Shaping Hearts and Minds with Courage and Compassion: Reflecting on Pope Francis and the Easter Message

As we journey through the post-Easter season—a time of hope, renewal, and deep reflection—we are reminded of the powerful message of the Resurrection: love conquers death, and light overcomes darkness. This season calls us to look inward and outward, to renew our mission as a school community grounded in faith, compassion, and courage.

The recent passing of Pope Francis—a global shepherd and humble servant—has also prompted us to pause and reflect on his life and legacy. A champion of mercy, inclusion, and justice, Pope Francis reminded us time and again that the heart of Catholic education lies not only in knowledge but in the formation of character, empathy, and a deep sense of belonging. His leadership called for a Church that listens, walks with the vulnerable, and acts with tenderness.

In our own school community, we are blessed to welcome a rich tapestry of new and existing families, each bringing unique experiences, hopes, and needs. Together, we are shaping a generation that will inherit a complex world. The question before us is clear: How do we continue to shape the hearts and minds of our children, families, and teachers at this moment?

We move forward with courage—rooted in the Easter message of new life and the example of Pope Francis. We continue to model compassion and respectful dialogue, fostering a school culture that lives out Gospel values. We offer spaces for encounter, not just education: places where curiosity is met with encouragement, difference is met with understanding, and questions are met with faith.

As educators and families, our task is sacred. In classrooms, in playgrounds, in prayer and in practice, we have the opportunity each day to model the very heart of Christ: love in action. Let us embrace this call boldly—mindful of the diverse journeys within our community, yet united in our shared hope.

Together, let us shape a future where the echoes of Easter and the wisdom of Pope Francis continue to guide us: toward compassion over indifference, courage over fear, and faith over despair.

St Bernard's Parish Administration position

Fr Tho is seeking an Administrative Officer for three days per week (16 -18 hours)

The successful applicant will work closely with the Parish Priest, office team, and dedicated volunteers.   The Administrative Officer plays a vital role in supporting the mission and daily operations of the parish. It  is more than an administrative position—it is a ministry of service that calls for professionalism, discretion, and a deep respect for the faith and values we uphold.

For  information please see further details on the Parish website link to our school website.

Strong Prep Enrolment for 2026 Reflects Our School’s Reputation

We are delighted to share that we have received a strong number of applications for Prep in 2026. This reflects the growing recognition of Clairvaux as a school of high instructional quality within the Geelong and Belmont communities.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our parent community for being such passionate advocates for our school. Your support and the positive way you share your experiences of teaching, learning, and wellbeing at Clairvaux play a vital role in building our school’s reputation.

As a Catholic school, we are committed to providing students with a contemporary understanding of our Catholic story, rooted in faith, compassion, and inclusivity. We are blessed with dedicated teachers and a supportive parent community, all working together to foster a culture of continual improvement.

Families who have applied for Prep in 2026 will receive notification on Thursday, 23rd May.

Big Week for Year 3 and the Whole School

Mothers Day

This week, our Year 3 children celebrated Mother's Day with a beautiful Mass attended by mums and some grandparents. Our mums are truly wonderful people — they have given life to our children and continue to love and nurture them every day.

The Mass, celebrated with Fr Tho, was a heartfelt way to reflect on the many special qualities of mothers. On Friday morning, we welcomed around 270 guests for morning tea, followed by more than 80 mums visiting our classrooms.

A huge thank you to the mums who helped organise the morning tea, and to Ebony and her team for ensuring that every child has a gift ready for their mum on Sunday.

To top off the week, our Year 3 children also enjoyed a fantastic excursion to Werribee Zoo — what a great experience! It really would be wonderful to be a Year 3 child again.

Update of Medical information

Can I ask that parents update or add any medical conditions to PAM.  This allows us to provide the necessary support for your child.  If there is a change in your child's medical status please update your PAM account.

Brendan

Kelly Club report for Term 1

The start of the year at Clairvaux has been an incredibly busy and exciting time with 43 new prep  enrolments, with a variety of engaging activities that have kept the children entertained and  actively involved. The Clairvaux Kelly Club has been buzzing with energy, and we’ve seen  excellent participation levels throughout Term 1. Kelly Club broke their  afternoon record and recorded 64 children during the term and often have between 30 - 50 children every other evening, and combining that with over 30 joining us on some mornings, we have a lively and dynamic atmosphere. 

A key highlight of the term has been the wide range of activities offered, all carefully designed to  encourage creativity, physical fitness, and teamwork. The children had the opportunity to explore  and develop their skills in a supportive environment, and their voices were truly heard in shaping  what activities they wanted to participate in. As a result, there was a number of impressive art pieces and culinary creations that came to life, showcasing the children's creativity and imagination 

AVERAGE PROGRAM DAILY ATTENDANCE 

BEFORE SCHOOL CARE 21 

AFTER SCHOOL CARE 37 

HOLIDAY PROGRAM 36 

Deforestatio, Habita L an Climat Chang 

By Cla Kru-Gol

How would you like to lose your home and species in a brief moment of chaos and permanent, harmful destruction? Innocent animals are being dangerously murdered and the reckless deforestation rate is skyrocketing horrifically in a frantically restricted amount of time. I struggle to truly empathize how important stopping deforestation is, with our lives and our precious planet at stake. 

All because of heartbreakingly destructive deforestation, animals´ and plants´ habitats are disappearing and vanishing like a fizzing, bubbling bath bomb. Terrible zoonotic diseases will make humans severely ill, so sick that they could die! Harmless animals will have nowhere to go, transforming their lives into a struggle for survival. Some of these cute species are critically endangered, and habitat loss could wipe them out for eternity, making those animal breeds extinct! Permanent habitat loss is human caused, so I ABSOLUTELY HATE HABITAT LOSS!

Catastrophic climate change is maximised to burning point by the Greenhouse Effect, making summers super stuffy and sweltering! The extreme and unpredictably wild weather can cause destructive cyclones that are capable of killing thousands of innocent species and even selfish, greedy humans too. Frequent droughts, big, big, big raging bushfires and wildfires clearly demonstrate the Sun's immense power, showing why it is a harmful drug and leading to heatstroke. Endangered polar species will go extinct purely because of rapidly rising temperatures, causing the polar ice caps to melt significantly. Climate change is ruining our beautiful Earth that we know now, so STILL do you want to contribute to this horrific ordeal?!?! 

Rainforests are vital recreational spaces housing rare, diverse flora and fauna, but deforestation is undoubtedly destroying our special, valuable connection with native wildlife! Rich ecosystems are lost, violently disrupting the gentle, balanced cycle and diminishing Earth’s natural, radiating and pure beauty. Pure air and unique ecotourism clearly

makes rainforests relaxing and calm, but birdwatching and adventuring also provides exhilarating thrill and endlessly fun excitement. Carbon emissions are increasing severely, intricate relationships to the forests are ruined and opportunities for recreational activities decline rapidly. DO I MAKE MYSELF PERFECTLY CLEAR!?!? 

Deforestation contributes hugely to the amount of trees being burnt to a crisp and releases harmfully terrible greenhouse gases.Deforestation is unmistakably permanent, and our wildlife and forests are diminishing rapidly. In conclusion, all evidence clearly demonstrates that deforestation is at the heart of all tree destruction, so if you don’t take immediate action against deforestation, will you deeply regret it when you suffocate one day?!