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How will schools be able to go back in September?

shoppergal

Just wondering if anyone can give any insight into how schools could safely re-open in September?

Everyone I'm talking to is saying they won't be back until September but in my head I'm wondering how they'll re-open even in September? The virus will still be there with a vaccine still months away at that stage.

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mosii

giveitholly wrote: »

The teachers know well to toe the line and hide behind the unions

Teachers have it wrapped up..:cool:

giveitholly

mosii wrote: »

True I suppose,but if it came from the teachers themselves?

The teachers know well to toe the line and hide behind the unions

Mrsmum

khalessi wrote: »

This is what teachers have been saying. Some people will argue with their toes. Hand sanitiser and proper cleaning of schools is not such a big thing to be asking in the scheme of things, suggestions have gone in and depending on where we will be in September hopefully it is one of a number of stratgies to be implemented.

We already have hand santizers in our schools and keeping them filled is a nightmare but necessary. No one is asking that the children be sprayed down before entering schools just that proper cleaning takes place as often as the implemented schedule requires.

Hmmm quite a argument inciting statement. Perhaps you misinterpreted my tone as I am discussing not arguing at all.

mosii

boggerman1 wrote: »

Are you mad.the unions would have a canary if they were asked to start back a week or two earlier

True I suppose,but if it came from the teachers themselves?

boggerman1

mosii wrote: »

Why cant the school start at least a week early,try and make up for education of our young.

Are you mad.the unions would have a canary if they were asked to start back a week or two earlier

mosii

Why cant the school start at least a week early,try and make up for education of our young.

khalessi

Mrsmum wrote: »

When something becomes necessary, like taking over private hospitals, it is no longer a big ask. It is just do or die type of thing. Hand sanitizers are the single most effective way of getting our children back to school and keeping them and the staff safe so it will just have to be provided. It isn't an option.

This is what teachers have been saying. Some people will argue with their toes. Hand sanitiser and proper cleaning of schools is not such a big thing to be asking in the scheme of things, suggestions have gone in and depending on where we will be in September hopefully it is one of a number of stratgies to be implemented.

We already have hand santizers in our schools and keeping them filled is a nightmare but necessary. No one is asking that the children be sprayed down before entering schools just that proper cleaning takes place as often as the implemented schedule requires.

lulublue22

Mrsmum wrote: »

When something becomes necessary, like taking over private hospitals, it is no longer a big ask. It is just do or die type of thing. Hand sanitizers are the single most effective way of getting our children back to school and keeping them and the staff safe so it will just have to be provided. It isn't an option.

I agree with you - my post was more in relation to the statement that schools should provide x y or z. This is put forward time and time again across all different contexts. It is not schools who should( as they are not self financing) but the government who have underfunded education in this country for a very very long time.

Mrsmum

lulublue22 wrote: »

Schools dont have money for adequate hot water providing hand sanitizer is a very big ask. Whatever is agreed upon it will take considerable financial investment by the government.

When something becomes necessary, like taking over private hospitals, it is no longer a big ask. It is just do or die type of thing. Hand sanitizers are the single most effective way of getting our children back to school and keeping them and the staff safe so it will just have to be provided. It isn't an option.

ldy4mxonucwsq6

lulublue22 wrote: »

Schools dont have money for adequate hot water providing hand sanitizer is a very big ask. Whatever is agreed upon it will take considerable financial investment by the government.

Parents should have to supply their own for each child. That should be part of the general contract being drawn up.

Of course you'll always have the one or two parents that don't bother their holes and expect others to provide for their children, but it's not too much to ask that each of them has their own little bottle.

I've always put a little bottle in their bags since swine flu, now whether they use it or not is another thing

A little reminder that it should be used at lunch time, after toilet breaks and yard time they would soon get used to it.

iamwhoiam

lulublue22 wrote: »

Schools dont have money for adequate hot water providing hand sanitizer is a very big ask. Whatever is agreed upon it will take considerable financial investment by the government.

I would be quiet happy to donate hand sanitizer to our local school . I am sure others would be too and it would be worth asking local businesses etc to donate large industrial sized bottles .

lulublue22

Mrsmum wrote: »

Forget about sinks. Not doable to do it that way. Hand sanitizers all the way. Children not allowed into school without it in their schoolbags and provided by school for those who can't afford it.

Schools dont have money for adequate hot water providing hand sanitizer is a very big ask. Whatever is agreed upon it will take considerable financial investment by the government.

ldy4mxonucwsq6

khalessi wrote: »

We may be down to 0.04% but it took just one case to put us where we are now, so precautions are necessary no matter how eager parents are to have their children back in school

There were several different strains introduced as a result of travel, one case did not cause nearly 25,000 cases.

ldy4mxonucwsq6

morebabies wrote: »

As well as kids having to be isolated for 14 days if displaying any illness symptoms, another issue would be if there is a confirmed case in a school, that school would surely have to close temporarily or if it didn't, parents would probably keep their kids off until the threat had passed.

