At Clairbourn, we believe in the essential capacity of every student to master academic content and develop intellectual habits, leadership skills, and social awareness necessary for success. Our students develop a growth mindset along with essential 21st-century skills and intellectual habits that lead to success in school and in life. For over 75 years, we have been dedicated to excellence in education and creating scholars and leaders with heart.
This past year was a challenging time for all, and Clairbourn is so grateful to our community for the continued support during these critical times. Our school was once again voted Best Private School in the San Gabriel Valley. In addition, Clairbourn won honors for being a top Favorite Non-Catholic / Christian School. It was announced this past weekend in many magazines and newspapers across the San Gabriel Valley!
Together, we show perseverance, passion, dedication and courage. It is humbling to see we have been recognized for our quality education for the past three years, and we want to thank our wonderful community for all of your support.
"Creating Scholars and Leaders with Heart"
To view the post in the San Gabriel Valley Readers’ Choice Webpage, click here. To view our Graduate Success, click here.
Clairbourn School congratulates its eighth grade graduates, the Class of 2021! In order to properly honor our graduates while complying with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines for the pandemic of 2020, Clairbourn School held its Graduation Ceremony outdoors, and masked.
Sarah I.
The celebration began with Student Council President Sarah I. giving a warm welcome to all in attendance of the Graduation Ceremony. She expressed the gratitude the Class of 2021 feels for all the wonderful opportunities Clairbourn families have made possible as their Clairbourn experience comes to a close and they move on to their high school experience.
Natalie A.
Next, Natalie A. introduced three specific groups the Clairbourn graduating Class of 2021 wanted to thank for helping to make their individual journeys so successful. She thanked our Clairbourn parents and families for providing her class with excellent opportunities, tremendous support, and love at school and as CFA volunteers who made special events unforgettable.
Evan B.
Evan B. continued to give a special thanks to the second group, the Clairbourn faculty. Evan expressed thanks to all faculty members who have touched and shaped their experiences at Clairbourn. He thanked them for the challenges, the encouragement, the skills and the strategies that helped shape the successful graduates they have become.
Vanessa H.
Lastly, Vanessa H. expressed thanks to the final group, the Clairbourn Board of Trustees for their leadership, guidance, and behind the scenes support of the Clairbourn experience that her class has cherished during their time here.
8th Grade Speeches
Clairbourn Class of 2021
Eighth-grade students shared their remembrance speeches. Read 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.
Mikey F.
Good morning!My name is Mikey F. and I have been attending Clairbourn since Junior Pre-Kindergarten. Along the way I’ve learned a thing or two about being selfless and giving back. What makes someone selfless? Simple, just doing things to be nice, right? Well, yes and no. Being nice is part of it, but not the entire thing. Webster’s dictionary defines the word selfless as “having no concern for one’s self; unselfish.” What did you take away from that? Usually people we believe to be selfless are those such as police and firefighters. They risk their own lives in order to help others. Now, this doesn’t mean the next time you see a burning building that you need to join the firemen and run in and try to save the people inside. But you can try to help people in ways that you specifically can. Read Mikey F.’s Full Speech
Ashby Z.
Good morning, Clairbourn students, parents, and faculty. Thank you for being here, for being PRESENT. Being present means we are mindful of what is happening at this very moment. So I’m going to ask you all to look around and soak it all in! As a 2021 graduate of Clairbourn, for me, right now, in this moment, I realize it may be the last time I speak to you as Clairbourn students. It may be the last time I am in the presence of all my teachers. It may be the last time I roam this beautiful campus. And that’s all after walking through the entrance of Clairbourn as a curious 3-year-old on my first day of Jr-PK 11 years ago. So, I’m going to soak up this moment and enjoy being “present.” None of us can turn back the clock and the future doesn’t exist yet, so we need to remind ourselves to always be present without distractions, for living in the moment is the key to being happy. Read Ashby Z.’s Full Speech
Anthony C.
