Oakleigh South Primary School
NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 07
14th March, 2025
“Dream big. Start small. But most of all, start.” — Simon Sinek
IMPORTANT DATES
Issue 07 – 14th March 2025
Friday 14th March
– NAPLAN – Year 3 Reading
– Popcorn Day
– Pizza Day
– Year 6 School Photos
Monday 17th March
– Harmony Week
– NAPLAN – Year 5 Language Conventions
-Year 1 & 2 Swimming
-Book Club Issue 2 orders close (4:00PM)
Tuesday 18th March
– Harmony Day Dress-Up Day
– NAPLAN – Year 3 Language Conventions
– Year 1 & 2 Swimming
– Whole School Assembly – Hall (2:45PM)
– School Council Meeting (6:00PM)
Wednesday 19th March
– Prep – First Aid Incursion
– NAPLAN – Year 5 Numeracy
– Year 1 & 2 Swimming
Thursday 20th March
– NAPLAN – Year 3 Numeracy
– Year 1 & 2 Swimming
– Senior Choir – Hall (3:45PM)
Friday 21st March
– World Down Syndrome Day
– NAPLAN Catch-Up Testing
– Year 1 & 2 Swimming
Monday 24th March
– NAPLAN Catch-Up Testing
– Year 4 Think U Know Presentation
Tuesday 25th March
– School Tour (9:30AM)
– Year 4-6 Assembly – Hall (2:45PM)
– Japanese Study Tour Information Session – Year 5 Parents (6:00PM)
Wednesday 26th March-
Year 5 & 6 Think U Know Presentation
Thursday 27th March
– VSSS Dance Rehearsal – Hall
– Senior Choir – Hall (3:45PM)
Friday 28th March
– Year 3 Chesterfield Farm Excursion
– Year 2 Dinosaur Day
Monday 31st March
– Year 4 MCG & Eureka Tower Excursion
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
I hope you all had a wonderful long weekend and made the most of the beautiful weather we’ve been experiencing!
Last Tuesday morning, the Year 1 classrooms were buzzing with excitement as students welcomed their grandparents or special friends into their classrooms. Over 170 visitors then gathered in the hall, where they enjoyed a fantastic performance of three songs by the children. Grandparents and special friends shared light refreshments while the children had their morning snack together. A huge thank you to the Year 1 team for organising this special event on the school calendar and to the Parent Group for preparing tea and coffee, as well as setting up and cleaning up.
Next Tuesday 18th March, we will be celebrating Harmony Day. The theme for this year is ‘Everyone Belongs!’ It is a day to recognise and celebrate Australia’s cultural diversity with respect and inclusiveness. With families at OSPS coming from over 45 different backgrounds, we invite all students to dress in orange or wear traditional cultural attire to show pride in their heritage and support for our diverse school community.
NAPLAN assessments commenced on Wednesday. Please refer to the Compass notification sent last week for your child’s test schedule.
On Monday 17th March, Year 1 and Year 2 students will begin their five-day intensive swimming program at GESAC. Timetables have been sent home with details of each class’s swimming schedule. If you have any questions, please speak with your child’s classroom teacher.
Wishing everyone a fantastic weekend!
Ron Cantlon
Principal
SCHOOL MATTERS
HARMONY DAY – TUESDAY 18TH MARCH
Harmony Day will be celebrated on Tuesday, 18th March, providing an opportunity to embrace and honour our country’s rich diversity while promoting cultural respect for everyone who calls Australia home.
We invite all students to come to school dressed in their traditional outfit or in the colour orange, which symbolises social communication and meaningful conversations. The day will feature a whole-school assembly showcasing student performances of traditional dance, song, and musical instruments.
HARMONY DAY COOKIES
As part of the celebrations, the Parent Group has partnered with a local bakery to offer Harmony Day-themed cookies for $3 each. These will be distributed on Friday, 21st March. Orders close at 4:00 pm on Friday, 14th March, and can be placed via the link on Compass.
For any questions, please contact the Parent Group at osparentgroup67@gmail.com.
We look forward to seeing our students proudly wearing their traditional attire or adding a splash of orange to celebrate this meaningful day!
OSPS EASTER RAFFLE
The annual OSPS Easter Raffle is back!
Tickets are now on sale at $3 for 5 tickets.
To make this raffle a success, we kindly ask families to donate nut-free Easter eggs where possible (traces of nuts are fine) to help create our prize hampers.
Please drop off any donations at the office by 1 April 2025. Winners will be announced at our End of Term Assembly on 4 April and via Compass.
