How will schools be able to go back in September?

byhookorbycrook · 27-07-2020 07:10PM

Zahir Bitter Cellist wrote: »

Looks pretty comprehensive so far

1,080 extra teachers will be added to post-primary schools at a cost of €53 million to help reduce class sizes.

Additional substitution, supervision, guidance counsellors and psychologists will also be included in the package.

Lunch breaks and school start times are set to be staggered, while the wearing of face coverings will not be compulsory in classes.

Face coverings will be compulsory for all post-primary students when travelling on or waiting for public transport, with the exception of those with medical or special educational needs.

€75 million will be allocated towards capital to help schools prepare their buildings and classrooms for reopening.

Almost €85 million in additional funding will be provided to allow schools to employ replacement teachers, special needs assistants and admin staff.

This funding will be used in the instance where staff members identified by the HSE as ‘very high risk’ are advised to cocoon.

1000 teachers won’t go near reducing classes sizes , even if a school could a) find a teacher and b) have space for them at this stage of the summer .

How will staggered times work ? What about siblings who may have 3 different times ? Who supervises the children entering the school while the class teacher is in the class ?

Why must secondary students wear masks on public transport and not in school?

xhomelezz · 27-07-2020 07:13PM

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

1000 teachers won’t go near reducing classes sizes , even if a school could a) find a teacher and b) have space for them at this stage of the summer .

How will staggered times work ? What about siblings who may have 3 different times ? Who supervises the children entering the school while the class teacher is in the class ?

Why must secondary students wear masks on public transport and not in school?

That's what you call pretty comprehensive so far..

E36Ross · 27-07-2020 07:23PM

School transport to operate FULLY as normal.....Kids to wear masks and sit by siblings or others from there group.

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/715f5-government-approves-over-375-million-support-package-and-publishes-roadmap-to-enable-safe-return-of-schools/

is_that_so · 27-07-2020 07:26PM

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

1000 teachers won’t go near reducing classes sizes , even if a school could a) find a teacher and b) have space for them at this stage of the summer .

How will staggered times work ? What about siblings who may have 3 different times ? Who supervises the children entering the school while the class teacher is in the class ?

Why must secondary students wear masks on public transport and not in school?

This has all to be worked out but bus rules are based on the current existing regulations on the use of facemasks. They are attempting to create a very controlled environment in schools, where masks may not always be needed. I think the staggered times is for breaks, not the start and end of school.

Grandeeod · 27-07-2020 07:27PM

In a national Covid-19 context, this plan is a contradictory shambles. Not unlike other plans. Furthermore the timescale is ridiculous. I don't expect all schools to reopen on time if they decide to take this plan seriously. The buck was passed. I hope the covid naysayers are correct. If the doomsdayers are right, there may be trouble ahead.

For the record, I have a child starting Secondary this year.

Boggles · 27-07-2020 07:28PM

Wow. I wasn't expecting much from the "plan".

But that is complete and utter bollíx.

She might as well came out and said "Shure twil be grand" and walked off.

bettyoleary · 27-07-2020 07:31PM

Van.Bosch wrote: »

But the quote was about being deluded if they would fully open in September, now it’s Christmas.

Look schools are enclosed and poorly ventilated spaces. They are a petri dish for the virus, They are and there is nothing we can say. Im sorry about this but people demanding others should be put at risk, we should be allowed to fly on holiday, our kids shold go back to school is totally selfish. You have to forget normality and help to protect our weak

is_that_so · 27-07-2020 07:31PM

Grandeeod wrote: »

In a national Covid-19 context, this plan is a contradictory shambles. Not unlike other plans. Furthermore the timescale is ridiculous. I don't expect all schools to reopen on time if they decide to take this plan seriously. The buck was passed. I hope the covid naysayers are correct. If the doomsdayers are right, there may be trouble ahead.

For the record, I have a child starting Secondary this year.

Also someone in the immediate family due to start in "four" weeks. It's all in very big brushstrokes and I suppose the message is we've loads of money to throw at it.

FishOnABike · 27-07-2020 07:34PM

boggerman1 wrote: »

Do people who write this type of stuff think of the conquences for kids of being forced to wear masks.for god sake grow up.we didn’t need masks back in March,April time when the thing was at its height.let children be children and get back to education as normally as possible

Back in March we weren't meeting /mixing with people outside our own household. Only essential businesses remained open. We were asked to stay at home, exercise within a 2km radius, only make essential journeys e.g. to buy groceries or medicines.

Coilte had put up signs by the local woodland walk to keep to your own household group, socially distance from other groups, not to arrange for groups to meet and to go somewhere else if it was too crowded.

Israel had reduced the daily new cases to a low level. Schools played a major part in the resurgence of CoViD-19 there, surpassing the daily new case rate seen in March /April.

We'd all like things to be as normal as possible but we don't always get what we'd like. If we don't take sufficient public health measures we risk following Israel's footsteps, shutting down schools and finding ourselves back where we were three months ago.

ldy4mxonucwsq6 · 27-07-2020 07:34PM

bettyoleary wrote: »

Look schools are enclosed and poorly ventilated spaces. They are a petri dish for the virus, They are and there is nothing we can say. Im sorry about this but people demanding others should be put at risk, we should be allowed to fly on holiday, our kids shold go back to school is totally selfish. You have to forget normality and help to protect our weak

It's happening whether you like it or not, at least there's a bit of clarity now.

