Dear Parent,

The new school year is upon us, and we’ve only one more sleep to go! We look forward to seeing you all tomorrow. I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of a few important issues. Unfortunately, the Covid pandemic is still rampant in the community, and this will continue to influence how we will operate for the foreseeable future. We will continue with pupil pods and bubbles, social distancing and enhanced hygiene practices, class group segregated play areas, separate entry and egress areas etc. Rest assured, the children adapt readily and these practices quickly become second nature to them. Staff will greet pupils at the school gates and familiarise all with the procedures over the coming days. Pupils from Junior to Second Class should enter via the Lower Gate, and Third to Sixth at the Upper Gate. We will advise from that point onwards.

It is important that you do not send your child to school if they are feeling unwell or are displaying symptoms, such as headaches, sore throats, coughs, runny or blocked noses, high temperature, vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of sense of taste or smell etc. Please seek medical advice if you have any concerns, and follow HSE guidelines at all times.

The gates open daily from 9am. We do not assume responsibility for pupils before that time, and not until they have been transferred by a parent into our care. Pupils can arrive until 9.20am and should be accompanied to and from the gates by a supervising adult. Please note that the carpark at the school is for Staff and Bus Parking only. Parents may use the car park opposite the school.

The children transfer from their class line in the yard to the school at 9.20 daily. For the first few days, Junior Infants – if they wish to avoid the hustle and bustle of a busy yard – may arrive until 9.30am, and a staff member will bring them to their class. Unfortunately, parents are not to enter the school grounds unless by prior agreement or appointment but this can be arranged via the School Office. We do hope to allow individual parents to visit the Junior Infant classroom to see their child’s environment over the coming weeks.

Class ends at 12 noon for Junior Infants until Monday, 6th September and at 2pm daily thereafter. Senior Infants also go home at 2pm while other classes remain at school until 3pm.

Please ensure that all items of clothing, lunchbox, stationery etc are labelled with your child’s name and that this is refreshed regularly throughout the year. In the interests of fairness to all, we request that the official school uniform is worn at all time, and particularly request that any tracksuit bottoms should be of the darker grey variety, and to be non- branded. We also operate a Healthy Lunch Policy and there should be no sweets, crisps, chocolates, fizzy drinks, glass bottles etc. In the interests of classroom tidiness, we do not allow popcorn either. Please visit our Healthy Lunch Policy for further information.

We operate a School Book Rental Scheme in most classes, and respectfully ask that the fees are paid by Friday, 4th September.

Finally, we are looking forward to seeing you all, and, with a good forecast, it will be nice to see the children at work and at play. Indeed, we’ve added a new large tarmacadamed area to our upper yard over the summer months and I am sure we will all get good use out of it.

Feel free to contact the School Office if you have any queries,

Kind regards,

John Devenney