daithi7 wrote: » I wonder how the continental countries who already have got their schools back have managed it so seamlessly? Can we not just copy best practice from their experience already?? I mean what's the big deal here. P.s. Or else let's just cancel next year's leaving cert exams also & totally cave to the public sector teacher unions......
Bananaleaf wrote: » ... If we get a Covid assistant that would be great. But if it ends up being just another job tacked onto the list of jobs that an already overworked AP2 has.... And when things start going wrong, the public will be outraged saying 'and they have a person whose JOB it is to look as after this ffs' and sure who could blame them? I'd be thinking the same myself if I didn't know any better
wirelessdude01 wrote: » Once again it comes back to the department, money will be an issue. Expect this to be delegated to an existing staff member as possibly an emergency AP2 post for just a year. Cheapest way for them to appear to be doing something.
Bananaleaf wrote: » If this happens, we need to be vocal about it. To be fair to parents and the public, half the time they are annoyed about what goes on in the schools, it's because they think we are provided for much much more than we are. Take the predicted grading as the most recent example. The dept of Ed said that teachers and principals would be fully trained up in the predicted grading process. I dont know what the principals got, but our staff had a 25min meeting online with the principal where every single question was answered with the line 'you guys are the professionals- trust your judgement' There was an online video and a book of guidelines. I'm not saying we got nothing, but I am saying that when people hear 'fully trained up', they are probably thinking we got more than we did. If we get a Covid assistant that would be great. But if it ends up being just another job tacked onto the list of jobs that an already overworked AP2 has, then that's not on. And when things start going wrong, the public will be outraged saying 'and they have a person whose JOB it is to look as after this ffs' and sure who could blame them? I'd be thinking the same myself if I didn't know any better
Zahir Bitter Cellist wrote: » I'd imagine they'd coordinate everything from signage to hand sanitiser and oversee the logistics around premises, supplies and cleaning from a guidelines perspective. Also practically maybe there as a supervision for children who become ill, maybe temperature checks etc, implementing illness procedures, parent communications. It didn't go into much detail about the role but it would definitely help to have someone who's sole responsibility as overseeing covid guidelines in each school. Would make the schools safer for all anyway.
lulublue22 wrote: » Interesting - though how will it work in practical terms in school ?
BonsaiKitten wrote: » Would supervision/insurance be a problem with base classes? Presumably when the teachers are moving about the school that means that the kids will be unsupervised during that transition. I'm primary so I don't know about the rules in secondary but it would be a big problem for us.
wirelessdude01 wrote: » The appointment of a Covid-19 assistant to implement and monitor full public health guidelines.
lulublue22 wrote: » Without knowing what the proposed duties of the covid assistant is I’d rather the sub issue , ppe, sick leave questions and guidelines around immunocompromised children and staff be addressed first.
wirelessdude01 wrote: » Did they give any information as to what the duties of the Covid assistant would be?
Random sample wrote: » I can see set classrooms working for first years, base classes could be assigned based on options chosen. Students could be put in options they didn’t chose to facilitate this. It would not be popular though. It would be a big problem for us for older classes. I presume in some schools students are in the same group for english, Irish, maths, which would help, but our students are all over the place depending on level. It would be very unsettling for students to have to move to a different teacher in 3rd or 6th year.
Zahir Bitter Cellist wrote: » NAPD calling for covid assistants to be employed in schools, not a bad idea and would definitely help with some of the practical obstacles that have been raised. Plenty of people out of work would be happy to have an opportunity like this but as always it's going to cost money. They are talking of appointing or reallocating, hoping it's the former so that at least there's some job creation rather than number fudging with existing staff. Be interesting to see if this is introduced, hopefully everything will be ironed out over the coming weeks.
Random sample wrote: » For breaks, some kids (and their teachers) could have their break after period 2, while others go on to period 3. The ones going on to period 3 would have their break at the end of period 3, so everyone would be going on to period 4 at the same time. I can see set classrooms working for first years, base classes could be assigned based on options chosen. Students could be put in options they didn’t chose to facilitate this. It would not be popular though. It would be a big problem for us for older classes. I presume in some schools students are in the same group for english, Irish, maths, which would help, but our students are all over the place depending on level. It would be very unsettling for students to have to move to a different teacher in 3rd or 6th year. If we don’t have use of the staff room, and don’t have a classroom either, I don’t know what teachers will do for lunchtime. Realistically, a lot of extra cleaning would be needed too. With no teacher in charge of a room, it’s going to get in a mess between classes. Concessions will have to be made on sick leave. And the supply of a sub on the first day of sick leave. Deis plans will have to be rewritten so that attendance isn’t prized above all. Masks and hand sanitizer for all in the staff room/work room. Staff meetings online, even if from our classrooms. Parent teacher meetings won’t be happening any time soon. So cost wise, that required subs, cleaners, hand sanitizer and tests.
