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Covid in Schools

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    #362
    Bobtheman
    Registered Users Posts: 2,656 ✭✭✭Bobtheman


    I think at present this site and the media are like hamsters on a wheel. Until we go to level 4 at least there is no value in closing schools.
    There seems to be confusion in what constitutes a close contact when it comes to school but beyond that no real evidence it's a major factor in spreading covid.
    The only evidence for an extra week after mid term is the fact that the independent has the story. They are effectively the media outlet of the dept of education.


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    #363
    The Wordress
    Closed Accounts Posts: 198 ✭✭The Wordress


    shesty wrote: »
    I think the cluster would be the household, in that case, and not the school.
    If they then went on to spread it to others within the school it would then be a cluster.As I understand it.
    However a bit more information on numbers in schools wouldn't go amiss.

    Yes, if the children were at home, it should have been counted as a family cluster but the children had been at school all week and spreading it out to other people so it is a cluster by definition.

    I haven't spoken to my friend since to see if other pupils were then infected.

    I have a colleague from my classroom off isolating with her own child because of a Covid case in her own child's pod. I want to know was the pod SNA and class teacher treated as a close contact. I will find out when she's back.


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    #364
    Rosita
    Registered Users Posts: 3,902 ✭✭✭Rosita


    khalessi wrote: »
    The fact that they actively will not accept that school can be one of the many sectors driving the rise in numbers along with the rise in numbers in certain ages groups would lead me to say yes they are playing with the numbers.

    They are trying to portray schools in a more flattering light, as they could not afford the backlash if they were proved to be wrong about the reopening of schools.


    This sums it up really. Yes, people in s schools are getting it but a report the other day said that they are also being exposed elsewhere. But of course there are very few outside of nursing homes /hospitals where you can say where they definitively picked d it up. But even those were brought in from outside too.

    There is always plausible deniability with regard to schools because working out where someone was infected is to a fair extent calculated guesswork. I don't doubt the government is taking advantage of that.

    My other half had a child in class during the week and brought them to the isolation room and looked after them for a period. The child tested positive but there has been no mention of being a close contact. It seems that nobody in the school is being regarded as a close contact.


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    #365
    shesty
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,897 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    That is not confined to schools though.Friend's husband was in an office early last week with someone who tested positive.She wasn't feeling well by Friday herself (a week ago), and rang her GP who sent her and the kids for a test - came back negative.Husband "didn't qualify" for a test as he hadn't been contacted by the HSE and wasn't showing symptoms, according to the GP.

    Move on 9 days to Thursday just gone, and the husband was going for a test.HSE contacted him over a week later as a close contact.

    The system is breaking down.Unsurprisingly.


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    #366
    shesty
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,897 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    The Wordress wrote: »
    Yes, if the children were at home, it should have been counted as a family cluster but the children had been at school all week and spreading it out to other people so it is a cluster by definition.

    I haven't spoken to my friend since to see if other pupils were then infected.

    .

    It is semantics really, but I think that is the key point - if others were infected by the siblings, it would become a cluster.

    Same thing was done in our primary school when a class were sent home for 14 days back at the start of the term as close contacts.Their siblings, and the sibling of the infected child, were not told to stay home though.


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    #367
    Cell1e
    Registered Users Posts: 18 ✭Cell1e


    jrosen wrote: »
    What has changed since the last time? There has been no framework, no training, no guidance. The dept according to many who post here has been silent on a hybrid/remote learning. They have basically kicked the problem back to schools.

    We all know some schools have feck all IT support, or even access to laptops. How are they going to deliver? Id hazard a guess they cant. What happens to those students?

    What happens with JC or LC?

    I hope im wrong btw, I have a JC kid myself so i really hope im wrong.


    Yeah I feel for those schools and students. Its hard to believe in this day and age there are schools without proper and adequate IT equipment. Maybe this will give the dept the kick in the pants it needs to start training and equipping schools, teachers and students properly.


    Our school has a lot of pcs and laptops, nearly enough for each child. Which we have scrounged, scavenged and fund-raised for over the years to have working in the classrooms.

    A huge problem is that we don't have enough money in our IT budgets to



    1. Replace or repair the equipment as and when it breaks down
    2. Maintain this equipment as pcs are like cars they need a modicum of maintenance.
    3. Buy software that is needed for these machines to keep them fit for purpose. Gone are the days of free software, everything costs money these days.
    4. Train staff in the best practice and maintenance of these machines.


