Schools closed until March/April? (part 4) **Mod warning in OP 22/01**

daydorunrun

penny piper wrote: »

Apparently according to the TUI phased re-opening of post primary schools guidance doc pdf...states that schools have now reached the level of of case numbers that were the same level as prior to schools closing before the Christmas break....*9th of February cases of 556*

Today the case numbers are 54 deaths and 1006 new cases....still risky..

But they are not reopened today! This is a plan for after mid-term- do you expect them to look at the case numbers at 8 o'clock that morning and declare it safe then?

ps there was 543 cases yesterday- was it safe to open then?

History Queen

penny piper wrote: »

Apparently according to the TUI phased re-opening of post primary schools guidance doc pdf...states that schools have now reached the level of of case numbers that were the same level as prior to schools closing before the Christmas break....*9th of February cases of 556*

Today the case numbers are 54 deaths and 1006 new cases....still risky..

Was there not 950+ cases around the last days before schools closed for Christmas? I can't remember the exact figure but remember thinking it'll break 1000 by Christmas day.

Also there is still time for numbers to decline.

penny piper

daydorunrun wrote: »

But they are not reopened today! This is a plan for after mid-term- do you expect them to look at the case numbers at 8 o'clock that morning and declare it safe then?

ps there was 543 cases yesterday- was it safe to open then?

I actually didn't say they were re-opening today....if you read the document it uses 9th february as an example....to be perfectly honest I don't see how you can base a re-opening based on case numbers that are fluctuating so much...
Ofcourse..there is the possibility that numbers will remain consistantly low by 22nd February....

Icyseanfitz

People still don't understand the difference between 500 cases before Christmas and 500 now, the variants have changed everything.

PoolDude

TUI may know public health advice will be to stay off longer so now can say they were prepared to go back - bargaining chip for something else or am I too cynical? It’s just that all indicators were they wouldn’t advise schools reopening that soon and in the LC instance you have the age group with the highest transmission rates (LC) going in to meet the age group with the highest infection rate (people in the 35 - 45 age group - last Saturday’s stats was 59% from that age group).

I’d be happy if they do go back if it’s safe to do so.

Edit - I see ASTI saying plans are inadequate beyond special classes and they will first monitor that in the “weeks ahead” but will negotiate with the department

billy_beckham

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

People still don't understand the difference between 500 cases before Christmas and 500 now, the variants have changed everything.

Change the record...

Icyseanfitz

billy_beckham wrote: »

Change the record...

What record would that be billy.......science

daydorunrun

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

People still don't understand the difference between 500 cases before Christmas and 500 now, the variants have changed everything.

So no schools until zero Covid is reached?

Icyseanfitz

daydorunrun wrote: »

So no schools until zero Covid is reached?

At no point did I say that, but any return needs to acknowledge the difference between pre Christmas and post.

CruelSummer

khalessi wrote: »

Not hiding just listening to the health advice other occupations who are wfh are listening to.

Hyperbole much

But teachers shouldn’t be “working from home” unless the situation is beyond control. You have to balance the educational needs of our future generations and the consequences of what every week added onto now 6 weeks will do.
True or false, you were against schools being open from September to Christmas and joined ‘Facebook groups’ to try and gain information on outbreaks in schools?
The Dept and public health officials are no angels either in their management of this but I don’t believe the vast majority of teachers want schools closures to continue, particularly primary.

rob316

frank8211 wrote: »

They are dangerous activiities to be opening so fast... we have thousands of pepple with the vrus since ;last september

The real danger is the alarming regression of these kids.

Str8outtaWuhan

History Queen wrote: »

Looks like there is movement on getting LC and post-primary special classes back.

https://www.tui.ie/news/tui-members-to-facilitate-re-opening-of-special-classes-in-post-primary-schools-%e2%80%93-union-also-indicates-willingness-to-facilitate-return-of-leaving-cert-students.14037.html

Tui have no choice , they are not covered under industrial relations provisions if they refuse to go back to the classroom, the asti are covered as they voted for a directive before xmas that schools could not impose changes to terms and conditions or some such .

