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

scooby77

khalessi wrote: »

Why didn't INTO challenge this?

I dont know what INTO district you're in, and I know the situation varies hugely in different parts of the country, but the message I've heard the CEC getting from members in the North West is that, yes safety is vital, but the vast majority want schools to open as soon as possible.

WicklaBlaa

jrosen wrote: »

Are they looking at the numbers and patterns? And assuming by feb 1st cases will be down to a manageable level, pressure eased and icu beds freed up?

They are probably looking at case numbers in the community which are falling and positivity rates of tests are down.

It will take time for this to be reflected in ICU, but it is cases in the community that are relevant for schools reopening.

amacca

jrosen wrote: »

Are they looking at the numbers and patterns? And assuming by feb 1st cases will be down to a manageable level, pressure eased and icu beds freed up?

You would think so ....but I would be doubtful all will be well that early...........we would only now be seeing cases from up to three weeks ago......I would think numbers in icu/hospitals will remain high beyond Feb 1st although new cases should have come down?

khalessi

WicklaBlaa wrote: »

They are probably looking at case numbers in the community which are falling and positivity rates of tests are down.

It will take time for this to be reflected in ICU, but it is cases in the community that are relevant for schools reopening.

What were case numbers in September?

Mrsmum

I know the unions expect and should be consulted but just as a lay person listening to the INTO fella, it came across to me as an ego thing. He's happy now because he got the respect of sitting down together. But being consulted doesn't change the numbers and that aspect of it is more important imo. If he has information about extra precautions that will be put in place, he should have been sharing that info with the public but I didn't hear him say anything like that. Just that his relationship with Norma is back in track.

Lillyfae

Mrsmum wrote: »

I know the unions expect and should be consulted but just as a lay person listening to the INTO fella, it came across to me as an ego thing. He's happy now because he got the respect of sitting down together. But being consulted doesn't change the numbers and that aspect of it is more important imo. If he has information about extra precautions that will be put in place, he should have been sharing that info with the public but I didn't hear him say anything like that. Just that his relationship with Norma is back in track.

Probably comes from the same place as Norma giving the impression that she doesn't care about her former colleagues now that she's the top dog.

downthemiddle

Mrsmum wrote: »

I know the unions expect and should be consulted but just as a lay person listening to the INTO fella, it came across to me as an ego thing. He's happy now because he got the respect of sitting down together. But being consulted doesn't change the numbers and that aspect of it is more important imo. If he has information about extra precautions that will be put in place, he should have been sharing that info with the public but I didn't hear him say anything like that. Just that his relationship with Norma is back in track.

John likes being best boy in class.

penny piper

Mrsmum wrote: »

I know the unions expect and should be consulted but just as a lay person listening to the INTO fella, it came across to me as an ego thing. He's happy now because he got the respect of sitting down together. But being consulted doesn't change the numbers and that aspect of it is more important imo. If he has information about extra precautions that will be put in place, he should have been sharing that info with the public but I didn't hear him say anything like that. Just that his relationship with Norma is back in track.

Totally agree....he seems to have forgot about his membership and their concerns....neither norma foley or the unions can now answer why it will be safe to go back other than chant the same old mantra....once 1.1 million go back the numbers will go up again..

Coneygree

I was gutted he got voted in the first place and it is clear he hasn't proven me wrong. Another hack.

byhookorbycrook

The school featured last night on Prime Time was a private school with 50 children and ten teachers. Hilarious for them to be held up as the standard for remote learning.

jrosen

amacca wrote: »

You would think so ....but I would be doubtful all will be well that early...........we would only now be seeing cases from up to three weeks ago......I would think numbers in icu/hospitals will remain high beyond Feb 1st although new cases should have come down?

You would assume if case numbers fall then my default so would hospital admissions and therefore icu cases. But it would take time I guess for that to happen .
It seems early IMO. I was expecting at least post mid term.

jimmytwotimes 2013

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

The school featured last night on Prime Time was a private school with 50 children and ten teachers. Hilarious for them to be held up as the standard for remote learning.

Her comment about the right attitude, anything can be done. Deluded

downthemiddle

jimmytwotimes 2013 wrote: »

Her comment about the right attitude, anything can be done. Deluded

There are a number of DEIS schools I can think of where her attitude would be tested within the first five minutes.

Mrsmum

jimmytwotimes 2013 wrote: »

Her comment about the right attitude, anything can be done. Deluded

It was more of an ad for the International School than anything to do with reality.

DraftDodger

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

The school featured last night on Prime Time was a private school with 50 children and ten teachers. Hilarious for them to be held up as the standard for remote learning.

Sure the higher up's in RTE won't be sending their children to public schools 30 to a class. They are detached from reality.

