I recall watching a skit at a Christmas service many years ago. The scene was Bethlehem, and Mary had just given birth to baby Jesus - the Messiah. A couple of reporters were on site to capture the moment. They had interviewed Mary and Joseph and now wanted a photo of this auspicious occasion. So, the reporters started to frame the shot - Mary and Joseph and Jesus in the manger. Then they asked the shepherds to stand around the back. They brought the three wise men into front with their gifts. They try to position the sheep, the cows and the ox around the edge of the scene. And as they do this, others arrive to be in the photo. At this point, the skit becomes even more ridiculous, with a Salvation Army Band arriving at the stable, a kids basketball team, some carol singers, a couple of shop assistants selling Christmas gifts and even Father Christmas. The reporters are struggling to get everyone in the shot. It has become very crowded in the stable and something must give. The final lines of the play read:

Look, I know I'm a nuisance, but it's masking the ox. 
Could somebody shift out that dirty old box?
Yeah, in the middle of the scene it's a bit of a danger.
A nuisance, a hazard.
AWAY WITH THE MANGER!

I saw this skit about 30 years ago, and it has left a lasting impression on me. While the skit writers took some liberties with the true Christmas story, the meaning behind the skit was obvious to me. Christmas is busy. There is much that demands our attention and our time. And before we know it, the whole reason we celebrate Christmas seems to get in the way of our busy lives, and we can be guilty of saying 'Away with the Manager'. As we conclude the academic year and head into December, I pray that you will remember why we celebrate Christmas. Remember that " For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16). What an amazing gift. If you need to remind yourself of this incredible act of love, read Matthew Chapter 1 and 2.

This Christmas, make more time for friends, make more time for family and make more time for Jesus. I encourage you to find a place of worship to attend on Christmas Day, to celebrate the birth of Jesus. I pray that you have safe and blessed Christmas.

Mark Hamilton

Head of Secondary

We are thrilled to extend our congratulations to Miles G for winning the prestigious first-place prize in the Grade 3 - 4 section of the RSL Commemorative Poetry Competition. This is an incredible achievement, especially considering the competition had the largest number of entrants across all categories.

Miles' accomplishment is truly remarkable. Winning prize money, along with a family pass to Arthur's Seat Eagle and Enchanted Adventure, it is a testament to his talent and hard work. Additionally, having his poem published in the Rosebud RSL Poetry Anthology is a significant honor that he should be very proud of.

The Flinders community is incredibly proud of Miles and his outstanding achievement. His success is an inspiration to all of us, and we look forward to seeing more of his creative talents in the future. Congratulations, Miles!

The True Story of Billy Blackman

The horrors of war I cannot comprehend,
The horrors of war Billy Blackman endured.
If it wasn’t for his dedication to defend,
I wouldn’t be reassured that I would have matured.

My great-great granddad inhaled the Pozieres air,
Where he almost took his last breath.
I’m sure he said a prayer,
As shrapnel slashed his back, he touched on death.

Evacuated to England he recovered,
But he wouldn’t leave his mates behind.
Back on the front lines, is where he suffered,
A rouge bullet intwined with flesh, and his blood shined.

Patched up and ready to go,
The German forces hit him one last time.
His leg was immobilized by his greatest foe,
The war was over before he was back in his prime.

That’s why I’m able to give my greatest thanks to my great-great granddad,
Without him I wouldn’t be here.
He was the hero I never knew I had,
Billy Blackman, your legacy will never disappear.

As the school year comes to a close, we are filled with pride and joy as we celebrate the graduation of our Grade 6 students. This milestone marks the end of their primary school journey and the beginning of an exciting new chapter in secondary school.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Miss Pittard and Mr. Dunne, our dedicated Grade 6 teachers, for their unwavering support and guidance throughout the year. Their commitment to nurturing and educating our students has been truly remarkable.

We are also deeply grateful to our Grade 6 families for partnering with the school to support their children. Your involvement and encouragement have played a crucial role in their success.

The Flinders community is incredibly proud of our Grade 6 students. Over the past year, they have demonstrated exceptional leadership and have been wonderful role models for the younger students. Their hard work, resilience, and positive attitude have made a lasting impact on our school.

