How will schools be able to go back in September? (Continued)

F5500

Mrsmum wrote: »

I didn't know some Irish schools had canteens. Are they few and far between ?

Ours has, sorts the kids out with breakfasts too.

More likely found in DEIS schools.

sideswipe

gabeeg wrote: »

A few days a year?

Welcome to Ireland. You're in for a shock.

I think the windows will close during storms as teaching, learning and just living with them open will be intolerable.

combat14 wrote: »

noise pollution, wind, cold, unauthorised (illegal) but permitted smoking and disturbance from other students out on staggered breaks will be an issue too

Kids have been off school for six months and people want to keep them closed because of wind or other kids smoking outside an unopened window!! There are genuine reasons why opening schools will be difficult, the ones above are bottom of the barrel excuses.

combat14

sideswipe wrote: »

Kids have been off school for six months and people want to keep them closed because of wind or other kids smoking outside an unopened window!! There are genuine reasons why opening schools will be difficult, the ones above are bottom of the barrel excuses.

who said anything about keeping schools closed ..

only pointing out that it is not always possible to keep windows open.. what's the big deal about mentioning that.. can we not even mention facts on the ground now - unreal!

I think we need to be more concerned with what experts such as Tomás Ryan, Assistant Professor at the School of Biochemistry and Immunology at TCD are saying:

Health expert says Govt's Covid-19 strategy needs 'complete overhaul'

https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/2020/0818/1159742-cabinet-covid/

alroley

sideswipe wrote: »

Kids have been off school for six months and people want to keep them closed because of wind or other kids smoking outside an unopened window!! There are genuine reasons why opening schools will be difficult, the ones above are bottom of the barrel excuses.

Why do people in this thread think anyone wants to keep schools closed? THEY DON'T!

A full re-opening is unsafe, but blended learning would be a much better option (and believe it or not, schools would be open 5 days a week with that approach!)

khalessi

Sarah McInerney talking about back to school in a moment

Sunday Sunday

combat14 wrote: »

who said anything about keeping schools closed ..

only pointing out that it is not always possible to keep windows open.. what's the big deal about mentioning that.. can we not even mention facts on the ground now - unreal!

But they don't have to be open in all weather's. Common sense required, which is exactly what we'll see a couple of weeka after the schools open.

On paper is far from what the actual schools will look like. It will be more close to usual than people think.

sideswipe

combat14 wrote: »

who said anything about keeping schools closed ..

only pointing out that it is not always possible to keep windows open.. what's the big deal about mentioning that.. can we not even mention facts on the ground now - unreal!

Ah now, you keep posting negativity including links to the Sun newspaper, seems obvious you want school to remain closed and who knows perhaps time will prove you right and schools schools should have remained closed but we have to try to find a way to get kids back to education.

Bananaleaf

khalessi wrote: »

Sarah McInerney talking about back to school in a moment

I have text her twice this morning and she still hasn't read my text. Getting fed up trying to get my views across because I'm just being met with brick walls

dundalkfc10

Bananaleaf wrote: »

I have text her twice this morning and she still hasn't read my text. Getting fed up trying to get my views across because I'm just being met with brick walls

She prob read the ****e you post here and was like im not reading that nonsense

gabeeg

sideswipe wrote: »

Ah now, you keep posting negativity including links to the Sun newspaper, seems obvious you want school to remain closed and who knows perhaps time will prove you right and schools schools should have remained closed but we have to try to find a way to get kids back to education.

Right, so we should now be trying to find a way to get kids back into education in a way that's sustainable.

Everyone wants to see kids back at school. The current plan makes that very unlikely to succeed for the school year.

khalessi

Anyone still to buy schoolbooks?

combat14

sideswipe wrote: »

Ah now, you keep posting negativity including links to the Sun newspaper, seems obvious you want school to remain closed and who knows perhaps time will prove you right and schools schools should have remained closed but we have to try to find a way to get kids back to education.

there are loads of ways to get kids back to education and it has to be done .. but must be implemented safely .. there is too much risk otherwise .. including schools closing again and half harsed blended learning which if planned and introduced properly could work brilliantly in many cases.

