Oakleigh South Primary School
NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 33
24th October, 2025
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
IMPORTANT DATES
Issue 33 – 24th October 2025
WEEK 4
Tue 28 Oct
• Junior School Assembly – 2:45 PM in the Hall
• Community Presentation: OSPS Annual Report 2024 @ Robotics Room at 5:30PM
• School Council Meeting – 6PM
Thu 30 Oct
• Senior Choir – 3:45 PM in the Hall
Fri 31 Oct
• World Teacher’s Day
• Colour Run Fundraiser
WEEK 5
Mon 3 Nov
• Curriculum Day – Student Free Day
Tue 04 Nov
• Melbourne Cup Day Public Holiday – No School
Thu 06 Nov
• SSV – STATE ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
• Year 5 Leadership Speeches (BER with year 4s)
Senior Choir – 3.45 in the Hall
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
On Monday, our Year 3 and 4 students were treated to a visit from author Adam Wallace – and what a hit it was! Meanwhile, our Prep students had a very exciting visit from our local firefighters as part of their fire education program. On Monday they have their second session and weather permitting they will visit the fire engine!
Tuesday kept the fun going with a concert by Peter Coombs for our Prep to Year 3 students. There were lots of smiles, singing, and dancing – a real highlight for the week!
Today, we welcomed our second group of children for the Prep Transition Program. It was great to see our future preppies exploring their new learning environment. Last week’s session with the first group was a great success, and it’s lovely to see the excitement building already.
Our Year 5 students returned from their three-day camp at Peninsula Outdoors on the Mornington Peninsula. Although the weather didn’t start off the best, it certainly didn’t dampen their spirits! They embraced the challenges, tried new activities, and most importantly, enjoyed spending quality time together with their friends and teachers outside the classroom.
Next Tuesday 28th October there will be a Community Presentation of the OSPS Annual Report 2024. Parents are welcome to attend at 5.30pm in the Robotics Room.
Today we had 13 students represent OSPS at the Regional Athletics Carnival. This event had been postponed from Wednesday due to the inclement weather. Congratulations to everyone who competed and we will have the full results in next week’s newsletter.
Lastly, it’s only one week till our fantastic Colour Run will be held. This afternoon is such a fantastic, fun time for students and teachers! And the best news of all, it looks like the sun will be shining and the temperature in the mid 20’s!!
Enjoy a wonderful week ahead everyone.
Warm regards,
Nikki Virtuoso
Acting Principal
SCHOOL MATTERS
THE COLOUR RUN IS COMING!
The Colour Run is just one week away! To participate, all students must:
-
-
Register and pay the $10 donation separately for each student by Tuesday, 28 October at 3:30 pm
-
Final donations accepted until Friday 1st November
-
Funds raised will help install new sheltered bike racks in both junior and senior areas, including concreting, landscaping, and fence relocation.
HOW TO REGISTER:
Visit myprofilepage.com.au, search “My Profile Page,” or scan the QR code on the poster.
PLEASE NOTE: Without payment of the $10 donation, students cannot participate.
INCENTIVES:
-
-
Students who raise $50 or more will enter a raffle to slime a teacher — winners will be drawn on the day and can select the teacher they’d like to slime.
-
They’ll also be entered into the Lenovo tablet raffle, drawn once prizes arrive.
-
We’re looking for parents and carers to join in the fun by volunteering on the day! Help with spraying colour, setting up, and making the event a success. It’s a great way to get involved and be part of the excitement. If you are available to help on the day, please email Parent Group at osparentgroup67@gmail.com
Let’s make this our most colourful event yet — register and donate today!
AUTHOR VISIT: ADAM WALLACE LAUNCHES HATMAN!
On Monday, students in Years 3 to 6 were excited to welcome back author Adam Wallace for a special session to launch his new book, Hatman! Many students joined in the fun by wearing their favourite hats to celebrate.
Adam shared insights into the writing process and showed just how easy and enjoyable it can be to come up with story ideas.
There’s still time to order a signed copy of Hatman. Orders are open until Friday 31st October at www.hatman.com.au/octlaunch.