Hello and welcome, my name is Anthony C. and the first question I want to ask is how many of you like to work hard? You don’t have to raise your hands, but I’m guessing many of you would prefer to take it easy if you could. But what if I told you I have learned that working hard is a great thing and is a very important thing to do? As a student I can say that when I work hard I reap the rewards for my efforts. A very common example would be studying. When I work hard by studying before a test or quiz I give myself a higher chance to do better. The effort I use to study beforehand can be applied to everything and can be used in daily life scenarios. By giving my all in everything I do, I can make that slight difference between success and failure. I’ve learned many lessons so far in my 10 years at Clairbourn, and I think the most important are to always do my best, to work hard, and to never give up. Read Anthony C.’s Full Speech
Parisa B.
Hello students, faculty, and parents. My name is Parisa B. and I have attended Clairbourn for 10 years. I would like to start by saying that I have learned and gained so much from my time at Clairbourn and I am so grateful for the wonderful years that I have spent here. I would like to say a special thank you to my fellow classmates, for they have taught me so much about myself and who I want to be. Whether it was a kind remark, an encouraging word, or even simply a smile, you may not have realized it at the time, but every one of those small but very impactful gestures contributed to making my harder days not as bad, and my good days so much better. Read Parisa B.’s Full Speech
The Class of 2021 Graduation Address
Head of School, Dr. Patzlaff
The Class of 2021 is unique. You have been through a pandemic, experienced remote learning, participated in hybrid learning, sheltered in place, and learned to reemerge safely. You participated in a virtual concert, put on a Shakespear production remotely, recorded math videos in TikTok, and participated in a modified cardboard boat regatta. Through all of this you learned new skills and strengthened existing ones. You maintained connection with each other even when you couldn’t be physically together whether meeting for study groups in Discord, having class parties on Zoom, or joining watch parties on Netflix. You developed your grit, perseverance, flexibility, creativity, compassion, and patience. It was an opportunity for a lot of growth, and grow you did!
I was thinking about why you did so well, and I think it has a lot to do with how you responded to the challenges. The news kept saying these are unprecedented times. True, we hadn’t seen this combination of events before, but you have been practicing how to respond to challenges for years. Even though there was no playbook or roadmap for a pandemic, I believe you actually do have a solid guide for how to respond to any challenge you face. The guide can be summed up in three questions. The three questions are: 1. Do your actions help you to grow and learn? 2. Do your actions build others up, helping them progress? 3. Do your actions show compassion, respect, and love? Read The Full Speech
High School Acceptances
Clairbourn Class of 2021
Our students will be attending the following schools in the Fall: Flintridge Preparatory School, Maranatha High School, Westridge School, Mayfield Senior School, Webb School, La Salle College Preparatory High School, Loyola High School, South Pasadena High School, St. Francis High School, Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, San Marino High School.
As Head of School for Clairbourn, which provides private education for Preschool to Grade 8 students, I read a few interesting studies recently that talked about cultivating resilience and the difficulty of unrelenting stress.
In one of the studies, the author discussed the notion that stress is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, you need a little stress in your experience to encourage you to make changes. The tension or discomfort of not doing one’s best is what makes us try harder the next time. This is the way stress can actually help us come out stronger or more resilient from challenges. The struggle makes us stronger.
However, when the stress is unrelenting, it can wear on a person (child or adult). This kind of scenario tends not to strengthen, but to weaken the person involved. But there is a way to ensure the stress is not unrelenting. There are very simple ways to interrupt the stress and give a moment to have the growth and rejuvenation that we all need after a time of struggle.
In one study, they found clear evidence that the best way to counteract or interrupt stress is with love. I know, it sounds a little sentimental, but the act of hugging, or snuggling on the couch, or having your arm around your child when you read them a story actually makes a physical difference. That hug gives you a physical break from stress. (For those who are interested, the hormone oxytocin that is released during these times of social bonding is sometimes called the “cuddle hormone” or the “love hormone.” This is a biological signal to the body that it is safe and can relax.)
