Covid in Schools

rainbowtrout

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Anyone else watching RTE1?

Ya my school was on it. Based on what I saw them film and a clip I saw a few days ago my guess is that this has been edited in more recent days to focus more on the families than the schools. If they were to show the worst elements of students not social distancing etc in school coupled with over 600 cases this evening, keeping schools open becomes a very hard sell.

Anyone notice that there were no teachers on it aside from the two primary school teachers???

s1ippy

kippy wrote: »

Sat down to watch this with the wife.
I told her after a few minutes of watching it that boards would have a few complaining about various aspects of what is going on and it would likely be the same on FB/Twitter and the likes.
Your's is the first commentery I've seen on it.

It hard to appreciate how many moving parts are at play in environments like this.
The reality is if this were in ANY other environment outside of maybe a hospital, the "workplace" would have been been shut down since March and not reopened until immunity of some description were in place.
It's totally not possible to socially distance all of the time in those environments.

Yeah you're absolutely right, I visited a special school on request the first week back (I work for a DOE agency) and what I saw would scare the bejaysus out of anyone. I restricted my movements (more than I normally tend to, which is a lot) for two weeks after.

Teachers there were only allowed wear visors. Yes, allowed - principal is a serious tyrant... told me "I'm not worried about getting covid at all" and when I said they should be very worried about getting it because they have many vulnerable pupils ranging from Down Syndrome, ASD, Cerebral Palsy, brain injury to asthma, heart conditions, shunt recipients, their attitude was that it's a personal choice for the parents to put them at risk by sending them in.

When I examined the procedures more closely, I found huge risk areas which I highlighted to their LWR via email after I got home. I won't go into too much detail so as not to identify the school but of the 150 pupils and 50 staff involved in the school day to day, I would say every one of them would become infected if there was a case there, based on poorly thought out protocols.

The pods regularly mixed in corridors, yard, using shared resources without sanitation procedures in place, sat on top of each other with no masks on buses and swapped pods during resource hours into rooms not being aired out or sanitised. The staff are obliged to go to the staff room during break even though several anecdotally told me they wanted to go outside on fine days.

I guess the principal said those stupid things to me about not being worried because they were trying to play up the fact that their hands were tied and they needed support, but it was fairly misdirected as I don't have the power to change the arrangements they have put in place. They really just came across as an incompetent and clueless danger to those in their care and employ. I had to report the school to the HSA and I'm in contact with staff there (people I've known a few years), to ensure no further recklessness. I'm not sure the HSA will get around to reviewing schools, they've possibly been told not to.

I was there at the principal's request for reasons not concerning covid but couldn't overlook all the dangers which were so apparent with so many vulnerable children and their families involved. I emphatically requested prior to the visit that I would be much more comfortable with a zoom meeting (it is not recommended for me to be in high risk settings for medical reasons) but they assured me the school was 100% compliant so I visited in good faith.

When I saw the situation, I felt lied to and had immense sympathy with the staff there, and staff around the country who are being put in danger by those like that principal and by the DOE. Parents and school staff are being lied to and I hope the Big Day in September show highlights some of that for people who might not have the same cynicism and anger I do in the current situation.

Bobtheman

What's happening in the rest of the EU.. anybody else going to level 5??

Rosita

Redordeadqwwer wrote: »

Watched that documentary tonight. The deputy or principal who was going around trying to separate students in the yard and inside with a metre stick was embarrassing. Fair enough, he's right but there's no way he's at that every day. All optics. Came across as a terrible camera stunt.

There no social distancing in schools. It doesn't exist. Inside or outside.

I see it in my own school where the Principal is out front pulling up people who aren't wearing masks coming in the front gate. No doubt this is from the 'visibility' angle of his leadership course, but in the context of deteriorating weather as the winter wears on it's laughable. It is in and of itself, of course, a commendable enough thing to do but it's not sustainable in a practical way. And it is sustainable behaviours that matter. That said it's not as cringy as walking around with a metre stick.

That said I did see a student in one classroom with an measuring tape the other day and I directed him to the Principal when he questioned the fact that the desks weren't close to being a metre apart. Needless to say that conversation will never take place which is a pity.

