Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ

This weekend, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, drawing on the Gospel of Luke. In this passage, we hear four familiar and powerful words: took, blessed, broke, and gave. These are the same actions Jesus performed at the Last Supper—and they continue to shape how we celebrate the Eucharist today.

These words are not just liturgical actions; they reflect Jesus’ life and mission. He was taken, blessed, broken, and given—offering himself fully in love and service. These actions remind us that the Eucharist is not a gentle story, but one of deep sacrifice and profound generosity. The blessing follows the taking, and the sharing follows the breaking.

As a Eucharistic people, we too are called to be taken, blessed, broken, and given—for one another and for a world hungry for compassion, hope, and justice.

Jesus, be our strength and our compass.

May the Eucharist we receive move us to live with compassion

Make us your presence in the world.

Make us one in heart, one in mission, one in love.

Celebration of First Eucharist

We continue to joyfully celebrate the Sacrament of First Eucharist with our Year 4 children at this weekend’s Parish Masses. A heartfelt thank you to Julie and the Year 4 teaching team—Jordan, Lucy, Michael, Cyndie, and Sydney—who have lovingly prepared the children for this second Sacrament of Initiation into our Catholic faith, following their earlier Baptism.

Last weekend, the prayerfulness and reverence shown by the children as they participated in the liturgy with their families and the wider Parish community was a beautiful expression of the Clairvaux spirit. It was moving to witness how fully our families embraced the sacredness of this milestone and the deepening of their children’s spiritual journey.

Receiving the Body and Blood of Christ through the Eucharist is a profound moment of grace. The joy of God is always with us, and through the Eucharist at Mass, we are spiritually nourished and called to grow ever more in the likeness of Christ.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, bless this child as they receive You for the first time in Holy Communion. May this be the beginning of a lifelong journey of faith, filled with Your love and grace. Guide them always on the path of righteousness, and may they always know the joy of Your presence in their lives. Amen.

Year 5 Excursion to Melbourne

What an amazing experience our Year 5 students had during their two-day excursion to Melbourne! With 76 children in attendance, the excursion was a great success thanks to the incredible organisation by Kat B and the dedicated Year 5 team – Vicki, Jake, Trinity, Lauren – along with our fantastic Learning Support Officers: Lizzy, Matt, and Mel.

Throughout the trip, our students truly epitomised the high expectations we set for behaviour and respect. This was clearly evident over both days, and we were proud to receive many positive comments from members of the public across the city.

Well done to all involved for making this a memorable and enriching learning experience!

As We Approach the End of Term

With just a fortnight remaining in the term and the winter chill settling in, let’s finish the semester with a shared commitment to maintaining our high expectations for the learning and growth of our children.

Over recent weeks, our teachers have been diligently conducting assessments and are now preparing mid-year reports ahead of our Parent-Teacher Interviews in the final week of term.

The upcoming break will be a valuable time to rest and recharge, but in the meantime, let’s remain dedicated to strong attendance and focus through to the end. Every day of learning counts.

Prep Year 6 mass

Dear Prep & Year 6 Families,

You are invited to attend our special Prep / Year 6 Buddy mass around the theme of ‘Creation.’

St Bernard’s Church
Thursday 26th June 2025
at 9.30 am

You are welcome to stay on for a chat to catch up with other Prep and Year 6 families. A coffee van is booked for after mass. Looking forward to seeing you there. The Prep & Year 6 teams

Celebrating Consistency, Collaboration, and High Expectations

At our school, it’s often the quiet, consistent efforts that have the biggest impact—and this week, we’re proud to shine a light on just that.

A big thank you to Michael and Cyndie, whose classes have been moving through the school with calm, focus, and purpose. Their commitment to upholding our entry and exit routines is clearly visible and sets a strong standard for our learning community.

During the recent Year 5 camp, Kat B shared how impressed she was by the way our students carried themselves while touring the city. Their respectful and safe behaviour reflected the same expectations we embed in our daily routines—another powerful testament to the consistent modelling happening across classrooms.

We also extend a heartfelt thank you to Molly, Cyndie, Andy, Isabelle, and Elly for opening their classrooms to Yolanda from Knowledge Society. Yolanda was genuinely impressed by what she saw. Her feedback was a welcome reminder that the excellent teaching and learning happening here is no accident—it’s the result of deliberate, collaborative work by a committed team.

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”
– Vincent Van Gogh

Thank you all for continuing to bring excellence to life through the small, daily choices you make.

Bianca Middle Learner Leader

Our Shared Mission: Meeting Challenges with Purpose

At Clairvaux, we are deeply committed to our mission as a Catholic primary school: to provide every child and family with access to a high-quality, faith-filled education that nurtures the whole person.

