Re: School re-opening School Year 2020-2021
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
As we begin a new school year, I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone for their continued support to the school over the last few months. I do appreciate it wasn’t always an easy time for everyone. We missed hearing and seeing our students around the school and look forward to welcoming them back for the new academic year. This year I would again ask for your continued support as we face into a very different school year.
We have been working very hard to ensure the school will be a safe place for all students and staff. The guidance provided by the Department of Education is comprehensive and detailed.
I would like to bring the following points to your attention in relation to the new regulations the school must comply with regarding COVID-19 to ensure the safe return for students;
COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS
- Our priority is to minimise the risk of the introduction of COVID-19 to the school and if introduced to manage the risk of spread. In the event of a student showing any symptoms, the student will be removed from the class and brought to our newly designated Isolation Room. Parents will be contacted immediately and asked to bring their son home and you will be advised to make immediate phone contact with your GP.
- Our school is open to essential visitors only. Parents/Guardians can only come to the school by appointment and only adults can attend this scheduled meeting.
- This school year students will be based in their own classroom
- We have reconfigured all classroom furniture to ensure that students are one metre apart
- Lockers won’t be available, instead, students can keep their books in their classroom
- Face masks, not visors, must be worn at all times whilst within the school building/classroom
- Exceptions are students with medically certified/diagnosed conditions which makes them exempt as per the guidelines from the HSE/Dept. of Education
- Face masks must be of a plain nature without promotional advertising or drawings
- Unfortunately, there won’t be canteen facilities, therefore students must bring their own lunch
- A filled roll will still be provided for small break – these will be delivered to each classroom before break begins
- To enhance social distancing junior school and senior school will be split for the morning break
- We have reopened and upgraded 2 more toilet blocks so each corridor now has a toilet block
- Students must sanitise clean hands before entering the building and classroom
- Sanitiser Stations will be visible outside all classrooms and at entry/exit points
- Students are requested to bring their own materials such as biros, pencils, rulers and calculators.
- We would advise students not to share these materials whilst at school
- Students will be issued with a starter pack containing pens & pencils
- Students must wear their full uniform every day whilst in school
- In line with Public Health Guidelines, we would ask that you wash the school uniform frequently
- It is advised that Parents/Guardians only drop items (PE/Books/Money)to the school as an extreme emergency and a designated area will be provided for same as the office won’t be in a position to accept such items
Reminder to anyone attending school who has travelled abroad:
Government policy, which is based on official public health advice, continues to advise against non-essential travel overseas for everyone. It is a requirement for anyone coming into Ireland, from locations other than those with a rating of ‘normal precautions’ (“green”), to restrict their movements for 14 days, and this includes school staff, parents and children or other students coming from abroad to attend school in Ireland. Restricting your movements means staying indoors in one location and avoiding contact with other people and social situations as much as possible.
The school needs to be made aware of any student not returning to school on time due to these restrictions.
Whilst we know this will be a very different academic school year, we hope that students will still find the year enriching and beneficial.
Grace O’Sullivan
Principal
20th August 2020