ROBOCUP NATIONALS 2025 – A WEEKEND TO REMEMBER!
What an incredible weekend it has been for our students at the RoboCup Nationals in Canberra (18–19 October 2025)! From the moment they arrived on Friday, the teams were full of excitement, focus, and determination. Their creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and resilience were on full display across every challenge.
All line teams performed brilliantly, completing their courses with impressive scores while demonstrating steady teamwork and encouraging one another throughout. The soccer teams had a strong start on the field, earning a win and a draw, overcoming challenges in their matches with skill and perseverance. The dance team also faced an early challenge but delivered a beautiful performance, demonstrating poise and determination. Throughout the day, students represented themselves and the school with pride and enthusiasm.
On the second day, the competition concluded with outstanding achievements. Both soccer teams finished the weekend on a high note, bringing home trophies in recognition of their efforts:
🏆 1st Place – Team Beetle Bot: Julian, Mithun, and Jake
🥉 3rd Place – Team Spider Bot: Kai and Max
The robotics and dance teams continued to impress with teamwork, focus, and dedication, completing their challenges with skill and determination.
The weekend was filled with fun, laughter, and memorable experiences that students will treasure. The school community is incredibly proud of all participants for their effort, resilience, and the exemplary way they represented the school. The memories, friendships, and achievements from this trip will no doubt leave a lasting impression on everyone involved.
Thank you to all families and supporters for your encouragement throughout this exciting weekend!
SCHOOLTV – FRIENDSHIP & BELONGING
Learning how to make new friends and keep them involves a number of skills every young person needs to understand and develop. For some these skills will come very naturally, allowing them to easily move between different friendship groups, sharing their experiences and opening up to new people. For others, this can be much harder to navigate. Belonging to a group that is like-minded with similar interests is highly beneficial to a young person’s wellbeing. It gives them a sense of security helping them feel valued which in turn builds their confidence.
Positive friendships are an important part of the journey to adulthood. Adult carers can support their child or teenager by providing guidance in the many social and emotional skills required for a healthy relationship. This will help them to obtain, retain and maintain friendships. However, not all friendship are regarded as positive. Sometimes young people develop negative or toxic friendships. Therefore, it is also important for them to learn how to identify, avoid or deal with such a friendship.
In this edition of SchoolTV, adult carers can learn how to support their young person’s friendship so that they experience a sense of belonging.
Here is the link to the Friendship & Belonging edition of SchoolTV: https://oakleighsouthps.vic.schooltv.me/newsletter/friendship-belonging
TWILIGHT PICNIC CELEBRATION
The OSPS Parent Group hosted a delightful Twilight Picnic last Friday evening.
The event was a great success, bringing together families and students for an evening filled with connection, laughter, and community spirit. With perfect weather, delicious food, and plenty of fun activities, the atmosphere was relaxed, joyful, and full of smiles.
A big thank you to everyone who attended, and to our incredible parent volunteers for helping make the night such a memorable success!
HALLOWEEN SCAVENGER FUNDRAISER – WITH A TWIST
Calling all local kids, teens and families! Add Oakleigh South Netball Club’s Trick ‘n’ Treat Scavenger App-venture to your traditional Halloween hunt this school holidays.
Solve riddles, crack clues & take on silly challenges with our Playtour browser app while trick or treating (no download required). Race against other crews to win the Halloween Treasure!
Cost: $13 per family/team (up to 5)
Location: Play anywhere.
How to Book:
- Pre-book tickets at https://www.netballoakleighsouth.com.au/halloween
- Or purchase on Halloween day along with your Trick ‘n’ Treat accessories: Oakleigh South Primary, Friday 31st October from 3-6pm.
Save the event: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BQxqPsBg9/?
Funds raised will support Oakleigh South Netball Club’s new hardship programme.
We love Oakleigh South, thank you for your support!
Oakleigh South Netball Club
STAFF CARPARK
The staff car park is for staff use only. Exceptions apply only to families with a valid disability parking permit or a temporary school-issued permit for exceptional circumstances.