As they move on to secondary school, we look forward to seeing them continue to grow and flourish. We are confident that they will carry the values and lessons learned at Flinders with them, and we can't wait to see all the amazing things they will achieve in the future.

Congratulations to our Grade 6 graduates! We wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

What an exciting year we have had in the Sheep Show Team! It’s been full of great success for both our sheep and students, with many hours of hard work, plenty of cute lambs and lots of fun and laughs along the way. I am so proud of how each of our Team Members have progressed through the year with their knowledge, dedication, perseverance, kindness and team spirit.

We recently finished off a great year of Sheep Team events with our final show, Dandenong. Despite only having a small team of students attend, we achieved some excellent results, and everyone had a great weekend! We even got our superstar parents involved, which was a lot of fun for us all!

We have recently hatched our first batch of Belgian D’Uccle chicks, which have been a hit with all our students and staff! They are so sweet, and we can’t wait to watch them grow! We may have some for sale during the summer holidays if enough of them are hens, so please send me your expression of interest in purchasing any and I will add you to the waitlist. Email: Tess.Runting@flinders.vic.edu.au

The work doesn’t stop for the Sheep Show Team over the Summer, as we still need to care for all our animals over the holidays, our sheep will be joined ready for lambing next year and we have lots of planning and preparation to ready ourselves for the early 2025 shows! I hope everyone enjoys some well-earned family time over the break and I will look forward to seeing you all through the holidays at various prep days and working bees!

The Sheep Show Team truly is a wonderful community at the Flinders Farm, one that I’m very grateful to have been part of again this year. A huge thank you to all the staff and parents who have helped us at various events throughout 2024, and to all our amazing team members who make each day fun and exciting, it is an honour to work alongside you all in this Team!

I can’t wait to see what the team achieves in 2025!

Tess Runting, Farm Manager

"From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, and the work of their hands brings them reward." – Proverbs 12:14
As we approach the end of the school year, the farm is abuzz with excitement and activity. Our newest arrivals—10 adorable baby chicks—have been an absolute cuteness overload! Students are thrilled to observe the miracle of new life, marveling at the chicks' miniature perfection. Momma Hen has proven herself to be a fantastic mother, teaching her babies where to find food and water and calling them over whenever there’s a tasty treat to share. Despite her protective instincts, she seems unperturbed by sharing her precious babies with our classes, where students demonstrate respect and care as they gently handle and cradle the tiny chicks.

In the garden, the broad beans have been a hit, with some students enjoying the thrill of picking more than the eating. Strawberries are shared eagerly, while apples, blueberries, apricots, and cherries are beginning to form, promising plenty of treats in the future. Crackle, our beloved sheep, has been taking things easy as the weather warms up. She can often be found resting but is always enticed out by a tasty snack or a refreshing hose-down on a hot day. She knows the sound of the environment students coming with their compost treasures and eagerly awaits the food tech students' arrival with their scraps.

The last few weeks of term have been filled with creativity and tradition as students from Prep to Year 8, dive into Woolly Wonders. From felting and pom-pom making to carding and combing wool, or learning to crochet and weave, students have been immersing themselves in the age-old skills that connect us to the process of creating our clothing and even our food. It has been wonderful to see their enthusiasm and appreciation for these timeless crafts.

Other favourite farm jobs have included pruning, sweeping, weeding, collecting and washing eggs, transplanting seedlings, watering and, of course, feeding the sheep and sampling the garden’s delights. Students are making the most of their final farm visits before the Christmas holidays, cherishing their time outdoors and the hands-on learning and team work that makes our farm such a special place.

We wish all our families a safe and joyful holiday season and look forward to seeing you in the New Year, ready for more farm adventures!
On behalf of the Ag Studies Team,

Siobhan Morris

The JM Healey Centre came to life during the evening of Thursday 28th with the talented performances of the VCE Music students, Year 10 Music Bands, solo specialist performers, and Secondary Ensembles for the Secondary Music Showcase.

The evening began with light refreshments supplied by Flinders Parents and Friends accompanied by back ground music by the VCE Music students. These performance opportunities are vital in preparing the VCE Music students for their Unit 4 Performance exam. It allows the students to build confidence in instrument technique and performance skills that are key criteria for the exam.

