Re-Opening of St Joseph’s CBS, Sunday’s Gate
Information for Parents
We are delighted to welcome back our pupils from Tuesday 31st of August. We hope you all have had a lovely Summer break and your children are ready fro a wonderful start to the new school year.
Covid 19 and new variants have meant that we must continue to observe all the procedures and precautions that were in place last year.
The information below is subject to change and we will continue to add to existing information as necessary.
The following changes to the operation of the school have been decided in the interests of the Health and Safety of pupils and staff and are in line with the Department of Education and Skills Covid 19 Response Plan.
Uniform
- The department of Education and Skills has not made any recommendations regarding uniforms and as such the uniform policy remains as has been in previous years.
Infant Classes: tracksuits
1st– 6th classes: tracksuit on PE days and uniform on all other days.
1st class will get their new school tie on Tuesday the 31st of August
Face- Coverings
- Staff will wear masks at all times when working in the vicinity of others
- Staff will wear masks, face coverings and PPE when administering first aid or intimate care needs
- All parents/guardians and members of the public must wear masks while on school grounds
- Returning from Abroad
- Children returning from abroad must observe current government regulations https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/75d92-covid-19-travel-advice/
Covid 19 Symptoms
- High temperature
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Loss of taste or smell
- Runny Nose
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Diarrhoea
- Children are not permitted to attend school if they are experiencing any symptoms of Covid19.
- Staff are not permitted to come to school if they are experiencing any symptoms of Covid 19.
- Any child experiencing symptoms of Covid 19 will be isolated and their parent/guardian contacted to take their child home immediately.
- An isolation room and an overflow isolation space has been outlined as per department guidelines.
- Members of the school community who are experiencing Covid 19 symptoms must isolate at home and contact their GP by phone. Pupils must not return to school until they have received a Covid 19 negative test result or have been symptom free for 48 hours
- In the event of a diagnosis of Covid 19 of a member of the school community or a close contact of a member of the school community the school will be directed by HSE on how to proceed.
Parents and Visitors
- All contact details for parents/guardians of pupils must be up to date.
- Parent/guardians must inform the school of any changes to their children’s contact details. ● Parents/guardians or emergency contacts must be accessible during the school day ● Parents will not be permitted to enter the school building without a prior appointment. ● Visitors to the school will not be permitted to enter the school without a prior appointment ● Teachers and parents will continue to communicate with each other by school diary, note, phone, email and online platforms
- All visitors to the school will be required to fill out a contact tracing form
- School Equipment and Facilities
- All stationery, copies and books are to be left in school.
- Pupils will not be permitted to share or use stationery items belonging to other pupils. ● All shared equipment such as i-pads, Maths equipment etc. will be sanitised before and after use.
- No items from home will be permitted in school except a school bag containing lunch (if the child is not receiving a school lunch) and a drink.
- The computer room, library and kitchen will be out of use until further notice. ● Pupils leaving their classrooms for tuition will be accompanied by a staff member at all times ● Classes will only leave their classrooms for breaks, tuition, toileting, P.E., other outdoor activities and visits to the outdoor classroom.
Covid 19 Prevention and Personal Hygiene
- Children and all school personnel will be required to sanitise their hands on entering and exiting the school and at regular intervals during the day.
- Handwashing and hand hygiene protocols will be taught and revised in all classes ● Handwashing and hand hygiene protocols must be adhered to in all classes ● Indoor toilets have been installed in the Green School.
- Coughing and Sneezing Etiquette will be taught, revised and must be adhered to in every class.
Cleaning
- Cleaning in school will be increased. The Department of Education has increased the budget for cleaning and cleaning materials and in line with these guidelines the school will be cleaned thoroughly at least once a day.
- Books, toys and other resources will be cleaned or quarantined for 72 hours before reuse.
- Teaching and Learning
- Helping all pupils to make the transition back to school, reconnecting with their teachers and friends and establishing new school routines that support their health and safety will be a priority at the start of the new school year.
- The Department of Education & Skills has published curriculum guidelines for schools and we are advised to pay particular attention to supporting the wellbeing and reducing potential anxiety in our pupils.
- We will plan their learning experiences to take account of the effect the school closure has had on their progress and their engagement in learning.
- The curriculum priorities for the first term of 2020/21 in St. Joseph’s C.B.S will the subject areas of Social, Personal & Health Education (SPHE). Languages (English & Irish), Mathematics & Physical Education as per Department of Education Guidelines.
