A Thuistí,
As you are aware we have been working very hard to ensure that everything will be in place to ensure our safe return to school on September 1st.
Our full re-opening school plan will be posted on our school website on Monday, but until then, here are a number of points which I’m sure you may well have immediate questions about.
School Bags – We will not be using school bags in school until further notice.
Homework – For the month of September we will not be giving formal written homework.
Lunch Boxes – Lunch boxes/water bottles are the only items that will be brought to/from school each day. Please ensure that your child is independently able to open their drink by themselves, and that they ate able to open their lunch completely by themselves. In normal times the teacher would open many drinks, pieces of fruit, yogurt cartons, cheese strings, etc every day. Please do a couple of dry-runs with your children to ensure that they can open everything required.
Uniforms – We will be wearing uniforms this term. However, to assist parents who would like to wash uniforms between wears, we will wear our school tracksuits every Monday, Wednesday and Friday until further notice. Full school uniform will be worn on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every child should change their school uniform directly after school to avoid wearing it in any other location.
Footwear – if your child has difficulty tying laces, please get shoes with velcro fasteners.
Coats/Rain Wear – Please ensure that your child is able to tie their own coat. Velcro would be the best option if your child was having difficulty with this. Every child should have a waterproof coat. It will be more important than ever for our children to be out in the fresh air as much as possible during the school day.
School Office – The school office will be open each day from 9.15 a.m. until 12.30 p.m. and from 1 p.m. until 2.15 p.m. Anyone who enters the school porch must wear a face covering and sign the School Contact Tracing Log. No one will be allowed to enter the school building without a prior appointment.
Forgotten lunches/drop-offs – If you need to drop something in to your child please ring the office in advance. You will be directed to place the item in a basket situated outside the front door of the school. This will avoid the necessity for you to sign the School Contact Tracing Log.
School Books/Supplies – As we will not be using school bags for a period, on the first morning back, each child is requested to bring their school books/supplies to school in a paper/plastic bag. This bag will be collected by the teacher, or placed directly by the child into their own personal box (in certain classes).
ALL ITEMS MUST BE LABELLED CLEARLY – CLOTHING, BOOKS, SUPPLIES, ETC.
Pencil Cases – As nothing will be going home from school for the foreseeable future, your child will need two pencil cases, one for school and one for home.
What are Bubbles? Every class is a bubble – bubbles will not mix in school or on the yard. Pods are groups within class bubbles.
What time will my child come to school? We will have 3 staggered opening times: 8.40 a.m., 8.50.a.m and 9 a.m.
- The school population will be split into three groups, based on family units. Upon arrival, each group will be directed to walk directly into the building, maintaining a social distance while doing so. Staff will be on hand to receive the children.
- Parents are asked not to arrive early or park on the roundabout as we will be operating a drop-and-go system.
- Children arriving on buses will be directed to enter the school upon arrival.
Group 1 – Arriving at 8.40 a.m.
Rang 6 along with their siblings from other classes
Rang 2 along with their siblings from other classes
Group 2 – Arriving at 8.50 p.m.
Rang 4 along with their siblings from other classes
Rang 1 along with their siblings from other classes
Group 3 – Arriving at 9 a.m.
Rang 5 along with their siblings from other classes
Rang 3 along with their siblings from other classes
Naíonáin Mhóra
(For the first week Naíonáin Bheaga will be asked to arrive at 9.15 a.m. This will be revised weekly. When appropriate, Naíonáin Bheaga will merge into the groups above, either arriving with their siblings, or joining Group 3)
What door should my child use to enter the school?
Entrance Doors –
Each class will have an assigned entrance door each morning:
- Rang 6/Rang5/Rang 4/Rang 3 will enter through the senior door, from the yard at the back of the school.
- Rang 2/Rang1/Naíonáin Mhóra will enter through the main door to the left of the building (as last year).
*Naíonáin Bheaga will enter though the white door into the hall for the first few weeks.
What happens in the evening time?
Children will be dismissed in a similar manner to which they arrived:
Group 1 – Leaving at 2.20 p.m.
Rang 6 along with their siblings from other classes
Rang 2 along with their siblings from other classes
Group 2 – Leaving at 2.30 p.m.
Rang 4 along with their siblings from other classes
Rang 1* along with their siblings from other classes
*(Rang 1 will be going home at 1.30 p.m. for the first fortnight)
Group 3 – Leaving at 2.40 p.m.
Rang 5 along with their siblings from other classes
Rang 3 along with their siblings from other classes
[This timetable will be revised as necessary]
PARENTS ARE ASKED TO ARRIVE ON TIME AND NOT TO PARK ON THE ROUNDABOUT. We ask for your full cooperation in these matters to ensure that our school remains safely open.
After-school Club? Club Iar-aire?
Children attending the after-school club will line up in the Junior Yard where they will be collected by Valerie/Ita/carer on duty.
Naíonra – Tír na nÓg –
Children attending the Naíonra will no longer enter through the school building. Their route will now take them around the left side of the building to the back door where they will be greeted by Valerie/Ita or the carer on duty.
What happens if my child has a temperature/coughing/feeling sick?
Stay at home, do not take any chances. Staff and pupils need to feel safe in Scoil Uí Cheithearnaigh. We all have a responsibility to minimise the spread of the virus.
What happens if there is a suspected case of Covid 19?
We will call you immediately. We will isolate the child in a well ventilated isolation room (library), away from other pupils, with a staff member. Appropriate PPE will be used by the staff member taking care of the child. Additional disinfectant cleaning will take place in the areas where your child has been. The Isolation room will be cleaned as per infection control strategy in line Covid 19 cleaning guidelines.
As a parent, how can I prepare my child for a return to school?
Children are excited about returning to school. Talk to your child about how they’re feeling. Reassure them that you and the school are going to do everything possible to keep them safe. Practise hand washing techniques at home, ask them to follow staff instructions on using hand sanitisers, and staying 1 metre apart from their friends, in order to protect themselves and also to protect their friends. Make sure your child tells you if they are not feeling well.
Any other questions that we have not thought about?
Email oifig@gaelscoil.ie and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Please keep an eye on our school website for further updates.
Ruairí.