Oakleigh South Primary School
NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 6
6th March, 2026
“A problem is a chance for you to do your best.” — Duke Ellington
Week 7
Monday 9th March
- Labour Day Public Holiday
– No school
Tuesday 10th March
- Year 4-6 Assembly @ 2:45PM
Wednesday 11th March
- Year 3 & 5 NAPLAN Begins
Thursday 12th March
- Year 3 & 5 NAPLAN Begins
- Year 6 Interschool Sport
- Senior Choir @ 3:45pm
Friday 13th March
- Year 3 & 5 NAPLAN Begins
- Year 6 Interschool Sport
- Senior Choir @ 3:45pm
Week 8 – Harmony Week
Monday 16th March
- NAPLAN Testing – Years 3 & 5
- Swimming Program – Year 1 & 2
Tuesday 17th March
- NAPLAN Testing – Years 3 & 5
- Swimming Program – Year 1 & 2
- Year 1-3 Assembly @ 2:45PM
Wednesday 18th March
- NAPLAN Testing – Years 3 & 5
- Swimming Program – Year 1 & 2
- Year 1-3 Assembly @ 2:45PM
Thursday 19th March
- NAPLAN Testing – Years 3 & 5
- Year 6 Interschool Sport
- Swimming Program – Year 1 & 2
- Year 1-3 Assembly @ 2:45PM
Friday 20th March
- NAPLAN Testing – Years 3 & 5
- Swimming Program – Year 1 & 2
- Year 1-3 Assembly @ 2:45PM
A huge congratulations to the OSPS Swimming Squad who competed on Wednesday. Every student gave their absolute best in the pool and represented our school with determination, teamwork and great sportsmanship. We are incredibly proud to share that OSPS brought home the shield — a fantastic achievement! Well done to all swimmers and thank you to the staff and families who supported the team! An extra congratulations to the 21 students who have progressed to the Beachside Division Swimming Carnival on 24 March. We wish them all the very best as they continue to represent our school.
Next week also marks the beginning of NAPLAN for our Year 3 and Year 5 students. Testing will begin on Wednesday 11 March and conclude on 23 March. Please ensure you read the Compass notifications for detailed information regarding testing schedules and requirements. We wish all our students the very best and encourage them to try their best.
A big thank you to our wonderful Parent Group for organising Popcorn Day for our Prep and Year 1 students today. The delicious smell drifting through the Prep and Year 1 building was amazing and certainly added some extra excitement to the day. We greatly appreciate the time and effort our parent volunteers put into creating these special moments for our students.
Finally, a reminder that Monday 9 March is the King’s Birthday public holiday, and there will be no school on this day. I hope everyone enjoys the long weekend with family and friends, and we look forward to welcoming students back to school on Tuesday.
Have a wonderful long weekend!
Warm regards,
Nikki Virtuoso
Acting Principal
SPECIAL REPORT: Discussing War & Conflict
With the recent escalation of conflict overseas, children may be hearing or seeing distressing updates through the 24-hour news cycle, social media and conversations at school. Even when events are geographically distant, repeated exposure to images, headlines and commentary can heighten anxiety, particularly for young people whose understanding of the world is still developing.
It is important for parents and caregivers to be mindful of overexposure, as constant coverage can amplify fear and uncertainty. Children need to feel safe and supported as they process complex global events.
Before beginning these conversations, take a moment to check in with your own emotions. Children often take their cues from the adults around them. Remaining calm, listening openly and offering reassurance can help your child regulate their feelings and maintain a sense of security.
This Special Report provides practical guidance to help families navigate conversations about war and conflict in a measured, age-appropriate way, while reinforcing hope, empathy and resilience. We encourage you to take a moment to review the information provided.
Here is the link to this Special Report: http://oakleighsouthps.vic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-discussing-war-conflict
STUDENT PERFORMANCES TO CELEBRATE HARMONY WEEK
Harmony Week March 16-22
It is that time of the year again, when some of our wonderful students perform at our whole-school assembly to celebrate their cultural background, showcasing the rich diversity within our community.
We are inviting any OSPS student who would like to perform at our Cultural Assembly which will be held on Tuesday 24th March, to get involved. Students may wish to sing, dance, or play a musical instrument that reflects their culture or heritage. Mr Michael Mietzcke will be supporting interested students and providing time at school for rehearsals.
If your child would like to participate, please email helen.paroukas@education.vic.gov.au to express your interest.
We look forward to celebrating the rich diversity of our school community together.
HARMONY DAY COOKIES
As part of our Harmony Day celebrations, Parent Group have teamed up with a local bakery and will be offering Harmony Day themed cookies for $4. These cookies will be distributed on Wednesday, 25 March.
Please see Compass to Order.
Please note cookie orders will close at 12pm, Wednesday, 18 March.
Please contact Parent Group at osparentgroup67@gmail.com with any questions.
CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA DAY
OSPS ANNUAL EASTER RAFFLE
STATE SCHOOLS’ RELIEF (SSR) – PREP UNIFORM SUPPORT
Families who are CSEF recipients may also be eligible for State Schools’ Relief Prep Uniform Package support.
