Information on Face Coverings
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From Department of Education To Parents Re Antigen Testing Friday 26th November
25 November 2021
Dear Parent,
This is an update on plans to provide for the use of antigen testing in certain circumstances in children who are asymptomatic and part of a classroom pod, where there is a confirmed case of COVID-19.
The most important way to protect against any onward spread of infection is that if your child has any symptoms of COVID-19, including a new cough, shortness of breath, high temperature, sore throat, they should self-isolate at home and you should book a COVID-19 PCR test for them. PCR tests can be booked here:
https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/covid19/testing/get-tested/
Children who have symptoms should not use antigen tests, they should stay at home and organise a PCR test for Covid-19. If a parent/guardian has any concerns about their child they should contact their GP, as per normal.
From 29 November 2021, if a parent or guardian receives a positive (detected) PCR COVID-19 test result for their child, we are asking that they contact their child’s school principal immediately to let them know.
The principal will then tell this parent/guardian, that they will be contacting the parents of the other children in their child’s pod, to give them details of how they can order free antigen tests for their children using a Freephone number. The principal is requested not to share any personal information relating to any other child with parents.
Antigen tests are potentially an extra measure to help protect against transmission of COVID-19 (coronavirus). You do the tests yourself at home. The test sample does not have to go to a lab. You usually get your results in 15 minutes.
If just one pod is involved, only the children in this pod will be offered antigen tests. If there are two pods with separate confirmed cases of COVID-19, then parents or guardians of children in the whole class will be contacted and provided with the information on how they can request antigen tests.
You will need to provide your child’s name and home address together with the school’s roll number, which will be provided by the school when contacting the Freephone number to order the test. ….. 2
These tests will be delivered free of charge directly to the parent or guardian at their home address and the child’s parent can decide if they want to do the tests. The HSE has prepared instructions and a video for parents. Full details will be in the antigen test pack.
The HSE advises that parents/guardians should carry out the first antigen test for their child on the day that they receive the test kit, they should do a second test 2 days later, and a third test 2 days after that.
The children in the pod of the confirmed COVID-19 case can continue to attend school as long as they have no symptoms and they do not have a positive COVID-19 test result (antigen or PCR). If at any time, your child develops symptoms they should isolate at home and you should book a COVID-19 PCR test for them. Do this even if the antigen test has a negative (not detected) result.
If an antigen test is positive, it is important that your child isolates at home and that you book a COVID-19 PCR test online at the
HSE test portal.
A QR code will be provided to afford parents the opportunity to upload the result of a test result to inform the HSE. This information is very important to understand the Covid-19 pandemic.
School principals have been requested not to share any information with parents that might identify the positive COVID-19 case.
Participating in antigen testing is a voluntary programme, therefore it is not necessary for parents to share information with the school about whether they have requested antigen tests and undertaken negative tests.
Children who are well should continue to come to school whether they participate in antigen testing or not.
The decision to do antigen testing with your child is completely up to parents and guardians and will have no impact on your child’s education or experience in school.
The voluntary programme of antigen testing is an additional measure and does not replace the very important public health measures currently in your school. ….. 3
We continue to ask that you remind your children of the importance of these measures to stop spread of infection
. Yours faithfully
Deirdre Shanley
Assistant Secretary
Return To School for 1st to 6th Class September 2021
The whole Staff at CBS Primary are so excited to be welcoming back our boys.
We have been preparing for their safe return.
We wish to draw your attention to a few matters
Departures –
We are looking forward to seeing you all back.
We have been preparing for their safe return.
We wish to draw your attention to a few matters
- On Sunday evening you will be texted a "Return to School Declaration Form" please complete this prior to your son's return.
- Arrival and Departures will be staggered as follows
- School is open for all at 8.45 if possible we would ask that you drop your child at the following times
- 5th & 6th classes 8.45am - 8.50 am
- 3rd & 4th classes 8.50 am - 8.55 am
- 1st & 2nd classes 8.55 am - 9.00 am
Departures –
- 5th & 6th classes – 2.30pm
- 3rd & 4th Classes – 2.35pm
- 1st & 2nd classes – 2.40pm
- Please do your best to drop/collect your child and go to avoid families congregating around the school.
We are looking forward to seeing you all back.
Back to School Video for Parents / Guardians
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Back to School Video for Junior to 2nd Class
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Back to School Video for 3rd to 6th Class
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Parenting Courses
Hello everyone,
Hope you are keeping well. I am sharing the attached and below information that may be useful for you and the families that you work with.
