As we begin another academic year, we would like to extend a warm welcome to our students and staff, especially all our new students and their families. We are thrilled to have you join our school community and look forward to getting to know you.

At Flinders, we believe that the integration of Christian values is a critical aspect of student development. Through our teachings and daily practices, we aim to instill a strong moral compass in our students that will guide them throughout their lives.

We also place a strong emphasis on community and encourage all our students to be active participants in our school community. Whether it is through sports, clubs, or volunteering, we believe that by working together and supporting one another, we can create a positive learning environment.

Research has consistently shown that a sense of belonging is a key factor in promoting student flourishing. Studies have found that students who feel a strong connection to their school and peers have better academic outcomes, higher levels of well-being, and a greater sense of purpose. When students feel like they belong, they are more likely to be engaged in their learning, feel more confident, and have better relationships with their peers and teachers. This highlights the importance of creating a supportive and inclusive environment in schools, where all students feel valued and connected to their community. By fostering a sense of belonging, we can contribute to the overall well-being and success of their students.

New facilities have been shown to have a positive impact on student engagement. Studies have found that students who attend schools with modern and well-equipped facilities are more motivated and engaged in their learning. We have been working hard over the summer break to continue to improve our facilities in addition to House spaces we launched in 2022. We are delighted to report that as of the 17th of February this term we will have access to our upgraded Gym that will boast new FIDA Level 2 flooring to cater for our PE/Sports opportunities and our ever-expanding basketball program. Both the flooring and other additions will continue to provide students with enhanced learning opportunities.

We are eagerly looking forward to an exciting year of learning and partnership. As Christian educators, we are passionate about providing a rich and dynamic learning experience for our students, and we believe that strong partnerships between the school, families, and the community are essential in achieving this goal. By working together, we can ensure that our students receive the support and resources they need to thrive. This year, we are excited to explore new and innovative ways of learning, to challenge ourselves and our students, and to foster a sense of community and belonging. We are confident that, by working together, we will achieve great things and create a positive and impactful learning environment for all our students. We look forward to embarking on this journey with you and thank you for your continued support.

Executive Principal

Cameron Pearce

Dear Community,

Belonging is our theme for Year 7 at Flinders Carrum Downs. As we welcome two new classes into Year 7, our goal is for them to quickly feel connected and gain a sense of truly being a vital member of our community.

When I met with the Year 7 students on Thursday morning I asked, “Who has made a new friend this year?”. I was delighted to see the vast majority of students raise their hands. These students will learn, through our studies with Beyond Blue, that having a sense of belonging is essential for our wellbeing.

Belonging is very much associated with the concept of community. We can experience community through our clubs, churches, families, employment and school. It has been stated, “Community is the promise of belonging that calls us to acknowledge our interdependence”.

Human beings naturally crave belonging and connection, very early on in the scriptures God declared that it is not good for man to live alone. By belonging to a community we discover who we really are. Our groups, gangs, tribes and colleagues form our identity. We become the people whom we are around. A key point is that we can form our individual identities as we interact with people aiming for the same goal. By sharing life and working together, we are brought closer together.

As a new year begins, I pray that our Year 7s, indeed the whole Flinders community shares a fulfilling journey and is unified as we aim for the goal of finding hope and purpose in our lives.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

Unity and diversity in the body

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptised by[a] one Spirit so as to form one body – whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free – and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 And so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 Now if the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

Andrew Watts

Head of Campus

For families who have a Health Care Card, Veterans Affairs Card, Pensioner Concession Card or who are foster parents, you may be eligible for the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund. The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) provides payments for eligible students to attend activities like school camps or trips, swimming and school-organised sport programs, outdoor education programs, excursions, and incursions.

If applying, application forms must be returned to the Finance Office before the 23rd of June to be submitted for 2023. For more information about the CSEF fund and the current application, please visit our website via this link.

