How will schools be able to go back in September?

Hubertj

Leroy42 wrote: »

And if they can't reopen fully, do you propose they simply stay closed until a vaccine is found?

There are examples, posted here, of Denmark and others following SD in schools, so it is possible.

But if not, then we need to be thinking how we deal with that. PPE, temperature tests, daily testing, reduced hours/split classes. No yard time, or classes kept in designed play zones.

So why not start now instead of waiting until September? Likely because the dept of education, same as HSE, is a sh*t show.
Without schools and Creche’s functioning people can’t return to work.

khalessi

Hubertj wrote: »

So why not start now instead of waiting until September? Likely because the dept of education, same as HSE, is a sh*t show.
Without schools and Creche’s functioning people can’t return to work.

School will not be opening like they did prior to Covid so people will still have to plan around this.

munsterlegend

There does seem to be some light with regards primary schools opening in June. Tony Holohan said he will continue to look at it and given children’s low risk it seems of spreading it it might happen. Is there any possibility of primary schools opening in July/August or even a part of it?

khalessi

JDD wrote: »

Why do you keep posting links to this? The British Kawasaki society said there is actually less instances of Kawasaki this year than in previous years. I know mainstream media are reporting it, but it's sensationalism, pure and simple. Have a little sense and do a bit more reading before you insist on keeping posting the same thing.

Of course they did it is not Kawasaki disease, it is known as Paediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome and is related to Covd19.

It is very rare and occurs about 6 weeks or so after a child has been exposed to Covid19. As John Campbell puts it in his video on Youtube, It is rare so dont worry about catching it but if your child does get it, it is serious so do worry.

It is good to be informed.

jimmytwotimes 2013

munsterlegend wrote: »

There does seem to be some light with regards primary schools opening in June. Tony Holohan said he will continue to look at it and given children’s low risk it seems of spreading it it might happen. Is there any possibility of primary schools opening in July/August or even a part of it?

July and August is their summer break?

SusanC10

munsterlegend wrote: »

There does seem to be some light with regards primary schools opening in June.

Where are you seeing this ?

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

munsterlegend wrote: »

There does seem to be some light with regards primary schools opening in June. Tony Holohan said he will continue to look at it and given children’s low risk it seems of spreading it it might happen. Is there any possibility of primary schools opening in July/August or even a part of it?

Why?

jrosen

I saw the suggestion of 6th classes going back in June..

The longer this goes on, the more I see people interact the less point I see in trying to enforce social distancing in school. Possibly better to enforce regular hygiene. No one bar staff and students on the grounds (where possible) staggered drop off and pick up times.

Annabella1

No docs going to offer 100% reassurance on an illness that is only here for past 6 months
Schools still have to open soon..

SusanC10

jrosen wrote: »

I saw the suggestion of 6th classes going back in June..

Where are you seeing this please ?

Dravokivich

Annabella1 wrote: »

No docs going to offer 100% reassurance on an illness that is only here for past 6 months
Schools still have to open soon..

How can they open soon? Childcare facilities need to be running before primary schools can open again. And even then they are aiming for limited childcare by the end of June.

munsterlegend

From RTÉ website:

President of the Royal College of Physicians and Infectious Disease Consultant Professor Mary Horgan has said it is still possible to plan for some primary school students to return to school by the end of June.

Speaking on RTÉ's Prime Time Professor Horgan described the report by the Health Information and Quality Authority, which found that it appeared that children are not substantially contributing to the spread of Covid-19, as a "really good news story".

Professor Horgan said that some other European countries had not closed schools and childcare facilities.

"Let's learn from them, lets copy and paste what they have done and if there's no increase in the numbers [of cases of Covid-19] there, maybe we should take that step", Prof Horgan said.

She said that it was her understanding that the Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan had said he would "continue to look at that."

"The flicker of hope is so important for us," Prof Horgan said.

"Nothing we can do will be risk free but we have to balance the benefit and the risk," Prof Horgan added.

khalessi

SusanC10 wrote: »

Where are you seeing this please ?