· 6 week Parenting Programme being held by Le Cheile
· Parenting Talk – Making Sense of Sensory Difficulties in your child https://www.ballyhouradevelopment.com/Event/parenting-talk-making-sense-of-sensory
· Parenting Talk – Living with Teenagers in Lockdown - https://www.ballyhouradevelopment.com/Event/parenting-talk-living-with-teenagers-in-lockdown
· Recordings of previous parenting talks also facilitated by Ballyhoura Development - https://www.ballyhouradevelopment.com/Pages/Category/family-support-webinars
Kind regards,
Christina
Christina Kelly
Senior Child & Family Support Network Coordinator
Hope you are keeping well. I am sharing the attached and below information that may be useful for you and the families that you work with.
· 6 week Parenting Programme being held by Le Cheile
· Parenting Talk – Making Sense of Sensory Difficulties in your child https://www.ballyhouradevelopment.com/Event/parenting-talk-making-sense-of-sensory
· Parenting Talk – Living with Teenagers in Lockdown - https://www.ballyhouradevelopment.com/Event/parenting-talk-living-with-teenagers-in-lockdown
· Recordings of previous parenting talks also facilitated by Ballyhoura Development - https://www.ballyhouradevelopment.com/Pages/Category/family-support-webinars
Kind regards,
Christina
Christina Kelly
Senior Child & Family Support Network Coordinator
Letter From Deputy Chief Medical Officer Friday 26th February 2021
Dr Ronan Glynn,
Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, Miesian Plaza,
50 – 58 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2.
26 February 2021
To parents and guardians,
Through your hard work and willingness to buy in to public health guidance over the past two months, we have made real progress in suppressing the most recent wave of COVID-19. This progress has meant that primary and post-primary schools and the wider provision of childcare can now commence on a phased basis.
The importance of schools for the overall health and wellbeing of children cannot be overstated, and the risk of COVID-19 has been carefully weighed against the very real harm that can be caused by sustained school closures. Schools are at the heart of our communities and they play a fundamental role in the social lives and wellbeing of our children; this is particularly true for children who have special educational needs, are disadvantaged or who may have been disproportionately impacted by school closures over the last year.
Our priority is to ensure a safe return to schools for students, their families and school staff, which is why we have recommended a phased return to in-school learning.
In making this recommendation, the NPHET’s most significant concern is that it will be taken as a signal by parents and wider society that other forms of household mixing, and mobility are now acceptable.
We cannot afford for this to happen at this time. Despite the progress we have made, COVID-19 is still circulating at high levels in our communities. We must do all we can individually and collectively to ensure that the reopening of schools results in the minimum possible upward pressure on the reproduction number.
Please avoid congregating at school gates over the coming weeks. Please do not have play dates or organise after school activities which involve household mixing. And please continue to work from home unless essential. It is only through your continued buy-in to these measures that we can ensure that our children will get back to school and then stay back in school.
I know these are difficult requests. We all – adults and children alike – want to meet up with our friends and neighbours and get back to our old routines. And we will get there.
We now have three very effective vaccines with, hopefully, three more on the way. Over the coming weeks, older people, and those at high or very high risk of severe disease will be vaccinated and we will see substantial increases in supply from April onwards. And we are already seeing the very
positive impact of vaccines in our nursing homes and among our healthcare workers. If we can combine this rollout with a continued suppression of the disease through March and April, we will have many more options in terms of easing of measures and should be able to provide much greater levels of certainty to people about the months ahead.
Finally, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for all you have done to keep your family and our communities safe over the last year. I also want to thank all teachers, principals and school staff who have worked so hard to ensure measures have been put in place to limit the risk of spread of COVID-19 in schools. It has been this kind of work, done quietly and by the majority, which has underpinned our national response to COVID-19 and which, ultimately, will see us through to brighter days ahead.
Kind regards
Dr. Ronan Glynn,
Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health.
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Advice during Covid-19
Safe Schools Advice for Parents/Guardians |
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Letter From Minister February 24th 2021
24 February 2021 Dear Parent/Guardian
Yesterday the Government published the plan for the next phases of return to in-school provision for students at both primary and post-primary level. These further phases have been developed following continuous engagement with unions and other education partners and ongoing engagement with the Department of Health and HSE Public Health.
The Department of Health and the HSE have reaffirmed that schools in themselves are low risk environments and that a gradual phased reopening can occur at this time. Public health has reviewed the measures put in place to ensure safe operation of schools and is satisfied that these infection prevention and control measures, when rigorously adhered to, will keep the school community safe during this period.
There will be a period of time between each phase to assess the impact of reopening on aspects of community transmission.