If you have any queries on this fund, phone Cindy van Straaten in the Finance Office on 5973 2020.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the fund, on the first day of term one, the first day of term two or the first day of term three, a parent or legal guardian of a student must:

a) Be an eligible beneficiary of one of these cards: Veterans Affairs Gold Card, Centrelink Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card, OR

b) They must be a temporary foster parent, AND

c) The parent or legal guardian must apply by the due date.

Parents who receive a carer allowance on behalf of a child, or any other benefit or allowance not income tested by Centrelink, are not eligible for the CSEF unless they also comply with the above.

Eligibility Date

For concession card holders CSEF eligibility will be subject to the parent/legal guardian’s concession card being successfully validated with Centrelink on the first day of either term one, term two or term three.

Finance Office

Our Finance Office is for all financial matters regarding the College and students. You can contact us via email or phone the Finance Office directly on (03) 5973 2020.

Flinders College Open Days for 2023

We are always pleased when School Photo day has been completed but unfortunately, due to rain on Monday, we were unable to take the Secondary Group Photos as planned.

Schoolpix will be returning to the College on Tuesday 7th
March 2023 from 9am-1pm to take theses group photos. Please ensure your Secondary Student attends school on this day and is in the correct summer uniform.

Please note:

All Primary group and individual photos were taken on Monday and no further sessions will be required.

If your Primary/Secondary child was away on Photo day we will be able to take their individual portrait photo on this day also. There were also a couple of families who were unable to have their Sibling Photo taken due to students being away. These photos will also be taken on this day.

As were we unable to complete all photos, there will be a delay in receiving the printed photos. Schoolpix know that you are keen to receive your orders and will get these to you asap.

If you have any queries regarding the School Photos, please call the College Office on 9785 0000.

For staff, the phase of the school year which happens before the students arrive is a bit like the pre-season in a sports club – there’s lots of discussion, planning, strategising, organising and meeting – all of which is important in setting up for the year ahead. New staff have a great list of things they need to get their head around so that they can navigate their work environment more comfortably.

The ‘real’ school year starts when the students turn up and get into classes. This brings its own energy and rhythms as we settle into the year ahead.

I was really pleased with Day One for the Year 7s and Year 12s last Wednesday.

The Year 7s had their ‘Setting Up’ day where they organised their laptops and lockers and spent some quality time in their House Mentor groups. This made the first day of classes much more navigable. From what I see and hear, the Year 7s have started really well.

The Year 12s had a Launch Day on the same day and the VCE students were given the opportunity to have a 1:2 interview with their Head of House and another senior staff member to see how the year is starting and what sort of goals might be set for the year ahead. The Senior VCAL students in the same way met with Mr. Mason and their deputy Head of House to look at the year ahead. For lunch we took a short bus ride to the McClelland Sculpture Park for a time of social connection.

Thursday last week saw the first day of formal classes for the entire Secondary cohort, preceded by an extended House Assembly/Mentor time to hep the Year 8-11 students in particular to get oriented to their 2023 school year.

Overall, I would say that we have had an excellent start of year – thanks to the students for bringing a positive attitude and for the staff who have worked so hard to get the year up and running.

SCHOOL PHOTOS – SOME TO BE RESCHEDULED

Our Photo Day on Monday was unfortunately interrupted with a number of passing showers which hampered our efforts to get through the entire set of group shots. Given that the School Gym is currently out of action meant that we only had one option – to rescheduled the remaining photos. This has been booked in for Tuesday March 7th. More information will be forthcoming closer to the event.

STUDENT LEADERSHIP TRAINING

I am finalising the planning for the Student Leadership Conference to be held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre on Monday 27th
February. I am planning to take the Year 8-10 House Leaders and House Vice Captains. It should be a great opportunity to inspire and equip our upcoming leaders.

When the Year 7 House Leaders are appointed in the coming weeks, we will look for an equivalent program for them to attend.

