Hi all,
Where have the holidays gone? The time always flies by and now it’s time to get ready for our return. We hope that everyone is refreshed and ready to go.
Please read the following information that applies to the Return to School and the protocols for the following school year:
- Just to let everyone know again that the school had a “Safe Return to School” inspection by the Department in June before the holidays. The inspector came and looked at the school’s Covid Response Plan, the protocols in place to prevent the spread of Covid and also then our Child Protection Policy. The inspector was very impressed under all the above headings and her report will be published before the October Mid Term.
- The Department have advised schools that the same protocols as last year will be in place to prevent the spread on Covid. Therefore, most of the children will be used to daily school life from last year. I will attach a document from last year that is very handy for both parents and pupils to have a read of to refresh the basic rules of the school.
- The school will also be implementing the Covid Response Plan that was in place last year. This is a comprehensive plan and can be viewed at http://patrickswellns.ie/2021/08/21/patrickswell-ns-covid-response-plan-2021/
The section that parents should focus on is Section 5- this tells the parents how they can help prevent the spread of Covid 19.
Please remember that if your child shows any symptoms of Covid or are sick they should not be sent to school.
- Staggered drop off/Collection times:
- Schools must “limit interaction on arrival and departures from school”. Therefore, we will be using two gates as entry points- the Main Gate and the Back gate (on the way to the soccer pitch). This is to make it easier for the child to socially distance as they enter/leave the school. Also, no parent should enter the school unless they have an appointment made (I will have more about that later in this document)
- Mornings-It is really important that we do not congregate around the entrance points. Please remain in your car, if possible, until it is your classes turn to enter. Also, it is ESSENTIAL (for the children and any adults that are there) to practice social distancing at these times.
- Back Gate- 9.15am Mr Quaid’s 5th Class practice social distancing please- enter and go into their class through Door C (the door near Mr Quaid’s room- Literacy it is marked Door C) and go to their places- their names will be on their “Pod” in the room.
- Back Gate- 9.20pm- Ms Russell’s 2nd/3rd Class practice social distancing please- enter and go to their class through Door D (the far over door at the back of the school- it is marked Door D) and go to their places- their names will be on their “Pod” in the room
- Main Gate- 9.20am- Mrs Twohig’s 3rd/4th Class practice social distancing please- enter through the main door- Door A- and go to their class (Mr Bulfin’s class last year) and go to their places- their names will be on their “Pod” in the room.
- Main Gate- 9.20am- Mr O Connor’s 6th Class- practice social distancing please- enter through Door B- near Mr O Connor’s Class, go to their class and go to their places- their names will be on their “Pod” in the room.
- Main Gate- 9.25am- Ms Noonan’s Junior and Senior Infants- enter through the main door- Door A- and go into their room. Ms Noonan will show the children to their places. Unfortunately, parents will be unable to enter the school/room like previous years on the first day.
- (Please remember that junior Infants finish at 12.30pm until September 10th and at 2.05pm after that)
- Main Gate- 9.25am- Ms Brennan’s Seniors and 1st Class- enter through Door B, near Ms Brennan’s room- marked door B- and Ms Brennan will show you to your seat there.
- Note– These are the gates and doors your child will enter and exit through at all times. So please do try and park your car in/collect your child at a place closest to the gate they will be exiting from.
- Afternoons– (after the initial period when the Junior Infants finish earlier)
- 2.05pm- Main Gate – Ms Noonan’s juniors/seniors and Ms Brennan’s seniors will exit the school via the main gate with their teacher/another staff member.
- 2.55pm- Back Gate- Mr Quaid’s 5th Class will exit
- 3pm- Back Gate- Ms Russell’s 2nd/3rd will exit
- 3pm- Main Gate- Ms Twohig’s 3rd/4th Class and Mr O Connor’s 6th Class will exit.
- Note- Please do not congregate around the gates at these times. Try and arrive as close to the allotted times as possible. All must leave the environs of the school when collected. Unfortunately, no parents will be allowed into the school building or school yard. Also, it is important that all adults model Social Distancing so that the children can see how it should be done. Your cooperation with this arrangement would be greatly appreciated.
New Secretary:
We are delighted to introduce Ms Karen Ronan as our new secretary. It will be very different not meeting Mabel in the school this year, but I am sure everyone will make Karen welcome and help her settle into her new surroundings. Karen will be in the office Monday to Friday from 9.30am until 1pm. Therefore if you want to ring the school, it would be advisable to do it between the above times. The office is contactable outside of these hours at Info@patrickswellns.com
School Uniform
All the information about our new school tracksuit is available at
http://patrickswellns.ie/school-uniform/
First Holy Communion:
As of today the Communion is going ahead as planned on September 18th unless there is a change in public health advice.
Here is the timetable for First Holy Communion preparation when we return in late August-
Wednesday 1st of September 7pm Practice for the First Confession (Approx 30mins)
Wednesday 8th September 7pm First Confession (Approx 30mins)
Wednesday 15th September 7pm Practice for the First Holy Communion (Approx 30mins)
Saturday 18th September 11am First Holy Communion
All of these events will take place in Patrickswell Church.
School Calendar:
http://patrickswellns.ie/event/3264/
Aladdin Connect and epayments:
Please remember to sign up for the Aladdin Connect App when you get the link if you haven’t done so already. This is the system that the Return to School declaration can be filled out on this year- the first of these will be needed before your child comes to school next Thursday. On this app you will also be able to tell the class teacher if and why your child will be out/is out/or has been out of school. A Return to School Declaration should be completed on the App Every time that your child is absent.
You may have received an epayment link- please pay these as soon as you can. We want all payments electronically as soon as we can. It makes it a lot easier for the school to collect money this way. If you received an epayment link that you do not think you should have please let us know at info@patrickswellns.com
I know there is a lot of information there, but please read it carefully. We reopen on Thursday 26th August and all the children are finished school at 12noon on that day.
Hopefully we will have an uninterrupted school year ahead. Thank you for your continued support and hopefully we will be celebrating a Limerick victory in the All Ireland. Best of luck to Mr Quaid and the Patrickswell lads.
Take care,
David Bulfin
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