From Head of School
Wrapping Up This Year Strong!
Dear Clairbourn Families,
At this time, I am filled with gratitude for a wonderful year. I am grateful for the teachers for their passion and skill in working with the students each day. I am grateful for the CFA under the direction of Ting Sung for all of the community-building events. I am grateful for the community and the spirit that has been on full display at each of our big events. I am grateful for our students who fill the campus each day with joy and energy. I am grateful for the sense of completion as we look proudly at the Class of 2022 and their growth and success.
I look forward to our last full day of this year where we celebrate all of our success, and I can't wait to celebrate the Class of 2022 at our graduation ceremony!
Amy Patzlaff, Ed.D.
Head of School
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Student Council Appreciation
It is our pleasure to recognize and applaud the members of the 2021-2022 Clairbourn School Student Council. The Student Council is composed of creative, caring, flexible, and fun-loving scholars and leaders with heart. This year, the meetings took place at three separate lunch tables outside, and the members of Student Council still managed to work together to accomplish all the wonderful activities and events.
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Thank you for being willing to meet anywhere and do any job, eating your lunch while writing speeches, and barely complaining when your iPads started overheating in the sun. Student Council advisor Ms. Vinnedge would like to recognize and thank the following members:
Thank you, Student Council!
It has been a privilege to work with you this year.
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8th Grade Speeches
Eighth-grade students have been sharing their remembrance speeches during Morning Assembly. Watch their heart-felt speeches about the growth they have experienced, the memories they have made, and the overall impact Clairbourn has had in their lives.
Good morning, fellow students, teachers, and members of the Clairbourn family. My name is Yuqi Feng and I have been at Clairbourn for three years now. I was assigned to work on this graduation speech a few weeks ago about persistence. The first thing I did was search up the definition on Google. I learned it meant: constant, determined, continuing in a course of action. With further research I found a great video on YouTube by Professor Angela Lee Duckworth and her explanation of perseverance; she called it “Grit”. I agree with her idea that grit is an important element for a successful life, academically and personally.
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Zachary Zhang, and I have been attending Clairbourn for nine years now. During my time here, I have realized that I am indeed a perfectionist. It has taken me quite a long time and the efforts of many dedicated teachers and mentors to realize that one doesn’t always have to be perfect. The inner critic inside us paralyzes our activities and stalls our creativity; whereas if we give ourselves a license to make mistakes, unexpected and wonderful things can happen.
Try selflessness and give back, trust me it makes a difference. So what is selflessness? Thesauras.com says generosity, kindness, and benevolence are all synonyms of selflessness. What is an example of giving back? It’s simply to show care. It might be as small as remembering someone’s birthday or using a portion of your time to do someone else a deed. These small selfless acts can make one feel thought of and special, that is what I have learned from Clairbourn. There are always classmates and teachers willing to share a portion of their spare time, to help me with problems I have in school or in life.
I’m sure that all of you have gone through changes whether small or big. Changes can range from trying out a new restaurant to losing someone that is very dear to you. In life, one of the most important things is to be accepting of change and to know when to accept the things that are unchangeable. I believe that if you cannot embrace change, you should at least give it a hug once in a while. Throughout my life I have experienced changing countries, changing schools, changing interests, changing friends, changing homes and more. I came to America almost four years ago, and since then I've changed schools twice before ending up at Clairbourn. In many ways, I was forced to accept these changes and change with them, as they were forces outside of my control. From this, I have learned the value of adaptability, and believe in it strongly.
It will soon be the last day of middle school and I will graduate and move onward to high school. Family, friends, the administration, faculty, and trustees, thank you all for being a part of my amazing Clairbourn experience. One of the most important pieces of advice I learned during my time at Clairbourn is to stay present in the moment you’re in. Mother Teresa once said, “Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.” What I believe Mother Teresa means is that we should all focus on our present circumstances rather than looking to the past or future. We can all focus on creating more good memories in our daily tasks. Instead of stressing over an upcoming test or grades, we should remind ourselves to be in the moment and enjoy what we are doing. I recommend that everyone remind themselves to stay present in their circumstances.
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Student Council
Election Results
This year we had 15 students running for the 2022-2023 Student Council. It is always so great to see so many who want to serve the school they love. We had an exceptionally close race for many positions this year and we are proud to announce the election results:
Please go to Vidigami to listen to each of their speech!
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Music Certificate Presentation
Mrs. Kiertzner and Ms. Mize awarded the Clairbourn Music Level Certificates to students in 4th through 8th grade band and strings.
 Each student in 4th through 8th grade band is given opportunities to test their musical knowledge, the knowledge about their particular instrument, and to demonstrate their ability on their musical instrument. Each of these tests must be passed with a score of 90% or better in order to pass each level. Each Clairbourn music level marks a higher level of musical knowledge and playing ability. Many students in the band and strings program have passed one level this year, and several students have passed multiple levels! Congratulations, Clairbourn musicians!
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It was a great end-of-year celebration with our families to see the depth and growth demonstrated in each classroom! As one teacher said, "It was a magical evening!" We were moved by the genuine care of each and every person we encountered. To our new incoming families, it was so nice meeting you all and we can’t wait to have you join us in the fall! Together, we are Clairbourn!
