Schools and Covid 19 (part 5) **Mod warnings in OP**

SusanC10

Both our kids back today for the first time since Dec 18th. Hoping they are having good days.

Tokyo

Mod: khalessi - threadban lifted.

JDD

We haven't actually seen much of an increase from having the primary school/leaving cert kids back have we? We seemed to be hovering at the 500 a day for about a month, and now we're hovering at the 450 a day level. Unless of course having the primary schools open has resulted in us stagnating our infection rate, whereas it would have gone down quicker had the schools remained closed.

What say you teachers? Was it the right decision after all to open the primary schools? And I don't mean that as a finger pointing or anything, I'm genuinely interested in whether anxiety levels in primary school teachers has reduced over the past six weeks or whether there is still significant stress in teaching face to face every day?

KerryConnor

I feel hopeful this week. Everyone delighted to be back. Cases low and very few schools cases so far. Too early to be saying it i know but I don't have the same snowballing feeling as before Easter.

It's been a strange experience watching the teacher bashing the last few weeks. We really are like the bankers during the recession.
Someone posted above that it's grating on parents having to do teachers job. And I think that's the crux of it. I know a couple of my friends were literally loosing their minds with the kids home. And the only group they could blame was the teachers. Even tho teachers have feck all to do with schools being closed. The only time they refused to go in was mid Jan when we had highest case numbers in the world.
I personally don't care where i am on vaccine rollout and was embarrassed by unions last week. But the lack of empathy towards people who are anxious about working in a crowded room with others not wearing masks was a bit sickening. If it had been the SNAs or factory workers i think they'd have got support but teachers are so disliked there was a pile on.

Jinglejangle69

KerryConnor wrote: »

I feel hopeful this week. Everyone delighted to be back. Cases low and very few schools cases so far. Too early to be saying it i know but I don't have the same snowballing feeling as before Easter.

It's been a strange experience watching the teacher bashing the last few weeks. We really are like the bankers during the recession.
Someone posted above that it's grating on parents having to do teachers job. And I think that's the crux of it. I know a couple of my friends were literally loosing their minds with the kids home. And the only group they could blame was the teachers. Even tho teachers have feck all to do with schools being closed. The only time they refused to go in was mid Jan when we had highest case numbers in the world.
I personally don't care where i am on vaccine rollout and was embarrassed by unions last week. But the lack of empathy towards people who are anxious about working in a crowded room with others not wearing masks was a bit sickening. If it had been the SNAs or factory workers i think they'd have got support but teachers are so disliked there was a pile on.

When has factory workers, meat plant workers, food production workers, car garage workers, Gardai etc etc got support during the pandemic?

And once again I see the usual it's parents who are sick of their kids and need to send them to school mantra been peddled again by a teacher.

I'm sorry but when teachers constantly come on here saying parents don't want to mind their kids and thats why they give out about teachers and the schools been closed don't be surprised when parents give a little pushback.

Fair is fair.

KerryConnor

I have kids myself and would HATE schools to close again. It was long hard few months for kids and parents having schools closed. It actually brought tears to my eyes seeing my teens heading up the road Monday morning. But my point it i think teachers were getting blamed in the absence of anyone else to blame.

Jinglejangle69 wrote: »

When has factory workers, meat plant workers, food production workers, car garage workers, Gardai etc etc got support?

And once again I see the usual it's parents who are sick of their kids and need to send them to school mantra been peddled again by a teacher.

I'm sorry but when teachers constantly come on here saying parents don't want to mind their kids and thats why they give out about teachers and the schools been closed don't be surprised when parents give a little pushback.

Fair is fair.

Jinglejangle69

KerryConnor wrote: »

I have kids myself and would HATE schools to close again. It was long hard few months for kids and parents having schools closed. It actually brought tears to my eyes seeing my teens heading up the road Monday morning. But my point it i think teachers were getting blamed in the absence of anyone else to blame.

Well yes obviously parents were loosing their minds with kids at home while trying to hold down a job and homeschool.

Teachers need to point the finger at the source.

Their unions.

You can give out about parents all day long but your unions put your heads on the chopping block with that stunt last week.

And there was SOME teachers happy to go along with it.