Geoff Grace

Head of Secondary

This year’s theme of ‘The Best Version of Me’ lends itself really well to the key themes of Ready, Respect and Safe. We have been giving this consistent message for the last couple of years as a way of reinforcing and embedding the 7 key Flinders values of Humility, Excellence, Love, Perseverance, Faith, Integrity and Grace.

Our primary expectation is for a positive learning community – students are engaged, attentive and diligent; uniform is worn consistently well and there is a mutually respectful culture throughout secondary.

Having said that we also need clear and consistent accountability structures in place with a bipartite focus on uniform and student conduct; Lunchtime and afterschool detentions and catch ups for non-compliance.

Over the course of this year, in my devotions to the various year levels, I shall be focusing on each of these key values, one at a time, and bringing some relevant application to the lives of the students.

Last Thursday evening, Feb 2nd, we had an encouraging turn out for the Year 7 Parent Information evening. A big thank you to the presenters and attendees at this event, in particular the Heads of House and Year 7 House Mentors who ran a session with their House families at the end of the information session.

There are two further Information Evenings – this coming Thursday 9th February is our Year 8-11 Parent Evening (which will have taken place when the Newsletter goes live) and the following Thursday, 16th
February, is the evening specifically for our 2023 Year 12 parents to discuss the final year of schooling – VCE and Senior VCAL.

This time last year I had to write to notify you of the necessary postponements of pretty much everything for the month of February due to the omicron wave of COVID.

Thankfully this year we are looking to run a full program of sports carnivals, excursions and camps throughout Term 1, starting with this week’s Swimming Carnival and next week’s Year 7 Camp at the Phillip Island Adventure Resort.

It was lovely to welcome our Flinders Primary students back for their first week. Students have settled well into school, are focused on their learning, and have warmly welcomed new classmates.

Congratulations to our Grade 6 2023 Primary School Leaders. They were presented with their leadership badges at our first day of school welcoming assembly.

Primary Captains: Ethan S and Zoe A

Primary SRC Leaders: Elsie B and Abbey H

Cuthbert House: Lenny L and Clementine D

Nicholls House: Dex C and Divya J

Ten Boom House: Savanna D and Zol Z

Flynn House: Joshua S and Tahlia W

Smart Watches and Mobile Devices

A quick reminder that phones remain in school bags in the classroom, on airplane mode when students are at school. Smart Watches must also remain on airplane (or school) mode. Parents that need to contact children during the day can call our School office.

Adam Swain

Head of Primary

By now you should have received Issue #1 from Scholastic Book club. Please order online only. via the Scholastic Australia LOOP website or app and the school will take care of the rest! (LOOP orders are electronically linked to your school in an easy, secure online process). The books are delivered to your child’s classroom a couple of weeks after you have ordered.
Please place your order by Monday 13 February.

eSafety's free webinars provide parents and carers with the knowledge, skills and tools to support their children to have safe, positive online experiences.

Our live webinars for parents and carers attracted record attendance numbers in 2022. To meet
the growing demand, we are expanding the program in 2023 to include more dates and topics to support school communities.
2023 webinars include a broad range of topics delivered by an expert education and training team.

Dates and topics for Term 1 are:

● eSafety 101: how eSafety can help you Suitable for parents and carers of young people in primary and secondary school.
○ 8 February 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm
○ 21 March 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm
● Setting your child up for success online Suitable for parents and carers of young people in primary school.
○ 8 February 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm
○ 28 February 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm
○ 14 March 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm
● Getting the most out of gaming Suitable for parents and carers of young people in primary and early secondary school.
○ 14 February 12:30 pm to 1:15 pm
○ 14 March 7:30 pm to 8:15 pm
● Navigating online friendships Suitable for parents and carers of young people in secondary school.
○ 22 February 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm
○ 29 March 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm

Register to attend online at https://www.esafety.gov.au/par...

Prep families are invited to attend a picnic on Thursday 16 February from 5pm until 6.30 pm outside the Prep rooms. It is a wonderful opportunity to meet other families.

