Oakleigh South Primary School
NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 29
12th September, 2025

 “Face problems with action, not fear. Rather than giving up, find ways to help and improve the situation.” — Unknown

IMPORTANT DATES

Issue 29 – 12th September 2025

Week 9

Monday 15th September
• Year 4 Excursion – Healesville Sanctuary
• Year 6 Production – Matilda (Cast 1) – 7:00PM

Tuesday 16th September
• Year 2 Open Afternoon
• Year 6 Production – Matilda (Cast 1) – 7:00PM

Wednesday 17th September
• Year 6 Production – Matilda (Cast 2) – 7:00PM

Thursday 18th September
• Senior Choir – 3:45 PM in the Hall
• Year 6 Production – Matilda (Cast 2) – 7:00PM

Friday 19th September
• Footy Colours Dress Up Day
• Hot Dog Day
• End of Term 3 – Early Dismissal at 2:30 PM

 

TERM FOUR

WEEK 1

Mon 6th Oct
• Start Term 4

Tue 07 Oct 
• Austraian Girls Choir Visit – 10:30AM in the Hall

Thu 09 Oct
• RoboCup National Camp, Canberra
• Senior Choir – 3:45 PM in the Hall

Fri 10 Oct
• RoboCup National Camp, Canberra

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

The Year 6 Dress rehearsals of Matilda Jr were amazing! This show is absolutely magnificent and we can’t wait to see Angels Cast and Miracles Cast perform next week. Matilda Jr is performed 7pm Mon, Tue, Wed & Thu night next week in our school all. Tickets are still available through TryBooking, so secure your seats before they sell out! Click here for tickets – https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1454704

This Saturday evening 13th September our Year 5 VSSS Dance and Choir students will be performing at the 2025 Victorian State Schools Spectacular. Performances are at 1:00pm and 6:30pm. Our students have been rehearsing diligently, and we’re immensely proud of their dedication and enthusiasm. It promises to be an unforgettable show! Click here for tickets: ticketek.com.au/spectacular/

Our Prep students ventured to the zoo this week with engaging learning about all the different kinds of animals that live at the zoo. The weather held out and students had a lovely time. Thank you to the parent helpers who attended.

National R U OK Day was celebrated yesterday with many students dressed in yellow, or their superhero, whether that was spiderman, superwoman or the superheroes in our lives like police officers, nurses, mums, dads and even teachers!

This weekend is the National Robo Cup Championships held at Genazzano FCJ College in Kew and OSPS is taking 10 teams to compete in various robo club challenges such as robo soccer, line following challenges and dance.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Warm regards,

Nikki Virtuoso
Acting Principal

SCHOOL MATTERS

SPECIAL REPORT: R U OK?Day ❤️

Understanding the growing challenges related to mental health among young people is an important consideration. Anxiety, depression and self-harm – are all causes for concern. Factors like academic pressure, social media, family dynamics, and societal expectations, are contributing to these issues. It’s therefore crucial for parents and caregivers to take action early, remove the stigma around discussing mental health, and offer accessible support to address these issues and the wellbeing of their children.

R U OK?Day is an initiative that focuses on preventing suicide by encouraging meaningful personal connections and helping informal support networks to help recognise the signs of distress. We urge all families to take part, emphasising the value of genuine human relationships and reminding everyone to ask the important question, “Are you OK?”

Engaging in R U OK?Day activities goes beyond the classroom; it’s a commitment to our students’ overall development. By talking openly about mental health, schools create safe spaces where students feel understood, valued, and supported. As parents and caregivers, you can contribute by fostering open conversations, normalising feelings and breaking down mental health stigmas. Participating in R U OK?Day promotes compassion and shows our dedication to the wellbeing of the entire school community, reaffirming that together, we can truly make a difference.

This Special Report provides guidance on how to talk to your child about mental health and engage in meaningful discussions.

Here is the link to your Special Report: https://oakleighsouthps.vic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-r-u-ok-day

VICTORIAN STATE SCHOOL SPECTACULAR TICKETS

It’s almost here! Tomorrow (Saturday, 13th September), 41 of our Year 5 students will take the stage at the 2025 Victorian State Schools Spectacular show, “On Air”.

Our students have worked so hard all year in both dance and choir, and we’re so proud of them. If you haven’t secured your seats yet, there’s still time to grab your tickets and support our amazing performers!

Performance Times: Matinee at 1:00pm & Evening at 6:30pm

Ticket Prices: 

  • Adult – $40            
  • Concession – $30             
  • Child (U15) – $20

Tickets are on sale now via Ticketek. Visit Ticketek or search “2025 Victorian State Schools Spectacular tickets” to secure your seats.