Mrsmum

It almost seems like suddenly the unions want to go back ie 22nd Feb before the Government even want them to ! I thought Gov were mentioning phased return from March ?

Locotastic

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

People still don't understand the difference between 500 cases before Christmas and 500 now, the variants have changed everything.

There was and always will be variants that are different to the initial one, once the virus is still in circulation it will continue to mutate as viruses do.

Conclusions at this stage are mixed on whether any of the 'new' ones are significantly more easily spread or more lethal. It's a consideration but we can't stay hiding under the bed in case of 'variants'. They have not changed everything.

wirelessdude01

Locotastic wrote: »

There was and always will be variants that are different to the initial one, once the virus is still in circulation it will continue to mutate as viruses do.

Conclusions at this stage are mixed on whether any of the 'new' ones are significantly more easily spread or more lethal. It's a consideration but we can't stay hiding under the bed in case of 'variants'. They have not changed everything.

Better tell all the scientists then that the newer variants "have not changed everything". They seem to think that perhaps they have.

km79

Prolonged period of lockdown ahead, Taoiseach tells party meeting
via The Irish Times
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/prolonged-period-of-lockdown-ahead-taoiseach-tells-party-meeting-1.4481548


A confusing night

Neagra

i have said here before we have done nothing with our teachers on seesaw because of time constraints. but about 2 weeks ago i decided to bite the bullet and interact with the seesaw app. thats the only way they have for teaching.
and i am glad i did because what my 2 children have been given in activities for their ages is what i consider below standard.
its made me question the quality of the teachers and the school. said school is meant to be top class.
its an eye opener and its not good enough.
. all he gets on seesaw is drawing and colouring, with a very very low standard of maths and English.

so what we agreed was we got their school books and my wife and i are working through them snappish and also getting stuff from twinkle which i deem to be of the correct standard.
i think schools will open in September so i am now doing reduced my work hours to help with educating my children.
time to get on with it.

wirelessdude01

Neagra wrote: »

i have said here before we have done nothing with our teachers on seesaw because of time constraints. but about 2 weeks ago i decided to bite the bullet and interact with the seesaw app. thats the only way they have for teaching.
and i am glad i did because what my 2 children have been given in activities for their ages is what i consider below standard.
its made me question the quality of the teachers and the school. said school is meant to be top class.
its an eye opener and its not good enough.
. all he gets on seesaw is drawing and colouring, with a very very low standard of maths and English.

so what we agreed was we got their school books and my wife and i are working through them snappish and also getting stuff from twinkle which i deem to be of the correct standard.
i think schools will open in September so i am now doing reduced my work hours to help with educating my children.
time to get on with it.

What class?

byhookorbycrook

rob316 wrote: »

The real danger is the alarming regression of these kids.

Can you elaborate, please and quote research ?

byhookorbycrook

Neagra wrote: »

i have said here before we have done nothing with our teachers on seesaw because of time constraints. but about 2 weeks ago i decided to bite the bullet and interact with the seesaw app. thats the only way they have for teaching.
and i am glad i did because what my 2 children have been given in activities for their ages is what i consider below standard.
its made me question the quality of the teachers and the school. said school is meant to be top class.
its an eye opener and its not good enough.
. all he gets on seesaw is drawing and colouring, with a very very low standard of maths and English.

so what we agreed was we got their school books and my wife and i are working through them snappish and also getting stuff from twinkle which i deem to be of the correct standard.
i think schools will open in September so i am now doing reduced my work hours to help with educating my children.
time to get on with it.

Interesting. Parents are the primary educators of their children under the constitution. What ages are your children?

Wombatman

Neagra wrote: »

i
. all he gets on seesaw is drawing and colouring, with a very very low standard of maths and English.

Has he gotten round to capitalisation and punctuation yet?

