Week 6 Term 3 2025

Weekly Newsletter

Principal: Greg Neville

Deputy Principal: Daniel Lyng

Head of Primary Campus: Vanessa Ignas

Head of Secondary Campus: James Winas

Head of Boarding: John Kalenda

Business Manager: Homoka Ganiga

Message from the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers,

This past week, our Early Learning Centre (ELC) came alive with colour, creativity, and curiosity as we celebrated Early Learning Matters Week. It was a joy to witness our youngest learners engaging in hands-on activities that highlighted the importance of play-based learning and foundational skills. From sensory exploration to fairytales and collaborative games, the energy and enthusiasm in the ELC was truly inspiring.

A big  thank you to all families who joined us for our Open Morning in the ELC. It was particularly exciting to see our new STEM digital equipment in action, with students exploring early coding, robotics, digital problem-solving and virtual reality. These tools are already enriching our early years curriculum and over the term, more classes will have access.

Please note that next Monday is a Teacher Only Day, and there will be no school for students. Tuesday is a Public Holiday in observance of National Repentance Day. We look forward to welcoming students back on Wednesday, 27th August.

Looking ahead, preparations are in full swing for our celebration of Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence Anniversary, to be held at our Secondary Campus on Thursday, 11th September. This milestone event will showcase student performances, cultural displays, and community spirit. We are honoured to be welcoming Mr Neal Mather, CEO of the IEA, who will be joining us for the occasion.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. If you wish to discuss your child’s education, please see their class teacher or make an appointment to see the principal.

Warm regards,

Mr Gregory  Neville

Principal 

Lae International School

Parent School Access Cards

In the interest of health and safety we are introducing a new school parent access card (example in picture). All parents need to collect their card from the school office in primary or secondary. This card will need to be presented if you want to enter the school campus at any time, including pick up and drop off.

Steps on how to create an Audiri account


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Deputy Principal's Notices

Early Learning Matters Week

I would like to congratulate and thank our Early Learning teachers and CAs from ELC to Grade 2. Your work over this week to engage students in STEM activities related to the theme, ‘the science of fairy tales and nursery rhymes’ has been fantastic. It has been great to see our youngest learners engaging in STEM and taking those initial steps in developing a solid foundational knowledge relating to STEM concepts. Here at LIS we have had a strong focus on STEM this year and this event continues to show our commitment to leading the way in STEM learning. With the introduction of our new Bee-Bots for programming and coding and our new virtual reality (VR) headsets, as we progress through the semester more students will have the opportunity to engage with state of the art resources related to STEM learning.

Mobile Phone Policy

As with many other schools around the world LIS has led the way with a zero tolerance on the use of mobile phones in school. This is to ensure our students attention is on learning both socially and academically. All parents are reminded that if student mobile phones are seen on either school campus they will be confiscated by the teacher. Parents will then be asked to come and collect the phone from the school office. Repeat occurrences do result in further behaviour sanctions and longer periods of confiscation. We thank all parents for their support in helping our school to remain a distraction free environment where our students can interact socially with one another and give full focus to strengthening their knowledge and understanding.

Grade 12 Tertiary Education Choices:

This year we introduced our new careers program to support students in their choices for tertiary education. It is paramount for students to act on the advice they have been given to ensure they have every opportunity to gain a placement in their desired courses. Their careers teachers will be providing feedback on their choices ahead of our Grade 12 Tertiary Selection Day in week 1 of term 4, details of this will follow before the end of this term.

We will be beginning the initial conversations with our current Grade 11 students with regards to their aspirations for education post-LIS in Term 4 as well.

Revision and Past Papers:

As our Grade 8, 10, and 12 approach their exams in T4 I want to highlight the need for good revision habits and past paper practice. Teachers will be supporting students with past papers from both the PNG National Exams and any International exams they may be taking.

We ask parents to support their children in revision. You can help by monitoring progress and time spent on past paper practice and revision. Motivation is key so discussing good study habits like those in the graphics below will further reinforce the advice we are giving to all students.

Together we can help all our students to reach their best potential.

School Arrival and Departure Times:

Parents are reminded that school finishes at 3pm on both campuses. Students should only remain past pick up time 3.00pm – 3.15pm in secondary if they are participating in intervention classes or a sports ECA. Students not participating should leave the secondary campus promptly after 3pm.

ECAs finish have now finished in primary. All primary students should be picked up promptly between 3.00pm – 3.15pm. In the rare event of a late pick up, due to unforeseen issues, parents should be contacting the school office to advise them. Students should not be regularly picked up late as the school is unable to provide supervision for them.

The school bus service is available as an option if parents are unable to pick their children up at the required times.

As a reminder to all parents and guardians, supervision of students on the primary campus begins at 7.30am with students able to enter classes from 7.45am. We advise all parents to ensure they do not drop their children off earlier than 7.30am. If students arrive between 7.30am and 7.45am they will be supervised in the hall and need to remain in there seated quietly until they can enter classroom.

