Returning to School

August 2020

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Please read the details outlined below, outlining our plans around the re-opening of our school. Our main aim is to reduce the risk of infection coming into school. We are keeping up to date with all the latest guidelines and are adhering to the school’s COVID Response Plan. We also have a Covid-19 Risk Assessment, to look at the way we can improve our practices to reduce the risk of the spread of infection. If there are any changes, we will inform you immediately.

• School gates will open at 8.50am to accept pupils. They will remain opened until 9.10am. The extended opening is to avoid large numbers arriving at the same time. Children will be supervised on entry. Please do not allow your child to congregate with others at the gate. Likewise, parents, please do not congregate at school gates. Breakfast Club will not be running until further notice. 

Entry Routes to assist Social Distancing:

• Infants will use the small gate near the car park.  A drop off point will be marked out for parents, who will then exit via the car park gate. School staff will accompany the children to their classrooms. (Orange Route)
• 1st and 2nd class will enter on the ramp at the main gate and enter the school building via the Emergency exit at the back of the hall. (Blue Route)
• Both 6th classes, Ms. Delahunty's 5th and 3^rdN other, will enter through the main gate-2x6th class to the left and other two classes to the right hand side. These children will enter the building through the main door.  (Yellow Route)
• Ms O'Donoghue and Mrs. Whelan's 4th will enter the school grounds through the top gate and enter the building through the door closest to Ms Whelan's door. (Green Route)
• Mrs Lyons and Mrs. Mulhern's classes will enter the grounds through the same top gate but enter the building around the corner and through the door at the back of the school, marked on the map (Red Route) 

Exit Routes to assist Social Distancing:

• All classes will exit via same route except for 1^st and 2^nd. They will exit through small gate near car park.
• Infants will be collected in the yard-the main gate will be open for exit, to avoid overcrowding at the small gate. Parents, please respect Social Distance when collecting Infants.

Break and Lunch:

• Due to reduced numbers in the yard, there will be staggered breaks. There will be 8 classes divided between 3 yards for each break.  Yards will be sub-divided, providing class groups with their own area for play.
• Lunch break will be reduced from 45 minutes to 30 minutes to allow for staggered breaks.
• As a result of a reduced lunch break-our school day will now finish at 2.45pm. (1.45pm will be the normal finish time for the Infants)

• We are asking for all children to bring their own lunch for the next number of weeks. This may be brought in a lunch box, which should be thoroughly washed every evening. We hope to resume School Lunches again soon. We are currently working on a plan around the provision of school lunches.

• Remember-there will not be a facility for dropping off lunches, drinks etc. to children, once we return. For the Health and Safety of each child, we ask parents to avoid school visits, where ever possible.
• In a case where a parent needs to come to school to collect a sick child or any other un-avoidable situation, it is essential that a face covering is used.

• Please use the intercom in the outer hallway to speak with Kay or Rachel.
• Access to the school may be restricted, but thankfully, communication pathways are still very much open. You may call the school, send an email, contact HSCL teacher through a text or email. Messages will be passed onto class teachers or S.E.T teachers as needed.

Within the classes:

• Classes from Junior Infants to 2^nd class will operate as class bubbles. There will be groups within these bubbles. Class Bubbles will not mix on the yard.

• Classes from 3^rd to 6^th will operate a Pod system within each room. Children will be expected to remain in their pods while in the classroom setting. Every effort will be made for Pods not to mix inside. Outside, each class will play together in an assigned yard space for their class alone.
• Any shared resource will be wiped down before being used by a new class pod/bubble. (Laptops, Maths, P.E equipment)
• Sharing of pencils etc between Pods/Bubbles is not allowed
• Pupils and staff will wash their hands regularly, using proper technique. Please ensure your child washes their hands before leaving home each morning
• Everyone will use hand sanitiser provided on entry and exit. Sanitiser will also be made available in all classrooms.
• We will limit numbers of copies in school at any time. Please bring one Maths copy and one Writing copy for the month of September. All subjects will be written into this copy. Each teacher will direct each class with regard to this.
• Children will leave their pencil cases in school.
• There will be no written homework for the month of September.

Working together as a school Community to reduce risk-What we will do!

• For the safety of each child and adult, we ask each parent to ensure that children are well coming to school.
• Pupils must be kept at home with high temperature, cough, breathing difficulties or loss of taste or smell. Pupils should also be kept at home if generally unwell.
• Hand-washing each day before coming to school. We will ensure hands are washed and sanitised at suitable intervals during the school day.
• Pupils should stay at home for 14 days after returning from a country not on the green list.
• Daily cleaning routines will be extended.
• We will provide education to children around hand hygiene, good respiratory etiquette and appropriate Social Distancing. Well displayed, child friendly signage will provide on-going reminders.
• All staff will receive Induction Training prior to the start of the new school term.
• If showing symptoms in school, pupil will be cared for in an isolated area and parents will be called to collect. Any siblings will also be collected.
• Should there be a Confirmed case of Covid 19 within your child’s class, the school will fully follow the correct protocol of both the HSE and the Department of Education. Parents will be informed.
• Please remember though, that children have always gone home sick and now, while admittedly a different situation, that not all illnesses over the coming months, will be Covid 19 related. Children will have tonsillitis, head colds, ear infections, gum infections etc. –the list is endless.  I hope each parent respects this, as each childhood illness remains as such, until anything else is confirmed. 

We have looked at so many systems within our school and altered many of them to assist in reducing the spread of Covid-19. We are really looking forward to welcoming students back into the school next Thursday.  We will continue to look at our main systems and continue to address any situation that may arise, as we progress through the term. Our delivery of additional support through Special Educational Needs teachers will continue also. The plans around this will be worked out in line with Department of Education and H.S.E Guidelines.  Our full Covid-Response plan and Covid-19 Risk Assessment is completed and is being ratified by the B.O.M.  It will be available on our school website prior to opening.

Parents have asked if they can pay for school expenses electronically for this coming year-we will send details of this once we have opened, but we will accept cash payment or cheque also, in a sealed envelope. Please ensure your child’s name and class is on the envelope.

Even though there will be many changes in the coming school year-many fundamental things will also remain the same. We hope St. Oliver’s school will be able to support the well-being of each child and allow them to return to a school environment, that is warm and welcoming.  Their educational, physical, spiritual, moral and emotional needs will form an important part of each day.  We are very hopeful that new systems will become the ‘new norm’ and our classes will be filled with positive teaching and learning situations. 

Sincere thanks to all school staff who have shown great commitment to the children of this school since March 12^th, in such a wide variety of ways.  The work that has been done to support the safe re-opening of the school, cannot be understated.

I hope this document has answered some of your questions around re-opening. We all appreciate that further questions and situations will arise once the children return to school. Getting all our children back into school is a high priority for us all.   I thank you all, in advance, for supporting the school, to reduce the risk of the spread of infection.  Following these guidelines is essential for all.

Kind Regards,

Valerie Slattery, Principal St. Oliver’s N.S

Principal.