How will schools be able to go back in September?

trapp

mariaalice wrote: »

If schools do not open next September or if colleges and universities do not reopen in September it would have huge implications it would mean one year of every profession would be missing.

They might not have a choice.

Colleges and Universities certainly will not be opening until after Christmas and I expect it will be the same for schools.

This is a global pandemic.

I think we should try to get schools open but can't see it possible until January 2021 at the very earliest.

RoryMac

trapp wrote: »

I don't think the lockdown will last that long but schools were the first to close.

I think it could be Sept 2021 before schools open in Dublin to be honest.

Out of interest why do you think schools.in Dublin might remain closed for another 17 months?!?

Can't see any possibility of that myself, it's critical that schools get back up and running so that kids can continue their education without leaving big gaps/blockages across the whole educational system from preschool to university and beyond. Added to that a lot of parents won't be able to go back working fully until schools are open and their children are supervised.

I'd be very surprised if schools are not back open countrywide from September this year even if they need to find temporary facilities for some or work on staggered hours system

RoryMac

trapp wrote: »

.

Colleges and Universities certainly will not be opening until after Christmas and I expect it will be the same for schools.

There's nothing certain about that at all

trapp

RoryMac wrote: »

Out of interest why do you think schools.in Dublin might remain closed for another 17 months?!?

Can't see any possibility of that myself, it's critical that schools get back up and running so that kids can continue their education without leaving big gaps/blockages across the whole educational system from preschool to university and beyond. Added to that a lot of parents won't be able to go back working fully until schools are open and their children are supervised.

I'd be very surprised if schools are not back open countrywide from September this year even if they need to find temporary facilities for some or work on staggered hours system

I agree with this but don't feel the preparation needed to resume safely will be done and the risks of opening will be too great.

As for schools in Dublin, with more cases of the virus and less space in schools they might be last to open.

January 2021 at the earliest unfortunately.

r93kaey5p2izun

mariaalice wrote: »

If schools do not open next September or if colleges and universities do not reopen in September it would have huge implications it would mean one year of every profession would be missing.

Maybe they could look at condensing a number of the college courses as a solution. A lot of 4 year courses could be condensed to 3. The same qualification can be done in 3 years in other countries, in a lot of cases. There's a huge amount of unnecessary dragging out of undergrad courses in Ireland.

RoryMac

trapp wrote: »

I agree with this but don't feel the preparation needed to resume safely will be done and the risks of opening will be too great.

As for schools in Dublin, with more cases of the virus and less space in schools they might be last to open.

January 2021 at the earliest unfortunately.

Are you involved in the planning for schools reopening?

I guess not so you have no idea what preparations are being made.

And again you say January 2021 as if it's fact but you have picked that from the air. At least it's 8 months sooner that your last guess 10 mins ago

mariaalice

Yosef Stocky Backspace wrote: »

Maybe they could look at condensing a number of the college courses as a solution. A lot of 4 year courses could be condensed to 3. The same qualification can be done in 3 years in other countries, in a lot of cases. There's a huge amount of unnecessary dragging out of undergrad courses in Ireland.

But what about teaching, medician, nursing, and the like all of which have a significant amount of placements.

It would have a massive effect on the our and the world economy if one whole year of any profession was missing.

BanditLuke

I know of 2 schools in the Dublin southside area that had been planning to move into new schools this coming September as the school buildings they are in now need the classrooms back for their own increased numbers of school children next term. The building was meant to start on both of them within the last few weeks but hasn't so as of now these children will have no schools to attend next year. The timeline to build the schools was already ridiculously tight but no chance now.

Also what about the thousands of kids around the country being schooled in portacabins that can't continue as they are squeezed in like sardines as is so no chance of social distancing.

r93kaey5p2izun

mariaalice wrote: »

But what about teaching, medician, nursing, and the like all of which have a significant amount of placements.

It would have a massive effect on the our and the world economy if one whole year of any profession was missing.

Teaching did fine for decades in less time and would again. I don't know about medicine or nursing being shortened, but there's a huge amount of graduate entry to medicine anyway. I didn't say all courses could be condensed, but a majority could I think. We have unusually long undergrad courses in many cases.

daydorunrun

I wonder is there anything to be said for freezing each class from the 2019/20 academic year and not taking a new jnr infants class next September?

It would take the pressure off everybody to wipe the slate clean and start again. 5th year in secondary school have arguably lost more crucial learning time this year and who knows what further partial shut downs lay ahead with 2nd-3rd-4th waves of covid-19. Doing every class over a 2 year period may protect the kids education best?