 

Head of Primary Campus Notices

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to this week’s edition of Primary News.

Parent teacher conference

Student progress meetings are a great way to provide a foundation for a partnership between families and schools. These meetings encourage home-school linkages and help support children’s learning when:

  • Parents and teachers engage in dialog about the student’s learning and development on a regular basis.
  • Parents and teachers are willing to listen and learn from each other.
  • Parents and teachers come to the conference prepared to ask questions and share information that will benefit the student.

Parent-Teacher Conferences continues in Week 7. Please make time available to attend this meeting.

Betel-nut on campus

Please be reminded that entering the school grounds with betel-nut in your mouth is strictly prohibited. This is in accordance with our school policy aimed at maintaining a clean, safe, and respectful environment for all. Anyone found entering with betel-nut present in their mouth will be refused entry. We appreciate your cooperation in upholding our community standards.

LIS Netball Team

Our netball girls from Grade 3 to Grade 8 have worked really hard over the past few months. They played well and proudly represented our school. Last Saturday, they reached the elimination round and gave it their best effort. Even though they didn’t win, we are very proud of how far they’ve come.

A big thank you to Reiyah’s mum for coaching the Under-15 girls. Your support means a lot!

We’re excited to see the team grow even more next year. Great job, girls!  

Hat policy

Students are encouraged to wear their hats at all times when outdoor. Please ensure your child comes with his/her school hat/cap to school every day. students without hat will not participate in outdoor activities including playtime. Class teachers will reach out to parents of students who are not wearing the correct school hat//cap in school.

LIS Father’s Day Assembly – Save the Date

LIS dads, please save the date: Friday, 5th September. We will have a special Father’s Day Assembly at school.

Theme: Dad, You're My Super Star

Dress Code: Please wear blue or white

Come and celebrate this special day with your child.

We look forward to seeing you there and sharing a fun morning together.

Carpark Safety Reminder

To help keep everyone safe, please follow these important carpark rules when entering and exiting the school:

  • Drive slowly — the speed limit is 5 km/h at all times
  • Stop behind the cones — do not drive past them
  • Avoid stopping on the crossing line — keep it clear for pedestrians
  • Be considerate — watch out for other drivers and pedestrians
  • If you’ll be parked for a longer time, please use the parking space under the tree

Your care and attention help make our school a safer place for everyone. Thank you for your support and cooperation!

Countdown to PNG’s 50th Anniversary Celebration

As we approach Papua New Guinea’s 50th anniversary, preparations are now in full swing across our school community. We are pleased to announce that practice sessions have begun for regional performance groups. The energy and enthusiasm among our students are truly inspiring!

In the coming weeks, proper day’s program will be shared. For now, please kindly take note of the following;

  • Pre-Independence day celebration will be on Thursday 11th September at the Secondary Campus.
  • School buses will not be operating on Thursday 11th September for both pick up and drop off. We kindly ask for parents to make alternative arrangements for your child.
  • Friday 12th September will be shared lunch. Students to come in their PNG colours.
  • Tickets will be issued for entering. More details will be shared soon. 

 

Looking ahead

  • Week 7 – Primary PTC
  • Week 7 Monday 25th August - Teacher Only Day
  • Week 7 Tuesday 26th August - Public Holiday
  • Week 7 – Grade 1LT learning Assembly
  • Week 8 – SRC assembly (Father’s Day)        

 

Upper Primary Student Handbook

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Head of Secondary Campus Notices

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to another edition of the Secondary Newsletter! A new week brings renewed energy and exciting opportunities for our students and school community.

We firstly would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to our Grade 10 students for successfully completing their National Science Practical Examination last Thursday. Well done to them! Dates for the remaining objective papers have been shared via separate flyers earlier this week—please refer to those for details.

We are now in Week 6, with just three weeks remaining in the term. As we approach the end, here are a few important reminders and upcoming events:

Grade 9 & 11 Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parent-Teacher Conferences for Grades 9 and 11 will take place from Monday, 1st September to Wednesday, 3rd September.

  • Each student will receive an appointment slip to fill out in consultation with their subject teachers.
  • Students are responsible for scheduling appropriate meeting times with their teachers.
  • We kindly ask parents to mark these dates and attend the conference sessions.
  • If you’re unable to attend during the scheduled week, please contact the school office or Head of Campus in advance to arrange an alternative time.

Boarding students will not participate in these conferences, as the school maintains regular communication with boarding parents directly.

50th Independence Celebrations

We’re thrilled to announce that our campus will host this special event in observance for Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence anniversary. Preparations are already underway, with students actively participating in practice sessions. All international students are warmly encouraged to join one of the four regional groups of their choice to be part of the celebrations.

