Oakleigh South Primary School
NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 13
8th May, 2025

“It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.” — James Thurber

IMPORTANT DATES

Issue 13 – 8th May 2025

Friday 9th May
• Year 7 Transition Forms Due

Saturday 10th May
• OSPS Family Fete (10:00AM–4:00PM)

Monday 12th May
• Karate Clinics 
• TRP Connected Parenting Webinar (6:30PM)

Tuesday 13th May
• Prep–Year 3 Assembly (2:45PM)

Wednesday 14th May
• Prep – Reptile Incursion

Thursday 15th May
• Interschool Winter Sport 
• Prep – Mother’s Day Afternoon (2:30PM)
• Senior Choir – Hall (3:45PM)

Friday 16th May
• Karate Clinics 

Thursday 22nd May
• School Tour

Tuesday 27th May
• Beachside Division Cross Country
• Year 4–6 Assembly (2:45PM)

Thursday 29th May
• Interschool Winter Sport
• Senior Choir – Hall (3:45PM)

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Wow… what an unbelievable weather forecast we have for this Saturday for our amazing Fete!!! Sunny skies and a top temperature of 22 degrees. 🌞 We can’t wait for everyone to come along and enjoy the activities and sample the yummy food. It will be made extra special with such fantastic weather!! Don’t forget your hats and sunscreen.

On Tuesday, the OSPS cross country team competed in the Bentleigh District Cross Country. Congratulations to all the children who competed and a big thank you to the staff who supported the team in preparing for the event. OSPS proudly won the overall event for the district, with many of our team now progressing to the regional cross-country day. Well done everyone!

Finally, we would like to wish all the wonderful mothers, grandmothers and special people in our children’s lives a very happy and relaxing day for Mother’s Day on Sunday. We hope you are surrounded by family, love and get just a little bit spoilt.💗

I’ll see you all at the Fete on Saturday, it’s going to be an amazing day for everyone! 😊

Warm regards,

Nikki Virtuoso
Acting Principal

SCHOOL MATTERS

YEAR 6-7 TRANSITION FORMS DUE FRIDAY

A reminder to all Year 6 families — the Application for Year 7 Placement 2026 forms are due this Friday 9th May 2025.

All forms must be scanned and emailed to:
📧 enrolments@oakleighsouthps.vic.edu.au.

Paper copies will not be accepted.

Please ensure your form is submitted on time to avoid delays in the placement process. Late submissions may affect your child’s placement preferences.

For any questions, contact your child’s teacher or email enrolments@oakleighsouthps.vic.edu.au.

BOOK CLUB ISSUE 3

CONNECTED PARENT WEBINAR: LAEL STONE & THE RESILIENCE PROJECT – FREE EVENT

As part of our ongoing partnership with The Resilience Project, supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our school community, we are excited to offer a free parent webinar on Monday 12th May, 6:30–7:45pm with Lael Stone.

About Lael Stone:

Lael Stone is an author, TEDx speaker, counsellor, and parenting educator who specialises in helping families navigate trauma and disconnection. For nearly two decades, she has worked with families and delivered programs in secondary schools focusing on relationships and wellbeing. Lael is also the co-founder of Woodline Primary School, an innovative school dedicated to supporting children’s emotional intelligence, and a mother of three adult children.

Workshop topics:

Grounded in the latest research, this 75-minute workshop will provide parents and carers with practical strategies to raise resilient children. Lael will cover how to:

  • Build stronger connections with your children

  • Support them through challenging and frustrating situations

  • Create a culture of cooperation in simple ways

  • Manage your own triggers as a parent

  • Understand and support big emotions to help children develop emotional resilience

    To register for this free event, this link. Once registered, you will receive a Zoom link and a calendar invitation via email.

    THIS MONTH ON SCHOOLTV – ONLINE GAMING

    Games are an integral part of human behaviour. It is normal and healthy for young people to engage in play as a part of their daily lives, including playing games online. And like most activities, online gaming can have both positive and negative outcomes. It can be intimidating and confusing for carers trying to understand a young person’s online experiences with many considering that staring at a screen is an unhealthy habit. However, the World Health Organisation does believe that as well as the risks, there are also many positive benefits associated with online gaming and these could be key in nurturing bonds with others.

    During the pandemic, there was an explosive growth of gaming as people sought much needed connection during isolation. In the media, gaming often gets bad publicity because most coverage tends to concentrate on the minority of gamers who play to such an extent that it compromises all other areas of their life. However, online gaming can teach young people many skills including teamwork, concentration, communication and problem-solving. It requires a level of interaction and skill from the player; unlike watching television, which is more passive.

