Year 10 Work Experience

Our year 10 students continued their Work Experience program this week. I was fortunate to go and visit majority of the students in the workplace. All employees seemed very happy with our students, their work ethic and the initiative they have shown. This program gives the students a valuable taste of the workforce. Thankyou to Mrs Baiwan for organising the students’ placements, and thanks also to our employers for their continued support of  this program:

·         City Pharmacy

·         Smart Workwear and Safety

·         NCS Towns and Camps

·         Lihir Social Sports Club

Under 8s Day

On Wednesday our Junior Kindy to Gr 2 celebrated Under 8s Day with a range of activities for students to participate in. The event was a huge success and we thank all of our lower primary school teachers for their work preparing for this day. Thanks also to Mrs Baiwan and the year 9 students for assisting with the morning.   

School Council Meeting

This week we had our final School Council Meeting for 2025. During this meeting we thanked a number of outgoing School Council members including Aplena Waho for her service as a School Council Member – Newmont Representative since 2023 and as School Council Chairperson for majority of 2025; Kolish Robin for her service as a School Council Member - Newmont Representative since 2021; and both Emma Grubb and Richard Toisiat for their service as parent representatives for 2024 and 2025.

Nomination forms for School Council will be available from the school office at the start of 2026, for parents to nominate for vacant positions. Please note parent reps are welcome to renominate for another term. If you would like to know more about the functions of the School Council, please make an appointment to see the principal.

Rugby League Gala

Next Saturday 15 November, we are running the Rugby League Gala Day. This year we have limited the carnival to LIS and 2 other schools, Zuen Primary School and Londolovit Urban Primary School. Each team has submitted both a junior and senior team with students aged appropriately so we anticipate a much smoother and safer carnival for all participants.   

In preparation for this, next Thursday we will have Donald Saunders (development coach for the Brisbane Broncos and also a head Queensland Schoolboy Rugby League Coach at Palm Beach Currumbin State High School); Brian Collins (a former Qld Schoolboys Rugby League player and Manager Toowoomba Clydesdales); and Steven Dearden (Rugby League coach and Australian Rugby League player, Tom Dearden’s father) running workshops with all of our students from Prep to Grade 10. Friday Don, Brian and Steve will be coaching our Grade 5 – 10 boys in preparation for Saturday’s carnival.   

2026 Classes

We are currently organising classes for the 2026 school year. If you know your child / children will not be attending Lihir International School in 2026, and you have not yet informed Cathy or myself, please let us know as soon as possible, so that year level numbers and class organisation can be finalised. 2026 classes will be announced in week 9.

Awards Night

In the last week of this term, on Wednesday 3 December, the school will host its Awards Night consisting of various awards for each class and class concert items. Further information regarding the Awards Night will be disseminated in coming weeks.

Please make an appointment to see the principal if you have any concerns or queries. 

School for term 4 will finish on Thursday 4 December.

Regards,

Mr Kevin Collins

Tumbuna Story (Legends) – Grades 3 & 4: 1st place - Jahdiellah Popah

Recount Essay – Grades 5 to 8: 1st place - Elianorah Nanau

Biography – Grades 9 to 12: 1st place - Margaretina Pano

Diamante Poem – Grades 3 & 4: 3rd place - Jackson Amidy

Poem - Grades 5 to 8: 1st place - Davianne Dowaki

Poem - Grades 9 to 12: 1st place - Margaretina Pano; 2nd place - Aiden Ling

Congratulations to our winning students but well done to all students who submitted an entry. Thank you to the Lihir Organising Committee and to Newmont for organising the competition and providing the prizes.

SCHOOL HOURS Prep - 6

Official school times are:

8.10 Bell rings

8.10 – 8.15 Home room (Assembly on Friday)

8.15 – 10.35 First session

10.35 – 11.05 Recess (15 minutes eating followed by 15 minutes play)

11.05 – 12.35 Second session

12.35 – 1.20 Lunch (15 minutes eating followed by 30 minutes play)

1:20 – 3.00 Third Session

3.00 End of school day

SCHOOL HOURS 7 - 10

Official school times are:

8.10 Bell rings

8.10 – 8.15 Home room (Assembly on Friday)

8.15 – 10.05 Two periods

10.05 – 10.35 Recess (10 minutes eating followed by 20 minutes play)

10.35 – 1.20 Three periods

1.20 – 2.00 Lunch (10 minutes eating followed by 30 minutes play)

2.00 – 2.55 Third Session

2.55 – 3.00 Home room

3.00 End of school day

2025

Term 1 Monday 27 January to Thursday 3 April

Term 2 Tuesday 22 April to Thursday 19 June

Term 3 Monday 14 July to Thursday 18 September

Term 4 Monday 6 October to Thursday 4 December

PAT testing

PAT testing will continue over next week with students from Prep – year 9  completing online ‘PAT’ tests in English and Mathematics. PAT stands for Progressive Achievement Tests.

