Oakleigh South Primary School
NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 19
19th June, 2026
“Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” — Christian D. Larson
Term 2, Week 10
Tuesday 23rd June
- House Athletics
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Prep to Year 3 Assembly @ 2:45PM in the Hall
Wednesday 24th June
- Year 4 Production – Finding Nemo Kids – Cast 1
Thursday 25th June
- Year 4 Production – Finding Nemo Kids – Cast 2
- Senior Choir @ 3:45PM in the Hall
Friday 26th June
- Green and Gold Dress Up Day
- Whole School Assembly @ 1:50PM in the Hall
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End of Term 2 – Early Dismissal @ 2:30PM
Term , Week 1
Monday 13th July
- First Day of Term 3
Thursday 16th July
- SSV State Cross Country
- Senior Choir @ 3:45PM in the Hall
Friday 17th July
-
Year 6 Business Expo
As we move towards the end of another busy and successful term, there is plenty happening across our school community.
Our Year 4 students held their dress rehearsals this week as they prepare for their production of Finding Nemo Kids. We are all looking forward to seeing their hard work come to life on stage next week. Performances will be held on Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th June at 6:30pm in the school hall. We encourage all families to come along and enjoy what promises to be a fun and entertaining show. There’s still time to purchase tickets, so be sure to head to TryBooking to secure your seats.
Mid-year student reports will be sent home via Compass on Friday 26th June. These reports provide valuable insight into your child’s progress and achievements so far this year. We encourage families to take the time to celebrate successes and discuss learning goals with their children.
Looking ahead to Term 3, we will be holding Parent-Teacher Meetings on Wednesday 15th July. These meetings are a valuable opportunity to discuss your child’s learning progress and goals for the remainder of the year. More information about booking a meeting time will be shared via Compass in the coming weeks.
On Tuesday, our House Athletics Day will be held at school for students in Years 3–6. Students are welcome to wear their house t-shirt or a t-shirt in their house colour. We warmly invite parents, carers and grandparents to attend as spectators and support our students throughout the day. As always, we remind everyone to uphold our school values and abide by the sporting code of conduct when cheering on participants. We are looking forward to a fantastic day of competition, participation and house spirit. The OSPS Athletics Squad will be selected from the competitors on the day.
Next Friday, we will come together for our final whole-school assembly for the term at 1:50pm. This is always a wonderful opportunity to celebrate achievements and acknowledge the efforts and successes of our students.
Please also remember that school will finish early at 2:30pm next Friday as we conclude the term and begin the school holidays.
As we approach the end of another successful term, I wish all students, staff and families a safe, relaxing and enjoyable holiday break, and I look forward to welcoming everyone back on Monday 13th July.
Wishing our community a lovely weekend!
Warm regards,
Nikki Virtuoso
Acting Principal
FINDING NEMO KIDS
The countdown is on!
Just keep swimming! 🐠🐢🌊
Our Year 4 students have been working incredibly hard over the past two terms as they prepare to bring Finding Nemo Kids to the stage. From learning lines and perfecting dance routines to rehearsing their songs, the cast has shown fantastic dedication and enthusiasm.
Tickets are now available to the wider school community and can be booked via TryBooking: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1589900
Performance Dates
🐠 Cast 1: Wednesday 24 June, 6.30pm
🐠 Cast 2: Thursday 25 June, 6.30pm
We would love to see our school community come along and support our talented Year 4 performers. Be sure to secure your tickets and join us for what promises to be a wonderful evening of entertainment, laughter and adventure under the sea!
GREEN & GOLD DAY – FRIDAY 26TH JUNE
Next Friday the 26th of June, Oakleigh South Primary School will be celebrating Green & Gold Day. All students are invited to come to school dressed in green and gold to show their support for the Socceroos as we look ahead to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Students may also choose to wear the colours of the country they are supporting in the tournament.
This is a fun, inclusive way for everyone to share their team spirit and celebrate our diverse school community.
We look forward to seeing a sea of colour across the school as we cheer on our teams.
GO SOCCEROOS!!
CAMPS, SPORTS & EXCURSIONS FUND (CSEF) – CLOSING SOON!
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 & ROAD SAFETY REMINDERS
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.
ICAS COMPETITION
We are pleased to advise that Oakleigh South Primary School will once again be participating in the ICAS competitions this year. ICAS is an optional online academic competition designed to assess students’ higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills across several areas, including English, Mathematics, Science, Writing (Years 3–6 only), Spelling Bee, and Digital Technologies. Every participating student will receive a printed certificate and an online results report, with top performers eligible for medals.
