Advice on returning to school

Re-opening of Scoil / Colaiste Eoin August 2020

Advice and Information for Parents / Guardians

Dear Parents / Guardians,

Please Note – All primary and 1^st Year students return to school Monday 31^st. All classes to return on Tuesday 1^st September.

We hope that you are all safe and well. Please note that this is not the schools Covid Response Plan. That document is available for you to read on the school website – www.scoileoin.ie This is a document to inform you of some of the new procedures we have put in place for 2020 / 21 in order to keep our school community safe from Covid 19.

Most students will be looking forward to school and meeting up with friends, teachers and other school staff. Many will feel excited, relieved and happy. Some may feel a little anxious and worried about returning to school. This is to be expected and is a normal response at a time of transition and change. Most students will settle in over time, as they re-connect with friends and get used to the new school safety routines. However, we understand that some students will require additional support to help them reconnect with their school community and re-engage with learning. We would like to reassure you that teachers will focus on each child’s individual level on their return to school.

Our school staff know that wellbeing is important for successful learning, so we will prioritise the things that will promote this for a positive learning environment. We also know that parents have made great efforts to support their child’s continued education when schools were closed.

It is our intention to follow the advice of the National Education Psychological Service (NEPS) for schools which is “Slow Down to Move Forward”. Our first few weeks of school will concentrate on rebuilding relationships, routine and confidence.

Important points to note for the coming school year

• Please read and familiarise yourselves with the information and videos on the school website.
• All students will be given a designated seat on the school bus and must remain in the same seat each day
• On arrival at school, the students will be collected immediately by their teacher and taken to their classroom – there will be no socialising before class begins
• There will be 2 separate entry and exit points in Colaiste Eoin to allow for social distancing
• Due to our small numbers, we will divide the school into 3 bubbles – Primary School, Junior Floor and Senior Floor.
• Each class grouping will be a separate pod within these bubbles.
• There will be separate break times to allow for bubbles not to mix together
• Hand sanitiser will be provided at entry and exit points, at various points throughout the school and in all classrooms.

Personal Protective Equipment and Guidelines.

• As per HSE Guidelines, all staff and students over the age of 12 are advised to wear a face mask.
• Please provide your child with 2 re-usable face masks. These are to be kept in a plastic zip lock bag and washed regularly.
• Each child must also have a packet of tissues everyday
• We ask that a child takes their uniform off at the end of the school day and does not interact with other children while wearing the uniform. School uniforms must be kept clean and washed regularly during the week.
• Some staff may also wear visors and there will be Perspex screens on desks and at reception.
• The school has purchased fogging machines to ensure that classrooms are cleaned thoroughly at the end of each day
• Surfaces will also be cleaned throughout the school day.
• Soap and hand santizer will be provided by the school.

School Equipment:

• Each student will be provided with all the necessary books, copies and stationery that they need.
• These will be stored underneath each child’s desk and there will be no sharing of equipment
• Children will have NO Homework for the first 2 weeks of school so will not need to take any equipment home. This will be reviewed after the 2-week period.
• Equipment that does need to be shared like laptops, cooking utensils etc will be thoroughly cleaned as per DES Guidelines after each use.

Parent / School Interaction:

• In general all communication between the parent and the school should take place over the phone
• If you do need to come into the school, you must make an appointment and follow all health and safety guidelines when you visit.
• Please call 01- 4554380 (Secondary) or 01 -4652608 (Primary) for all appointments.

Dealing with a case of suspected Covid 19.

• It is essential that a parent/ guardian is contactable at all times during the school day
• Please ensure that the school has an up to date mobile number for you.
• If you are unavailable on a certain day, you must provide the school with an alternate number of someone who can collect your child if needed.
• Pupils should not attend school if displaying any symptoms of Covid-19

Common symptoms of coronavirus include:

1. a fever (high temperature – 38 degrees Celsius or above)
2. a cough – this can be any kind of cough, not just dry
3. shortness of breath or breathing difficulties
4. loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

 IF YOUR CHILD PRESENTS WITH ANY OF THE ABOVE SYMPTOMS THEY MUST BE COLLECTED AS PER HSE GUIDELINES.

The HSE will inform any staff/parents who have come into close contact with a diagnosed case via the contact tracing process. The HSE will contact all relevant persons where a diagnosis of Covid 19 is made.

Children who should not attend school

If your child is in one of the following categories, they should NOT attend school

● Children who have been diagnosed with Covid-19

● Children who have been in close contact with a person who has been diagnosed with Covid-19

● Children who have a suspected case of Covid-19 and the outcome of the test is pending

● Children who have been in contact with a person who has a suspected case of Covid-19 and the outcome of the test is pending

● Children with underlying health conditions who have been directed by a medical professional not to attend school

● Children who have returned home after travelling abroad and must self-isolate for a period of 14 days

● Children who are generally unwell

We hope that this information is helpful to you. We will continue to keep you updated on any new changes to procedures over the coming days, weeks and months. In the meantime, we look forward to seeing all the students next week and starting the new school year!