Oakleigh South Primary School
NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 26
22nd August, 2025
“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” — Confucius
IMPORTANT DATES
Issue 26 – 22nd August 2025
Week 6
Monday 25th August
• Year 2 Legoland Excursion
Tuesday 26th August
• Prep to Year 3 Assembly – 2:45 PM in the Hall
Thursday 28th August
• Bentleigh District Athletics
• Senior Choir – 3:45 PM in the Hall
Week 7
Tuesday 2nd September
• Year 4 to 6 Assembly – 2:45 PM in the Hall
Thursday 4th September
• Senior Choir – 3:45 PM in the Hall
Friday 5th September
• Parent Group Father’s Day Stall
Week 8
Tuesday 9th September
• Dress Rehearsal – Matilda – Hall
• Whole School Assembly – 2:45 PM in the Hall
Wednesday 10th September
• Prep Melbourne Zoo Excursion 2025
• Dress Rehearsal – Matilda – Hall
Thursday 11th September
• VSSS 2025 Choir and Dance Arena Rehearsal 1
• R U OK? National Day of Action
• Superhero Dress Up Day
Friday 12th September
• VSSS 2025 Choir and Dance Arena Rehearsal 2
Saturday 13th September
• Robocup – Victorian State Event
• VSSS Performance Day – John Cain Arena
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
What a fantastic day we’ve had at school with our Book Week Parade! The children’s dress-ups were absolutely brilliant, fun, colourful, and incredibly creative. It was such a joy to see our students so enthusiastic about their favourite book characters. Book Week Dress Up Day is always one of the highlights of the school year and today was no exception. The energy and excitement across the school made it truly special. A huge thank you to all the staff who helped organise this memorable event, it really brought the school to life.
Our Year 6 students are well into rehearsals for their upcoming production of Matilda Jnr., and excitement is definitely building. We have two amazing casts this year:
- The Miracles Cast will take the stage on Monday 15th and Tuesday 16th September, while The Angels Cast will be performing in the choir on those nights.
- The Angels Cast will perform on Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th September, with The Miracles Cast in the choir.
Tickets are now available through Trybooking. Year 6 parents will be provided with the first option of Stage 1 ticket release with bookings opening from 10.00am Friday 22nd August until 10am Friday 29th August. The whole school can purchase tickets from 10am Friday 29th August.
For full ticketing details, please refer to Compass.
Next week is looking just as exciting – our Year 2 students are off to LEGOLAND on Tuesday for a fun and educational excursion. We can’t wait to hear all about it!
And finally, we want to wish the OSPS Athletics Team the very best of luck as they compete in the Bentleigh District Athletics Championships on Thursday at Duncan McKinnon Reserve. Go team OSPS!
Have a wonderful week ahead!
Warm regards,
Nikki Virtuoso
Acting Principal
SCHOOL MATTERS
BOOK WEEK DRESS UP DAY & PARADE
What an incredible day we’ve had celebrating Book Week with our annual Dress Up Day and Parade! This year’s theme “Book an Adventure” inspired students and staff to dive into the magic of storytelling, and the creativity on display was amazing.
Willy Wonka (Mr Savva) and his Oompa Loompas (Mrs Virtuoso and Mr Eykman) kicked things off in style, leading the parade with plenty of colour and fun. They were joined by a fantastic Roald Dahl crew, with Miss Dunkley, Ms Freeman, Mr Hooley, Mr Albers and Mr Wilde helping bring the characters to life.
We also announced the winners of Best Dressed and the Book Cover Design Competition during the parade. Congratulations to all our winners and to every student who joined in! Your creativity, effort and enthusiasm made this year’s celebration truly special.
A big thank you to our families for supporting students with their costumes and to our staff for helping create such a memorable event. What a wonderful way to wrap up Book Week and celebrate the joy of books, stories and creativity across our school!
YEAR 6 PRODUCTION: MATILDA JR
The Year 6 students have been rehearsing extremely hard over the past term for our production of MATILDA JR.
Performances will be held at 6:30pm in the school hall:
- The Miracles Cast will perform on Monday 15th and Tuesday 16th September, with the Angels Cast in the choir.
- The Angels Cast will perform on Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th September, with the Miracles Cast in the choir.
Tickets will go on sale for the whole school community from 10:00am next Friday 29th August.