In that case the Dept should be telling schools shortly, as well as figuring out the hygiene and social distancing aspects, to be ready at any given moment to close the school and transition immediately to full time Internet learning until further notice.
That's a huge ask, I don't envy working under those circumstances.

Why would there be a need for 14 day isolation period when testing has a turnaround of about 2 days currently and is improving by the day.

The reason for the lockdown was to halt massive unnoticed rampant spread and secondly to get testing and health services to a point where they had control and to learn more about the virus. All have been accomplished and the criteria for opening back up have been met.

Schools won't close for 2 weeks every time there's a case, testing and contact tracing will be used to ensure everyone can continue as normal.

Mrsmum

kandr10 wrote: »

In theory this sounds like a good idea and is of course a necessity. Just to point out some of the practical difficulties a lot of schools would face - classes would have to put on timetables for hand washing as there’s often 4-5 sinks to share between several classes. In my school it would be 120 kids roughly to 4 sinks. Also most likely a lot of schools would have to have a one way system to prevent people passing each other in narrow corridors. Co-ordinating children needing to leave for hand washing when they sneeze, cough, enter or leave or whatever on top of what’s scheduled would be hard with that in mind. None of it is impossible but just pointing out logistical difficulties people might not be aware of if they’ve not worked in a school. It takes literally 10-15 mins to get a class to the bathroom all at once.

Forget about sinks. Not doable to do it that way. Hand sanitizers all the way. Children not allowed into school without it in their schoolbags and provided by school for those who can't afford it.

khalessi

Well discussions are happening in the department regarding reopening and I can see parents complaining about any safety initiatives they may be thinking of implementing if it prevents the child being in school due to infection or temperature.

We may be down to 0.04% but it took just one case to put us where we are now, so precautions are necessary no matter how eager parents are to have their children back in school

kandr10

Mrsmum wrote: »

A bell ringing every hour and all children sanitizing their hands then and every time they enter or leave the classroom will be as good as it gets imo. Fortunately that small step is actually of huge benefit with this disease.

In theory this sounds like a good idea and is of course a necessity. Just to point out some of the practical difficulties a lot of schools would face - classes would have to put on timetables for hand washing as there’s often 4-5 sinks to share between several classes. In my school it would be 120 kids roughly to 4 sinks. Also most likely a lot of schools would have to have a one way system to prevent people passing each other in narrow corridors. Co-ordinating children needing to leave for hand washing when they sneeze, cough, enter or leave or whatever on top of what’s scheduled would be hard with that in mind. None of it is impossible but just pointing out logistical difficulties people might not be aware of if they’ve not worked in a school. It takes literally 10-15 mins to get a class to the bathroom all at once.

morebabies

As well as kids having to be isolated for 14 days if displaying any illness symptoms, another issue would be if there is a confirmed case in a school, that school would surely have to close temporarily or if it didn't, parents would probably keep their kids off until the threat had passed.

In that case the Dept should be telling schools shortly, as well as figuring out the hygiene and social distancing aspects, to be ready at any given moment to close the school and transition immediately to full time Internet learning until further notice.
That's a huge ask, I don't envy working under those circumstances.

jrosen

Schools naturally are breeding grounds for bacteria, so many kids and adults in a shared space. Often no hot water, hand soap. Shared desk spaces.
Im not so sure I believe it possible to have the clean. Kids are disgusting little people. Between snot wiping, sneezing, no concept of personal space. Social distancing and children are 2 things that dont go hand in hand.

We are already behind, come September that gap will widen if we are looking at half days and reduced student numbers. There is no doubt this will have far reaching consequences for students. Some more than others. I would be more concerned for secondary students who are facing into exams in the coming years.

I was speaking to my friend yesterday, our kids in the same school. Her's one year above mine. They are doing the same work. The same math sheets, english sheets and irish audios.

ldy4mxonucwsq6

khalessi wrote: »

I feel the same but I do think it should be put to the department. Afterall people keep demanding on this threads that schools need to be open. Look at Europe etc. Well lets look at Europe, the schools have various policies implemented, smaller classes, in different days, but all have whole stragegies of cleaning and hand washing and disinfection of schools.

The least we should be demanding for our children as parents is a guaranteed clean environment. The government cannot say they are looking at Europe and then just write a fudge document full of media soundbites but leaving it to the teachers to sort out, which is more than likely what will happen and if teachers object due to Health and safety we will be told we are complaining and being fussy, despite a pandemic in full flow.e

I'd be more concerned about the huge surge in illness due to the fact that if after all of this our immune systems won't know what any germ is with all the cleaning going on.

That and the chance we will be raising a generation of socially awkward agoraphobic OCD sufferers.

There's a balance to be had between having children clean their hands and nuking a classroom with alcohol several times a day.

The pandemic is not in full flow, it's more or less done here now thankfully and the habits that go along with that will soon be forgotten about so we can get back to living normally.

We did what we had to do to get this under control, that's been done now.

