Dear Parent/Guardian,
Return to school
It has been announced that Junior Infant, Senior Infant, 1st and 2nd class pupils will return to school on March 1st. We look forward to welcoming back all our pupils.
As a school, we will continue to follow our Covid-19 Response Plan. I want you to know that the Board of Management, school leadership and staff are very conscious of the paramount need to keep all pupils and staff safe while in the school – it is our top priority. The school is a controlled environment. There are control measures in place to combat the introduction or spread of COVID-19.
We shall operate in accordance with the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre guidelines for children older than 3 months and up to 13 years of age which is available here. It is important that you please read this document and make yourself familiar with each situation.
In line with this, before the return of children to school, parents/guardians are asked to complete a Return Facility Declaration Form after every absence. Your child’s class teacher will send this form to you. It is important that all parents/ guardians of pupils complete this online form before returning on Monday March 1st.
Additionally, in line with the HSE Health Protection surveillance Centre guidelines for children older than 3 months and up to 13 years of age, the following guidance applies in certain situations:
Situation 1A child with a runny nose or other minor signs of illness and ‘off-form’, no fever of 38.0⁰C or higher, no cough, no difficulty breathing AND NO contact with an ill person or recent travel to another country
Action: You should keep your child home from school or childcare for 48 hours. Monitor your child’s illness for any signs of getting worse, or for any new signs of illness. If their illness is not worsening, and there are no new signs of illness AND your child does not need paracetamol or ibuprofen to feel better, then your child can return to school or childcare. The Return Facility Declaration Form is to be completed before return.
Situation 2A child with a runny nose, not ill, in good form, good energy and normal appetite, no fever, not requiring paracetamol, ibuprofen or any other medicine for fever
Action: Your child can go to school or creche.
Situation 3A child that has recently travelled from a country not on the government’s Green Region travel list.
Action: Your child must restrict their movements for 14 days. In some cases, the amount of time they need to restrict their movements after travel can be shorter. Click here for more detail. If your child starts to show signs of illness, they must self-isolate and test for COVID-19.
Situation 4A child who is a close contact of a someone with Covid-19.
Action: Your child needs to restrict their movements for 14 days. They will be tested on Day 0 and Day 10 after last contact with the case. If the test result on Day 10 is “Negative/Not Detected” and your child does not have any symptoms of COVID-19, they can stop restricting their movements. If your child is a close contact of a case who recently returned from a Category 2 country1 , they must self-isolate for 14 days and you should contact your GP to arrange a COVID-19 test. See https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/recently-arrived-intoireland.html for more information
Please be vigilant for signs of COVID-19 disease (HSE Health Protection surveillance Centre guidelines for children older than 3 months and up to 13 years of age) including:
- A fever of 38.0⁰C or higher without another medical reason (such as chickenpox or a urine infection) OR
- new cough or difficulty breathing or worsening of an existing breathing problem, OR
- loss of sense of smell, change in sense of taste, or loss of sense of taste(if your child is able to say this)OR
- other minor breathing or chest problems in a child who has been in contact with an ill person, is part of an outbreak or is a contact of someone who has COVID-19.
When a child displays symptoms of Covid 19 at school, the child’s parents/guardians will be contacted and asked to come to the school to take them home. Please ensure that the school has up to date emergency contact details for your child.
Where the school is notified of a positive Covid-19 case in school, the Public Health Department of the HSE will be contacted. A risk assessment will be undertaken. Action will be taken following advice from the HSE. Where there is a delay in advice from the HSE the Board of Management will act in a precautionary manner and inform pupils and adults of action to be taken.
We would remind all members of the school community of the dangers of spreading this virus through congregation of groups of people. Please be mindful of this especially dropping off and collecting children at the school entrance. We ask parents not to congregate on the school grounds, to wear a mask/face covering, to adhere to social distancing and to drop and go in the mornings. While parents/guardians can enter the yard to pick up their child in the afternoon, please stand back at a safe distance. This is to ensure the safety of all staff, children and parents/guardians. I appreciate your help and assistance in this regard.
Remote Learning Survey
We are currently undertaking a survey of remote learning. Please click here to access it. We are grateful to those of you who take to time to complete this survey. We will collate responses and your feedback will influence our remote learning plan into the future.
Book Return
Please send back all school books from class and supports teachers with your child on Monday 1st of March.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Yours faithfully,
Teresa Moynihan