TICKET PRICES
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Adults: $15.00
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Children under 12 (floor seating): $10.00
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Children under 4: Free – seating on an adult’s lap
Further information, including the TryBooking link, will be shared later this week.
For any questions, please contact Acting Principal Nikki Virtuoso at nikki.virtuoso@education.vic.gov.au.
Regards,
Year 6 Production Team
YEAR 6 NACHO DAY
Parent Group will be hosting a Nacho Lunch Day for all Year 6 classes on Friday 29th August.
Each serve of nachos will come with corn chips, salsa and cheese. Sour Cream and Guacamole will be available at an additional cost. We will also have a variety of juice boxes available for $2.
Please see the Compass Newsfeed post to place your order.
Orders close at 4:00 pm on Tuesday 26th August. Late orders cannot be accepted as supplies must be finalised in advance.
If you’re available to help on the day or have any questions, please contact Parent Group at osparentgroup67@gmail.com.
Thank you,
Parent Group
YEAR 3 & 4 POPCORN DAY
Parent Group will be hosting a Popcorn Day for all Year 3 & 4 classes on Friday 29th August. Each bag will be $4.
Please see the Compass Newsfeed post to place your order.
Orders close at 4:00 pm on Wednesday 27th August. Late orders cannot be accepted as supplies must be finalised in advance.
If you’re available to help on the day or have any questions, please contact Parent Group at osparentgroup67@gmail.com.
Thank you,
Parent Group
FREE STUDENT EYECARE PROGRAM
Oakleigh South Primary School is pleased to offer the Student Eyecare Program onsite during Term 3 and Term 4, 2025.
A qualified optometrist will be visiting the school during school hours to provide free, comprehensive eye examinations for students. These checks are fully covered by Medicare Australia and come at no cost to families.
Did you know that 1 in 6 students have undetected vision issues? With the growing use of books, laptops, tablets and smartphones, regular eye checks are more important than ever.
Each participating student will receive:
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A detailed report on their eye health
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A prescription, if glasses are needed (which can be taken to any optical store)
This is a fantastic opportunity to support your child’s learning and wellbeing through early detection and care.
To register your child for an eye test, please refer to the Compass titled “Free Eye Tests through Student Eye Care” and complete the linked Google Form.
VICTORIAN STATE SCHOOL SPECTACULAR TICKETS
This year 41 of our Year 5 students are performing in the 2025 Victorian State Schools Spectacular show ‘On Air’. These students have been working hard throughout the year in both dance and choir and are looking forward to their performances in September. If you would like to come along and see the incredible performances, tickets will go on sale Thursday 31st July at 11am via Ticketek or search “2025 Victorian State Schools Spectacular tickets” on the Ticketek website.
Performance Date: Saturday 13th September
Performance Times: Matinee at 1:00pm & Evening at 6:30pm
Performance Venue: John Cain Arena
Ticket Prices:
- Adult – $40
- Concession – $30
- Child (U15) – $20
Best seating sections to see our OSPS choir: 9, 10, 31, 32, 33, 56, 57 & 58
SHARE THE DIGNITY
The Oakleigh South Parent Group is proud to support Share the Dignity this August, a campaign helping to provide essential sanitary items to women and girls in need, including those experiencing homelessness or fleeing domestic violence.
A collection bin will be placed at Reception from August 1st, and we welcome donations of:
- Pads & tampons
- Period underwear
- Incontinence pads
- Menstrual cups
Donations will be accepted throughout August. Let’s work together to help restore dignity to those who need it most.
Thank you for your support!
OSPS Parent Group
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD VOTE FOR OAKLEIGH SOUTH NETBALL CLUB
From Woolies cart to the school court – Oakleigh South Netball Club and Oakleigh South Primary School are proud Woolworths Round 2 Winners with $2K in the bag, yippee! This grant will go towards continuing to grow grassroots netball with the school for 25 years+, thank you!
But now WE NEED YOU, the school community, to vote for us in the People’s Choice Award and help us score $20K for better facilities.
It’s SUPER easy, FREE, takes a FEW SECONDS and no subscription – just two simple clicks. Click the Oakleigh South Netball Club link below and tap the ❤️ “Vote Now” button to vote. Back the green club and green school to win gold!
Voting closes Friday 29th August.