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Special Thank You From The CFA President
Dear Clairbourn Families,
I am honored to have served as your 2021-2022 CFA President. Thanks to the continued generosity of our Clairbourn community, we have raised $187,000 for our children! Organizing events takes an incredible amount of work. Our successful year could not have been possible without every single member of our hard working team of volunteers, and it would be impossible for me to thank them enough.
 I still cannot believe this school year is already coming to an end. It's wonderful getting to work so closely with all the families, teachers, and staff. So wonderful in fact, I'll be staying to serve another year as your 2022-2023 CFA Co-President alongside Lucy Balikian! Lucy has always been one of the most dedicated volunteer parents, serving on nearly every CFA committee and on the Executive Board for the last 5 years. As successful as this year has been, we are going to be working for an even better, even more fun, and even more exciting 2022-2023 school year!
Thank you to the 2021-2022 CFA Board
I would like to recognize and thank our CFA board members who volunteered their valuable time this year.
Book Fair Chairs:
Lisa Li, Fiona Zhang |
Scrip Chairs: Tina Chien, Jun Lau, Sherry Sasahara |
Used Uniform Chairs: Jenny Chun Fung,
Lucy Balikian
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Teacher Group Scrip Chairs: MoongShi Chan, Laura Yeghnazar, Tiffany Zhang, Chaitali Dave |
| Sugar Plum Chairs: Lucy Balikian, Ting Sung, Diana Balmori |
Teacher Appreciation Chairs: Lucy Balikian, Diana Balmori |
Taco Lunch Chair:
Elsa Mcleod |
Carnival Chair:
Jonathan Lim |
Pasta Lunch Chairs:
Cathy Lee, Roxanne Cheung |
Pizza Lunch Chairs: Tiffany Zhang, Jenny Chun Fung, Bo Guan |
KFC Lunch Chairs:
Fiona Zhang, Linda Wang |
Holiday Giving: Melissa Nijjar, Chaitali Dave |
Habit Lunch Chairs:
Dana Lee Wong, Tarsha Procter-Standridge |
Grad Dance Panda Lunch Chairs: Lucy Balikian, Tarsha Procter-Standridge |
| Webmaster: John Liu |
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Thank you to the CFA Executive Board
I would like to thank the CFA Executive Board for their contributions to CFA this school year. This group of women are selfless, hardworking, talented and have the upmost love for our community. Whenever I needed help I knew I could always rely on them. I am forever grateful to them for all their support, dedication and friendship.
| Vice President: Lucy Balikian |
Treasurer: Miwa Takayanagi |
| Assistant Treasurers: Claire Chen and Summer Zhang |
Room Parent Officer:
Dana Lee Wong |
| Secretary: Elsa Mcleod |
Parliamentarian: Connie Kim |
Special Lunch Officer:
Lisa Li |
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Thank you, for allowing me the opportunity to serve as CFA President. I am so grateful to be a part of this wonderful Clairbourn community.
Warmest Regards,
Ting Sung
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Message From Incoming CFA President
 Dear Clairbourn Families, Staff, and Trustees:
My name is Lucy Balikian, and I am honored to serve alongside Ting Sung, as the CFA President for the 2022-2023 school year. To all the current and incoming families, I wish you a very happy and healthy summer and look forward to seeing you all in the fall. For those new to the Clairbourn family, welcome and if I haven’t already, I will be meeting you very soon. Having been at Clairbourn for 11 years, I am confident you will become acclimated and will fall in love with this school and community very quickly.
 Over the past school year, we have had many ups and downs, like all families do. We dealt with COVID testing, masks, vaccines and various challenges. Throughout these hurdles, we did bend, but did not break. School stayed open thanks to the diligence of the staff and leadership at Clairbourn. Our kids were able to learn in person, stay in school for the duration of the academic year, enjoy the social interactions with their friends whom they had missed, and eventually, we saw their beautiful smiles once again. Our last big event was the Spring Concert and Carnival, both of which were full of vibrant energy, fun, laughs and in many ways, had the feel of a family reunion.
We are already planning the upcoming school year’s events including a Book Fair, Entrepreneurial Fair, Family BBQ, Spring Carnival and finally our Annual Live Auction/Gala will be back for the first time since 2020. We will be sending dates for all these exciting events in the fall so you can save the date and be part of all the Clairbourn excitement.
 For the 2022-2023 school year, the CFA has set a goal to raise $100,000 from all our activities. This is a big goal and will need everyone’s support, financially and also physically. Without the dedication and hard work of our parent volunteers, we would not be able to provide our children with all these activities and lasting memories. Thank you to all the volunteers that stepped up and helped throughout the year. I consider you all the oil that keeps the Clairbourn engine running. Also, a very loud shout out to the parents that have already volunteered for next year/s CFA positions. Your commitment to Clairbourn and the children is so very much appreciated.
A special thank you to Connie Kim and her nominating committee for finding 15 new board members to fill all the positions and ensure all activities will have a dedicated person leading the way. Next year’s second-grade class is coming full force with many new board members. We look forward to hearing all your ideas and energy.
