Schools closed until February? (part 3)

um7y1h83ge06nx

I hope our individual creche stays open, my wife is frontline HSE. Given her job we will have places once they decide not to close of their own accord but also due to her job we couldn't risk asking grandparents to childmind given the big figures at the moment and the fact she is in daily contact with suspect and confirmed Covid patients (wearing PPE etc. of course).

ax530

ax530 wrote: »

Creche will be open for essential workers children so I think you will be ok your creche should still take the child.

They said Creches can close if they wish.

I imagine most now will, why would anyone choose to risk their life?

WildWater

hesaidshesaid wrote: »

I agree with the part about the unions but I don't think you're right about Norma being gone unfortunately. MM is repeating the schools are safe bs too. He's quite deferential to her as well, if you notice. Only when they have students and staff suing for having acquired long covid in school, will they sit up and take notice. I also think the Sec Gen of the Dept of Ed and the whole team in there must be propagating this message. Norma only has so much power, that team are driving these decisions.

In late summer MM need a political win and he decided that schools were going to be it. School were going to open and stay open. That was their mantra. IMO, this is playing politics nothing more.

Icyseanfitz

Funny how the uk and ni don't think schools are safe enough, i can't even comprehend this ****ing ****, 55k students, how many staff nationally cater to lc? 100k more

bladespin

WildWater wrote: »

In late summer MM need a political win and he decided that schools were going to be it. School were going to open and stay open. That was their mantra. IMO, this is playing politics nothing more.

Very much, it must be very serious (and politically crushing) for Martin to back down.

mirrorwall14

combat14 wrote: »

there are no child minders at the moment the rules are no one is allowed in your house we are trying to flatten the very steep curve

They are allowed as far I understand, you bubble with a household for childcare. That’s us and our childminder

hesaidshesaid

I think even the journalists at this presser are incredulous at what they're hearing to be honest. Their questions are good to be fair.

the kelt

I have to say that was truly pathetic bordering on incompetence.

Bizarre, absolutely bizarre, yer one Foley is so far out of her depth its scary.

Even the reporters are there "wtf" you can see it in their questions.

Bonkers stuff altogether.

c.p.w.g.w

A colleague of mine is going to be in serious trouble...

We work night shift in an "essential" business...

His Mrs is a secondary school teacher(LC years)... They have 4 kids all under 10...

So his going to do an 8 hour shift come home, stay up mind the kids till his misses gets home and then try and sleep...don't envy him, he'll be lucky to get 5 hours sleep

Tenzor07

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

A colleague of mine is going to be in serious trouble...We work night shift in an "essential" business...His Mrs is a secondary school teacher(LC years)... They have 4 kids all under 10...So his going to do an 8 hour shift come home, stay up mind the kids till his misses gets home and then try and sleep...don't envy him, he'll be lucky to get 5 hours sleep

Don't worry, Mehole Martin will flip-flop on this and move to remote learning for the LC students until 1st of February at the earliest...

Dressoutlet

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

A colleague of mine is going to be in serious trouble...

We work night shift in an "essential" business...

His Mrs is a secondary school teacher(LC years)... They have 4 kids all under 10...

So his going to do an 8 hour shift come home, stay up mind the kids till his misses gets home and then try and sleep...don't envy him, he'll be lucky to get 5 hours sleep

I have 4 kids all under 10. 5 hours sleep is a good nights sleep to me and my husband

Tippex

Mrsmum wrote: »

I found myself telling my JC student he would be learning from home for the next few weeks as it is too dangerous for him to be in school and then turning around to his brother in LC and telling him it ok for him to go to school. They pointed it out too.

I know I'm not alone I genuinely laughed at that. its ludicrous

rob316

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

A colleague of mine is going to be in serious trouble...

We work night shift in an "essential" business...

His Mrs is a secondary school teacher(LC years)... They have 4 kids all under 10...

So his going to do an 8 hour shift come home, stay up mind the kids till his misses gets home and then try and sleep...don't envy him, he'll be lucky to get 5 hours sleep

I've kids under 10 and 5 hours sleep would be a great night for me to be honest

Leftwaffe

Can’t see it being reversed and can’t see unions pulling the plug tbh. All post primary schools are back open on Monday. How it’s going to work I have no idea.

combat14

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

They are allowed as far I understand, you bubble with a household for childcare. That’s us and our childminder

thats great didnt know that how many people and houses can we include i.e. how big are these bubbles allowed to be

Clouron

Maybe this Q should go on a separate thread..

