TOKSAVE - Lihir International School

Dear parents and carers,

In preparation for our first year 10 class in 2021, we are in the process of recruiting specialist highschool subject teachers to complement our current highschool teaching staff. Along with this, relevant textbooks and other teaching and learning resources are being purchased. We are also in the process of setting up our new  STEM / Technology workshop at the School to Mine campus, and remodelling the school canteen into a commercial / hospitality kitchen. These resources and upgrades will see our students have access to high quality learning environments.

To complement our school STEM resources, extra drones, tablets and sphero ball resources have recently arrived. The school's second 3D printer will be installed at the School to Mine Campus.  Thanks goes to Newcrest Mining LTD for their support in enabling us to provide quality education at LIS.

Parent / teacher interviews

We will be holding parent / teacher on Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th September from 3.00pm - 6.00pm. Interview times are in 15 minute slots. Portfolios will be sent home next Friday, 11 September.

Please email Rachael - Rachael.Andar@newcrest.com.au with your suggested times and the relevant teacher/s. Rachael will confirm your time by email.

For high school students, parents may make bookings to see their English, Maths, Science and HASS teachers. If your child has the same teacher for two subjects eg HASS and Science, please book one timeslot only with that teacher.

Please ensure you arrive early for your interview as you will need to wash hands on entering the school grounds and get a temperature check at my office. Then you can proceed to the relevant classroom. It is also important that social distancing is maintained.

If you would like more information regarding any of the topics in this newsletter, please do not hesitate to make contact.

Regards,

Mr. Greg Neville

Four members of the P&W went to Tumbuapil school (near Palie) on Wednesday 2nd September to check on the progress of a toilet block being constructed. The toilet block construction was the initiative of last year's P&W that was a joint project between members of the Tumbuapil school community and Newcrest Mining Community Projects department that has been delayed by Covid. We are delighted to report that one of the two toilet blocks has been constructed by a very motivated school community. 

 Rose Boreham, Maria Hosea, Grace Laimo and Nicole Wilson were all welcomed heartily by the school principal Magdaline and her students. We were treated to a rendition of the Provincial song of New Ireland, kulau and baskets of garden produce. 

The P&W would like to thank Mathew Laien of Community Projects for overseeing the project and members of the LIS community for their ongoing support of P&W fundraising events which enabled this project to come to life. 

As part of our Independence Day celebrations, the P & W are having a raffle. Tickets have been sent home with the oldest child in the family. Tickets cost K5 and each family have been given 10 tickets to sell.

There are lots of great prizes to win! See below!

1. It is imperative that parents and carers do not send their children to school if they are sick or showing any symptoms of a cold or flu. If your child is sick, please keep your child home and seek appropriate medical attention. Children who display any signs of sickness will be isolated under supervision in the school's sick bay and parents called to come and collect them.

2. Entrance to school for students and parents / carers will be via the Aginas Oval gate only, which will open at 7.45am. Students who arrive before this (which is discouraged) are to wait in the carpark undercover area until 7.45am. Students should be at school by 8.05am, ready to start the day at 8.10am.

3. All students will be greeted at the gate by a teacher and will be tempreture tested.. They are to wash their hands at the wash station and then proceed to their classroom.  Parents and carers will not be permitted to escort their children to classrooms, including for Kindy. In the morning, Kindy students will be escorted to the Kindy classroom by a teacher aide and then will be supervised in the under-cover area outside the 1/2 classroom while waiting for parent pick-up at the end of Kindy.  If parents need to go to the office, they will be permitted to proceed to the wash station and are then to make their way straight to the school office. Students will not be permitted to return home during the day to collect lunch or forgotten items such as books, swimming gear etc. 

4. New wash stations have been installed around the school (see pics below) and hand sanitiser is available in all classrooms. Students will be required to wash their hands in the mornings before school, before and after recess/lunch and before leaving school in the afternoons. Educational videos and ISOS personel will be utilised to support education in hand washing and general hygiene.

5. All desks, door handles, playground equipment and other high contact equipment will be sanitised twice daily or after use by cleaning staff.

6. Social distancing measure of 1.5 metres will be employed in classrooms through desk arrangements. Social distancing markings have been painted on cement areas where students line up and in the undercover area for recess/lunch eating times. The school will implement staggered lunch and recess breaks between the primary and high school to reduce the number of children in the eating area at one time.

7. Students will each be issued with a reusable washable mask. Students will be encouraged to use these masks for travel to and from school and during specific identified activities at school.

8. The school canteen will be closed for the duration on term 3. Students will need to bring a packed recess and lunch each day - there is to be no dropping off of lunches by parents, siblings or haus meris. Students are also asked to bring a water bottle to school that they will refill instead of drinking from the bubblers.

9. In term 3 there will be no after-school activities, sports carnivals or team sports and we ask that in the afternoon, students are collected promptly and no later than 3.15pm. Students will however participate in the swimming program for term 3.

10. Term 3 will not have traditional assemblies at school. Virtual assemblies will continue thoughout the term, with the assembly link to be published in the weekly Toksave for parents to view.

As we head into the last couple of weeks of term, I would like to thank parents, particularly our early years parents, for their commitment to listening to their children read. Teachers have reported that many students have made excellent progress with their reading this term due to the combined home and school effort. Please keep this up!

It is important to send students to school with a healthy lunch. Students should not be bringing uncooked noodles, chocolates, chips or whole packets of sweet biscuits. Please ensure your child has enough food for both breaks.

A reminder also that students need to have a named water bottle.

We thank you for your assistance with not dropping off lunches, and instead, sending a packed lunch, due to COVID restrictions.

Ms Langusch             

In the last week of term, the school will be hosting LIS Idol once again.  This year the competition will be going virtual with all entries to be pre-recorded and then submitted.  Students are welcome to put together any type of performance they wish. Ideas for acts may include musical performances, comedy, drama or magic shows. All entries are required to be no more than 3 minutes and must be submitted to Mr McKeiver by no later than Monday 14th September.  No late entries will be accepted. 

If you have any further questions don’t hesitate to contact Mr McKeiver.

The P&W Jar guessing competition returns for term 3! New jar, different contents. Guess the VALUE of the coins in the jar! One guess per person, email your guess to rachael.andar@newcrest.com.au.

Gross weight: 9.4kg. 

Dimensions: 11.5cm wide x 11.5cm deep by 18.5cm tall. 

Currency is 99.9% PGK, there is some ZAR (South African Rand) and AUD (Australian Dollar) in there as well. 

1 guess per person 

Email guess to:  rachael.andar@newcrest.com.au 

Cutoff for last guess is 5pm Monday 14th September. 

Winner will be announced on last day of term 3 at assembly