Post date: Aug 27, 2020 6:46:42 PM
Dear Parents
The Board of Management and School Staff are looking forward to welcoming all our pupils and parents/guardians back to school for the 2020/2021 school year on Friday 28th of August.
We are satisfied that we have control measures in place to ensure that this will be a safe re-opening. It will take some time for all of us to get used to the “new circumstances” as we become familiar with the new routines and procedures designed to keep everyone safe and to prevent the spread of the virus. There will, undoubtedly, be some unforeseen challenges and we will deal with these as they arise. Please familiarise yourselves with our School Plan for Reopening and go through the changes with the children so that they will be prepared. Children are extremely resilient and most will adapt quickly. Everything will run smoothly when everyone is informed. The Plan for Reopening was emailed to all parents last week and is also available on our school website.
We would like to thank you for your co-operation in making preparations to date and look forward to working with you as we assist the children adapt to the necessary changes. We are also conscious of the fact that our pupils have not been in school since March and that they are looking forward to coming back to school to meet their friends again. We are aware that our new pupils are beginning a school year at a challenging time and have made plans to ensure that their first day will be as memorable and enjoyable as possible.
Mr. Breslin has uploaded a short video to our website which demonstrates the different entrance and exit points. You can find it here http://www.killeighns.ie/school-news/backtoschoolvideo.
Reminders for the 1st Day
All class teachers will be in their classrooms at 9.10 am
Parents are asked to ‘drop and go’ at their designated times and are reminded to maintain 2 metres distance. Yellow lines are marked outside the school wall.
Children will go directly to their classrooms on arrival. Other staff members (including Special Education Teachers, SNAs and the Principal) will be available outside and inside the building to receive the children and to help them to their classrooms.
It will not be possible for parents to come onto the school grounds before or after school.
To minimise the risks, and to help us to maintain social distancing, the children may not come onto the school grounds before 9.10a.m.
The drop off and collection system will apply rain, hail or shine so please make sure that your child comes to school prepared for the weather. Have an umbrella with you as you may be waiting at the gate and we can no longer allow parents to come to the door
Please note the a slight change to the collection point for Ms. Screeney's Senior Infants. They will come in through the Main Gate ( Left Side) but their collection point is at the gate beside the Oak Tree. Parents of children in this class will wait at this gate.
To help with reducing the amount of traffic around the school gates, children are encouraged to walk or cycle to school if it is at all possible. The church car park will be open and parents can park here and walk their children across to the school.
Pupils should not bring footballs or toys to school.
All school books and stationary will be collected on the first day and will remain in school. There will be no homework for the first 2-3 weeks so children will not be required to carry books in and out of school. They will only be bringing their lunch/drinks for the next 2 weeks, at least.
Remind children that they cannot share stationary, belongings or lunch.
Please label everything so we can return any lost property to the owner.
We have decided that children will not need outdoor shoes. Children will not be allowed on the grass when it is wet and we have made alternative plans for dividing the playground.
Please ensure your child has a raincoat every day as we will be going outside regularly throughout the day in order to ensure the classroom is ventilated. To ensure that classrooms are well ventilated, windows will be kept open as often as possible, and will be opened while children are taking breaks in the playground.
Hand hygiene will be promoted and encouraged, and parents/guardians are asked to support the school in reinforcing this message. Children are no longer required to bring hand sanitiser or a hand towel as we said previously on the class booklists.
Payments
All payments must be made via our school online payment system. This is now open to receive Art and Craft, Digital Subscription and Insurance (€8 per child) Teachers will not be handling payments made in cash. Please call or email the office if you have any difficulty with making online payments. We ask that all payments are made in full before the end of September
In accordance with the DES guidelines, the school will be thoroughly cleaned. All school staff will be vigilant in ensuring that frequently touched surfaces such as door handles, tables, chairs etc. are sanitised and disinfected at regular intervals throughout the school day and our cleaning and caretaking staff have increased hours each day to allow for additional cleaning.
If you need to Collect your child from school early, you will need to contact the school office and inform the class teacher in advance. Parents will wait at the main door and your child will meet you there.
If you need to speak with a teacher, you will need to contact them via the school email or by contacting the school office and the teacher will call you back. It is not possible to just turn up at reception or stop a staff member in the yard. Meeting a staff member face to face will only be possible in extreme situations. The health and safety of pupils, staff and your family is the most important thing.
We love to see all of our children at school every day. However, under the current circumstances, parents/guardians must keep children at home if they display any Covid-19 Symptoms. https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/symptoms.html Pupils must not attend school if they display any symptoms.
Please familiarise yourselves with the signs and symptoms of Covid 19 and go through our school’s plan for dealing with a pupil who may be displaying symptoms.
We are looking forward to welcoming our children back and helping them to re-engage with school life. I am sure the children are excited and looking forward to seeing their friends and teachers again. I am also aware that many may be feeling anxious an unsure about returning to school and this is also a perfectly normal response at a time of transition and change. Most will settle in over time, as they reconnect with friends and get used to the new school safety routines. Our school will be prioritising and focusing on wellbeing as it is a vital element in creating a positive learning environment for all.
If you still have any questions, please contact me by email at sandra.sheeran@scoilshinchill.com or by phoning the school at 057 9344349
Yours sincerely,
Sandra Sheeran
Principal