At the beginning of Term 3, our staff were privileged to hear from Dr Hugh Chilton, a secondary educator and researcher who specialises in character development. Dr Chilton challenged us to consider how, and where, we are intentionally developing character in our students.

Character can be understood as the outward expression of our values in everyday life. At Flinders, our values of Love, Humility, Faith, Grace, Excellence, Integrity, and Perseverance provide the foundation for the character we seek to nurture in every young person. These are values worth living by.

You would be hard-pressed to find a school without a set of values that are admirable and inspiring. The greater challenge lies in helping students put those values into practice. Developing young people of character is not always easy, particularly when popular culture can dismiss or undermine traditional virtues. C.S. Lewis addressed this challenge in The Abolition of Man when he wrote:

“We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.”

Lewis was highlighting the importance of cultivating moral courage, conviction and integrity in young people. One of the key purposes of education is to help develop “people with chests” who strive for excellence, build strong and healthy relationships, demonstrate resilience in the face of challenges, and use their gifts in service of others.

Character is shaped over time through experience, challenge and adversity. These experiences build resilience, self-awareness and maturity. Relationships with teachers, peers and family members also play a vital role by modelling and reinforcing values. As a staff, we recognise the importance of taking time to speak with students, guiding them through challenges and helping them learn from moments when they have not met expectations.

This work is most effective because we share a common vision for the character we are seeking to develop. Grounded in the values of the Flinders Way, we are committed to helping our students become young people who are called to flourish, connected by love, committed to growth, and capable of influence.

Mr Mark Hamilton

Head of Secondary

What a wonderful season it was! Our 2026 Secondary Production of The Sound of Music was a tremendous success, with nearly 900 tickets sold across five public performances, as well as a special matinee for our Primary students.

This year was particularly special as, for the first time, our newly renovated Chapel was transformed into a theatre. Our students rose to the occasion brilliantly, both on stage and behind the scenes, demonstrating incredible talent, commitment and professionalism throughout the season.

The production was also a wonderful celebration of our whole Flinders community. Year 3 students joined the Secondary cast on stage, students from Years 3–6 attended the final dress rehearsal, and our Parents and Friends team, alongside many parent volunteers, generously supported each performance.

We are incredibly proud of everyone who contributed to bringing The Sound of Music to life. Thank you to our students, staff, families, volunteers and audiences for making the 2026 production such a memorable celebration of Performing Arts at Flinders.

Tyabb Campus Primary Production – The Show Must Go On!

Our Primary students are getting ready to take to the stage for The Show Must Go On! A celebration of resilience, teamwork and the courage to give things a go.

Monday 14 September – 6.30 pm
Tuesday 15 September – 10.00 am & 1.45 pm
The Chapel, Tyabb Campus

Tickets are on sale now! Purchase yours here:

https://www.trybooking.com/DOW...

We look forward to seeing our Primary students take to the stage!

Last week, our Year 2 students had a fantastic time at the Stay Late event. The evening was filled with fun, laughter, and opportunities to make great memories together. Students enjoyed a variety of activities, including an obstacle race, The Floor is Lava, a delicious pizza dinner, and an entertaining magic show.

The clear favourite of the night was the balloon making, which brought plenty of excitement and smiles to everyone involved. It was wonderful to see students enjoying each other's company, having fun together, and creating such a positive atmosphere.

Our Primary students recently welcomed Sam from Cyber Safety Australia for a whole-school incursion focused on staying safe online.

Students explored what it means to make safe and responsible choices in the digital world, building their understanding of how to protect themselves and others when using technology.

Our Grade 6 students recently participated in their Growing Gracefully Day, exploring what it means to grow up and navigate the world with confidence, wisdom and Christian values.

Following the day’s learning and reflection, students headed to Gravity Zone for some fun together. It was a wonderful day of growth, connection and plenty of memorable moments!

It has certainly been a wet and muddy Term 3, but that hasn’t dampened our students’ enthusiasm for getting out on Flinders Farm! From growing lambs and vineyard pruning to pollination, pasture management and preparing for show season, there has been plenty of hands-on learning taking place.

Sometimes, the weather itself provides the best classroom. Our junior students have been exploring the water cycle, using the recent wind and rain to learn about clouds, changing conditions and how weather affects the animals in our care. Whether adding mulch to muddy chicken pens or considering shelter for our sheep, students are discovering that good animal care starts with observing, thinking and responding.

For many of our Years 3–6 students, the fascinating world of pollination has been a focus. Students have explored the important role bees and other pollinators play in our environment and food supply, including the clever ways flowers use colour, scent, shape and nectar to attract their pollinating visitors.

There have also been some exciting developments across the Farm. Our seven lambs are growing quickly, and checking in on them continues to be a favourite part of Agriculture! Older students have been exploring soil health, pasture management, animal nutrition and the very real challenge of balancing the needs of livestock with the health of the land.

