Community

Wrapping Up

We steadily tread towards the end of the year, the end of 2020. A year that challenged us in ways we never expected. A year that began with the smell of bushfires, and finished with the smell of hand sanitiser. A year many are eager to farewell. But as with all things, there was not only challenge this year. There was also much to be proud of. There was great kindness, compassion and empathy. Our community came together to support each other and navigate the ever-changing landscape of restrictions. We learned the value of Zoom, social media and video calls. We took care of ourselves, our families, and each other. At Flinders, our work is about community, but most of all, our work is about children. Children are at the heart of our community. There has been much in the media about what children have lost as a result of this year, and it is true that there is much to be mourned. But when so many choose to portray children as passive victims of this moment in time, we see something different. We see in front of us a community of children who are resilient, perceptive, compassionate and hopeful. Children who adapt and adjust, who persist, who continue to learn and grow and thrive. Children who are active participants, active citizens in the community. At the end of each year we send home children’s portfolios as a celebration of their learning and growth. This year, as they are lovinglyRead more

Community in a Washing Basket

A Special Message from the Director Today’s blog is taking a different tone to the usual. Most of the world has had a rough and bumpy last 13 weeks, and so has Flinders, but for far more reasons than you may think. Things are said to happen in threes, and by the middle of March, I thought we’d had our three, and I was moving on. I was very much mistaken. The beginning of March brought a stove ignition problem. It took three visits from a tech and three days of creative meal preparation from the centre’s fantastic cook, to be fixed, and all the while the children were fed. I thought this was the end. The next week, the industrial dishwasher in the kitchen decided it would get in on the action. It needed a new control panel. We did a fair bit of dishwashing and wiping during this week; it was okay, and we smiled through. The next breakdown was the washing machine. The digital code on the panel told me it was a blocked overflow pipe, and I knew how to fix it thanks to Dr Google. This breakdown was not going to cost us time or money! Alas, my ability as a washing machine technician was lacking; we needed a professional. The fan needed replacing, and it was going to cost, but it was fixable and quick. Over the next fortnight, the two heaters in Sturt House went, and we were unable to get replacement partsRead more