Bananaleaf

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

She prob read the ****e you post here and was like im not reading that nonsense

An odd reaction to someone who is singing off the same hymn sheet as you

BonsaiKitten

khalessi wrote: »

Anyone still to buy schoolbooks?

If schools close again would you not be using them anyway?

Sunday Sunday

khalessi wrote: »

Anyone still to buy schoolbooks?

I got ll mine only to be told yesterday that they won't be needed other than at home. Digital resources in class, only copies and workbooks to be brought to school.

So now I've a load of secondary text books that cost a small fortune and nowhere to store them either.

This is what happens when communication and plans are left to the last minute.

ginoginelli

sideswipe wrote: »

They are giving out about money really, not the actual job.

It does seem there are a few here who want to post every little negative (often without context) and have nothing positive to add.
Not aimed directly at you wirelessdude but something I've witnessed over time. There are genuine fears and there is fear mongering.
People need to give the return to school a fair go for the sake of the kids. I know it's not a great situation and there are turbulent times ahead as well as behind but there is also a chance it might go much better than expected. Schools on Wuhan went back in May.

Good luck to all the teachers, parents and students that have been involved with this thread over the last few months, lets all hope it gets very quiet in here over the next few months!

Yes. Sure give it a fair go. Sure be grand.

Sorry but just throwing the kids back to school with little to no soial distancing and other preventive measures in place is very likely going to be a disaster.

The plan in it's current format is not fit for purpose. It is dangerously inadequate. How some people can be so nonchalant about it is inane.

alroley

Sunday Sunday wrote: »

I got ll mine only to be told yesterday that they won't be needed other than at home. Digital resources in class, only copies and workbooks to be brought to school.

So now I've a load of secondary text books that cost a small fortune and nowhere to store them either.

This is what happens when communication and plans are left to the last minute.

If you need them at home then you still would have had to buy them.

I helped some of my students clean out their lockers in March - all of their books fit in one of those big Lidl bags. You could store them in something like that.

gabeeg

There's been three more cases in Scottish primary schools today. No evidence that it was picked up on school grounds again, but even with low levels of transmission it shows how covid will be knocking on the door every day.

There's also plenty of photos of packed halls etc out there, as many here have alluded to

https://twitter.com/Fraser_Knight/status/1295438605939351554?s=19

Sunday Sunday

alroley wrote: »

If you need them at home then you still would have had to buy them.

I helped some of my students clean out their lockers in March - all of their books fit in one of those big Lidl bags. You could store them in something like that.

I would have bought the digital versions myself had I have known, saves on wasting resources to print a load of bulky text books. Waste of time and money.

Murple

Sunday Sunday wrote: »

But they don't have to be open in all weather's. Common sense required, which is exactly what we'll see a couple of weeka after the schools open.

Actually they do. That’s the whole point. Ventilation. All the time. Every day. Not just when the sun shines and it’s warm.

dundalkfc10

Sunday Sunday wrote: »

I got ll mine only to be told yesterday that they won't be needed other than at home. Digital resources in class, only copies and workbooks to be brought to school.

So now I've a load of secondary text books that cost a small fortune and nowhere to store them either.

This is what happens when communication and plans are left to the last minute.

Now thats a first world problem right there. Im sure ya can find somewhere to put a few schoolbooks

lulublue22

Thierry12 wrote: »

Exactly

Cop on ffs

Teachers need to get real now

PPE up like doctors, nurses, guards, dentists, supermarket workers etc that have been infront of the virus since the beginning

Get yer face mask, visor, goggles on and face it like we did

I think you are missing the point. There are teachers and children with genuine health issues with the potential to increase their risk from covid 19. Under the current plan only those in a very narrowly defined group of at very high risk are catered for. There have been numerous posts throughout this thread from parents who have genuine concerns due to their children having underlying health issues - while this is a novel virus and the effects are as yet unkown there is research to show potential long term damage to the lungs among other issues.