In the vineyard, students and staff have been learning alongside experienced local viticulturist and past Flinders parent Linda Hodges, with winter pruning completed in preparation for the next growing season. Year 12 student Jamie B has also been putting his VM Skills into action by working on vineyard fencing.

Students are increasingly taking ownership of life on the Farm. Our Farm Captains are using FarmKeep to help manage livestock records and Farm activities while learning about the planning, budgeting and decision-making involved in agriculture.

The current avian influenza situation has also provided an important real-world lesson, with additional biosecurity measures introduced to protect our chickens. Students are learning that caring for animals involves not only feeding and handling them, but also taking responsibility for their ongoing health and wellbeing.

And finally, show season is upon us! Our Sheep Team students are busy preparing the flock for the Geelong Show and Melbourne Royal Show, continuing to develop their skills, confidence and independence along the way. If you’re heading to the Melbourne Royal Show during the holidays, keep an eye out for Flinders in the sheep pavilion and come and say hello!

There is rarely a dull moment on Flinders Farm. Whether learning from the weather, caring for animals, working with the land or preparing for competition, our students are discovering that Agriculture is all about observing, asking questions, solving problems and learning by doing.

“Let all that you do be done in love.” — 1 Corinthians 16:14

Congratulations to one of our Sheep Show Team Captains, Taylor K for her massive win last weekend!

She had the opportunity to compete in the 2026 Merino Fleece Judging National Finals held at The Royal Queensland Show against 7 other finalists representing their respective states. She judged 2 sets of 4 fleeces assessing characteristics such as wool quality, strength, and yield. Taylor then chose one set to present her reasoning over a microphone to the Overjudge and the public.

After an impressive speech, she was awarded first place, becoming the 2026 National Merino Fleece Judging Champion. This is a fantastic result for Taylor, especially after representing our school at the 2025 Victorian State Finals.

Taylor’s dedication to the team and passion for the sheep and wool industry have clearly paid off. We are incredibly proud of her achievement and can’t wait to see what she accomplishes next!

Congrats Taylor!

By Chari T

To any aspiring gardeners or budding craftspeople in our Flinders community,

We have some sheep fleeces from our school Corriedale sheep available, and some of these fleeces are prize winners! We have fleece that could be put to good use as mulch in the garden. With spring just around the corner, now is the perfect time to get your garden organised. These fleeces are available at no cost to members of our Flinders community.

Wool in the garden can help to:
• Slowly release nutrients into the soil
• Increase water-holding capacity
• Act as a weed-suppressing mulch
• Improve soil structure
• Deter slugs and snails

We also have some good-quality fleeces available for anyone interested in spinning or other fibre crafts. These fleeces are available for $15 each. Corriedale fleece is versatile, durable, and easy to work with, making it ideal for spinning, felting, weaving, and other fibre arts.

Please email our Agriculture team at farmadministration@flinders.vic.edu.au
to arrange a suitable collection time or to ask further questions!

Our House Performance Competition returned for its fifth year, bringing together music, creativity, teamwork and plenty of House spirit!

A highlight on the Secondary calendar, the competition is proudly led by our House Captains, who take responsibility for bringing their Houses together, coordinating rehearsals and preparing students to take to the stage. A huge congratulations to our Captains for the leadership, enthusiasm and commitment they demonstrated throughout the event.

This year’s House Song theme was songs from Disney animated movies, and each House certainly embraced the challenge! Cuthbert performed You’re Welcome from Moana, Flynn took us on the road with Life is a Highway from Cars, Nicholls delivered Let It Go from Frozen, while Ten Boom brought plenty of energy with Try Everything from Zootopia.

Students also had the opportunity to showcase their individual musical talents through the solo and ensemble performances. Cuthbert presented Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Flynn featured violinist Matylda P, Nicholls performed What I’ve Been Looking For from High School Musical, and Ten Boom took on Complicated by Avril Lavigne.

After a fantastic morning of performances, the final results were:

1st – Nicholls

2nd – Cuthbert

3rd – Ten Boom

4th – Flynn

A special congratulations to Nicholls House, who claimed the 2026 House Performance Competition Shield! After Ten Boom took back-to-back wins in 2022 and 2023, Flynn claimed the shield in 2024 and Cuthbert in 2025, it was Nicholls’ turn to add their name to the competition’s history.

Most importantly, congratulations to all four Houses and every student who participated. The quality of the performances continues to grow each year, and it was wonderful to see students encouraging one another, stepping outside their comfort zones and proudly representing their Houses.

Well done, Nicholls – and well done to everyone who made this year’s competition another fantastic celebration of our Secondary community!

Our Year 10 and 11 Legal Studies students recently stepped beyond the classroom to explore Victoria’s legal and political systems firsthand.

Visiting the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court and Victorian Parliament, students gained valuable insight into how laws are applied, debated and made, bringing their Legal Studies learning to life through real-world experience.