Despite repeated reminders, some parents continue to park inappropriately, including in the disabled bays, and spaces next to the music room, which are reserved for admin and leadership staff only. This causes significant disruption and compromises safe access for staff, deliveries, and critically, emergency vehicles.
Staff cannot move vehicles that are parked incorrectly. Duty of care to students comes first, and children cannot be left unsupervised. It is the driver’s responsibility to park only in approved areas and comply with school rules to avoid inconvenience or safety risks.
Please use the oval parent car park or signed street parking for all drop-offs and pick-ups.
Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our school safe and operational.
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.
VALUED STUDENT AWARDS
SENIOR VALUED STUDENT AWARDS
YEAR 4 VALUED STUDENT AWARDS
Mickey – 4ML
(Excellence)
For his improved sentence writing and completion of literacy tasks. Keep up the good efforts Mickey!
Johaan – 4ML
(Excellence)
For applying good number strategies to solve worded problems and Maths Invaders tasks. Awesome efforts, Johaan!
Thomas – 4AS
(Excellence)
For showing wonderful improvement in reading. Great work, Thomas!
Devam – 4AS
(Excellence)
For demonstrating amazing mathematical skills and showing kindness when assisting his classmates.
Leah – 4AS
(Respect)
For demonstrating respect and kindness towards everyone in our school community. Well done, Leah!
Conor – 4CR
(Excellence)
For his impressive persuasive writing piece, calling for a national ban on animals performing in circuses.
Akshaj – 4CR
(Excellence)
For the excellent persuasive piece he wrote advocating for a national ban on the use of animals in circuses.
Remy – 4CG
(Excellence)
For showing fantastic determination during his online assessments, resulting in brilliant marks!
Ryan – 4CG
(Excellence)
For creating a detailed and persuasive letter to ban the use of animals in circuses. Brilliant work Ryan!
Tanishi – 4CG
(Excellence)
For showing great determination in our Statistics unit, consistently completing tasks above Year 4 level!
Xavier – 4LD
(Excellence)
For always following class rules and routines carefully. You are a model student for 4LD
April – 4LD
(Integrity)
For returning from the break refocused and with a strong work ethic. You are also our Wordle champion!
Pranshi – 4WW
(Excellence)
For her wonderful effort in all areas of the curriculum this term! You are a superstar, Pranshi!
Janis – 4WW
(Excellence)
For making a great start on his AR goal this term. Keep up it up, Janis!
YEAR 5 VALUED STUDENT AWARDS
Jaymie – 5MP
(Excellence)
For demonstrating high standards in all his work, across all curriculum areas. Outstanding work!
Emma – 5MP
(Excellence)
For demonstrating a positive ‘Can Do’ attitude and working hard to reach her academic learning goals.
Thien – 5MP
(Working Together)
For taking on responsibilities within the classroom and improving his organisational skills. Keep persisting!
Isla – 5MP
(Respect)
For treating all classmates and teachers with respect and kindness, at all times. Great work Isla!
Amaira – 5MJ
(Excellence)
For showing confidence by stepping up to take on extra responsibilities in all aspects of school life!
Ryder – 5MJ
(Respect)
For demonstrating respect and politeness towards teachers and office staff. Keep it up, Ryder!
Sri – 5MJ
(Excellence)
For showing initiative and diligence in his classroom role as IT support, helping our classroom run smoothly!
Anshul – 5JD
(Excellence)
For consistently showing high standards in his work and completing his class duties with dedication and care.
Ryan – 5JD
(Resilience)
For welcoming new challenges with a positive attitude and always giving his best effort!
Levi – 5JD
(Resilience)
For always showing a helpful attitude and flexibility in completing any class job successfully.
Adrian – 5LG
(Working Together)
For always demonstrating enthusiasm for learning. We love your attitude to class work, Adrian!
Liam – 5LG
(Respect)
For demonstrating a respectful attitude towards teachers. Well done, Liam!
Oscar – 5LG
(Excellence)
For applying himself to all class tasks and achieving a terrific standard – keep it up, Oscar!
Isaac – 5KM
(Respect)
For always showing kindness, respect and care towards his classmates and teachers. Keep it up Isaac!
