Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Excellent Results for LIS 2021 Year 10!

We are please to announce that LIS received the highest MRI (Mean Rated Index) score for New Ireland high schools offering year 10 in 2021.  This is an excellent result for our first year 10 and a firm foundation to build on for further success. LIS scored a total MRI of 97.14%. LIS was closely followed by OLSH International Kavieng who scored an MRI total of 94.54%. We are pleased to note that OLSH International is the secondary school of choice for our scholarship students for year 11 and 12. Well done to the LIS teachers and students for their hard work and initiative in achieving these excellent results.

LIS Year 10 Results by Subject:

English 100%, Maths 90%, Personal Development 100%, Science 90%, Social Science 100%, IT 100% (The MRI rating is the number of students who received an Upper Pass or better as their grading).

Acquaintance Night

Thanks to all the parents who attended our Acquaintance Night  held on Wednesday. The night gave all parents the chance to attend brief information sessions with their child’s teacher and gave teachers the opportunity to discuss a general overview of class systems, learning and behaviour expectations.

Term 1 Calendar

Term 1 will be a busy time of learning at our school and the term one calendar can be downloaded below. This calendar, along with the weekly Toksave, can also be accessed through the school website at www.lipschool.com.au

Other important dates will be brought to your attention as they arise.

Parents and Wantoks

The Parents and Wantoks first meeting for the election of the new executive will be on Tuesday the 15th February at 6pm. The Parents and Wantoks Committee add a great deal of value to our school and this is a fantastic opportunity for families to become involved in contributing to school events throughout the year.  All parents, community members, and others who are interested to join the P&W are encouraged to attend.

Student Health Update

Please take note of the Student Health Update form that can be downloaded below. If you have any medical information, such as allergies or medication needs that we are unaware of and you need to share with the school, please fill in this form and return to Rachael by Friday, 8th of February. If you have already updated the school regarding your child’s medical needs, or if you have nothing to add to information supplied during the enrolment process, you do not need to return the Student Health Update form.

Parent / Carer Contacts

We would like all parents to ensure that they have current and up to date contact details for the school. Please see Rachael in the office if you need to update your details - especially email addresses.  If parents hear of other parents not receiving school communication, please direct them to contact the principal.

After School and Weekend Sport/Activities

In the past, students were involved in a variety of afternoon and weekend sports and other activities. After school sport/activities are run by teaching staff and parent volunteers and, if you would like to volunteer to run a sport this year, please let me know. If you would like to run a sport/activity, it is your decision as to what sport/activity you are running, what day and which classes you will include in this sport/activity. Our school community is always grateful to those who take the time to organise after school sport/activities.

Student Photographs

There are many photo opportunities at our school and student images are often used in publications such as the Toksave, and displayed online through the school website. The Toksave is uploaded to our school website www.lipschool.com.au every week. Student images will continue to be used in the Toksave, website and other media this year. If you do not wish photos of your child to be displayed through any form of print or digital media, please let me know so that I can ensure no images of your child appear in any school material.

School Council

The annual General Meeting of the School Council will be held on Thursday, the 24th of February 2022. At this meeting, voting for vacant positions for Parent Representatives will occur, in the Yr 9/10 room from 7.00pm– 7.20pm. Nomination forms are available from the school office and must be returned to the school office by Thursday the 10th February 2022. If you would like to know more about the functions of the School Council, please make an appointment to see the principal.

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 

Acquaintance Night

Thank you to the parents who attended our Acquaintance Night on Wednesday evening, either attending a virtual meeting via Teams or attending face-to-face meetings in the classrooms. If you were unable to attend and wish to find out further information about classroom practices in your child's classroom, please do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher.

School Priorities

Teachers would have spoken about the importance of reading during their parent sessions. In the Early Years and middle school classes, it is essential that students are reading every day and as required, learning their sight words. Other priorities for this year are our STEM program (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), daily writing and Maths problem-solving. 

Uniforms

Thank you to parents for ensuring students are wearing the correct uniform to school. Please remember that students are to have a hat each day. If your child has lost their hat, please see Ms Rachael in the office. School jackets are also available to purchase.

Kind regards,

Ms Langusch             

The STMC is currently preparing for our 10 Programs of the School to Mine.

STMC staff are also working closely with the Local Provincial Education Office to finalise new Lihirian Teachers' enrolment in the DWU Bachelor of Primary Education, finalise Teachers for the Lihir Elementary Teacher Support Program and working toward delivery of our first Trupla Principal Program in early March. 

We are continuing to work with Lihir Secondary School to finalise participants for our Academic Support Program.

All the best for the new school year.

Regards, 

Mr. Kevin Collins