Whiplash85

There is absolutely no chance that schools will be back on the 1st of February.

KrustyUCC

Yes that's probably true

average_runner

Whiplash85 wrote: »

There is absolutely no chance that schools will be back on the 1st of February.

There be no chance my kids will be going to school on the 1st of Feb.

SusanC10

average_runner wrote: »

There be no chance my kids will be going to school on the 1st of Feb.

This.

Whiplash85

average_runner wrote: »

There be no chance my kids will be going to school on the 1st of Feb.

I think a lot of people have been ahead of the authorities throughout the pandemic. People were scaling back visits and wearing masks before they even became mandatory. I see this as another one where the public will have their finger on the pulse fairly rapidly. In some places I have seen incidence rates where 1 in 40 or 1 in 50 people in the community have covid (that they know of). Its not hard to work out the chances of exposure with those numbers if you send in a child to school.

madalig12

My wife is a NS teacher. Deis school they have 1 special needs child. How can she online teach whilst going in every day for one child?

downthemiddle

madalig12 wrote: »

My wife is a NS teacher. Deis school they have 1 special needs child. How can she online teach whilst going in every day for one child?

minister@education.gov.ie for the answer.

Coneygree

madalig12 wrote: »

My wife is a NS teacher. Deis school they have 1 special needs child. How can she online teach whilst going in every day for one child?

I have more than 5 children with SEN in my class of 30.

I'd love to know how Norma expects me to do that as well. Because I cannot do both, it's either all in or nobody in in my opinion.

She seems to have no clue about the logistics of planning and teaching which is absolutely shocking considering she's a qualified teacher herself.

Deeec

Coneygree wrote: »

I have more than 5 children with SEN in my class of 30.

I'd love to know how Norma expects me to do that as well. Because I cannot do both, it's either all in or nobody in in my opinion.

She seems to have no clue about the logistics of planning and teaching which is absolutely shocking considering she's a qualified teacher herself.

Lets face it - it cant work. Im sorry but Norma needs to get back to the drawing board with this plan!

Work colleague has it from a contact in the ETB locally that plans are being made to not return until after Easter.

Str8outtaWuhan

I get the impression they want to send the SEN teachers into primary school to work with students and the rest of the teachers stay in their houses working with the rest of the students, kinda a canary in the mines scenario

BonsaiKitten

Str8outtaWuhan wrote: »

I get the impression they want to send the SEN teachers into primary school to work with students and the rest of the teachers stay in their houses working with the rest of the students, kinda a canary in the mines scenario

I get that impression as well but I can't see how it works. Are they supposed to come into school for their 30 mins support session three times a week, or whatever their allocation is? Parents will be delighted to have to schlep their child in for that I'm sure.

Or are SET teaching these kids all day? All together? Different classes, different needs...doesn't work.

BonsaiKitten

Mrsmum wrote: »

It was more of an ad for the International School than anything to do with reality.

Afaik the demand for private schools is very high at the moment. Combination of their remote learning and Brexit relocations. Seemed odd to me that this place only has 50 kids? Not that I know anything about them tbf.

byhookorbycrook

BonsaiKitten wrote: »

I get that impression as well but I can't see how it works. Are they supposed to come into school for their 30 mins support session three times a week, or whatever their allocation is? Parents will be delighted to have to schlep their child in for that I'm sure.

Or are SET teaching these kids all day? All together? Different classes, different needs...doesn't work.

My impression is that the children will be in all day, so we drop the others on our caseload. What exactly we do with them all day is not clear. And leaving it up to schools to decide who is in or out is going to be a nightmare. If "children who aren't engaging with remote learning " are to be brought in, what's to stop parent deciding their child won't engage all of a sudden and push them in?



We are also sacrificing the other children on our caseloads, but Norma doesn't seem to realise this. Let's not pretend it's about education, it's about child care.

SusanC10

Maybe I genuinely don't understand this, but today the two CMOs in both Republic and NI issued a joint Statement urging everyone to stay at home.
So, it doesn't make sense to me to be having Parents, Kids (mostly vulnerable ?), Teachers, SNAs, other school Staff, Bus Drivers etc on the move.
I do accept that some kids really need to be at school but does this need outweigh the potential risks of catching and transmitting Covid ? Of being seriously ill and maybe requiring hospitalisation ? For some maybe it does.

I don't have kids with Special/Additional Needs so maybe I don't get this. But my sister has Special Needs plus some other health issues. She is an Adult now and in normal times goes to a Service. She has not been there since March 2020 and even if they did open again my Mum has decided not to send her there until they both have been vaccinated. To her the risk is too great. I know a Service is not the same as School but talking to my Mum on the phone this morning, she doesn't understand the need to send these Kids back either at this present moment in time when the situation is at it's worst.