A short Prep information session will also be run on this date. More information will be communicated to Prep Families this week.

You are very welcome to bring your own picnic dinner or you may wish to purchase from the BBQ that the Parents and Friends will be running.

For catering purposes if your family wish to buy from the BBQ please prepurchase your food through the Flinders Connect App

Please click on My Account and choose Activities
Select the Activity: CD Prep Family Picnic
Click on the 'Attending Button' and follow the prompts to pay.

For all parents, who have a student taking private music lessons, please check the lesson schedule given by the instrumental teacher and on Moodle. The days and times are all published in advance and every effort will be made to meet this timetabling. If a lesson is going to missed for any reason please let reception know and this will be passed along to the music school.

If lessons are to be discontinued at any time during the school year, four weeks’ notice is to be given as per the Music handbook, which is available on Moodle.

Primary and Secondary choirs will be commencing next week following a round of auditions. Please note that Primary choir will rehearse in Thursday lunchtimes and Secondary choir before school on Thursdays.

We have a new brass teacher! Mr Jamie Grima, a very experienced teacher and fine brass player has joined our faculty at Carrum Downs. If there are any students who wish to sign up for trumpet or trombone lessons please contact Linda.Harris@flinders.vic.edu.au

This is a very exciting opportunity to get in early and learn these instruments.

Individual Performing Arts Lessons

Diane O'Hare from the Preforming Arts department had an overwhelming response from students in Primary and Secondary School requesting private lessons in Musical Theatre, Speech, and Drama.

With nearly 50 students registered, I will now be creating a waiting list. Classes will commence in week 3 and run until the last week of Term 1. Please note with so many students registering, your child’s place is not confirmed until payment has been received.

Performing Arts Parents Committee

With Performing Arts growing at a rapid pace, I would like to invite interested parents to form a specific committee to assist with fundraising, backstage help, transport, canteen etc. You are invited to meet on Wednesday 1st March at 4.30pm in the Drama Room. Any queries, please email Diane directly.

Diane O’Hare
Performing Arts Coordinator

Auditions have commenced this week for our Production of The Sound of Music for students from grade 5 to year 12.

We have had an amazing number of staff and students sign up and our cast list is approaching 60. This year our Production will be held at The George Jenkins Theatre @Monash University, Frankston on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th June.

Diane O'Hare is delighted to inform you that our Primary School Performing Arts Holiday Workshop will focus on Matilda the Musical in the April School Holidays.

The dates are 17th, 18th, and 19th April. More information will be released shortly on the registration and payment process.

CYBER
SAFETY PARENT WEBINARS
Flinders Christian Community College would like to present to the parent community a series of webinars presented by the Cyber Safety Project.

Webinar - 1: PLAN, PREVENT, PROTECT
Learning, connecting and playing online can be safe. Knowing how to arm young people with the right skills, knowledge and understanding of the digital world can feel overwhelming. In this session the Cyber Safety Project team share proactive and
practical steps, tools and advice for keeping the whole family safe online.

TOPICS COVERED:
- Cyber security at home
- Protecting children from unwanted contact
- Cyberbullying, sexting and Image Based Abuse (IBA)
- Reporting cybercrimes and scams
- Managing screentime
- Monitoring software
- Device, app and game settings
- Building positive relationships

KEY OUTCOMES:
- Understand online harms and risks for young people
- Know where to report and seek help
- Gain strategies to prepare young people to thrive online
- Learn tips for levelling up cyber security and safety at home

THIS IS PART OF A FOUR-PART WEBINAR SERIES FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS.

DATE: February 16, 2023
TIME: 07:30 PM.
Registration is free @ http://cybersafetyproject.com....

