Covid19

30th November 2021

Face Coverings for Senior Room Pupils 

Dear Parents,

This evening, 30th November 2021, the Department of Education confirmed that pupils from Third to Sixth Classes are now required to wear a face covering, preferably a face mask, in school. 

Pupils will bring their own face coverings to school each day, as well as a labelled sandwich bag or container to keep their own face covering in e.g. when eating or going out to yard to play.

Parents and pupils choose the face covering that is most comfortable and the best fit for each child.

If a child loses or damages a face covering during the school-day, the school will have a supply of replacement face masks.    

To read the Department of Education’s announcement in full, please click here:

Guidance on the Use of Face Coverings in Primary Schools 30 11 21 Final 

Advice on how to wear face coverings is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/aac74c-guidance-on-safe-use-of-face-coverings/#

We wish to thank all parents for their ongoing co-operation with Covid-19 rules. We hope that this latest requirement will be a short-term one – the Department of Education intend to review the wearing of face coverings for primary school pupils in mid-February 2022.

Thank you to the pupils for helping to keep each other, their friends, families and teachers safe from Covid-19.

Take care,

Mrs. Brennan, Ms. Whyte and Ms. O’Connor 

 

25th November 2021

Antigen Testing for Asymptomatic Primary School Children

Dear Parents,

On 25th November 2021, the Department of Education announced details of antigen testing for primary school children who are asymptomatic and part of a classroom pod where there has been a confirmed case of Covid-19.

See all details here: Letter to Parents re Antigen Testing 25.11.2021 

 

29th September 2021

New List of Covid19 Symptoms in Children

Dear Parents,

The HSE have again added to the list of symptoms of Covid19 in children. Sore eyes and skin rashes have been added. See updated list https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/covid19/symptoms/overview/

Please continue to be vigilant with monitoring your children for symptoms. We will continue to be vigilant in school also.

Mrs. Brennan and staff of Kilteevan NS 

 

27th September 2021

Change to Contact Tracing in Primary Schools

From Monday 27th September 2021, the HSE have stopped Contact Tracing within the primary school setting.

To read more on what to do if your child becomes a Close Contact of a positive Covid19 case in the home or in school, please click the following link:

https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/covid19/contact-tracing/if-your-child-is-a-close-contact/

If your child displays possible symptoms of Covid19, consult the following for more information:

https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/covid19/symptoms/symptoms-child/

 

Updated  list of Covid symptoms 15th September 2021

Dear Parents,

Please note that the HSE have recently added to the list of Covid-19 symptoms. See https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/covid19/symptoms/overview/

The symptoms now include:

If you are unsure whether to send your child to school or not, please refer to the HSE website or consult the ‘Isolation Guide for Children under 13’ which we sent home earlier this week.

Thank you for your ongoing co-operation,

Mrs. Brennan

Reopening September 2021

Dear Parents,

We hope you have enjoyed a lovely summer with your families. As we prepare to reopen our school for the 2021-2022 school year, we ask that you familiarize yourself with a few key points:

All of the Covid-19 safety measures that were in place in Kilteevan NS for the previous school year, will remain in place until future notice.  Please discuss the following presentation with your child before school reopens Covid19 Summary for Parents and Pupils Sept 2021. We will continue to follow Covid-19 guidelines issued by the Department of Education and the HSE throughout the school year – we will advise you of any changes should they arise. 

The Department of Education have issued the following advice to parents ahead of the new school year https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a04fc-advice-for-students-and-their-families/#returning-to-school

If you have any doubt throughout the school year as to whether you should send your child to school or not, we ask that you consult the HSE website at the following link, before deciding how to proceed https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/covid19/preventing-the-spread/keep-your-child-home/.

After any absence (including when returning to school after the summer holidays), your child will need to bring a signed Parental Declaration Form to school on his/her first morning back. The signed Parental Declaration Form should be handed to school secretary Lena at the school gate. The Parental Declaration Form can be printed from here https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/childcareguidance/Return%20to%20Educational%20Facility%20Declaration%20Form.doc. 

It gives me great pleasure to welcome back Ms. Whyte (Senior Room substitute teacher), Ms. O’Connor (Special Education Teacher), Mr. Darcy (Junior Room substitute teacher covering Principal Admin Days) and school secretary Lena. We congratulate Mrs. Lynch and her family on the birth of her baby girl – such lovely news this summer!

