Dear Parents and Caregivers,

School Camp

Over the past week, the year 8/9 class have participated in their long-awaited school camp! This trip replaces the 7/8 camp that was postponed last year due to Covid. To coincide with ANZAC Day, students participated in a very informative excursion on the history of Word War I and II at Kokopo and Rabaul, with a visit to the War Memorial Cemetery at Bomana in Port Moresby.

The students have also participated in Civics and Citizenship education in Port Moresby with a visit to the National Museum and Art Gallery, Parliament House and several sessions with Dame Carol Kidu, former MP and widow of former Chief Justice Sir Buri Kidu. The children have been very privileged to stay at her home at Tutu Beach.

There will be some more photos and information on the camp in next week’s Toksave.

 Hospitality Facility

The school’s new state-of-the-art hospitality facility is now being used by students in Technology classes. All students in year 7-10 will use the facility, with primary classes being able to access the facility as well. The facility includes a fully fitted-out kitchen and learning area, plus an outdoor alfresco dining area. The facility can also be used by the P&W Committee for canteen and other fundraising functions.

The new hospitality facility complements our Workshop and Design Tech facilities at the STM Campus in offering our students world class STEM opportunities.

School Photos

School photos will be next Friday, 6th May for all classes. Please ensure Prep - year 10 students are in formal uniform. Kindy students do not need to wear a uniform. If you would like your child to have an individual photo, please message/email Mrs Romaso-Daimol or come into the office - Lorna.Romaso@newcrest.com.au.

Regards,

Mr Greg Neville

IIn 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 

School visit from the band "Insomnia"

On Wednesday afternoon, we were lucky to have the Port Moresby band "Insomnia"  perform for our students while they were visiting the island. It was a very enjoyable session and the students enjoyed the opportunity to watch a great performance.

NAPLAN 

Thanks to the parents who attended the NAPLAN information session. Although most schools in Australia will be completing on-line NAPLAN tests, LIS students will be completing the paper copies again this year. 

Students in years 3, 5 and 7 will sit the tests in week 4 from Tuesday 10th May - Thursday 12th May, with catch-up tests on Friday 13th May.

NAPLAN assesses literacy and numeracy skills with students completing tests in Language Conventions (Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation), Writing, Reading and Comprehension and Numeracy. Students are well prepared for these tests as these skills and concepts are taught through our everyday curriculum. Student reports of results will be distributed to parents on arrival to school - usually in term 3. These results are used for future teaching and planning purposes - they are not used to collate end of semester reporting grades.

Parents may access further information at  https://www.nap.edu.au/.

Year 8/10 Exam Preparation

This term, students in years 8 and 10 will commence weekend exam preparation lessons. Thank you to the STM staff for facilitating these sessions. A note will be sent home to parents advising when the sessions will begin. After-school support lessons will continue for identified students as per last term’s schedule.

Kind regards,

Ms Langusch 

Our first Trupla Principal program was delivered last Friday and was a great success. We look forward to continuing to work with our island's Principals and Head Teachers.

On Monday, our new Work Ready Program Trainees commenced and we welcomed 14 young Lihirian men and women to the program. They have commenced the program with great enthusiasm and interest to learn more about Newcrest and work expectations. 

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

We have finalised participants for our Academic Support Program with Lihir Secondary School and hope to meet with these students and parents and start working with them early this term.

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