Bunscoil Bhríde Fortnightly Bulletin 22nd April 2021

Dear Parents / Guardians,

We hope all is well with you this fortnight. Our news is as follows:

• Covid Safety: I want to thank you all for your continued cooperation with our Covid Response Plan. In order to keep our whole school community safe and to ensure that we are able to keep the school open, we ask that you do not send your child to school, should she be displaying any of the symptoms of Covid or feeling any way unwell. Your child should not be in school if anyone in your household is awaiting a Covid test or test results. We are appealing to you all to adhere to the Covid Level 5 restrictions. There should be no play dates or mixing outside of school. If we all adhere to these guidelines, this will reduce the risk of the spread of infection to our staff, pupils, our families and the wider school community. For further information from the Department of Education on the return to school, please visit https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a04fc-advice-for-students-and-their-families/#health-advice-for-parents

• Dealing with a Positive Covid Case: We continue to rely on our wonderful parent body to keep us informed, and I ask that you continue to let me know immediately (in confidence) once you become aware of a positive case in your household. While we have been very fortunate to date, with no cases of Covid-19 in our school, we will, no doubt, like other schools, encounter a positive case in our school in the coming months. If and when we do, we will deal with it swiftly and effectively, following all HSE guidelines and ensuring the confidentiality of all involved. If you receive a positive diagnosis for your child outside of school time, please send an email to maria.rogerson@bunscoilbhride.ie informing me in confidence, as it will be important that a risk assessment is carried out promptly to contain onward transmission.

• Return to School Declarations: I want to thank you all for your cooperation in completing the Return to School Declarations on the Aladdin app. Please be advised that this declaration will need to be completed every time you wish your daughter to return to school following any absence (even one school day, or even following days when she leaves school early). The declaration can only be filled out after 3pm on the day your child is marked absent, and it should only be completed on the evening before or morning of the return to school.

• Virtual Bog Tour: Our three third and fourth classes took part in a virtual bog tour with Nuala Madigan of the Bog of Allen Nature Centre yesterday. While it was not possible for the girls to visit in person this year, they nonetheless learnt lots about this local natural resource and enjoyed the experience.

• School Tours: While school tours in their normal format will not be possible this year, the teachers and I have decided that we will organise a Fun Day for each class as a substitute later this term. This will involve getting the girls out of the classroom for the day, engaging in fun activities. Details and dates for each class to follow.

• Enrolment Meeting: A meeting with the parents of children enrolled in the 2021/22 Junior Infant class will be held via Zoom on Tuesday next, 27^th April at 8pm. The Zoom link will be sent on Monday.

• Uniform: Please ensure your child comes to school wearing the appropriate uniform. School trousers should be navy in colour. If your daughter wishes to wear tights or leggings under her uniform (leggings should only be worn with trousers / skirt / dress over them), they should also be navy in colour.

• Hair: In accordance with our Code of Behaviour, all hair should be tied up where possible.

• Graduation: A provisional date for our Sixth Class Graduation has been set for Friday 25^th June. Further details will be provided closer to the date.

• Bus Éireann School Transport: Applications for school transport for the 2021/22 school year can be made online at https://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=522 and must be submitted before the last Friday in April (30th April 2021). It is important that applications for school transport are made on time as late applicants are not guaranteed seats.

• Oral Language: The theme for the month of May is ‘Debating’. All classes will be focusing on this theme for the month and we would ask that you support us at home, by questioning your child, asking her to justify her choices and to support her arguments. Oral arguments that cause your child to have to reason with you and formulate and deliver a response reflecting a point of view are always to be encouraged, even in Junior Infants!

• Active Schools Parents Survey: As a whole school we have been working very hard towards achieving our third active flag and as part of our application we want to get parents’ views of your daughter’s experience of P.E. We would be very grateful if you could take two minutes to click on the link below and answer the questions. We are aware that the link was not active in the last Bulletin – apologies for this. The issue has now been rectified.

• Pupil Accident Insurance: Please be advised that the Allianz Personal Pupil Accident Insurance that you paid in September provides 24-hour cover.  All accidents at home, out and about or at school are covered. If you incur any expense arising from an accident, please contact the office and we can provide you with the necessary claim form.

Kind regards,

Maria Rogerson