Oakleigh South Primary School
NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 22
7th August, 2026
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” — Henry David Thoreau
It has been a very busy and exciting two weeks at OSPS, with many wonderful learning experiences and events taking place across our school community.
We recently farewelled our fantastic Japanese students and staff from Tamba Higashi Primary School. Our visitors had a wonderful experience at OSPS, and it was lovely to see the connections they made with our students, staff and wider school community. A very big thank you to our host families for their generosity, care and support during their stay. I’m sure their experience will be a very memorable one.
I would also like to extend a huge thank you to the staff who worked so hard behind the scenes to organise and coordinate the Japanese student exchange. There is a great deal of planning and organisation involved in making an exchange such a success, and we are extremely grateful for the time and effort they put into ensuring our visitors had such a positive and memorable experience.
Today our students from Prep to Year 6 students enjoyed an author visit from Patrick Guest. Patrick entertained and inspired our students with his stories and love of books. Next Thursday the preps to Year 2 students will welcome author Katreen Cook to enjoy her published book. What a wonderful opportunity for our students to meet published authors and celebrate the joy of reading.
Also last Friday, OSPS students competed in the RoboCup Outer Eastern Regional Competition. Our students performed extremely well, demonstrating creativity, teamwork, problem-solving skills and persistence. We came 1st and 3rd in Simple Simon Soccer and now will compete in the upcoming State Championships. We are very proud of their efforts and the way they represented our school.
Last week, our Year 1 students visited Scienceworks, where they enjoyed an exciting day of hands-on learning and exploration. Scienceworks is always a favourite with our students. Thank you to the staff and parent helpers who supported our students on this excursion, lots of fun and learning was had.
The whole school is now getting ready for Book Week next week, and there is already plenty of excitement throughout the school. Book Week is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate books, reading, imagination and the joy of storytelling. Our Book Week Dress-Up Day and Parade will be held on Friday 28 August. Students are invited to dress up as their favourite book character, with the parade commencing at 9:00am in the school hall. We look forward to seeing the creativity and enthusiasm of our students as we celebrate another wonderful Book Week together.
Warm regards,
Nikki Virtuoso
Acting Principal
BOOK WEEK — SYMPHONY OF STORIES
We’ve had a fantastic start to Book Week, including a special visit from guest author Patrick today. Thank you to everyone who helped make the day such a wonderful celebration of books and reading!
We have a wonderful week of Book Week activities coming up! Here are a few reminders for families:
📚 READING WITH THE PRINCIPALS
Students are invited to Reading with the Principals in the library at recess on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
All students are welcome to join!
🎵 TUESDAY: OSPS BAND PERFORMANCE
To celebrate our Book Week theme, Symphony of Stories, our OSPS Band will perform in the library at lunchtime on Tuesday.
✏️ THURSDAY: AUTHOR VISIT 2
Author Katreen Cook will visit our junior students on Thursday for a special author session and activity.
Students attending will need to bring two coloured pencils and a piece of paper or a book to complete the activity.
📖 FRIDAY: BOOK WEEK DRESS UP DAY & PARADE
Our Book Week Parade is happening on Friday!
Prep–Year 2: Session 1
Years 3–6: Session 2
Students are asked to bring a gold coin donation on Friday. We are also trialling a TryBooking payment option this year, so families may choose to make their donation online instead.
The parade will also include the announcement of our Best Dressed and Short Story Competition winners.
We look forward to celebrating the wonderful world of books and stories with our students and families! 📚
NOW AVAILABLE ON SCHOOL TV – ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a commonly diagnosed neurodevelopmental condition that affects how children regulate attention, impulses and activity levels.
For families, understanding ADHD means recognising that these behaviours are not simply a matter of effort or discipline. ADHD is influenced by a combination of neurological, biological and environmental factors that affect how a child’s brain processes information and manages self-control. With the right support, structure and strategies, children with ADHD can develop the skills they need to succeed and thrive.
This edition of SchoolTV explores how families can better understand ADHD and support children to build confidence, strengthen emotional regulation and navigate everyday challenges more successfully.
Here is the link to this topic: http://oakleighsouthps.vic.schooltv.me/newsletter/adhd-au
FREE PARENT WEBINAR: UNDERSTANDING ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION TO FOSTER RESILIENCE (PART III)
📅 Wednesday 2nd September 2026
🕖 7:30 pm
📍 Online
This presentation forms part of a broader webinar series designed to strengthen mental health literacy across school communities.
Join international experts Dr Emma Woodward and Dr Joe Stammeijer as they share valuable insights into recognising early signs of anxiety and depression, as well as practical approaches to supporting the wellbeing and resilience of young people.
Topics covered in this session include:
- Building Resilience Foundations
- Everyday Habits for Wellbeing
- Strength-Based Resilience for Neurodivergent Children
Register by scanning the QR code on the poster or using the link below: https://oakleighsouthps.vic.schooltv.me/webinar/understanding-anxiety-depression-part-III-ec
SAVE THE DATE FOR MARY POPPINS JR.
Our talented Year 6 students are taking to the stage for this year’s production of Mary Poppins Jr.!
📅 Monday 14th – Thursday 17th September
📍 Oakleigh South Primary School Hall
🕖 7.00pm each night
With two casts sharing the stage across four spectacular performances:
- Kites Cast: Monday 14 & Tuesday 15 September
- Umbrellas Cast: Wednesday 16 & Thursday 17 September
🎟️ Tickets open to the wider school community: Monday 31 August at 10.00am
Save the date and get ready for a little bit of magic! We can’t wait to see our talented Year 6 students bring this much-loved production to life on stage.