Act 1 for the evening was packed full of performances by the Modern Band, Secondary Choir, Smashed Avos, FOBS, Year 8 Rock Band, Billionaire Reservoir, BOHO Beats, Harrison Stevenson, Resident Frog, and Brass Hipstas. Each band performed a wide range of repertoire ranging from “Let’s Get Loud” by JLO, “Message in a Bottle” by The Police, “Style” by Taylor Swift, and some impressive original songs including “Sunbaking Frog” by Resident Frog.

The Music Captains, James B and Brynner C, juggled performing in their bands and hosting the evening. Their emcee style was entertaining and highlighted their strengths in leadership.

The intermission showcased some of the newer members of the Music Department including the skilled sax ensemble directed by the schools Woodwind specialist Kate.

Act 2 for the evening included performances by the larger ensembles including the Chamber Orchestra, and Big Band. The repertoire performed by these two ensembles included their award winning songs from the Victorian Schools Music Festival. These two ensembles were accompanied in Act 2 with performances by the Jazz Band, Ensalada De Papa, Year 9 Rock Band, and Camerata.

The evening concluded with the Choir, Chamber Orchestra, and Modern Band joining forces in performing “We Pray” and “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay.

The Music Department would like to thank all the students on their superb performances, the parents for their continued support of Music at Flinders, Parents and Friends for their catering, and the Music staff for their teamwork and dedication in providing high quality music education.


Adam Carson
Head of Performing Arts

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’'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 2025 combined campus carnival dates.
Swimming Carnival
- Wednesday, 5th February 2025 @ Pines Forest Aquatic Centre (Forest Drive, Frankston North, 3199)
Athletics Carnival
- Thursday, 27th February 2025 @ Casey Fields Athletics Track (160 Berwick-Cranbourne Rd, Cranbourne East, 3977)
Cross Country - Tyabb
- Thursday, 1st May 2025 @ Flinders Tyabb (155 Mornington-Tyabb Rd, Tyabb, 3913)

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
- Monday, 24th March 2025 @ 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
- Tuesday, 29th April 2025 @ Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (30 Aughtie Dr, Albert Park, 3206)

Division A Cross Country
- Tuesday, 27th May 2025 @ Casey Fields (160 Berwick-Cranbourne Rd, Cranbourne, 3977)
Division A Athletics Carnival
- Tuesday, 2nd September @ Casey Fields (160 Berwick-Cranbourne Rd, Cranbourne, 3977)

This week, 20 participants, including year 7-11 students from both Carrum Downs and Tyabb campuses and 3 parents, rode 300 km from Wodonga to Mansfield as part of The Great Victorian Bike Ride (GVBR). The students rode 113 km on the final day, the longest in GVBR history as the event celebrated its 40th year. The students showed enormous resilience as they rode together as a team in hot and rainy conditions. One third of the participants were returning students of this great adventure who supported the younger students with drafting and camping. In addition to enjoying some great downhills, students enjoyed a game of ten-pin bowling, banter over a game of uno, and having a kick of the footy or playing some cricket. The following students should be very proud of their achievements this week as they accepted the opportunity to collect evidence that their body and mind is capable of overcoming challenges whilst also having fun. For any families interested in this event in 2025, please contact Mrs Shay Cosgrave Shay.cosgrave@flinders.vic.edu.au

Special mention to J Male, F Beck, J Beck and C Law for representing Tyabb at this event in 2024. Incredible effort.

Congratulations to the five Flinders Tyabb students who have been selected to represent Flinders at the Australian Schools Basketball Championships on the Gold Coast next week

Olivier L G (U15 Boys)
Ava M (U15 Girls)
Olivia M (U15 Girls)
Ziva W (U15 Girls)
Emmerson A (U17 Girls)

These students have been training, fundraising and preparing for this event for around 6 months now which has required a lot of additional time and effort.
The Australian Schools Championships are the pinnacle of school basketball competitions in Australia and to be represented on this National stage is an incredible achievement.
We would like to acknowledge and thank the many families & businesses within our community who donated goods, vouchers, supplies and purchased tickets to our virtual raffle as well supported the many BBQs we ran at Frankston Basketball stadium, Bunnings Frankston and the Flinders PnF pop up.
We are extremely grateful to all the support which has helped to offset some of the costs of the tour as well as provide some additional items for our players whilst away.

