Volume: 2019-20 Issue: 28

Thursday, December 12, 2019

School News

Monday Is Festive Holiday Dress Day

Monday, December 16, is a holiday-themed free dress day. Students can wear holiday colors, themes, or other festive outfits. If your child wishes not to participate, please wear the normal school uniform. A special thank you goes to the Student Council and to Dr. Patzlaff for making this possible!

Operation Santa Paws - Last Day To Donate!

Tomorrow, December 13, is the last day to donate pet supplies to Operation Santa Paws as a part of the fourth and fifth grade's service learning project. All donations will benefit animals cared for by the local shelters. Please drop off your items to transportation.

The Annual Pooh Play

Students from Preschool through Grade 5 attended a warm, and literally fuzzy, Winnie The Pooh play put on by Clairbourn middle school students who signed up for the elective. Drama teacher Paul Barker authored and directed the show, and the storyline was inspired by A. A. Milne's characters from the Winnie the Pooh series. This funny and whimsical play was entitled, “A House is Built on Pooh Corner.” The storyline covers the antics of Pooh, Piglet, and friends working together to build Eeyore a new house—which may have been his old house rebuilt.

Read more

Pooh Play 2019

Pooh Play Video

Photo Contest Winners

Winners of the “Clairbourn Around Town” Photo Contest

Clairbourn held a photo contest asking parents to submit photos showing Clairbourn Spirit around town, and the contest ended last Friday. The entries were super creative and we sincerely thank all who participated in the contest! Even if your photo didn’t win, Clairbourn was delighted by each and every photo submitted.

We had photos taken at Kidspace, Catalina Island, Dana Point, Huntington Gardens, Big Bear, the LA River, Medieval Times, a Tae Kwan Do academy, horse stables, a racing speedway, a violin tutor, lots of local restaurants, and even pictures taken in the Bahamas and Taiwan.

The contest judge is a well-respected art teacher at a top private high school in the San Fernando Valley. She doesn’t know any parents or staff at our school, so the judging was completely impartial.

Winners

1^st Place - Claudia Jubilado’s family photo in the LA River with a carp fish. The judge’s comments were, “Clever and unusual props with wonderful colors. The whole family is in on the action in an unusual setting.”

2^nd Place - Taryn Johnson’s photo taken at the Los Angeles Arboretum’s Moonlight Forrest Lantern Show. The judge’s comments were, “All the students are forming the body of the winged creature and look like they are about to take flight. Fine exposure for a night photo.”

3^rd Place - Yue Ma’s photo taken at the Hollywood Bowl. The judge’s comments were, “Fine portrait that captures a lovely expression. Effective use of shallow depth of field to make the background colors soft focus.”

Runner Ups

1. Cathy Lee’s photo from a Griffith Park field trip: The judge’s comments were, “Everyone is having a great time! The shapes of the mountains and the background of the Hollywood sign helps to tell where they are. Having the sign be off to one side makes a stronger composition.”

2. Rani Mnwani’s sand photo taken in the Bahamas: The judge’s comments were, “They all look like they are sleeping except for one who is laughing. A day at the beach becomes time to show school colors.”

3. Chenxu (Lisa) Li’s photo on the California coastline of ChaoChao and Emily with seals: The judge’s comments were, “The students are well composed as they fill the frame and the sleeping seals in the background are a great contrast to the student's energy.”

Cougar Commendations

1. Siyi Zhao took a photo up in Big Bear of her son Mars with student Mia Z. next to a snowman built by parent Fiona Zhang. The snowman is decked-out in Clairbourn Spirit-wear,and it looks like the photo was taken in blizzard conditions.

2. Victoria Masuta took pictures at almost every restaurant in town! We thank her for celebrating Clairbourn and for her enthusiasm for the contest.

Clairbourn's Holiday Concert

It's that time of the year! The Clairbourn Holiday Concert will be presented on Thursday, December 19, at 6:00 p.m. for Grades JPK-5 (with additional Middle School musicians) under the direction of Ms. Rosemary Kiertzner.

Thursday, December 19, is a half day of school for all grades with an early dismissal at noon. Preschool and Kindergarten will be dismissed at 11:45 a.m. Students should arrive back at school by 5:30 p.m. and report to their classrooms. The Middle School performers in the Clairbourn Band are to report to the Lower School Science Lab by 5:15 p.m. The student performers in the Clairbourn String Ensemble are to report to the MPB by 5:15 p.m. Doors will open for audience seating at 5:30 p.m.