It is all over social media, there were articles in Indo, to allow 6th class say goodbye to school.

So despite a pandemic and risk to health when they couldnt run a leaving cert, they want to open schools so children can say goodbye and have graduations

wirelessdude01

khalessi wrote: »

It is all over social media, there were articles in Indo, to allow 6th class say goodbye to school.

So despite a pandemic and risk to health when they couldnt run a leaving cert, they want to open schools so children can say goodbye and have graduations

Exactly. As a teacher I'd much prefer to be in the classroom rather than this online stuff but having to dance to another social media similar to the LC shouldn't be considered at all.

SusanC10

khalessi wrote: »

It is all over social media, there were articles in Indo, to allow 6th class say goodbye to school.

So despite a pandemic and risk to health when they couldnt run a leaving cert, they want to open schools so children can say goodbye and have graduations

Thanks. I obviously don't follow enough social media ! Also, have stopped with the Indo due to very irritating Paywall.

I really thought the issue of reopening schools had been settled.

Our son missed his "graduation" from primary last year due to us being on holidays. He was fine about it. He didn't see the big deal.

BonsaiKitten

munsterlegend wrote: »

There does seem to be some light with regards primary schools opening in June. Tony Holohan said he will continue to look at it and given children’s low risk it seems of spreading it it might happen. Is there any possibility of primary schools opening in July/August or even a part of it?

Teachers aren't paid to work during that time. The salary covers the academic year but is spread out over 12 months.

I also think it'd be dreadful to bring 6th back. The end of primary involves games, shows, trips...it can't look like how the kids would expect it to be. I don't think it would give them much closure or calm nerves.

jrosen

I think they caved with the LC. The media were whipping it up into a frenzy. The pressure to make a decision was huge. I think had they have had more time they would have chosen differently.

These 6th class students will all be mixing anyway by the time the end of june comes.

khalessi

jrosen wrote: »

These 6th class students will all be mixing anyway by the time the end of june comes.

True but in school they would have to social distance for health and safety. It would be very different to what they expect.

SusanC10

khalessi wrote: »

True but in school they would have to social distance for health and safety. It would be very different to what they expect.

You're a Teacher Khalessi. What do you think will happen ? Primary School. Everyone back in September? 6th Class only in June ? Everyone back in June ?
Realistically.

jrosen

khalessi wrote: »

True but in school they would have to social distance for health and safety. It would be very different to what they expect.

Which makes social distancing in schools a little pointless imo. They will have walked to school together and home together and possibly hanging around together too. The point to SD is to stop the spread. But if society is already socializing then will implementing SD in school even make a difference?

munsterlegend

BonsaiKitten wrote: »

Teachers aren't paid to work during that time. The salary covers the academic year but is spread out over 12 months.

I also think it'd be dreadful to bring 6th back. The end of primary involves games, shows, trips...it can't look like how the kids would expect it to be. I don't think it would give them much closure or calm nerves.

I accept that but these are exceptional times. People don’t get paid 350 a week normally to sit at home. I am sure some sort of arrangement could be cobbled together if the will was there. It’s unlikely but the rest of Europe are getting schools back.

BonsaiKitten

SusanC10 wrote: »

You're a Teacher Khalessi. What do you think will happen ? Primary School. Everyone back in September? 6th Class only in June ? Everyone back in June ?
Realistically.

I am a teacher, I think we'll be back in September, no rotas etc. Maybe some staggered start times? But I don't think social distancing can work properly in schools.

SusanC10

BonsaiKitten wrote: »

I am a teacher, I think we'll be back in September, no rotas etc. Maybe some staggered start times? But I don't think social distancing can work properly in schools.

Thanks BonsaiKitten.

BonsaiKitten

munsterlegend wrote: »

I accept that but these are exceptional times. People don’t get paid 350 a week normally to sit at home. I am sure some sort of arrangement could be cobbled together if the will was there. It’s unlikely but the rest of Europe are getting schools back.

