Dear Parents/Caregivers,

It was great to see so many parents attend our Student-Led Conferences and High School Open Night last night. Particular thanks to Ms Yip and the high school students who catered the refreshments.

Thanks to all our School Council members for their attendance at our meeting last night. Our School Council is always supportive of our school. For more information on the School Council, please make an appointment to see Mr Neville.

Year 10  Written Expression Exam

Thursday, the 2nd June, saw our second year 10 class sitting for their Written Expression National Exam. Thanks to the external invigilator from Tanir High School, Mr Tovaninara, who came to supervise the exam. Thanks also to Ms Yip, year 10 class English teacher, for supervising the exams at Lihir Secondary, and our high school teachers for all their work in preparing our second year 10 group.

Athletics Carnival

Mr McKeiver is busy preparing students for their track and field sports carnival at the end of the term. The twilight track events will be held at 4pm on Wednesday, the 15th June, followed by a sausage sizzle. All parents, friends and wantoks are encouraged to attend and support their children’s house. If you would like to volunteer to assist with the BBQ, please see Mr Neville.

Independence Day

There will be a meeting on Sunday, 5th of June, at the school to discuss preparations for the school Independence celebration in term 3. We are asking all national PNG parents to attend. The meeting will be held at 4.30pm.

Regards,

Mr Greg Neville

Please note that for next week, Choir will be held on Friday instead of Monday, at the usual time 3.15-4.00pm. Thanks to Annie McKeiver for leading the choir.

Wednesday: Homework class - year 5/6: from 3.15-4.00pm (Ms Langusch)

Thursday: Netball - years 4 - 9 girls: from 3.15-4.30pm. (Ms Langusch and Ms Savitas)

If a parent would like to host an afternoon activity, please see Mr Neville.

In line with company policy, good hygiene and social distancing practices will continue to be implemented in the school during Term 1 2022. Please read the points below carefully. Thank you to all members of the STM/LIS community for your patience and commitment in ensuring that we keep our children and island safe.

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 8.00am, ready to start the day at 8.10am.

3. On arrival all students are to wash their hands at the wash station and then proceed to the undercover area. Parents will be permitted to escort their children to the undercover area / classroom and pick them up at the end of the day. Parents will also need to wash their hands after entering school. If parents need to go to the office or see a teacher, they are permitted to proceed to the wash station and are then to make their way straight to the school office or to the relevant classroom. Parents and High School students are to have a face mask ready to use when social distancing is not possible

4.  Students will be required to wash their hands in the mornings, before school and before and after recess/lunch.

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 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. High School students will each be issued with a reusable washable mask. Students will be required to use these masks for activities where social distancing is not possible.

8. 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. 

10. In Term 1 on Mondays, separate primary and high school assemblies will be held in the basketball court, employing social distancing measures. On Fridays, there will be a whole school assembly on the basketball court that parents are welcome to attend. Social distancing measures will be  employed.

Term 1: 31st  January – 31st March 

Term 2: 19th April – 16th June 

Term 3: 11th July – 15th September 

Term 4: 3rd October – 1st December 

Friday Assembly

A reminder that parents are welcome to attend our Friday assemblies. This week, it was the year 3/4 PNG Studies presentation and next week, it will be the Music assembly.

Primary Student-led Conferences and High School Open Night  

It was wonderful to have so many parents attend on Wednesday afternoon/evening and students were excited to share their learning with their parents.

Thank you to our primary teachers for preparing their students and classrooms in readiness for the conferences and thank you also to our high school teachers for organising the wide array of student work for the Open Night display for parents to view. 

Reports

Teachers are busily finalising assessments and working on student end-of-semester reports. These will be distributed to parents, along with student work folios, at the end of week 9. Folios will need to be returned to school next term.

Kind regards,

Ms Langusch 

Our Work Ready Program Trainees are continuing to progress well through their training. Students are beginning to write resumes and cover letters in preparation for applying for positions after the program.

We are continuing to work with our students from Lihir Secondary through our Academic Support program and look forward to hosting them again later this term.

Our FODE students and Elementary Teachers from across Lihir continue to work on their distance education with the support of our STMC Staff.

Please note the Kisim Save Library is open for use by all Newcrest Employees and Townsite Residents. Please email SchoolToMineCampus@newcrest.com.au to book a time to come. 

Regards, 

Mr. Kevin Collins