Oakleigh South Primary School
NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 36
14th November, 2025
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” — Confucius
IMPORTANT DATES
Issue 36 – 14th November 2025
Sat 15 Nov
• MISJ Fete: Nominochi
WEEK 7
Tue 18 Nov
• Year 4 to 6 Assembly – 2:45PM
• School Council Meeting – 6:00PM
Thu 20 Nov
• Senior Choir – 3:45PM in the Hall
WEEK 8
Mon 24 Nov
• Year 6 Camp Halls Gap 2025 – Day 1/5
• Prep Swimming Program – Day 1/5 – 11:00AM
Tue 25 Nov
• Year 6 Camp Halls Gap 2025 – Day 2/5
• Prep Swimming Program – Day 2/5 – 11:00AM
• Prep to Year 3 Assembly – 2:45PM in the Hall
• Year 2 Production 2GL 2AB 2RV & 1/2 2AP – 6:30PM in the Hall
Wed 26 Nov
• Year 6 Camp Halls Gap 2025 – Day 3/5
• Prep Swimming Program – Day 3/5 – 11:00AM
• Year 2 Production 2VO 2TM 2ML & 1/2 2AP – 6:30PM in the Hall
Thu 27 Nov
• Year 6 Camp Halls Gap 2025 – Day 4/5
• Prep Swimming Program – Day 4/5 – 11:00AM
• Senior Choir – 3:45PM in the Hall
Fri 28 Nov
• Year 6 Camp Halls Gap 2025 – Day 5/5
• Prep Swimming Program – Day 5/5 – 11:00AM
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
What a wonderful day we’ve had at school today! This afternoon, all our students took part in our whole school transition session, where they spent time in the next year’s level. It was a great opportunity for everyone to get a little taste of what’s to come in 2026 — exploring some of the exciting activities and events they’ll get to enjoy next year.
It’s important to remember that the teachers the students spent time with today may not necessarily be their teacher for 2026. Classes are still being finalised, and students will find out their new class and teacher on the last day of term — Thursday, 18th December.
I would like to congratulate Evert Eykman who has been the successful applicant in a full time Acting Assistant Principal role in 2026. Thank you to both Nigel Hooley and Evert Eykman for sharing the Acting Assistant Principal role in 2025. In 2026, the Assistant Principal team will consist of Sue Jackson (Prep & 1), Evert Eykman (Years 2 & 3) and Erik Albers (Years 4, 5 & 6).
In other news, tomorrow the Japanese School will be holding their annual fete here at our school. It’s always a fantastic event full of delicious food, great performances, and a wonderful community atmosphere. Please come along and support them if you can — it’s sure to be a great day!
This week tickets went on sale for the whole school to see the Year 2 production of ‘Rock Bottom’. The shows will be held over two nights:
- Red Cast – 2GL, 2AB, 2RV & ½ 2AP will perform on Tuesday, 25th November
- Orange Cast – 2VO, 2TM, 2ML & ½ 2AP will perform on Wednesday, 26th November
Ticket prices are:
- Adult: $10
- Child: $7.50 (4-12yo only) Children under the age of 4 can sit on the knee of an adult in the seated area.
The event titled ‘OSPS Year 2 – Rock Bottom’ can be found using this link: OSPS Year 2 – Rock Bottom
Have a wonderful week ahead!
Warm regards,
Nikki Virtuoso
Acting Principal
SCHOOL MATTERS
INVITATION TO THE ANNUAL MISJ FETE: NOMINOICHI 2025
The Parents’ Association of the Melbourne International School of Japanese (MISJ) warmly invites the Oakleigh South Primary School community to their annual fete, held on the OSPS Hall and Basketball Courts, on Saturday, 15th November 2025, from 2:00pm – 4:30pm!
Highlights:
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Games & activities: Haunted House, Lucky Dip, Snack Fishing, Mini Bowling & more
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Food & drinks: Takoyaki, Karaage, Daifuku, ice creams, bubble tea & baked treats
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Markets & auctions: Flea Market, Book Market, Silent Auction
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Entertainment: Talent Show & Drawing Show
Scan the QR codes for full details, or see attached flyers for the schedule, map, and activities.