 Finally, yet importantly, on behalf of Clairbourn and the CFA Board, I want to thank Ting Sung, our CFA President. Ting faced a lot of uncertainty throughout the year, not knowing if we would have in person events or not. Throughout the year, she prepared for the best and planned for the worst. Ting worked tirelessly and was an integral part of bringing Clairbourn back into full form. Along with all of your efforts and generosity, Ting helped raise a whopping $187,000. Well done! To all of the Clairbourn families, staff and board of trustees, thank you for making this an amazing year! As incoming CFA president, I look forward to another upcoming year, full of adventure, excitement, laughs, family and community with old friends and new.
Love Always,
Lucy Balikian
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Summer Reading Resources
Summer is around the corner. Here are the incoming 4th to 8th grade Summer Reading Resources. Happy reading, everyone!
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School Calendar
5/27 No School
5/30 No School: Memorial Day
5/31 Awards Assembly
5/31 Last day of school
6/1 Graduation
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Letter "C" Sports Awards
We want to recognize student athletes who earned their Clairbourn "Letter C”, which identifies those students who have consistently dedicated their time, talent, energy, and effort throughout the school year to Clairbourn athletics. In order to receive a letter, each athlete must have participated in at least 3 major sports.
The following middle school girls have earned their first year Letter C:
7th grade girls: Hannah, Zoe, Annika, Megan, Naomi, Syrah, Qier, Sabryna, Selina
8th grade girls: Quinne, Yuqi, Sophie, Kaelly, Kiri, Celina, Vittoria, Jane
The following 7th and 8th grade boys have earned their first year Letter C:
 7th Grade Boys: Damien, Nathan, Shogo, Aramis, Shalom, Louis, Louie, Peter, Shiv, Mauricio, Marcus, Fredric, Presley, William, Rogan, Ethan, Arthur, Jack
8th Grade Boys: William, Alex, Carlos, John D., Justin, Rodrigo, Darrel, Nick, Bruno, Joshua, Vincent, Langston, Lennon, James, Patrick, John X., Michael, Marcel
Congratulations everyone on your progress and success in sports during the 2021-2022 school year!
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Instrumental Concert
Our fourth through eighth grade musicians performed an impressive live concert for our community! There were tears in the eyes of parents who saw their children perform for the first time on the stage. Well done, Cougars!
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Celebration tradition continues for our mighty class of 2022!
Eighth graders enjoyed a special outdoor breakfast together. They are savoring their last few days with their friends and teachers! |
Student Council presented a poem to Mrs. Ball!
Student Council thanked Mrs. Ball for being their art teacher and wished her the best in the future. The poem was written by eighth grader John X. and illustrated by seventh grader Arthur B.
Thank you, Mrs. Ball!
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Class of 2018 Reunion
The class of 2018 got together at Clairbourn for a reunion before they are off to college! Our Cougar Alums are heading to New York, Nebraska, Oregon, Washington, Boston, St. Louis, N. California, Colorado, Louisiana, Michigan, N. Carolina, Washington D.C. and beyond!
We are proud of you,
Class of 2018! |
2022 Art Show was a great success!
The show was outdoors this year and every student was represented with at least two pieces of art from the year. They proudly toured their parents through the panels of art, finding their own pieces and admiring others in their search. Our community is full of amazing artists!
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Graduation Party for Class of 2022
The eighth grade class met for an evening of fun. They hung out, played laser tag and air hockey, and made more memories together before their big graduation day! |
End-of-year Class Photos!
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Clairbourn middle school students lead the way to embrace and celebrate diversity.
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Auction item highlights
Third grade parent, Jessie Zhang, led a fun cooking class. She taught several parents how to make tiger-themed sweet buns to celebrate the year of the tiger. They even got to taste them at the end of the class!
Ten parents enjoyed a night out for a poker game at the Balikian's. It was an evening full of laughter and fun!
An Afternoon with Mrs. Jacobs!
Mrs. Jacobs hosted several students to an afternoon in the preschool play yard! They relived their preschool days playing on the equipment and enjoyed pizza and lemonade. Thank you, Mrs. Jacobs!
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Lost and Found
Lost and Found items will be displayed at the transportation area through 5/31. Non-claimed items will be donated to the Goodwill or the used uniform sale. Please mark your child's name on all school items such as water bottles, uniforms and PE clothes. |
Parker-Anderson Summer Camp 2022 @ Clairbourn
Parker-Anderson is offering summer camp on our campus for students from kindergarten through sixth grade. Please check the flyer below or go to our summer camp webpage.
For questions, please call Parker-Anderson at (818) 650-8676 or reach out to our after-school coordinator Michelle Cogswell.
Clairbourn Sports Camp
Mr. Ball is hosting a summer sports camp at Clairbourn. Come out and enjoy some athletic activities. Contact Mr. Ball for more info.
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Health Office Reminder
Upload vaccination card into Magnus and sign the consent form ASAP!
Please register AND complete/sign the consent form ASAP. It is a county requirement and our preparation for a safe return or test to stay. Click here to register.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD(REN) TO SCHOOL IF THEY ARE SYMPTOMATIC.
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