Community Event - Annual Carrum Coast Guard - Around the river Fun Run

It’s the 8th Annual Carrum Coast Guard - Around the river Fun Run on Sunday 19 February 2023. If you are interested, please register online via this link:

Our combined campus carnivals are a time for students from both Carrum Downs and Tyabb campuses to come together to engage in healthy competition and work hard to earn points for their house! Please be reminded that the Combined Campus Secondary House Carnivals (Swimming, Athletics and Cross Country) are important and compulsory College events that all students are expected to attend. We thank you for supporting your child/ren's attendance at these annual days which provide opportunities for all students to demonstrate their gifts and talents, and to support their peers, in a positive and healthy environment.

Please see below for our 2023 combined campus carnival dates.

Swimming Carnival

Wednesday 8 February 2023 @ Pines Forest Aquatic Centre (Forest Drive, Frankston North, 3199)

Athletics Carnival

Monday 6 March 2023 @ Casey Fields (160 Berwick-Cranbourne Rd, Cranbourne, 3977)

Cross Country

Tuesday 16 May 2023 @ The Pines Flora and Fauna (Frankston North, 3200)

After our combined campus carnivals we are able to select our Interschool teams to represent the College at the Southern Independent School Division A carnivals for swimming, cross country and athletics. Students are selected based on their cross campus carnival results.

Please note the following dates for those students who are selected to represent the college at the Southern Independent School Divison A carnivals :

Division A Swim Relay Carnival

Friday 17 March 2023 @ Pines Forest Aquatic Centre (Forest Drive, Frankston North, 3199)

Please note: students are able to register to compete at this following the School Swimming Carnival

Division A Swimming Carnival

Monday 2nd May 2023 @ Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (30 Aughtie Dr, Albert Park, 3206)

Division A Cross Country

Tuesday 30 May 2023 @ Baxter Park (294 Baxter-Frankston Rd, Frankston South, 3199)

Division A Athletics Carnival

Tuesday 22 August 2023 @ Lakeside Stadium (33 Aughtie Drive, Albert Park, 3206)

Southern Independent School (SIS) Weekly Sport is an opportunity for students to represent the college in a round robin competition of various sports. Our representative teams will play weekly in five competition rounds during the Terms 1-4 against various schools that are members of the SIS association. Age categories for SIS Weekly Sports are as follows;

Junior (Years 7 & 8)

Intermediate (Years 9 & 10)

Senior (Years 11 & 12)

Our Junior and Senior students play on a Thursday afternoon. Intermediate play on a Friday afternoon.

After surveying all current secondary school students are pleased to announce we will be offering the following sports for SIS Weekly Sport.

Term 1
Senior Girls Soccer
Senior Boys Soccer
Intermediate Girls Volleyball
Intermediate Boys Cricket

Term 2
Senior Girls AFL
Senior Boys AFL
Junior Girls Netball
Junior Boys Soccer
Junior Boys Volleyball
Intermediate Boys AFL

Term 3
Senior Boys Basketball
Senior Girls Netball
Junior Boys AFL
Junior Girls AFL
Intermediate Boys Soccer
Intermediate Girls Netball

Term 4
Junior Boys Basketball
Junior Girls Basketball
Junior Girls Volleyball
Intermediate Boys Basketball
Intermediate Girls Basketball

We are currently taking enrolments for our 2023 swim squad. The purpose of the Flinders Swim Squad is to improve student's competitive swimming performance at the Swim Relay Carnival and adequately prepare students to represent the College at the Interschool Southern Independent Schools (SIS) Swimming Carnival on 3 May 2023, at a subsided cost of only $60. We recommend students only enroll in the swim squad if they are competent swimmers ie can swim 50m confidently.

The dates for swim squad are below:

Friday 3 March 2023
Friday 10 March 2023
Friday 17 March 2023
Friday 24 March 2023
Friday 31s March 2023

Parents are required to drop students off to pines pool @ 7:20am each morning. A College/charter bus will transport students from the Pines back to campus after each morning session.

If you have any questions please reach out to Sam Dutney (sam.dutney@flinders.vic.edu.au for TY) or Shay Cosgrave (shay.cosgrave@flinders.vic.edu.au for CD).