Best seating sections to see our OSPS choir: 9, 10, 31, 32, 33, 56, 57 & 58

YEAR 6 PRODUCTION: MATILDA JR

The Year 6 students have been rehearsing extremely hard over the past term for our production of MATILDA JR.

Performances will be held at 7:00pm in the school hall:

  • The Miracles Cast will perform on Monday 15th and Tuesday 16th September, with the Angels Cast in the choir.
  • The Angels Cast will perform on Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th September, with the Miracles Cast in the choir.

Tickets are now on sale for the whole school community.

TICKET PRICES

  • Adults: $15.00

  • Children under 12 (floor seating): $10.00

  • Children under 4: Free – seating on an adult’s lap

For any questions, please contact Acting Principal Nikki Virtuoso at nikki.virtuoso@education.vic.gov.au.

Year 6 Production Team

LOST PROPERTY

Please be advised that from next Wednesday 17th September, we will begin clearing all lost property. No items will remain over the school holidays.

If your child has misplaced any belongings, please encourage them to check the lost property collection before the end of term. For valuable items such as jewellery, watches, or electronics, please enquire at the school office to see if they have been handed in.

Please ensure all of your child’s belongings are clearly labelled with their name to help prevent items from being lost.

OSPS FOOTY DAY

OSPS Footy Day is on the last day of term, Friday 19th September, and it’s back bigger than ever! We can’t wait to see everyone dressed in their favourite team’s colours. It doesn’t have to be AFL — you can choose any sport you like!

We are raising money for the Children’s Tumour Foundation through our annual Coin Line Competition. Start saving those coins and help your class aim for the longest line!

The day will be full of exciting events, including:

  • The Kicking Competition during the Junior Parade (Session 1) and Senior Parade (Session 2)

  • The much-loved Staff vs Year 6 Students match at snack time

  • Junior and Senior Kahoot quizzes with prizes for each class

Thanks to our amazing Parent Group, hot dog lunches will be available for students who wish to purchase. More details will be shared soon.

It’s shaping up to be a fun-filled day celebrating footy, community, and school spirit. We look forward to seeing you there!

AUTHOR VISIT – ADAM WALLACE

Dear Students, Parents, Teachers and Puppies,

We’re excited to announce that bestselling author and illustrator Adam Wallace is coming back to Oakleigh South PS on Monday 20th October!

Adam loved his 2024 visit so much that he’s chosen OSPS as one of only 15 schools in Australia where he’s launching his brand-new book, Hatman!

This is a special opportunity because Hatman won’t even be available in bookstores. During his visit, Adam will:

  • Share Hatman and the story behind it

  • Guide students in creating their own stories

  • Do a live drawing session with the kids

You can also order signed copies of Hatman, delivered to school, and for every copy you order, you’ll receive another one of Adam’s books for free!

To order, simply scan the QR code on the flyer or visit www.hatman.com.au/octlaunch before Monday 20th October.

Don’t miss out on this exciting event!

SUN SMART AT OSPS

From mid-August to April, Oakleigh South Primary School follows SunSmart and DET guidelines to keep students safe.

  • Hats are compulsory. Students must wear a bottle-green broad-brimmed, legionnaire, or bucket hat outdoors during high UV periods (mid-August to April). No Hat, No Play applies. 
  • Hats are available from the second-hand uniform shop or PSW Cheltenham.

  • Sunscreen is recommended by SunSmart and DET when UV is 3+. Students may bring their own labelled sunscreen if suitable.

  • Students should wear their OSPS uniform (which is SunSmart-compliant) and manageable layers they can put on or take off independently, to avoid overheating.

  • A water bottle is recommended every day.

Daily UV levels are displayed on the TV screens in the Admin Building and via the SunSmart app.

Hats can be purchased from PSW Cheltenham or the OSPS second-hand uniform shop, open Wednesdays and Fridays, 8:45–9:15am, run by our wonmderful parent volunteers.

You can view our OSPS Sun Protection Policy for full details.

AUSTRALIAN GIRLS CHOIR – FREE WORKSHOP

The Australian Girls Choir will be visiting OSPS on Tuesday 7th October at 10.30am to run a free 30-minute assessment workshop for interested girls.

This workshop gives girls the opportunity to take part in singing, movement and performance activities in a fun and supportive environment. No preparation is required, and the session is open to girls of all year levels, abilities and experience.

