Clairvaux Newsletter
Term 2 Week 11 2025
2026 Calendar
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 |
Principals report
Gracious God,
open our hearts so that we may receive the message of your coming with joy and wonder.
Help us to discover the people and places in the midst of our daily lives where you meet us with your love and care.
May we be the face of Christ to all those we meet. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ name.
All: Amen.
Finding Peace in the Second Week of Advent
Dear Families,
As we enter the second week of the Advent season, the dedicated period of waiting and preparation for the birth of Jesus at Christmas, we can easily get caught up in the incredible speed and rush of the final school weeks of the year.
It's a feeling many can relate to. It is much like the world of a tradie, where everything seems to need to be completed by Christmas!
This week, I sent a message to our incredible teachers, reminding them to truly enjoy the final days of the year with their classes. The time they have spent together on this unique learning journey has been precious, and every day is different.
In the context of Advent, this second week traditionally calls us to stay alert and prepare not just for the infant Jesus, but also for the powerful message of the adult Jesus' public ministry. We are all waiting for the joy of Jesus' birth and the well-deserved break at the end of the school year.
In these final days, I encourage you all to take a moment to reflect on the true meaning of the Advent season: a time of waiting, anticipation, and joyful preparation for the birth of Christ.
Reflecting Together
A wonderful way to slow down and focus on the reason for the season is through conversation with your children.
- Ask your children what they have been learning about in their prayer and Religious Education lessons.
- Hearing it from the children can have a profound impact on all of us, reminding us of the true reason for Christmas.
Thank you, as always, for your unwavering support and partnership this year. Let us cherish these final weeks and embrace the spirit of Advent together.
Professional Development Closure Day with Christina Hughes and Tricia Spreadborough - MACs Indigenous Cultural Education
Last Monday we were fortunate to have Christina and Tricia from MACs to engage us in a cultural awareness of our First nation. The professional learning opportunity was a chance for us to gain a deeper understanding of our history and the importance of being culturally aware of how we can effectively educate our school community.
Creating Culturally Safe and Inclusive Learning Environments.
The intended outcomes of the session included:
- Enhancing knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, and their importance within educational contexts.
- Strengthening confidence in addressing the AITSL teaching Standards by demonstrating respect for, and responsiveness to, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, histories, and cultures.
- Deepening our understanding of Child Safe Standard 1 by exploring strategies to create and sustain culturally safe environments for our Aboriginal children and young people.
- Promoting cultural respect, inclusion, and reconciliation within our school communities, and fostering more culturally responsive and inclusive learning environments.
- Developing a deeper knowledge, understanding, and empathy to meaningfully embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into everyday teaching practice.
Brendan
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At last week's Parent and Friends meeting, clarity was sought of the role and responsibility of the School Advisory Council. The following will provide you with a brief understanding of the Clairvaux SAC. Current members include Fr Tho, Christine Brennan, Kat Quinn, Sarah Smith, Luke Primus, Shervonne Vass, Leanne McAlister, Steve D’Arcy and Myself.
The School Advisory Council: A Parent's Guide
The School Advisory Council (SAC) is essentially the main way parents, the local church (St Bernards parish), and the community can work together with the school leadership to make the school the best place it can be for our kids.
What the SAC Is (The "Partnership")
- As a Support Team: It's a formal group that brings together the Principal, the Parish Priest, and Parents (plus sometimes other community members).
- A "Voice" for Parents: It gives parents a dedicated place to contact the SAC members to share their ideas, concerns, and wisdom directly with the Principal.
- As a Principal's Sounding Board: The Principal and Parish Priest can use the SAC as a place to discuss big ideas or challenges, and get feedback from the parent community before making decisions.
- Consulting, Not Deciding: The SAC is in essence advisory—meaning they give advice and perspective. They do not make the final decisions; those are made by the Principal and Parish Priest, always with the children's well-being and success always being the top priority.
In short: The School Advisory Council is a valuable formal group where parents' insights are sought and used to advise the Principal and Parish Priest on what is best for the students and the future success of the school.
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The Parents and Friends meeting last Wednesday was attended by a strong core of parents last week. We are in a rebrand phase but also conscious of what our main purpose is.