Homework and Digital Learning
- Any homework assigned in term 2 will be completed digitally until further notice. ● On- line learning platforms will continue to be in use for homework and communication.
Collection of Children during the School Day
- In the event that a child needs to be collected during the school day the following arrangements will apply:
- In advance of any adult arriving at the school they should ring the office on 041-9833620 ● The adult must wait for the child in the designated waiting area and the child will be brought to them by a staff member.
- Early collection will be recorded by a staff member.
- No adult should enter the building without appointment or invitation.
Children with Additional Needs
- Please contact the school by phone or email if you have concerns about your child returning to or starting school if he or she has additional needs. These could be learning, emotional or medical needs.
- Please contact the school if your child is in a vulnerable or high risk group so that a plan can be put in place to support your child.
- The special education team (SEN) in the school will make sure that your child’s needs are catered for to the best of their ability.
- SEN teachers will be assigned to specific year groups and classes.
- SEN teachers will be required to cover for mainstream teachers in the event of teacher absences.
Yard
- Breaks will be staggered. There will be 3 morning and 3 lunch breaks during each day. ● Each class will be provided with their own play area of the school yard.
- There will be 5 classes each in the green and red yard and 3 classes in the infant yard. ● Children will be required to line up in a socially distant formation after every break. ● Children will be required to enter and exit the building at intervals using assigned entrances and exits.
- Sanitisation protocols will be strictly adhered to.
Morning Break
10.30-45am – Junior and Senior Infants -Green Yard
11-00-11.15am G1, G2, G3, G4 and G6- Green Yard
11.00-11.15am- G5, R6, R7, R11 and R12 – Red Yard
Lunch Break
12-10-12.40pm -Junior and Senior Infants Green Yard
12.45-1.15pm – G1, G2, G3, G4 and G6- Green Yard
12.45-1.15pm -G5, R6, R7, R11 and R12 – Red Yard
First-Aid
- Staff will be required to wear face coverings, masks and PPE while administering first aid.
- Assembly
- 8.40am -Junior and Senior Infants may enter the main gate at the green yard at Sunday’s Gate and proceed to their classroom. Parent’s accompanying them onto school property must wear a face mask and make their way out the exit gate.
- 8:40am – 1st and 2nd class children may enter school yard. They will be supervised by a member of staff until it is time to go to classrooms at 8:50am.
- 8:50am -3rd and 4th class enter the main gate at the green yard at Sunday’s Gate and proceed to their classroom.
- 8:50am – 5th and 6th enter the main gate at the red yard at King St and proceed to their classroom.
- Children will enter the school yard and sanitise their hands at their assigned time and gate before going directly to their classrooms.
- Bus Students – may wait in the shelters of the Green Yard when their bus arrives at the school gate between 8.40am and 8.50am
- No congregation of children or parents will be permitted in the school yard before or after school
- Staff will be present to steward children to their classes safely.
After School
- There will be no after school activities and clubs with the exception of the Infant Link Hour until further notice.
- In the interest of safety parents will be permitted to enter a designated area of the green school yard when collecting children from junior infants to fourth class at 1.20pm or 2.30pm. Parents must leave the school yard when their child has been collected.
Children Travelling by Bus
- Children travelling by bus may enter the school yard from 8.40am and those children not starting until 8.50am will be permitted to wait in a designated area of the school yard until class begins. To avail of this facility parents must sign a consent form to say that their child is travelling by bus and consent to this being cross checked with the bus company. In the event of a child’s name not being on the list of ‘bus children’ they will not gain entry to the yard at 8.40am.
- Children travelling by bus will be permitted to wait for the school bus in the school yard after school under supervision and will be escorted to the bus in the evening by staff. ● Failure to comply with social distancing arrangements and staff instructions while waiting for the bus before or after school may result in a pupil not being permitted to wait for the bus on school grounds.
Siblings
- Siblings will be permitted to wait in the Red Yard from 8.40am if their sibling is in junior or senior infants or parents may choose to have siblings arrive in school together at 8.50am and go straight to their respective classes.
- Failure to comply with social distancing arrangements and staff instructions while waiting for their class to begin before school may result in a pupil not being permitted to wait on school grounds.
The Code of Behaviour
● The Code of Behaviour will be amended in light of the changes to school life as a result of Covid 19. Failure of pupils to comply with Covid 19 health and safety regulations and instructions from staff will be considered a very serious misdemeanour and will be dealt with accordingly.