TOKSAVE - Term 1 Week 6

Lihir International School and School to Mine Campus

Principal: Mr Gregory Neville

Deputy Principal LIS: Ms Catherine Langusch

Deputy Principal STM: Mr Kevin Collins

From the Principal

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

To mark the end of the mourning period for the late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, the school watched a short reflection at today's assembly, prepared by the year 9/10 class. Students also had the opportunity to mark their respects by placing a flower at a memorial to the Grand Chief, prepared by  Mrs Moning and Mrs Tukata. As there is a public holiday to mark the end on the nationwide period of mourning, there will be no school tomorrow, Friday the 12th March.

School Review

On the 22nd and 23rd of April, officers from the QLD Department of Education, Education Improvement Branch (EIB) will conduct a virtual review of LIS. This process involves interviews with teachers, parents, students and community members. Myself, Ms Langusch and Mr. Collins will also present to the reviewers our pedagogical framework and other curriculum documents. A variety of parents, teachers and students will also be asked to complete and online survey in preparation for the review. If any parent / carer is interested in participating in the survey, please contact me.

Regards,

Mr. Greg Neville         

LIS honours Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare 1936-2021

Afterschool Activities

Wednesday: Homework Club for years 3/4 and 5/6 students, from 3pm-4pm.

Wednesday: Art Club for Prep - year 2 students, from 3pm-4pm.

Monday, Wednesday and Thursday: High School Study Hub - LIS room 1 for years 7-10 from 3pm to 4.15pm. These extra sessions are for this week only, so students can complete assessments and revision for exams.

Saturday: High School Study Hub - for years 7-10 students who need access to computers to complete assessment tasks;  will be held this Saturday in the year 5/6 classroom from 9.00-11.30am. Year 5/6 students who have work to complete may also attend this Saturday.

Saturday: In respect of Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare and his status to the country, we will not be holding any weekend sporting activities during the 2 weeks mourning period. This means that soccer will not be on this Saturday. We thank you for your understanding.

Thursday: Lunchtime Chess Club for students in years 4 - 6.

After School Art and Craft Club

Art club for the P - Year 2 students was a great success on Wednesday and we thank the parents who organised and ran this week's activities. It will continue next week!

Interested parents can contact Claire Litson on clairemutton36@hotmail.com.

Principal's Award Term 1 Week 5

Term 1 Calendar

Download

Keeping our children safe in 2021

In line with company policy, increased hygiene and social distancing practices will continue to be implemented in the school during Term 1 2021. 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. All students  are to wear a face mask and will be greeted at the gate by a teacher and temperature tested. They 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 need to wear a face mask and 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.

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 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 required 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 1 due to renovation. 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. 

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. Masks and social distancing measures will be  employed.

LIS / STMC Celebrates International Women's Day

2021 Term Dates for Students

Wednesday 3 February to Thursday 1 April

Monday 19 April to Thursday 17 June

Monday 12 July to Wednesday 15 September

Tuesday 5 October to Thursday 2 December

From the Deputy Principal (LIS)

P & W Sausage Sizzles

Thanks to the P & W for today's sausage sizzle. The next sausage sizzle will be on Friday Week 8. 

Uniforms

Thank you to parents and carers for sending students to school in the correct uniform. It is wonderful to see our school community wearing their uniform with pride and with their hair neat and tidy. If your child is not in the correct uniform or needs to wear thongs, please send a note/email to your child's teacher.

Students can now purchase a school jacket if they wish to wear a jacket to school on cooler or windy days. These can be purchased from Miss Rachael in the office. Children's jackets (size 4 - 14) are K125 and the adult sized ones (extra small - extra large) are K130. We encourage students to wear school jackets from the start of term 2 should the need arise; we don't want students wearing or bringing jackets to school every day.

Healthy lunches

Please ensure students have enough lunch for both breaks - recess and lunch. Recently, some students have been eating all of their food at the first break. We would like to remind parents that sweets, chocolates, crisps, cordial and soft drink are not allowed at school for recess / lunch. Please leave special treats for outside of school time.

Calendars and School Photos Update

Due to unforeseen circumstances with our printers, the printing of our calendars and 2020 school photos has been delayed and we are hoping that they will arrive soon.

Kind regards,

Ms Langusch             

LIS School Jackets

From the Deputy Principal (STM)

The School to Mine Campus began this week supporting International Women's Day which tied in with the module we covered this week regarding 'Change Behaviour'. We thank Hannah Ilave who came to speak to us regarding Trupla Man Trupla Meri and the importance of advocating for a non-violent, happy and healthy community.

We are continuing to shortlist students for our Year 9 FODE Program for 2021. This Saturday and next Monday, last year's Year 9 FODE students will continue their Year 9 Exams. 

STMC is continuing to work closely with local education authorities to finalise Lihirian teachers' enrolment in the DWU Bachelor of Primary Education. 

Regards, 

Mr. Kevin Collins

Saturday Morning Study Hub

VIP Award