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Post primary return to schools roadmap

Random sample

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/7acad-reopening-our-post-primary-schools/#additional-guidelines-and-procedures

A thread to discuss issues.

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rainbowtrout

combat14 wrote: »

rumours that tipperary and limerick could be joining local lockdown shortly with 200 new cases nationally today..

will schools really open in locked down counties ?

Personally I can't see how it would be possible to justify opening schools in a lockdown county..... but until last week the government were suggesting we didn't need to wear masks in school.....

Rosita

milosh wrote: »

What dates are schools taking students back. We are in on the 26th, with students in on the 27th. A brand new management team seem to be in a rush to get everyone back. Speaking to the caretaker yesterday, he reckons there is no chance the school will be ready. Surely parents would be much happier delaying their children's' return for a few days. I would be much happier coming in for a weeks full training of every aspect of the school day from 8am to 4pm and then being ready to hit the ground running the following week.

I've heard nothing specific from my school recently (just the generic government messages) but we open on August 27th. It is hard to see why schools would put themselves under such pressure to get students back at the normal pace given there are so many questions which will be raised by staff.

But like many schools they will no doubt be heavily influenced by what other locals schools are doing. Won't want to be seen to be the odd one out by delaying the return of students.

But I did go in to the school last week (to tidy my room a bit) and it is in a shambolic state given where it needs to get to. So all bets are off I'd say.

Bobtheman

No communication from our principal but he is a. Pragmatic man. He knows social distancing within school is mainly PR for there is no way to contain it once outside or between classes.
I am worried about my wife who has an underlying condition.

mirrorwall14

I found yesterday very tough. The number of cases and being in lockdown sent my mind on a spiral of ‘**** I don’t want to be teaching online on day one/how will I manage new class groups/how will I do first years/how do I teach music without singing’ etc etc. That plus visors being compulsory in my school but not masks and that staff/students may ‘request’ to wear a mask too when visors are essentially useless. That makes me ‘one of those’ if I insist and re year. Plus needing to do a ton of work in the music room but not knowing what exactly to do to make it ‘safe’. Add in the last visits to grandparents before the term being cancelled due to the LOKdown and it’s been a **** week which I’ve tried (With limited success) to manage by getting as much prep done as possible.

This morning is more rational but there is so much uncertainty it’s driving me nuts. I nearly want to be in the classroom tomorrow just to get over this ‘will we be in lockdown’ over with

mirrorwall14

Oh also, has anyone bought the masks with the clear window for teaching? Reviews aren’t great on them but it does seem the best of both worlds if I could get some that worked

Pursefan

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Have your work clothes, change out of them every day before you leave school. This is my plan. Work shoes stay in school as well.[/quote
Good idea. Thanks a million. I am high risk and my husband, a teacher too is very high risk. Its terrible that this is not been discussed or clarified for us. It just seems to be all about get us and the kids back to school at all costs.

combat14

Pursefan wrote: »

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Have your work clothes, change out of them every day before you leave school. This is my plan. Work shoes stay in school as well.[/quote
Good idea. Thanks a million. I am high risk and my husband, a teacher too is very high risk. Its terrible that this is not been discussed or clarified for us. It just seems to be all about get us and the kids back to school at all costs.

at all costs ..

but not for countless office workers or our beloved TDs in the 2,000 seat convention centre

There have been 1000 confirmed cases of covid here in the last 2 weeks hard to believe when it seemed we were almost rid of it back in June

Multiple clusters with secondary spread of Covid-19 in many areas - NPHET

https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/2020/0816/1159430-coronavirus-ireland/

Rosita

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

Plus needing to do a ton of work in the music room but not knowing what exactly to do to make it ‘safe’.

I acknowledge that a music room will have particular difficulties and I do not teach a practical subject. But I would be far more relaxed about this. Principals are very well remunerated to organise and advise on such matters. They have all that time when others have to prepare and teach classes. That is their job. Yours is to show up and teach. It is not your function to have to organise the school in advance (within reason - not saying teachers shouldn't lift a finger) and you shouldn't over-worry about it.

The way I see it is that if my Principal insists on bringing students back before the place is ready it's up to him to deal with the chaotic consequences. And that's not me being 'anti-Principal', rather being mindful of where responsibility lies.

I spent time working in private industry before teaching and it allows me to view some of the comments here with that hat on at times. From that perspective it is crazy to read people worrying about masks/visors. Safety in the workplace is the responsibility of the employer. Teachers should not be scrambling around shops/chemists for PPE.

This is just one of many many issues that need to be addressed before children darken the door of schools. I will seethe if I read something as 'cut and paste' as a First Year Induction day on my school's arrangements on the second day back before there is proper discussion/advice/assurance on a whole host of issues.