Following the workshop, parents of participating girls will receive a personalised assessment report and information about AGC’s 2026 class programs.

Flyers with full details will be sent home via classroom teachers, and bookings for girls can be made via the QR code on the flyer.

For over 40 years, AGC has inspired thousands of girls to build confidence, musicality and presentation skills through world-class performing arts education and unparalleled performance opportunities.

REMINDER FOR PREP ENROLMENTS

Dear Parents and Carers with Current Students,

If you have a child who is a sibling of a current student due to start Prep in 2026 and have not yet submitted an enrolment application, we urgently require you to do so as enrolments are now OVERDUE.

If you know of any families with siblings who have not yet enrolled, please encourage them to complete their application immediately.

To begin the online enrolment process:

  1. Visit: https://students.educationapps.vic.gov.au/s/
  2. Create an account and complete the online application form.
  3. Upload all required supporting documents.

Please ensure the following documents are uploaded to the portal:

  • Your child’s Birth Certificate
  • Immunisation History Statement from Medicare
  • 100 Points of Proof of Residence (View checklist here: 100-Point Address Checklist PDF)

⚠️ Please note: Applications cannot be progressed if any documents are missing.

Sibling enrolments must be submitted as soon as possible to secure placement.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

HALLOWEEN SCAVENGER FUNDRAISER – WITH A TWIST

Calling all local kids, teens and families! Add Oakleigh South Netball Club’s Trick ‘n’ Treat Scavenger App-venture to your traditional Halloween hunt this school holidays.

Solve riddles, crack clues & take on silly challenges with our Playtour browser app while trick or treating (no download required). Race against other crews to win the Halloween Treasure!

Cost: $13 per family/team (up to 5)

Location: Play anywhere.

How to Book:

Save the event: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BQxqPsBg9/?

Funds raised will support Oakleigh South Netball Club’s new hardship programme.

We love Oakleigh South, thank you for your support!

Oakleigh South Netball Club

 

TERM 4 JAPANESE TAIKO DRUMMING CLASSES

WALAKADO will be running Japanese Taiko Drumming Classes on-site at Oakleigh South Primary School in Term 4! 

You can sign up to experience the joyful beat of Japan while learning traditional Taiko drumming in a fun and energetic environment.

Classes will be held every Thursday in the school hall, and enrolments are now open. To secure a place, please scan the QR code on the flyer.

For enquiries, contact Ayako at ayako@walakado.com

PEPS FITNESS ACADEMY – AFTER SCHOOL FITNESS PROGRAM

Dear Parents,

Peps Fitness Academy is excited to launch a new after-school fitness program at Oakleigh South Primary School, starting Term 4!

Designed for Prep to Grade 4 students, this program provides a fun and engaging environment for children to stay active while learning the importance of physical fitness. Led by certified instructors, sessions will include a variety of exercises and activities suitable for all fitness levels.

Program Focus Areas:

  • Speed

  • Agility

  • Endurance

  • Sports Skills

  • Reflexes

Program Details:

  • Start Date: Tuesday 8th October

  • Time: 3.45pm – 4.30pm

  • Where: School Oval (every Wednesday)

  • Cost: $165 for Term 4 (11 sessions)

To enrol your child, please contact Coach Nick on 0403 676 866. Spaces are limited, so secure your spot early!

Peps Fitness Academy

PARENT GROUP

SAVE THE DATE – TWILIGHT PICNIC NIGHT!

The OSPS Parent Group invites all families to join us for a relaxed evening together on Thursday 17th October, from 5:00pm onwards.

Bring along your picnic rug, chairs, and dinner, and enjoy the opportunity to connect with other families while building a strong school community.

This is a free event and will be held on the main school oval.

If you have any questions, please contact Parent Group at osparentgroup67@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Parent Group

FATHER’S DAY & SPECIAL PERSONS STALL SUCCESS

Last week, Parent Group hosted their annual Father’s and Special Person Day Stall. During this two-day event, many excited children eagerly shopped for their dads or special people. It was wonderful to see students applying their maths skills as they calculated costs and worked out their change.

Parent Group would like to thank everyone who helped during the stall. These events are only possible because of our wonderful volunteers. If you’re interested in future volunteering opportunities, please email osparentgroup67@gmail.com.

LUNCH ORDER PROVIDERS

We are pleased to confirm the following lunch order options for our school community in 2025: TK Tuckshop and Classroom Cuisine will be available on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, while Subway will be available on Tuesday and Thursday.