Calling All Young Writers!

Do you love creative writing or have a great story waiting to be told? The Victorian Association for the Teaching of English (VATE) is inviting students to enter its 2026 ‘A Story in Miniature’ Writing Competition.

Students are challenged to create a short, sharp and polished story of up to 500 words. Categories are available for students in Years 7–8, Years 9–10 and Years 11–12, with winning and highly commended stories published on the VATE website. Winning entries will also be published in Idiom.

Entries close Friday 18 September 2026 at 4.00 pm.

Interested students can find competition details, entry requirements and the entry form on the VATE ‘A Story in Miniature’ competition page.

Get writing and bring your story to life in 500 words or less!

ABSORPTION

Absorption occurs when children become so deeply engaged in an experience that they lose awareness of distractions and focus intently on their learning. Maria Montessori described this as normalisation, where concentration supports independence, confidence and mastery. These moments of sustained attention are powerful indicators of wellbeing, curiosity and cognitive development, as children actively construct knowledge through meaningful, self-directed exploration.

This term, our Secondary students have taken on the exciting responsibility of leading our Joshua Centre assemblies. Our assemblies have helped students stay informed about school news, achievements, and upcoming events. Hosting the assemblies has been a fantastic group project for our Secondary students, giving them the opportunity to develop leadership, communication, and teamwork skills.

We have also enjoyed hearing from our School Captains during each assembly. Recently, Primary Captain Leonard Douglas shared information about upcoming events, including Father's Day and our Primary Camp in Term 4, which he is looking forward to attending. These assemblies provide a valuable opportunity for our whole Joshua Centre community to come together, connect with one another, and celebrate what is happening across the school. By giving students ownership of these assemblies, we are encouraging independence, school pride, and confidence while recognising individual strengths and accomplishments. We hope these moments will continue to showcase just how much our students have grown and how far our community has come.

It has been wonderful to see the positive progress being made by our Year 7 students as they continue developing their skills through the Classroom Concert Band Program. Students are building confidence, learning how to work collaboratively as an ensemble, and developing their instrumental skills each week.

The program provides students with the opportunity to learn an instrument while experiencing the excitement of making music together as a band. It has been fantastic to see students demonstrating increasing confidence, improved technique and a growing understanding of musical concepts. Their enthusiasm and willingness to challenge themselves is contributing to a positive and supportive learning environment.

A special congratulations goes to our recent Musos of the Week – Adalita, Chloe and Madilyn!

The Muso of the Week award is presented each week to students who demonstrate passion, skill, perseverance, excellence and dedication in their instrumental learning. Adalita, Chloe and Madilyn have each demonstrated these qualities through their commitment to developing their musical skills and their positive approach to learning.

Congratulations to all of our Year 7 Concert Band students on their fantastic progress so far. We look forward to seeing their confidence, skills and musical abilities continue to grow throughout the year!

Keep up the great work, Year 7 Musos!

Get ready to step back in time and join the Music Department for a fantastic evening of music, fun and friendly competition at our Back to the 80's Music Trivia Night!

Parents, families, and friends are invited to attend this event that will raise valuable funds to support our students Music Education in the Instrumental and Ensemble programs.

Date: Friday 4 September
Venue: D Block, Flinders Christian Community College – Tyabb Campus
Doors Open: 6:00pm
Trivia Begins: 6:20pm
Concludes: 9:15pm

Throughout the evening you'll enjoy live 80’s music performances from our talented:

Year 11 Rock Band
Modern Band
Secondary Choir
Camerata

There will also be a Silent Auction featuring a range of wonderful items generously donated by local businesses, with all proceeds supporting the Flinders Music Instrumental and Ensemble Programs.

Dust off your leg warmers, denim jackets and neon colours and come dressed in your best 80's outfit!  Prizes will be awarded for the best dressed individuals and tables.

Tickets are available now via TryBooking:
Back to the 80's Music Trivia Fundraiser

Tables are available for 4, 6, 7 or 8 people. Tickets will also be available at the door, but we encourage you to purchase your tickets early on TryBooking to avoid missing out.

Please note this is a BYO food and drinks event. As this is a school function, alcohol is not permitted.

We hope to see you there!

- From 31 August to 4 September PSTI for Primary, Secondary and Kinder. Secondary students and JC Secondary Student study from home Thursday 3 September.

- 1 September: RUOK Day

- 2 September: Secondary and Joshua Centre Father's Day Stall

- 3 September: Primary Father's Day Stall

- 7 September: Primary Father's Day Afternoon

- 10 September: Kinder 4 Father's and Special Person's Night

- 15 September: Maroon and Gold Ball Informaiton Night, 6:30 pm

- 14 and 15 September: Primary Production - The Show Must Go On !

- 17 September: Last day of Term 3

- 18 September: Student Free Day