Recently I got held up in a queue for a long time. This gave me plenty of time to think and plenty of time to consider and reflect on my personal reactions when every part of me wanted to express its impatient frustrations. I was in an airport, and I had plenty of opportunities to consider and justify my emotions. It took me some time until I considered that perhaps there was some growth and learnings that I could gain from this experience. The queues were a significant contributing factor in my missing several flights and days of my pre-booked holiday plans. You might have some understanding of how I might have felt.

Does it really matter if I don’t get what I want? I have so much to be thankful for.

The sun will rise in the morning, today and for many more tomorrows. God is in control.

Perhaps take our eyes off ourselves and our current predicament. Perhaps look for someone else less fortunate, who you can serve and help and not expect or want anything in return.

Laughter is good medicine when you are stressed. (Proverbs 17: 22) A happy heart is like good medicine. But a broken spirit drains your strength. Perhaps look for joy in the toughest of days or circumstances.

The Bible has some thoughts on what to do when we are facing challenges. Challenges are not real unless they are “real” to you and hard for you in the moment. The Bible goes on to say that we should consider challenges as pure joy. (James 1:2-8) “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you are involved in various trials because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But you must let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. ...”

I don’t have a silver lining on my story, and I did miss out on some of my holiday plans. But I can truthfully say, so what? I am thankful and grateful for what I have. A good practice is to write a list of what we are thankful for and perhaps recite this so that we teach ourselves to be content in all circumstances. It’s a good practice to speak positively each day and to remember that - This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24 NKJV)

Julian Van Tienen
Head of Primary

Don't forget to keep an eye on your Flinders Connect app for more dates and events!

TERM 3


12th September: 40th Anniversary Special Assembly and activities (including sausage sizzles, pizzas and ice creams available to students at lunch time)

14th September: Footy Day and Last Day of Term

28th September: Second Hand Uniform Shop Open 2.00 - 5.00pm


(Unit 4 Practice Exams will run during the Term 3 holiday break)

TERM 4

2nd October: All Students Commence Term 4

7th October: Year 12 Valedictory Dinner

12th October: Year 12 Leavers' Assembly (parents welcome to attend)

13th October: Year 12 Breakfast and final day of lessons

14th October: Class of 2001 and Class of 2003 Reunions

21st October: Class of 2022 - 1 year Reunion

24th October: VCAA Written Exams Commence

6th November: Mid Term Break

7th November: Cup Day Public Holiday

11th November: Class of 2013 and Class of 2018 Reunions

24th November: Student Free Day

6th December: Secondary Presentation Night

8th December: Primary Presentation Night

8th December: Last Day of Term 4

11th December: VCAA results released

As a reward for raising the most money so far for our Colour Run, 4B were granted the privilege of sliming Mr Van Tienen and Mr Wilson. Well done Grade 4B! And well done Mr Van Tienen and Mr Wilson....

Book Week in the Primary School

This year's theme for Book Week is 'Read, Grow, Inspire'. On Monday 14th August, the Primary School children and staff came dressed as a favourite, inspirational book character. The costumes were incredible and everyone looked fantastic. This was followed by craft activities, dressing up the classroom doors, and a visit from author, George Ivanoff. The week was full of inspirational literacy-based activities.

We learnt the German folk song and actions for "Mein Hut, der hat drei Ecken" (My hat it has 3 corners) during a topic on clothing.

The preps really enjoyed singing the song and incorporating the actions. Both Prep classes worked beautifully together to make their hats and write the German words for My Hat – (Mein Hut).

This term, Grade Five are studying Earth and Space Sciences where they are researching the planets of the solar system and how long they take to orbit the Sun. To complement this learning the Grade Fives visited the iHub recently where ‘Mindflight’ introduced the students to the Virtual Reality headsets to explore space. The very next day we had the ‘Science Discovery Dome’ in the Chapel setting up a portable planetarium which again immersed the students into space. To conclude the unit, the Grade Fives will be presenting a Space Expo to the school community on Friday 1st September. The students have completed their research and are now preparing their expo stands – which, as you can see, involves lots of paper mâché!


Grade Five Team
Miss Helen Smith and Mr Eric Wilson

Earlier this month, students in Years 7 – 11 attended presentations on student leadership opportunities for 2024.

There is information available to students on Moodle - Student Leadership Opportunities, 2024.

Applications for all positions are made via an online application form which is available through the above link to the Student Leadership page on Moodle.
Applications close on Friday 1 September.

Interviews for 2024 Year 12 Leadership Positions will take place in the last two weeks of Term 3.
Interviews for other Leadership Positions will take place early in Term 4.

If students have any queries about leadership opportunities or the process, they should contact their Head of House.

