We would like to remind families that the service road opposite the school is now closed to the public during the latest stage of roadworks. Parents who normally drop off or pick up students from this area will need to find an alternative meeting place. We would encourage parents to come into the school as the side streets, particularly Greenwood Drive are now busy thoroughfares.

The current road blocks and detours will be in place until the end of the year. We would like to thank you for your patience as VicRoads seeks to improve the roads around our College.

During the upcoming holidays, the power at Flinders will be interrupted on Wednesday 2 October due to the roadworks on Ballarto Rd.

On this day, the College will be closed. Parents may still contact Reception by phone where administrators will be available to assist.

We currently have a family who lives in the Mt Martha area and is enquiring whether there would be another family in the same area who could carpool to and from school.

If you are interested, please call the College Office 9785 0000.

Receptionist, Carrum Downs Campus

Part-time Ongoing, Wednesdays & Thursdays (0.4 FTE)Commencement Term 4, 2024

Applications are invited for the position of Receptionist at our Carrum Downs Campus, from experienced and innovative candidates with a strong commitment to Christian education. This role will suit an exceptionally well-organised individual who possesses strong Communication, Interpersonal and Office Administration skills and experience. Flinders Christian Community College is a co-educational, non–denominational College with campuses located in Carrum Downs, Tyabb and Mt Martha offering education from Kinder to Year 12.

The College encourages and supports students to develop a personal faith in Jesus Christ as they acquire academic knowledge, wisdom and character. Flinders seeks to achieve long-term educational outcomes related to student understanding, dispositions for lifelong learning and service in the Kingdom of God. The values of the school provide a stable foundation for living in a changing world and equip students to face the challenges of life with genuine optimism for the future. Flinders Christian Community College is a community that values the contribution of its employees as we partner together to provide hope and purpose to our students, parents and the broader community.

For further information, please contact Kate Rowe, Administration Manager on 03 9785 0000.

It has been nice chatting with several parents who are reading the Anxious Generation. As I finished the book, a few key takeaways included:

Delay children’s full entry into the phone-based childhood by delaying when you give them their first smartphone (or any “smart” device). Give only basic phones before the start of high school and try to coordinate with other parents so that your children do not feel that they are the only ones without smartphones!

A free-range childhood is more likely to produce confident, competent young adults, with lower levels of anxiety, than is a childhood ruled by safetyism, fear, and constant supervision.

Most authorities recommend little or no screen time in the first 18–24 months, limited screen time through to age of 5 and no more than two hours after the age of five. Australian guidelines are HERE.

Use parental controls, provide clear limits, and designate times and places as no device zones.

Our actions as a parent can contribute to solving the collective action problem. If we delay giving children a smartphone, it makes it easier for other parents to do so.

A reminder that school finishes at 3.15pm and yard duty finishes for teachers at 3.40pm. At this time, all students need to be collected. We ask that parents and supervised children still playing outside depart at 4.30pm at the latest, for health and safety reasons. Please also ask children not to play in or near the Camp Australia (After School Care) area, unless they have been registered with Camp Australia. Supervision is compromised when Camp Australia staff do not know exactly who they are looking after.

Congratulations to Rhys and Olive for receiving a Flinders values award during this week’s Primary Chapel Service.

Rhys received his award for displaying Integrity, Humility and Excellence by exceeding the ready, respectful and safe expectations and consistently striving to do the right thing without seeking recognition or reward.

Olive exemplified the values of Love, Grace and Perseverance by showing kindness to others, demonstrating forgiveness and grace in her friendships and working hard to always improve her schoolwork.

As we move towards the end of the term, I’ve had the chance to do several learning walks around the school, and it’s been fantastic to see the great teaching and learning happening in our classrooms. From creative problem-solving in math to deep discussions in humanities and fun games in PE, our teachers are creating spaces where students are engaged, challenged, and supported. It’s a real reminder of how we are all working together to provide the best education for our students.

Our recent Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews were also a big hit, with plenty of valuable conversations taking place. These interviews are such an important part of building strong partnerships between home and school, and it’s been wonderful to hear the positive feedback from both parents and students. It shows how much we all care about our students’ success.

Our Year 11 students and their guests also had a wonderful time completing their Deb Ball. It was a beautiful night filled with fun and dancing, and I’d like to extend my thanks to Marianne Morgan and her fantastic team for their hard work in making the event so special for everyone involved.

Finally of course, the Cuthbert Carnival, led by Clair Cairns and the Cuthbert House, was an absolute blast! I’m pretty sure I got dunked more than 30 times in the dunk tank – maybe that’s a sign of our success in reaching 100% attendance in my lunch detentions! (revenge is a dish best served called… this time in a tank of ice water). The carnival had a great atmosphere, with creative activities and lots of fun for everyone. A huge thanks to Clair and the Cuthbert House team for making it such a memorable event.

These experiences really show the positive culture we’re building here at Flinders – a place where every day brings new opportunities for growth, connection, and celebration. I’m excited to see what the rest of the year will bring as we continue working together with our students, staff, and families.

