Oakleigh South Primary School
NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 39
5th December, 2025
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” — Thomas Edison
IMPORTANT DATES
Issue 39 – 5th December 2025
WEEK 10
Tue 9 Dec
• House Swimming Carnival
• Year 6-7 Transition Day – Public Schools
• Year 4 CraftPower Incursion 2025
• Year 4 to 6 Assembly – 2:45PM in the Hall
Wed 10 Dec
• Year 4 CraftPower Incursion
Thu 11 Dec
• Parent Group Christmas Stall – Day 1/2
• Year 4 CraftPower Incursion
• Senior Choir – 3:45PM in the Hall
Fri 12 Dec
• Parent Group Christmas Stall Day 2/2
• FUSE Cup 2025 – 1:00PM
WEEK 11
Tue 16 Dec
• Year 6 Graduation Lunch – Students & Staff ONLY
• Prep to Year 3 Assembly (02:45PM – 03:30PM)
• Year 6 Graduation Presentation Night (06:30PM)
Wed 17 Dec
• Year 4 Mission to Mars Expo in Hall
Thu 18 Dec
• End Term 4 (3:30pm dismissal)
Fri 19 Dec
• Curriculum Day – Student Free Day
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
What a fun day we had celebrating Wacky Wednesday! The whole school got involved and the creativity on display was incredible. Best of all, we raised much-needed funds for the State Schools Relief charity. A huge thank-you to Mr Morrey and Miss Roth, who guided our Student Voice group and helped arrange this fantastic day.
Today was also very special, as we welcomed 138 excited children to school for their 2026 Prep transition session. They spent the morning meeting their new teachers and classmates, while parents enjoyed coffee, conversation and the opportunity to purchase second-hand uniform. Thank you to our wonderful parent group for organising and supporting this event.
I’m also thrilled to share that OSPS has once again achieved excellent NAPLAN results. We have been rated the top-performing government primary school in Victoria. This is an incredible achievement and a reflection of the dedication, talent and hard work of our students and staff. Congratulations to everyone, your efforts shine across the whole school, not just in NAPLAN.
Looking ahead, Tuesday is our OSPS House Swimming Carnival at Carnegie Memorial Pool. Results from the day will contribute to selection of our 2026 swim squad, so good luck to all our swimmers. Our Year 6 students heading to government secondary schools will also be off on their transition day on Tuesday. We wish them all the very best as they explore their new environments and take this exciting next step.
Other highlights this week include the Year 4 Craftpower incursion on Thursday and our much-loved Christmas Stall on Thursday and Friday, beautifully organised and run by our amazing parent group. See the Compass notification for full details.
Another huge week at OSPS, and thank you to our staff, students and families for everything you do to make our community such a wonderful place to learn and grow.
Wishing all families a wonderful week ahead!
Warm regards,
Nikki Virtuoso
Acting Principal
SCHOOL MATTERS
IN THIS EDITION OF SchoolTV: SCHOOL TRANSITIONS
Whether it is starting school for the first time, moving up to a new year level or beginning the journey into secondary school, any school transition is an exciting milestone for children and parents. It is a sign that your children are growing up.
However, adjusting to a new school setting is an ongoing process. It can continue long after students have entered their new environment, and challenges may arise at different stages. These stressors can show up as anxiety or frustration, which may lead to negative or disruptive behaviours. This can make the transition period more difficult for children and parents.
In this edition of SchoolTV, parents will learn practical strategies to support their child during school transitions and help reduce stress and anxiety.
We hope you take time to reflect on the information in this edition of SchoolTV, and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school wellbeing team for further information, or seek medical or professional support.
Here is the link to the School Transitions edition of SchoolTV: https://oakleighsouthps.vic.schooltv.me/newsletter/school-transitions
OSPS CHRISTMAS STALL
The OSPS Parent Group will be hosting the Christmas Stall next week on Thursday 11 and Friday 12 December. Gifts will range from $1–$15. Each class will visit during their allocated time with their teacher.
On your child’s allocated day, please send them with money in a sealed zip-lock bag clearly labelled with their name and class, and a bag for their shopping, as no bags are provided.
Please see Compass for more details.
We are also seeking volunteers to help on either day, or with set-up. If you can help, please add your details via this link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yy3oOwI3Nz1lt6Jx44FlhIUrawvkxLHlOdxnaaNAGns/edit?usp=sharing
SENIOR CHOIR SOIREE
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.
