Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

Gungunbi House has grown rapidly in size over the last few years, and now caters for approximately 40 boy and girl boarders. It is currently the only IEA School in PNG with boarding facilities. Gungunbi means ‘together we live’ and this feeling of togetherness, and a’ home away from home’ is something that the Boarding House staff work hard to foster.

The following information is designed to give some insight into Boarding House life, but please do not hesitate to contact the school if you have any further questions.

STAFFING

The Boarding House currently has a Manager, two sets of Boarding House Parents, plus cooks and cleaning staff. There is also a member of the academic staff responsible for overseeing Boarding House discipline and liaising between the teachers and Boarding House staff.

The Boarding House Manager works each school day from 8:00-3:30 p.m. and is responsible for the day to day running of the establishment: the ordering of food, the planning of menus, travel arrangements, overseeing cleaning and cooking, checking that health and safety requirements are met, ensuring that repair and maintenance work is carried out, and liaising with parents.

The Boarding House Parents work alternate weeks from 3:30 p.m. in the afternoon until 8:00 a.m. on the following morning. Weekend responsibilities are shared.

The Boarding House Parents are responsible for overseeing meal times, study periods and bed times, in addition to organising weekend activities.

Both sets of Boarding House Parents live in flats attached to the Boarding House, as does the teacher responsible for overseeing Boarding House discipline.

DAILY TIME TABLE

Monday to Thursday

• 6:30 a.m. Wake up call.
• 7:00 a.m. Breakfast
• 7:30 a.m. Make bedrooms tidy
• 7:50 a.m. Go to school
• 10:20 a.m. Recess - snack under the Haus Win
• 12:30-1:10 p.m. Lunch at Gungunbi Haus
• 2:45 p.m. Collect pocket money (Wednesday & Friday)

BOARDING HOUSE RULES

The rules which follow have been designed to make the students’ stay in the Boarding House as pleasant and productive as possible. In any family or society some rules are necessary. Students are requested to keep to these rules for everybody’s benefit.

General Rules

1. Students must be careful not to damage any property belonging to the Boarding House. Accidental damage must be reported to a Boarding House Parent immediately. If it is not reported it will be assumed the damage was deliberate. Depending on the circumstances the student may still be asked to pay for the damage.
2. Any items such as beer, buai, cigarettes, illegal drugs or pornographic magazines are not to be consumed or brought into the Boarding House.
3. Uniforms are to be worn every school day. Sportswear and any gear necessary for sport or PE must be taken when needed.
4. Home Science requirements are to be written in the Home Science book at least three days before required. Any other materials needed are to be written on the black board.
5. Students must respect other people and their property. Nothing should be taken without permission.
6. Nobody is allowed off the school grounds without permission.
7. There must be no running or playing in the building. Any form of rough behaviour which may result in injury or damage to property is prohibited inside the building for example roller skates/blades, skate boards, balls, etc.
8. Swearing and disrespectful language is not allowed.
9. In the interest of safety no student is allowed to be in possession of matches, candles or cigarette lighters under any circumstances.
10. Furniture must be treated with respect.
11. No one is allowed outside the Boarding House after dark without permission. The only places where students may go with permission are the covered sports area, the library, the art room and the computer room.
12. Students caught tampering with any of the safety equipment such as smoke detectors or fire extinguishers will be severely dealt with.
13. Students are not allowed back to the Boarding House during the day without an official school ‘Leaving form’. (Lunch time is the only exception).

Mess Rules

1. Students must be punctual for meals.
2. After dinner, plates and cutlery must be put on the servery. Students must return to seats until told to leave, then put chairs under the tables.
3. No food or drink is to be taken into the television area, recreation room, or dormitories.
4. Students on duty must ensure they do the dishes without having to be reminded.
5. The kitchen is out of bounds at all times unless a student is on dishes, or invited in to help by a member of staff.
6. No items are to be taken out of the mess for example, cups, spoons and chairs.

DORMITORY PREFECTS

Two prefects for each dormitory are selected each year by Boarding House Staff. They are chosen for their mature, responsible and reliable approach to Boarding House life.

They are responsible for ensuring that the behaviour of the students in their dormitory is acceptable and conforms to the Boarding House rules.

Dormitory Prefects also form part of the Boarding House Student Council which considers disciplinary issues.

In addition to helping to ensure discipline, Dormitory Prefects are expected to take initiative in suggesting improvements to Boarding House life, and discussing them with the Boarding House Manager and Parents.

STUDENT COUNCIL

It is the aim of the Boarding House Student Council to teach the students self discipline and responsibility for their own actions. To this end the following guidelines have been adopted:

The Student Council comprises of the Dorm Prefects. It deals with issues such as:

• damage to property,
• bad language,
• inappropriate behaviour,
• lateness for meals,
• failure to report back from leave.

When using the Student Council method, the Boarding House Manager briefs the Council on the nature of the problem. The Council then meets after study with the student/s involved and the Duty Parent present. The Council selects a spokesperson. The students are interviewed by the Council and given the opportunity to explain their behaviour, after which the Council will decide, in consultation with the Boarding House Parent, on appropriate action to be taken by the student/s concerned. The student/s in question will be informed what sanction has been decided upon and dismissed by the Council.