Entry and payment must be completed through the ICAS Parent Pay System by 11:59pm AEST on Monday 20 July. To participate, parents should visit the Parent Portal, enter the school’s access code QWY044, input their child’s details, select all the desired assessments, and proceed with payment. All payments are made directly to ICAS, not the school, and parents will receive a confirmation email which should be kept for their records.
The ICAS assessments will be held at school on the following dates: Digital Technologies and Writing (Years 3–6) from 3–7 August, English from 10–14 August, Science and Spelling Bee from 17–21 August, and Mathematics from 24–28 August. These dates are fixed by ICAS and cannot be changed.
For additional information please see the Compass News Feed post.
TK TUCKSHOP – DESIGN AND WIN COMPETITION
Hi everyone,
Our Design & Win competition is back for 2026 – and this year’s prizes are bigger than ever!
We’re giving students the chance to design our brand-new TK Tuckshop lunch bags, with the winning designer choosing between:
- a $500 TK Tuckshop voucher, or
- a Nintendo Switch 2!
Students can draw their design on the TK Tuckshop Template or on a blank sheet of paper. Once finished, simply take a clear photo and email it to support@tktuckshop.com.au.
A few important details:
- Entries close Thursday 19th June
- Students can enter as many times as they like
- Designs can only use 2 colours
- Bonus points for including the TK Tuckshop logo!
We’ve also included a photo below of last year’s winning design for some inspiration 🙂
HOST FAMILIES WANTED FOR JAPANESE STUDENTS VISTING OUR SCHOOL
Dear Parents and Carers,
We are excited to announce that we will be welcoming 6 students from Japan as part of our cultural exchange program, from the 4th of August to the 12th of August 2026. This year, we are excited to welcome 2 girls and 4 boys, all aged between 10 and 12 years old (Year 5–6 students). We are looking for 3 families who are able to host two students each during their stay.
Host Family Requirements:
- Have space for two students to stay at your home
- Provide a bed or a comfortable mattress for each student
- Provide three meals a day
- Be available for one weekend to spend time with the students and ideally take them to explore some local attractions (e.g. Melbourne CBD, Chadstone, Moonlit Sanctuary, the Zoo, etc.)
As a token of appreciation, a small financial contribution will be provided to host families.
If your family is interested in this wonderful opportunity, please complete the Expression of Interest form by Friday 19th June.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Michelle Sensei at michelle.lee3@education.vic.gov.au or Ito Sensei at showji.ito@education.vic.gov.au
Thank you for your support in making this cultural exchange program a success!
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.
YEAR 4 VALUED STUDENT AWARDS
Isaac – 4ZB
(Excellence)
For demonstrating excellent effort in composing his Haiku and Limerick poems during writing.
Jazzy – 4ZB
(Excellence)
For showing resilience when practising her spelling words each week and improving through consistent effort.
Saahitya – 4ZB
(Respect)
For consistently showing respect to her classmates and teachers through her kind and respectful language.
Dora – 4ML
(Respect)
For always using your manners and being a polite and caring class member. Keep up the great efforts Dora!
Catrina – 4ML
(Working Together)
For concentrating well and giving her best efforts when rehearsing her shark ensemble role.
Minas – 4CR
(Resilience)
For always trying his hardest and never giving up, no matter how challenging
the task. You are a STAR, Minas!
Pranavi – 4CR
(Excellence)
For always taking so much pride in everything she does.
Love your work, Pranavi!
Naaz – 4CR
(Excellence)
For her excellent commitment to reading this term and smashing her AR goal. Great work, Naaz!
Stella – 4WW
(Resilience)
For working through challenges in the classroom with a growth mindset. We are so proud of you, Stella!
Samarth – 4WW
(Integrity)
For always striving to make good choices and showing integrity by owning your actions. Well done, Samarth!
YEAR 5 VALUED STUDENT AWARDS
Nora W – 5MS
(Excellence)
For showing creativity, artistic flair and confidence in her writing. Well done, Nora!
Matthew– 5MS
(Excellence)
For strong participation in literacy groups, reading aloud with confidence, expression and enthusiasm.
Bodhi – 5MS
(Working Together)
For captaining his Matball team with fairness, encouragement and respect for others. Great leadership Bodhi!
Kyle – 5LG
(Excellence)
For settling in so well, both in Australia and at OSPS, and for his beautiful reading in Literacy Rotations.
Marcus – 5LG
(Excellence)
For achieving excellence in all areas and for his quiet and respectful nature.
Shreeya – 5LG
(Excellence)
For simply being excellent in every way! You are a pure delight to teach, Shreeya!