    Online communities provide opportunities for young people to feel socially connected and have a sense of belonging. At healthy levels, gaming can increase their self-esteem and social acceptance. However, any behaviour, when taken to extreme, can also have a negative impact on a young person’s everyday life. Understanding what your young person experiences online and knowing the warning signs if they are at risk, will help nurture a more positive relationship with online gaming and help your family find the right balance.

    If you are concerned about your young person’s online gaming habits, it’s important to consider a number of factors. This edition will provide strategies in how to deal with any issues you may be experiencing.

    Here is the link to the Online Gaming edition of SchoolTV:
    https://oakleighsouthps.vic.schooltv.me/newsletter/online-gaming

    SMILE SQUAD 2025

    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.

    CSEF (SPORTS, CAMPS AND EXCURSIONS FUND)

    The Victorian Government provides the Camps, Sports & Excursions Fund (CSEF) to assist families with the cost of school activities. Families who hold a valid means-tested concession card are eligible to apply, and a special consideration category is also available.

    Eligible primary school students will receive a $154 payment, which is paid directly to the school to help cover the cost of camps, sports, and excursions.

    CSEF payments to schools will begin from 19th March. Schools can continue processing applications until the end of Term 2.

    Apply now: CSEF Application Form

    How to submit your application:

    • Submit your completed application form with a copy of your concession card as soon as possible.
    • Families who were eligible in 2024 will be automatically rolled over and do not need to reapply.

    For any questions or assistance, please contact Carlyn at carlyn.backers@education.vic.gov.au.

    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 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.

    SPORT REPORT

    SPORT & PE SHOWCASE

    It’s been a busy and exciting Term 2 in the PE Department!

    We kicked things off in Week 1 with our Annual House Cross Country. A big thank you to all the students who competed and to the staff who assisted on the day. Congratulations to Cuthbert House for taking out the championship, and to our Age Group Champions: Makaela, Olia, Chelsea, Marco, Jack O, and Liam.

    This Tuesday, our School Cross Country team competed at the District event and proudly brought home the District Shield! The team was ably led by Captains Makaela and Marco. A huge thank you to Miss Gunning, Miss Bonham, and Mr Savva for running the before-school training sessions.

    The following students placed in the Top 8 for their Age Groups and will progress to the Division Cross Country in three weeks’ time:

    • U10 Boys: Liam (1st), Aadhiyan (5th), Kai (8th)

    • U10 Girls: Asha (3rd)

    • U11 Boys: Jack (1st), Koby (3rd), Sam (5th), Mikael (6th)

    • U11 Girls: Olia (1st), Emma (2nd), Isla (4th)

    • U12 Boys: Marco (5th)

    • U12 Girls: Mikaela (3rd), Ivy (5th), Zara (7th)

    Finally, this week marks the start of Grade 6 Winter Inter-School Sport, with our teams playing away at St Andrew’s.

    Well done to all students for their dedication and achievements so far this term!

    Marcus Mooney
    PE / Sport Department

    PARENT GROUP

    MOTHER’S DAY STALL 2025

    Last week, the Parent Group hosted their much-loved annual Mother’s Day / Special Person Stall. With so many wonderful items on offer, it was a tough choice for many students to decide what to buy! For some, it was also a great chance to put their maths skills to the test, while others enjoyed the excitement of independently shopping for the first time.

    As always, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers who made this event possible. It was fantastic to see so many new faces helping out—we hope to see you at more events throughout the year!

    Finally, we wish all our OSPS mums a very Happy Mother’s Day for Sunday!

    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.

    SECONDARY SCHOOL & TRANSITION INFO

    YEAR 6 TO YEAR 7: SECONDARY SCHOOL TRANSITION

    All Year 6 students in Victoria must complete a Year 7 placement form to enrol in a government secondary school for 2026. This process is managed by the Department of Education.

    Families received the Application for Year 7 Placement form early in Term 2. Completed forms must be returned by Friday 9th May 2025.

    You can list up to three government secondary schools in order of preference, including your local zoned school.
    If you plan to send your child to a Catholic or independent (private) school, you must still return the form and also apply directly to that school through their own enrolment process.

    STATEWIDE GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS TIMELINE – YEAR 7 IN 2026

    • Early Term 2 – Placement forms sent home
    • Friday 9 May – Forms due back to school
    • Tuesday 1 July – Placement offers sent to families
    • Tuesday 9 December – Year 6 Orientation Day at government secondary schools

    Useful links:
    🔗 findmyschool.vic.gov.au
    🔗 DET Enrolment Policy
    🔗 Moving from primary to secondary school
    🔗 Year 6 to 7 Placement Information Pack for Parents and Carers

    For any questions, please contact your child’s classroom teacher or email enrolments@oakleighsouthps.vic.edu.au.

    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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