As a school community, we recognise that the challenges we face are not unique to us—they reflect broader systemic issues within education today. According to the Australian Early Development Census, one in four children begins school developmentally vulnerable. This early data speaks to the growing inequities, increasing wellbeing and behavioural needs, and rising administrative demands that schools across the country are navigating. These challenges are further exacerbated by limited resources for early intervention and support.

Despite this, at Clairvaux we remain resolute in our purpose. Through our strong focus on a well-embedded behaviour curriculum, an explicit and effective instructional model, and the dedication of our high-quality teaching staff, we are ensuring that every student is supported to thrive. Our approach is grounded in clarity, care, and high expectations—and we are seeing the impact in the growth and engagement of our learners.

Primary education is foundational. It is in these early years that learner identity, confidence, and possibility take shape. When we get it right—and we believe we are—we don’t just prepare children for academic success. We set them up for lives of meaning, contribution, and connection.

At Clairvaux, we are proud to walk alongside our families in this important work. Together, we are building a community where every child can flourish.

Sacrament of First Eucharist

Congratulations to our Year 4 students!

Over the last two weeks of June, our Year 4 students received the Sacrament of the Eucharist for the first time at St. Bernard’s Parish - a joyful and scared milestone in their faith journey.

We are incredibly proud of each and every one of them.  May receiving the Eucharist deepen your relationship with God and continue to guide you in love, faith and community.

A heartfelt thank you to Fr Tho for leading our celebrations. We are grateful for his spiritual guidance and continued support,  making these occasion even more meaningful for our student and their families.

A special thank you also goes to our Year 4 teachers and parents for their dedication in preparing the children throughout the term for this important day.  

Please enjoy the photos of each group (at the end of this report) as they celebrated the special moment together.
       

Sacrament of Confirmation

The Year 6 students of Clairvaux and St. Bernard’s Parish will be commencing their preparation to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation in Term 3.  Confirmation is the final Sacrament of Initiation to be received in the Catholic Church - the others being Baptism and Eucharist.  Confirmation is administered by the Bishop by the symbolic traditions of ‘laying-on of hands’ and anointing with chrism (oil).  Selecting a saint name and sponsor are also significant decisions to be made by the candidates. The Sacrament of Confirmation gives strength in faith and helps us to live our lives as ‘Spirit-filled people’

A note was sent out yesterday to all Year 6 families regarding Confirmation.

                            Please check your emails!

IMPORTANT CONFIRMATION DATES:

• Family Faith Evening - Wednesday 13th Aug   6.30 pm  
• Presentation masses - Sat 16 Aug 6pm, Sun 17 Aug 9am, 10.30 am

Sat 23  Aug 6pm, Sun 24 Aug 9am, 10.30 am

• Preparation Day - Wednesday 10th September
• Confirmation Masses - Sun 14th Sept 1pm & 3.30 pm    

Tues 16th Sept 6.30 pm

More information to follow next term regarding stoles, saint names and sponsors.

Please direct any questions regarding the sacrament to jroutley@ccsbelmont.com.au or your child’s classroom teacher.

Year Level Masses

Year 6 / Prep buddy mass - celebrating Creation

Last week, our Year 6 students and their Prep buddies came together to celebrate a beautiful mass centred around the theme of Creation, which has been a focus in Religious Education for our Prep students this term.

The Mass was a touching reflection of the special bond between the older and younger students.  Our Year 6 students demonstrated wonderful leadership as they gently guided their Prep buddies through the celebration, showing care, maturity and encouragement.

We were also delighted by the fantastic turnout of parents whose presence highlighted the strong sense of community that enriches every part of school life here at Clairvaux.

Year Level Masses - TERM 3

• YEAR 4 Feast day of Mary McKillop   Tuesday 5th  August   12 noon
• YEAR 1  Grandparents Mass Tuesday 12th August  12 noon
• ST. BERNARD’S DAY Monday 25th August  9.15 am

Whole School Mass and Lapathon

Refugee Week

A sincere thankyou to the Clairvaux community for your generous support during Refugee Week.

Through your donations to the Assylum Seeker Food Bank @ The Welcome Place,  you have made a real difference to the lives of local refugee families.  Your kindness and compassion reflect important ‘touchstones’ of our school - where faith, community and service come together to support those in need.

Thankyou also to Marg Mahoney, the Social Justice CSC group and the Year 6 students for organising and promoting this worthy cause.  

Yvonne Paturzo who generously volunteers her time with the organisation, spoke to our Social Justice group and Year 6s, demonstrating the essence of a true ‘Spirit-filled’ person in our community.   We received a lovely letter from her in response to our donations. 