C__MC

Going to be a huge challenge for weaker students if schools don't re open in September in some capacity in

khalessi

daydorunrun wrote: »

I wonder is there anything to be said for freezing each class from the 2019/20 academic year and not taking a new jnr infants class next September?

It would take the pressure off everybody to wipe the slate clean and start again. 5th year in secondary school have arguably lost more crucial learning time this year and who knows what further partial shut downs lay ahead with 2nd-3rd-4th waves of covid-19. Doing every class over a 2 year period may protect the kids education best?

THe difficulty here would be the follow on the following year as 2 years of kids competing for places that would not be there

BanditLuke

C__MC wrote: »

Going to be a huge challenge for weaker students if schools don't re open in September in some capacity in

And those without IT capabilities now. Some kids where literally sent home with their books and told to study. Others have been sitting online classes every day.

daydorunrun

khalessi wrote: »

THe difficulty here would be the follow on the following year as 2 years of kids competing for places that would not be there

Could colleges follow suit and extend this academic year over 2? Perhaps with some kind of fast track system for critical graduates like medical students etc. I could be way off the mark here but it might be interesting seeing as we really don't know what pre vaccine conditions will be like.

khalessi

daydorunrun wrote: »

Could colleges follow suit and extend this academic year over 2? Perhaps with some kind of fast track system for critical graduates like medical students etc. I could be way off the mark here but it might be interesting seeing as we really don't know what pre vaccine conditions will be like.

The thing is, if lets say 120 Junior infants apply for a school and dont go start in Sept 2020, then in Sept 2021 there will be the 2020 120 kids and the 120 junior for Sept 2021 and there would be nowhere to put 240 applicants for 2021. So it would not matter what college was doing.

khalessi

THe way I see it no matter what decision the Dept of Ed come to it will be the best of a woeful choice and still no good, they are feked either way as someone will always be unhappy.

I would prefer not to go back until at least September as viral levels might be reaching managable levels but whenever we go back, I am walking in with a mask and protective glasses and gloves as even the basic deep cleans of schools will not be of a medical standard and will not be maintained following reopening as there is no budget for it. At the best of times schools have their own mini pandemics with viruses and vomitting bugs spreading like wild fire knocking out half the classes and some staff, I cant imagine what it will be like in these covid times.

trapp

khalessi wrote: »

THe way I see it no matter what decision the Dept of Ed come to it will be the best of a woeful choice and still no good, they are feked either way as someone will always be unhappy.

I would prefer not to go back until at least September as viral levels might be reaching managable levels but whenever we go back, I am walking in with a mask and protective glasses and gloves as even the basic deep cleans of schools will not be of a medical standard and will not be maintained following reopening as there is no budget for it. At the best of times schools have their own mini pandemics with viruses and vomitting bugs spreading like wild fire knocking out half the classes and some staff, I cant imagine what it will be like in these covid times.

That's an exaggeration but I agree with everything you said.

I can't see a repoening before January 2021 and possibly far beyond for Dublin schools.

ZX7R

After announcement of extending there lockdown till May the 11th.
From Monday May 11th France plan to open nurseries, primary and secondary schools.
Higher education will not resume before the summer.
My guess is our government will follow similar to what the French do.

aido79

trapp wrote: »

That's an exaggeration but I agree with everything you said.

I can't see a repoening before January 2021 and possibly far beyond for Dublin schools.

You keep repeating this with no explanation. Why don't you give the reasons why you seem adamant the schools won't open until 2021..either September or January?

GT89

jrosen wrote: »

I cant see them back before September. It just seems an unnecessary risk. Exam students perhaps yes in some capacity. But everyone else no. The time would be better spent preparing for September

Sure Denmark is already talking about bringing schools back

trapp

khalessi wrote: »

The thing is, if lets say 120 Junior infants apply for a school and dont go start in Sept 2020, then in Sept 2021 there will be the 2020 120 kids and the 120 junior for Sept 2021 and there would be nowhere to put 240 applicants for 2021. So it would not matter what college was doing.

Everyone just starts school a year later.

Or next school year runs from Jan 2021 to end of July 2021 with less school tours etc and reduced easter break.

August off

Back to normal September 2021.

Safety has to be first for children and their families.

No way could safety be certain in September.

Jan or Feb 2021 earliest.

And I say that with a heavy heart.

alroley

ZX7R wrote: »

After announcement of extending there lockdown till May the 11th.
From Monday May 11th France plan to open nurseries, primary and secondary schools.
Higher education will not resume before the summer.
My guess is our government will follow similar to what the French do.