Rosita

Bobtheman wrote: »

What's happening in the rest of the EU.. anybody else going to level 5??

Not sure about 'Level 5' per se in any countries but this, from today's Irish Times, gives a flavour of what's happening:

A powerful second wave of the coronavirus pandemic has closed bars and cafes in Europe’s capitals as authorities grapple with how to contain the spread of the disease.

The Brussels regional government announced on Wednesday that it would shut cafes and bars for a month after a surge in infections made it the hardest-hit European capital after Madrid, with a rate of 502 coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks.

“We decided that bars, cafes but also tea rooms will have to close their doors and remain closed,” said Brussels minister president Rudi Vervoort. “One in seven people tested in Brussels returns a positive result, the virus is everywhere in the region.”

It follows similar action by Paris, which shut all bars, gyms and swimming pools for two weeks to curb the spread of the virus after a new record of almost 17,000 new infections were logged on Saturday, with 49 deaths.

Governments around the world are struggling to manage a surge in infections and the economic fallout of the pandemic, with the World Bank warning that the virus could push as many as 150 million people into extreme poverty by the end of 2021, largely in poor and developing countries.

Spectators banned

Across Belgium, party venues are to shut, sports spectators banned and social groups limited to a maximum of four. Authorities are to consider whether to keep schools and universities open on Friday, after a rise in infections that experts say follows a common European trend of being driven by transmission among the young.

Across the border in the Netherlands, hospitals reported a shortage of remdesivir, a drug used for treating severe coronavirus cases, after nearly 10,000 cases were reported in 48 hours in the country of 17 million. The health ministry has asked German hospitals to set aside spare intensive care beds for Dutch patients, in preparation for hospital capacity running out as it did in March.

mirrorwall14

Medmark have just designated me as very high risk. Work from home from tomorrow. Is anyone in this situation? I’ve no idea what to expect. We have no other teachers with the designation

Cell1e

s1ippy wrote: »

Yeah you're absolutely right, I visited a special school on request the first week back (I work for a DOE agency) and what I saw would scare the bejaysus out of anyone. I restricted my movements (more than I normally tend to, which is a lot) for two weeks after.

Teachers there were only allowed wear visors. Yes, allowed - principal is a serious tyrant... told me "I'm not worried about getting covid at all" and when I said they should be very worried about getting it because they have many vulnerable pupils ranging from Down Syndrome, ASD, Cerebral Palsy, brain injury to asthma, heart conditions, shunt recipients, their attitude was that it's a personal choice for the parents to put them at risk by sending them in.

When I examined the procedures more closely, I found huge risk areas which I highlighted to their LWR via email after I got home. I won't go into too much detail so as not to identify the school but of the 150 pupils and 50 staff involved in the school day to day, I would say every one of them would become infected if there was a case there, based on poorly thought out protocols.

The pods regularly mixed in corridors, yard, using shared resources without sanitation procedures in place, sat on top of each other with no masks on buses and swapped pods during resource hours into rooms not being aired out or sanitised. The staff are obliged to go to the staff room during break even though several anecdotally told me they wanted to go outside on fine days.

I guess the principal said those stupid things to me about not being worried because they were trying to play up the fact that their hands were tied and they needed support, but it was fairly misdirected as I don't have the power to change the arrangements they have put in place. They really just came across as an incompetent and clueless danger to those in their care and employ. I had to report the school to the HSA and I'm in contact with staff there (people I've known a few years), to ensure no further recklessness. I'm not sure the HSA will get around to reviewing schools, they've possibly been told not to.

I was there at the principal's request for reasons not concerning covid but couldn't overlook all the dangers which were so apparent with so many vulnerable children and their families involved. I emphatically requested prior to the visit that I would be much more comfortable with a zoom meeting (it is not recommended for me to be in high risk settings for medical reasons) but they assured me the school was 100% compliant so I visited in good faith.

When I saw the situation, I felt lied to and had immense sympathy with the staff there, and staff around the country who are being put in danger by those like that principal and by the DOE. Parents and school staff are being lied to and I hope the Big Day in September show highlights some of that for people who might not have the same cynicism and anger I do in the current situation.

Omg my Principal is an angel compared to that. He is keeping us in the loop and supporting us 100% with any concerns or worries we have.