We look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday 1st September 2021 for the beginning of a new school year.

Le gach deá ghuí,
Mrs. Colette Brennan
Principal

 

March 2021

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we find ourselves back engaging in remote learning.  We understand that this is a difficult time for families.  In Minister for Education Norma Foley’s most recent letter to parents, she advises that parents simply try their best to engage in however much remote learning is suited to each household and to each child.    

A letter to parents from Minister for Education Norma Foley January 2021:

Letter for parents EN

Seesaw

Staff of Kilteevan National School have issued all pupils with plans of work, books, copies as well as project/art materials to enable pupils to engage in distance learning.  We have also set up ‘Seesaw’, an online teaching and learning platform, for all pupils in the school.  By engaging with Seesaw, pupils will be able to upload pictures of their completed work, receive feedback from their teachers and engage in daily communication with their teachers.  Pupils who receive support from the Special Education Teacher have received differentiated activities/resources and will receive ongoing support through Seesaw.

We are all learning how to use Seesaw and will become more familiar with it with continued practice.  Here is an introduction to the Seesaw Class app for Parents:

Parents are welcome to contact their child’s teacher on kilteevannsoffice@gmail.com with any queries they may have – we are happy to help!

September 2020

This school year is a school year like no other.  Staff, pupils and parents of Kilteevan National School are working together to keep each other safe from Covid-19.  If your child is feeling unwell, we ask that you use the following official information to decide if it is safe to send your child to school:

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/40e9c-protecting-your-child-from-coronavirus/

If your child develops possible symptoms during the school day – cough, high temperature, shortness of breath or breathing difficulties, loss of taste or smell – he/she will be accompanied to the Isolation Room and you will be contacted immediately.  Your GP will advise you on how to proceed.

Meanwhile, have you ever wondered what the children think of it all?  Here are the opinions of our pupils!

Senior Room – October 2020

Cormac, age 10

“I didn’t like that we had to stay inside and we weren’t able to visit anyone.  It’s not good that we’re in Level 5 now.  A lot of people are dying from the virus.”

Killian, age 10

“During the Lockdown, I woke up one morning and I wanted to go for a cycle because I was bored and low and behold didn’t I see a silerator going into my neighbour’s field.  I met my neighbour on the road on a quad and he told me to come up to the house and his wife would drop me down to the field and I ended up watching the tractors for the whole day.  I saw a big huge tractor with double wheels and a bog trailer with big crates on it.  That was my highlight of the Lockdown.  If people just followed the rules we wouldn’t be in the state we’re in.”   

Mark, age 10

“We went for a lot of walks during Lockdown.  We had no school.  I didn’t like the homeschooling.  I missed my friends and playing with them.  I missed my family.  We liked jumping into the water at Portrunny.”

Sean S., age 10

“I found the Lockdown boring.  I did not like having to all the schoolwork at home.  I missed meeting my friends and my Granny and Grandad.  I missed being able to go to football matches and training.”

Shane, age 10

“I went on lots of walks around Clooncraff Loop.  I didn’t like staying at home for that long.  It’s better this time because we’re not stuck at home – we can come in to school.”

Cristo, age 10

“During Lockdown we used to go for cycles a lot.  We got hens around the end of Lockdown.  The first two weeks they were only settling in so they weren’t laying eggs.  They finally started laying eggs but then one hen mysteriously escaped shortly after.  Also I played lots of video games.”

George, age 10

“I liked the first few weeks of Lockdown but then it started to get boring – every day got more boring.  Then my Daddy broke the news to me that we couldn’t go on holidays.  I was glad coming back to school.  I’m a little scared and a little worried about Covid and this Level 5 – I don’t want to get it (Covid).  I predict that they’ll close the schools and it’ll all be in a mess again – that’s my prediction.”

Ladislav, age 11 

I think that no one should break the Covid rules.  People should wear masks in shops.  People who are sick should stay at home instead of going everywhere and making other people sick.  I was happy to come back to school – I like school.  At home I was getting kind of bored!

Liam, age 11

“I didn’t like that you couldn’t go anywhere during Lockdown.  I don’t like that matches are behind closed doors now either.  Over Lockdown I went for a lot of walks and cycles.  My Granny died over Lockdown and we couldn’t have a proper funeral for her.  That was very sad for our family.  We got a new dump trailer and low loader during Lockdown – that was my highlight.”