We hope to see you there!
MID-YEAR STUDENT ENROLMENT INFORMATION FORMS
Thank you to all families for the wonderful response to the Mid-Year Student Enrolment Information Forms sent home with students in Prep to Year 5 last Friday.
A reminder to please return all pages of your completed form to your child’s classroom teacher by Friday, 28 August so they can be checked and marked off.
Thank you for your prompt attention and continued support.
SHARE THE DIGNITY
Oakleigh South Parent Group is proud to support Share the Dignity this August, a campaign dedicated to providing essential sanitary items to women and girls in need, including those experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic violence.
A collection bin is located at the Office, and we warmly welcome donations of the following items:
- Pads & tampons
- Period underwear
- Incontinence pads
- Menstrual cups
Donations will be accepted throughout August. Together, we can help restore dignity to those who need it most.
Thank you for your support!
CAR PARK PROJECT UPDATE
We are pleased to share that the Oakleigh South Primary School car park project has reached an important milestone and is now progressing to the tender stage.
The school has been working closely with the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) and Monash City Council to deliver a new sealed car park designed to support safer and more efficient traffic movement during school drop-off and pick-up times.
Proposed works:
The project includes the construction of a new sealed car park in the south-east corner of the school site, including:
- Asphalt paving
- Kerbs
- Drainage
- Line marking
Monash City Council will be delivering the works. Following the tender process and appointment of a contractor, construction is expected to commence in January 2027 and be completed by May 2027.
Further information will be shared with the school community before construction begins, including details of any temporary changes to parking, traffic flow or access arrangements.
We will continue to keep families informed as the project progresses.
If you have any questions, please contact the school office.
DRIVING AND CARPARK SAFETY REMINDER
For the safety of all students, families and staff, we kindly remind families that the school driveway is a walking-pace speed zone ONLY AT ALL TIMES.
Families using the driveway for before and after school care drop-off and pick-up are asked to please be mindful of their speed when entering and exiting the driveway. Please drive slowly, remain alert and be prepared for students and families moving through the area.
Thank you for helping us maintain a safe environment for our whole school community.
THANK YOU – KEEP THE DONATIONS COMING
There are three ways you can recycle your cans, bottles, and containers to help us fundraise. OSPS receives 10c per item, with all funds going towards sustainability projects at the school:
-
Oakleigh South Primary School – Purple Bins at the Year 3 Village
-
Oakleigh Depot – 37–41 Oxford St, Oakleigh, in the OSPS bin onsite
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Any Return-It Depot or Kiosk – donate to OSPS by scanning the barcode (see image)
Thank you for helping us make a difference while caring for the environment!
LUNCH ORDER PROVIDERS
We are pleased to confirm the following lunch order options for our school community in 2026: 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.
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:
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- 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
Introductory Parent Video: TRP Family Launch
Access the Parent Hub (no login required): Resilience Project Parent Hub
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING IN DIGITECH?
A big congratulations to all the students who have participated in Digitech throughout Semester 2. We have been especially impressed by their teamwork, enthusiasm and willingness to take on some incredibly challenging projects.
Across all year levels, the focus in Digitech continues to be on learning about and applying coding in different ways, with students developing their problem-solving, creativity and digital technology skills.
YEAR 1
Year 1 students have been working with LEGO WeDo sets, using block-based coding to control and move fan blades, operate buggies and bring other wheeled models to life.
YEAR 2
Year 2 students have begun working with LEGO WeDo sets in teams. They have been building and pairing identical robots, then programming them to move around objects and navigate their environment.
YEAR 3
Year 3 students have been exploring how to code mBots, programming movement and learning how to detect and navigate around obstacles.
YEAR 4
Year 4 students have done an amazing job learning how to create their own games, including Ping Pong, Chasey and Clicker games. They are now working towards designing and developing their own games, including creating and building their own controller circuit boards.
YEAR 6
At the end of last semester, our Year 6 students worked hard to develop websites to promote their Business Expo projects. Their websites were fantastic and demonstrated careful design choices, as well as the range of features and elements you would expect to see on a professional website.
ROBOCUP COMPEITION
We are also incredibly proud of our Year 5 and 6 Robotics teams, who competed in all categories at the recent Outer Regional Robotics competition.
Congratulations to all our teams for their hard work, preparation and commitment in the lead-up to the competition. Our results on the day were fantastic:
- Line and Rescue: Our teams performed strongly across all matches and achieved excellent scores.
- On-Stage: The team delivered a fantastic performance, including excellent dance routines.
- Soccer: Our teams once again achieved outstanding results, finishing first and third in the Primary category.
Perhaps most impressive, however, was the positive feedback we received about the conduct and fair play of our students. Our Year 5 and 6 Robotics teams continue to lead by example and demonstrate the OSPS values in the broader community.
All teams are now back in training and looking forward to competing at the State Championships in early September.
Well done to all our Digitech and Robotics students!
Camp Australia offers independent before- and after-school care (7:00 AM–8:45 AM and 3:30 PM–6:00 PM) in a safe, fun, and engaging environment. We recommend families register and book to ensure support in case of emergencies or last minute change-of-plans. More info and enrolment: campaustralia.com.au
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.
KEYBOARD LESSON AVAILABILITY
A small number of vacancies are now available:
- Wednesday: 4 PM
- Friday: 3:30 PM or 4 PM
Please email perryvlahos33@gmail.com to book your preferred time.
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.