We are excited for our junior (Yr. 7&8) students to participate in a triathlon program.

This optional term 1 program provides students with the opportunity to develop their personal fitness, build resilience and grow in confidence.

The program culminates in students choosing to participate in a triathlon, 2XU Fun Tri (300m/13km/3km) on Sunday 26th March 2023, click here for race details.

The after-school extracurricular Flinders Basketball Club teams across Carrum Downs and Tyabb campuses continue their summer season competition training and games until the end of Term 1.

Expression of Interest to join a Winter Season team will be taken by the end of February so watch this space for more information.

Flinders Basketball Club (Extra-curriculum) – Carrum Downs and Tyabb Campuses

Basketball is a popular sport within Flinders College and students are encouraged to get involved in extra curriculum teams because it helps young people to be active, have fun, make friends, and learn to be part of a team. Membership of Flinders Basketball is open to all students and families enrolled at Flinders Christian Community College, Carrum Downs and Tyabb. The Flinders Basketball Club will consider students from outside the Flinders Community, by special arrangement.

Flinders Basketball Club is supported by an amazing group of 120+ volunteers in the role of coaches, assistant coaches and team managers - all working together to keep kids active playing basketball. Our Club Committee is made up of parents, staff members and School Executive. Our Club Policies and Procedures of team selection and inclusion of players are governed by the College. Flinders Basketball Club has an amazing reputation of being a club who values teamwork and sportsmanship whilst having fun in a competitive environment; to allow our players to grow in love.

Competition games are played every week after school – specific days depend on player age group and Association fixtures. Junior u8-u14 teams can also play on a Saturday. Club teams have the option to train afterschool/evenings at Carrum Downs or Tyabb.

Flinders Basketball Club Fees are paid per season. Payments are required upfront for team registration and all calendar games (including finals). All players are required to purchase a Flinders Basketball Playing Uniform (singlet & shorts).

2022/3 Summer season continues…

Summer season 2022/3 continues from Term 4, with an amazing 75 teams representing the Flinders Basketball Club across the 4 associations of Frankston Basketball, Western Port Basketball, Chelsea Basketball and Mornington Basketball. Flinders Basketball Club has teams from as young as u8 to teams playing in the u21/Senior competitions.

There are 8-9 weeks of summer season fixtures remaining (including finals). The season ends across all Associations on Thursday, 6th April 2023.

Parents, please note that there are no games over the Labour Day long weekend (10-12th March 2023).

2023 Winter season

Winter season competitions start in Term 2 and run until the end of Term 3.

Flinders basketball welcomes NEW AND EXISTING players to complete an Expression of Interest form. The Club caters for all skill levels, from beginner to representative level.

Coaches/Team managers or Parents do not select their own teams. The Club has many players of varying skill levels who register for winter/summer season competitions, so in fairness to all players, we conduct a skills assessment in the school gym if player registration numbers exceed the numbers required for a team. Dates/times to follow based on registration numbers. These sessions are run like a skills clinic – players are encouraged to have fun. These sessions give players equal opportunity to be placed in a team that best suits them as players. Some teams may end up continuing as a team, while some existing teams may be short of players, and these sessions will help us place interested players in the appropriate team based on their skill-level. As our ballers move up an age group and division, so does the competitive nature of the teams and from top-age u10, our Flinders Basketball teams are aligned according to skill-set wherever possible.

If you are interested in playing, coaching, or managing a team for winter season, please complete the Expression of Interest (EOI) form by 5pm on Friday, 24/02/2023.

Forms received after this date/time will be placed on a waiting list. Please could all existing team managers ensure all current players/coaches are aware that an EOI form is required.

Winter season fees to be advised.
Looking forward to an exciting last few weeks of summer season.

Cindy Shacklock
Flinders Basketball Club Administrator - Carrum Downs and Tyabb teams

basketball@flinders.vic.edu.au / cindy.shacklock@flinders.vic.edu.au