So as I said don't be surprised if parents pushback a little.

Anyway everyone is happy again now with schools back so nothing more to discuss.

KerryConnor

Im not giving out about parents as i totally understand, i think i was mildly depressed all winter , i'm just trying to figure out why teachers have been getting so much hate since the start of the pandemic.
I was sorry the unions did that about the vaccine queue last week i agree i didn't see the point. But they have a difficult job they were trying to keep their members happy, some of whom are really anxious about picking it up. Im in north dublin where local rates are high and several teachers i know have caught it in school.
Anyhow personally, a year on im numb to worrying about covid. Once my parents and the vulnerable i know are vaccinated the anxiety of passing it on will go away and i just want to get on with it.
Fingers crossed the whole tension over vaccines will go away with all these new ones getting delivered and things will be looking up a lot in a few months. So encouraging to see the UK literally opening up again - fingers crossed all goes well.

Jinglejangle69 wrote: »

Well yes obviously parents were loosing their minds with kids at home while trying to hold down a job and homeschool.

Teachers need to point the finger at the source.

Their unions.

You can give out about parents all day long but your unions put your heads on the chopping block with that stunt last week.

And there was SOME teachers happy to go along with it.

So as I said don't be surprised if parents pushback a little.

Anyway everyone is happy again now with schools back so nothing more to discuss.

TTLF

I'm back to give an update on how the 6th year life has been.

I successfully did my Oral work over Easter, sadly it didn't feel like much of a break, but I'm so happy I never have to think of those orals again, and I feel I did quite well in them overall. There was issues with the Masks and it can be hard to hear the person examining you, I just feel bad for the examiners trying to listen to be speak poor German over the tape in a mask

Anyway I'm doing project work now and It's going okay, hopefully I can finish them all up by next weeks deadline. Real shame for the Geog project, it's certainly a lot harder to understand a river study when you didn't actually go on it.

Anyway, cheers.

Sammy2012

I just seen an article in the Indo that churches will be reopening on a phased basis from May. And today I got a date for confession and communion. Being pressured by the priest to do it early May.

wirelessdude01

Sammy2012 wrote: »

I just seen an article in the Indo that churches will be reopening on a phased basis from May. And today I got a date for confession and communion. Being pressured by the priest to do it early May.

Are the church aware of something that we aren't?

wirelessdude01

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Are the church aware of something that we aren't?

That eternal damnation in hell is worse than covid?

combat14

lots of news about the new indian variant today with 2 serious mutations

pfizer are laughing all the way to the bank as well with talk of a Third Pfizer dose likely needed within 12 months - CEO &
vaccinations quite likely being an annual affair going forward ...


https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/2021/0416/1210203-coronavirus-global/

good to see schools reopen will have to see how long lasts if eu cancels the new hotel quarantine system here

Jinglejangle69

combat14 wrote: »

lots of news about the new indian variant today with 2 serious mutations

pfizer are laughing all the way to the bank as well with talk of a Third Pfizer dose likely needed within 12 months - CEO &
vaccinations quite likely being an annual affair going forward ...


https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/2021/0416/1210203-coronavirus-global/

good to see schools reopen will have to see how long lasts if eu cancels the new hotel quarantine system here

What point are you actually trying to make here???

Sammy2012

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Are the church aware of something that we aren't?

I was just told that the church is open now and will be open for the ceremonies. So I don't know. The priest has obviously decided to come up with his own rules.

wirelessdude01

Sammy2012 wrote: »

I was just told that the church is open now and will be open for the ceremonies. So I don't know. The priest has obviously decided to come up with his own rules.

What does your principal think of this?

Sammy2012

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

What does your principal think of this?

Went behind my back and picked the days. Very cosy with the PP.

wirelessdude01

Sammy2012 wrote: »

Went behind my back and picked the days. Very cosy with the PP.

So they have ceremonies arranged for early May in clear contradiction of health restrictions.

SusanC10

If the Principal and the Priest have picked the dates, then just make sure to call them provisional dates when telling the Parents.

