Schools to close again.. Covid

mumo3

My son is in secondary school, and he spend one of his classes this week, checking passwords and resetting "incase" they need to go back into online learning..... My spider senses say they'll extend the Christmas break in January

joebloggs32

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118274344#Comment_118274344

I am a secondary teacher. I started doing this during the week, not out of any inside knowledge, but rather to be prepared just in case of the worst. I'm sure many others are doing likewise.

Penfailed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118274344#Comment_118274344

Nah. They're not closing the schools again.

History Queen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118274278#Comment_118274278

I find your source very hard to believe. Given the prevailing attitude to schools I can't see them moving towards closures. Doesn't add up.

History Queen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118274344#Comment_118274344

That's teachers being prepared/fearing the worst. That is not coming from insider knowledge. I highly doubt we'll see school closures on a nation wide basis. They're not even closing classes with outbreaks.

Rosita

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118275085#Comment_118275085

At the risk of repeating the same comment over and over, it is irrelevant what happens within schools. They will not be closed on the basis of that as it is not acknowledged as being a school-originated issue.

I think there is a real prospect that things will get very out of hand in the community over the next month. In that scenario watch this space.

I suspect that one way or another we too will be in the "clarity and certainty" space regarding exams fairly early in the new year. Even if schools don't close.

snor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118275389#Comment_118275389

I’m a secondary teacher and the amount of time students are missing due to illness/restriction is shocking. Absenteeism running at 18-22%. Usually 8-9%.

similar absenteeism with teaching staff but not as high.

This, coupled with missing out on in-person school last year Makes it v difficult to get courses complete,

History Queen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118275435#Comment_118275435

Our absenteeism is running at similar levels

History Queen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118275389#Comment_118275389

I get your point. My point is teachers don't have any insider information. I still can't see schools being closed.

kala85

A local closure or temporary return to online learning when cases are out of control in a particular school would make more sense.

Rosita

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118275756#Comment_118275756

Thanks a different matter. There already are some schools I know doing, say, online in the afternoons. But no way will there ever be an instruction that schools generally can make their own decisions.

Rosita

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118275460#Comment_118275460

I'm surprised after the experience of last winter that there is so much blind faith in schools staying open no matter what.

History Queen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118275793#Comment_118275793

Not so much blind faith as an understanding of the detrimental impact closures had on many children, the criticism of the education system for same, and the desire by the Department to avoid repeated closure at almost any cost.

Rosita

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118275888#Comment_118275888

Yeah, but this assumes that the government will be in a position of strength where they can consider all this and have a choice.

Not trying to be smart but your comments sounds more like an idealistic set of arguments why schools shouldn't close rather than a convincing case why it won't happen if the situation with the health service goes out of control.

When the Minister was asked about three weeks ago on the Claire Byrne radio show if she could guarantee that schools would reopen in the new year it was notable that avoided giving any such guarantee that would come back to haunt her.

Instead she gave a "we have a window of opportunity to do the right thing" answer rather than "schools are safe" (as per her answers to Sarah McInerney 12 months ago) or "schools will never close under any circumstances". Maybe schools will not close but I can't understand why people could not see it happening. As things stand now, the status of schools in January is definitely in play.

Bobtheman

I think foleys promotion was a mistake. She had absolutely no national experience. No ministerial experience.

She is also unfortunate that Martin thinks he was the best minister of education of all time.

FF ministerial team is very weak. Side lining of callery and cowen does not helP

Bobtheman

Given the mess they made last night over storm barra i have lost the tiny bit of faith i had in them. The department.

Norma needs to go out on a limb more and not be worried about interest groups

snor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118291444#Comment_118291444

I for one would not like to be a student or a teacher in the classroom today with the windows and doors open in that wind and rain.

Splish Splash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118291748#Comment_118291748

The advice is 'weather permitting'. I would hope teachers would ventilate before and after classes and during breaks on days like these and close the windows during class.

snor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118291831#Comment_118291831

That’s it though- windows and doors can’t be shut as it’s against regulation, CO2 alarms will be going off etc.

we have a specific number of students we are allowed in a class, in pods and distanced. Depending on the room size. This is based on all windows and doors open.