Jake, age 12

“I hate how we can’t go visit our families.  I didn’t really like anything about the Lockdown.  I hope Covid doesn’t last too much longer.  I’d like for things to go back to normal.”

Sean F., age 11

“I didn’t like the fact that we had homeschooling during Lockdown while the weather was so nice – it took up a lot of our free-time.  I liked when the restrictions lifted and we got to go to visit our Granny in Castlerea.  The highlight for me was the weather was so nice.”

Sean Óg, age 11 

“The best thing that happened during Lockdown was I got to raise money for the Irish Cancer Society because my neighbour and my Grandad got diagnosed with cancer.  I raised €1,150 altogether.  I missed being able to meet my friends but I did like having no school for six months!”

 

Junior Room – September 2020

Donnacha, age 4

“The coronavirus made the Lockdown.  My Daddy stayed at home to play with me.  Coronavirus is in America too.  Coronavirus can even come out through the doors when they are closed!”

Adam N., age 5

“Coronavirus is germs that make you sick.  The virus is made out of germs and germs are invisible, that’s why no one can see them.  You wash your hands and use hand sanitiser because of the virus.”

Heather, age 5

“Coronavirus can make people sick.  My Grandad died during the Lockdown.  I played with my cousins and lots of them came over.”

Adam K., age 6

“I don’t like Coronavirus because you might get sick.  When I had no school, I played with my baby brother.  I missed my friends.  I like school.”

Ruth, age 6

“Coronavirus is bad for old people.  I went for lots of walks during Lockdown.  We normally went to the top of the road and back.  I liked being with my Mum.”

Stefania, age 7

“Coronavirus can spread and make you sick, so people wear masks.  You need to wash your hands and use hand sanitiser.  I got two new hens during Lockdown but one flew away.  Yesterday, my hen laid two eggs!”

Josef, age 6

“The Coronavirus can make you sick or dead.  I missed my friends.  I missed my teachers.  I played with my two brothers, my Mum and my Dad.  I had to stay at home and my Daddy went and got the food in Lidl or Tesco.”

Ali, age 6

“I’m so tired of this Coronavirus.  The Coronavirus was here for so many weeks.  I missed school so so much.  I missed my friends and everything.  I had fun in my home but my red bird died and that made me sad.  It’s okay though because I still have my other bird called Cuckoo!”

Niamh, age 6

“I didn’t like that we couldn’t go anywhere.  We couldn’t go our Granny’s house and we couldn’t go to our uncle Richie’s apartment up in Dublin.  I’m happy to be back in school!”

Matthew, age 6

“I didn’t like the Lockdown.  I couldn’t go to my football training or even a match for one week or more than one week.  I couldn’t go anywhere.  We could only play with our family at home.  I was happy to see all my friends.”

Yuri, age 7

“Corona is a virus.  I don’t know what to say about it except I don’t like it.  Coronavirus is very bad in my country (Brazil). My Grandma had Coronavirus and my Dad cried when he heard this news.  She is okay now but she has a sore back.  My Dad is feeling better now.”  

Daniel, age 8

“I hate Coronavirus because it can kill people.  I hated Lockdown because I didn’t get to go to my friend’s house and I wanted to be in school.  I’m happy that school is back and football is back.”

Darragh, age 8

“During the Lockdown, I counted the cows every morning and fed them with nuts.  I was baling with the two Valtras and wrapping.  I was mowing and drawing bales.  I missed my friends a bit.  I was happy that I could see all my friends again in school.”

Eva Maria, age 8

“I hate the Coronavirus because some people die and we couldn’t go to school for a long time.  I played with my sister.  I couldn’t see my friends.  I couldn’t see my cousins.  I am happy that I can see my teachers and all my friends and do work and play outside together.”

Viktoria, age 8

I’m glad I can see all my friends and teachers. We need to stop spreading Coronavirus.  The teachers are wearing masks.  We have to keep washing our hands.  I didn’t like the Lockdown because Coronavirus was making people sick.”

Alannah, age 8

Coronavirus is bad for people and it can kill people. We were at home from school for such a long time – it was six months. It was a long ‘two weeks’! Coronavirus is horrible. I want it to go before Christmas.

 

 

We hope you enjoyed hearing the thoughts of our pupils on Covid-19.  Please continue to adhere to Covid19 restrictions to help keep us all safe.