Come along for a fun afternoon filled with food, games, and festival magic!
YEAR 2 PRODUCTION – ROCK BOTTOM
Our talented Year 2 students have been working incredibly hard throughout the year to bring you this year’s production, Rock Bottom! We can’t wait to share their energy, creativity and confidence with our school community.
Tickets are now on sale for the whole school community! You can access the event directly at www.trybooking.com/DGUBH or by searching “OSPS Year 2 – Rock Bottom” on the TryBooking website.
Performance Dates:
- Red Cast – 2GL, 2AB, 2RV & ½ 2AP: Tuesday 25 November
- Orange Cast – 2VO, 2TM, 2ML & ½ 2AP: Wednesday 26 November
Ticket Prices:
- Adult: $10
- Child (4–12 years only): $7.50
- Children under the age of 4 may sit on an adult’s knee in the seated area.
All performances will be held in the School Hall and will begin at 6:30pm sharp.
Please remember that no filming or photography is permitted during performances. This ensures we meet copyright and privacy requirements and allows everyone to enjoy the show distraction-free.
We look forward to celebrating our Year 2 students’ wonderful achievements and coming together as a community for this exciting event!
SPECIAL REPORT: NEW SOCIAL MEDIA REGULATIONS
New Social Media Regulations: What you need to know
From 10 December 2025, new laws will take effect in Australia to protect young people online by restricting access to social media for those under the age of 16. This important change reflects growing community concern about the impact of early social media use on children’s mental health, wellbeing and development.
Research shows that social media can expose children to unrealistic comparisons, online pressure and harmful content long before they are emotionally ready to manage it. While regulation is a positive step forward, real safety begins at home. Families continue to play the most powerful role in helping children build confidence, resilience and awareness in the digital world.
These new regulations provide an opportunity to talk openly with your child about their online experiences and what these changes mean for them. It’s also a chance to review family technology habits, reinforce healthy routines, and explore age-appropriate ways for young people to connect, learn and express themselves.
This Special Report explains what the new laws mean in practice and offers practical guidance to help families prepare for the upcoming changes.
Here is the link to your Special Report: https://oakleighsouthps.vic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-new-social-media-regulations-what-you-need-know
WACKY WEDNESDAY
On Wednesday, December 3rd, students and teachers, are encouraged to come dressed in their wackiest gear for the Student Voice- Wacky Wednesday. Your only limit is your imagination!!
On the day, every dollar students bring in, will receive a WACKY ticket and be in the running to win an amazing prize. There will be 3 WACKY draws and WACKY prizes for the WACKIEST dress ups.
All money raised will go to the State Schools’ Relief- a not-for-profit organisation that improves the lives of tens of thousands of disadvantaged Victorian students, and their families, each year.
Please see Compass for more information.
2026 INTENTIONS – STUDENTS NOT RETURNING TO OSPS
Dear Parents and Carers,
We are currently reviewing our projected student numbers for 2026 across all year levels in preparation for structuring our teaching teams and grades. If your child will not be attending Oakleigh South Primary School next year, please email enrolments@oakleighsouthps.vic.edu.au as soon as possible. Include your child’s full name, their current class, and the name of the school they will be attending in 2026.
Thank you for your support!
SENIOR CHOIR SOIREE
Dear Choir Families,
We are opening up our final Senior Choir Thursday this year as a soiree performance of our repertoire. We would love parents and family to come along and watch the results of all their hard work this year.
Thank you for your support of choir this year, it has been a great joy to hear them singing every week.
Also please note that Senior choir is CANCELLED on Thursday 27th November as no teachers are available that day.
Regards,
Senior Choir Team
PARENT GROUP
YEAR 1 & 3 POPCORN DAY
Parent Group will be hosting a Popcorn Day for Year 1 and Year 3 students on Friday, 28 November 2025. Each bag of popcorn will cost $4.
Please note that orders close at 3.00 pm on Wednesday, 26 November 2025, and no late orders can be accepted.
Please see Compass for the link to order.