Chiraag – 5KM
(Excellence)
For outstanding effort achieving his high A.R. targets and completing tasks to a high standard.
Asher – 5KM
(Working Together)
For consistently demonstrating teamwork, cooperation, and encouragement with classmates and friends.
YEAR 6 VALUED STUDENT AWARDS
Sam – 6MH
(Excellence)
For excellence in acting and singing during the Matilda Production. Your talent shone brightly on stage!
Erin – 6MH
(Excellence)
For outstanding performance as the Acrobat in the Matilda Production. Your flips and stunts amazed us all!
Nikki – 6MH
(Excellence)
For an exceptional portrayal of Miss Honey in the Matilda Production. Your warmth as a teacher shone on stage!
Kemi – 6NM
(Integrity)
For bringing her positive attitude to 6NM day in and day out!
Justin – 6NM
(Working Together)
For being a good team member in a variety of different Maths partner tasks.
Mithun – 6SM
(Resilience)
For facing challenges and trying hard things despite being nervous. You’re a star, Mithun!
Joanna – 6SM
(Working Together)
For being a kind, inclusive and trusted friend. You’re a gem, Joanna!
Teresa – 6CM
(Excellence)
For consistently completing all weekly homework and all classroom tasks. You are ready for high school Teresa.
Harry – 6CM
(Respect)
For always speaking with respect and courtesy, using manners, and being kind to others.
Jade – 6CM
(Excellence)
For a sensational performance in the Year 6 Production, and all her dedication along the way.
Oliver – 6CM
(Excellence)
For a terrific performance in the Year 6 Production, as ‘Mr Wormwood’! Superstar effort, Oliver!
STUDENT SHOWCASE
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING IN YEAR 2…
This term, our Integrated Studies focus is Australia, exploring what makes our country such a special and unique place to live! Throughout the term, students will journey across our nation, learning about its geography, culture, history, and people.
We’ll begin by learning to locate Australia on a world map, helping students understand where we live in relation to the rest of the world. From there, we’ll explore the Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags, learning what each symbol and colour represents and why these flags are so important to our identity.
As we continue, students will investigate what makes Australia unique, from its incredible landscapes and native animals to its rich cultural diversity. They’ll also be introduced to Dreamtime stories, learning how these traditional stories explain the creation of the world and the deep connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have with the land.
Next, we’ll explore Australia’s states and territories, discovering famous landmarks, capital cities, and key facts about each one. Each week, students will “travel” to a new region, from the sunny beaches of Queensland to the red deserts of the Northern Territory, and the wide-open spaces of South Australia and Western Australia. They’ll research fun facts, unique features, and special places that make each state and territory stand out.
To wrap up our Australian adventure, students will create their very own postcard or letter to their teacher, imagining they have travelled to one of Australia’s capital cities. They’ll describe the location, weather, and landmarks, bringing together everything they’ve learned. Each student will even receive a special plane ticket and boarding pass for their imaginative trip around Australia, a fun and creative way to end the term.
YEAR 2 PRODUCTION – ROCK BOTTOM
Our Year 2 students have been working incredibly hard in preparation for their production of Rock Bottom! Throughout Term 3, they have dedicated themselves to learning lines, mastering some groovy songs, and perfecting their dance moves.
Rehearsals have now moved into the hall, and the excitement is building as the students take to the stage for the first time. Rock Bottom is a fun, lively show full of music, movement, and plenty of laughs — a performance you won’t want to miss!
Make sure to mark your calendars with the show dates if you haven’t already:
RED CAST – Tuesday 25th November: 2GL, 2AB, 2RV & ½ 2AP
ORANGE CAST – Wednesday 26th November: 2VO, 2TM, 2ML & ½ 2AP
Tickets and more information will be available closer to the show dates.
DESIGN THINKING WEEK
Last week and this week OSPS is celebrating Design Thinking Week. This exciting week encourages students to become creative problem-solvers by putting themselves in someone else’s shoes
Using the story Pig the Pug as inspiration, students will explore how Pig might be feeling and think about ways to help him. Through the Design Thinking Process of empathising, defining, ideating, prototyping, and testing, students will brainstorm and design innovative solutions that show kindness and empathy.