We are also excited to share that some OSPS School Band members will be playing alongside the choir, adding extra musical magic to the performance!
Thank you for your support of choir this year — it has been a great joy to hear the students singing every week.
Please note that Senior Choir will be CANCELLED on Thursday 27th November, as no teachers are available that day.
Regards,
Senior Choir Team
GET READY TO DANCE – THE OSPS DISCO IS BACK!
Get your dancing shoes on because the OSPS Disco is back!
Date: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Location: School Hall
Tickets: $5 each
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Purchase online via TryBooking, see the Compass newsfeed for the link
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Or purchase at the door, cash only
Disco Sessions:
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Junior Disco (Prep to Year 2): 5.00pm to 6.00pm
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Senior Disco (Year 3 to Year 6): 6.30pm to 8.00pm
Please note: Only current OSPS students may attend.
GLOW PRODUCTS
Glow products will be available for purchase online only via TryBooking. See the Compass newsfeed for the link.
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Online sales close Tuesday, 16 December at 4.00pm
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Wristbands and glow items will be delivered to classrooms on the day
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No glow products will be sold at the disco
VOLUNTEERS
As this is a parent and carer free event, we are seeking volunteers to help on the night.
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Volunteers must hold a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC)
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To assist, email osparentgroup67@gmail.com with your preferred session and a copy of your WWCC
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Don’t have a WWCC? Apply for free as a volunteer here: WWCC Application
WACKY WEDNESDAY
Our Student Voice team loved seeing the whole school get into the spirit of Wacky Wednesday. The colours, patterns and creative outfits made the day a standout, and every bit of fun helped raise a total of $3,287.90 for State Schools Relief, supporting families in need across Victoria. Your generosity went far beyond our wackiest expectations.
Check out the Padlet slideshow below to see the amazing outfits captured throughout the day. Student Voice selected the student and teacher dress up winners directly from the Padlet entries.
Wackiest Dress Up Winners
• Prep: Om (Prep AM) and Dhruv (Prep OCD)
• Year 1: Eunice (1AN) and Maya (1MB)
• Year 2: Meera (2AB) and Agy (2GL)
• Year 3: Krishay (3NM) and Jasmine (3FT)
• Year 4: Tali (4ML) and Ran (4CR)
• Year 5: Oliver (5KM) and Mason (5EW)
• Year 6: Makiah (6NM) and Erin (6SS)
Wackiest Teachers
• Mrs Mallett
• Miss Dunkley
Wacky Ticket Winners
Students received Wacky Tickets based on the donations they brought in, and the winning tickets were drawn at assembly. Each winner received a $50 gift card. Congratulations to the following students:
• Junior School: Samrat (1SC) and Olivia (1JG)
• Middle School: Eliya (3NM) and Nick (4WW)
• Senior School: Serafiina (5EW) and Marques (6FW)
Congratulations to all our winners, and thank you to everyone who helped make the day such a success! We are already looking forward to Wacky Wednesday in 2026.
OUR MUCH-LOVED SCHOOL COLOUR RUN IN 2025
Our much-loved School Colour Run was a fantastic success this year! All money raised is going towards improving the bike racks for both the junior and senior school.
TOP 5 FUNDRAISERS
A huge congratulations to Finn, who raised an incredible $2,880. Well done, Finn!
🏆 Top 5 Fundraisers 🏆
1. Finn S. (1NC) – $2,880
2. Zara A. (0LM) – $780
3. Tommy P. (0FB) – $700
4. Ava G. (0CD) – $690
5. Levi S. (1LC) – $651
We are so proud of their amazing efforts — well done to all!
LENOVO TABLET WINNER
The Lenovo tablet was drawn at our school assembly on Tuesday, 2nd December.
🎉 And the winner is… Theo M. (4ML)! 🎉
A big thank you to all students, families, and staff who helped make this year’s Colour Run such a success. Whether you ran, volunteered, donated, or cheered from the sidelines, your support helps improve our school for everyone.
LOST PROPERTY CLEAR-OUT
We’ll be clearing out all lost property opposite the library between now and the last day of term, Thursday 18th December. This is your chance to check for any missing items, including uniforms, hats, lunch boxes, and personal belongings.
Anything not claimed by this date will either be donated to the school’s second-hand uniform shop or thrown out.