Sammy2012

Yes. They are not provisional. I asked yesterday if the dates would have to change due to restrictions and was told that the church has always been open and would be open for this. There are people attending Mass there and the principal is one of these people.

combat14

if we want to keep schools open here no one coming from brazil should be let into country

Brazil warns women to delay pregnancy amid Covid-19 surge

Advice comes as country’s clinicians claim P1 Covid variant more aggressive during pregnancy

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/16/brazil-warns-women-to-delay-pregnancy-amid-covid-19-surge

khalessi

combat14 wrote: »

if we want to keep schools open here no one coming from brazil should be let into country

Brazil warns women to delay pregnancy amid Covid-19 surge

Advice comes as country’s clinicians claim P1 Covid variant more aggressive during pregnancy

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/16/brazil-warns-women-to-delay-pregnancy-amid-covid-19-surge

Ah sure schools are safe no variant is going to get in there, so no worries.

wirelessdude01

Sammy2012 wrote: »

Yes. They are not provisional. I asked yesterday if the dates would have to change due to restrictions and was told that the church has always been open and would be open for this. There are people attending Mass there and the principal is one of these people.

Where is this?

khalessi

PLans to consider vaccinating under 30s before under 50s being considered
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/under-30s-may-get-vaccinated-before-those-under-50-in-new-plan-being-considered-to-slow-covid-19-1.4539770


Anyone ever feel the gov dont know what they are at?
13% of school staff under 30

Sammy2012

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Where is this?

I'm not going to say. But in the east of the country. But outside of Dublin.

Sammy2012

khalessi wrote: »

PLans to consider vaccinating under 30s before under 50s being considered
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/under-30s-may-get-vaccinated-before-those-under-50-in-new-plan-being-considered-to-slow-covid-19-1.4539770


Anyone ever feel the gov dont know what they are at?
13% of school staff under 30

Vast majority of workers in this country would be between 30 and 50 years of age. I doubt if any company would be happy with this if they'd like their workers back in the office anytime soon.

killbillvol2

khalessi wrote: »

PLans to consider vaccinating under 30s before under 50s being considered
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/under-30s-may-get-vaccinated-before-those-under-50-in-new-plan-being-considered-to-slow-covid-19-1.4539770


Anyone ever feel the gov dont know what they are at?
13% of school staff under 30

It would appear that Donnelly has been shooting his mouth off again. ****ing clown. If the science was so clear regarding age two weeks ago what's changed? Nothing except that the moron can't control his brief.

Furious denials from others in "government".

khalessi

killbillvol2 wrote: »

It would appear that Donnelly has been shooting his mouth off again. ****ing clown. If the science was so clear regarding age two weeks ago what's changed? Nothing except that the moron can't control his brief.

Furious denials from others in "government".

I reckon they were kite flying to see how idea went down considering all the talk of reopening retail and restaurants would have a lot of staff under 30.

Meanwhile Prison Officers Union has advised prison officers to withdraw goodwill

https://twitter.com/peter_lydon/status/1383386639393714186

samo

Crazy stuff, my 15 year old was back for exactly a week and now close contact and out for 10 days. This is the 4th time since last September, I think he’s had 6 weeks total in school since Sept and really junior cert a write off.

Getting him tested this morning it was literally wall to wall with kids being tested, I really don’t understand why we can’t have anything running like antigen tests or even all schools/ kids tested before returning April 12th.

khalessi

samo wrote: »

Crazy stuff, my 15 year old was back for exactly a week and now close contact and out for 10 days. This is the 4th time since last September, I think he’s had 6 weeks total in school since Sept and really junior cert a write off.

Getting him tested this morning it was literally wall to wall with kids being tested, I really don’t understand why we can’t have anything running like antigen tests or even all schools/ kids tested before returning April 12th.

Neither do teachers, testing of school and staff was asked for and denied. Interesting considering they do it in UK and we copy a lot from UK, except that, wonder why. We even had Leo waxing lyrically about Catch up classes over the summer for disadvantaged children. Don't know where he will get staff but anyways.

Hope all works out well for your son.

grind gremlin

samo wrote: »

Crazy stuff, my 15 year old was back for exactly a week and now close contact and out for 10 days. This is the 4th time since last September, I think he’s had 6 weeks total in school since Sept and really junior cert a write off.

