12 July, 2024

Message from the Head of Secondary

Dear Parents, Students and Caregivers,

We are very much looking forward to next week’s LSS Sports Day! On Wednesday, July 17th, after gathering at school (please note that all students still need to come to Lighthouse first before riding school-arranged vans), we’ll head to the Cote D’Or Stadium for a beautiful day of competition and pride. Who will win? Can Fidem repeat their 2023 championship? Will Spero reclaim their 2022 trophy? Can Amare claim this year’s crown? Beyond a day of athletic competition, our houses will present their war cries, banners, and we hope it will be a beautiful day for our community.

Parents/Caregivers: if you are able to volunteer, please see more information below. If you would like to come and support the day, look out for the detailed programme that will be shared via class WhatsApp groups. Chicken Burgers will be provided to all students, staff and volunteers that day, but if you want to pre-order any food from our vendors, you are welcome to fill out this survey here. A range of drinks will also be available.

Students: please note that you must be wearing Lighthouse uniforms to participate – that means your house shirts (either those purchased this year, or those who purchased them in Grade 6 last year) or your PE shirts! PE shorts must be worn with any of the mentioned shirts. No exceptions will be made, so please abide by our rules and help lead your house to victory!

When the day is over, students will be transported back to school for 15:00 pick up, but if a parent/caregiver can directly retrieve a student from the stadium, please seek permission from the leadership team (Mr. Zach, Mr. Yogesh, Mr. Samuel) to verify you are taking your child directly home.

This event is one of the highlights of our year so we hope you will join us!

Sincerely,
Zach Mulert
Head of Secondary

Secondary News

Important Notes for Secondary Sports Day
For the safekeeping of our students and the smooth running of our program for the day, it's imperative for all parents and students to be aware of the following:

ALL students should be dropped off at school as usual, from 07:30. Attendance will be taken at 08:00. Vans will depart from the school at 08:30 and transport students to Cote D’Or Stadium. Latecomers will be responsible for their own transport to the stadium. Pickup is at 14:15 at the Offsite Parking or at 15:00 at the school.
Parents, when you arrive at the stadium, please park in the visitors' parking area, located on the opposite side of the stadium. You will need to access the parking area from the North. Once parked, use the sky bridge to reach the stands.
The parents' stands are located at the far end of the stadium, opposite the finish line. Please proceed directly there upon arrival.
We want to remind parents that it is a regular school day, and the students are under the school's care. Therefore, we discourage any interactions with your child during the day. We expect all students to remain seated in their designated areas during the events and not to visit or sit with their parents.
Parents are asked to please refrain from entering the Track & Field area. Only volunteers and teachers are allowed on the Track & Field area.
Food & Drink will be available at Canteen 2 for purchase. Juice and cash purchases only. Lunch and snacks will be provided to students by the LSS canteen. Students will be allowed to purchase drinks and refreshments from vendors at a given time.
Students competing should be wearing their sports equipment underneath their House Shirts or Sports uniform.
Phones and computers are disallowed for the full duration of the sports day. Any loss of electronic devices will not be the school's responsibility and will be confiscated if found.
Doctors and ambulances will be onsite throughout the day for medical assistance. Those who have special medical needs should bring their own prescriptions.
Detailed programme of events, to be communicated in advance.

Personnel Update
We encountered an unexpected development during our mid-term break when Mr. Hannes Lombard, after travelling to South Africa, informed us that he would not be returning to complete his contract. This sudden departure was unforeseen and does not align with the commitment and professionalism we uphold at Lighthouse.

We have arranged for Ms. Nadine Schellekens to teach the IGCSE Business course until a permanent replacement is hired. Ms. Nadine, a volunteer from the Netherlands during Term 2, holds a bachelor's degree in Industrial Design and a master's degree in Environmental Economics. She will ensure continuity for Class 10's syllabus progress and support Class 11 in preparing for mock exams and the IGCSE exams.

For IGCSE Physical Education, Class 10 will continue their syllabus with Ms. Rachel Etiennet, and Class 11 will focus on completing their coursework video with her. We are committed to your student's learning and will minimise the impact of this transition. We are actively seeking a permanent replacement and will update you as soon as the position is filled.

Current Grade 11 (Rising G12) Subject Selection
We have sent out the subject selection form by email to all current G11 parents on the 9th of July. Please complete the survey by the 19th of July.

2024 School Photos
Our annual school photos will be taken from 1-2 August. Mr Nishan from VIP Services will once again be taking our professional photographs, which will include individual, sibling and class photos. You will receive an order from from your class teacher this week Monday.

