From Head of School
Celebrating 100 Years and the Journey Ahead
Dear Clairbourn Families,
As we close our amazing Centennial Year, I am filled with gratitude for those who came before, the wonderful year we had, and what we have to look forward to. All are important and worth recognizing.
Those who came before provided the strong foundation on which Clairbourn was built. They provided the beautiful campus through their generosity and foresite. They established our foundation of ethical values, a strong  community, and a culture of gratitude. We still carry this on today.
This year was noteworthy because of the remarkable individual growth of each student, the skillful commitment of our amazing faculty and staff, and the joy produced by our parent volunteers. Each played a big part in making this year amazing.
I have seen students overcome fears, surmount academic challenges, and show grit in athletics. We witnessed creativity in the art show, musicality in our concerts, and problem-solving in the innovation lab. We even watched the Algebra class launch a watermelon from a full-sized trebuchet so they could calculate the distance. And just the other day, I saw our kindergarteners release butterflies that grew in their classrooms, cheering as they took off. They were so naturally expressing the joy I feel when watching our students learn and grow.
I am also grateful for the start of our next chapter. This year, we launched our first project of the next 100 years, our Building Tomorrow campaign. We are blessed to have raised over $7 million of the needed $12 million dollars, which allowed us to break ground. We are still fundraising for the rest of the funding needed to complete the project, so watch for more ways you can support this project. When you come back in the fall, you will see the progress and get to watch the new building take shape.
 These are exciting times for Clairbourn, and you each can say you were part of the Clairbourn family during the centennial celebration year! Have a wonderful summer, Cougars. Congratulations to the Class of 2026!
We are all Scholars and Leaders with Heart.
Amy Patzlaff, Ed.D.
Head of School
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Eighth Grade Lunch
Our graduating Class of 2026 gathered for a lunch celebrating their last few days together. It was an afternoon filled with laughter, shared memories, and heartfelt conversations as they reflected on their journey and looked ahead to the future. We are proud of you, Cougars!
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Student Council Appreciation
The members of the 2025–2026 Clairbourn School Student Council were presented with certificates by their advisor, Ms. Vinnedge.
Our Student Council is composed of creative, caring, and hard-working scholars and leaders with heart. Throughout all three trimesters, the members of Student Council continuously worked together to accomplish many special activities and events.
Some of the year’s highlights include collecting a record-breaking 1,026 pairs of socks during Socktober to support local homeless shelters and promoting good decision-making during Red Ribbon Week. The Student Council also wrote cards for the veterans living across the street at Ivy Park and helped raise funds for the Hillcrest grocery gift card  drive to support families facing food insecurity. Proceeds from the snack shops were donated to the City of Hope for cancer research. During the Christmas season, they performed a festive version of Golden, and they even organized an Ice Cream Day for the entire school!
Thank you for working on a truly impressive variety of projects. Bringing everyone together takes a lot of planning, and everyone was willing to do the work.
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Field Trip Highlights
Our second graders had an exciting field trip to the Aquarium of the Pacific, where they explored ocean life and learned  about different types of marine mammals. Students discovered how animals such as seals, sea otters, and whales have special adaptations that help them survive in the ocean. They learned about blubber for warmth, flippers for swimming, and how some mammals hold their breath underwater for long periods of time. Students were delighted to share what they learned at Morning Assembly!
Third graders recently completed a unit on Cinderella stories from around the world. Did you know there are more than 500 versions of the classic fairytale Cinderella? Students explored what these stories have in common and even wrote, illustrated, and published their own!
 To celebrate the end of the unit, the class visited the Santa Monica Playhouse to watch an interactive musical called The Lost Princesses of Oz. One of the highlights was asking the actors questions after the show. They shared how the theater was built, how much rehearsal goes into a performance, and even some of their tricks for quick costume changes! |
Celebrating Excellence
in Mathematics
Over the school year, the Math Team has participated in various math competitions.
The Sigma Math Competition consists of a series of five contests, each featuring eight challenging questions, with students competing against approximately 4,500 participants nationwide. Congratulations to the following Clairbourn mathletes for earning Honor Roll ribbons: Everest, Stanley, Rodwin, and Kyle from sixth grade; Atticus, Jeremy, Celine, and Mars from seventh grade; and Hins, Eric, Alex, and Victor from eighth grade. Special recognition goes to this year’s top Sigma winners: Stanley, Mars, and Hins.
 We are also proud to recognize two outstanding individual award winners in the Grissom Math Stars Competition. Kyle earned 5th place nationally, while Mars achieved an impressive 9th place national ranking. Last but not least, thanks to the dedication and contributions of the entire team, Clairbourn Math Team earned 10th place in the nation at the Rocket City Math League Interschool Competition.
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Eighth Grade Speeches
Eighth-grade students have been sharing their graduation speeches during Morning Assembly. Read their heart-felt messages about the growth they have experienced, the memories they have made, and the overall impact Clairbourn has had in their lives.
The Little Details That Carry the Greatest Importance
In just a few days, our time at Clairbourn School as students will come to an end. From beginning kindergarten to now being 8th graders, we have all grown so much and have many favorite moments we remember from our time here. I want everyone present to think of their favorite Clairbourn memory. Was it the gingerbread man cookie in kindergarten, going on the Oregon Trail in 3rd grade, or was it the yearly middle school trips to CIMI and Pali? While these larger events are important to us and are some of the best memories we’ve had, we often forget the little things that have contributed to our Clairbourn experience. It is these little moments that add up to make a big difference in our lives.