Last year, thanks to our generous school community, we had over 125 winners—let’s see if we can match or even exceed that this year!
How to Purchase Tickets:
Tickets can be purchased online—please check Compass for the link.
For any questions, please contact Parent Group at osparentgroup67@gmail.com.
Please note: Some raffle prizes may contain nuts.
PREP – YEAR 2 EASTER HAT PARADE
Our much-loved Easter Hat Parade for Prep – Year 2 is back!
DATE: Friday, 4 April
TIME: 9:00am
LOCATION: Junior Tiger Turf
Start designing and creating your hats at home—the bigger, brighter, and more creative, the better.
On the day, each grade will take to the ‘catwalk,’ showcasing their fabulous hats, singing songs, and celebrating a wonderful Term 1 before we head into the school holidays.
We look forward to seeing all the amazing Easter creations.
SMILE SQUAD 2025
We are pleased to announce that Smile Squad will be visiting Oakleigh South Primary School in Term 2, 2025.
Smile Squad is the Victorian Government’s free school dental program, providing all students with access to a free dental check-up, preventive services, and treatment—all conveniently conducted at school.
As part of this program, each student will soon receive a free dental pack to take home. This is a gift for every child, regardless of whether they participate in the program.
Please take the time to read the information provided on how to sign up for this fantastic service.
For any questions, please contact Sue Jackson at sue.jackson@education.vic.gov.au or Nigel Hooley at nigel.hooley@education.vic.gov.au.
BOOK CLUB
SCHOOL CROSSING SUPERVISORS – NOW HIRING!
Monash Council is looking for reliable and friendly individuals to help keep our children safe on the roads. If you have great communication skills and enjoy giving back to the community, this could be the perfect opportunity for you!
WHAT’S ON OFFER?
- Contract positions with competitive hourly rates
- Part-time roles with annual and sick/carer’s leave
- Flexible morning and afternoon shifts across various locations
- A Working with Children Check (WWCC) is required
If your family and friends describe you as dependable and approachable, our students need you! This is your chance to make a difference while earning extra income.
For more information, contact Sinead on 8561 8888.
To apply, scan the QR code or email your resume to clayton@chandlermacleod.com.
VALUED STUDENT AWARDS
JUNIOR VALUED STUDENT AWARDS
YEAR 1 VALUED STUDENT AWARDS
Dominika – 1MB
(Working Together)
For always being the first to lend a hand to her peers and helping to keep our classroom clean! You’re a star!
William – 1MB
(Excellence)
For always working hard and producing neat bookwork. You should be so proud of yourself! Keep it up!
Mia – 1LC
(Excellence)
For writing amazing narratives filled with interesting vocabulary! What a superstar!
Peta – 1LC
(Excellence)
For working super hard, being an amazing role model, and always having a smile on her face.
Jinlin – 1AN
(Excellence)
For being such a star in 1AN and always completing work to the best of his ability.
Dom – 1AN
(Resilience)
For starting the year in a settled manner. Dom always works hard and never gives up. Great work!
Shannaya – 1NM
(Excellence)
For working hard in class and producing two amazing pieces of journal writing in a row! Well done!
Aiden – 1NM
(Excellence)
For doing an amazing job in Maths and always helping others in need! Superb work, Aiden!
Aaliyah – 1NC
(Resilience)
For being brave and giving everything her best go, even when things feel challenging.
Vincent – 1NC
(Respect)
For displaying all of our classroom rules and being a very helpful class member.
Aiden – 1JG
(Excellence)
For being a superstar learner who always tries his best and cooperates magnificently with peers!
Olivia – 1JG
(Resilience)
For showing resilience, finding ways to be a bucket filler, and having an awesome sense of humour!
Sebastian – 1SC
(Excellence)
For his creative ideas in narrative writing, always striving to make them interesting.
Arabella – 1SC
(Integrity)
For being a gentle and kind classmate, comforting friends when they need it most.
YEAR 2 VALUED STUDENT AWARDS
Isaac – 2TM
(Excellence)
For reading with outstanding expression and fluency! Very impressive, Isaac!
Mia – 2TM
(Excellence)
For using incredible WOW words in her writing. You are a star, Mia!
Anbini – 2TM
(Excellence)
For using outstanding WOW words and a range of punctuation in her writing! Well done!
Kabir – 2TM
(Excellence)
For making an effort to uplevel writing with impressive WOW words. Keep it up!
Gina – 2GL
(Excellence)
For listening beautifully to her teachers and putting 100% effort into her classwork.
Harry – 2GL
(Excellence)
For the fantastic effort he has been putting into his reading. Well done, Harry!
