Email:
clashmorens19@gmail.com
Tel:
+353-24-96404

Back to School Plan – What Parents Need to Know

19th August 2020

Dear Parents / Guardians,
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 Wednesday next, 26th 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.

Our main aim is to prevent the risk of infection coming in to school and we need your help to do this! While all children are welcome back to school,

YOU SHOULD NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL IF HE/SHE HAS A TEMPERATURE, A COUGH OF ANY KIND, LOSS OF SMELL/TASTE OR HAS ANY KIND OF SHORTNESS OF BREATH.

If you are in any doubt about whether you should send your child to school or not, please keep him/her at home and contact your doctor for advice.

Children who have travelled from countries not on the Green List should not attend school during the 14-day self-isolation period.

Further information on COVID-19 symptoms in children is available at: – https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/if-your-child-has-symptoms.html

Teachers will make children aware of the proper hygiene procedures regarding hand washing and etiquette related to sneezing, coughing or spitting. We would be grateful if you could also emphasise safe behaviour in this regard to your children at home as part of the preparation for returning to school.

To ensure the safety of pupils, staff and the school community we have a number of measures in place detailed below. Please note that the School`s Covid 19 Policy Statement and Covid 19 Response Plan will be available via our new school website which will go live shortly. You will be notified when this occurs. We are finalising our e-payments system to enable us to go cashless. We will notify you when this system is in place to enable you to pay the Book Rental Fee etc.Also please see a letter from the Board of Management to the school community attached to this
email.

We have greatly missed our boys and girls since March and we look forward to welcoming them back to Clashmore National School on 26th August.

Le gach beannacht Uaimse,
Yvonne Uí Fhlaithimhín
Principal

Measures to keep your child safe

Your child should arrive at school between 9.10a.m. and 9.20a.m. and go straight to his/her classroom. His/Her teacher will be waiting for him/her there. There will be no supervision in the yard.

Entering & Exiting the School
Each class will enter and exit the building using a specific entrance:

  • Junior & Senior Infants- Door to the right of the main entrance
  • First & Second Class- Main Door to the School
  • Third & Fourth Class- Door adjoining classroom
  • Fifth & Sixth Class- Door adjoining classroom

Junior Infants

  • Wednesday 26th – Friday 28th August: Junior Infants will arrive at the school at 9:30am and will go home at 12pm on those days. Parents are permitted to drop the Junior Infants to their designated door on these days. Junior Infants can be collected from the lower pathway on the village side of Clashmore.
  • From Monday 31st August onwards, Junior Infants will go home at 1:55pm for the remainder of the school year.

‘Pick Up and Go’ Times:

  • 1:55pm Class teacher will bring Junior Infants to the lower pathway on the village side. Mams/Dads are asked to ‘pick up and go’ until 2.00p.m. No parking will be allowed.
  • 2:00pm Class teacher will bring Senior Infants to the lower pathway on the village side. Mams/Dads are asked to ‘pick up and go’ until 2.05p.m.
  • 2:50pm Class teacher will bring First and Second Class to the lower pathway on the village side. Mams/Dads are to ‘pick up and go’ until 2:55p.m.
  • 2:55pm Class teacher will bring Third and Fourth Class to the upper pathway on the Aglish side. Mams/Dads are asked to ‘pick up and go’ until 3pm.
  • 3:00pm Class teacher will bring Fifth and Sixth Class to the upper pathway on the Aglish side. Mams/Dads are asked to ‘pick up and go’ until 3:05pm. Supervision will be provided until 3.10p.m.

 

  • Parents/guardians may not come into the school yard. If you drive your child to school, please ‘Stop, Drop and Go’. School staff will be there to help.
  • Hand sanitizers have been put up all around the school for the children to use and they will also be asked to wash their hands regularly while in school.
  • Each class group will be in a ‘bubble’ and will not mix with other class bubbles at any time, including break time. Our Assemblies will take place virtually.
  • Within each class, the children will be grouped into pods which will be distanced from each other as much as space allows. Children from 3rd – 6th will be required to stay in their pods as far as possible.
  • Children should have a plastic zipped pouch for their own belongings for example pencils, colours etc. Sharing of resources, particularly from 3rd – 6th will not be allowed.
  • The school has purchased a box for each pupil to store their books copies etc in.
  • Scissors, paint-brushes and calculators (from 3rd – 6th class) will be loaned from the school to the children for the duration of the year.
  • There will be no homework for the month of September. We feel that this is necessary to help the children, you their parents and us the teachers settle back into school.
  • Please ensure that your child has all their essentials coming to school. In the event that something has been forgotten, this item can be bagged and labelled with your child`s name and left in our designated drop off area– in the sheltered area (shed) in the front yard. This area will be monitored by staff during the day.
  • The children should wear their uniforms (navy-blue tracksuit with blue polo shirt) as usual and have an extra tracksuit for P.E. days. No garments with logos are permitted. We strongly recommend that they change out of their uniforms straight after school.
  • To avoid groups gathering in hallways, the children will not wear indoor shoes this year.
  • The school will be cleaned every day, following all government guidelines, advice and checklists.
  • If your child gets unwell at school with any of the symptoms of Covid-19, he/she will be cared for in an isolation room where he/she will remain until collected. Children who are unwell must be collected immediately. Please make sure that your contact details are up to date and provide an emergency contact also.

 

How can you help?

  • Be positive with your child about the re-opening of school even if you have concerns yourself.
  • Take your child’s temperature before coming to school and make sure his/her hands are clean.
  • Do not enter the school grounds without an appointment or permission from the Principal.
  • If you need to speak with your child’s teacher, please ring the school office on 024 96404.
  • Do not allow your child to bring any unnecessary personal items to school e.g. toys, books, etc.
  • Maintain a social distance at drop off and collection time.
  • Please have patience with us as we do our best to re-open safely for all our pupils.