- On Monday 1 March the first four classes at primary level – junior and senior infants, first and second class – and final year Leaving Certificate students will return to in-school provision. This phase will also see a return to full attendance for children in special schools.
- Monday 15 March is the target date for the return to in-school provision of the rest of primary school children - third to sixth class students - and fifth year Leaving Certificate students. This date will be reviewed during the period following 1 March.
- Monday 12 April, following the Easter break is the target date for the return to in-school education for the rest of post-primary students - first to fourth year students
- Remote teaching and learning provision for students in each category will cease once in-person teaching and learning provision commences for each group of students.
Safety is paramount in our schools, and all provision within schools will continue according to public health advice developed for educational settings. The Department will continue to fund and support as necessary infection prevention and control measures in schools to ensure the safety of the school community.
Public Health in the HSE is fully committed to supporting schools. Schools teams that have been put in place to support schools since October will support schools during the phased return and beyond.
We all know of the hugely adverse consequences at individual, family and societal level of not having in-person learning available to students. The safe return and sustained safe re-opening of our schools is a key priority for Government.
I acknowledge that a phased re-opening is challenging for many people, with children of different age groups in the same families returning at different times. The purpose of managing this cautious phased return is to continue to limit the mobility of the population and curb the spread of the virus.
I ask all parents to please review the symptoms of Covid-19, to ensure that children with symptoms do not attend school and that all children know and understand the procedures in place in school.
Please continue to abide by all social distancing guidance and stay home apart from essential journeys. Parents can help schools by being individually responsible and not lingering outside school at drop off and collection times. It is welcome that children will see their friends in school, but please do not organise playdates or home visits.
We all understand how essential school reopening is and we need to give it the best possible chance to get all students back as quickly as possible.
I would like to thank you, your families and school communities for continued adherence to the guidelines and for helping us all to curb the spread of the virus. I wish all students and staff a safe return to in-person learning over the coming weeks.
You may find the below useful:
Links to posters and videos here: https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/5572b-back-to-
school-advice-for-parents-students-and-families/
Yours Sincerely,
________________
Norma Foley, TD Minister for Education
Office of the Minister of Education
An tAire Oideachais
Minister for Education
Sráid Maoilbhríde, Baile Átha Cliath 1, D01 RC96
Marlborough St, Dublin 1, D01 RC96
T +353 1 889 2335 | Minister@Education.gov.ie www.department.gov.ie
Letter From Minister January 12th '21
12 January 2021
Parents of students receiving remote learning
Dear Parent/Guardian
I hope that you and your families are keeping safe and well at this difficult time.
As you know, from yesterday Monday 11 January, schools will be closed to students and all students at primary and post-primary level will now move to a programme of remote learning.
While NPHET is of the view that schools remain safe environments, the decision to close schools was taken in order to minimise mobility of the entire population and to support the suppression of the Covid-19 virus in the community. This will allow everyone to reduce their contacts, with a view to reducing the spread of the virus and a swift return to school for all.
Remote Learning during this period
Following the initial period of school closure last year, the Department has engaged with the education partners to revise remote teaching and learning guidance. This was agreed with all stakeholders last year and guidance for primary and post-primary schools was subsequently published online in October and December 2020 respectively.
As such, during this time, all teachers, including special education teachers (SETs), are required to continue to support teaching and learning for all pupils/students in their class/subject group or on their caseload.
Schools have been advised of the need to ensure appropriate provision and support for pupils/students during this time. Every school has been advised of the need to develop a contingency plan for remote learning that is appropriate to children’s different ages and stages, and has been provided with guidance on best practice. The guidance provided to schools notes that it is crucially important that the learning of all pupils/students, especially those with special educational needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage and/or early school leaving, are supported at this time. These guidelines are listed at the end of this letter.
Schools have been provided with funding as part of the Digital Strategy for Schools. In 2020 funding totaling €100m in 2020 was provided to schools and schools have been advised to prioritise supporting the purchase of devices for students who may not have access to devices for remote learning. The School Support services that are funded by the Department have developed a suite of materials to assist teachers in using an online platform to support teaching, learning and assessment. Furthermore, there is a range of supports available to schools from the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, Junior Cycle for Teachers, An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscoilaíochta, National Educational Psychological Service, Education Centres and the Centre for School Leadership.
There has been an excellent take up by teachers throughout the country of training and supports provided in this area, and I know that schools will do their utmost in these difficult circumstances to provide the best possible experience for students. Schools will contact parents directly with their plans and arrangements for remote learning.
