Return to school – letter 3 to parents

August 24, 2020

St. Brendan’s PS
New COVID 19 Return to school
Drop-off and Collection arrangements

Dear Parent / Guardian, 24th August 2020
The BoM, the School Leadership Team and staff have been working to ensure a safe return to school for all pupils and staff for Friday 28th August. We have now finalised our plans for drop-off and collection of the children every day.
With over 190 boys arriving and leaving via Moorpark st. we have no option but to stagger morning arrival and afternoon dispersal times. This is to support social distancing which we are obliged by the Government to facilitate. We are staggering break and lunch times during the day also so that class bubbles do not mix in any way.
St Brendan’s PS appreciates your support as we try to safely reopen the school building. If at all possible we request you not to come onto the school grounds or into the school building unless it is essential. We appreciate that dropping off the Junior & Senior Infant pupils to their line in the yard is essential, but for the older pupils a drop off at the school gate is desirable. Working together we hope to be able to progress the reopening in as safe a manner as possible for all.
We would ask all parents to familiarise themselves with the following drop-off and collection routines for the safe delivery and collection of pupils from school. Please be patient as we endeavour to embed these necessary precautionary and protective practices at the beginning of the school year. They will make sense when you see them in action !

Class Arrival Morning Bell Home Bell
Junior Infants 9.10-9.20am straight to class N/A 12.30pm for first 2 weeks
Then 2.00pm
Senior Infants 9.10-9.20am straight to class N/A 2.00pm
1st Class From 9am 9.10am 2.50pm
2nd Class From 9.10am 9.20am 3.00pm
3rd Class From 9am 9.10am 2.50pm
4th Class From 9.10am 9.20am 3.00pm
5th Class From 9am 9.10am 2.50pm
6th Class From 9.10am 9.20am 3.00pm
Cairdeas pupils can liaise with bus/class teacher to whichever suits family best.

It is imperative that

• Parents wait at front gate / high st gate
• Adults at the gate / in waiting area do not come within 2m of each other
• Parents no longer wait on school yard at 3pm
• Parents no longer sit / wait in school shed at 2pm
• Parents do not try to have meetings with members of staff in the playground at drop-off and collection times – meetings between parents and teachers can only take place by prior arrangement and cannot take place indoors. We will establish a safe and accessible means in coming days and let you know how to arrange.
• all parents adhere to the drop-off and collection plans as outlined below
Drop-off Notes
All infants go straight to class for the first 2 weeks.
Parents can walk them to the school door at carpet area and then leave immediately.
All boys from 1st-6th class must to left by parents at the school gate- Supervised from 9am / 9.10am
Collection Notes
We will obviously work around any families who must collect from Mercy Primary at 2.50pm so just let us know if there are any issues. We can work around siblings leaving 2.50pm or waiting till 3pm also once we hear from parents.
Message from Allianz insurance
The school will open to receive pupils at the hour of 9.00am. No responsibility is accepted for pupils arriving before that time.
Boys must go to their own class areas on the yard during this time. If raining we will go straight to classrooms.

Junior Infants
The first day of school for Junior Infants is THURSDAY 27th August to allow the boys have that special first day experience. Each boy has been given a time slot from 10.00am till 10.30am in groups of five. Each boy is allowed 2 family members max to bring him to school. These adults can come inside the school but MUST wear face masks. We ask them to then leave as soon as possible before the next set arrives. On this day they will all finish at 12.30pm and teacher will walk them down to the front gate.
Junior Infants will finish at 12.30pm for the first 2 weeks as informed already by the school. Parents are asked to wait at the area just inside the front school gate and teacher will walk the boys down to you as there will be other classes on the yard. From Monday 14th September the boys will finish at 2pm. ( See arrangements above)
le meas,
Pat Teehan Niall Crofton
Cathaoirleach, An Bórd Bainistíochta Príomhoide