As for your other hysteria riddled posts about children and young teens, disgusting comments.

bettyoleary · 27-07-2020 07:37PM

Jim_Hodge wrote: »

You're ignoring what my post was in reference to (nothing unusual there). You said schools would not reopen fully before a vaccine. Accept you were wrong and the other poster was not, as you called them, deluded.

The rest of your post is just deflection.

I've no plans to converse with you at Christmas nor at any time, if I can avoid it.

You may think I am some sort of nasty person but you are wrong. I am just being realistic. Not trying to hurt anyone. The virus will spread due to travel. schools opening and will spread again in the winter. Im sorry about that and I would love to say schools . foreign travel etc wont make it worse. But, they will.

lawred2 · 27-07-2020 07:40PM

Schools had to reopen. Simple as that. Everything else is opening.

Offices can wait where work from home is possible but children need education and we can't be the only nation keeping our kids out of school.

titan18 · 27-07-2020 07:43PM

lawred2 wrote: »

Schools had to reopen. Simple as that. Everything else is opening.

Offices can wait where work from home is possible but children need education and we can't be the only nation keeping our kids out of school.

It's up to an employer to provide a safe work environment for their employees. Is this plan safe for teachers? Cos it doesn't seem to be (I'm not a teacher)

byhookorbycrook · 27-07-2020 07:44PM

morebabies wrote: »

"The plan recognises that some children who have complex medical or special educational needs may not be able to return to school at the end of August because the relevant public health guidelines indicate they are at “very high risk”.

Schools will have discretion to manage and redistribute their teaching support resources in order to best meet the learning needs of these students."

https://www.education.ie/en/Press-Events/Press-Releases/2020-press-releases/PR20-07-27.html

If anyone is looking for info on medically vulnerable children, this is all I could find. I'd be ever so grateful if anyone comes across anything else if you could share it here please.

The sad fact is that many schools won’t have the personnel to do this . It’s disgraceful, but it’s a cop out .

is_that_so · 27-07-2020 07:45PM

FishOnABike wrote: »

Back in March we weren't meeting /mixing with people outside our own household. Only essential businesses remained open. We were asked to stay at home, exercise within a 2km radius, only make essential journeys e.g. to buy groceries or medicines.

Coilte had put up signs by the local woodland walk to keep to your own household group, socially distance from other groups, not to arrange for groups to meet and to go somewhere else if it was too crowded.

Israel had reduced the daily new cases to a low level. Schools played a major part in the resurgence of CoViD-19 there, surpassing the daily new case rate seen in March /April.

We'd all like things to be as normal as possible but we don't always get what we'd like. If we don't take sufficient public health measures we risk following Israel's footsteps, shutting down schools and finding ourselves back where we were three months ago.

Why choose Israel? Why not any one of a dozen other countries who safely reopened schools without adverse effects? Israel's problems were compounded by the use of air conditioning, an excellent vector in its own right.

Boggles · 27-07-2020 07:45PM

lawred2 wrote: »

Schools had to reopen. Simple as that. Everything else is opening.

Offices can wait where work from home is possible but children need education and we can't be the only nation keeping our kids out of school.

The virus doesn't give a bollíx what anyone needs, this X needs this and Y needs that.

Yes, everybody knows children need an education, it's not like some one will read your post and go "really, children need an education?"

In a once in a generation pandemic it's about balancing that need with the safety of everyone in society.

The "plan" does not come anywhere near addressing that.

Aspirational nonsense draped in unworkable rhetoric.

Boggles · 27-07-2020 07:48PM

is_that_so wrote: »

Why choose Israel? Why not any one of a dozen other countries who safely reopened schools without adverse effects? Israel's problems were compounded by the use of air conditioning, an excellent vector in its own right.

Which dozen countries?

byhookorbycrook · 27-07-2020 07:48PM

E36Ross wrote: »

School transport to operate FULLY as normal.....Kids to wear masks and sit by siblings or others from there group.

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/715f5-government-approves-over-375-million-support-package-and-publishes-roadmap-to-enable-safe-return-of-schools/

The “ group “ don’t seem travel on the same buses . In our school alone we have over a dozen buses coming to the school . If there are to be “ staggered drop offs “ as the “ plan” says , how will buses manage ?

bettyoleary · 27-07-2020 07:49PM

Zahir Bitter Cellist wrote: »

It's happening whether you like it or not, at least there's a bit of clarity now.

As for your other hysteria riddled posts about children and young teens, disgusting comments.

its disgusting that you are denying this happens. What happened about the young girl in dublin
Michaela did you forget about her?????? Of course it happens. Stop feeling guilty, you are a poor parent and unless you are going to try to educate your child at home they will suffer. Schpools wont be able to open up properly during a pandemic. Selfish and lazy people like you will have too accept this.I know this is nasty but I bet your kids are never going to be a part of the oxford vaccine team????

lawred2 · 27-07-2020 07:50PM

Boggles wrote: »

The virus doesn't give a bollíx what anyone needs, this X needs this and Y needs that.