Grade 12 Final ACT Scaling Test (AST) Students enrolled in the ACT Certificate program will sit for their final ACT Scaling Test on Tuesday, 26 August and Wednesday, 27 August 2025.

Grade 10 IGCSE Examination Schedule – November Series

The confirmed dates for the Cambridge IGCSE ICT Practical Tests are as follows:

Subject

Paper Code

Description

Date

ICT

0417/02

Practical Test 02

25 September 2025

ICT

0417/03

Practical Test 03

1 October 2025

 

All other IGCSE examinations will run from 6 October to 12 November 2025. A detailed timetable will be shared during the week.

Final National Examination Dates

Please take note of the final national exam dates:

  • Grade 10: Monday, 6 October – Friday, 10 October
  • Grade 12: Monday, 13 October – Friday, 17 October

Timetables and all other examination conditions and requirements will be distributed separately via Audri and email.

Grade 10 & 12 PNG Objective Mock Examinations

The final mock exams for Grades 10 and 12 will be held during Week 8, from Monday, 1 September to Friday, 5 September 2025. These mock exams will follow the same format and conditions as the final national examinations.

All schedules and requirements for national and international examinations have been shared in a separate flyer. To stay informed and receive timely updates, we strongly encourage all parents and guardians to join our School Audiri App—our primary communication platform for the school community.

 Internal School Assessments – Term 3

To help you stay informed about your child’s academic progress, the Term 3 assessment schedule has been uploaded to Audiri. We encourage all parents to download a copy and support their children in preparing for upcoming assessments.

Student Conduct & Appearance Guidelines

Uniform Expectations Students are required to wear the official school uniform properly and consistently. This reflects pride in our school community and aligns with the LIS School Policy.

Prohibited Items & Behaviours

  • Mobile Phones: Not permitted during school hours to reduce distractions and prevent potential loss or theft.
  • Graffiti: Strictly forbidden and classified as vandalism.
  • Hair Guidelines:
    • Hair that reaches shoulder length must be tied back.
    • Only natural hair colors are allowed—colored extensions are not permitted.
    • The school discourages all forms of hair extensions to maintain a neat and distraction-free learning environment.

Routine Procedures & Campus Etiquette

  • Students must follow standard procedures when signing out early from school.
  • Certain areas on campus are designated as no-go zones for safety and privacy—these must be respected at all times.
  • Walkways and corridors are to be used strictly for walking. Running, loitering, or lingering in these areas is not allowed.

Stay Connected with the Audiri App

The school has officially launched the use of the Audiri App , a new digital platform designed to strengthen communication between the school and our valued community.

The implementation of this app reflects our commitment to providing timely, accessible and streamlined communication. We are confident that it will significantly enhance the way we share important information with you.

Key features of the Audiri App include:

  • Instant Notifications: Stay informed with real-time alerts on school news and updates.
  • Integrated School Calendar: Access key dates and upcoming events with ease.
  • Digital Notices and Forms: Receive and respond to important documents directly through the app.
  • Direct Communication Channels: Efficiently connect with staff and relevant departments.

To ensure all parents and guardians stay informed and connected, we highly encourage everyone to download and join our School Audiri App at their earliest convenience. This platform is our primary means of communication with families and the wider school community, offering timely updates, important information, and helpful features designed to support your child’s educational journey.

Should you have any questions or require assistance with the installation or use of the app, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

Thank you for your continued support as we continue to enhance our communication processes.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns regarding your child's learning or any aspect of the school term.

Cheers

James Winas

Head of Secondary Campus

Steps to create an Audiri account


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Safety Guidelines for Authorising Boarding House Leave


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Lower Secondary Student Handbook

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Upper Secondary Student Handbook

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Join our Social groups

Uniform Price List

Uniform Requirements


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Homework Policy

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Academic Assessment Policy

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2025 Lae International School Fee Policy


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Student Photographs

There are many photo opportunities at our school and student images are often used in publications, such as the Newsletter, and displayed online through the school website / FB and Instagram pages. Student images will continue to be used in the Newsletter, 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 advise the office.

This week in pictures!

Parent Calendar Term 3


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Additional Announcement

School Fees

A very big THANK YOU to all our parents and sponsors who have completed their Term 3 school fees!

We will be sending out a reminder on Week 8 for outstanding school fees.

Any student that has outstanding fees for Term 3 and prior, the student:

  • will not be given his or her school report at the end of the term.
  • will not be allowed to participate in whole school events including the coming PNG Independence Day Celebrations.

Remember when making payment, ensure to put the name of the student on the deposit slip or bank transfer description. This will greatly assist with receipting.

Refunds

  • Once Term 4 has begun no refunds are permitted for that school year.
  • Withdrawal of a student must be made in writing or on the Notice of Withdrawal form.
  • IEA will only make refunds to the individual, company or organisation that paid the fees.


Uniforms

Please follow the uniform payment procedures to pick up your uniforms

Regards

Homoka


Facility Hire