Flinders would like to congratulate Ella M in being selected into the Netball Victoria 2025 Talent Academy for the Central East Zone 14 - 16 year category. Ella will train as a region for the next 9 months in preparation for the Inter Academy tournament in August next year where 50 athletes will be selected to be considered for the U17 Victorian Netball team. Congratulations Ella this is an incredible achievement and we can't wait to follow your journeys in this program in 2025

Our Grade 6 and Year 7 students enjoyed a Grade 6 end of year celebration at the Enchanted Adventure Park in Authur’s Seat on Friday 29.11.24.

A highlight of the day was the tree surfing experience. Students demonstrated courage and teamwork as they navigated high ropes courses, ziplines, and climbing challenges nestled among the trees. It was wonderful to see their confidence grow as they encouraged one another to tackle new heights and push their boundaries.

This celebration acknowledges the hard work and growth our students have shown throughout the year. It was heartwarming to see their friendships and resilience shine as they created lasting memories together.

A big thank you to our staff who helped make this day a success. We are so proud of our students and look forward to seeing all they will achieve in the years to come!

This week, our JCC students had a visit to the farm during Agricultural Studies to meet the newest additions—adorable baby chicks!

This hands-on experience enriched the students’ understanding of animal care but also sparked plenty of smiles and excitement. A huge thank you to our Agricultural Studies team for creating such a memorable and educational experience!

The K4 Class had a wonderful adventure at the Tyabb Campus last week for our yearly excursion. This year we were excited to see the day old chicks that we were able to hold during our Agricultural studies visit. We visited Mrs Dewar at the music room and enjoyed story reading time with the year 4 classes and the Preps sang for us. Thank you to all the teachers who made the day so special on our visit.

To all the volunteers that have donated so many hours this year “Thank You” Without you our special events, for Mums , Dads, Grandparents, and special people would not take place. The fundraising department is a vital part to our community and once again 2024 has been a great success supporting events and departments including the Music department, Ag Studies, Art department and sport to name a few.

Wishing everyone in our community a very happy and safe holiday and I am looking forward to seeing you all back for more in 2025.

God Bless
Sally Bentley

2024

Term 4

• Mid Term Break - Monday 4 November
• Student Free Day - Friday 22 November
• Grade 6 Graduation - Friday 29 November
• Secondary Presentation Night - Thursday 5 December
• Primary Presentation Night - Friday 6 December
• Last Day of Term 4 - Friday 6 December

2025

Term 1

• Year 7 and 12 Commence - Thursday 30 January
• 3YO and 4YO Kinder Orientation Day - Thursday 30 January
• Prep to Grade 6, Year 8 to Year 11 Commence - Friday 31 January
• Last Day of Term 1 - Friday 4 April

Term 2

• Term 2 Commences - Wednesday 23 April
• Student Free Day - Friday 27 June
• Last Day of Term 2 - Friday 4 July

This month on SchoolTV - Confidence & Motivation
Building confidence and motivation in young people is essential for their overall wellbeing and is a key aspect of their development. These qualities can have a lasting impact on their success and happiness. Confidence helps children believe in their abilities and face challenges with a positive attitude, while motivation drives their desire to learn, explore, and achieve their goals.
Fostering these traits involves creating an environment that encourages children to take risks, learn from their mistakes, and celebrate their achievements. Confidence is built when children feel capable and valued, while motivation is fuelled by the belief that their efforts will lead to growth and success. By actively supporting both, we can help young people thrive in the academic, social, and personal areas of their life.
By offering positive reinforcement, setting realistic expectations, and celebrating their efforts, we can model a positive mindset that can go a long way in helping young people develop both confidence and motivation. Nurturing these qualities, will help them grow into self-assured individuals who believe in their ability to succeed, setting the foundation for a fulfilling future.
In this edition of SchoolTV, discover how to provide opportunities for autonomy and support your child in persevering through challenges.
Here is the link to your Edition https://flinders.vic.schooltv....

Dear Flinders families

Applications are open for the following year levels:

- 4-year-old Kinder, 2026
- Prep 2026

We recommend families lodge their applications as soon as possible as we have waiting list across many year levels.
Siblings are given a priority, however, places are not guaranteed, to lodge an application please refer to our website.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at enrolments@flinders.vic.edu.au we will be happy to help!