Mrsmum

A bell ringing every hour and all children sanitizing their hands then and every time they enter or leave the classroom will be as good as it gets imo. Fortunately that small step is actually of huge benefit with this disease.

wirelessdude01

khalessi wrote: »

I feel the same but I do think it should be put to the department. Afterall people keep demanding on this threads that schools need to be open. Look at Europe etc. Well lets look at Europe, the schools have various policies implemented, smaller classes, in different days, but all have whole stragegies of cleaning and hand washing and disinfection of schools.

The least we should be demanding for our children as parents is a guaranteed clean environment. The government cannot say they are looking at Europe and then just write a fudge document full of media soundbites but leaving it to the teachers to sort out, which is more than likely what will happen and if teachers object due to Health and safety we will be told we are complaining and being fussy, despite a pandemic in full flow.e

Fcuked if we do, fcuked if we don't. Either way the teachers will be at fault for some on here.

Agree though with the point about soundbites. Fully expect something to be produced that looks good on the surface but has zero practical detail for those of us on the ground.

khalessi

lulublue22 wrote: »

I really can not see daily deep cleaning going ahead. The cost and time associated with it seems prohibitive.

I feel the same but I do think it should be put to the department. Afterall people keep demanding on this threads that schools need to be open. Look at Europe etc. Well lets look at Europe, the schools have various policies implemented, smaller classes, in different days, but all have whole stragegies of cleaning and hand washing and disinfection of schools.

The least we should be demanding for our children as parents is a guaranteed clean environment. The government cannot say they are looking at Europe and then just write a fudge document full of media soundbites but leaving it to the teachers to sort out, which is more than likely what will happen and if teachers object due to Health and safety we will be told we are complaining and being fussy, despite a pandemic in full flow.e

plodder

khalessi wrote: »

Children would not be allowed to clean up fer themselves. And a school would need to deep cleaned daily properly for coss infection purpose consideriing how many people are in them.

People are saying that now but when resources are tight I think the reality that this is an airborne virus will prevail. Maybe some kind of more practical ideas will emerge like spraying the entire room at the end of the day, but I just can't see labour intensive 'deep cleaning' happening.

Also, if children can't clean up after themselves, then teachers will have to do it, presumably.

lulublue22

khalessi wrote: »

Children would not be allowed to clean up fer themselves. And a school would need to deep cleaned daily properly for coss infection purpose consideriing how many people are in them.

I really can not see daily deep cleaning going ahead. The cost and time associated with it seems prohibitive.

ldy4mxonucwsq6

is_that_so wrote: »

Personally wonder about the constant alarm over the second wave myself as we now apparently have a system that could respond a lot better to that.

Yes I think people seem very unwilling to consider that the risk has already been mostly eliminated.

0.04% of our population is currently infected and yet we are still playing economic suicide.

Testing and contact tracing will be our best defence from new spread. There won't be much need for social distancing and PPE once the risk is gone (which it more or less is).

khalessi

plodder wrote: »

Deep cleaning seems completely OTT. All it takes is one child to sneeze on a table during the day and the work is wasted. Much better for teachers to watch out for sneezing and get kids to spray/wipe their tables regularly and after sneezing etc.

Children would not be allowed to clean up fer themselves. And a school would need to deep cleaned daily properly for coss infection purpose consideriing how many people are in them.

plodder

FishOnABike wrote: »

Even if the government made the funds adailable to deep clean every school twice a week where would they find enough specialist companies to do the work ?

Deep cleaning seems completely OTT. All it takes is one child to sneeze on a table during the day and the work is wasted. Much better for teachers to watch out for sneezing and get kids to spray/wipe their tables regularly and after sneezing etc.

is_that_so

screamer wrote: »

I think there is a real lack of leadership from the government on this. Measures take time to implement yet they seem to not even gave a solid plan. It’s unfair on the kids, parents and teachers.

I think a better question is, how long will the kids be able to stay in school before the next wave comes. It will come with flu season so I fully expect another major disruption to schools/ crèches in the late autumn again, and I’d like to see some sort of cohesive continuity plan that is uniform with expectations and guidance for virtual learning

It's the DoE not the government. From conversations with people who've been dealing with the DoE in recent weeks, their one and only focus is the LC grading system. Everything else is on hold for now. Personally wonder about the constant alarm over the second wave myself as we now apparently have a system that could respond a lot better to that.

Mrsmum

screamer wrote: »

I think there is a real lack of leadership from the government on this. Measures take time to implement yet they seem to not even gave a solid plan. It’s unfair on the kids, parents and teachers.

I think a better question is, how long will the kids be able to stay in school before the next wave comes. It will come with flu season so I fully expect another major disruption to schools/ crèches in the late autumn again, and I’d like to see some sort of cohesive continuity plan that is uniform with expectations and guidance for virtual learning

I have a son going into 6th year in Sept. I am so worried about the year ahead for him as can't imagine anything but disruptions. Have children in other classes but he is my main worry.