The Inspectorate of the Department will continue to offer an advisory service to schools to support the delivery of remote learning and to provide assistance to school leaders in particular. The Inspectorate will also evaluate and report on the quality of educational provision for students at this time.
Returning to in-person learning for all schools
The Department is conscious that closing schools has hugely adverse consequences at individual, family and societal level. For children, it impacts on wellbeing, learning, on social and emotional development.
School closure has significant impacts on children with special educational needs. School closure also heightens student anxiety, particularly for the Leaving Certificate cohort, in relation to state examinations.
The Government decision included provision that in-person learning would be maintained for two specific cohorts from Monday 11, pupils/ students attending special schools and classes and final year Leaving Certificate students. Despite the confirmation by Public Health that schools remain safe, unfortunately it has not proved possible to get agreement to provide in-person learning for these two groups. In these circumstance there is no alternative but to pause the limited reopening and continue engagement with partners. I will keep parents of these students updated on this engagement.
The latest public health advice received by Government is available here. It clearly outlines that schools are safe environments, and that the protective measures and the considerable supports put in place to support schools have been successful.
Where there have been cases in schools, the enhanced school teams put in place by Public Health and the Department have worked effectively to support schools, and the level of transmission in schools has been low. Because of this, we continue to aim to return all students to in-person learning as soon as it is possible to do so.
Supports and wellbeing
It is important that students experience continuity of learning during this period to the extent that is possible for your family, bearing in mind your child’s age and stage. Research conducted in Ireland concluded that while online learning worked for some students during the period of school closure, it did not replicate the in-school learning experience – this was also the experience internationally.
We all know that it can be difficult to achieve maximum interaction with remote learning, with many competing demands and restrictions. The best advice is that you provide the support that is possible for your family to your child and that you prioritise your child’s and your own wellbeing, balancing that with supporting learning, during this period.
Links to some supports available are provided below.
I wish you and your family all the very best at this time, and hope to communicate soon with you on a safe return to in-person learning for all.
Regards,
______________________________
Norma Foley TD
Minister for Education
Information on guidance provided to schools on remote learning
The guidance provided to schools that it is crucially important that the learning of all pupils/students, especially those with special educational needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage and/or early school leaving, are supported at this time, and sets out the following requirements:
Wellbeing
The wellbeing of all children and families is important, and the National Educational Psychological Service has a range of supports available on gov.ie/schools in the parents section which you may find useful. This material is being updated regularly so please check back: Gov.ie/schools/wellbeing.
Parents of students receiving remote learning
Dear Parent/Guardian
I hope that you and your families are keeping safe and well at this difficult time.
As you know, from yesterday Monday 11 January, schools will be closed to students and all students at primary and post-primary level will now move to a programme of remote learning.
While NPHET is of the view that schools remain safe environments, the decision to close schools was taken in order to minimise mobility of the entire population and to support the suppression of the Covid-19 virus in the community. This will allow everyone to reduce their contacts, with a view to reducing the spread of the virus and a swift return to school for all.
Remote Learning during this period
Following the initial period of school closure last year, the Department has engaged with the education partners to revise remote teaching and learning guidance. This was agreed with all stakeholders last year and guidance for primary and post-primary schools was subsequently published online in October and December 2020 respectively.
As such, during this time, all teachers, including special education teachers (SETs), are required to continue to support teaching and learning for all pupils/students in their class/subject group or on their caseload.
Schools have been advised of the need to ensure appropriate provision and support for pupils/students during this time. Every school has been advised of the need to develop a contingency plan for remote learning that is appropriate to children’s different ages and stages, and has been provided with guidance on best practice. The guidance provided to schools notes that it is crucially important that the learning of all pupils/students, especially those with special educational needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage and/or early school leaving, are supported at this time. These guidelines are listed at the end of this letter.
Schools have been provided with funding as part of the Digital Strategy for Schools. In 2020 funding totaling €100m in 2020 was provided to schools and schools have been advised to prioritise supporting the purchase of devices for students who may not have access to devices for remote learning. The School Support services that are funded by the Department have developed a suite of materials to assist teachers in using an online platform to support teaching, learning and assessment. Furthermore, there is a range of supports available to schools from the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, Junior Cycle for Teachers, An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscoilaíochta, National Educational Psychological Service, Education Centres and the Centre for School Leadership.
There has been an excellent take up by teachers throughout the country of training and supports provided in this area, and I know that schools will do their utmost in these difficult circumstances to provide the best possible experience for students. Schools will contact parents directly with their plans and arrangements for remote learning.