Please take a moment to look through the lost property before the end of term – it’s the perfect way to make sure your items find their way back home and help keep our school tidy!
Thank you,
Parent Group
OSPS CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE
This festive season, our school community has the wonderful opportunity to bring joy and comfort to children spending Christmas in hospital at Monash Children’s Hospital. For many of these children, the holidays can feel a little lonely or uncertain, but with a gift from our community, we can light up their day and sprinkle a little festive magic.
We’re inviting all families, students, and staff to join in this special effort. Every gift, big or small, is a spark of kindness that can brighten a child’s Christmas and remind them they are thought of and cared for.
By giving together, we show the incredible power of a community united in generosity and joy.
HOW TO HELP:
Simply drop your gifts in the collection tubs in the school office by 15th December. Your generosity will go directly to the children, and hospital staff will lovingly wrap each gift so that every child receives a touch of Christmas wonder.
Let’s come together to share laughter, joy, and the spirit of giving. By contributing, we can help make this festive season a little brighter, a little warmer, and a lot more magical for the children at Monash Children’s Hospital.
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
Charlotte H. – 0FB – Empathy: For showing care, understanding, and compassion to your classmates. You help make our classroom a happier place!
Chloe K. – 1NM – Empathy: For assisting classmates who need help with their maths activities. You are a star, Chloe!
Lydia G. – 2GL – Empathy: For always showing empathy to her classmates and making sure everyone feels included in 2GL. Well done, Lydia!
Tommy K. – 3WC – Gratitude: For always showing appreciation and thankfulness. Your gratitude helps create an inclusive and caring atmosphere in the classroom. Well done, Tommy!
Rophe C. – 4CG – Gratitude: For always using his manners and being grateful and eager to take on every task!
Natalie K. – 5MP – Empathy: Natalie responded with genuine compassion when a student struggled during her leadership speech, offering calm and reassuring support.
Alice L. – 6MH – Empathy: For being such a supportive person on camp. Alice, you brought amazing energy and care, and we all appreciate it!
STUDENT SHOWCASE
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING IN YEAR 4?
This term, our Year 4 students have been hard at work investigating remarkable inventions as part of their Integrated Studies unit. Each student chose an invention that sparked their curiosity and completed a research task to prepare a short, formal presentation for the class.
Students explored what their invention is, who created it, when and where it originated, and the purpose behind it. They also examined its timeline, key features, and interesting facts, including cost, how it has improved over time, or challenges faced during its development.
After completing their research, students transformed their findings into a polished two-minute talk, supported by a PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation. Many included images, diagrams, and props to keep their presentations engaging and informative. They also practised their speeches using cue cards to support confident and clear delivery.
This rich learning experience has strengthened students’ skills in research, presentation and public speaking, while giving them a deeper appreciation for the creative world of inventions.
Congratulations to all Year 4 students for their curiosity, effort and confidence throughout the unit!
LITERACY CORNER
This term in Writing, our Year 4 students have been exploring the elements of narrative structure through an imaginative story prompt titled Stuck. Students were challenged to create a character, animal or object that found itself stuck in an unusual or unexpected situation, then craft a complete story that followed a clear and coherent storyline.
To guide their writing, students planned their narratives by identifying the key components of a strong story. They developed interesting characters, selected engaging settings and created a problem their characters needed to overcome. Students then experimented with different ways to resolve the complication and bring their stories to a satisfying conclusion.
Throughout the unit, students used checklists and key vocabulary lists to revise and strengthen their drafts. Many demonstrated strong growth in using descriptive language, sequencing events logically and building tension. Their final pieces reflected creativity, imagination and thoughtful planning.
We are very proud of the effort and enthusiasm Year 4 students brought to this narrative unit. Their Stuck stories were entertaining, original and full of personality.
Stuck by Aria S, 4AS
Her ankles were heating up in the spots her ankle-length socks did not cover. Mini towers of green dotted the barren land of sand and dead bushes lightly. The sun heated the golden sandy wavy floor, blistering everything living. The hot humid air made her body rain with sweat. Hay bales ran away from the wind and the spiky cacti. Lilao’s feet slipped into the sand time and again, burning her ankles more than ever. The sun glared down at her again and again, as if it hated her when she was in the sandy dunes. Little bunnies scuttled quickly away from them, probably because of the sun, and snakes slithered on top of cold rocks to cool their blistering bellies.
