How will schools be able to go back in September?

am_zarathustra · 26-07-2020 08:38PM

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

I was talking to a bus driver today and he said that they had been unofficially told that there are to be no school buses until at least January '21.

I'm concerned about sport and extra curriculars. I really love taking them after school and it would be terrible if there was no sport all year. Possibly necessary but I'd consider looking into badminton or other non contact sports for the year if it was a definite no

wirelessdude01 · 26-07-2020 08:38PM

What time do we think we'll have the document tomorrow?

Also which of the IT, Indo or Emma O'Kelly will publish it first?

lulublue22 · 26-07-2020 08:40PM

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

A parent from my school who will have a child moving to secondary told me today as well that the secondary school has hinted at the same. No bus eireann school routes will run.

That will seriously affect us. A lot of our children are on school transport. Though I can understand from a SD perspective.

mirrorwall14 · 26-07-2020 08:41PM

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

What time do we think we'll have the document tomorrow?

Also which of the IT, Indo or Emma O'Kelly will publish it first?

They said after the cabinet meeting I think so depends when that is. Can’t see it being before 10am so presume lunchtime at the earliest. Definitely in time for the 6pm news

timmy_mallet · 26-07-2020 08:43PM

Icantthinkof1 wrote: »

School buses are rumoured to not be running next year. I drive so none of my children or I will be needing to use a bus

Siblings; I am hoping that classes will be ran in smaller groups so instead of my children having daily contact with over 90 children this number would therefore be somewhat reduced

Gaa and football are optional

Well, yes, fine for those that have a car or dont need transport alright. I can imagine traffic is going to be a problem in and around schools and the locality.

Three siblings in one school in mums car on the way home, with reduced classes, to some degree renders the pods pointless.

I'd argue, those sports, they are nearly an equal to classroom education for most ages.

jrosen · 26-07-2020 08:45PM

The buses will be a problem. I asked both our schools if they had any bus feedback, no response and I also emailed the company BE outsource the route too and also had no response as of yet.

As a family we couldn't manage half days, we would need them both in full days and we would need them to both be in school the same days or one of us (me) would need to take time out of work.

mirrorwall14 · 26-07-2020 08:45PM

If the school buses aren’t running wouldn’t it have been fabulous to see a really proactive approach by the government and instead of greenways do a 0% VAT on bikes for students.... that’s probably asking a lot though

timmy_mallet · 26-07-2020 08:46PM

lulublue22 wrote: »

That will seriously affect us. A lot of our children are on school transport. Though I can understand from a SD perspective.

I mean, those kids are likely mixing already and will be for a while before term starts and after school activites too... I guess transport is probably a likely place for a virus to be contracted, but.

TheValeyard · 26-07-2020 08:48PM

Icantthinkof1 wrote: »

School buses are rumoured to not be running next year. We live close to our schools so we can walk. If the rumours are true it’ll be very tough on a lot of students

Siblings; I am hoping that classes will be ran in smaller groups so instead of my children having daily contact with over 90 children this number would therefore be somewhat reduced

Gaa and football are optional

At least 40% of our students are bussed. It's not possible for the buses *not* to run.

timmy_mallet · 26-07-2020 08:48PM

jrosen wrote: »

The buses will be a problem. I asked both our schools if they had any bus feedback, no response and I also emailed the company BE outsource the route too and also had no response as of yet.

As a family we couldn't manage half days, we would need them both in full days and we would need them to both be in school the same days or one of us (me) would need to take time out of work.

It's a complete societal shift. If homeschooling has to be part of the mix, we'd happily have one of us do it, if the bank was willing to apply the same ratio reduction to the mortgage.

Icantthinkof1 · 26-07-2020 08:50PM

timmy_mallet wrote: »

Well, yes, fine for those that have a car or dont need transport alright. I can imagine traffic is going to be a problem in and around schools and the locality.

Three siblings in one school in mums car on the way home, with reduced classes, to some degree renders the pods pointless.

I'd argue, those sports, they are nearly an equal to classroom education for most ages.

I like what you did there and edited out the part of my post where I said If the rumours are true it’ll be very tough on a lot of students
Yes sports are important and mostly played outdoors not cramped in a small classroom

timmy_mallet · 26-07-2020 08:50PM

TheValeyard wrote: »

At least 40% of our students are bussed. It's not possible for the buses *not* to run.

Renders the pods pointless then though, keep them apart in the classroom, and fire them all into a bus on the way home? Assuming the capacity isnt there on the busses.

timmy_mallet · 26-07-2020 08:50PM

Icantthinkof1 wrote: »

I like what you did there and edited out the part of my post where I stated that not having transport would cause a lot of issues
Yes sports are important and mostly played outdoors not cramped in a small classroom

Huh? I never edited your post.

lulublue22 · 26-07-2020 08:50PM

timmy_mallet wrote: »

I mean, those kids are likely mixing already and will be for a while before term starts and after school activites too... I guess transport is probably a likely place for a virus to be contracted, but.

School transport was always an area that we were concerned about. Extremely small buses / taxis full. No space to SD - A journey of up to an hour and in some cases an hour and a half morning and evening. Really not good from a public health perspective.

Icantthinkof1 · 26-07-2020 08:53PM

timmy_mallet wrote: »

Huh? I never edited your post.

Apologies not edited but you omitted that part from my post

TheValeyard · 26-07-2020 08:55PM

timmy_mallet wrote: »

Renders the pods pointless then though, keep them apart in the classroom, and fire them all into a bus on the way home? Assuming the capacity isnt there on the busses.