There are so many things to be thinking about all the time in the classroom, I completely agree with all posting here who have stated that. Every minute of the day you are watching and trying to protect, the students in the class move through the room, touch things, then others touch the same things, door handles, knobs, chairs then mouths and noses.



Wash your hands please is a phrase used so often in my class these days, use your antibac please, wipe your keyboard please..even so meeting with my SNA's to see where we can improve we realise we are barely able to keep up with the various loopholes the virus can make use of.


Its crazy scary and terribly neglectful of the unions and the government to put us all in this position. I'm so angry right now at whats going on in our country and whats ahead for us all.

man_no_plan

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

Medmark have just designated me as very high risk. Work from home from tomorrow. Is anyone in this situation? I’ve no idea what to expect. We have no other teachers with the designation

If you have high risk students who are out you might be supporting them. The education centres are working on something around high risk teachers supporting high risk students.

There might be some planning work and stuff to that you could work on.

mirrorwall14

man_no_plan wrote: »

If you have high risk students who are out you might be supporting them. The education centres are working on something around high risk teachers supporting high risk students.

There might be some planning work and stuff to that you could work on.

Yes my principal mentioned that all right. For the moment they don't have a sub so I'm going to be teaching from home

khalessi

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/education/department-of-education-warns-primary-schools-to-have-contingency-plans-in-the-event-of-covid-19-related-closure-39602717.html

The Department of Education has told primary schools to ensure they have contingency plans to keep teaching and learning going in the event of Covid-19-related closure or pupils isolating at home.

New guidance to 3,200 primary schools sets out the sort of preparations required to ensure that pupils are supported in the event that some or all of them have to revert to distance learning.

A number of schools have already faced such challenges since the new term began and the Department’s advice includes examples of good practice drawn from those experiences.

The Guidance on Remote Learning in a Covid-19 Context was published today and similar advice is expected for post-primary schools. It is intended to cover the first term and will be updated in December.

It builds on lessons learned during the emergency closure between March and June and puts a framework on how schools can best support students and families. Among its messages is the importance of communications with parents.

The Department says schools need to plan for and be ready to support pupils’ learning in a number of possible scenarios which could occur during the 2020/21 school year.

“As the extent to which these scenarios may occur cannot be predicted, it is possible that individual pupils or groups of pupils and teachers may find that they are advised to self-isolate or restrict their movements on a number of occasions during the school year.

“This may lead to an accumulation of a significant number of days where pupils learn from home and/or teachers work from home. Therefore, it is crucial that all schools make every effort to enable teachers to support the continuation of pupils’ learning effectively during each possible scenario.

So after 7 months since we closed in March, the Dept having not come up with anything suitable for a national framework, throw it back on schools. Document from September to December, published in October.

wirelessdude01

khalessi wrote: »

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/education/department-of-education-warns-primary-schools-to-have-contingency-plans-in-the-event-of-covid-19-related-closure-39602717.html

The Department of Education has told primary schools to ensure they have contingency plans to keep teaching and learning going in the event of Covid-19-related closure or pupils isolating at home.

New guidance to 3,200 primary schools sets out the sort of preparations required to ensure that pupils are supported in the event that some or all of them have to revert to distance learning.

A number of schools have already faced such challenges since the new term began and the Department’s advice includes examples of good practice drawn from those experiences.

The Guidance on Remote Learning in a Covid-19 Context was published today and similar advice is expected for post-primary schools. It is intended to cover the first term and will be updated in December.

It builds on lessons learned during the emergency closure between March and June and puts a framework on how schools can best support students and families. Among its messages is the importance of communications with parents.

The Department says schools need to plan for and be ready to support pupils’ learning in a number of possible scenarios which could occur during the 2020/21 school year.

“As the extent to which these scenarios may occur cannot be predicted, it is possible that individual pupils or groups of pupils and teachers may find that they are advised to self-isolate or restrict their movements on a number of occasions during the school year.

“This may lead to an accumulation of a significant number of days where pupils learn from home and/or teachers work from home. Therefore, it is crucial that all schools make every effort to enable teachers to support the continuation of pupils’ learning effectively during each possible scenario.