A horn blared from somewhere in the distance. The Queen Games had begun and so had her mission. Her teammates lined up in a line, keeping their distance from the rival team, the Tricksters. The Sunny team surely kept their space away from them, but the Tricks did not listen to the rule to keep their distance, not one bit. But Lilao could not focus on the Tricks wanting to stop her anymore. The explanation of the Games had officially begun.
“All eyes and ears here, I command you all to listen to these rules very carefully,” Mother Taila boomed over their whispering. “The rules of the hazardous games are that you will be searching for the golden feathered wand called The Acuratea, as you must know. In these games killing is not prohibited, and every time you find the object on the clue that you should receive in a moment, you attain another precious clue to find this legendary pen and come through as the Queen of Camoria and rule the Forest of the Stories with your true love. And your quest starts NOW!” Taila finished her speech and disappeared into thin smoke. The team started on the first test, determined to win.
They gathered around the nearest tree and tried to figure out the first test while also looking for the pen. The clue read, “Where the under trees grow is where the press to your beloved is.” “What would that mean?” questioned Marina. “Why of course it is the Mangrove Fairy Lake down in Avalon!” Lilao said. But little did they know that the Tricksters were right on their tail.
The wet swampland finally came into view of the Sunnys and the Tricksters. Frogs bounded here and there, making clothes dirty with muck. Both teams were equally determined to win the next clue. Unfortunately for the Tricks, the way to the Mangrove Fairy Lake was a secret to everyone but Lilao. “Come on guys, the only thing in our way is the guardians’ temple. Get past that and you have your swamp,” Lilao cheered happily. After a bit of talking and walking, the ancient guardian temple covered in moss wowed their eyes in wonder. Although the temple was one of the fairytale wonders, the gorilla guards would not let one soul pass the boundaries they were sent to guard.
The Sunnys made a plan. Marina and Lilao would go straight to the buff gorillas. If they did not persuade them, Tiana and Sophia would shoot the gorillas in the head with their arrows and try to get to the Mangrove Fairy Lake, then teleport their sisters Lilao, Marina, Tilly, and Chelsea to the swamp. Tilly and Chelsea would make a camp for the night a bit in the distance because they did not want the gorilla guards to trample them while they slept. The plan was set into action.
Marina and Lilao walked straight up to the gorillas. “Hello handsome gorillas,” Marina complimented. “We are two of the Sunnys on the Queen quest and we have to collect the next hint which is in the Mangrove Fairy Lake.” She finished with a smile. But the gorillas did not move. Not one bit. Tiana and Sophia aimed their arrows for the heads of the guards. The red-tipped arrows were released.
In a flash, the arrows hit the guards in the face. Their limp bodies fell to the ground with a thud. Step one was finished. Step two was on the way.
Tilly and Sophia had arrived in the swamp and teleported their sisters into the wondrous place. But another problem had arisen. The Tricksters were inside the swamp before them. They leaped in to grab the clue to the pen. Sophia was about to leap into the pond but Lilao held her back. “Once they receive the clue they are bound to read it out loud. So what I am suggesting is that we hide and let the Tricksters do all the hard work just to give us the clue. You with me?” Lilao asked. All of her sisters agreed it was the perfect idea.
As soon as they reached the top of a tree, the Tricks had got the note and had started reading the clue. But it was useless. The Tricksters left in dismay. The Sunnys got down and decided to leave as well. Chelsea was the last to leave. Something shiny and gold caught her eye. The Pen. The “Acuratea.” They had won!
Days passed by and Lilao’s castle approached from her beautiful glass carriage. Thankfully, her friends and sisters travelled with her to live in the Disney-like tower, though in separate carriages. The sun basked on her tanned skin, not too hot but not too cold. The elegant castle welcomed her and she bubbled with joy. Finally her home was hers and her sisters’, home to her and her soon-to-be husband Flick.
He was waiting outside for her. They entered the majestic pillars of happiness and joy together. The day had come, her happy ending with Flick and her friends Tiana, Chelsea, Tilly, and Sophia. One group hug and her life was complete.
YEAR 4 GEM
GRATITUDE
EMPATHY
We show empathy by understanding and caring for the feelings of others in our school community.
MINDFULNESS
CAMP AUSTRALIA
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.