An excerpt from the letter…

‘The Wesley Asylum Seeker Welcome Place was delighted to receive your school’s very

generous donation of hundreds of non-perishable grocery items for our Food Bank last

week. Our shelves are now very well stocked, and we wish to express our thanks to the

Clairvaux Catholic School community for your kindness and concern.’

Photos from Refugee week and celebration of our Clairvaux cultural diversity…

                           


NAIDOC week - The Next Generation :

Strength, Vision and Legacy

Next week , July 6 - 13, we acknowledge NAIDOC week 2025, a special time to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The 2025 Theme, “The Next Generation; Strength, Vision & Legacy,” celebrates not only the achievements of the past but the bright future ahead, empowered by the strength of our young leaders, the vision of our communities and the legacy of our ancestors.  At Clairvaux, we honour the Traditional Custodians of the Land and continue to learn, listen and grow in our understanding and respect of our First Nations people.

Lia Rizzi, one of our talented Art teachers has taken inspiration from Indiginous Artists with students from Year 4 and 6 creating some amazing pieces.

Year 4 - Contemporary Indigenous artists: Bronwyn Bancroft and Jimmy Pike.

Bancroft has illustrated over 40 children's story books, including Colours of Australia, Patterns of Australia and Shapes of Australia. All three books combined create the book, Art in Country. 

Jimmy Pike's bright and colourful works focus on the repetition of line, surrounding the indigenous symbol for waterhole. Many of Pike's works feature 'Jila Japingka,' a major waterhole, around 400 kilometres south of Fitzroy Crossing, in the Great Sandy Desert, near where he was born.

Year 6 - Albert Namatjira, Australian watercolour landscapes

Namatjira was a pioneer of  Indigenous Australian art that was influenced by western art. This made him the most famous Indigenous Australian of his generation. Namatjira primarily painted the landscapes of Central Australia, specifically the MacDonnell Ranges region. His works often depicted the rugged terrain, vibrant colors, and expansive skies of the outback.

Eucharist 2025

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Last term we let families know about their child's attendance percentage for this semester. You will now notice on your PAM app that you are able to view your child's attendance as well as full and half day absences. Attendance percentages are made up of late arrival minutes and early pickup times not just half and full day absences.

As well as the importance of having a good, consistent attendance record at school we also encourage you to ensure your child/ren arrive at school on time. We have been noticing a few more children are arriving late at school and often these are repeated late arrivals.

The start of a school day routine is very important for your child to ensure they feel as comfortable and calm as possible. The bell system at Clairvaux allows time for children to unpack their bags before class starts and to be settled when it is time to gather together for the attendance roll, messages about the day and a run through of the daily program. 

When a child arrives late and they miss out on the morning routine this can result in them feeling anxious and unprepared for the day. The advantages to arriving on time include:

• Smooth transition period - students who arrive at school with time to spare have the opportunity to settle into the classroom, prepare their materials and focus their minds on the lessons to come.
• Important information – a typical school day starts with announcements and introductions to new lessons and concepts. Students who show up late may miss out on important details and be unprepared for future class events or key learning concepts.
• Develops long-term positive habits – when students show up on time to school every day, they develop the habit of being punctual with important commitments. 
• Self-esteem - arriving on time every day makes children feel good about themselves.

Arriving on time for school ensures that your child doesn’t miss out on the important learning activities that happen early in the day when they are most alert. At Clairvaux we most often begin our day with a daily review - a short sharp activity designed to expose students to repeated reminders of previous learnings they have addressed throughout the year. At Clairvaux we know the benefits of repeated exposure assists us with embedding knowledge in our long term memory. Set your child up for success and make certain they arrive at school  On Time. Every Time. The only gates staffed in the morning are the Plaza/drop off zone and office gate so please use this entry if you feel your child may need some extra support saying goodbye.

We are so proud of the steps we have taken over the last few years to bring us to the point we are at now with our teaching and learning framework.

Our instructional model based on the Science of Learning is one that we are continuously striving to refine. We have been informing our parent community via a range of modes:

• We launched our 'playbook' for parents to gain an understanding of how we teach and learn at our school - which is able to be viewed on our website in the 'How we learn and teach' section
• Last year we invited parents to join us over two sessions for a Teaching and Learning Open Night where we took you through some key concepts and examples of how and why we teach like we do and then offered a chance to view the classrooms and work samples.  
• Our next step is to continue to offer Learning Walks around our school.

What is a Learning Walk? It is an invitation to parents to come to the school for a set period of time to be led on a facilitated and structured learning walk of the school/ classrooms during the school day. Not to look at the decor - but to learn more about the learning that is happening. The focus of the structured walk is children and their learning as opposed to teachers and the teaching.