Warm regards,

Matthew Bodley
Head of Secondary

On Wednesday 21 August, students from the Elective Humanities class journeyed to Sandringham Yacht Club as part of their studies of The Pacific. With an eye to considering how one might navigate a voyage from South America to PNG, the students received invaluable tips from an instructor as they navigated Port Phillip Bay. Although the sea was calm, the speed of the boat was exhilarating, powered only by the wind. A highlight of the day was launching a student-built replica of the famous Kon Tiki raft. Hopefully, we will learn of its fate once it makes landfall somewhere along the coast.

Dear Parents, Students, and Music Enthusiasts,

Two weeks ago, our Cross Campus Senior Orchestra competed at the Victorian School Music Festival and received Silver in their category. Congratulations to everyone in the orchestra, all teachers across both campuses and parents that helped in the planning and assistance on the day.

Upcoming Events:
Have A Go Performance Night: Next Tuesday 10 September is our last Have A Go Performance Night for the year. If you are a Flinders Instrumental or Vocal student, please come along and take the opportunity to be able to perform in a supportive and encouraging space. To register, please email Mrs. Linda Harris at musiccarrumdowns@flinders.vic.edu.au

Mt Gambier Generations In Jazz BBQ Fundraiser: This Saturday 7 September
September our Music team will be hosting a fundraiser BBQ at Carrum Downs Bunnings. All proceeds from this event will go towards our Cross Campus Jazz Ensemble’s trip to Mt Gambier next year to compete at the Generations In Jazz Festival. This is one of Australia’s largest and most prestigious Jazz Festivals. If you’re hungry, have a Father’s Day voucher to spend or just want a trip to Bunnings, please come along and support us. We’d love to see you all there.

For any general inquiries or questions about our music programs, please feel free to contact Mrs. Linda Harris at musiccarrumdowns@flinders.vic.edu.au

FROZEN KIDS
A reminder that if your child is unwell or on a school excursion, please email me as this affects the rehearsal. I am currently looking at adding some extra rehearsal afternoons in Term 4 for choreography and catch ups.

FLINDERS GOT TALENT
Thank you to the students who performed this year. The judges were so impressed with all the talent and perseverance you displayed.

Congratulations to Thyia who won the Golden Duckie trophy this year.

MOANA PRIMARY SCHOOL HOLIDAY WORKSHOP
We are very excited for the upcoming Moana Workshop.

The 3 days will include costume display, arts, and crafts, singing, acting, dancing and a special day learning how to play the ukulele. Due to high interest, we only have 3 places left, please email me if you wish to register your child. Payment will not be due until the 13th of September. Our workshop takes place on the 23rd,24th and 25th September in the Drama Studio. Students will also receive their own personalised Moana tee shirts and a certificate.

SO, YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE
Do you love to dance? We are now accepting videos of students displaying their amazing dance skills. Categories include single, group, staff, and family videos. Judging will take place on Monday 14 October by Mrs. Mendolia. Please email your entries to ashlene.mendolia@flinders.vic.edu.au.


Diane O’Hare
Performing Arts Coordinator
Diane.ohare@flinders.vic.edu.au

Following the success of the U15 round, our U17 Teams then took the court last Wednesday. Our U17 girls narrowly missed out on playing the cross over final by a 3% margin for second place. The U17 boys were undefeated, winning all 3 rounds and the cross over final game by 7 points. Congratulations to all our coaches and players for your tenacity and resilience!

Flinders will have two teams playing Champions Cup Grand Finals this Sunday - an incredible achievement!

Congratulations to our U15 Girls Cross Campus Basketball team, who were undefeated today at the Basketball Victoria U15 Champions Cup - Elite 8’s tournament!

They have won their way through to the Champions Cup finals day on Sunday 8 September where they will play against Edinburgh College. An incredible effort by our coaches and players!

On Tuesday 20 August our Senior Sport Captains Joey, Noah and Titch ran a staff vs students netball match. The students put up a good fight but the teachers proved way too strong winning the match 19-9!

Congratulations to the 90 Flinders students who competed at the SIS Division A Athletics on Tuesday at Casey Fields. Despite extremely windy conditions our U13 girls won the pennant for their age group, which is incredible! Flinders finished 6th overall. Thank you to our students who participated at this event and did the College proud.

Congratulations to all students who participated in SIS Weekly Sport for term 3. Our coaches are very proud of all of your effort you have put into this term!

A special congratulations to all of our students who were in our Junior Girls AFL team who were undefeated for the term. Our Junior Boys AFL team currently remain undefeated with one game left of the term.

As term 3 comes to an end our Sport department as busy planning term 4 SIS Weekly Sport!

Students will receive an email from Emily about when dates tryouts will be. Please see below for sports on offer for Term 4:

Junior Girls Basketball
Junior Boys Basketball
Junior Boys Volleyball
Inter Girls Basketball
Inter Boys Basketball