I can't see the public being willing to pay teachers for the extra days worked in all honesty. The government might try to bring it in unpaid (and frame it as a 'putting on the green jersey' kind of thing) but I think many teachers would refuse. A lot of goodwill has been eroded through the years and people are wary of any changes to working conditions.

The government said the other day that they are planning to run July Provision (which is teaching/support for children with specific SEN during July). I'd assume that in their minds we're closed for at least July.

khalessi

SusanC10 wrote: »

You're a Teacher Khalessi. What do you think will happen ? Primary School. Everyone back in September? 6th Class only in June ? Everyone back in June ?
Realistically.

I walked out of school in March feeling very upset as we were given no notice to prepare the children. We found out at 1130 and were in shock, like most, barely got work organised to send home. I walked out of school knowing we would not be back before the holidays, feeling upset as I wouldnt be able to say goodbye to my kids, and wondering if I would be staring at the same faces when we get back.

I dont know when we will be back, I alway said October ( I am also a nurse and thats why I felt October) but I actually took my books for 4th 5th and 6th to teach my own kids as I do not know how long this will go on.

There are so many unknowns, one minute we are told children dont spread the virus or catch it, the next study and I have seen two so far, say they can and do spread it as much as adults. Then there is also the rare but becoming more prevelant, Paediatruc Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, as doctors recognise the symptoms. This virus is developing all the time who knows what will happen next.

I would be surprised and disappointed if we are back in June beacause I know the Health and Safety issues will not be dealt with properly. I look at other countries and see protections that should be implemented here but wont be due to money. If teachers protest, they will be ridiculed as we are making a fuss and sure holidays the great answer for everything. If the gov bow to pressure for June for 6th, it wont be as they imagined, it will be pick up books, no hugging, social distancing, Ill be wearing a mask, it will feel for me and them very alien. It is not the ending we wished for them.


I reckon we will be back in mid or end September on phased basis but how that will be remains to be seen. I would like to see precautions similar to those in Europe taken.

SusanC10

Thanks Khalessi.
Appreciate your honesty and perspective.

munsterlegend

Not behind a paywall.

https://m.independent.ie/world-news/coronavirus/prepare-now-for-a-deadly-second-wave-of-infection-europe-warned-39208440.html

It will probably be far more dangerous in the Autumn/winter period children going to school. Of course the jury is out just how susceptible children are to this virus.

vid36

Schools are not back everywhere in Europe. Schools are closed in Northern Ireland, Italy, Spain and Portugal until September. Schools are also closed in Scotland with no mention of a reopening date yet.England are planning to open primary schools at the beginning of June , but growing medical and union opposition make this highly unlikely.
Elementary schools are open in France, but attendance is not compulsory and the majority of schoolchildren are not attending.
It makes more sense to open schools much earlier in August with adequate social distance and other preparations rather than rushing things for a few days in June.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

vid36 wrote: »

Schools are not back everywhere in Europe. Schools are closed in Northern Ireland, Italy, Spain and Portugal until September. Schools are also closed in Scotland with no mention of a reopening date yet.England are planning to open primary schools at the beginning of June , but growing medical and union opposition make this highly unlikely.
Elementary schools are open in France, but attendance is not compulsory and the majority of schoolchildren are not attending.
It makes more sense to open schools much earlier in August with adequate social distance and other preparations rather than rushing things for a few days in June.

Depends on the lifting of restrictions. There's no point in kids going from a long extended lockdown straight into a classroom for the start of the next school year. The need some semblence of a summer.

wirelessdude01

SusanC10 wrote: »

You're a Teacher Khalessi. What do you think will happen ? Primary School. Everyone back in September? 6th Class only in June ? Everyone back in June ?
Realistically.

Primary teacher here as well. I personally think we will have some form of restrictions for September and also possibly October. Children will have been out of school for such a long time by then and social distancing guideline that will need to be implemented will have to be introduced to a school setting via small groups so that they get used to them and then hopefully we can bring full classes back.

Now I do hope that we are given proper guidelines and guidance from the department but I think more than likely they will be very vague and thin on any semblance of detail and it will be left up to schools themselves to try and middle through.