The Flynn Primary School Parents and Citizens Association is one of the oldest community groups in Flynn (the others are Neighbourhood Watch and the Flynn Preschool Parents Association). It was formed in 1974 to support the primary school and its community.

Although the school closed in December 2006, the P&C has actively continued. The P&C has run many community events, fetes, garage sales, bushdances and fundraisers. The P&C has operated community care, child and adult recreational programs and raised many hundreds of thousands of dollars to equip the school, build the Community Resource Centre after a fire and towards keeping the school open. It has formed strong relationships with Enrico Taglietti, the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the families of its founders, most notably John Flynn. It holds much of the heritage documentation used as the basis for the heritage nomination lodged in late 2007.

The P&C led the legal appeal in the ACT Supreme Court to overturn the school’s closure. To prevent the case being heard, the ACT Government first set a $50,000 security which the P&C was able to raise through fundraising. The Government then refused an offer of early settlement, delayed informal discovery of documents, withheld several key documents, and in early 2009, threatened further costs and insisted they would never re-open the school even if the ACT Supreme Court found in favour of Flynn P&C. The result was that the P&C was forced to withdraw from the appeal in early 2009.

Flynn P&C was also a key contributor to the 2009 school closures inquiry in the ACT Legislative Assembly. The Assembly report identified many shortcomings in the schools closures process, but recommended only that the John Flynn Community Group proposal for the school be negotiated. The ACT Government agreed to this recommendation.

The P&C’s role is now mainly one of holding the community’s records and engaging in activities that are consistent with the association’s objectives to: provide parents with a means of raising and discussing matters of general concern and interest; and provide, or arrange to be provided, such services as are necessary to enhance the quality of education and community wellbeing.

Members of the P&C can include members of the association when the school closed in 2006, and citizens who elect to be members of the association.

© 2024 Flynn.org.au. All Rights Reserved.