    Now for me, I have checked with each of my parents to make sure they have adequate internet and IT equipment to manage learning online. I have also arranged to have laptops lent to the families in my class who don't have working laptops at home. Also without waiting for the Dept to give any more direction we have all been focused on teaching our students how to mange on one type of online learning platform, the one the suits each teacher. Some of our teachers are using the online platforms for homework, which is a marvelous way for the students to gain proficiency and confidence I think.


    I know I am fortunate in my school and the that many schools out there haven't the resources we have. I can only hope that this awful experience will motivate the government to put in place policies, procedures and finances for IT structures within our schools, because there is one thing I know for sure, most students just love engaging with IT equipment and there are so many great resources and lessons out there for us and them. ;)


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    #368
    Treppen
    Registered Users Posts: 4,582 ✭✭✭Treppen


    solerina wrote: »
    If a teacher is unable or unwilling to engage with remote teaching then being physically present in the school building isn’t going to make one bit of difference.
    I know what I did during the March-June period was my best efforts and would not have been any better if I had been in the school building rather than at home.
    If the students are not in the building I don’t see why the teachers should be.

    It just leaves the door open for the likes of those amadáns who demanded the teachers come into school for online meetings, in separate rooms around the school before school re-opened.


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    #369
    Icyseanfitz
    Registered Users Posts: 7,409 ✭✭✭Icyseanfitz


    Treppen wrote: »
    It just leaves the door open for the likes of those amadáns who demanded the teachers come into school for online meetings, in separate rooms around the school before school re-opened.

    This is still happening for our staff meetings/CP hours btw :rolleyes: no sense at all.


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    #370
    Cell1e
    Registered Users Posts: 18 ✭Cell1e


    Gosh we all meet together for Croke Park staff meetings in our hall, I kinda feel maybe we shouldn't but don't like to be the one that challenges the principal on this. Is anyone else having meetings in large groups of 10 or more?


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    #371
    solerina
    Registered Users Posts: 2,435 ✭✭✭solerina


    Cell1e wrote: »
    Gosh we all meet together for Croke Park staff meetings in our hall, I kinda feel maybe we shouldn't but don't like to be the one that challenges the principal on this. Is anyone else having meetings in large groups of 10 or more?

    We have had one meeting since we went back, there were 4-5 people per room and we joined the meeting online. Was very strange to be honest !!


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    #372
    Cell1e
    Registered Users Posts: 18 ✭Cell1e


    solerina wrote: »
    We have had one meeting since we went back, there were 4-5 people per room and we joined the meeting online. Was very strange to be honest !!


    That does sound strange, how did you all join in? On a big screen? Or your individual phones? :)


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    #373
    Bobtheman
    Registered Users Posts: 2,656 ✭✭✭Bobtheman


    Icyseanfitz wrote: »
    This is still happening for our staff meetings/CP hours btw :rolleyes: no sense at all.

    No we do zoom. Choose your battles wisely. I would not bother my arse. Arrive late and sit at the back


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    #374
    solerina
    Registered Users Posts: 2,435 ✭✭✭solerina


    Cell1e wrote: »
    That does sound strange, how did you all join in? On a big screen? Or your individual phones? :)

    On the screen in each room


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    #375
    joebloggs32
    Registered Users Posts: 1,597 ✭✭✭joebloggs32


    Cell1e wrote: »
    Gosh we all meet together for Croke Park staff meetings in our hall, I kinda feel maybe we shouldn't but don't like to be the one that challenges the principal on this. Is anyone else having meetings in large groups of 10 or more?

    It needs to be challenged.
    The technolgy is there to meet virtually.
    We had one after school meeting.
    Staff joined in fron their rooms when they finished class, but the positive thing was that those who were finished scool earlier could travel home and log into the meeting at home.
    The old saying of never waste a crises will apply as we will be looming for this option to be available for all staff meetings in future.


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    #376
    lulublue22
    Registered Users Posts: 1,475 ✭✭✭lulublue22


    joebloggs32 wrote: »
    It needs to be challenged.
    The technolgy is there to meet virtually.
    We had one after school meeting.
    Staff joined in fron their rooms when they finished class, but the positive thing was that those who were finished scool earlier could travel home and log into the meeting at home.
    The old saying of never waste a crises will apply as we will be looming for this option to be available for all staff meetings in future.

    We’ve had two over zoom in the class after school no one allowed go home to log in .


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    #377
    wirelessdude01
    Registered Users Posts: 8,419 ✭✭✭wirelessdude01


    joebloggs32 wrote: »
    It needs to be challenged.
    The technolgy is there to meet virtually.
    We had one after school meeting.
    Staff joined in fron their rooms when they finished class, but the positive thing was that those who were finished scool earlier could travel home and log into the meeting at home.
    The old saying of never waste a crises will apply as we will be looming for this option to be available for all staff meetings in future.