The One Doctor

Never thought I'd say it, but I'm actually relieved that myself, my wife and my six year old daughter have already had Coronavirus (just finished isolation). Makes me less worried about having her in school or crèche, or my wife in work.

Dickie10

think we really should leave any return to schools til numbers are down to 200-300. around paddys day, maybe attempt every one back after easter

Locotastic

The One Doctor wrote: »

Never thought I'd say it, but I'm actually relieved that myself, my wife and my six year old daughter have already had Coronavirus (just finished isolation). Makes me less worried about having her in school or crèche, or my wife in work.

I can understand that, there are some people who would gladly take their chances so as to have a certain level of immunity and put it behind them and I can understand that too.

BiggJim

Dickie10 wrote: »

think we really should leave any return to schools til numbers are down to 200-300. around paddys day, maybe attempt every one back after easter

I personally don't think schools should open at all until this virus is under controlled (when the majority of the population has been vaccinated). I think the home schooling is working quite well, no reason not to continue it as is.

joebloggs32

CruelSummer wrote: »

But teachers shouldn’t be “working from home” unless the situation is beyond control. You have to balance the educational needs of our future generations and the consequences of what every week added onto now 6 weeks will do.
True or false, you were against schools being open from September to Christmas and joined ‘Facebook groups’ to try and gain information on outbreaks in schools?
The Dept and public health officials are no angels either in their management of this but I don’t believe the vast majority of teachers want schools closures to continue, particularly primary.

I'm in secondary and would love to go back after mid term.
The case numbers are getting back to October/November levels.

But something really spooked me today.

Thr UK variant really must be an unknown variable that has the government running scared. I was talking to someone in the union today and the drift i was getting from them was that there is not a big push coming from the department to get us back in the classroom soon. Its going to be rolled out in phases most likely.
Its a far cry from 5 weeks ago when Norma was like a broken record continually parroting "Schools are Safe"TM

Locotastic

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Better tell all the scientists then that the newer variants "have not changed everything". They seem to think that perhaps they have.

It hasn't changed everything, not much has changed due to 'variants'. Are scientists saying that the new variants have changed everything?

There's very mixed messages about how much of a consideration should be given to 'variants'. Media has a lot of responsibility in feeding scare stories on foreign variants.

It is a virus there are going to be many different variants.

giveitholly

BiggJim wrote: »

I personally don't think schools should open at all until this virus is under controlled (when the majority of the population has been vaccinated). I think the home schooling is working quite well, no reason not to continue it as is.

Majority of parents I am talking to and some of them are teachers themselves are sick of homeschooling and says it is not working,stress levels and anxiety are rising as well from what I can gather

BiggJim

Locotastic wrote: »

It hasn't changed everything, not much has changed due to 'variants'. Are scientists saying that the new variants have changed everything?

There's very mixed messages about how much of a consideration should be given to 'variants'. Media has a lot of responsibility in feeding scare stories in foreign variants.

It is a virus there are going to be many different variants.

Hopefully the other vaccines will stand up to it as unfortunately it seems Astrazenaca is no use against the SA variant (possibly other variants too?)

Leftwaffe

Neagra wrote: »

i have said here before we have done nothing with our teachers on seesaw because of time constraints. but about 2 weeks ago i decided to bite the bullet and interact with the seesaw app. thats the only way they have for teaching.
and i am glad i did because what my 2 children have been given in activities for their ages is what i consider below standard.
its made me question the quality of the teachers and the school. said school is meant to be top class.
its an eye opener and its not good enough.
. all he gets on seesaw is drawing and colouring, with a very very low standard of maths and English.

so what we agreed was we got their school books and my wife and i are working through them snappish and also getting stuff from twinkle which i deem to be of the correct standard.
i think schools will open in September so i am now doing reduced my work hours to help with educating my children.
time to get on with it.

I really think you should contact school management and inform them of this and maybe even consider changing schools if the level of online education they’re receiving is substandard. If you just let it slide and plough into it yourself instead, nothing will change.