Eligible Prep students can receive:
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2 uniform tops (polo shirt, shirt or summer dress)
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1 uniform bottom (pants, trackpants, trousers or shorts)
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1 outerwear item (puffer jacket)
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1 pair of school shoes
Please note: PE items (i.e. School House tops) are not included. If SSR cannot supply a logoed item, an $85 voucher will be provided for use at the school’s preferred uniform supplier. Half shoe sizes are not available – use the shoe size guide on the SSR website.
Order your Prep uniform here: 2026 Prep Uniform Packs For CSEF Recipients Order Form
CAMPS, SPORTS & EXCURSIONS FUND (CSEF)
The Victorian Government provides the CSEF to help eligible families with the cost of school camps, sports and excursions.
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Eligible families hold a valid means-tested concession card (special consideration category also exists).
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Primary students receive $400, paid directly to the school to support activity costs.
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Applications are open until the end of Term 2, with payments commencing from 1 March.
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Families who were eligible in previous years may not need to reapply, unless you have a Prep student starting.
Apply here: CSEF Application Form 2026
For enquiries, contact Carlyn at carlyn.backers@education.vic.gov.au
SCHOOL CROSSING & PARKING SAFETY
The City of Monash has asked us to share the attached information about safety around school crossings.
Council parking officers regularly attend schools in the area to help ensure vehicles are parking safely and legally. Families are reminded to please follow all traffic and parking signage near the school, and to take extra care around crossings during drop-off and pick-up times.
Thank you for supporting safe travel to and from school for all members of our community.
Oakleigh South Primary School
SCHOOL COUNCIL ELECTION RESULTS
The Oakleigh South Primary School Council Election has been declared.
There were 4 vacant positions and 8 nominations received.
Congratulations to the following parents who have been elected to school council for the 2026 – 2028 year.
- Gavin Mandrelle
- Tanya Shroff
- Sabrina Teodorowski
- Li Wan
In the DET category there were 2 vacant positions and 2 nominations received.
Congratulations to Leon Davey and Mairead Judge who have been elected to school council for the 2026 – 2028 year.
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.
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
GEM AWARDS
Marcus N. – 0CD – Mindfulness: For demonstrating mindfulness in the classroom by staying calm, listening carefully, and being ready to learn.
Rocky Z. – 1NC – Empathy: For his kindness, helpfulness, and his special way of always making people feel welcome.
Aaliyah C. – 2GL – Empathy: For always being there to support her classmates in 2GL. Thank you for being so kind, Aaliyah!
Kabir C. – 3AP – Empathy: For consistently showing empathy towards others and responding with kindness in all situations. Keep up the awesome work, Kabir!
Robbie P. – 4CR – Empathy: For being a great friend who is always there for his mates, offering support, encouragement, and help whenever it’s needed. You are a GEM, Robbie!
Samuel H. – 5LG – Empathy: For staying longer on Playground Buddies because so many children needed support.
Drewin D. – 6NM – Empathy: For the consideration he shows to all of his classmates day in and day out.
OUR FIRST DAY OF PREP!
WELCOME TO THE PREP TEAM!
Back row: Lemone Meyer, Katarina Littlejohn, Kirsten Brown, Stephanie Giabardo, Naomi Marsh.
LITERACY CORNER
By building a bank of Heart Words early, our Prep students are developing the confidence and fluency they need for a strong and successful reading journey. We are so proud of the enthusiasm and effort they are showing as they take these important first steps into the world of reading!
THE RESILIENCE PROJECT – GEM
Gratitude:
We are grateful for a happy start to Prep and our time together at school.
WELCOME TO JAPANESE, 2026!
Our Japanese program is off to a fantastic start this term! From Preps learning about Japanese celebrations and Japanese greetings to Year 6 students practising their self-introduction with letter writing to our sister schools in Japan, every year level has commenced their Japanese learning journey with enthusiasm. As students immerse themselves once again in the language with focus and curiosity, we are excited to share some wonderful news with our school community.
L-R: Michelle Sensei, Ito Sensei, Asami Sensei
WELCOMING NEW TEACHERS
We are excited to welcome two new members to our Japanese teaching team this year: Ito Sensei and Asami Sensei.
Ito Sensei will be working out of our Senior Japanese classroom teaching Grades 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Asami Sensei is returning to OSPS and will be supporting Japanese learning across all year levels on Thursdays and Fridays.
We are very happy to have them on board and look forward to a wonderful year working together!
JAPANESE CAPTAINS
We are delighted to announce that Asher B. 6NM, Eiji Y. 6NM, Gwen L. 6FW and Tanisha K. 6CM have been appointed as our 2026 Japanese Captains. Since the first week of school, they have shown great dedication by supporting Black Belt Club testing during recess and lunch, demonstrating exemplary teamwork. We are confident they will do an outstanding job in their roles. Congratulations to our new Japanese Captains on a wonderful start!
BLACK BELT CLUB
Black Belt Club is up and running again, with many students attending Monday lunchtime sessions to complete their hiragana testing.
With the support of our new Japanese Captains, we are excited to introduce a range of exciting ideas and activities this year, including playing fukuwarai, karuta, and cooking mochi, to name just a few.
Be sure to look out for the Black Belt Club posters created by our captains for more information about what’s coming up.
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.
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.