VISITORS AND WEEKEND LEAVE

Students are only allowed to leave for a weekend/day when they have filled out the weekend leave form. This must be signed before the end of lunch time on Friday by the Deputy Principal. Only in the case of parents or people who appear on the enrollment form as official hosts, may a form be signed by the Boarding House Parent on duty, rather than the Deputy Principal.

Full time boarders wishing to go out for the weekend will normally be expected to finish their homework prior to going out. Permission to go before 5:15 on a Friday will be solely at the discretion of the Deputy Principle.

Students are not allowed to leave the school grounds, except with a member of staff, unless prior arrangements have been made.

Visitors are not allowed to be in the Boarding House or school grounds without the knowledge of the Boarding House Parent on duty. Students are allowed to have a visitor overnight or for the weekend if prior permission has been given and a form has been filled out by the visitor’s parent/guardian and signed by the Boarding House Manager. Overnight visitors will only be allowed during the week exceptional circumstances. No more than three visitors may stay in the Boarding House at any one time. Visitors are to keep to all responsible for his/her behaviour.

All students who go out for the day or weekend must be back by either 5:00 p.m. on Sunday or before school on Monday morning.

Student s arriving back must immediately report their presence to the Boarding House Parent on duty.

TELEPHONE

There is a public call box situated in the downstairs hallway for the use of students. The number is 472 5021.

Parents wishing to contact students may also use the Boarding House official number, 472 5689 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., and at any time in an emergency.

STUDY

Most students study in the library under the supervision of a member of the academic staff . However, those students who have achieved excellent effort grades in all their subjects the previous term have the option of studying privately in their rooms if they wish to do so.

At the discretion of the member of staff on duty, the Computer Room may be used if there is a genuine need.

A register taken at each study period, and the students’ homework diaries are checked by the person on duty.

Total silence is enforced throughout the study period, and any student finishing study early may read a book or write letters.

No bags are allowed into the library or computer room and students are required to put away neatly all books and chairs at the end of the study session.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

The Boarding House is equipped with smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and hoses. There are emergency exits for all the dormitories and a fire drill takes place on the first evening of term. With a second one week two of the term to ensure that all students are aware of procedures. Students practice using the emergency exits at these times to ensure they feel confident to use them should an emergency arise. At these times students are also briefed on earthquake procedure.

There are guards at the school gates 2 hours a day and at night time there are two additional guards patrolling the grounds. The Boarding House also has an alarm system.

A first aid kit is available for use in the Boarding House, but in the case of an injury or illness requiring medical treatment, the member of the Boarding House staff on duty will take the student to Tusa Medical Centre (unless an alternative preference has been put in writing by parents). A record of treatment given will be kept and the will invoice parents. In the case of any illness requiring medical attention, parents will be notified as soon as possible.

COUNSELING

While enforcing the Boarding House rules is one function of the Boarding House staff, an equally important responsibility is to take a personal interest in the welfare of each student. Depending on the nature of the problem this might be handled by the teacher responsible for Boarding House behaviour or one of the other staff.

If parents have concerns about any aspects of their child’s welfare, either academic or social, they are encouraged to contact the Boarding House Manager, in the first instance, without delay.

TEXTBOOKS

The school shop sells all necessary text books and stationery. Boarding students may obtain these items on credit and parents will be invoiced at the end of each month.

UNIFORM

The school uniform is available from Papindo’s Supermarket close to the school. It is required that parents organize the purchase of adequate uniform when they first bring their children to school.

POCKET MONEY

Students have the opportunity to withdraw pocket money twice a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays. Parents should discuss pocket money arrangements with the Boarding House Manger when they enroll their child.

BOARDERS' NIGHT OUT

Each term the Boarders have a night out at a local hotel and restaurant, often a dinner followed by dancing. A range of awards and prizes are given, some serious, some humorous. Boarders may invite other friends form school to attend if they wish.

EXCURSIONS

On Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. and Saturday at 9:00 a.m. the school driver or Boarding House Parent takes boarders into Lae for shopping. Students are picked up 1½ hours later. Middle School students (Grades 5 and 6) must be accompanied by a Senior School student.

In addition to this, weekend trips are organized by Boarding House Parents to places such as the Wampit River or Igam Barracks Waterfall for picnics.

INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITIES

As far as possible, students are encouraged to pursue their own individual interests. At the weekends the Boarding House Parents provide a ‘taxi service’ to a number of local churches, and transport children to a range of sporting activities. Boarders take an active part in numerous sports such as soccer, cricket, squash, rugby and volleyball.

TRANSPORT ARRANGEMENTS

Parents should ensure that the Boarding House Manager is informed about each child’s arrival time and flight number at least two days in advance, so that arrangements may be made to collect the student from Nadzab.

Please ensure that students arrive on the Saturday or Sunday proceeding the start of term so that they do not miss classes.

At the end of term the Boarding House Manager will make bookings for each student and fax or phone parents with details and concession forms. Parents will them be required to send a P.T.A number so that the tickets can be collected. Students will returned to Nadzab by a school driver or the Boarding House Parent on duty.

In the case of students traveling home for a long weekend mid term transport costs and arrangements will be the responsibility of parents. The Boarding House Manager will book Morobe Tours on request and invoice parents if they desire.