Then did they act too fast in delaying the leaving cert and saying 2 weeks of school in July?

khalessi

trapp wrote: »

That's an exaggeration but I agree with everything you said.

I can't see a repoening before January 2021 and possibly far beyond for Dublin schools.

As a teacher its not an exggeration I have often seen classes with 15 kids missing due to vomiting bug or other bugs especially in the first term after they have all been separated for a while and as you said previously you are not a teacher.

Ask any teacher how quick a virus goes through their room and they will have stories. LIterally a week before lockdown a colleague had a number of kids out and was cleaning vomit off the floor.

I don’t think people are really fully grasping the avalanche of issues that are already stocking up high due to restrictions since just March 17th.

We just can’t allow this to carry on for too much longer. Certainly not months or years.

Lots of non essential hospital appointments have been cancelled. All highly important but just short of essential. Schools must carry on, we can’t just hold every kids development back a year or two. Banks cannot give payment breaks forever. They generally give a 3 month break and might extend it but it can’t last years.

Lockdown will be ending one way or another at sometime during the summer.

trapp

aido79 wrote: »

You keep repeating this with no explanation. Why don't you give the reasons why you seem adamant the schools won't open until 2021..either September or January?

The global pandemic.

And the fact that putting safety of pupils families at risk isn't really acceptable when schools could open more safely in January.

Safety will be even harder to set up in many Dublin schools so might be Sept 2021 before they can reopen for that reason. Safety.

Scoondal

khalessi wrote: »

THe way I see it no matter what decision the Dept of Ed come to it will be the best of a woeful choice and still no good, they are feked either way as someone will always be unhappy.

I would prefer not to go back until at least September as viral levels might be reaching managable levels but whenever we go back, I am walking in with a mask and protective glasses and gloves as even the basic deep cleans of schools will not be of a medical standard and will not be maintained following reopening as there is no budget for it. At the best of times schools have their own mini pandemics with viruses and vomitting bugs spreading like wild fire knocking out half the classes and some staff, I cant imagine what it will be like in these covid times.

Why would schools need a deep clean ? They have been vacant since 12 March.

khalessi

trapp wrote: »

Everyone just starts school a year later.

Or next school year runs from Jan 2021 to end of July 2021 with less school tours etc and reduced easter break.

August off

Back to normal September 2021.

Safety has to be first for children and their families.

No way could safety be certain in September.

Jan or Feb 2021 earliest.

And I say that with a heavy heart.

Trapp you were asked and I didnt see your answer are you involved with any planning in Dept of Ed or just talking out your posterior re Jan starts as youhave provided no links just emoty vessel nosies

You strike me as someone who likes the sound of their own voice

trapp

khalessi wrote: »

Trapp you were asked and I didnt see your answer are you involved with any planning in Dept of Ed or just talking out your posterior re Jan starts as youhave provided no links just emoty vessel nosies

You strike me as someone who likes the sound of their own voice

When do you think schools could reopen.

I think January 2021 and September 2021 for Dublin schools for the reasons above.

We can't discuss it if you won't give your opinion.

Mine is only an opinion but you won't give any other than that mine is wrong.

ZX7R

alroley wrote: »

Then did they act too fast in delaying the leaving cert and saying 2 weeks of school in July?

I don't think they acted to fast or too slow for that matter,at the time they announced the delay they were in unknown territory

Shybride2016

khalessi wrote: »

As a teacher its not an exggeration I have often seen classes with 15 kids missing due to vomiting bug or other bugs especially in the first term after they have all been separated for a while and as you said previously you are not a teacher.

Ask any teacher how quick a virus goes through their room and they will have stories. LIterally a week before lockdown a colleague had a number of kids out and was cleaning vomit off the floor.

Popping in here to say this is a true reflection of preschools also. Vomiting bugs, green snotty noses, constant sneezing and coughing without the reflex to cover their noses and mouths is par for the course among toddlers/preschoolers.

An ongoing issue we have is that kids are dosed up with Calpol/neurofen before being sent in to us and then over the course of the day happen to mention they slept in mammy’s bed last night because they got sick all over their own bed.

The insane amount of pressure on parents to continue to work like they don’t have kids is something that needs to change once things are settled. If kids who were unwell could be kept at home for a couple of days until they’ve recovered, the spread of illness would be hugely lessened.

Also, try telling my preschool class who we haven’t seen since 12th March that we can’t give each other hugs - impossible!

A huge amount of serious planning and discussions with schools and teachers etc will need to take place before crèches and schools could reopen in any capacity IMO.