Q

If a childcare provider closes for all of January, is the government funding the furlough for the workers? Does the provider still expect parents to pay for a service they are not getting? I can see more arguments between provider and parents on this one..

combat14

we could need a separate thread or poll for norma needs to go yet

so my daughter, who is in her leaving cert year, wants to know why, if schools are safe, what changes on Monday and Friday to make them so dangerous that she has to stay at home.

This is already a really stressful year for kids of this age group. well done to the government for piling on the stress even further.

c.p.w.g.w

Dressoutlet wrote: »

I have 4 kids all under 10. 5 hours sleep is a good nights sleep to me and my husband

Wow...that is scary for a number of reasons...have a read of "why we sleep" by Matthew walker

Morrison J

Foley peddling the line that schools are safe is utter *******. Schools are only as safe as the amount of community transmission present in the area they're in. They're looking at figures from schools when cases were low, completely different story now. Schools should be completely shut, no excuses.

ScummyMan

Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Weren’t you all complaining at how unfair predictive grades were on everyone?

I think it’s a decent compromise, and with far less numbers in schools it will be easier to keep things safe. I don’t foresee a doomsday scenario because the minister for education tried to give Leaving Cert students a fair chance

Tippex

So my sons school have already sent a letter already which I really have to commend them on. It doesn't explicitly say that the 6th years are not going back next week but I am taking from the wording they are ignoring the department's statement today.

"It is with sadness that I find myself writing to you. In all honesty I thought we had seen the last of remote teaching but alas, it is not to be. To the parents/guardians of 3rd and 6th years. Do not worry, deadlines for coursework/project submissions will be changed and additional choices will be given in written exams in the summer so that no one will be disadvantaged.

On a more positive note, with the investment in IT infrastructure and the introduction of TEAMS we are now in a much better place to offer much higher quality Teaching and Learning. Our students will be asked to collect textbooks from their lockers on Thursday/Friday of this week to ensure that they are ready for remote teaching and learning from Tuesday 12th January, a separate note with times will follow shortly. [removed] staff will meet on Monday 11th to finalise our Remote Teaching plan.

If your son/daughter is having difficulties accessing TEAMS, please visit our website or contact teams@[removed] to get assistance as soon as possible.

There will be a range of blended learning techniques used including, live lessons, pre-recorded lessons, remote group work, assignments, explanation notes and much more. We ask that you keep talking to your son/daughter so that you understand what is being asked of them and support your child in any way you can.

Our Pastoral Team, including our SNA’s will continue to work, albeit remotely, with the students that they had been assisting with during term time. In addition, we have been able to get additional support hours for SEN so the Learning Support staff will also continue to work with students that are finding remote schooling difficult. However, none of this can happen if your son/daughter does not engage with us. We will continue to monitor their progress and contact you if we see a difficulty arising to sort out how we can help."

Well done to the school in acting so fast. My son's DCG teacher has already been in touch with them about having a call tomorrow morning to discuss what they plan.

scouserstation

I think no matter what decision was made today it was a case of being damned if you do and damned if you don't, personally I think a happy medium has been reached, the option is there for the LC to go ahead and special needs kids can go back to school aswell, as long as this can proceed in a safe enough environment then I don't see a problem

ScummyMan

ScummyMan wrote: »

Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Weren’t you all complaining at how unfair predictive grades were on everyone?

I think it’s a decent compromise, and with far less numbers in schools it will be easier to keep things safe. I don’t foresee a doomsday scenario because the minister for education tried to give Leaving Cert students a fair chance

Then why only three days per week?

the kelt

Quick question.

We keep being told that this is the most dangerous situation we have ever been in.

And if some parents of leaving cert kids are concerned in this time of unprecedented danger for the health of their son or daughter in being out and about mingling with others etc there is no provision for them at all other than go to school for 3 days or fall behind.

Literally in apparently the most dangerous time of our lifetime kids are being forced in to schools!

Talked about mixed messaging, is it any wonder public buy in is weaning.

ScummyMan

Aegir wrote: »

Then why only three days per week?

I agree that’s a strange one. I’m guessing the three days in will be for in person lessons etc, and then work will be set for the two days off. Again a compromise to reduce movement as much as possible. It’s not about certain days being safe and certain days not.

Dempo1

Not sure how wise this 3 days a week move is but a weeks a long time in politics. Foley comes across as pure stubbornness. I suspect a u turn come Friday.

scrubs33

Just shy of 8000 cases today and unfortunately 17 deaths: not good in relation to todays debate around schools.

combat14

Aegir wrote: »

Then why only three days per week?

because covid will be in the school the other 2 days

micks_address

Not sure how on one hand Micheal can say this new strain is very dangerous while on the other hand say the schools are safe based on experience with old variants?