Roberts, Jennifer Buckingham, Jordana Hunter and Rebecca Birch, all experts in the the Science of Learning. 

We are really excited to have had this opportunity to learn from these experts in their fields.

As leaders at Clairvaux, we believe that it is vital that we continue to grow our own personal knowledge and understanding and be aware of the latest research on the best ways to be teaching our students. We are sure that the many learning opportunities and insights that we listened to over these days has only affirmed what we are doing at Clairvaux, but will also embolden us to project and develop our vision given the ideas, thoughts and approaches from like minded educators across Australia and from the panel of speakers.  We understand the importance of leading Clairvaux in a research and evidence informed teaching methodology and know that we need to continue to grow in our own understanding to benefit our whole Clairvaux community.

School Excursion / Incursion Survey Results

We are pleased to share that nearly half of our school families took part in our recent survey regarding camp experiences for primary school children. The majority of respondents expressed a preference for more camp opportunities at Clairvaux. Consequently, we intend to plan for a year 5 camp in 2025. This reflects our commitment to providing valuable experiences that enhance learning and community involvement, while also being mindful of the feedback we have received. Overall, while there is a strong desire for more camps at Clairvaux, the feedback from parents and staff, underscores the need to balance the benefits of camp experiences with practical considerations such as cost, risk, and logistical feasibility.

Master Planning

In recent weeks,  with the support of Katherine Holden from MACs Planning and Infrastructure and Sebastian Russell, MACS Delivery Officer, the School leadership team and Business manager, we have interviewed four Architectural companies to develop a Master Plan for our future development.  

A Master Plan is a comprehensive document intended to guide development for a period of 10 - 15 years.  Master Planning is a process which examines every aspect of the school’s physical and educational environment. It consists of a document which will include drawings, schedules, explanatory diagrams and other material from the school community, consultants and the architectural firm.  It will identify existing land use and buildings and propose future uses together with a carefully considered staging plan.  The Master Plan will act as a reference document to inform and guide the future of Clairvaux. 

We are pleased to announce that Morton and Co are the successful appointed architectural company .  Morton and Co are an established and recognised architect firm from the Ballarat  and Geelong area with a strong connection to Catholic schools and other businesses.  

If you are interested in contributing to the Project Control Group a Google document is attached. We are seeking two to three parents who believe that they would be able to contribute to our Master Plan.  The ability to think strategically long term and to align our school vision, goals and objectives is required.  Copy the following address into your search engine

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfdz-K6z0Fdvcoaa7YuDMR-dDjczySn7C_7yXw6yaUrxQMHuw/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0&usp=mail_form_link 

Christine Brennan

We are all looking forward to the Easter break.  Christine will extend her break as she is taking some well earned Long Service Leave and going overseas.  We wish her well in her upcoming travels.

Parent Helpers

There are many,  many events that require the volunteer support of our parents.  We are very appreciative of the parents who devote time to assisting with school events e.g. sporting events, Parents and Friends social gatherings, etc. The great success and enjoyment of the Colour Run last week was proof of that. I thank the very small number of volunteers who worked tirelessly on that evening to allow the rest of our community to have fun together with our families.

Lately we are noticing a depreciating level of involvement.  Events cannot run if we do not have a strong volunteer base, we just will not have the numbers to run a successful program.   This message is to encourage you to devote time to support activities and events that your children are involved in and in that way guarantee that both you and your child get to enjoy these moments together.

A safe, happy and holy Easter to you all.
Brendan

• All Carnivale questions and queries can be sent to: clairvauxcarnivale@gmail.com
• All Carnivale sponsorship information can be sent to: clairvauxcarnivaledonate@gmail.com
• Agenda items for P&F can be emailed to: clairvauxpandf@gmail.com 
• Any queries or feedback in regard to uniform are to be directed to: clairvauxuniforms@gmail.com

           
Easter at St Bernard’s

Wed 20th March: 7.30pm - Penitential Service

Mon 25th March: 7.30pm - Tenebrae quiet prayer

Holy Thursday: 7.30pm - Mass: Lord’s Supper Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

Good Friday: 10.00am - Stations of the Cross

Good Friday: 3.00pm - The Passion

Easter Vigil: 7.30pm - Mass

Easter Sunday: 9.00 & 10.30am - Mass

There was a lot of humor in all the acts and the Year 9’s connected well with the audience. Hopefully the students came home tonight and told their parents all about it. 

Clairvaux has appointed a firm of architects to facilitate the drawing up of our building Master Plan next term. We welcome Morton and Co, a Geelong based company to work with us.

We invite parents who may have a special interest or talent in master plans to please submit their expressions of interest in joining our reference group. We are looking for two more members to join our leadership team in this process and be part of shaping the future of our school.

Please fill in this google form by the end of the school holidays and we will be in touch next week to let you know if you have been successful or not with your application.

Expressions of Interest

Just to update you on how we are continuing to enhance the learning experience for your children this term, our dedicated staff have been busy engaging in professional development activities aimed at supporting your child's overall growth and safety.

At the heart of our efforts is our commitment to cater to the needs of every student. This term, our teachers have been diving into National Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) procedures, ensuring that each child receives the support and adjustments they need to thrive and taking time to document this.

In addition, our educators have been brushing up on behavior management techniques and learning more about explicit instruction (EI) and routines. This means they're getting better at teaching in a clear and structured way, ensuring that every child can understand and participate fully in class.

Of course, safety is always our top priority. That's why our staff have been trained in handling emergencies like epilepsy and anaphylaxis, as well as in CPR. We're also making sure we're up to date on all the latest safety protocols, whether it's digital safety or ensuring a safe physical environment.

Compliance awareness is also a priority. From mandatory reporting modules to stringent adherence to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) protocols and child safe standards, our staff are unwavering in their dedication to upholding the highest standards of accountability and protection.

We know how important it is for you to trust that your child/ren are in good hands when they're at school. That's why we take compliance and child safety seriously in everything we do. From making sure attendance is tracked properly to following strict guidelines for reporting any concerns, we're committed to keeping your child safe and supported every step of the way.

Thank you for entrusting us with your child's education and well-being. Together, we're creating a nurturing environment where every child can flourish.

Belonging 

Noah Rogers (PRC)

Binx Chamberlain (1RB)

Henry Maher (2EW)

Claudia Ingles (3CG)

Sidney  Neil  (4LO)

Edith  Furness  (5VR)

Ari Humphrey (6CM) 

Friendship

Harriet Foster-Dawes (PVT)

Hudson Martin (1IB)

Blair Fox (2NK) 

Maya McKee  (3TO)

Sienna Dougherty (4MC)

Ira Garg (5AC)

Harper Goodwin (6DC)

Friday 19^th April – Turf Masters

Highton Bowls Club

Parents barefoot bowls

Start 6pm - $10 entry (https://www.trybooking.com/CQNSG)