If you have any questions, please contact Parent Group on osparentgroup67@gmail.com
Thank you,
Parent Group
YEAR 4 & 5 HOT CHIP DAY
Parent Group will be hosting a Hot Chip Day for Year 4 and Year 5 students on Friday, 28 November 2025. A bucket of hot chips will cost $5 and juice boxes will be available for $2.
Please note that orders close at 3.00 pm on Wednesday, 26 November 2025, and no late orders can be accepted.
Please see Compass for the link to order.
If you have any questions, please contact Parent Group on osparentgroup67@gmail.com
Thank you,
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.
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
Leo K. – 0LM – Empathy: For always being so inclusive and encouraging to all of his friends. Amazing Leo!
Ava M. – 1JG – Empathy: For noticing a classmate in need and going out of her way to make sure they felt included and happy. You have a big heart and are a very sweet friend to have, Ava!
Rachael W. – 2AP – Gratitude: For showing wonderful gratitude and always helping to keep the classroom clean and tidy! Your kindness and responsibility make our classroom a happier place for everyone, Rachael!
Axel L. – 3AN – Empathy: For having wonderful manners, treating everyone with respect, and always supporting others in the classroom. Well done, Axel!
Diya D. – 4CR – Empathy: For demonstrating kindness and empathy towards others in her class at all times! Well done Diya!
Lakshya P. – 5JD – Gratitude: For demonstrating kindness, gratitude, and wonderful manners throughout the Year 5 Camp.
Deetya M. – 6NM – Empathy: For the compassion she shows to her friends. Your loyalty is outstanding, Deetya!
GEM CHATS
As part of The Resilience Project, GEM Chats are short activities designed to build habits of Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness and Emotional Literacy. These quick conversations are a simple way to strengthen connections and practise wellbeing strategies as a family.
SPECIALIST SPOTLIGHT
ART ROOM NEWS – OCTOBER: A SPOOKY SPLASH OF CREATIVITY👻
PREP – PERFECTLY PUMPKIN! 🎃
Our youngest artists have been exploring mark making through their spooky pumpkin artworks. Using lines, patterns, and expressive brushstrokes, Prep students experimented with texture and design while learning how marks can bring their pumpkins to life. The results are bright, bold, and bursting with Halloween charm!
YEAR 1 – BOO-TIFUL BATS IN FLIGHT! 🦇
YEAR 2 – SPOOKY SKELETON ENGINEERS! 💀
Problem-solving skills have been at the heart of the Year 2 skeleton project. Students have been carefully constructing paper skeletons that can move and pose, working out how to join parts and balance proportions. It’s been wonderful to see them think creatively to overcome construction challenges—true artistic engineers!
YEAR 3 – COTTON TIP CREATIONS! ☠️
YEAR 4 – FRIGHTENINGLY FANTASTIC FIGURES! 👻
In Year 4, students have been delving into perspective and foreshortening to create spooky figures that seem to leap out of the page! They’ve experimented with scale and proportion, learning how to make their figures appear 3D and dynamic. The results are eerie yet impressive—an artistic trick and treat all in one!
YEAR 5 & 6 – DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS DELIGHTS! 💐
SPORT REPORT
STATE ATHLETICS CHAMPION SUCCESS!
Last Thursday, 6 November, Oakleigh South Primary School had five incredible athletes compete at the State Athletics Championships. We would like to wish them a huge congratulations on their efforts and hard work — we are so proud of their wonderful achievements!
Drewin represented OSPS in the 11-year-old boys’ 100m event and sprinted to 1st place, taking home the gold medal. He also competed in the 200m, where he not only won gold again but also broke the state record with an outstanding time of 26.02 seconds — an amazing accomplishment!!
Kosta represented Oakleigh South brilliantly in the 9–10-year-old boys’ 200m event, where he made the State Final and finished 6th overall. This is a fantastic result for his first ever State Championships!
Finally, our 11-year-old boys’ 4x100m relay team, made up of Drewin, Boyd, Jack, and Thomas, shone brightly on the track, claiming 2nd place overall and taking home the silver medal, officially making them the second-fastest relay team in Victoria.
The teachers, staff, and the entire Oakleigh South community are incredibly proud of these young athletes. Congratulations, boys, on your terrific achievements!
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.