Vote here now: https://woolworthsnetballgrants.com.au/grant-application/oakleigh-south-netball-club/
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST – SOUTH OAKLEIGH COLLEGE PRODUCTION
South Oakleigh College invites families to attend their 2025 production of Beauty and the Beast — a classic story of love, courage and transformation.
The tale follows Belle, a curious and compassionate young woman, and the Beast, a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved in return, the curse will be broken. But time is running out. If he fails, he and his household will be doomed forever.
With timeless songs including “Belle”, “Be Our Guest” and “Beauty and the Beast”, this much-loved musical will be a delight for all ages.
Dates: Wednesday 27th August to Friday 29th August 2025
Time: 7.00 pm to 8.30 pm
Location: Christine Strachan Theatre, Oakleigh South Secondary College
Tickets: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1397356
Families are warmly encouraged to attend and support the talented students of South Oakleigh College.
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:
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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
Access the Parent Hub (no login required): Resilience Project Parent Hub
GEM AWARDS
Ava G. – 0CD – Empathy: For being a supportive and caring friend to all and for always being willing to help out your classmates. We are very lucky to have you in Prep CD!
Kiran N. – 1AN – Empathy: For consistently showing empathy in the classroom by caring for others, listening thoughtfully, and supporting classmates when they need help. Well done, Kiran!
Lori Nguyen. – 2ML – Empathy: For her sensational contributions to our morning GEM chats. I loved hearing you share how proud you were of your Mathletics achievements!
Avleen S. – 3WC – Empathy: For being a kind and caring friend, both inside and outside of the classroom, and an excellent role model for peers.
Devan N. – 4AS – Empathy: For always showing kindness and care towards others, using beautiful manners, and demonstrating understanding and consideration for friends and teachers.
Ellie M. – 5KM – Gratitude: For showing gratitude and kindness towards Cultural Infusion incursion visitors by gifting them crocheted items she had made.
Chris S. – 6SM – Gratitude: For consistently displaying gratitude towards his teachers for the work they do.
STUDENT SHOWCASE
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING IN YEAR 1
The Year 1 students recently visited Scienceworks for a journey full of discovery and learning. Our first stop was Beyond Perception, where we explored the hidden side of science. We saw patterns of light, colours invisible to the naked eye, and interactive displays that revealed the mysteries of sound, movement, and energy.
Next, we stepped into Sportsworks, where we tested our strength, speed, and coordination. Students raced against virtual athletes, measured their jumps, and discovered how their bodies work when they move.
In Think Ahead, we imagined what life in the future might look like. We explored futuristic technologies and thought about how our world could change in the years to come.
At Tinker Town, students used their problem-solving skills to build, balance, and test their own creations. This hands-on space encouraged curiosity, experimentation, and teamwork.
We also watched an engaging toys and forces show. From bouncing balls to rockets, the students learned how pushes, pulls, and gravity affect the way objects move.
Our time at Scienceworks left us inspired, curious, and brimming with ideas. We are especially excited to use our new knowledge of science, design, and forces as we begin creating our very own arcade games!
LITERACY CORNER
YEAR 1 GEM
Gratitude
We are grateful for our excursion to Scienceworks and the fun experiences we shared!
Empathy
We have been learning how to be empathetic friends in TRP. We can use empathy to build kind and supportive friendships!
Mindfulness
The year ones have loved doing yoga to help them relax and focus, and know it is a great mindfulness tool for them to use when they need it!
PARENT GROUP
PARENT GROUP UPDATE
It’s only August, but 2025 has already been a huge year for the OSPS Parent Group!
From fun food days to big fundraising goals, we’ve been working hard behind the scenes – all thanks to the incredible support from our school community.
So far this year, the funds raised have helped make some exciting improvements around the school, including:
- Repair of the Green Playground on the Senior Oval
- Creation of an Outdoor Classroom near the Robotics Lab
- Repairs to Friendship Square
And we’re not done yet! Semester 2 is shaping up to be just as busy, with even more fun (and fundraising) on the way. Keep an eye out for upcoming events like the Father’s Day Stall, the Colour Run, Disco and more food days!
We’re always looking for extra helping hands and fresh ideas – we’d love to have you involved. Every little bit makes a big difference! Please email ospsparentgroup67@gmail.com for more information.
Thank you for your continued support – together we’re making OSPS even better for our kids!
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 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.