Lachlan – 2VO
(Working Together)
For always happily assisting his peers once he has finished his work and being kind to others!
Aadhya – 2VO
(Excellence)
For always being respectful, kind, and displaying beautiful manners. Outstanding work!
Ryan – 2AP
(Excellence)
For always striving to achieve his best and for helping others. Keep it up!
Dhwani – 2AP
(Respect)
For showing great respect towards others and looking out for her friends. You’re a star!
Sam – 2ML
(Working Together)
For working cooperatively and displaying great teamwork in our Think Tank brainstorm.
Lori – 2ML
(Excellence)
For always approaching learning tasks with a positive and can-do attitude!
Kane – 2AB
(Working Together)
For being a brilliant friend to all his peers during learning time and on the playground.
Charissa – 2AB
(Excellence)
For completing a wonderful flower displaying her solid understanding of hundreds, tens, and ones.
Daniella – 2RV
(Excellence)
For always striving for excellence and seeking help when she is unsure of tasks. Go Daniella!
Ananda – 2RV
(Working Together)
For his amazing contributions to discussions and sharing his ideas with others. You’re a star!
YEAR 3 VALUED STUDENT AWARDS
Pranav – 3FT
(Excellence)
For consistently demonstrating the 5 L’s during learning and being motivated to learn new things.
Alba – 3FT
(Respect)
For consistently demonstrating respect towards her teacher and peers during learning time.
Tommy – 3WC
(Excellence)
For consistently working hard on all aspects of his learning. Well done!
Krishna – 3WC
(Excellence)
For his dedication to achieving his AR goal. Well done, Krishna!
James – 3AN
(Working Together)
For being a great helper in the classroom, jumping in and doing jobs enthusiastically.
Oliver – 3AN
(Excellence)
For sharing his fantastic ideas during class discussions. Well done!
Ayaan – 3MW
(Excellence)
For consistently working at a high standard and working hard to improve letter formation.
Nainika – 3MW
(Working Together)
For being a wonderful, cheerful class member who is always helpful and hardworking.
Issei – 3NM
(Resilience)
For always displaying excellent manners and working hard in class—even with a broken arm!
Arush – 3NM
(Excellence)
For making a terrific start to the year in his AR reading with an excellent attitude. Well done!
Neera – 3NM
(Respect)
For always showing respect to others by listening and using her beautiful manners. You’re a star!
JUNIOR SPECIALIST AWARDS
Naomi – 1LB
Japanese
(Working Together)
For always working incredibly well with your classmates. What a superstar!
Ilisha – 1AN
Japanese
(Excellence)
For her excellent work at recalling numbers and greetings in Japanese.
Samuel – 2RV
Japanese
(Excellence)
For being an enthusiastic learner who gives his all when learning new words in Japanese.
Athena – 2TM
Japanese
(Excellence)
For always doing her absolute best in Japanese class. You are incredible!
Vasili – 1AN
Visual Arts
(Integrity)
For his contributions to class discussions in the art room! Well done!
Finley – 2AP
Visual Arts
(Excellence)
For creating a wonderful observational drawing for our bug study activity!
Sia – 3FT
Visual Arts
(Resilience)
For her cheerful attitude and great approach to her work!
Ananya – 2TM
Performing Arts
(Excellence)
For always trying her best and demonstrating excellence in Performing Arts.
Harriet – 2TM
Performing Arts
(Working Together)
For collaborating with classmates and being an active participant in Performing Arts.
THE RESILIENCE PROJECT
GEM CHATS
GEM Chats are daily conversation starters provided by TRP that encourage reflection on the GEM values: being grateful, empathetic, and mindful. We encourage parents to ask their child the prompt and engage in a discussion about these values. By making GEM Chats a part of your routine, you can help reinforce these positive habits and support your child’s ongoing wellbeing and emotional literacy.
STUDENT SHOWCASE
YEAR 4 SHOWCASE
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YEAR 4?
The Year 4s have had a fantastic start to the year, settling into their routines with enthusiasm and positivity. This term, a major highlight has been the audition process for The Jungle Book production. Our students have shown incredible courage and dedication in preparing for their roles, and they are eagerly looking forward to performing for the school community next term.
Beyond the stage, excitement is building for our upcoming excursion to the MCG and Eureka Tower! As part of our integrated unit, this experience will give students the opportunity to explore Melbourne’s iconic landmarks and deepen their understanding of our city’s history and culture.
It’s shaping up to be an exciting year in Year 4, and we can’t wait to see our students continue to shine!