    I know of teachers who have joined in to a zoo staff meeting in the car on the way home from school.


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    #378
    Bobtheman
    Registered Users Posts: 2,656 ✭✭✭Bobtheman


    I know teachers who log in turn off the video and audio and go cook dinner. It's also wonderful for turning off the windbags.


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    #379
    joebloggs32
    Registered Users Posts: 1,597 ✭✭✭joebloggs32


    wirelessdude01 wrote: »
    I know of teachers who have joined in to a zoo staff meeting in the car on the way home from school.

    A zoo staff merting would be quite interesting:)


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    #380
    khalessi
    Registered Users Posts: 6,215 ✭✭✭khalessi


    joebloggs32 wrote: »
    A zoo staff merting would be quite interesting:)


    Worst part is all the monkeying around


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    #381
    joebloggs32
    Registered Users Posts: 1,597 ✭✭✭joebloggs32


    khalessi wrote: »
    Worst part is all the monkeying around

    Theres always a snake waiting in the long grass


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    #382
    Bobtheman
    Registered Users Posts: 2,656 ✭✭✭Bobtheman


    Let me clarify this ? If we go to level 5 do teachers suddenly become as essential as nurses , doctors? Spoken as front line workers ? I know the medical profession didn't like this terminology. As the nation offers people to go over the parapet?!


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    #383
    Bobtheman
    Registered Users Posts: 2,656 ✭✭✭Bobtheman


    The more I hear denials about closing schools after mid term the more I believe they will happen. Remember by hook or by crook over the LC. The IMF are not coming...what they landed this morning? Not a red cent more will be paid to bondholders ( Eamon gilmore).
    I won't take the oath - devalera.


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    #384
    wirelessdude01
    Registered Users Posts: 8,419 ✭✭✭wirelessdude01


    Bobtheman wrote: »
    The more I hear denials about closing schools after mid term the more I believe they will happen. Remember by hook or by crook over the LC. The IMF are not coming...what they landed this morning? Not a red cent more will be paid to bondholders ( Eamon gilmore).
    I won't take the oath - devalera.

    March the 10th schools won't be closing, March the 12th, get the fcuk out.


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    #385
    khalessi
    Registered Users Posts: 6,215 ✭✭✭khalessi


    I will be preparing work for home since Stephen said no chance of extended midterm


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    #386
    Treppen
    Registered Users Posts: 4,582 ✭✭✭Treppen


    Cell1e wrote: »
    Gosh we all meet together for Croke Park staff meetings in our hall, I kinda feel maybe we shouldn't but don't like to be the one that challenges the principal on this. Is anyone else having meetings in large groups of 10 or more?

    Not us anyway. Meetings on zoom, arrange it yourself kind of thing.


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    #387
    Treppen
    Registered Users Posts: 4,582 ✭✭✭Treppen


    lulublue22 wrote: »
    We’ve had two over zoom in the class after school no one allowed go home to log in .

    Take photo of classroom whiteboard and set it as the background.


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    #388
    Treppen
    Registered Users Posts: 4,582 ✭✭✭Treppen


    Bobtheman wrote: »
    I know teachers who log in turn off the video and audio and go cook dinner. It's also wonderful for turning off the windbags.

    Just join and leave a few times at the start, then say your broadband is laggy so you turned off the camera (student game me that tip).


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    #389
    mirrorwall14
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,751 ✭✭✭mirrorwall14


    We have to turn off the video as the WiFi in school is so unstable but management very reasonable and we can log in from wherever we are, home or school


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    #390
    shesty
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,897 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    Bobtheman wrote: »
    The more I hear denials about closing schools after mid term the more I believe they will happen. Remember by hook or by crook over the LC. The IMF are not coming...what they landed this morning? Not a red cent more will be paid to bondholders ( Eamon gilmore).
    I won't take the oath - devalera.

    As a parent - since it has now been brought up, I will believe it is only a week when I see it.Lost all faith in their strategies for this months ago, and I don't believe half of what they say.


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    #391
    scrubs33
    Registered Users Posts: 199 ✭✭scrubs33


    shesty wrote: »
    As a parent - since it has now been brought up, I will believe it is only a week when I see it.Lost all faith in their strategies for this months ago, and I don't believe half of what they say.

    I really do think the govt will stick to their guns and not have a longer break either at Halloween or Christmas: I've said elsewhere that to go back on this commitment will lead to the collapse of the coalition. I think FG are itching to show FF up and this could be their chance but FF will toughen it out as they know they will be wiped out at the polls, along with the Greens.


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