To my mind it would have made by far more sense to cater for both children and staff who fall into the 3 categories online. This would have ensured those with underlying health issues were still able to access education without the added stress. We would then be in a better position ,with less children ,to open schools ( and keep them open) ensuring SD , less issues with bus transport and less contacts if a case arose ensuring it could be contained promptly and with less interruption to schools.

sideswipe

ginoginelli wrote: »

Yes. Sure give it a fair go. Sure be grand.

Sorry but just throwing the kids back to school with little to no soial distancing and other preventive measures in place is very likely going to be a disaster.

The plan in it's current format is not fit for purpose. It is dangerously inadequate. How some people can be so nonchalant about it is inane.

In my experience our school and teachers are doing a great job of preparing the school, even setting up an outside classroom’ so classes can take a break from spending all day inside (primary). I won’t risk my child’s welfare but I’m more confident seeing the efforts made by the school.
Some individual thinking and planning goes a long way.

gabeeg

sideswipe wrote: »

In my experience our school and teachers are doing a great job of preparing the school, even setting up an outside classroom’ so classes can take a break from spending all day inside (primary). I won’t risk my child’s welfare but I’m more confident seeing the efforts made by the school.
Some individual thinking and planning goes a long way.

That sounds nice. If you're lucky that'll work for much of September.

gabeeg

Here's a good article on what went wrong in Israel. Some of it sounds eerily familiar.

It also details some of their ideas for plan B which comes long after a disastrous plan A.
Again, eerily familiar.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/04/world/middleeast/coronavirus-israel-schools-reopen.html

Thierry12

lulublue22 wrote: »

I think you are missing the point. There are teachers and children with genuine health issues with the potential to increase their risk from covid 19. Under the current plan only those in a very narrowly defined group of at very high risk are catered for. There have been numerous posts throughout this thread from parents who have genuine concerns due to their children having underlying health issues - while this is a novel virus and the effects are as yet unkown there is research to show potential long term damage to the lungs among other issues.

To my mind it would have made by far more sense to cater for both children and staff who fall into the 3 categories online. This would have ensured those with underlying health issues were still able to access education without the added stress. We would then be in a better position ,with less children ,to open schools ( and keep them open) ensuring SD , less issues with bus transport and less contacts if a case arose ensuring it could be contained promptly and with less interruption to schools.

Yes protecting the vulnerable is key

In an ideal scenario we should only have kids that need extra help face to face in school

If they can manage without face to face, they should be doing online

Kids of 10+ could manage online class?

Laptops should be provided for disadvantaged students

They should have been drawing up plans over the summer for distance learning

Did they?

Icyseanfitz

Thierry12 wrote: »

Yes protecting the vulnerable is key

In an ideal scenario we should only have kids that need extra help face to face in school

If they can manage without face to face, they should be doing online

Kids of 10+ could manage online class?

Laptops should be provided for disadvantaged students

They should have been drawing up plans over the summer for distance learning

Did they?

not in the slightest

St.Spodo

The government continued to communicate mixed messages to the public today. It's okay to for teachers to meet dozens of people indoors in their working day, but cannot meet more than 5 others socially. In March-May, we all understood what "flatten the curve" meant and what was being asked of us to bring that about. What are we being asked to do now, treat covid like an occupational hazard but stay away from people when we go home? Very confusing. They need to tell us exactly what the end goal is here.

Van.Bosch

St.Spodo wrote: »

The government continued to communicate mixed messages to the public today. It's okay to for teachers to meet dozens of people indoors in their working day, but cannot meet more than 5 others socially. In March-May, we all understood what "flatten the curve" meant and what was being asked of us to bring that about. What are we being asked to do now, treat covid like an occupational hazard but stay away from people when we go home? Very confusing. They need to tell us exactly what the end goal is here.

The end goal is for teachers to educate kids and hope there are no large spikes I reckon

St.Spodo

Van.Bosch wrote: »

The end goal is for teachers to educate kids and hope there are no large spikes I reckon

Probably. Hoping for the best, same approach taken with the Italian tourists in March and the meat factories more recently.