Please complete the form, and return the envelope with the correct cash or cheque to your class teacher, no later than Friday, 19 July. Based on interest, we will finalise our schedule. Your class teacher will notify you on the exact day your child's grade will be photographed.

As this is an external service provider, we can not take responsibility if the order forms are returned late and your child's photo is not taken.

Grade 9 Outdoor Days Feedback

This week’s Grade 9 Outdoor Education Days were focused on Forest Conservation. The students were able to make a real impact by removing invasive species and dumped trash from the school forest. Thanks to the school’s new Chromebooks, students also learnt how to use AI technology to assist with plant identification. Do you know which plants are invasive in your neighbourhood? Click here for photos of the Gr 9 Outdoor Education days.

Make a difference: Support The Good Shop Donation Drive
If you have any clothing, home, kitchen items, and appliances in good condition that you don't need anymore, be sure to donate it to the Good Shop Donation Drive running until Monday, 22 July. A designated Good Shop donation box is at the Hub for easy drop-off in the morning or afternoon.

The Good Shop, a non-profit social enterprise, focuses on three core pillars: Education, Employment, and Environment. It regularly donates a portion of its quarterly surplus to the Lighthouse Scholarship Fund, which supports students from families with financial need. Lighthouse is committed to financial accessibility, and last November, The Good Shop celebrated its five-year anniversary by gifting Rs 250,000 to Lighthouse.

Lost and Found Items Donated
Thank you to those who came to collect any items over the last few weeks from The Hub Lost and Found box. A reminder that those unclaimed items will be donated to The Good Shop today. Please be reminded to mark your child's possessions and encourage them to look after their things.

Lunch Menu
Curious about what's for lunch this month? Click here to view the July/August lunch menu.

Uniform Shop
Our Uniform shop is open Monday & Thursdays, 08:00 - 14:00. Click here for the uniform price list and order form or email Ms. Melanie at uniform@lighthouse.edu.mu.

Key Lighthouse Documents

A reminder that we have a few key documents to help guide you around school operations:

Code of Conduct [2024]. Changes/additions are marked in yellow, including an updated Student Dress Code Policy
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY 2024 is a new document that helps guide our learners about Academic Integrity
2024 Parent and Student Handbook

Upcoming Events

Once Upon A Time - Lower Secondary Social, 26 July

The Lower Secondary (Grades 7-9) can look forward to their Winter Social, to be held in the Pavilion between 18:00-21:00 on 26 July. Tickets will go on sale from Tuesday for Rs300 per person. Students are encouraged to dress to impress while still following the dress code. Winter Social - Dress Code.
Finger foods with multiple options for deserts and savoury dishes, will be served. Please note that students will be asked to stay for the entire three hours, and will not be permitted to leave early, with the exception of any student collected directly by their parents.

Likewise, anyone arriving after 18:45 will be turned away at the door. Individuals that are not currently a part of Lighthouse school will not be allowed to participate. Parents or students who wish to get involved and help leading up to, or on the night, please contact Ms. Noelissa Grossiernez at noelissa.grossiernez@lighthouse.edu.mu or contact Shawn Jankoo, Isabel Neeley or Emily Bradley at school.

Grade 10 Camp
The Grade 10 Camp is scheduled for August 5th to 9th. Keep an eye out for all the necessary information and camp forms from Mr. Abe, which will be emailed on Monday, 15 July.

Arts Festival, 5-9 August

Dive into a week of creativity at our annual Arts Festival from 5-9 August. Students will have the opportunity to showcase their creativity and will engage in interactive workshops through the Arts Festival. As a bonus this year, we are pleased to welcome the Lighthouse family (students, teachers and parents) to participate in the Art Exhibition from 8-9 August.

Whether you're an art enthusiast or a curious newcomer, this festival promises inspiration and fun for everyone. Don’t miss out on this unforgettable experience – come and be a part of our artistic community!

Who can participate?

The Art exhibition and competition are open to all students, teachers and parents of Lighthouse Primary and Secondary School.

How to participate?

Participants need to submit artworks that fall under the categories of sculpture, painting, drawing, original print, photography, mixed media, installation, video art and digital art to the Art Department (Miss Prishma - Secondary).

Deadline and Submission

Friday, 19 July 2024

Click here for more information or contact navish.samyan@lighthouse.edu.mu for more details.

Key Dates to Remember

15 July: (LPS Sports Day)

17 July: LSS Sports Day (No Classes)

19 July: Grade 11 (Rising 12) Subject Selection Due

19 July: Alumni Gathering TBC

24 July: Mock Exams Begin G11, G12, G13

26 July: Grade 7-9 Social

27 July: Netball/Football Tournament TBC

31 July: World Mathematics Competition