Challenges Make You Stronger
Clairbourn, I am grateful for the opportunity you gave me to push myself. I have faced many challenges in my time here. From giving a candidate speech in front of a big audience, to trying new sports, to acting on a stage, I am grateful I faced each challenge even when I was nervous or scared. Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” I learned that when we put our fears aside, we can face challenges and allow them to make us stronger. I am grateful I could face each challenge with encouragement from my teachers, fellow cougars, and my family. I would not be the person that I am today without facing my fears. Thank you for allowing me to face challenges and grow here at Clairbourn.
Finding Out Who You Are
How can I possibly fit all of the things I have learned in my time here into a short speech? Clairbourn is a place where I have been able to figure out who I really am. From my first year here in 4th grade, to now being one of the big kids graduating in 8th grade, the code of ethics has been a part of me since the beginning. Over the years, it slowly taught me who I am.
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NO SCHOOL TOMORROW,
FRIDAY, MAY 29 |
Required
Summer Reading Information
Summer is around the corner. Here are the incoming fourth to eighth grade summer reading resources. Happy reading, everyone!
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2026-2027 Student Council Election Results
Student Council candidates for 2026-2027 school year gave their election speeches to the 4th through 7th grades this week. It is always great to see so many who want to serve the school they love. They made posters and wrote and presented speeches to their peers. Thank you for your hard work!
The races were very close this year and we are proud to announce the election results —
President: Mars
Vice President: Emma
Secretary: Rodwin
Treasurer: Nicole
Historian/Curator: Autumn
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Important Dates
May 29:
• No School (Teacher Grading Day)
• Trimester 3 Ends
June 1:
• Sports and Music Awards
• G1-3 Talent Show: 9 a.m.
• Middle School Spirit Day
• G4-8 Talent Show: 2 p.m.
• Free Dress
June 2:
• Last Day of School
• Awards Assembly
• Formal or Regular Uniform
• Middle School Trimester 3 Honors Awards
• Time Capsule 2026
June 3:
• Awards Assembly
• Eighth Grade Graduation
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Clairbourn Life
The school community joined in for class color day and it was exciting to see the school spirit on full display.
We also celebrated our preschoolers moving up to kindergarten. Students in fifth grade shadowed sixth graders to get a glimpse of what a typical day in middle school is like. Fifth grade parents also had the opportunity to sit down with Mrs. Taylor, Dr. Patzlaff, and Mrs. Messler to discuss the middle school transition from a parent’s perspective.
The campus continues to buzz with excitement and great positive energy as we wrap up a busy year and look forward to summer break!
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Alumni Office Welcomes the Centennial
Alumni Class
As graduation approaches, the Class of 2026 is soaking in these final days with classmates, teachers, and cherished Clairbourn memories before officially becoming our newest alumni.
To the Class of 2026 and your families: we will miss you dearly, but please know you will always be part of the Clairbourn community. We cannot wait to see all that you accomplish in the years ahead. Please come back to visit and stay in touch. Congratulations! |
Cougar Spirit
and Volleyball Showdown
We had an exciting girls vs. boys volleyball game filled with thrilling plays, outstanding effort, enthusiastic cheering, and lots of fun.
The boys got off to a strong start, winning the first game 25–18 with long serving streaks, perfect sets and tips, and accurate passing. In the second game, the girls came out strong with a 10-point serving run, powerful hitting, and incredible digs. They won the second game 25–15. The tiebreaker was close, but the girls pulled out a hard-fought 15–12 victory!
Everyone demonstrated incredible power, explosiveness, and amazing dives and saves throughout the match. Your outstanding teamwork, adaptability, and consistent effort were inspiring to watch. Way to go, Cougars!
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Auction Highlight
Crafting Party
Six students joined for a creative crafting party with Creamee, hosted by Carolyn Morales and Michell Wong. Besides decorating a variety of items, a new highlight was the scrunchie station, where students designed their own one of a kind scrunchies using beads and ribbons. To wrap up the event, students took photos with their creations in front of our handmade photo frame to remember this experience!
Photography Work by Alex N. (eighth grade)
Check out these cool photos by Clairbourn's photographer for the day, Alex N.! Alex joined Miss Clara at the middle school swim meet, where he got some great shots of our Cougar swim team in action. Great job, Alex! We can't wait to see what you do next!
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From Cougar to Eagle Scout
Clairbourn alum Justin F. (Class of 2022) recently led a team of Scouts in designing and building a mud kitchen and nature play area for our preschool as part of his Eagle Scout project.
Students are already enjoying the new space as they make mud pies and mix soups, dig rivers, build fairy gardens, and engage in creative outdoor play. Their excitement (and happy messes) says it all. Thank you, Justin, for this thoughtful addition to our preschool area!
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Join us for our end-of-the-year talent show on Monday, June 2, in the MPB! The show begins at 9 a.m. for grades 1–3 and at 2 p.m. for grades 4–8. Please be in place and ready to go 15 minutes before your talent show begins. |
2026-2027
CFA Roster
Click here to see next year's CFA roster. Thank you for stepping up and showing heart!
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