The following may be of some assistance to parents/guardians in preparing for the return to school.
- Monitor your child's health on a daily basis, watch out for out of the ordinary symptoms and keep them home from school if they are unwell.
- Inform the school of any underlying health condition your child may have, particularly asthma, which could be taken to be a symptom of Covid-19.
- Teach and model good hygiene practices for your children, including proper hand washing, sanitising, disposing of tissues, cough & sneeze etiquette and developing awareness of the need to avoid touching face, eyes, mouth and nose.
- Discuss with your child what they should do if they feel unwell during the school day (inform a staff member). Explain they will be taken to an isolation area, you will be contacted and they will be offered a mask if the symptoms are Covid related. You will collect them as soon as possible and if a Covid symptom will have to contact your GP.
- After such a long break from school many children may be anxious or may have enjoyed their new routine. A small number may recognise that saying they are unwell is a way to return home. If you are concerned that your child will struggle to settle back at school explain to them that you understand their apprehension and are here to talk it through with them but that illness should only be used when they are genuinely feeling unwell.
- School Opening Times:
- The school gate will open each morning at 8.50. No children should be waiting before this time. Children will walk directly to their classes, sanitising their hands on entry. Parents, other than infant parents should drop at the front gate. Infant parents should bring their child to the classroom door, observing social distancing as per yard markings, sanitise their child's hands at the door and then go. Assembly time in the morning is until 9.20 so there is plenty of time in which parents can drop their children without congestion.
- Uniforms
- The school uniform remains unchanged. This year all classes will wear the school tracksuit Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The formal uniform is to be worn Tuesday and Thursday. This is to facilitate washing if parents wish to do so but it is not a requirement. Please remember that runners should be worn with tracksuits and black footwear with the formal uniform. Plain unbranded tracksuit bottoms may be worn with the tracksuit.
- Hairstyles
- Childrens hair should be kept natural with no hair dyes or colours applied. Long hair should be tied back with a bobbin. There should be no lines or designs cut into children's hair.
- Jewellery
- The only jewellery allowed is a normal wristwatch (not a smartwatch) and a pair of stud earrings if ears are pierced.
- School Bags
- Children can bring their school bag to school although they will be carrying very little for the first month other than their lunch box and drink. School bags should always be put on the bag racks in class and not left on the floor.
- Lunchboxes & drinks bottles
- Children should bring their lunch with them every day in their lunchbox. Lunchboxes should be washed every evening and likewise drinks bottles.
- Please remember your child is expected to bring a healthy lunch each day. Fruit, vegetables, a sandwich/roll, a natural yogurt are all acceptable. No crisps, chocolate, sweets or high sugar foods please. Water is the best drink, no fizzy drinks please.
- Face Coverings
- It is not presently recommended that primary school children wear a face mask so your child will not be expected to wear one in school.
- Personal hand sanitiser
- There are hand sanitiser dispensers throughout the school which along with our other hand washing facilities are more than adequate. Please do not give bottles of hand sanitiser to your child.
- School Books & Stationery
- The majority of our families join our book rental scheme. These books are in school and will be distributed to the children over the next week. Given the current Covid pandemic school books will not be sent home for the forseeable future.
- Infant stationery is included in their book rental so parents do not need to send in any pencils etc. For all other classes children should bring their stationery, copies, pens, colours to school on the first day back in a pencil case. This pencil case and its contents will then stay in school. Children will require another set of pens, pencils, colours for home use.
- Homework
- The school has decided there will be no written homework for the month of September as the focus is on re-opening, settling everyone back to school, learning new procedures and routines, emphasising hygiene, assessing and consolidating childrens learning, being prepared for online learning if required and most importantly minimising risk of the introduction of Covid 19 to the school.
- The issue of written homework will be reconsidered later in the term and our online learning platform Seesaw may be utilised in this regard.
- Communication
- As the school is trying to minimise risk we ask all parents to keep requests for face to face meetings to a minimum. Most communication if possible should happen via phone, email, school diary or request at the school office.
- All school communications will now issue through the school app, website, text, email or phone.
- School payments
- The majority of parents now pay remotely. We would ask all parents to avoid paying cash at the office if at all possible and to utilise the payment links sent from the school office.
- School App
- If you do not have the school app, contact the school office for details on how to download and to receive an access code.
- Evening Collections
- Junior infants will finish at 12.00 for the first two weeks. From Monday 14th September they will finish at 1.30 and should be collected from their classroom door.
- Senior infants should be collected as normal at 1.40 from the infant door.
- All other classes will finish between 2.30 & 2.40 to allow for social distancing of the classes. 6th class will finish at 2.30, 5th at 2.32, 4th at 2.34, 3rd at 2.36, 2nd at 2.38 and 1st at 2.40. Children should make their way directly to their parents car or bus and not delay or congregate outside the school.
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