WRITER’S CORNER
A sizzling start captures the reader’s interest and makes them want to read on.
Sizzling starts:
- start at the action
- use dialogue
- ask a question
- use humour
- add onomatopoeia
“The first sentence is the most exciting moment in the story because you’re opening the door to the unknown.” – John Marsden (author)
You only have seven seconds to grab your reader’s interest!
The Year 4s have been working on their sizzling starts, trying to hook their readers from the very beginning. They have used a variety of hooks to introduce a topic.
THE WORST CHRISTMAS EVER
Start with onomatopoeia:
“Bleuch!!!” Kristina spat out the pudding.
“What happened, darling? Don’t you like it?” Kristina’s stepmother questioned.
Kristina nodded her head, plastering a fake smile on her face. She excused herself from the table and ran to the bathroom.
Start by asking a question:
Have you ever had burnt roast beef before? Well, I can tell you if you come to our house for dinner tonight, that is what’s on the menu. Even our pudding will taste disgusting because Mum put salt instead of sugar in it!
THE WORST CHRISTMAS EVER
Start with dialogue:
“Get up!” shouted my mum, peeved.
Reluctantly, I got up and got dressed. Being shouted at by my mum was better than an alarm clock, at least.
Start at the action:
“I can’t! I won’t!” Big Paw howled, staring at his mother as if she was mad.
“Big Paw, defeating the robots is the only way you can prove yourself to the rest of the pack!” Mother Wolf scolded her son.
“No!” Big Paw growled as he edged backwards from the monstrous metal beings.
YEAR 4 GEM
Gratitude
One thing we are grateful for is the privileges we have at OSPS! Looking around, we see new school buildings, big play areas, and awesome play equipment. We hope everyone appreciates all these great things. Also, the education we gain from all our amazing teachers’ efforts is truly incredible.
Empathy
The start of Year 4 has been great as we got to meet our buddies! We empathise with them because we know how it feels to be at a new school, surrounded by new faces. Our buddies have warmed up to us, and they have become our close pals. We have so much fun when we meet up to do activities and eat lunch together.
Mindfulness
We are so proud of ourselves for completing all our production auditions. Everyone is so resilient and happy for the students who have main character roles. For those who feel disheartened about not getting a main role, they are still excited to perform, and our rehearsals start this week! Yay!
Remember, it’s cool to be kind, so please keep using your GEM!
Written by Zoe & Nora (4ML)
JAPANESE REPORT
JAPANESE REPORT
Our Japanese program has kicked off for the new term! From learning their Japanese names and greetings in Prep to letter writing in Year 6, all grades have made a wonderful start to their Japanese learning. As our students immerse themselves in the language with enthusiasm and focus, we have several exciting updates to share with our school community.
WELCOMING NEW TEACHERS
This year, we are excited to welcome two new members to our Japanese teaching team: Michelle and Saki. Michelle Sensei will be teaching Japanese to Prep, Year 1, and Year 2 students in our Junior Japanese classroom, while Saki Sensei will be supporting Japanese language learning across all year levels every Monday and Friday. We are thrilled to have them join us and look forward to working with them!
JAPANESE CAPTAINS
We are pleased to announce that Advay, Kemi, Ally, and Emma have been selected as our 2025 Japanese Captains! Since the first week of school, they have dedicated their recess and lunch times to helping with Black Belt Club testing and have demonstrated exemplary teamwork. We have no doubt they will do a fantastic job in their new roles this year. Congratulations once again to our new Japanese Captains on a wonderful start!
BLACK BELT CLUB
Black Belt Club has officially resumed, and it has been fantastic to see so many students attending on Tuesdays at lunchtime to complete their hiragana testing. With the support of our new Japanese Captains, we have many exciting activities planned for Black Belt Club this year, including writing postcards to Japanese students, playing fukuwarai, and cooking ochazuke, to name a few. Keep an eye out for the Black Belt Club posters our captains will be displaying to learn more about upcoming activities!
JAPANESE TEACHER EXCHANGE PROGRAM WITH NAKAMURA GAKUEN
Last week, we had the pleasure of hosting Japanese student teachers from Nakamura Gakuen University for three days. They observed and taught Japanese lessons, engaged with our school community, and even performed at assembly. We also had the opportunity to try some delicious Japanese dishes they prepared for us. This is our second year hosting students from Nakamura Gakuen, and it has once again been a fantastic experience. Thank you, Nakamura Gakuen, for visiting our school—we hope to see you again next year!
PARENT GROUP
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.
PARENT CORNER
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.
