As we step into the vibrant season of spring, we are greeted with an explosion of colours, renewed life, and a sense of awakening. The beauty of spring serves as a reminder of the profound connection between nature and spirituality, allowing us to draw closer to God in our daily lives. Let us explore how spring brings us closer to God, nurturing our spiritual growth and fostering a deep sense of gratitude.

Renewal of Life: Springtime signifies the rebirth of nature after a long, dormant winter. The sight of budding flowers, green leaves, and blossoming trees symbolizes the renewal of life itself. In this renewal, we can recognize God’s divine presence. The cycle of life and death is an essential part of God’s creation, reminding us of the importance of appreciating the beauty in each moment and cherishing the opportunities for growth.

Appreciation of God’s Creation: Spring invites us to marvel at the intricacies of the natural world. The diversity of flora and fauna, the melodies of birds, and the gentle breeze against our skin all offer glimpses of the divine. When we take the time to admire these small details, we find ourselves in a state of spiritual mindfulness, acknowledging God’s hand in every aspect of creation.

Gratitude and Humility: The season of spring teaches us humility and gratitude. The earth wakes up from its slumber and the transition from winter to spring is a powerful reminder of the constant change and evolution in life. By recognising the transient nature of our existence, we learn to be more grateful for the blessings we receive. Spring helps us embrace an attitude of gratitude for the beauty of the world around us.

Spiritual Reflection: As we observe the growth and the transformation in nature, we are encouraged to reflect on our own spiritual journeys. Spring is a time to meditate on the lessons we have learned, the challenges we have faced, and the growth we have experienced. This self-reflection can draw us closer to God, as we seek a deeper understanding of our purpose in this world.

Acts of Kindness and Compassion: In the spirit of spring, we are inspired to be more compassionate and generous to others. Acts of kindness such as helping a neighbour with their garden or assisting those in need, reflect God’s love and grace. Spring provides us with the opportunity to practice empathy and reach out to our fellow human beings, strengthening our connection with the divine.

In conclusion, Spring is a season of renewal, appreciation, gratitude and reflection. It is a reminder that the world around us is a testament to God’s presence and love. As we embrace the beauty of spring, let us take a moment to reflect on our spiritual journey and draw nearer to God through the wonders of nature.

May this season fill our hearts with hope, love and a deeper connection to the divine.

Wishing you all a blessed and spiritually enriching spring season.

Andrew Watts
Head of Campus

The Thriving Kids and Parents School Project are offering three FREE interactive online sessions. If you are interested in practical strategies to manage everyday worries, build healthy relationships & helping your child thrive, then please open the email attachments and register. The evidence-based sessions promise to provide many practical strategies for parents and carers.

An invitation from Professor Matt Sanders can be found HERE.

We are looking forward to watching our second CEREAL-ously fun, cereal domino run. By bringing along a full box of healthy cereal, we will create a domino effect through our primary classrooms on Tuesday 14 November.

Students can cheer on the boxes knowing that they are contributing to a local community food program, Pantry Plus, through Peninsula City Church in Frankston.

Congratulations to Evie and Marley for receiving a Flinders Values award during this week’s Primary Chapel Service.

Evie received her award for displaying excellence and Humility by consistently committing to her studies and her willingness to learn from every experience. This has led to personal growth and inspired those around her.

Marley received his award for Integrity, Humility and Grace by consistently offering a helping hand to teachers and classmates, leading by example and encouraging others.

Due to issues in the playground, we ask that students do not bring their Pokemon cards to school.

The P and F are planning on holding a second-hand uniform sale towards the end of November.

If you wish to donate any second-hand uniform items, that are made by Alinta and are in good condition, please drop them off at the Primary or Business office .

Full summer uniform is to be worn from Week 3 onwards throughout Term 4 2023 and Term 1 2024. Please refer to the College Website for more details.

The Uniform Shop is open:

Monday: 1-4pm
Tuesday: 8-10am
Wednesday: 1-4pm
Thursday: 8-10am

The next Saturday opening is on Saturday 11 November 2023. The Uniform Shop does not open on the 1st Saturday in November due to the long weekend.