CLASSROOM CUISINE: Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Register and order at www.classroomcuisine.com.au
All orders must be placed by 8:30am the morning of delivery.

TK TUCKSHOP: Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Register at https://app.spriggyschools.com.au/login
Download the Spriggy Schools app from your app store.
All orders need to be placed by 7pm for the full menu or 8:00am the morning of delivery for a restricted menu.

SUBWAY: Tuesday and Thursday

Register and place your order at https://app.canteenhub.com.au
All orders need to be placed by 8.00am the day of delivery.

SCHOOL COUNCIL

On behalf of the OSPS School Council, I am excited to share some fantastic news in this week’s newsletter! The School Council is pleased to confirm that the fundraising efforts at this year’s Fete raised an incredible $90,000. This achievement is a testament to the hard work and generous contributions from all of you!

Such funding is crucial for the continued development of our school facilities and programs, which have become the envy of most other primary schools. We are committed to ensuring that our school continues to be a wonderful place for all our students to learn and grow.

In collaboration with the school management team, the School Council is currently planning various exciting projects that can be revealed soon.

In the meantime, we have some immediate projects scheduled for the upcoming school holidays, including:

  • Construction of a bike shed area near the Junior building
  • Construction of a senior bike storage area at the front of the school. 
  • Other landscaping improvements, including expansion the Junior sandpit.

Our school has undergone a significant transformation over the past couple of years, with many projects having been completed and even more in the pipeline. None of these initiatives would have been possible without the enormous support of our school community.

Thank you all for your continued support.

Andrew Power

School Council President 

THE RESILIENCE PROJECT

THE RESILIENCE PROJECT

Since 2022, OSPS has partnered with The Resilience Project to support student wellbeing from Foundation to Year 6 through the Inspire Program. The curriculum, designed by teachers for teachers, aligns with Victorian and Australian Curriculum standards in Personal and Social Capabilities and Health and Physical Education.

The program focuses on four key strategies to build resilience and happiness:

    • Gratitude: The act of being thankful and appreciating what you have in life.
    • Empathy: The capacity to understand and feel what another person is feeling.
    • Mindfulness: The practice of attention regulation.
    • Emotional Literacy: The ability to understand and express our feelings.

Each week, students participate in formal lessons and complete entries in their Resilience Student Journals. Activities include gratitude posters, mindfulness colouring, and emotion-matching exercises. As a Partnership School, OSPS integrates The Resilience Project’s wellbeing curriculum across the whole school community.

There are many ways to support your child’s mental health at home.

For more information, visit: The Resilience Project – At Home

Access the Parent Hub (no login required): Resilience Project Parent Hub

GEM AWARDS 

Valentina V. – 0CD – Empathy: For spontaneously offering her help or support when any of her classmates needs it. Thank You Valentina, you are so caring.

Dhwani G. – 2AP – Empathy: For always displaying empathy and kindness towards others. You’re a star Dhwani!

Krishay R. – 3NM – Empathy: For showing care and understanding towards others, and making people feel valued and included, especially during our morning circle time.

Zacc O. – 4ML – Empathy: For having wonderful manners, treating everyone with great respect and being an excellent classroom helper! Well done Zacc.

Mason W. – 5LG – Empathy: For always looking out for others and making sure everyone is treated fairly and with kindness.

Patrick P. – 6SS – Empathy: For the support he showed for his friends at the recent District Athletics carnival as a House vice-captain. Leading from the front Patty!

GEM CHATS

As part of The Resilience Project, GEM Chats are short activities designed to build habits of Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness and Emotional Literacy. These quick conversations are a simple way to strengthen connections and practise wellbeing strategies as a family.

STUDENT SHOWCASE

WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING IN YEAR 2…

It has been a BLAST this term in Year 2!

Students have received their characters and talking parts for our Production, Rock Bottom and our rehearsals are well underway! We are so proud of their enthusiastic approach to all of our rehearsals and the clever students who are already remembering their talking parts off by heart! Be sure to look for when tickets go on sale next term…you won’t want to miss this show!

To celebrate our learning for our Integrated Studies topic, Make It, Move It, we went on our excursion to Legoland! Students experimented with different forces and simple machines to test their skills of push, pull, gravity and more!

This week, students are busy getting their prototypes ready for our open afternoon next week. Through our design thinking project, each group had to empathise and define how they could help Kevin the Koala from the book ‘The Koala Who Could’. After that, each group used their ideation skills to determine what their prototype would look like. Next week, students will test their designs while they are on display for their families and friends.

