Logistics Plan
• Underlying Principles:
The school has a responsibility to make effort to ensure the safety, health and well-being of all members of our school community – children, parents and staff. This plan has been formulated to better ensure that the school can exercise that duty of care.
• Assuming it is in keeping with public health advice and guidelines issued by the Department of Education and Skills, it is preferable for all children to return to school for all five days of the school week and for a full school day. This plan has been formulated to achieve that aim.
• It is not possible to eliminate the risk of infection. However, with the co-operation of all members of our school community, it is possible to minimise the risk of the virus being introduced to school and the consequent risk of its spread.
• As well as co-operation, the flexibility and goodwill of all will be required to ensure the plan can be implemented.
Assumptions
• All children return to school and classes operate within a bubble system.
• The school is split into 3 groups with each group having the same starting time (straight to classroom with supervision – see below), the same break times and the same finishing times as per the plan below.
• Each pupil will have a personal basket for storage of books etc. during the day. These will be sprayed with a safe disinfectant spray each evening when pupils are gone home.
• All pupils have been asked to bring only a plastic, wipeable pencil case with specific items inside and colours to leave in school.
• Staff will set out clear protocols in classrooms to minimise contact with schoolbags during the day.
• Each child will be requested to bring a raincoat to ensure that they can spend some time outdoors each day to ventilate classrooms and provide fresh air for the children.
• Hand sanitiser is available at all entry points and in all class and support rooms.
• Appropriate signage is being installed throughout the school in relation to social distancing and hygiene.
• Drop-Off and Collection Plan:
• PARENTS WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO COME INTO THE SCHOOL GROUNDS IN THE MORNING OR DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, EXCEPT BY PRIOR APPOINTMENT. THIS IS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE.
• Our school doors now have keypad locks – there is no access to the Junior building, access is only at the main building.
• Drop-Off Plan:
• CHILDREN MUST NOT ARRIVE BEFORE 9A.M.AS THERE WILL BE NO ACCESS TO THE SCHOOL GROUNDS.
• Children will enter by their designated gate (see below). A teacher will be on duty at each gate. The children will go directly to their classrooms where their class teacher will be waiting for them. No adults will be allowed onto school grounds.
• 5th & 6th classes will enter by the bottom yard gate (set down area)
• 3rd & 4th classes will enter by the side gate (opposite Mrs Murray’s Room)
• Infants to 2nd class will enter through the Junior yard gate opposite the church. 1st & 2nd class will enter the building through the red door at the far end of the building and Infants through the white door as normal. A teacher will direct the children to the correct door.
• Collection Plan:
• We have painted footprints in the Junior yard and circles on the bottom yard, 2 metres apart for social distancing.
• Any children who walk home or walk to meet parents at a designated spot will leave by the side gate (opposite Mrs Murray’s room). A teacher will be on duty here.
• Junior Yard: Infants-2nd class only.
• Parent/Guardian/Childminder stands on a set of footprints. The children are brought out by the teacher. Child goes to relevant adult and they must leave immediately. If there isn’t an available set of footprints adult must wait until there is one free. A teacher will be in the yard directing this.
• Senior Yard: 3rd class – 6th class only
• Parent/Guardian/Childminder waits on a circle. Children are brought out by the teacher. Child goes to relevant adult and they must leave immediately.
• If there isn’t an available circle adult must wait until there is one free. A teacher will be in the yard directing this.
Key to Entrances & Exits
Entrance and Exit Points Number
Junior Building Door 1
Front left of Junior Building red door 2
Main Building door 3
Office Door 4
ASD Classroom Front Door 5
ASD classroom Back door – exit only 6
Fire Escape from upstairs classroom 7
During the School Day:
• Messages for teachers can be sent by email or by phoning the school office. Teachers will be in touch as soon as possible on receiving the query. We would encourage meetings with teachers to be held over the phone to minimise contact. However, appointments to meet a teacher can be arranged and facilitated if deemed completely necessary. A visitor log must be used and a designated meeting place will be assigned in the school hall. All visitors will have to fill in the contact tracing log, will have to sanitise and wear a visor and/or a face mask for the visit.
• It will be difficult to facilitate the delivery of forgotten items so parents must ensure that the children have everything they require with them each day.
• If a pupil is feeling unwell the school/HSE Covid-19 protocol will be followed and that pupil will be accompanied to the isolation room until collected. Parents/contact will be immediately contacted to collect. If a pupil becomes suddenly very unwell further HSE protocols re contacting ambulance etc.. will be followed.
**Please ensure the school have all the correct up to date contact numbers in case your child becomes unwell during the school day.**
Collection of Children during the School Day
If an adult has to collect a child during the course of the school day due to illness, the following arrangements will apply
• When the adult arrives at the school, they should either phone the office or use the intercom at the front door of the school to alert the office that they have arrived.