What I see happening for buses is the government will pay for doubling of buses. So if say 9 buses seating 57 each arrive at a school Govt will pay for a second bus to accompany primary bus to split those numbers for a few months until infection numbers decline.

timmy_mallet · 26-07-2020 08:56PM

Icantthinkof1 wrote: »

Apologies not edited but you omitted that part from my post

Er, your original post said you drove, then it was changed to say you walked? Anyway...

wirelessdude01 · 26-07-2020 08:57PM

TheValeyard wrote: »

What I see happening for buses is the government will pay for doubling of buses. So if say 9 buses seating 57 each arrive at a school Govt will pay for a second bus to accompany primary bus to split those numbers for a few months until infection numbers decline.

Bus driver I was talking to this morning said that something like this isn't a runner due to two reasons. A lack of suitable stock and also a lack of licenced drivers.

timmy_mallet · 26-07-2020 08:57PM

TheValeyard wrote: »

What I see happening for buses is the government will pay for doubling of buses. So if say 9 buses seating 57 each arrive at a school Govt will pay for a second bus to accompany primary bus to split those numbers for a few months until infection numbers decline.

I've no insight to the budget, but is that feasible?

I dont think case numbers will ever lower from this point 20 or so a day is the min, until eradication I'd think.

Icantthinkof1 · 26-07-2020 09:15PM

@timmy_mallet apologies you did indeed quote my original post in your post but I had edited it soon after and I had thought you had omitted a part from it. Mortified for myself and genuinely sorry for wronging you!

grind gremlin · 26-07-2020 09:18PM

I wouldn’t be so sure that after school classes that take place on school grounds will begin again in September.
It would undermine any effort at SD in the school.
If classes are cleaned at the end of the day, I can’t imagine different groups could then use these rooms before the class return the following day.

timmy_mallet · 26-07-2020 09:20PM

Icantthinkof1 wrote: »

@timmy_mallet apologies you did indeed quote my original post in your post but I had edited it soon after and I had thought you had omitted a part from it. Mortified for myself and genuinely sorry for wronging you!

No worries. Certainly wouldn't take offence to the output of an anonymous account on here!

TheValeyard · 26-07-2020 09:46PM

Apologies, i had made replies to this earlier, but kept getting 503 errors.

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Bus driver I was talking to this morning said that something like this isn't a runner due to two reasons. A lack of suitable stock and also a lack of licenced drivers.

Interesting, local bus driver I know quite well (does school run and match transfers) has not heard anything either, but they do have spare capacity. Be interesting to see if this is a runner or not.

timmy_mallet wrote: »

I've no insight to the budget, but is that feasible?

I dont think case numbers will ever lower from this point 20 or so a day is the min, until eradication I'd think.

Like yourself, ive no idea, id like to think numbers will lower, but heading into winter season and mix of flu and Covid19 or mix between the two, i cant tell if it would be feasible or advisable.

arctictree · 26-07-2020 09:48PM

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

I was talking to a bus driver today and he said that they had been unofficially told that there are to be no school buses until at least January '21.

But we all just paid for our 20/21 tickets a few weeks ago?

glack · 26-07-2020 09:54PM

grind gremlin wrote: »

I wouldn’t be so sure that after school classes that take place on school grounds will begin again in September.
It would undermine any effort at SD in the school.
If classes are cleaned at the end of the day, I can’t imagine different groups could then use these rooms before the class return the following day.

I’m with you on this. Also in primary, if we are looking at keeping children in pods/class groups, after school activities that generally involves students from across a number of classes. We are a DEIS school so run a lot of after school programs. A nightmare most years to get teachers willing to do them - can’t see to many signing up this year. While we would get paid-often it’s really not worth the money for the hassle, trouble and work involved. Also, teachers will not want their classrooms used as you cannot keep track of what was used/touched and now needs to be cleaned - some of my colleagues (who I think are great teachers) wouldn’t be half so fussy with hygiene as I would. I’d have to come into school the following day early to clean all possible surfaces?? Or how would that work?

Outdoor activities may run as a lower risk but again you are looking for teachers to get on board.

wirelessdude01 · 26-07-2020 09:54PM

arctictree wrote: »

But we all just paid for our 20/21 tickets a few weeks ago?

As I said it's all unofficial at the moment. I'm assuming this will have to be dealt with tomorrow.

wirelessdude01 · 26-07-2020 09:56PM

glack wrote: »

Outdoor activities may run as a lower risk but again you are looking for teachers to get on board.

Also very much weather dependent.

glack · 26-07-2020 09:58PM

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Also very much weather dependent.

We’re a hardy bunch - usually goes ahead unless there’s storm like conditions or torrential rain - no right PE hall so we have no choice but be outdoors. But I see your point.

downthemiddle · 26-07-2020 10:00PM

teachinggal123 wrote: »

Good for you.

Do you have any opinions on the primary school sending only one email a week with no follow up, correction or way to contact the teacher? Do you thank all the teachers and management in that school should have clear consciences?

I would like to think you are a WUM but I fear not. The job you do is a privilege. You have an opportunity to change lives. The influence of a good teacher lasts a lifetime.
Instead you have abdicated all responsibility and decided to play the victim. The real victims here are the children in your care who you have failed abjectly.
My advice is to seriously consider your choice of career. If you choose to remain in the classroom find yourself a good mentor, someone who understands the responsibility of their role and brings an enthusiasm and passion you are clearly lacking at the moment. Otherwise find a career where you will not inflict damage on the future of others.
Is your conscience clear?

lulublue22 · 26-07-2020 10:01PM

I can’t see after school activities going ahead next year - what would be the point in organising pods , deep cleaning and then allowing children to mix in cleaned classes. Surely any risk assessment would rule out after school activities.

How will schools be able to go back in September?

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