Mark Hamilton
Head of Secondary

Many thanks to all of our Year 7/2024 parents who came along to the Information Night on Monday. Our iHub provided the perfect venue to host this event and we trust parents went home feeling informed and enthusiastic about what to expect for their child coming into Year 7 next year.

Our Year 7 students had a cyber bullying incursion this week and we want our parents to be aware of some important resources freely available.

Supporting young people to be safe, responsible and positive online is a key challenge for educators and parents alike. This week, a team member from the Optus Digital Thumbprint program was in the Lecture Theatre with our Year 7 students, taking them through the fun and interactive workshop that covered the important issue of cyber bullying.

It is very important to be aware of this topic, so that your child is prepared and supported to thrive in the digital world. There is a range of free, downloadable Digital Thumbprint Parent Conversation Guides for parents and guardians that support you to have effective conversations around what young people should and shouldn’t share online, cyber bullying, and how digital technology can support effective study practices.

Please visit: www.digitalthumbprint.com.au/parent-resources

For more information on the program and each of the workshops we encourage you to visit: www.digitalthumbprint.com.au/

Hello, everyone! It's time to catch up on all the latest news from our school farm. So, put on your comfy overalls and let's dive into the happenings right here on the farm!

Visit Crackle: Our Happy Piggy
Our newest farm buddy, Crackle the pig, is doing great! She's loving life in her paddock, where she spends her days digging around for hidden carrot treats that some clever students have left for her. It's like a fun game of hide-and-seek with Crackle!


The Chicken Crew: Pullet Patrol
We've got some new arrivals – meet the pullets! These are young chickens, not quite adults yet, but growing fast. Our Year 6 and Year 9 students are keeping a close eye on them. They're checking their weight, tracking their eating habits, and waiting to see when they start laying eggs. Why? Well, they're gathering all this info for a special project at the Melbourne Show. It's going to be interesting!


Wheat Adventures:
Our Year 3 and 4 students are getting their hands dirty while exploring wheat. They're finding out how this grain grows, what's inside it, and how it's turned into delicious bread. Who knew wheat could be so fascinating?


Bird Buddies:
Calling all bird lovers! Our Year 5 and 6 students have turned into bird experts. They're doing a Citizen Science project collecting data about the birds around our school and learning about how to improve our environment to help to support them. These students are on a mission to make our school a bird-friendly place by providing food and comfy homes for our feathered friends. Part of this initiative is creating a green oasis for these birds. If you haven't noticed yet, take a stroll to the Boes Rd carpark. Our green-thumbed gardeners have been planting native plants (provided by the Mornington Council) that will give our local wildlife a place to eat and rest. It's like a little paradise for animals right in our school carpark.

Lively Lambs: Chase and Playtime
Now, here's some exciting news from the farm's fluffy corner – our lambs are growing like weeds! They've been having an absolute blast in the paddock, playing a lively game of chase. These woolly friends just can't get enough of this game, and it's a joy to watch them frolic around.

But that's not all! Our students have been forming special bonds with our lambs by bottle-feeding the baby orphan lambs. They've been nurturing these little ones with care and love, and it's been an incredible learning experience for everyone involved.


Garden Explorers: Junior Scientists
Our youngest farm enthusiasts have been busy too! The junior students have been exploring our garden, sampling the fresh produce, and honing their observation skills. They've been identifying different plants and getting up close and personal with treasures they find using microscopes. It's amazing how much you can discover when you look closely at the natural world around us.


That's the scoop from our farm, folks! From pigs on treasure hunts to chicken research, wheat discoveries, bird surveys, and our new green carpark, there's always something exciting happening here. Stay tuned for more updates as we keep learning and having fun together on the farm!


Siobhan Morris, Tess Runting and the Ag Team

We have had a few changes at the farm recently, so we’d like to keep you all in the loop 😊


PLANTS: We have removed our aquaponics system in the hot house. We are in the process of repurposing the space to be more aligned with the curriculum and to allow us the opportunity to create more of an enterprise-based learning area. Our new set up will allow us to produce more seedlings to plant and to sell, thus giving the students more opportunities to work hands on in the garden while developing and learning about the business side of agriculture. The hot house is currently out of bounds due to this construction, we will let you know when it is open again.


LAMBS: Lambing is done for 2023! This year we have finished with a total of 12 lambs (6 ram lambs and 6 ewe lambs).


CHICKENS: We have 2 teams (one primary and one secondary) taking chickens they have been raising to the Melbourne Royal show in September for a school’s competition! Now that the days are getting longer again, our chickens are laying more eggs so we will soon have “Flinders Fresh Eggs” available for sale in the staff rooms.


WOOL: Some of our processed wool has recently been spun, thanks to Liz and will be available for sale very soon! We are very excited about all the wonderful things we are able to start making from our fleece now and look forward to having finished items and all sorts of wool for sale soon!