So after 7 months since we closed in March, the Dept having not come up with anything suitable for a national framework, throw it back on schools. Document from September to December, published in October.

The timing of this release tells me that we could be shut after Halloween. A fortnight to get things up and running.

Bobtheman

Anybody here willing to help me with goggle meets ? If I have questions? How many weeks of a shut down!

khalessi

Here is link to Luke O Neill's webinar on covid in the classroom

https://www.tcd.ie/

scroll down the page.

or access on Youtube

Teach30

Anyone hear if we can still teach from school Building if schools close to students? I’m sick at thought of being at home as internet not at all suitable. Had phone crowd out to advise and they said nothing can be done as it’s too rural.

Rosita

Bobtheman wrote: »

Anybody here willing to help me with goggle meets ? If I have questions? How many weeks of a shut down!

If we are gone for three/four weeks as a minimum from the start of November we might not be back before Christmas. Once it starts it could go any way.

man_no_plan

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

The timing of this release tells me that we could be shut after Halloween. A fortnight to get things up and running.

They released guidelines for SNAs and PPE too, only 6 2weeks later. I wouldn't read too much into anything.

Not wanting to be critical but I wouldn't feel that the Department is that prepared for anything so well that they can roll ot out like that.

Surely all schools have been looking at a contingency plan anyway?

lawred2

Is the department of education fit for purpose?

History Queen

lawred2 wrote: »

Is the department of education fit for purpose?

No

wirelessdude01

lawred2 wrote: »

Is the department of education fit for purpose?

If you have to ask then you already have the answer.

wirelessdude01

man_no_plan wrote: »

Not wanting to be critical but I wouldn't feel that the Department is that prepared for anything so well that they can roll ot out like that.

Surely all schools have been looking at a contingency plan anyway?

I meant tht schools have 2 weeks now to get whatever plan they want into place.

Of course the department won't have a plan worthy of the name to implement.

Treppen

Extra week off at midterm
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/schools-to-close-for-longer-at-mid-term-break-to-try-curb-covid-19-39604165.html

big_drive

Are they talking about an extra weeks holidays? Or the second week is officially back to work but online teaching. Big difference as lots of schools will need to be getting procedures in place if its the latter

TheValeyard

big_drive wrote: »

Are they talking about an extra weeks holidays? Or the second week is officially back to work but online teaching. Big difference as lots of schools will need to be getting procedures in place if its the latter

1) shut, loose second week of Easter


2) online teaching.

jrosen

Id rather see the school close and use other holidays to bridge the gap that see in line teaching as there is no way schools are set up to deliver that.

shesty

Teach30 wrote: »

Anyone hear if we can still teach from school Building if schools close to students? I’m sick at thought of being at home as internet not at all suitable. Had phone crowd out to advise and they said nothing can be done as it’s too rural.

I read an article there yesterday that said Dept guidelines now say teachers should teach from the classroom if schools go online. I think someone pasted it into a previous post, but I will see if I can find it.

Treppen

shesty wrote: »

I read an article there yesterday that said Dept guidelines now say teachers should teach from the classroom if schools go online. I think someone pasted it into a previous post, but I will see if I can find it.

If teachers kids are not in school then that's half my colleagues out.

khalessi

Treppen wrote: »

If teachers kids are not in school then that's half my colleagues out.

Was just thinking that. I'd have to bring my kids with me.

Cell1e

I work better from home, my pc is better, my internet is way better. The only problem is having to use my own phone to contact parents. Its much more expensive for the school to pay my phone bills as some of my parents wont or cant use free services like whatsap.

meeeeh

Treppen wrote: »

If teachers kids are not in school then that's half my colleagues out.

How do other people manage who can't work from home?

Newsflash my local childminders/ crèche employees were all working through the lockdown minding kids for people. That's what complete lockdown does and as long as you don't advertise it, it's grand and we can all pretend rules are obeyed.

mirrorwall14

Our school WiFi is simply not capable of having us work in the building right now despite being a 1:1 school. I was teaching from home today for the first time. We didn’t even both trying to get all the students onto the meet. Even one teacher hooking the google meet to the projector was lagging and freezing. It’s completely useless. My internet at home on the other hand is amazing. We’ve a gigabit line! School is like dialup by comparison currently