“Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you.” — Walt Whitman

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

I’d like to sincerely thank the whole O.S.P.S. community for another wonderful year. Through challenging times, everyone, including children, staff and parents have shown amazing resilience and you all must be commended on your efforts.

I would especially like to thank our parents for supporting your children during the lockdowns, quite often while you were working full time at your jobs.

To my staff, thank you for providing an exceptional learning program during remote learning and for the extra effort made to make sure each child was supported, whether it was by having extra Zoom sessions or checking in with a phone call.

To the children, you have withstood another year of remote learning and you have continued to shine. The transition back to onsite learning was fantastic and you all got back into the classroom routines quickly.

The Year 6 students have enjoyed their final week at primary school with celebrating their graduation ceremony last night. Today they enjoyed lunch together. A big thank you the Year 6 team and their parent helpers who have brought the celebrations to reality.

This year we have three staff members leaving to pursue other adventures. Jan Presnall, Nick Crane and Mel Flynn won’t be returning in 2022. Thank you both for your contributions to our school and I’d like to wish you all the best for your futures. We will also be welcoming several new staff starting next year.

Please remember to keep reading over the holiday break. Whether it be a book or accessing Reading Eggs it is so important to keep practising your reading. Don’t forget to log in to Mathletics too to keep your maths skills up to date!

Lastly, I’d like to wish all of our O.S.P.S. community a very Merry Christmas and a happy and safe New Year. Enjoy this holiday period with family and friends and I look forward to welcoming you all in 2022.

Enjoy the festive season.

Ron
Principal

TERM DATES / QR CODE

SCHOOL MATTERS

SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL and PROCEDURE WHEN SICK STUDENTS ARE SENT HOME

After the month OSPS has just experienced, for the health and wellbeing of all our students, staff and community please do NOT send your child to school unwell.

Parents will be called for an immediate pick up for any child displaying symptoms and a recommendation will be for your child to have a COVID test before returning to school. Please e-mail your classroom teacher the negative test results before returning to school.

Runny nose, cough, sore throat, ear ache, temperature, headache, tummy ache, lethargic are all reasons to keep your child at home. Even the slightest of these symptoms.

If your child needs Nurofen or Panadol – they are too sick to come to school.

Those students with asthma, hayfever or allergies must have current plans in place from your doctor. OSPS will work together with families to manage symptoms of these conditions in line with current health advice.

Note. Please send your child to school with a mask and spare masks in their bag. Thank you.

OAKLEIGH EDUCATION PLAN

As you may be aware, our school is one of several that is part of the Oakleigh Education Plan.

This plan has been implemented to improve education outcomes for our school and all current and future Oakleigh students.

Its focus is to bring our community together, sharing resources and experiences across all education levels and expertise in Oakleigh.

A community e-newsletter will be released at the end of the year to showcase the benefits of the plan and highlight how you might be able to be involved.

This newsletter will only be bi-annual but hopes to showcase some of the fantastic work being done by our Oakleigh community.

Click here if you would like to subscribe to the first edition.

GATES and CARPARK

Gates 2, 3 and 4 are rostered to be staffed at 8.45am and closed at 9.00am. Gate 1 is open throughout the day to allow for late arrivals and early pickups.

All late arrivals must come through Gate 1 after 9.00am.

All 4 gates are rostered to be staffed 3.30pm – 3.45pm, then locked at 3.45pm.

Parents are not to use the staff car park. Please use in the oval car park or on Riley street if you are dropping off or collecting your child throughout the day.

COMPASS – 2022

We are excited to let our parent community know that in 2022 we will be moving to Compass for all our communication and parent payment needs. Over the coming weeks we ask that you all take the time to read through the Parent Information provided at the link below.

In early 2022 you will receive an email welcoming you to Compass, this letter will also outline instructions on how the access your Compass account.

In preparation for this transition we will be sending home via Operoo a request for parents to update their contact details.  Please if any of your details have changed we ask that you complete this request and return it to school office (please send it back to school with your child).  We will place a box outside the office that your child can place this paperwork in.

We are very much looking forward to this transition and using Compass as our primary communication platform in 2022.

https://www.compass.education/guide

Qkr! CLOSED

Dear Parents

Qkr! has been closed, and any outstanding payments must be made via BPay.

Your family specific BPay code can be found on the bottom left hand corner of your family statement. Please contact the Office if you need to make a payment, or do not have your BPay details.

Thank you

NOT RETURNING TO OSPS IN 2022

We understand that family situations change, and families move from our area.

We will soon be planning for our 2022 classes, so if your child will not be returning to Oakleigh South Primary School in 2022 please email enrolments@oakleighsouthps.vic.edu.au and their classroom teacher ASAP.

STUDENT SHOWCASE

SENIOR PERFORMING ARTS

The Year 4s and 5s have had the opportunity to get hands on with the app ‘Walkband’ since coming back onsite from remote learning. They have been experimenting with composing their own multi track songs on the tablets.

Unfortunately, due to Covid restrictions, Junior and Senior Choirs have not been able to recommence this Semester. We look forward to starting up again next year.

YEAR 6 PRODUCTION – MATILDA JR. 

The show must go on! The fabulous Year 6s have been practising their dance to a song from Matilda Jr, ‘Revolting Children’.

We had our filming day last week and with incredible teamwork, everyone was in costume, we had props and a set and the Year 6s sang and danced their way through the song. They still had the thrill and buzz of performing and we are grateful to have been a part of an amazing experience. Thank you to the Year 6 Production Team for their energy and ability to be flexible!

Although it was disappointing to not perform the show in its entirety, Matilda sings in the show that even though life can be hard, “Nobody but me is gonna change my story, so sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty.”

YEAR 6 SHOWCASE

Ending with a bang for our Year 6s! In the last few weeks, we have managed to fit in our 3 biggest events of the year: camp, production and graduation. It has been an amazing team effort to be able to offer our Year 6s the last few opportunities to create wonderful memories and cement friendships that they have formed over their last 7 year at OSPS.

Halls Gap Camp

It was touch and go for a while but when it was announced that the camp was able to go ahead, both students and teachers jumped for joy. Norval Camp is an adventure camp and there are a variety of activities over the 5 days, including abseiling, high ropes, team initiatives and bushwalking. Everyone also really enjoyed visiting the Halls Gap ice-cream and souvenir shops! Not a lot of sleep was had but lots of fun and great memories that the students will remember forever.

Graduation

We had a great time celebrating the achievements of our wonderful Year 6s at Graduation. Everyone was dressed up in their finest and enjoyed performing a song, ‘When I Grow Up’, and dancing to ‘Revolting Children’ for the audience at home watching on OSPS TV.

MATILDA JR.

Although it was disappointing that we could not stage the full show with such a talented bunch, it was still exciting to be able to film the Year 6s dancing and singing to ‘Revolting Children’. We kept up with rehearsals during remote learning and when we returned on-site, Mrs Meyer, Agatha Trunchbull and the team kept the students on their toes! We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to still get into costume and makeup, and film in front of camera.

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.