school closures

techteacher

with the current warnings and possible school closures to take place what is the plan for rescheduled classes, is my 2 week med cruise in trouble?:D

what days are going to be allocated from the easter break?

https://www.independent.ie/weather/storm-emma-will-impact-everybody-people-need-to-be-aware-national-emergency-coordination-group-36644094.html

RealJohn

It’s yet another area in which teachers get it worse than the average. If any other place of business closes due to the snow, the staff aren’t expected to give up holidays to make the time up. Why should we? A couple of days out of school isn’t the end of the world for students.

techteacher

very true for our industry yet again we are punished.... but technology may rescue us I have got sanction from the head of our ETB for a blended learning trial to commence next week so timing may be good

byhookorbycrook

It's up to each school to decide what to do. At primary, time may made up in several ways without having to open over the holidays by prioritizing tuition time - no school tour/sports' day/end of the year concert etc., cut the allocated time for assembly each day (20 mins- rolla can easily be done in 5) and so on. Some parents don't care about tuition time, it's about child care for them- these are often the parents whose child is late each day or those who take holidays during term time.

If schools are pressured by the need to open over the holidays, will schools open and then immediately close to "save days" in future? If one teacher gets in by tractor 4x4 and opens the building, the school is technically open , but do we really want to be doing that- what about the children who get in too? Are parents going to be happy to have the child sent home due to lack of supervision, never mind teaching?

There was a lot of huffing and puffing about Storm Ophelia not being as severe as expected in some areas, but remember that 4 people died during the storm. What about the school that says it is open if a red level warning is issued- are the BOM responsible for any injuries people sustain on the way in or going home?

Many parents will already have booked holidays for Easter too, don't forget. If we were to miss a week, I could see a need to make up a day or two, but there will be school tomorrow and Wednesday in most places, I'd imagine.

roytheboyo

Jes ye teachers give out a ridiculous amount. Afraid a day or 2 out of your outrageous holidays might be sacrificed, ye poor babas

spurious

roytheboyo wrote: »

Jes ye teachers give out a ridiculous amount. Afraid a day or 2 out of your outrageous holidays might be sacrificed, ye poor babas

And to think you could go train as one of the special club too.
Off you go.
Please post in English if you return.

janes1234

Anyone heard from their school about closures?

byhookorbycrook

Nope, no snow here, so no closure. Closures will only happen if schools are in a red alert area in any case.

deiseindublin

I'm in the East. Wondering when we'll know much more. There's seems to be lots of ifs buts and maybes so far.

spurious

A friend of mine who subs was all set to go to a south-eastern school for Wed and Thurs but they have cancelled her, so some places are planning ahead.

sullivlo

janes1234 wrote: »

Anyone heard from their school about closures?

Just to say that there is a weather warning so keep an eye on the website for updates. Texts will be sent if the school is to close. A staff training thing that was scheduled for Thursday after school has been cancelled. We are on a whole school day for JCT on Wednesday which seems to be going ahead.

Makes planning lessons difficult. Due to do a practical today, and have class on Thursday, but if school is closed on Thursday, the experiment will be ruined. I could take it off on Wednesday and hope for the best, because practicals need to be done and time is running out! My 6th years are going to panic. We miss a class Wednesday and a double Thursday if school closes. Bad timing. Guess we’ll be having lunchtime classes for a few weeks to catch back up.

doc_17

I'd say it'll only really be Friday that there will be a problem nationwide.

ASISEEIT

Let it snow let it snow!

Noveight

doc_17 wrote: »

I'd say it'll only really be Friday that there will be a problem nationwide.

Yep, that’s what it looks like from the forecast on TV3. Late in the day Friday at that.

mirrorwall14

I've given most senior classes and some juniors work for the days off if they arise. Basically laid out the plan for Wed-Fri, made it slightly shorter as no demonstration possible and made them mark it in their copies. Like I don't have 5th years until Thursday. If they are out, they have the work and they know its due Monday

dory

Will we say a quick decade of the rosary for a snow day? Who wants to start us off?

byhookorbycrook

dory wrote: »

Will we say a quick decade of the rosary for a snow day? Who wants to start us off?

I'll see your decade and raise you a
https://aleteia.org/2018/01/03/is-there-a-patron-saint-of-snow-days/

janes1234

Oh god I am praying. The schools have to take precautions

evolving_doors

Left to schools locally to decide. So presume the day has to be made up.
Is that sports day gone

Postgrad10

Or a day at Easter?

gaiscioch

For the sake of fairness to employees, I assume this making up of snow days with our holidays works both ways; if it snows like this on our holidays will they extend our holidays by the same number of days?...

I was more than available and willing to go to work this morning. In Dublin/city traffic the roads are much easier to navigate on snow days than they are in remote rural areas.

Redser87

I would thank that post 10 times if I could!

mirrorwall14

There's a full circular on this. Coming in on Easter is the last resort for extended closures that cannot be made up any other way. My guess is in our place the LC's will be kept in class longer and the summer exams start will be pushed back

Powerhouse

Red alert for Munster and Leinster tomorrow and Friday has been announced. Given that last night's snowfall was underestimated this could be worse than thought. Unless Bruton is utterly craven and weak the obvious thing is to announce blanket closure of schools in red alert areas and at least provide that certainty. But fear and PR concerns will ultimately govern this. When it is the best PR move to close schools on the basis of government announcement it will be done and not before that. Safety will not be considered.

Powerhouse

So they got someone else to make the decision for them instead. Red alert area schools closed Thursday and Friday.

punisher5112

Some schools shut but some are open including areas badly affected.

Powerhouse

punisher5112 wrote: »

Some schools shut but some are open including areas badly affected.

A red alert has been declared for Munster & Leinster for Thursday and Friday and it has been announced that schools in those areas will be closed.

evolving_doors

Powerhouse wrote: »

A red alert has been declared for Munster & Leinster for Thursday and Friday and it has been announced that schools in those areas will be closed.

I think there might be a subtle difference. Has the dept. issued a blanket declaration Or are they saying that all schools are taking the decision themselves to follow the code red and announce closures.

killbillvol2

evolving_doors wrote: »

I think there might be a subtle difference. Has the dept. issued a blanket declaration Or are they saying that all schools are taking the decision themselves to follow the code red and announce closures.

The decision was made by the National Emergency Coordination Committee.

Hoboo

They're closed until Monday. Mandatory blanket closure......pubs are starting to fill already.

MacGyver007

Statement on Dept website

https://www.education.ie/en/Press-Events/Press-Releases/2018-press-releases/PR18-02-28.html