Ag pilleadh ar scoil / Returning to school ...

A Thuismitheoirí,  

I know that there are various articles and reports in the media today regarding what the potential arrangements for returning to school may look like. The Department of Education have NOT issued formal guidance to schools yet and anything that you read in the media is based on speculation only! DE have not confirmed dates for return, class sizes, social distancing measures or daily timetables. There is a great deal of speculation, but no confirmation!  

I wish to assure everyone that I, in partnership with the staff and governors of our school and indeed in consultation with you as parents, will be planning for a return to school which will be as 'family friendly' as possible and we will make decisons based on the 'best fit' for our own school community.   Our first priority will obviously be health and safety, followed quickly by ensuring a high quality of education & pastoral care for our much cherished & missed boys and girls.

However, as a parent myself, I fully recognise & empathise with the worries that you have with regards to making family life, working life and indeed childcare & transport arrangements around whatever logistical arrangements will be in place in school.   I pledge to you that when we receive formal guidance from EA & DE, we will devise a return strategy which will ease the return to school for us all and will enable us to maintain the culture and ethos of our school.

There is much work happening in the background, in an attempt to predict & pre-empt the challenges that we will all face and the possible solutions to these challenges. However, we cannot commit to a definite strategy / plan until we receive formal guidance from the educational & health authorities.   Please be patient, please place your trust in me, in our staff and in the management team behind the scenes and please, please, please, don't panic about things you may read in the media!  

le gach dea-ghuí, Móna