NEW CARPARK PLANTS: Grade 5 & 6 Ag students have planted indigenous plants in the Boes Rd carpark as part of the Birds in School’s program. This will provide habitat and food for our local birdlife. Thanks to Siobhan for organising this!

WOOLCRAFT WORKSHOPS: We had the Geelong spinners & weavers group come to Flinders this week to run woolcraft workshops with our Ag students! We also opened this experience up to Flinders staff and their families on Wednesday night. Here's how some of the wool from our sheep has been transformed:

Larrikin Book Fair 2023

Thank you to all the Primary Flinders Community for your generous support of the Book Fair held over four days, before and after school. As a school community we raised $1332.00 of rewards points to purchase about 150 NEW books for the Primary library.

Thank you to the Grade 6 Library Monitors Milla G, Ruby P, Cameron C and Oscar F for helping to choose the books to purchase with our rewards.

Thank you also to the P & F team for assisting Mrs Harbar to host the fundraising event. Special mention to Heather, Breeze, Natasha, Prudence and also Mrs Johnson (Ed Support).

Cathy Harbar
Library Technician

Author Visit – George Ivanoff

During Book Week it was our pleasure to host visiting author George Ivanoff. He gave a very engaging and entertaining talk, to the Primary school, about how he writes a book and the process involved. George has written books to suit all Primary aged children from Readers to action packed ‘You Choose’ adventures that have more than one ending to the story. George really encouraged a love of reading and writing making the time to sign his books that had been brought along. After George’s energetic reading of a few chapters in his books, students were excited to visit the Primary Library to borrow his books!

Caleb Weber put his musical skills to the test during the annual Saxophone Mega Day at the Melbourne Conservatory on Saturday 5th August. The day involved active participation in workshops and master classes with the Saxophone Mega Day Artists, including the Australian Saxophone Quartet (Joshua Hyde, Joseph Lallo, Mary Osborne, Yo-yo Su), Nessyah Gallagher, Mira Stephens, Justin Kenealy and Ian Godfrey OAM.

Caleb was excited to utilise the highly acclaimed rehearsal rooms in the new Melbourne Conservatorium building situated in the heart of Melbourne's Arts Precinct on the Southbank. The architecturally stunning cutting-edge nine-storey facility allowed Caleb to train and perform in new and inspiring ways.

The workshop involved a wide range of music experiences including low sax tips, breathing control, VCE and advanced symphony training, saxophone master classes, full ensemble rehearsals, extension to advanced saxophone techniques, and a concert.

Caleb gained a deeper insight with the “articulation boot camp”, and “approaching altissimo” master classes.

We are fortunate to have one of our graduated students, Liam Green, provide our current Flinders students with these opportunities via his connections with the Melbourne Conservatory. Liam is currently completing his Bachelor of Music at the Con and has joined the Flinders Music team as the Instrumental Teacher of Lower Brass.

Flinders Basketball Club

Dear Parents,

If you would like your Prep/Grade 1 rookie baller to "have a go" before signing up to the upcoming basketball summer season, please register him/her up by emailing the following information to basketball@flinders.vic.edu.au

- Player name

- Grade/Class

- Campus


Players will be required to be in comfortable sports clothes and runners. If you have a size 5 ball, please bring it along too.

Secondary Athletics Division A SIS Championship

Despite rain and 12 degree temperatures, we had 73 Carrum Downs students and 33 Tyabb students compete at Casey Fields for the SIS Division A Athletics carnival on Tues 22nd August. We are so proud of our students' efforts despite the challenging conditions, particularly many of our year 12 students taking time out of class to proudly represent the College and assist with the running of events. We are thrilled to announce that our U13 Girls won the Pennant with Flinders placing 5th overall.

Our combined campus netball program continues to thrive on a Friday afternoon in the Frankston & District Netball competition. Whilst our players have endured wet, cold & windy conditions for playing this winter season, we are very much looking forward to the opening of their brand new stadium in a few weeks time. The Flinders Netball program is open to secondary students of all abilities with competitions available for our beginners whilst also more challenging divisions for those with a little more experience. For more information, please contact Ms Natalie Chatfield.

We are looking forward to running some reunions next term, so note these dates and share them with past students you are in contact with:

• Saturday 14th October: Class of 2003 20-year reunion and Class of 2001 22-year reunion
  
• Saturday 21st October: Class of 2022, 1-year reunion
  
• Saturday 11th November: Class of 2018 5-year reunion and Class of 2013 10-year reunion

Keep an eye on our Facebook page for more information and updates! Tyabb Campus Facebook Page

We are delighted to announce that Flinders is now a member of the Christian Initial Teacher Education (CITE) Alliance.

