Longford schools in huge safety push ahead of return

Correspondence aimed at hammering home the need for stringent hygiene practices, social distancing and staggered re-opening days to cater for a much changed educational arena have been dispatched to parents ahead of students' return.

Moyne CS have stated its intention to ensure all students return on a full time basis with all pupils being assigned base classrooms in order to minimise movement.

“Classrooms are able to accommodate differing numbers of students due to social distance guidelines,” read a statement.
Pupils have also been told lockers will be out of bounds with textbooks being left in base classrooms.

“All movement in the school will be one way to avoid students meeting on the corridor,” the school has also advised.

“It is important that parents and pupils understand that the school environment will be greatly changed when we get back and it will take everyone some time to properly adjust to the new normal.”

Much of those same directions and guidance have also been relayed to parents of pupils returning to Longford town's Templemichael College at the end of the month.

“We are looking forward to welcoming our students back to school after a long absence,” read a letter to parents from the school's management this week.

“As the welfare, health and safety of our students is of paramount importance, we has taken considerable steps to ensure that a full and safe return to school is achieved in the coming weeks.”

Much like Moyne CS, the movement of students will be confined to their own classrooms with class sizes also being reduced to ensure the school adheres to a one metre rule between students in class.

Only Leaving Certificate students with written permission from parents will be allowed to leave school grounds during the lunch break with a general recommendation to students to refrain from leaving the grounds to maintain social distancing.

All students have also been told to adhere to all Covid-19 regulations imposed by management and failure to do so would be deemed a health and safety matter that will result in immediate contact with parents to bring the student home.

Templemichael College principal Sorcha Nic Dhonnacha said it had been “all hands on deck” for teachers and all those associated with the school as it prepares to welcome students back behind their desks.

“We are getting there,” she said.

“And we are following the procedures and guidelines that are in place.”

Ms Nic Dhonnacha said much of the heavy lifting in readying the school for a return to full time daily activity was all but complete. “We have a one way system in place and temperatures will be taken as students come in and we have hand sanitisers throughoout the school.”

It may be the best part of six months since a classoom door was opened, but from the endeavours of both Moyne CS and Templemichael College, every effort is being made to ensure students as well as teachers return to as safe and secure an envirionment as is conceivably possible over the days and weeks ahead.