Random sample

Has anyone got an agenda for first day back? We have a couple of Croke park days to do. The plan was to give us training in online teaching the last I heard (in June) but I’ve heard nothing since the roadmap. I presume we won’t have onsite meetings, but we don’t have base classes any more to go to for a zoom, so I wonder will we just stay at home?

solerina

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

I found yesterday very tough. The number of cases and being in lockdown sent my mind on a spiral of ‘**** I don’t want to be teaching online on day one/how will I manage new class groups/how will I do first years/how do I teach music without singing’ etc etc. That plus visors being compulsory in my school but not masks and that staff/students may ‘request’ to wear a mask too when visors are essentially useless. That makes me ‘one of those’ if I insist and re year. Plus needing to do a ton of work in the music room but not knowing what exactly to do to make it ‘safe’. Add in the last visits to grandparents before the term being cancelled due to the LOKdown and it’s been a **** week which I’ve tried (With limited success) to manage by getting as much prep done as possible.

This morning is more rational but there is so much uncertainty it’s driving me nuts. I nearly want to be in the classroom tomorrow just to get over this ‘will we be in lockdown’ over with

We have only had one email, all students back by Sept 2nd, juniors and seniors will now have different break and lunch times (poor junior will have 4 periods after lunch). Building isnt big enough for any proper social distancing but that is being brushed over. Staff room is socially distanced with everyone assigned a single table. No kitchen facilities to be used in staff room...flasks of coffee 🤬. It’s going to be a tough year.

jimmytwotimes 2013

Random sample wrote: »

Has anyone got an agenda for first day back? We have a couple of Croke park days to do. The plan was to give us training in online teaching the last I heard (in June) but I’ve heard nothing since the roadmap. I presume we won’t have onsite meetings, but we don’t have base classes any more to go to for a zoom, so I wonder will we just stay at home?

We're using our sports hall for the first Friday back. Least there won't be highlighters and post-its

pandoraj09

We're back on the 24th, Monday week. No idea why we are in so early as the kids aren't back until the following Monday. I asked if the week was all CP hours and got a reply that didn't say yes or no. We've new management, one appointed recently and another one yet to be appointed/maybe in the process of being appointed. Mirrorwall, I think your worries are well-founded and I am worried too. While it is obviously the job of the Principal to provide a safe work place, these are unprecedented times. Who knows what's "safe" anymore? I'm planning on wearing a visor when (if!!!) I've a smaller class that I can be socially distant from and a mask for the bigger classes. I've my voice amplifier ready too, which has actually made me feel a lot better in terms of making myself heard in class.
But there's the rest of school life too....After a few classes in a row it can be nice to sit with a few colleagues and chat about things. If I walk into the staff room and there are a certain number there, do I have to leave? It would help if I had our school road map. Anyway, I'm just thinking out loud really. It's good to have this forum, particularly at this stressful time.

pandoraj09

solerina wrote: »

We have only had one email, all students back by Sept 2nd, juniors and seniors will now have different break and lunch times (poor junior will have 4 periods after lunch). Building isnt big enough for any proper social distancing but that is being brushed over. Staff room is socially distanced with everyone assigned a single table. No kitchen facilities to be used in staff room...flasks of coffee 🤬. It’s going to be a tough year.

Does that mean no microwave etc??? That's very harsh. Thank God I have my own fridge and kettle in my office.

Rosita

Random sample wrote: »

. I presume we won’t have onsite meetings, but we don’t have base classes any more to go to for a zoom, so I wonder will we just stay at home?

I would say that Principals will never countenance this under any circumstances. They cannot allow a scenario where they cannot be seen to have have a staff meeting in the hall or a subject meeting in a classroom and then the following week have the entire school bursting at the seams.

Random sample

jimmytwotimes 2013 wrote: »

We're using our sports hall for the first Friday back. Least there won't be highlighters and post-its

This would be good. I’d rather face to face. Especially for new staff.

Our staff room will hold about 1/4 of staff. No kitchen facilities will be available. Lunch will be too short for us to eat out. Still no word of expectations during classes off.

Random sample

Rosita wrote: »

I would say that Principals will never countenance this under any circumstances. They cannot allow a scenario where they cannot be seen to have have a staff meeting in the hall or a subject meeting in a classroom and then the following week have the entire school bursting at the seams.

And yet every other thing on the roadmap is followed to the letter.

pandoraj09

Random sample wrote: »

This would be good. I’d rather face to face. Especially for new staff.

Our staff room will hold about 1/4 of staff. No kitchen facilities will be available. Lunch will be too short for us to eat out. Still no word of expectations during classes off.