So even in times of prolonged difficulty, taking a minute to hug your child actually helps both you and your child release some of the tension or stress that may be stockpiling. For those of you who are not feeling stressed, the hugs and cuddling will help maintain your equilibrium.
When your child is acting “prickly” hug them, because they NEED it. When they are frustrated or irritable hug them, because they need it. When you are at your wit’s end, hug them because YOU need it! Apparently the Beatles knew what they were talking about “All You Need is Love!”
I am sending each and every one of you a big virtual hug from Clairbourn, because we ALL need it! (This concept comes mainly from a short book called Childhood, Interrupted by Sanjay Gupta MD)
Amy Patzlaff, Ed.D.Head of School
Clairbourn School Provides Private School Education for Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary School, and Middle School Grades | Serving Families in the Pasadena, California, Area and Surrounding Cities (K-12 Private Schools) Clairbourn is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Click here to request information.
Can children go on to lead successful lives and flourish in the face of educational disruptions and great adversity? Research shows that, while there are nine important elements that offer full coverage for children’s wellbeing, the real key to favorable outcomes boils down to one thing, and the good news is, it’s you!
Tiffany Chang, from Clairbourn’s Class of 2018, sees the opportunities embedded in every crisis. She credits her elementary school, Clairbourn, for the optimistic thoughts that inspired an award-winning video she made for the Center for Future Global Leaders (CFGL) Young Artist Competition. She says, “I will always be grateful to Clairbourn as the school has always taught me to look at the positive side of every situation and to stay optimistic even during the most difficult times. I will never forget the important life lessons Clairbourn instilled in me.”
Over a period of about 2 weeks, fueled by her positive-outlook habits and motivated by her own optimistic actions while staying at home, she scripted, animated, and recorded an artistic video on the topic of “Hope” for the CFGL competition. Her “Leaders of Tomorrow Video During the Pandemic” project was designed for parents and students, and reveals a path out of hopelessness by making a point of looking at the brighter side of the stay-at-home-order and disruptions to normal routines.
After addressing the world-wide toll on health and the derailment of education in the era of COVID-19, she uses the powerful and repeated reframing question, “What if?” “What if this generation is advanced because of this pandemic?” Tiffany’s project presents 18 reframing questions in total that provide ample reasons for optimism in the face of great hardship. As a result, her project not only delivered on the intended inspiration, but it also won her a $300 prize and a top spot as a national finalist in the CFGL competition.
We invite you to watch her video below, read the transcript that follows, and then learn more about Tiffany’s impressive record of philanthropy and community service:
How do you properly honor a group of 8th grade students, full of achievements and ready to graduate, who have spent as many as 11 years of their childhood at one school? Due to the pandemic of 2020, normal graduation ceremonies and gatherings were not allowed, but Clairbourn found a way to honor each student with a special family graduation appointment. Using the spacious center quad to present diplomas was perfect because it allowed for social distancing, beautiful photographs, a symbolic graduation walk, and contactless delivery of the diplomas because parents were asked to hand the diplomas to their children and shake their hands.
According to an April 2020 Gallup poll, regarding the pandemic’s negative financial, physical, and mental effects, 23% of Americans reported feeling they were already in a mental health crisis or just a few weeks away from having one. An additional 19% felt they could hold out for a few months at best. This is not good news considering no one knows the duration of the pandemic or how long social distancing will need to be practiced.
Clairbourn School has a long history of partnering with its parents to ensure that the whole school community remains healthy, strong, and productive even in times of difficulty. As an educational institution, it is natural to turn to the experts and discover what they have to teach us so we’re mentally equipped for tough times. The good news is, there are plenty of proven ways to bounce back from, or thrive in hardship and break away from frustration, depression, and burnout. The data shows we have the ability to control up to 40% of our happiness, and the strategies we can learn are surprisingly accessible and achievable!