It was 4 degrees in my class room the other day - with no wind or rain. it’s the crosswinds across a room that would freeze you so really the past couple of days would have Ben just awful. And papers etc would have been blown etc. I am wrapped up well and just happy to be able to be in school.

we have had Covid inspections to ensure we are compliant. all corridor windows must be open too. So not as easy as closing the doors and windows I’m afraid.

lulublue22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118291831#Comment_118291831

Many do - but it makes little impact in our place - covid monitors hit the red once windows are closed and children in the class - weather permitting does very little for us - That’s reality rather than staff being foolish or over zealous. Often the perceived simple solution isn’t so simple after all.

joebloggs32

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118291831#Comment_118291831

You haven't seen how my CO2 monitor reacts to closing them. It runs from Green to Red in about 15 minutes, so i dont have that luxury of just opening them for break times.

HerrKuehn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118274187#Comment_118274187

Online schooling doesn't work for primary kids though. We played along with the fiction last school year, but really, sending on a few bits from twinkl and a half an hour zoom call a week doesn't really add a lot of value. This has been the experience of any parents with primary school kids that we know (with the exception of one who has the kids in a fee paying primary school). And yes, I know people will say I could move them to another school if I am not happy, but it would seem a bit of an overreaction to a temporary situation. Any parents who are concerned about meeting up with elderly relatives can bring the kids out if they wish.

It may have been ok for some secondary school kids, the more engaged ones at least.

KildareP

I don't think the government will close the schools, I think they're knowingly waiting on absenteeism and lack of cover for S&S to force schools to have to make the decision to close themselves. That way, they can wash their hands of the situation and leave it down to each BOM to take the flack for it.

Treppen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118300091#Comment_118300091

That's it in a nutshell.

Teachers will be blamed for getting sick and spreading COVID etc. etc.

Then the issue of lack of subs.

Then talk about why there aren't enough people training to be teachers.

Then it'll be a rant about teacher holidays.

Then it'll lead to a rant about firing the baaaaad lazy teachers.

Then a suggestion about paying the better teachers more when they get higher grades.

Then it'll be a rant about how it wouldn't be tolerated in the private sector.

Norma and her Mandarins know the game all too well.

HerrKuehn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118300091#Comment_118300091

Just because some schools/classes will have to close doesn't mean we should close all of them.

KildareP

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301796#Comment_118301796

It's not a case of some schools are totally immune while others are raging infernos.

Absenteeism is running high countrywide and there is a shortage of subs countrywide.

If the numbers accelerate in a similar fashion to last Christmas/New Year then it's only going to end up with one outcome.

HerrKuehn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301878#Comment_118301878

I don't think anyone is saying some schools are immune. Teachers are vaccinated, as are parents, kids tend to not get very ill. The health service is currently able to manage the number of Covid patients. We all know there is a risk of a child picking it up just before Christmas in school. Some parents will want to meet up with elderly relatives over Christmas. It will be up to parents to take the kids out early if they feel it is in their best interest.

Rosita

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301878#Comment_118301878

Sorry, just wondering what outcome (your last paragraph) you think that will be? Just that you said in the previous post that you thought the government would not close schools. So am wondering what outcome you had in mind "if numbers accelerate like last year".

Rosita

I find blind faith that the government will not close schools remarkable considering the previous experience when we were assured by many that they would not close back then either but they did. If things get bad enough that the health service cannot cope, infections are spiralling, and they have no choice they will, of course, close them and everything else as well. And "Norma" will not get within a 40-foot pole of the making of that decision. A TD of about 18 months experience will not have any influence on that.

What will certainly not close them is absenteeism of either teachers or students. A few schools tried that and got short shrift. Nor will perceived risk of transmission within schools which the government claims is negligible close them. If they close it'll be in the context of the broader picture. So what's happening in schools is irrelevant to this question.

Rosita

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301955#Comment_118301955

Not wishing to be argumentative but we don't know the vaccination status of teachers and parents, not to mind underlying conditions. We can make assumptions of course but if you assume a school of a thousand parents and maybe 60 teachers, statistically assuming this cohort to be representative of the population there could be 100 there unvaccinated. And presumably this average would see significant deviation in some areas. Given that school management is not permitted to enquire about the vaccination status of teachers not to mind parents your assumption about vaccination is full of holes.

If course, as I have said in other posts, I think it's all irrelevant to the potential closure of schools. That won't be made for the benefit of teachers or students in any event.