The CITE Alliance is a consortium of five Victorian Christian Schools that are committed to working in partnership with Eastern College Australia (ECA) to develop high quality, classroom- ready Christian teachers. A key feature of the CITE Alliance approach is to provide selected students with the opportunity to learn through continuous “on the job” training.

Consistent with the aim of assuring a supply of well-trained, Biblically informed teachers, from the start of 2024 CITE Alliance schools will be employing Trainee Teachers for two days each week. Two days of “embedded”, paid classroom practice will run alongside two days a week of attendance at an approved B.Ed. or M.Teach. course at ECA. A selected Trainee Teacher will be employed this way for the duration of their course, and will also have opportunities to undertake teaching rounds and tailored professional development activities inside and outside of the Alliance.

Year 12 students considering a teaching career are encouraged to consider applying for a CITE Traineeship, either at Flinders or another Alliance school. This week, we gave presentations about CITE to our Year 12 students at both campuses: the presentation can be accessed via the 'Student Presentation' button below.

Since ECA normally makes early offers of places on their teaching training courses in mid-to late September, students are recommended to express their interest in a CITE Traineeship through this link by Friday 1st September. They should consider attending the ECA Open Evening on Friday 30th August and also check out the process for Tertiary enrolment.

This month on SchoolTV - Respectful Relationships

Fostering a nurturing environment of respectful relationships within your family holds the key to not only harmonious living, but also improved academic outcomes for your children. As parents and caregivers, embracing the art of teaching children about respect at a young age sets the stage for a lifetime of healthy interactions and empathetic understanding. It will help cultivate a positive environment where communication flourishes, conflicts are resolved constructively, and bonds are fortified.

Teaching children to respect themselves and others will open up avenues for both personal growth and academic achievement. Fostering an environment where respect is not just a word, but a practiced behaviour, will empower young people with essential life skills. Effective communication, active listening, and the art of compromise, will provide your child with a solid foundation that will transcend family interactions and help them collaborate effectively with peers, teachers and the broader community.

Equipping children with an understanding of healthy versus unhealthy relationships is an important aspect of their development. It will guide them to make informed choices, foster positive connections, and set boundaries that contribute to their emotional wellbeing. Understanding the nuances between healthy and unhealthy relationships provides children with the essential tools to navigate their social world, build self-esteem, and cultivate meaningful relationships.

In this edition of SchoolTV, learn how to empower young people in healthy interactions to embrace differences and forge connections that honour their self-worth. We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this month’s edition, and we always welcome your feedback. You can access this resource via Moodle on the SchoolTV link.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

SPECIAL REPORT: Respectful Language

In today’s world, it is common to hear socially offensive language on the streets, on social media channels, streaming services and in some forms of modern music. While swearing is becoming more common and less taboo, the use of derogatory language or the act of swearing at someone, or about someone, is a form of verbal violence. It transgresses the usual rules of social interaction by impinging on an individual’s self-image and sense of dignity.

It is becoming apparent that some young people are being influenced by the language they hear. Proliferating the use of swear words can sometimes normalise, glamorise and desensitise their impact for kids who may misunderstand the true meaning of some derogatory terms. Whilst some students may use swearing or derogatory terms as a misguided attempt at belonging, others may use it simply because they are still learning how to moderate their language and are not accustomed to making adjustments to suit different situations.

Although many schools enforce a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to swearing and derogatory language, parents need to also play an important part in enforcing this approach. Parents and carers can be proactive in monitoring what their children are viewing or being exposed to. Discussing the use of words or the origin of some derogatory terms and gaining insight into the reason behind their child’s use of such language can help prevent inappropriate or disrespectful language filtering into the classroom or the school yard, which in turn helps to build more tolerant, safe and connected communities.

This Special Report offers a number of guidelines to help manage a suitable approach when discussing the importance of respectful language. We hope you take a moment to reflect on the information offered, and as always, we welcome your feedback. If this raises any concerns for you, a loved one or the wellbeing of your child, please seek medical or professional help.

You can access this report via Moodle under the Parent tab:

https://flinders.vic.schooltv....

COMING SOON: Crib Point Community Market

Saturday September 9th
9am to 1pm

Home made: jewellery, glass beads, cards, pens, soaps, knitted items, macramé, heat packs, indigenous art, decoupage pots, footy quilts, and more.
Plants, locally grown veggies, honey, eco-friendly products, upcycled products, aromatherapy.
Devonshire Teas and coffee.
Cribby Koala Treasure Hunt

Proceeds go to the Crib Point Community House and community programs.

Location: Crib Point Community House, 7 Park Rd, Crib Point
Email: market@cpch.org.au
Ph: 59839888