Yioti – 5MJ
(Excellence)
For showing good teamwork and dedication in the Year 5 Matball competition. Keep it up, Yioti!
Evelyn – 5MJ
(Excellence)
For her beautifully presented writing pieces this term. Well done, Evelyn!
Ziggy – 5KM
(Excellence)
For his hard work and determination this term, making excellent progress in learning and working consistently.
Indiana – 5KM
(Respect)
For being a positive role model through her respectful attitude, beautiful manners and kind and caring nature.
Irini – 5KM
(Respect)
For showing a caring and respectful attitude, helping others and being a valued class member. Well done Irini!
Reyan – 5NH
(Excellence)
For demonstrating a genuine love of maths through deep thinking and enthusiastic problem-solving.
Kimaya – 5NH
(Excellence)
For modelling excellent learning behaviours and exceeding AR targets through a strong commitment to reading.
Umika – 5PR
(Excellence)
For trying really hard to focus on her learning and complete activites to the best of her ability.
Saahir – 5PR
(Excellence)
For his marvellous mathematical thinking ability and willingness to share his ideas and logic with others.
YEAR 6 VALUED STUDENT AWARDS
Leo – 6MH
(Excellence)
For his outstanding effort and positive contributions as a valued member of Pristine Fragrances.
Ananya – 6MH
(Working Together)
For her teamwork, dedication, and outstanding contributions to developing Cozy Charm Co.
Levi – 6NM
(Respect)
For really improving with little things like holding the door open for people and using exemplary manners.
Aadit – 6NM
(INTEGRITY)
For his consistent high level work ethic in all classroom activities.
George – 6NM
(Excellence)
For bringing a great deal of knowledge to 6NM when we were working on our Big Freeze writing. Play on George!
Chloe – 6SS
(Working Together)
For always showing kindness, gratitude and respect to those around her. You’re a true leader! 🙂
Akira – 6SS
(Working Together)
For constantly being a helpful, reliable, and committed class member. Thank you, Akira!
Vidyut – 6SS
(Working Together)
For being a constructive business partner as a part of Coquille Co in preparation for the Business Expo.
Araiya – 6SM
(Respect)
For being a conscientious and kind class member whose wit and intelligence bring joy to 6SM. Thank you Araiya!
Milla – 6SM
(Resilience)
For maintaining her calm and positive nature during many weeks with her arm in a cast. You’re a star, Milla!
Renee – 6CM
(Working Together)
For her collaboration and creativity in Year 6 Business Expo preparation. Well done Renee!
Mason – 6CM
(Working Together)
For his supportive and enthusiastic contributions to his Business Expo team. Great work Mason!
Sri – 6CM
(Excellence)
For his positive attitude and consistent efforts in all homework, class and group work tasks. Keep it up Sri!
SPECIALIST VALUED STUDENT AWARDS
George Z – 0LM
Japanese
(Respect)
For always being respectful and curious in Japanese. You always try your best and inspire everyone!
Alexander K – 1LC
Japanese
(Resilience)
For your amazing growth in
Japanese this year. Love seeing you speak with confidence in Japanese!
Hayley E – 2MV
Performing Arts
(Excellence)
For always giving 100% in everything you do in Japanese. You are inspiring Hayley!
Ava M – 2VF
Performing Arts
(Working Together)
For your commitment to Junior Choir and for working well with your peers during class.
Cressida R – 2VF
Performing Arts
(Working Together)
For being an active member of Junior Choir, and for always giving 100 percent in music classes.
Antonio G – 0NM
Performing Arts
(Respect)
For always being respectful and curious in Japanese. You always try your best and inspire everyone!
Peter M – 6SM
Performing Arts
(Excellence)
For his incredible performance of the SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS choreography in rehearsals!
Aria S – 5PR
Performing Arts
(Excellence)
For consistently dancing with energy and enthusiasm during all VSSS dance rehearsals. You’re a star!
Henry D – 4CR
Performing Arts
(Excellence)
For his incredible work ethic during all production rehearsals. Keep up the fabulous work!
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING IN YEAR 4?
This term in Year 4, students have been busy rehearsing for our production of Finding Nemo Kids. Throughout the term, they have worked hard to learn songs, lines and choreography, showing great enthusiasm and commitment. It has been wonderful to watch students grow in confidence as they developed their performance skills and brought the characters and underwater world of Finding Nemo to life.
Rehearsals have provided many opportunities for students to strengthen their teamwork, resilience and communication skills. Students have supported one another, practised regularly and demonstrated a positive attitude as they prepared for the performances. The show’s message to “Just Keep Swimming” has been reflected in the determination students have shown when learning new routines and overcoming challenges.