These tests are conducted in many schools in Australia as well as international schools and are used to track both individual student and year level learning progress. These tests are not used for student reporting but give teachers evidenced-based data about a student’s learning at a given point of time.

Staff analyse data from these tests in order to identify future learning needs.

These tests are facilitated through the ACER (Australian Council for Educational Research) website  - www.acer.org/au/pat/progressive-achievement.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact either myself or your child’s teacher.

Student-led Conferences

Our primary school Student-led Conferences will take place Wednesday afternoon, the 12th November from 3.15pm - 6.00pm. These conferences are a time for students to share some of their learning with parents or carers. This is not a parent teacher interview and parents do not need to make an interview time; however, teachers will be in the room to support students if needed. Teachers will also help students prepare for their conference. Usually a conference takes about 15 minutes. Siblings will be supervised in the library.

Every day counts!

Although we don’t want children to attend school if unwell, we want to remind parents of the importance of students attending school. Every day does count in regard to your child’s learning! If your child is away, please contact your child’s teacher by email/note or phone/text Mrs Exzil in the office to explain why they are away. Similarly, a lot of students are late to school. The school day starts at 8.10am and students should be at school around 8.00am to get organised to start their day. When students are late to school, they miss the start of the day instructions and overview of the day.

Kind regards,

Ms Langusch.

Week 6 – Pat testing for all classes from Prep to Year 9

Week 6 Wednesday - Primary Student-led Conferences (3.15-6.00pm)

Week 6 Thursday / Friday – Rugby League Clinics for all classes

Week 6 Saturday – Rugby League Gala Day

Week 7 Thursday – Long Run and Ball Games Carnival

Week 8 Monday – Year 10 Graduation Dinner

Week 8 Thursday – Swim Club Break-up

Weeks 8/ 9 – Class picnics over the 2 weeks

Week 9 Tuesday – Kindy Awards Morning (last day of Kindy)

Week 9 Wednesday – Awards Night

Week 9 Thursday – Reports and folios sent home

The last batch of WRP trainees are in their 4th week of training. They are scheduled to do their PEM checks starting on the 12th to the 21st of November 2025. This week the Fit For Work Training module was presented. This module basically focuses on the person's physical, psychological and emotional state, and the workplace. The main message is to make sure that everyone must be fit for work, before being physically present at work.  

We will have our Mine and Process Plant Tour and Talk next week Wednesday 12th November. This tour is a very important component of the training program as it provides a rare opportunity for the trainees to learn first-hand information on the activities at the Mine as well as the Process Plant and make the connection.

Also this week we hosted again, a team from Lihir Technical Training Centre (LTTC) lead by Mr. Jonathan Gangadin – Director PNG Training & People Projects at School To Mine.  Among the topics presented were the eligibility criteria, application process including the pathway for WRP Trainees to participate in this program. The presentation ended with a question and answer session. We would like to extend our gratitude and appreciation to Mr. Jonathan Gangadin and Team for presenting a very informative session on the Apprenticeships Training program.

Past WRP Trainees continue to come to STM on Wednesdays and Fridays to apply for the weekly job vacancies that are advertised. A good number of former WRP Trainees have been successful in their job applications this Term and we are anticipating more in the remaining weeks this Term.

FODE

FODE program has commenced for this Term and Students are working at their own pace with the guidance and assistance from STM Staff.

ACADEMIC SUPPORT

Our Academic Support Students from Lihir Secondary School are expected to come in every second Saturday to access STM Resources and have sessions with STM Staff.

Our former LIS Scholarship Students who are currently doing their Grades 11 and 12 at OLSH International School in Kavieng are also in the Academic Support program. They are expected to participate in the program during their term breaks.

The Academic Support program has a specific set of activities focusing on the students’ current studies as well as information regarding Tertiary Education Institutions focusing on future studies and career opportunities.

Kind regards, 

Mr. David Wengip