Bananaleaf wrote: » Does anyone who is teaching post-primary have any ideas at all about how this is going to work? My father is in the vulnerable bracket and because of this I have been taking the whole thing extremely seriously. In my home, myself and my OH are still living by lockdown rules, even though the restrictions have been eased. We cancelled our staycation, we've not met with any friends, not been to get the hair done etc. On a personal level I don't want to catch it because stories seem to be emerging about long-term lung damage in recovered patients. I want to go back to work but I am not going back there to catch Covid. How is this going to work in secondary schools - has anyone any idea? This is not meant as a negative Nelly post - I'm looking for solutionsStaggered breaks - As students are not with the same teachers all day, this wouldn't be easy to work out. Maybe not impossible, but I can't figure out how it would work. Let's say I've a class, we'll call them Maths 1. I teach them and they are then to take their staggered break. I am to take the break then too, but hold on, my other class, Maths 2 are just finished their break and they are waiting for me to teach them....Staff room/breaks - this one fair enough. I wouldn't have a problem with there being no access to it because I have already made up my mind that I won't be using it next year anyway. I'll be bringing a kettle into my room and a cooler bag with my lunch.Team teaching - the SEN model in secondary schools is not all withdrawal anymore - it's more in-class support via a second teacher in the room. Team teaching = 2 adults in the room. Harder to social distance. Although, the team teaching model allows for teachers to split the class so hopefully if space allowed (herein lies the problem I guess) one teacher could take one half off to another room and it would be very easy to social distance thenMoving around the school - when the bell goes it is mayhem in our school. We have well over 1,000 pupils. Teachers have base rooms and students move. I'm thinking that surely it would make more sense for the students to be given base rooms and for the teachers to move? If the kids apparently don't transfer or carry it though, is it better for them to be moving around and not us?Time to clean - Say you have class from 9-9.30. Your next class starts at 9.30. But should it start at 9.35 to give you time to sanitise the place before the next class come in? Or should you finish the lesson at 9.25 and get the students to sanitise for the next group? Or will we just not be santising?Interactions with staff that you just can't avoid - queuing up for the photocopiers, needing to use a computer, accessing a staff toilet - how are we going to do this while being socially distant. Everyone says that they can open the GAA pitches but not the schools, but even on the GAA grounds and athletics tracks, they're not opening the toilets! What about department meetings? Still have them on zoom/microsoft teams maybe? But they'd have to be done in school via teams as it's unreasonable to expect teachers who are parents to drive home to log in and go again.Sick days - lets say I've flu-like symptoms and I call in sick. Do I have to get a Covid test? If I'm waiting 5/6 days for the result of that, am I using up all my sick leave? This might seem like a selfish or greedy attitude, but I'm thinking more of those who will opt not to call in sick if they think it will eat into their leave I'm sure I'll think of more tomorrow but it's late. As I said, looking for answers, not just wishing to highlight problems
Treppen wrote: » Hand sanitizer?
lulublue22 wrote: » Children not expected to wear masks. I’ve decided what I need to keep myself happy and safe at work - for me that means buying cloth masks and for vanity’s sake wearing gloves while sanitising my class. ( to protect my hands from wrinkles) whether it’s right or wrong to be buying supplies ourselves
lulublue22 wrote: » Im not wasting headspace on waiting for the dep to step up and provide ppe.
BonsaiKitten wrote: » The draft guidance says they're not expecting kids to wear masks, so no.
Treppen wrote: » Will there be spare supplies for kids/parents who don't have these? Or will it fall back on the teacher to -yet again- dip their hands in their pockets.
jlm29 wrote: » At least the schools might stop giving certs to kids who don’t miss a day all year now. I don’t think they do it in my sons school, but a friend of mines son would cry to go to school even if he was sick, and I suspect he’s been sent when he shouldn’t have been. They’re very proud of their sons collection of certs, and so is he. I think it’s an awful system, the smaller kids see it as though being sick and staying at home is the wrong thing to do
tscul32 wrote: » The problem with this is that you will have parents who give calpol to the kids before sending them to school to mask any symptoms. Then when the school calls for them to be picked up the call will be avoided or there will be traffic and the kids will be there until almost hometime anyway. And someone needs to supervise them somewhere. Our school has neither the spare room or the spare staff for this. I think the big worry is that early august the DOE will drop a bomb like no distancing required but all students to wear a mask/visor, and schools must source them themselves and be reimbursed later. Then it'll be fun for the schools when the whole country is trying to source the same thing in the same few weeks. As it is they should have trucks loaded with hand sanitizer and sanitizing stations and be distributing them to schools, none of this find it yourself rubbish.
morebabies wrote: » Do you think if one child in a family is showing "respiratory" symptoms, all brothers and sisters should also be kept off school, even if it's not known whether it's just a normal cold? I'm expecting the testing capacity to be under serious pressure by autumn / winter with other seasonal viruses. Also, do you think parents will continue to send their child / children to school if suspected cases within the school arise? I personally would keep all my kids off in both of the above scenarios. Just seeking opinions.
BonsaiKitten wrote: » Apparently schools will have the right to refuse students with symptoms. Now how practical that is I don't know (imagine how well it will go down with parents?). This is provisional guidance so we'll have to see whether that makes it into the final version.