Getting him tested this morning it was literally wall to wall with kids being tested, I really don’t understand why we can’t have anything running like antigen tests or even all schools/ kids tested before returning April 12th.

Crazy thing is, there are countless other cases occurring where nobody is deemed a close contact.
https://twitter.com/drnightdub/status/1383588809879687174?s=21

SusanC10

samo wrote: »

Crazy stuff, my 15 year old was back for exactly a week and now close contact and out for 10 days. This is the 4th time since last September, I think he’s had 6 weeks total in school since Sept and really junior cert a write off.

Getting him tested this morning it was literally wall to wall with kids being tested, I really don’t understand why we can’t have anything running like antigen tests or even all schools/ kids tested before returning April 12th.

Hopefully your son is negative.

samo

khalessi wrote: »

Neither do teachers, testing of school and staff was asked for and denied. Interesting considering they do it in UK and we copy a lot from UK, except that, wonder why. We even had Leo waxing lyrically about Catch up classes over the summer for disadvantaged children. Don't know where he will get staff but anyways.

Hope all works out well for your son.

It was a real eye opener today, we will never get out of this for as long as we don’t start being smarter about it and really upsetting seeing an entire queue of kids much younger than him from aged 5 to 12 and this is life for them now. We are really failing kids in their education and it must be so frustrating for teachers and school staff.

Speaking with work colleagues in Germany, schools have morning and daily antigen tests, same for nurseries and weekly Covid tests in workplaces.. here we have queues of kids being tested, waiting 48 hours out for a further 10 days and zero plan. Honestly, shameful.

hesaidshesaid

samo wrote: »

It was a real eye opener today, we will never get out of this for as long as we don’t start being smarter about it and really upsetting seeing an entire queue of kids much younger than him from aged 5 to 12 and this is life for them now. We are really failing kids in their education and it must be so frustrating for teachers and school staff.

Speaking with work colleagues in Germany, schools have morning and daily antigen tests, same for nurseries and weekly Covid tests in workplaces.. here we have queues of kids being tested, waiting 48 hours out for a further 10 days and zero plan. Honestly, shameful.

Really hope all will be well with your son.

Can I ask what general area of the country you’re in? And if any of the rest of your family was tested?

samo

hesaidshesaid wrote: »

Really hope all will be well with your son.

Can I ask what general area of the country you’re in? And if any of the rest of your family was tested?

No, nobody else in the family tested and tested Ashbourne and living Meath.

Icyseanfitz

khalessi wrote: »

Neither do teachers, testing of school and staff was asked for and denied. Interesting considering they do it in UK and we copy a lot from UK, except that, wonder why. We even had Leo waxing lyrically about Catch up classes over the summer for disadvantaged children. Don't know where he will get staff but anyways.

Hope all works out well for your son.

might try and get SNAs to do it :pac: 16euro an hour for snas and somewhere around 40euro an hour for teachers, same job but cheap labour, wouldnt surprise me if they made it mandatory for us either the arsehats

Comer1

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

might try and get SNAs to do it :pac: 16euro an hour for snas and somewhere around 40euro an hour for teachers, same job but cheap labour, wouldnt surprise me if they made it mandatory for us either the arsehats

SNAs don't do the same job as teachers, or anything even close.

khalessi

Comer1 wrote: »

SNAs don't do the same job as teachers, or anything even close.

What do they do?

frank8211

samo wrote: »

Crazy stuff, my 15 year old was back for exactly a week and now close contact and out for 10 days. This is the 4th time since last September, I think he’s had 6 weeks total in school since Sept and really junior cert a write off.

Getting him tested this morning it was literally wall to wall with kids being tested, I really don’t understand why we can’t have anything running like antigen tests or even all schools/ kids tested before returning April 12th.

Theres a lot of cases in meath. Is it all coming from schools

hesaidshesaid

Comer1 wrote: »

SNAs don't do the same job as teachers, or anything even close.

Wow. Do you know any SNAs? Or what they actually do?

SNAs are an invaluable, often overstretched, resource in schools. They don’t do the same job as teachers but more often than not, teachers couldn’t do their job as effectively without them. The children they support would not have the same experience of school without them. The rest of the class would not have the same experience of school without them.

