How will schools be able to go back in September?

Boggles wrote: »

Really? Which ones, I'm pretty sure it's summer holidays all over Europe.

But tell me, which countries have sent their entire school population back under a similar plan to ours?

Take your time.



I never suggest that, mental idea.

Schools should be open at the end of next month with a plan based on actual science and public health to keep them open for the entire year.

This "plan" doesn't do that.

And even if other European countries did send their entire school going population back it would equate to us sending half of ours back due to our shocking class sizes. Why people don't grasp that simple fact is beyond me.

Lillyfae wrote: »

Long term damage is not proven- that proof is impossible because the virus is novel. I do believe that you've said your child is asthmatic so definitely, precautions need to be taken for those who are potentially vulnerable.

We are living in a global economy. In the rest of Europe even, schools are functioning well- be that back full time, blended learning, online platforms- there is standardization and continuity in education. Education systems in other countries are continuing, so this does not affect all children. It affects Irish children, and those in the other countries that also haven't got their act together.

Just had CNN on there in the background and they had a report about some study of 100 Covid patients The US. 100 of them agreed to have MRI scans 10weeks after diagnosis and 60 of them returned inflamed hearts and other heart issues.

Deleted User wrote: »

Many European countries have far shorter summer holidays than we have :

https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice/sites/eurydice/files/school_calendars_19_20_en.pdf

Denmark and Germany are open for months. As are Sweden. They will probably be all closed by August but they have been open.

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/07/school-openings-across-globe-suggest-ways-keep-coronavirus-bay-despite-outbreaks

Yes, certain Countries have shorter holidays, I never suggested otherwise.

But could you at least try and take a stab at the question I actually asked you?

Lillyfae wrote: »

Sorry, this is behind a paywall. Can you please stop posting clickbait headlines and just post the whole article?

The headline says it all.

I'll repeat it again:
"Schools will not have to automatically disclose if there is a confirmed case"

Deleted User wrote: »

How do you propose we do that here - lets assume our class sizes are double theirs - that would mean 25% of kids that are currently in classrooms now ?

Maybe we can make creative use of gyms etc?

We can't on any scale, and that's why reopening schools is a much dicier proposition for us.

HerrKuehn wrote: »

Should we shut down everything just in case? Let everyone cocoon for a few years. Or is it just teachers that should be afforded that privilege?

I don't think there is anyone arguing for schools to remain closed.

They want precautions observed in schools to allow for SD etc

Alot of workplaces have changed practice to allow for these changes but schools are firing all students back in September and, in reality, SD is going to be next to impossible to implement

Quick examples,
if you book a cinema seat, capacity is limited, people can't book the row in front of, or behind, you
If you go shopping, capacity is limited, perspex screens are used, masks are worn
waiting rooms for doctors are closed or capacity is limited, masks worn

Schools are ploughing on with little consideration for overcrowded classrooms, corridors, canteens or school buses.

What people want is at least some effort to be made at reducing, not eliminating, risk.

Don't know why people can't follow this

Options could have included, reduced class size, extend school day or use Saturday morning, use local conference centres/community halls to take overflow of students etc

Very little imagination in the plan. Diagrams of classroom layouts with students' noses to the wall, farcical stuff

Peter Flynt wrote: »

South Korea v Ireland on reopening schools:

In South Korea:
Temperature checks for all staff & students
Social distancing
Classrooms without sufficient ventilation are closed
Plastic shields around the front and sides of each desk
Disinfecting of hands every 45 minutes
MANDATORY mask wearing
Blended learning (online and at school)
A maximum of 8 per class.

In Ireland:
No temperature checks
All rooms used regardless of ventilation - instead plans with 93 people in poorly ventilated gyms (if the school has a gym)
No plastic shields,
Mask wearing not mandatory
Everyone returning to overcrowded classrooms
No social distancing OR 1 m social distancing with no plan
30+ per class permitted.
No compulsion for a school with a COVID case to declare it.

its absolutely horrific when put side by side exactly the way a lawyer would present it in the court room

lets hope this experiment goes well or the government will be facing billions in court expenses after this for sheer negligence

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

And the reason that wasn't done in Ireland is because the DoE can and has waltzed in after putting out a 'plan' and insist you remove or change everything you and your staff put in place

The DoE were unlikely to remove deep cleaning or hand sanitizer or cleaning equipment .