Supporting Our School Community: That's the Parents and Friends (P&F) Group!
The P&F is a volunteer team made up of parents and friends dedicated to the well-being of our school. Our main goals are to:
- To Fundraise: Organize activities to bring in extra funds that pay for resources, equipment, or improvements that directly benefit our students' learning and school environment.
- To Build Community: Create opportunities for families to meet, socialize, and feel connected to the school through various functions and activities.
- To Communicate: Act as a helpful link, sharing information and feedback between the wider parent community and the school staff.
Please see Caity Foster Dawes for a complete list of support, the passion and energy displayed by the parents and friends this year.
Community Care in Action: A Note of Thanks
This past week, we experienced an unfortunate incident in the school yard involving one of our youngest students, Marigold (Goldie) from the Prep class. Goldie sustained a deep head wound that required 20 stitches, and while she was understandably distressed, she is now recovering well.
In times of unexpected difficulty, it is profoundly encouraging to witness the swift care and compassion demonstrated by our community.
- Gratitude to Staff: Our heartfelt thanks go to the dedicated staff members who provided immediate and skillful treatment for Goldie's injury. Their professionalism and calm response ensured she received the necessary care without delay.
- A Special Mention to Langdon: We would also like to recognise the extraordinary support shown by Goldie's older brother, Langdon. His maturity and understanding of the seriousness of the injury allowed him to provide invaluable comfort to his little sister. His actions were a true testament to the loving bonds within our student body.
We are so grateful to be part of a community that rallies around its members. We send our very best wishes to Goldie for a complete and speedy recovery.
Maanya, Uganda: Building a Better Future Together
We are pleased to announce that our annual financial support has been sent to the Maanya community in Uganda this week. Father Emma is delighted with the yearly boost it provides.
This support is central to Clairvaux's belief in "Building a Better Future." What was once considered "mission impossible" is now a community brimming with spirit and potential, thanks to focused efforts in education, infrastructure, and human kindness. Our ongoing partnership fuels a sense of limitless possibility. It serves as an important reminder, particularly now, of the privileges we have here at Clairvaux.
Navigating the Final Weeks of the Year
As we successfully conclude Week 9, let's all be mindful and supportive of one another as we face the natural pressures that accompany the end of a busy school year. We still have many wonderful events ahead!
Please note these key upcoming activities:
- Today: Clairvaux Got Talent!
- Next Tuesday: "Step Up Day." This exciting day includes:
- Welcoming our new Preps and their families.
- All children learn who their class teacher and classmates will be next year.
- For Year 6: The fun of the Adventure Park excursion and the formal Graduation ceremony.
- Friday, December 12th: Our highly significant End-of-Year Mass at 9:15 AM.
Let’s hold it together.
Brendan
Semester 1 Attendance 2025
You will notice above, a summary of our whole school semester one attendance. On average our data indicates around two weeks of school missed over the course of the semester.
Going to school every day is the most important part of your child’s education. There are no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind and can affect their educational outcomes and their social connectedness.
The best thing you can do is support your child to get to school every day. A positive attitude towards school, healthy habits and routines and parental involvement can support your child’s regular school attendance and prevent chronic absence patterns.
At Clairvaux we monitor student attendance carefully and you may from time to time receive communication from your child's teacher alerting you to the percentage of time your child has missed in absenses.
Sometimes we dont realise that a day here or there away from school can add up very quickly. 1 day missed per fortnight adds up to four weeks lost per year. This adds up to one year of schooling over the course of their educational enrolment at primary and secondary school.
Being on time is also very important. School begins at 8:50am and that is when our gates close. Students must be signed in if they arrive after this time. We request parents sign thier children in, so children can go straight to class and not waste more class time lining up to sign themselves in. Late arrivals and uncommunicated absences will result in a text message alerting you to this.
Parent Information
Indigenous Artist.
We invite you to ask your child/ren about Reconciliation week and the new art work around the school.
Parent Learning Walks Term 3
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.
Spaces are limited so please register your interest via the link below. We will be holding more Learning Walks in 2025.https://www.schoolinterviews.com.au/code/hvxk7
Please note that we will run the walk for a minimum of 5 families (this event is not one for toddlers).
Thank you
Community Notice Board
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.