We have run some learning walks last year already for parent groups within our school and open up the invitation to our wider school community to enjoy this year.

The date we have selected for an open invitation is term 3 week 3 Tuesday 5th August beginning at 9:10am. Please allow 95 minutes for this event.

Year 3 Visual Art 

This semester, year three students linked their CCed topics, Health and Geography, to Visual Arts. We focused on “spiritual” health. Students learnt about the art principles of balance, repetition and pattern as well as the art elements of colour and line. 

Students were able to apply these understandings to create a mandala, both using the technique of weaving and painting.

Students used painted paper plates as their ‘loom’ and wool to to weave. 

Have a look at some of the creative talents emerging in year 3 art. This Art display can be viewed in the school entry hallway, but get in quick it will only be on display for a limited time!  

Exploring Landmarks Near and Far

This term, our Year 6 students have been exploring a combined Literacy and CCed unit focused on Geography. They've been comparing Australia to countries around the world, with a recent focus on famous landmarks across Asia. Students enjoyed discovering the stories behind these iconic places and comparing them to well-known Australian landmarks. As a culminating activity, each student selected a landmark to research, created a beautiful artwork of it, and wrote a short blurb to accompany their piece. We’re so proud of their creativity and growing global awareness!

Check out some examples of their amazing artwork in the pictures below!

 
 
 

This semester has been a busy one for students in years four, five and six in Performing Arts. This year we have a nice big room for Performing Arts which gives us plenty of room to spread out for dance, drama and music activities. 

We started the year learning about the music and dance from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island traditions which included listening to music from contemporary Indigenous musicians such as Dr G Yunupingu and Yothu Yindi. We learnt to sing “My Island Home” which was first written and performed by the Warumpi Band from central Australia. We watched traditional Indigenous dances and discussed their meaning and purpose. 

This term we have been focussing on Drama and practicing short plays of fairy tales to perform for the younger students in the last week of term. We are learning about how to memorise lines, how to make sure we are facing the audience and how we can change our voice and bodies to portray a character. 

All of this was happening while we learned bucket drums and ukulele, danced “essential” dances like “Nutbush” as well as explored the music and singing games of other cultures! 

Kaboom percussion incursion

The year five students enjoyed an incursion during their Performing Arts lessons in week 6 this term. Kaboom educators Laura and Aiden led the students in composing their own rhythm and body percussion piece, and playing bucket drums while also performing on their own “homemade” instruments for the students. It was a very engaging and fun workshop! These presenters also complimented the students at Clairvaux for their ability to listen to instructions, and to engage and participate with the activities. A proud moment for us all!  

Performing Arts Term 2

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In the last week of this term we will be holding our ‘Mid Year Parent Teacher Chats’. These conversations will be held either in person or via a phone call made to you from your child’s teacher - your child does not need to be available to participate in the conversation and you will have the opportunity to select an option when you book. Meetings will be held on:

• Monday 30th June (12:10 pm - 6:30 pm) - (PLEASE NOTE ALL STUDENTS WILL BE DISMISSED AT 12 MIDDAY ON THIS DAY - YOU WILL NEED TO ARRANGE FOR THEM TO BE PICKED UP AT THIS TIME) Kelly club will be open from midday.
• Wednesday 2nd July  (3:40 pm - 7:40 pm)PLEASE NOTE:

  3ST and 4CM will also be holding some interviews on Tuesday 1st July (2:10 pm - 5:30 pm)

These interview times are scheduled for after you receive your child’s report so teachers can talk to the report and you can ask any questions. Reports will be sent home via PAM on Friday 27th.

Our reports do not have comments - only progress marks, so the interview times are a very important part of our reporting process and allows the opportunity to provide further information about your child's progress. Thank you to those who have already made a time to meet.

Please visit: https://www.schoolinterviews.com.au/code/tqxvy


The code needed is: tqxvy if you are prompted.

This term in the Library, we will be hosting a Gigantic Book Fair!

It will be held during Week 9 and 10. (16 - 27/6/25)

During Week 9, the children will have the opportunity to view the Book Fair and create a "Wish List" should they choose. Purchases are NOT available this week. As always, I will stress to the children that there is absolutely no obligation to purchase. Should you choose to buy, a percentage of sales is returned to the Library in the form of rewards that I use to buy many New Release books. You are welcome to come in and have a look before and after school this week.

Week 10 is purchase week. Again you are welcome to come in before and after school to purchase or you may choose to use the online feature. All online orders come directly to me, and I generally fill them on the same day so that your child can take them home immediately. Online and card purchases are preferred.

Thank you for your continued support of Literacy at Clairvaux.