They’ll work collaboratively, sketching ideas on sticky notes and mini whiteboards before bringing their ideas to life in the prototype phase. If time allows, students will transfer their final designs to colourful prototype posters, which may be displayed in the classroom.
LITERACY CORNER
“BANG!” The brown kettle crashed loudly onto the pot. This was an old, grumpy cat who was not being kind or respecting others. What he was doing was not helping. The cat’s owner got annoyed with the cat always chewing the colourful mat, crashing important things together, and not listening to anyone.
One day, the fierce owner got so annoyed that he kicked the naughty cat out of the house! The heartbroken cat thought he should do something heroic to impress everyone. He sat on a bench, all alone. He tried to do something to help but didn’t know what to do! What was he going to do?
The next day, the cat had his own plan. He was not going to be naughty anymore. He quietly sneaked to school and saw that people were being bullied. The cat raced to stop this awful problem. He realized he was becoming a brilliant hero! After he solved the problem, he wasn’t just ‘the cat’ anymore — he was SUPER Cat!
Super Cat zoomed around the troublesome town, fighting monsters and solving problems. Whilst out on one of his adventures, he saw a glittery suit! It had a protective shield, a brave mask, and an orange cape. Super Cat looked so cool in it! He was ready to save the world!
Super Cat flew excitedly all over the town, saving people. Once, he even had to save his grumpy, mean owner. Super Cat was flying and saving nearly everybody, keeping the world safe, protected, and beautiful! He was a true hero.
At the end of the day, the sun was setting, and he was tired. He went to bed safely. He couldn’t wait to save people again.
YEAR 2 GEM
In the Resilience Project, our Year 2 students and teachers have been exploring how people respond to everyday situations in different ways and how to practise showing empathy in these moments. Students have developed a deeper understanding of how their peers may show different emotional responses in challenging situations and how to respond appropriately.
As a year level, we have also focused on appreciating teachers, staff, and our wider school community, recognising the positive contributions they make to our learning and personal growth. Through engaging, hands-on activities, students have enjoyed practising mindfulness and learning strategies to calm their bodies using their breath. Many classes now include these techniques as part of their daily routines, helping to consolidate their learning.
Empathy has been a strong focus, with students learning how their actions can make a difference to others and understanding that helping benefits both the giver and the receiver.
This term, we look forward to exploring feelings and emotions in more depth, understanding the benefits of teamwork, and recognising and expressing appreciation towards our school and local community. We encourage families to continue having meaningful conversations with their children about these topics and invite you to share stories with us about how you are supporting these messages at home and within your communities.
GRATITUDE
We are grateful for the opportunity to perform in our school production and share our talents with others.
EMPATHY
We show empathy for everyone experiencing hayfever in this spring weather.
MINDFULNESS
We practise mindfulness by enjoying the longer evenings and taking a walk after dinner during daylight savings.
SPECIALIST SPOTLIGHT
TERM FOUR IN THE JUNIOR MUSIC ROOM
This term in Junior Performing Arts, our students have been busy performing, playing instruments, singing, and learning dances from different cultures.
Prep to Year Three students recently had the exciting opportunity to sing along with Peter Combe, who performed for them this week. It was a fantastic concert, and Peter was very impressed with our students’ singing voices!
Year Two students have been full of enthusiasm during their production practices and have loved being on stage. We can’t wait to share their performance with you later this term!
In Year Three, classes 3NH, 3AN, and 3FT have continued their recorder lessons, while 3MW, 3WC, and 3NM are exploring “Music Futures” with Mr. Mietzcke. Students are also invited to join the Recorder Club, which meets every Wednesday in the Junior Music Room.
We would like to commend all our talented performers who have shared their skills in the classroom. We wish them every success in their upcoming music exams and concerts.
Junior Choir is open to students in Years One, Two, and Three every Tuesday at 1:00 pm in the Junior Music Room. New members are always welcome!
We look forward to seeing our talented students perform at the next Junior Assembly!
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.