LITERACY CORNER

In Year 2, students have been exploring the power of persuasion! We have been learning how to share opinions and convince others by including lots of detail, examples and calls to action.

It has been wonderful to see lots of strong reasons, emotive language, and sizzling starts to make the arguments stand out. Soon, we are excited to dive into poetry writing, where students will have the chance to experiment with rhythm, rhyme, and creative expression.

YEAR 2 GEM 

This term in our Resilience Project lessons, Year 2 students have been exploring strategies to help them be more mindful and respond positively to different situations. We have enjoyed practicing calming techniques such as pinwheel breathing and cloud dreaming, as well as reflecting on our moods and emotions through a variety of mindfulness activities. A highlight was reading the wonderful book My Mind is a Race Car, which helped us understand that while our brains can sometimes feel like they’re racing at top speed, it’s important to take a “pit stop” to rest and reset.

Students have also been practicing gratitude by writing thank-you letters to their teachers and special people in their lives. We have also been learning about cooperation and compromise, and exploring ways to use these skills in the playground and beyond.

Gratitude

We are grateful to the Year 6 teachers, performing arts teachers and production crew for putting together an AMAZING production for us all to watch. We can’t wait for our turn in Term 4!

Empathy

We show empathy by trying to put ourselves in other people’s shoes so we understand how they might be feeling. Remember, It’s OK to not be OK!

Mindfulness

We are being mindful by taking some time to reflect on the successes and achievements of the term.

SPECIALIST SPOTLIGHT

TERM THREE IN THE JAPANESE ROOM

WOW! Term 3 was an extraordinarily busy term for Japanese at OSPS!

The past few months have been absolutely action-packed with a diverse range of activities and exciting opportunities.

From making wonderful new Japanese friends and establishing cultural connections to proudly competing in challenging state-wide competitions against talented students from other schools, it has truly been an eventful and jam packed term filled with memorable experiences and valuable learning moments!

TAMABA HIGASHI CULTURAL EXCHANGE

First things first, we welcomed 10 students and 3 teachers from Tamba Higashi Elementary School for a wonderful cultural exchange. Our visitors had a fantastic time!

They participated in various classroom activities to learn about Australian culture, explored Melbourne on a city tour, and enjoyed memorable moments with their host families. The students formed many friendships at OSPS and created lifelong memories during this once-in-a-lifetime school trip.

Thank you to all the teachers who developed engaging Australian-themed lessons for our visitors. We also extend our sincere gratitude to all the host families who made this cultural exchange possible.

Arigatou gozaimasu minasan!

JAPANESE VOLUNTEER AYANA SENSEI

This term, OSPS was fortunate to welcome Ayana sensei, who volunteered in our Japanese program for 4 weeks.

Ayana helped our students during Japanese lessons and provided invaluable support when visitors from Tamba Higashi Elementary School arrived. She has now returned to Japan to continue her role as a Year 6 elementary school teacher.

We wish her all the best and hope to see her again on her next visit to Australia!

Arigatou gozaimasu Ayana sensei!

JAPANESE SPEECH CONTEST

On the 31st of August, our Japanese captains Ally, Advay, Emma and Kemi competed in the annual JLTAV Japanese Speech Competition.

They spent many weeks practising their speeches in preparation for this important event. Each captain had to perform two speeches and competed against 22 pairs in their division!

Congratulations to Ally and Kemi who secured third place, and to Advay and Emma for their dedication in preparing their speeches.

Well done, Japanese Captains!

JAPANESE DRESS UP DAY

Japanese Dress-Up Day will be held on Tuesday 14th October (Term 4, Week 2). Students are encouraged to dress as their favourite anime character, ninja, samurai, or video game character like Mario. We aim to make this a fun and memorable celebration for everyone.

The Best Costume Prize will be awarded to one student from each grade, so let your creativity shine!

Additionally, we’re running a colouring competition this term, with winners to be announced at a special assembly on Dress-Up Day.

CAMP AUSTRALIA

PARENT CORNER

OSPS FACILITY USERS

We host a range of after-school programs and activities run by external providers here at OSPS. These programs operate independently from the school and are offered directly to families by the providers. All advertisements for these activities can be found in the OSPS Facility User Group section of our notice board and newsletters.

For any enquiries or to enrol, please contact the program providers directly.

OSPS FETE SPONSORS

COMMUNITY NEWS

Disclaimer: The organisations advertised in this newsletter are not affiliated with and have no relationship to Oakleigh South Primary School. The publishing of these advertisements does not imply endorsement or recommendation of these products or services by the school. They are provided as a community service.

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