Our students are looking forward to performing next Wednesday and Thursday evening at 6:30pm. Tickets are still available, and we encourage families and friends to come along and enjoy what promises to be a fantastic show.
LITERACY CORNER
In Year 4, students have been focusing on persuasive writing. They have been learning how to strengthen their arguments by incorporating a range of persuasive devices, such as emotive language, rhetorical questions and strong supporting reasons. Through this, students are developing their ability to write in a way that is both engaging and convincing for their audience.
Did you know that teaching students neat handwriting limits their creativity? They spend a long time worrying about their handwriting that they forget how to write their story. It is of course important that people can read their writing, however, it isn’t that important that you have to have sessions of handwriting over and over again.
“Mum! Where did you put my school uniform?” I complained. “Can’t we just choose our own casual clothes?”. It’s so boring just wearing plain old bottle green clothes. Teachers always say to put detail into our writing, but why can’t we put detail into our clothes?”. Okay, listen up and I’ll blow your mind!
Imagine swimming in the ocean and seeing more rubbish than fish! If we don’t stop throwing plastic bags away, they will continue to end up in storm water drains and as a result will cease the existence of all our precious marine life. We definitely don’t want this!
THE RESILIENCE PROJECT – LESSON OF THE WEEK:
This term in our Resilience Project (TRP) lessons, Year 4 students have been learning about understanding and managing anger. Students explored how anger is a normal emotion and discussed the different ways it can affect our thoughts, feelings and actions. Through class discussions and activities, students learned strategies to recognise when they are becoming angry and how to respond in a calm and respectful way.
A key focus has been the Catastrophe Scale, which helps students identify the size of a problem and match their reaction to the situation. Students practised distinguishing between small, medium and large problems and considered whether their response was appropriate for the challenge they were facing. This learning has supported students in developing emotional regulation skills, building resilience and making positive choices when faced with difficult situations.
THE RESILIENCE PROJECT – GEM
Gratitude:
The Year 4 students are incredibly grateful to the many parents and teachers who have supported our Finding Nemo Kids production by creating costumes, props and sets. Their generosity and hard work have helped bring the show to life and made the experience even more special for our students.
As the busy end of term approaches, Year 4 students have continued to show empathy by supporting and encouraging their classmates. They have demonstrated understanding that everyone learns and works at different paces and have celebrated each other’s efforts and achievements.
Mindfulness:
Year 4 students have shown mindfulness throughout rehearsals by listening carefully, following instructions and giving performers their full attention. Their respectful and considerate behaviour has helped create a positive environment where everyone feels confident and valued.
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING IN DIGITECH?
In Year 2…
Year 2 students began the term by creating PowerPoint presentations linked to their inquiry into the past, present and future. Focusing on children’s games, they developed their research skills by gathering information, retrieving images and using keyboard shortcuts to enhance their presentations.
Later in the term, students explored Ozbot robots, integrating their learning with measurement concepts such as centimetres and millimetres while developing their critical thinking skills. Working collaboratively in pairs, they applied Design Thinking strategies to create a two-player Ozbot game. Students then produced a PowerPoint presentation explaining the setup and rules of their game, showcasing both their creativity and growing digital literacy skills.
IN YEAR 4
During Term 2, Year 4 students engaged in a variety of coding activities, including programming LEGO Spike robots, mixing soundtracks in Music Lab and creating projects using Scratch. Across all of these activities, students applied their creativity and problem-solving skills by using block-based coding palettes to complete a range of challenges and tasks.
Students successfully programmed and raced LEGO Spike robots, created imaginative remixes of popular songs in Music Lab, and designed their own interactive games in Scratch. These experiences helped develop their computational thinking, creativity and confidence in using digital technologies.
IN YEAR 6
Early in the term, Year 6 students explored how images are represented using binary code. Through the use of programming languages such as Python and Java, they further developed their understanding of these concepts and gained valuable experience in coding. Students also participated in a range of activities using Code.org, along with code interpretation challenges that strengthened their computational thinking and problem-solving skills.
Towards the end of the term, the focus shifted to the Year 6 Business Expo. Working collaboratively in teams, students learned how to design and create websites to promote their products. By applying Design Thinking strategies, they empathised with their target audience and carefully defined the content and layout of their websites before bringing their ideas to life through creative design. This process encouraged innovation, teamwork and effective communication while developing valuable digital technology skills.
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
SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAMS
Click the images below to register your child/ren
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.