January 2024 opening hours will be published in the next newsletter.

We are delighted to announce two exciting musical events taking place in the coming weeks.

Our talented Junior Choir will be showcasing their hard work in a special performance at Forest Lodge Aged Care in our local area. Our lovely students will be performing a medley of songs, ranging from old classics to contemporary numbers, which is sure to bring a smile to the residents at Forest Lodge. This is such a great opportunity for the choir to both perform and be involved in the local community.

On Monday 30 October Flinders have the pleasure of hosting Ringwood Secondary College Concert Band, String Orchestra and Choir. Our Prep to Year 7 students will be attending the performance which aims to introduce our students to different instruments and give them the opportunity to experience a live performance. This is an event that we are sure will inspire our talented musicians.

Also don’t forget to grab your tickets for the Battle of the Band’s Music Showcase on Thursday 9 November. Tickets for this event are available for purchase through Flinders Connect. All event proceeds will go towards the upcoming 2024 Music Camp.

Tickets prices:

$10.00 - Adults

$8.00 - Non-performing students

$30.00 - Families

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

The above photo was taken on Tuesday morning as the Year 12s headed to Gumbuya World – in full costume – for their Celebration Day. This was the follow on from their final Assembly on Monday afternoon, the shared afternoon tea with parents/grandparents and the catered breakfast on the Tuesday morning.

Many thanks to the admin and teaching staff who helped these events run so smoothly.

A huge thank you to the Year 12s who have been such a wonderful year level – they will leave a positive legacy as they depart for the year levels coming up behind them.

We are going to continue to support these VCE and VCAL students through the last phase of their secondary schooling – particularly those who have set an ATAR goal to enter a university course of their choice in 2024.

We are really looking forward to the final celebration – the Valedictory Dinner on Wednesday 15 November.

What a night of celebration that will be!

Adding an extra Year 8-12 House Mentor group for 2024

With the significant increase in student numbers in 2024 we are planning to have the 5 Year 8-12 Mentor Groups in each House ready to launch for Kickstart (Nov 27 – Dec 8).

• We have been preparing the students for this change over the past fortnight.
• A survey has gone out to all Year 7-11 students on Wednesday this week, due at the end of next week – Week 4 (Friday 27 October). This will ask which students in their House they particularly want to stay in a Mentor group with - they can be students in their own year level and/or other year levels.
• The data will be analysed in Week 5 and draft Mentor Groups constructed.
• These draft Mentor Groups will then be published in the short Week 6 (Weds 8 – Fri 10 November) for feedback by staff/students
• Final lists to be worked on in Weeks 7&8
• Kickstart (Week 9) will see the new Mentor groups in action

2024 Year 7 Events

After the Year 7 Information Evening last night, there are 4 more significant dates to be aware of:

Wednesday 8 November Orientation Afternoon from 1.45pm – 3.00pm
Monday 4 December Orientation Day from 8.40am – 3.20pm
Wednesday 31 January Transition Day for all Year 7 students
Thursday 1 February Normal class will commence

House Engineering Competition

The Year 7-11 students are working in teams to complete one of the following challenges:

Spaghetti and Marshmallow architecture - Using just spaghetti and marshmallows, create the tallest tower possible.
Dominos - Groups of 5 students create a domino effect.
Newspaper bridges - Build the strongest bridge with a 75cm span.
Rube Goldberg - Groups of 5 students create an RG Construction.

The Planning phase was completed earlier this week. Next week will be the Construction and judging phase which will require a full double lesson to complete.

Student Leadership interviews and appointments

We have completed interviews for 2024 College and House captains. Yesterday we held a special Secondary assembly to provide the opportunity for the 6 short listed College Captain applicants to present their ‘pitch’. Students and staff were then sent a link to a survey to provide feedback on their preferred candidates. The choice of College Captains and Vice Captains will then be made using the feedback from the Secondary community as an important metric.

The applications for House Vice Captains, Year 8 - 10 House Leaders and the various Portfolio captaincies closed on Wednesday.

The interviews for these positions will occur in Weeks 5 & 6.

