First Week over!

Dear parents,

We are delighted to come to the Friday of our first week back at school. We had a joyful reunion with our school community. It is a very progressive step to have our schools reopened and running as normal despite the pandemic.

The children adapted so well to the new protocols. We welcomed 28 Junior Infants who happily skip into Ms Connolly each morning. A warm welcome was extended also to our new pupils Jodie, Mackenzie, Willow, Brady and Myles. Our new preschoolers Dylan, Jessie and Ava are settling in well with Bríd.

It is a delight to see children being so happy to be back among their friends and school staff. Having no homework for now has got a huge thumbs up, from parents and students alike.

The staff put considerable time and effort into preparing the building and devising workable systems to ensure efficient and safe movement throughout the school. As with all the best laid plans, some things worked seamlessly and others required some adjusting. The staggered break times are working well, as is the way children go directly to classrooms in the morning. Having observed some congestion at dismissal time, we have changed the exit door for 1st and 2nd classes to the front. Additional marking has been added to the outdoor area to ensure adequate social distancing. 1st and 2nd class come out of the school at 2.50pm, followed by the other classes. Children sometimes find it difficult to pick out their parent so please come forward to the railings as you see your child emerge and accompany them to your car.

We will continue to monitor our system and make changes where necessary. We are grateful for the way you all prepared your children for a safe return. Please remember that if you are exempt from wearing a face covering it is still essential to keep a distance of 2 metres from other adults in the yard. We will continue to adhere to the first line of defence in order to minimise risk of infection. Posters are displayed throughout the school to remind us all of our responsibilities. Staff are always on hand to assist if challenges arise.

Wishing you all an enjoyable school year.

Bríd Chambers