Students should wear holiday clothing. Boys can wear pants, a shirt, dress shoes, and an optional holiday sweater or vest. Girls can wear short holiday dresses and flat shoes. Happy holidays!

Annual Fund - Every Donation Counts

We have 80% participation, and we are now so close to 100% participation for the Annual Fund. Please help us reach 100% participation!

Please get Annual Fund donations in by Thursday, December 19! Our goal is 100% participation by winter break. All gifts are 100% tax deductible.

Donate online

You may also drop off a check (payable to Clairbourn School) to the front office or to Development Director Dr. Janny Chang (Nafie Building, second floor).

A huge thank you to our Annual Fund Co-Chairs Jason Nava and Bing Hou and all the Captains for their amazing leadership this year!

JPK – 58% Participation

PK – 100% Participation

Kindergarten – 67% Participation

1^st Grade – 95% Participation

2^nd Grade – 83% Participation

3^rd Grade – 84% Participation

4^th Grade – 79% Participation

5^th Grade – 86% Participation

6^th Grade – 71% Participation

7^th Grade – 50% Participation

8^th Grade – 54% Participation

Faculty/Staff – 100% Participation

Annual Fund Donation Levels To Consider:
Life Benefactor - $20,000 and Up

President Circle - $10,000 - $19,999

Founder Circle - $5,000 - $9,999

Trustee Circle - $2,500 - $4,999

Head of School Circle - $1,000 - $2,499

Cougar Circle - Up to $999

CFA News

Update Your Child's Special Lunch Orders

Parents, if you want to add an extra taco, rice, slice of pizza, or chicken tender to your child's orders, you can do it through the Clairbourn Store.

Happy Holidays To Our Clairbourn Family

May this holiday season bring you much peace, love, and happiness. Happy holidays!

Spring Auction News

“Lights, Camera, Auction!” is the theme of Clairbourn’s Spring 2020 auction event to be held on February 29 at Noor in Pasadena. Save the Date.

We Need Items to Auction!

We are currently in the process of finding items, services, events, or opportunities that can be offered at the auction.(Big ticket items are especially welcome and can include box seats, vacations, event tickets, signed merchandise, special VIP dinners, etc.)

If you or someone you know has anything they would like to donate to the auction please download and fill out our Auction Item Form.

Donations are tax-deductible.

If you have questions, please contact Che Wang at clairbourn@defcon4.net.

Download this flyer:

Procurement Form — Auction Items

Middle School News

Finals Are Next Week

Middle School finals for Grades 6 through 8 are next week on December 17 and 18. View the schedule below.

Finals Day - Tuesday, December 17:

Students dismissed at 10:50 a.m.

Musicians stay and rehearse from 11-12 p.m. and are dismissed at 12 p.m.

Finals Day - Wednesday, December 18:

Students dismissed at 12:05 p.m.

Musicians go to lunch until 12:15 and rehearse until 1:15 p.m.

Thursday, December 19:

No school for Middle School

Musicians attend concert rehearsal from 9 - 11 a.m.

Student Accomplishments

Send in Your Student Updates!

Did your student win an award, learn a new skill, make something cool, have an adventure, or do a service project? We'd love to post it in the eCourier! Email Noelle Shoemake at nshoemake@clairbourn.org with the details including a photo or video if you have one.

Brothers Place First In Speech And Debate

Fifth-grader Arthur Z. and his brother, eighth-grader Kevin Z., both won first place at their speech and debate tournaments last Saturday. Arthur placed first at the SCJFL Elementary Speech and Debate Tournament on Spar after competing with 36 players in four rounds. Kevin won first place at the La Reina Invitational Debate Tournament on Public Forum after competing with 11 teams in six rounds. Kevin also received the Speaker Award from the tournament. Congratulations on this incredible achievement!

Andy and Annabel H. Perform for Charity

Last weekend, sixth-grader Andy H. and his sister Annabel H. (Class of 2018) performed at YAOLA's Annual Charity Concert. YAOLA is a community service group that performs to help other charity organizations and causes. Andy and Annabel have been performing with YAOLA since 2016. Andy plays the trumpet, and Annabel plays the flute. They both love playing for YAOLA and helping charitable causes.

Students Perform In Symphony Orchestra

Eighth-grader Austin H., seventh-grader Dylan W., sixth-grader Marcel Z., and third-grader Malena Z., who is the concert master of the Prelude group, performed with the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra on Tuesday, December 10. Musicians from all over the Pasadena area gathered to celebrate music including many Clairbourn families. The evening began with an impressive suite from "The Polar Express." Watch the video below.