The Inspectorate of the Department will continue to offer an advisory service to schools to support the delivery of remote learning and to provide assistance to school leaders in particular. The Inspectorate will also evaluate and report on the quality of educational provision for students at this time.
Returning to in-person learning for all schools
The Department is conscious that closing schools has hugely adverse consequences at individual, family and societal level. For children, it impacts on wellbeing, learning, on social and emotional development.
School closure has significant impacts on children with special educational needs. School closure also heightens student anxiety, particularly for the Leaving Certificate cohort, in relation to state examinations.
The Government decision included provision that in-person learning would be maintained for two specific cohorts from Monday 11, pupils/ students attending special schools and classes and final year Leaving Certificate students. Despite the confirmation by Public Health that schools remain safe, unfortunately it has not proved possible to get agreement to provide in-person learning for these two groups. In these circumstance there is no alternative but to pause the limited reopening and continue engagement with partners. I will keep parents of these students updated on this engagement.
The latest public health advice received by Government is available here. It clearly outlines that schools are safe environments, and that the protective measures and the considerable supports put in place to support schools have been successful.
Where there have been cases in schools, the enhanced school teams put in place by Public Health and the Department have worked effectively to support schools, and the level of transmission in schools has been low. Because of this, we continue to aim to return all students to in-person learning as soon as it is possible to do so.
Supports and wellbeing
It is important that students experience continuity of learning during this period to the extent that is possible for your family, bearing in mind your child’s age and stage. Research conducted in Ireland concluded that while online learning worked for some students during the period of school closure, it did not replicate the in-school learning experience – this was also the experience internationally.
We all know that it can be difficult to achieve maximum interaction with remote learning, with many competing demands and restrictions. The best advice is that you provide the support that is possible for your family to your child and that you prioritise your child’s and your own wellbeing, balancing that with supporting learning, during this period.
Links to some supports available are provided below.
I wish you and your family all the very best at this time, and hope to communicate soon with you on a safe return to in-person learning for all.
Regards,
______________________________
Norma Foley TD
Minister for Education
Information on guidance provided to schools on remote learning
The guidance provided to schools that it is crucially important that the learning of all pupils/students, especially those with special educational needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage and/or early school leaving, are supported at this time, and sets out the following requirements:
- Regular engagement with pupils/students: It is important that teachers engage with their pupils/students; in a primary setting this should, ideally, be on a daily basis; in a post-primary context teachers should, as far as possible, engage with students as per the normal school timetable.
- A blend of guided and independent learning tasks/experiences: Teacher-pupil/student engagement should involve both direct teaching by the teacher and the assignment of independent learning tasks for completion by the pupils/students.
- Appropriate and engaging learning opportunities: Teachers should ensure that the chosen learning tasks give pupils/students an opportunity to demonstrate their learning in a clear and concise way.
- Learning tasks: The tasks chosen should be specifically aligned to the needs of the pupil/student, including pupils/students with special educational needs (SEN), and should enable the teacher to monitor progress and give constructive, developmental feedback to support the next stages in their learning.
- Two-way feedback between home and school: Schools should ensure that two-way feedback between teachers and parents/guardians and between teachers and their pupils/students is encouraged and supported. Schools should provide manageable and accessible opportunities for all pupils/ students to regularly share samples of their work with the teacher(s) throughout each week. Teachers should ensure that work received is corrected and relevant feedback is provided.
- Support for pupils/students with special educational needs: Special education teachers (SETs) should continue to engage with the pupils/students on their caseloads and class/subject teachers should differentiate teaching and learning in line with their pupils’/students’ needs to minimise disruption to their learning and progression.
- Guidance on Remote Learning in a COVID-19: Context: September –December 2020 For primary schools and special schools
- Guidance on Emergency Remote Teaching and Learning in a COVID-19 Context For post-primary schools and centres for education.
- Guidance for parents/ guardians on supporting continuity of learning can be found here and is available in multiple languages.
Wellbeing
The wellbeing of all children and families is important, and the National Educational Psychological Service has a range of supports available on gov.ie/schools in the parents section which you may find useful. This material is being updated regularly so please check back: Gov.ie/schools/wellbeing.
CBS Primary use only approved Sanitising Products.
We would like to assure Parents/Guardians that all Hand Sanitisers, Wipes, Hand Soaps and Detergents currently in use in our school are fully in line with Department Guidelines.
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The HSE has produced a brief (1.5 minute) video message for parents. Listen to expert advice from Dr Abigail Collins on what to do if your child has been in close contact with someone else who has COVID-19 in school or childcare. |
