I hope this letter finds you well during these unprecedented times. Further to the Government’s decision to close schools last Thursday to support efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, I am writing to advise you of school continuity measures taken to date by the school.
Thursday 12-03-2020
We reissued/confirmed all students had their log in details.
Teachers issued revision guidelines to support students’ continued engagement with the curriculum during the closure.
The school closed following a directive issued by the Department of Education and Skills (DES).
Monday 29-03-2020
Provisional return date to school.
In the interim, the school will continue with actions to prepare for our return to the school.
The following guidance is to support students as they prepare for their summer/state examinations.
The State Examinations Commission are modelling many different options to the running of the state Examinations maintaining as much as possible of the current system and CAO system. A statement will issue from State Examinations on progress before the end of the week. These exams ARE NOT cancelled.
The school will communicate any such arrangements through normal channels such as SMS, student emails, VSware, and social media. If the practicals and orals are postponed for our students, it is essential to note they will be delayed for all students across the country. Please check for accurate updates on the SEC website. Do not pay heed to rumours or hearsay. In the interim, Leaving Cert students must prepare for the orals as if they are going to proceed as planned.
Examination Years
Our teachers will endeavour to support you as a matter of priority through blended learning (online support & work assigned to you before closure).
Generally speaking, online classes will be created via Microsoft Teams which you have access to. Your current school timetable provides you with an excellent structure to organise your day. If parents could encourage their daughter(s)/son(s) to submit assigned work, we would be most grateful. Please urge them to do so within agreed timeframes.
Other online supports available: www.studyclix.ie (Exam builders) Premium Plus paid for by the school for 3rd and 6th years with code provided by text. We encourage all 3rd and 6th years to avail of this.
https://irevise.com/ie With the recent news of the closure of schools until the 29th of March due to COVID-19, iRevise.com (formerly mocks.ie) are giving premium memberships to all students for one month*, for free. Students and parents will be anxious that they are not in school and don’t have access to teachers and key study resources. To avail of this, all you need to do is register with iRevise.com and use the code STUDYCENTRE or STUDYHELP (how do I apply my code?) This will give you unlimited access for free for one month. You can unsubscribe before one month has passed if you do not wish to keep your membership.
In addition to this, Tom Nolan, iRevise.com’s lead Maths contributor and one of Ireland’s leading Maths teachers will be providing free live online classes during the duration of the COVID-19 lockdown.
www.khanacademy.org
www.examinations.ie (Past exam papers and marking schemes)
www.careersportal.ie
https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/coronavirus.html
www.education.ie – (Education related news)
Non-Examination Years
Over time as teachers build their capacity for online engagement, they will issue guidance to students in non-exam years to support their ongoing engagement with the curriculum in due course.
Parents are encouraged to get their son(s) or daughter(s) to organise and create a bank of flashcards, mind maps and other suitable study aids.
Wellbeing
We would encourage you to stay in contact with your friends. Peer learning is one of the most effective methods to support curriculum engagement. Use technology sensibly to connect and learn together.
Breaks, exercise and healthy diets are crucial to staying healthy.
ICT Support
If you have any issues with ICT, please use the tab on the top of the website for support. Your child may need support with Teams etc.
All years – General study guidance
Other online supports are available here:
https://www.scoilnet.ie/scoilnet/news/article/news/detail/News/des-announcement-and-scoilnet-supports/
This is an unprecedented situation, and the school community is conscious that in these difficult times, we will come together to find solutions. We always work in the best interest of our students. It is an unusual time for us all, and we need to work together to delay and limit the transmission of the COVID-19 virus. We encourage parents to emphasise the importance of social distancing to all in their care, so we as a nation can protect the most vulnerable in our communities.
I also want to acknowledge that many of our students might find the uncertainty of the forthcoming weeks quite unsettling. I want to take this opportunity to reassure parents and students alike that the SEC and DES have always made decisions which are student-centred and mindful of the immediate environment. We have no control over what decisions the state agencies make; we do, however, have control over what actions we can take. So please remain focused on your study schedules and your preparations for the state examinations.
If you wish to contact the school please use the tab at the top of the website, “enquiries during closure”. We will make every effort to respond to your query promptly and support you in any way we can.
