01 628 2691

School Closure January 2021

07-January-21

Dear Parents/ Guardians,

I hope that you and your family are safe and healthy.

In order to support the suppression of the COVID-19 virus in the community, Government decided yesterday that schools will be closed to primary pupils for a period of three weeks, with the exception of Special schools and Special classes, and the current plan is that they will reopen on 1 February.

As St.Thomas’ JNS is a mainstream school with no Special classes, we are directed to close but will continue to provide quality teaching and learning via remote learning for all our pupils. From Monday 11th January, teachers will facilitate remote learning for your child via Seesaw and your child’s class teacher will be in contact with you regarding this.

We are acutely aware of the impact of school closures on all pupils and especially Special Educational Needs pupils who attend our school. We will endeavour to support you and your pupils though this challenging time in a remote educational environment and are available to help you to ensure that these three weeks are educationally productive, happy and safe.

All staff have worked extremely hard over the last few months to put in place remote teaching and learning plans for this contingency, based on guidance provided by the Department of Education and Skills. This guidance includes best practice on age and stage appropriate resources and supports to support students’ learning in this period.

The Department of Education and Skills’ NEPS psychologists have developed well-being support and advice available here for parents, pupils and school staff to support wellbeing and self-care during this time.

We appreciate the challenges of balancing everything right now including family commitments, work commitments, home schooling, well-being and taking care of the emotional, physical, social and mental health of you and your loved ones. However, together, we will all get through this. As teachers, with such challenges ourselves, we understand and while we will continue to teach the curriculum, we will bear all these challenges in mind.

In the coming weeks, we are all asked to follow the public health advice, to minimise contacts and to do our bit to reduce the spread of the virus, so we can return to in-person learning for all as soon as possible.

Please email your child’s class teacher if you have any information that you feel we should know, questions, concerns or otherwise. Our teachers and SNAs will endeavour to assist you in any way we can.

I know that this is a situation in which no one wanted to find themselves. Since coming to this school in October, I have seen first-hand the joy, professionalism, community and inspiration that imbue our values as a school community. We need to draw on these now and remember that ní neart go cur le chéile.

Many thanks and stay safe

Teresa Moynihan

Principal

Events
Mar
25 2024
Easter Holidays
May
06 2024
Mid-term Break
Jun
28 2024
School Closure at 11.50 (infants) and 12.00 (1st/2nd)
Enquire
Contact
Esker,
Lucan,
Co.Dublin,

01 628 2691





Location
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