Most mainstream schools could not function without SNAs. That’s the reality before you even look at special classes or special schools.

Icyseanfitz

Comer1 wrote: »

SNAs don't do the same job as teachers, or anything even close.

For July provision they are expected to do the exact same job actually, for less than half the hourly rate,same situation with exam supervision or after school supervision

plastic glass

samo wrote: »

Crazy stuff, my 15 year old was back for exactly a week and now close contact and out for 10 days. This is the 4th time since last September, I think he’s had 6 weeks total in school since Sept and really junior cert a write off.

Getting him tested this morning it was literally wall to wall with kids being tested, I really don’t understand why we can’t have anything running like antigen tests or even all schools/ kids tested before returning April 12th.

Your son probably needs to consider who he is hanging out with if he keeps being considered a close contact.
Isn’t the junior cert cancelled anyway?

samo

plastic glass wrote: »

Your son probably needs to consider who he is hanging out with if he keeps being considered a close contact.
Isn’t the junior cert cancelled anyway?

Thanks for jumping to conclusions. He’s not actually been hanging around with a litany of Covid
suspects and spends pretty much most of his time at home, PlayStation, or walks with us and his dogs as he has ASD diagnosis.. not that it should have needed explaining seeing as you would jump to conclusions that somehow he bought this on himself, close contact = directly from his class/school within 2 days of returning after 4 months out and as per the HSE contact tracing, which is rather hard to avoid without not actually attending.

PowerToWait

khalessi wrote: »

What do they do?

A friend of mine teaches in a Dublin school. SNAs don’t go into classrooms. Their main duty is to bring kids for walks on mask breaks. Not sure how typical that is. Must be fairly boring.

Comer1

hesaidshesaid wrote: »

Wow. Do you know any SNAs? Or what they actually do?

SNAs are an invaluable, often overstretched, resource in schools. They don’t do the same job as teachers but more often than not, teachers couldn’t do their job as effectively without them. The children they support would not have the same experience of school without them. The rest of the class would not have the same experience of school without them.

Most mainstream schools could not function without SNAs. That’s the reality before you even look at special classes or special schools.

Couldn't agree more, but thy still don't do the same job as teachers.

khalessi

PowerToWait wrote: »

A friend of mine teaches in a Dublin school. SNAs don’t go into classrooms. Their main duty is to bring kids for walks on mask breaks. Not sure how typical that is. Must be fairly boring.

Very untypical because the classroom is where they are needed and where they generally are. Yes students need and get movement breaks for various reasons but it is just one part of an SNAs role. Like most things the job description does not adequately describe their roll which varies as much as the students we have and as a teacher I would be lost without my SNA colleagues.

Icyseanfitz

PowerToWait wrote: »

A friend of mine teaches in a Dublin school. SNAs don’t go into classrooms. Their main duty is to bring kids for walks on mask breaks. Not sure how typical that is. Must be fairly boring.

How can they work with the kids if they arnt with them? As an SNA I've never heard of that tbh

Icyseanfitz

Comer1 wrote: »

Couldn't agree more, but thy still don't do the same job as teachers.

I never said they did the same job on a normal basis, but for supervision and July provision they do and are expected/paid to do the exact same job

Knine

PowerToWait wrote: »

A friend of mine teaches in a Dublin school. SNAs don’t go into classrooms. Their main duty is to bring kids for walks on mask breaks. Not sure how typical that is. Must be fairly boring.

Not correct. The SNAs work in the classroom with my daughter & her classmates, providing all personal care as well as support for the teachers. Many also work as bus escorts on the school transport before & after the school day. They are invaluable to the education of children with Special Needs. We had one great SNA work with my daughter all through the first lockdown through Whatsapp. They don't get paid enough imo.

Your description is definitely not typical.

History Queen

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

How can they work with the kids if they arnt with them? As an SNA I've never heard of that tbh

One of the SNAs in my school is basically doing this as the child whose needs she is trying to meet are mobility needs. The student doesn't need her in the class but needs help moving class to class, and for mask breaks. The SNA hates it as she feels under utilised. The other two SNAs in our school are in class with the students they work with as the needs are different.