Yes, everybody knows children need an education, it's not like some one will read your post and go "really, children need an education?"

In a once in a generation pandemic it's about balancing that need with the safety of everyone in society.

The "plan" does not come anywhere near addressing that.

Aspirational nonsense draped in unworkable rhetoric.

What's your plan?

s1ippy · 27-07-2020 07:52PM

coffeyt wrote: »

Please tell me you are not a teacher because I despair to think someone with your opinion of children could be in a position where you have any impact on their education.

My 4 & 5 year old would most certainly never spit at a teacher or anyone else for that matter. I sincerely doubt you have any real interaction with children if that's the way you think they behave.

It's not about your specific four year old, it's about children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who would be spitting at teachers anyway and will be even more enthusiastic about doing it now.

bettyoleary · 27-07-2020 07:54PM

Zahir Bitter Cellist wrote: »

I think you'll be in for a surprise if you think teachers unions will be able to manage forcing the masks issue on children.

Even they have their limits.

Teachers unions wont need to force anything. Masks dont work but the virus spread fast and the schools will close again very quickly. Why are you so blind to this?

is_that_so · 27-07-2020 07:56PM

Boggles wrote: »

Which dozen countries?

Sweden, Germany, France, Czechy, Switzerland, Belgium, Finland, Norway, Holland, Greece, UK, South Korea, NZ etc.

bettyoleary · 27-07-2020 07:58PM

Jim_Hodge wrote: »

You avoided the question again. What is the relevance to reopening schools during a pandemic?

Re Opening schools puts the whole community, c ountry in danger od opening schools again during a Pandemic. Firstly, once people are enclosed in small spaces the virus spreads. Age makes no difference. Why not just wait for the vaccine. Its coming.

xhomelezz · 27-07-2020 07:58PM

is_that_so wrote: »

Sweden, Germany, France, Czechy, Switzerland, Belgium, Finland, Norway, Holland, Greece, UK, South Korea, NZ etc.

Don't think schools in Czech rep. operated the way it's expected to be happening here in four weeks. Definitely not the way hey we open the doors and all in. Doubt that's gonna work.

Lyle · 27-07-2020 07:59PM

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

E36Ross wrote: »

School transport to operate FULLY as normal.....Kids to wear masks and sit by siblings or others from there group.

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/715f5-government-approves-over-375-million-support-package-and-publishes-roadmap-to-enable-safe-return-of-schools/

The “ group “ don’t seem travel on the same buses . In our school alone we have over a dozen buses coming to the school . If there are to be “ staggered drop offs “ as the “ plan” says , how will buses manage ?

The handling of transport is looking like a total disaster.

How can I be comfortable in the knowledge that my small fella will be "safe" in his primary class bubble if he has taken an hour long bus ride to and from school with numerous children from other classes and an escort who is also a teacher, but not his teacher? The bubble bursts before the day even starts for rural children with longer spells on school transport.

Mask message inconsistencies on transport issue as well, again made even worse when looking at longer travelling times. Masks a no-no for any period of time for children in school but they're grand for the long bus ride in and out?

is_that_so · 27-07-2020 08:00PM

bettyoleary wrote: »

Re Opening schools puts the whole community, c ountry in danger od opening schools again during a Pandemic. Firstly, once people are enclosed in small spaces the virus spreads. Age makes no difference. Why not just wait for the vaccine. Its coming.

Is this a suggestion that schools stay closed until next year? Bear in mind how low our cases are at present.

am_zarathustra · 27-07-2020 08:00PM

Ah here bettyoleary, I teach in a DEIS school in the inner, none of the lads have ever come near spitting at me. That's madness. There will be nonsense, of course there will but that happens in every socioeconomic group. Half our kids are raised fully or partially by grandparents. They were flat out washing their hands and disinfecting tables and half of them were carrying around hand sanitizer in their pockets from the end of February. Fairly broad strokes your painting with there.

That case was in Kildare too, and the kids were painfully middle class and has nothing to do with this discussion.

Boggles · 27-07-2020 08:03PM

is_that_so wrote: »

Sweden, Germany, France, Czechy, Switzerland, Belgium, Finland, Norway, Holland, Greece, UK, South Korea, NZ etc.

They all closed their schools apart from Sweden, who refused to test students even when teachers died.

Some opened with very limited numbers and stringent public health measures.

Which ones opened following our "plan"?

The "shure twil be grand" method of school reopening.

Do you know who did follow that plan, Israel and no it is very little to do with "air conditioning" and more to do with over crowded schools and poor infrastructure, ring a bell?

Boggles · 27-07-2020 08:04PM

lawred2 wrote: »

What's your plan?

I'm not actually in charge.

But I would have more aligned to what New York are doing.

That would require actual investment and a plan months ago to get it ready for the end of next month.

The main recommendation in our plan, is rip out furniture and shelves.

You couldn't make it up.

How will schools be able to go back in September?

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