Lillyfae wrote: »

Long term damage is not proven- that proof is impossible because the virus is novel. I do believe that you've said your child is asthmatic so definitely, precautions need to be taken for those who are potentially vulnerable.

We are living in a global economy. In the rest of Europe even, schools are functioning well- be that back full time, blended learning, online platforms- there is standardization and continuity in education. Education systems in other countries are continuing, so this does not affect all children. It affects Irish children, and those in the other countries that also haven't got their act together.

Yes I do so I am obviously more concerned re long term consequences than a parent who doesn’t have a child with underlying health issues. The gov’s plan makes no adequate provision for children in the very high risk category don’t mind say the at risk category. But believe it or believe it not that’s not my greatest issue with this plan.

From a professional perspective I agree with you. However that does not equate with jumping on the first plan the gov produces as if it will solve all our problems. This plan is not about maximising children’s access to education no matter wg
hat parents want to believe. If it was under no circumstances would it be even considered that SET would cover illness. It is such a slap in the face to all those children who need additional support. Those very children who are adversely affected by the lockdown as is. Under the current proposals SD is not an option. Therefore increased levels of sanitation are a must. Given the amount of children in each pod up to 32 significant time will be allocated to hygiene and sanitation. That will eat into the curriculum . Organising children who are ill - getting them to an isolation room finding staff to stay with them will eat into curriculum time. Having all children in school at all times in the present circumstances will not automatically equate with increased access to education.

This pandemic could have been use to address issues in our education system - yes it is good that money was allocated for building upgrades unfortunately a little bit on the late side. This was / is a perfect time to address class size going forward but no. The gov had months and I presume access to the experts to come up with a plan - this one seems very rushed and ill thought out. Perhaps because it started from the premise - how do we get all children back full time rather than how can children return to school safely while maximising learning.

I would have expected that high risk children ( again I’m talking about very high risk not even at risk ) could have been provided for with an online learning delivered by high risk teachers instead it’s a by line in the guidelines - provided for at the local level which will be fun when those tasked with doing so will be covering classes.

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Our school is so clean right now. I drew up plans for 1/2m SD in the classroom but guess what they weren't needed as the govt went a different way. I went in yesterday and can only fit 24 out of 28 if I follow the pod and 1m SD system. We don't have money for handwashing stations at the door. No provision from the govt to do so either. Protocols for staff and visitors could only be properly drawn up once guidelines from the govt were received as believe it or not that is what they are built on.

Didn't the Department draw up plans for 24 students in 7m x 7m rooms (which is impossible unless you consider all students to be infinitesimal small particles of mass)?

What happens if, as is often the case, the class exceeds 24?

Who decides which 6 leave in a class of 30?

Lillyfae wrote: »

8th of June full time for primary schools, was 50/50 since May and daycares were back full time since May aswell. And I've said it before, children of front line workers were never off.

Add to that the secondary and vocational school exams all went ahead as planned.

Holland are seeing a resurgence of the virus, and school openings will be in doubt if they can't control it.

Lillyfae wrote: »

Plan for reopening?? They're already back!! Albeit the last 2 weeks the children have been enjoying their summer camps or helping to pack up for their caravanning trips.

Sorry I am quoting the Minister for Education for Holland who made a statement on it yesterday evening. She doesn't seem to think so.

Who is your source?

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

The room layouts from the department are farcical. Students stuffed into corners, up against windows and doors that will have to be open full time to allow some form of ventilation, children sitting with the end legs of tables between their legs and no way to sit properly at the table as they can't pull their chair in. Also every floor plan makes the assumption that the teacher seems to sit at their desk for the day. No room even left to teach from the top of the room around the IWB. Silly silly stuff.

Some length of an arm needed to write on the board too