Sure we need kitchen facilities! We're there for about 8 hours a day!!! Is this happening in other peoples' schools??

wirelessdude01

pandoraj09 wrote: »

Sure we need kitchen facilities! We're there for about 8 hours a day!!! Is this happening in other peoples' schools??

We aren't sure. We were told that the staffroom was going to be shut along with the kitchen. Then we were told staffroom open but no kettle, microwave, delph, cutlery or toasters would be there. Haven't heard anything about it for a few weeks so not sure.

Alex86Eire

Same here.

Staffroom will be open but kitchen is not going to be accessible.

Our first day back is online I think.

mirrorwall14

We definitely have to bring all our own cutlery/plates/cups etc in and out each day but I hope the microwaves are there....

Sorry for the wee rant earlier. I’m just frustrated. I really feel that subject specific guidance for labs and practical subjects should have been issued immediately. Like I’m trying to google sanitising instruments while I know other schools have blanket banned performance for now. I don’t know what exactly will be left in my room because of social distancing so planning is up on the air for me. My frustration would probably be eased if we ever got replies or even acknowledgements to emails but thats rare in our place. But I do appreciate that principals are looking at the whole school and trying to get everything up and running and the music room is way down the list of priorities

Mardy Bum

pandoraj09 wrote: »

Sure we need kitchen facilities! We're there for about 8 hours a day!!! Is this happening in other peoples' schools??

ETBs are running wild with the guidelines.

jimmytwotimes 2013

Mardy Bum wrote: »

ETBs are running wild with the guidelines.

Nothing new there

r93kaey5p2izun

One of the two schools beside me has sent out the reopening info to parents. It says classrooms are set out for 1m distancing. It also says students should bring a face covering "if they feel the need to wear one". This is totally ignoring the updated guidelines.

pandoraj09

We've a little tuck shop in the canteen run by a local lady. Will that be gone too? Considering I'm back on Monday week and I haven't heard of any other school back so early, I'm really anxious now about what the place will look like. If we can't make a cup of coffee/tea during the day Christ almighty school will be not be a nice place. Someone mentioned clear face masks earlier. I'm going to order some. Poor old TYs. It's not going to be a nice year for them at all. Sorry, I know my posts are a bit disjointed. I'm so so worried about going back and it helps to read and post here. I'm a nice colleague in work and often leave chocolates on the table in the next door teacher's room. I like warm, friendly environments. This school year won't be one of those...

Random sample

Get your thermos before they sell out!

lulublue22

No kitchen facilities is a joke particularly as breaks aren’t long enough to go off site for most people. We are keeping kitchen facilities with the proviso that we sanitise before and after use. Schools will be bad enough without people not able to access kettles and microwaves.

djemba djemba

Surely common sense, would be if you are comfortable using the kitchen facilities use them (cleaning up and using own cutlery etc) if you are not don't. Rather than removing them completely.

Staff who are off either side of a break as much as they can eat lunch then.

Or is that too simple or am I missing something.

Treppen

Random sample wrote: »

Has anyone got an agenda for first day back? We have a couple of Croke park days to do. The plan was to give us training in online teaching the last I heard (in June) but I’ve heard nothing since the roadmap. I presume we won’t have onsite meetings, but we don’t have base classes any more to go to for a zoom, so I wonder will we just stay at home?

Luckily our schools attitude to croke park is the hours can wait till 2022 to worry about. Right now there's a pandemic.

Here's my list of things that can go take a running jump.

Croke Park CBAs Inspectors SSE CPD (unless you want to) Droichead Learning outcomes. Learning intentions Diamond 8 (whatever that was) Yellow post-its JCT inservice that left you more confused than before. Forced Team teaching Applying to the teaching council Open days/nights/weekends Friday evening circulars/press releases

Treppen

djemba djemba wrote: »

Surely common sense, would be if you are comfortable using the kitchen facilities use them (cleaning up and using own cutlery etc) if you are not don't. Rather than removing them completely.

Staff who are off either side of a break as much as they can eat lunch then.

Or is that too simple or am I missing something.

Handling stuff in general communal areas is out of bounds.

rainbowtrout

Treppen wrote: »

Luckily our schools attitude to croke park is the hours can wait till 2022 to worry about. Right now there's a pandemic.

Here's my list of things that can go take a running jump.
Croke Park CBAs Inspectors SSE CPD (unless you want to) Droichead Learning outcomes. Learning intentions Diamond 8 (whatever that was) Yellow post-its JCT inservice that left you more confused than before. Forced Team teaching Applying to the teaching council Open days/nights/weekends Friday evening circulars/press releases

There’s way too many acronyms there for my liking. I look forward to not doing any ghost walks this year. Not that I ever did them in the first place.