Gratitude is a word we hear a lot at Clairbourn School—especially at the start of May when students celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week and submitted thank you notes, drawings, and videos to honor the work of their teachers. After such a heartfelt and bountiful outpouring of thanks, it can be easy to feel satisfied about our community’s understanding and practice of gratitude. So why is it important to unpack it and take a deeper look? Because this single word represents a much bigger concept than sincere thank-yous and heartfelt feelings.
Gratitude is a power that we can exert over our immediate experience to bring about changes for the better. It is scientifically proven to relieve our minds and bodies from the negative effects of dissatisfaction, stress, disappointment, delay, and devastation—struggles especially associated with the current COVID-19 losses, economic fallout, and restrictions.
Grateful Clairbourn students made special thank-you cards to honor and appreciate their hard working teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week in May.Continue reading “What is Gratitude Doing to You?”
Thanks to the pandemic, screen time is dominating our lives right now, which means balancing strategies are needed to ensure we aren’t always plugged-in. Clairbourn School teachers are great at this. Even in traditional school, our teachers help students find balance so they stay productive. Cara Barker’s middle school classes (featured in the video below) are a great example of using the “brain breaks” strategy to make sure students stay healthy, productive, and focused—and this is something everyone can easily do at home to recharge and rebalance their minds and bodies.
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Teacher Cara Barker’s students in Grade 6 and Grade 7 take a Mannequin Challenge brain break to boost their focus on the learning material.
Did you know that brain breaks not only help students burn off pent-up energy, but these activities also improve behavior, engagement with instruction, and cognitive performance? Brain breaks may look like play, but according to SimplyKinder’s article, “Brain Breaks Old School & Kindergarten Style,” the smiling, laughing, and activity associated with play activate parts of the brain associated with learning. Those interested in the research can check out these links, sourced by SimplyKinder.com, showing that brain breaks improve behavior, engagement and cognitive performance.
When a child shows signs of sinking into states of low energy or distraction, those are indicators that it’s time for a brain break. Here are some resources for quality brain break ideas:
For students in Grades K through 5, try these feel-good, educational dance break videos like “Banana Banana Meatball” and “Clap it Out” from content creators Blazer Fresh. Middle school students will enjoy the challenge of learning Finger Tutting (finger dancing) or some TikTok dance challenge components like the “C-Walk.” Cheery movement videos from The Wiggles like “Open, Shut Them,” or “Say the Dance, Do the Dance” are perfect for preschool children.
Brain breaks videos for all ages can be found on YouTube. Check out content from Blazer Fresh, The Wiggles, and even TikTok dance tutorials, all of which can help remote-learning students refresh their minds and bodies.
It is easy to get started—and once you learn the dances or other brain break activities, you can skip the video accompaniment. Find additional inspiration from this Pinterest page and record the activities your child will like on this handy downloadable chart from ActionForHealthyKids.org.
Clairbourn School Provides Private School Education for Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary School, and Middle School Grades | Serving Families in the Pasadena, California, Area and Surrounding Cities (K-12 Private Schools) Clairbourn is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Click here to request information.
Christian Yeghnazar from the Clairbourn Class of 2013, is mature, reflective, and thoughtful—a paragon of excellence that is representative of our Clairbourn students and alumni. Currently a junior at USC, Christian is majoring in Business Administration with minors in Computer Programming and Applied Analytics.
Christian Yeghnazar from the Clairbourn Class of 2013
He attended Clairbourn from 2004 to 2013 paving the way for both his younger brothers to attend Clairbourn as well. He is currently pursuing a career in the entrepreneurial world by starting his own venture. Most recently, he launched a new website called College Connect, which pairs high school students with current college students and guides them in making informed decisions about college. His mission is to help make a positive social impact through his endeavors. We are so inspired by Christian. Read about his story and experiences here.