Uniform reminders

• I have asked the Heads of House to do an audit on girls’ summer dresses – some may well need to be lengthened or replaced.
• Excess jewellrey is still an issue for some students
• A reminder that boys need to be clean shaven at school.

Regards

Geoff Grace
Head of Secondary

Aladdin Kids
Our primary school production will take place in the gym on Thursday 23 November. Our Cast are doing an amazing job and will start blocking their scenes this week as well as learning the remainder of their choreography and vocals. Tickets will be released very soon.

2024 Dance Classes at School
Next year we will be offering Dance classes on an individual basis in the genres of Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, and Hip Hop. Classes will be taught by our Performing Arts Teacher Mrs Mendolia, a graduate of Performing Arts and qualified and experienced Dance Teacher and Choreographer. Expressions of interest can now be sent to diane.ohare@flinders.vic.edu.au.

Our new Dance Floor will be installed over the school holidays, and we are so excited to launch our Dance program in 2024. Further details will be sent out this week.

2024 New Performing Arts Lessons
As well as our classes in Musical Theatre and Speech and Drama lessons, I am excited to announce that we will be offering lessons in Screen Acting and Audition Techniques.

Details will be released this week with information on how to book places.

2024 Secondary School Production
I am delighted to inform you that our 2024 Secondary School Production will take place in June next year at the prestigious Frankston Arts Centre. This will be an amazing opportunity for our students to shine on stage. Our Production will be Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and auditions have commenced this week.

Performer in the spotlight
Our performer in the spotlight this week is Jazlyn Hoy.

Year 9 student Jazlyn Hoy has been dancing since the age of 4. She studies the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) syllabus at the Jane Moore Academy of Ballet, recently completing her Grade 8 ballet exam. She dances a range of styles including contemporary, jazz, character and classical ballet. Dancing 16 hours per week, Jazlyn is currently completing her Vocational Ballet Level 3 and Advanced Foundation RAD. She dances a range of solo performances at competitions having recently placed 2nd in her age group at the prestigious Royal South Street in Ballarat for her Neo-Classical routine. She won this year’s RAD Audrey Nicholls award Grade 8. An excellent achievement.

Girls Only Weights Session @ lunchtime on Tuesday

All secondary female students are invited to use the weights
room during Tuesday lunchtimes in term 4 where students will be supervised to use the equipment to improve their
strength or work on their mobility with rolling, stretches, or yoga. Some students may elect to do some just dance to
get the heart pumping. Ensure appropriate clothing and footwear is worn.

After School Netball - T4

We are still taking expressions of interest for the summer (T4) after school netball season. After school matches are
held weekly in T4 every Friday night @ Jubilee park in Frankston.
Please reach out to Emily Fellows (emily.fellows@flinders.vic.edu.au) if you would like to be in a team for term 4.

Swim Squad Term 4 - Expression of Interest!

Please find below details for our optional Swim Squad Program that runs annually in Terms 1 and 4 coached by
elite swimmers. The purpose of the Flinders Swim Squad is to improve each student's competitive swimming
performance at the Term 1 House Swimming Carnival in 2024 and to adequately prepare students for racing.

Please note that this optional opportunity is not a learn to swim program, as students are expected to be able to
swim competently for multiple laps of a 50m pool. The sessions will focus on preparing students for future competitions.

There is a small cost of $50 for the sessions that is subsidised by the College.

Please RSVP your students interest in this program via the Flinders Connect App.

If you have any questions, please contact

Natalie Chatfield Natalie.chatfield@flinders.vic.edu.au

or

Emily Fellows emily.fellows@flinders.vic.edu.au

George and Jasper are VERY excited to finally have their very own basketball singlets!!

We look forward to hearing about George and Jasper’s basketball adventures this season! If they get a little un-bear-able on the sidelines, please remind them that they need to be a good sport at every game 🏀

On Friday 13 October we held our annual Alumni evening.

We had around 40 alumni's join us for a wonderful social night of food and music.

It was great to see faces from past years of 2008, 2013, 2018 and 2022 and reconnecting with past students

We look forward to next years Alumni 2024!