• The child will be brought from their class to the adult by a member of staff
• The adult who is collecting will be asked to sign the child out
• No adult will be able to enter the school building, unless invited to do so
• Early collection of children will not be facilitated unless by prior arrangement and a clear explanation of why this is necessary is given.
Dealing with a suspected case of Covid-19
Pupils should not attend school if displaying any symptoms of Covid-19. If a pupil displays symptoms of Covid-19 while in the building, the following are the procedures will be implemented:
• Parents/guardians will be contacted immediately
• The child will be accompanied to the designated isolation area via the isolation route by a member of staff. The staff member will remain at least 2 metres away from the symptomatic child and will also make sure that others maintain a distance of at least 2 metres from the symptomatic child at all times
• A mask will be provided for the child presenting with symptoms. She should wear the mask while waiting and while exiting the premises.
• Parents will be requested to contact their GP and to furnish the school with evidence of this before the child can return to school.
• The school will facilitate the child presenting with symptoms to remain in isolation, if they cannot immediately go home, and will assist them by calling their GP.
• The child presenting with symptoms should be advised to cover their mouth and nose with the disposable tissue provided when they cough or sneeze and to put the tissue in the waste bag provided
• Public transport of any kind should not be used to transport the child home from the school.
• If they are too unwell to go home or advice is required, the school will contact 999 or 112 and inform them that the sick child is a Covid-19 suspect.
• Arrangements will be made for appropriate cleaning of the isolation area and work areas involved.
The HSE will inform any staff/parents who have come into close contact with a diagnosed case via the contact tracing process. The HSE will contact all relevant persons where a diagnosis of COVID-19 is made. The instructions of the HSE should be followed.
Children who should not attend school
If your child is in one of the following categories, they should not attend school –
• Children who have been diagnosed with Covid-19
• Children who have been in close contact with a person who has been diagnosed with Covid-19
• Children who have a suspected case of Covid-19 and the outcome of the test is pending
• Children who have been in contact with a person who has a suspected case of Covid-19 and the outcome of the test is pending
• Children with underlying health conditions who have been directed by a medical professional not to attend school
• Children who have returned home after travelling abroad and must self-isolate for a period of 14 days
• Children who are generally unwell
Supporting the Learning of Children who cannot attend school for reasons listed above
If a child is not able to attend school for an extended period of time, the class teacher (and/or the learning support teacher, where relevant) will suggest activities to support the child’s learning at home.
Impact of a Suspected or Confirmed Case of Covid-19 in a Class
If the school is notified that a person in your child’s class has a suspected or confirmed case of Covid-19
• Public health advice will be sought and followed
Personal Equipment
• It is requested that all children will bring their own pens, pencils, colours, rubbers, etc. to school in their own pencil case to avoid the sharing of equipment.
• It is further requested that all items have the child’s name on them for ease of identification and to avoid accidental sharing.
Shared Equipment
By necessity, some classroom equipment needs to be shared including tablets, laptops and the equipment used for structured activities and play in Infant classrooms. Cleaning of such shared equipment with wipes and/or a Sani-Spray HP20 sanitising machine will take place each day to minimise the risk of the spread of infection.
Yards
Classes are operating as bubbles and each bubble will have their own yard.
Yards will operate in the following manner:
Junior Yard:
Junior and Senior Infants will play inside the area cordoned off by the purple fence in the Junior yard.
First Class will play on the river side of the Junior building.
Second class will play on the road side of the Junior building. Lines have been drawn to separate these yards.
Senior Yard:
Third class will play in the yard outside the Principal’s office.
Fourth class will play in the yard outside Mrs Murray’s classroom.
Fifth and Sixth classes will play in the bottom yard – this has been separated into two areas by lines drawn on the yard.
Learning Support
In keeping with our Special Education policy, learning support will be provided by a blended approach of in-class support and withdrawal. The provision of support will be organised to ensure our support teachers will work within the confines of a bubble. SET teachers will be assigned to specific classes.
• Where a support teacher is working alongside a class teacher in a classroom, both teachers must be mindful of maintaining social distance from one another.
• Where children from 3rd to 6th Class receive support in one of the SET rooms, social distancing of 1 metre will be maintained between each child in the group.
• The tables and chairs in SET rooms will be wiped clean in between different groups attending
PPE
• While it is not envisaged that PPE will be worn by staff in general, staff who are attending to particular care needs or who are administering first aid will wear appropriate PPE including gloves and face masks.
Teacher Absence and Substitution
• In the event that teacher is unable to attend school, every effort will be made to secure a substitute teacher for the class as directed by the Department of Education and Skills.
• If a substitute teacher is not available, it is not appropriate for the class to be divided into groups and accommodated in other classes. In such circumstances, it may not be possible for the class to attend on that day. If that is the case, as much notice as possible will be given to parents.
PE
• Where possible, PE should take place outdoors. If the hall has been used it will be cleaned down and sanitised before another class enters.
Extra-curricular Activities
• There will not be any choir for the foreseeable future as stated in the Department guildelines.