IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:

Monday 16^th March

Dear Parents,

The health, safety and wellbeing of staff, pupils and our wider school community is the number one priority of all of us here in St. Colman’s Primary School and All Saints’ Nursery Unit, Annaclone.

Therefore, in consultation with the Board of Governors, I have taken the decision to move holidays set aside for later in the school year and close our school for the remainder of the week (18, 19 & 20 March).

You will be aware that there is great deal of uncertainty and speculation in regard to the actions needed to combat the spread of the Coronavirus. The World Health Organisation and the European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control have made it clear we are facing a global health pandemic. Both organisations have called on governments to take early, decisive, rapid, co-ordinated action. It is in their expert opinion that the implementation of school closures is likely to be more effective in slowing the spread of the virus than a delayed implementation.

School systems are closing down on this island and around the world as a precautionary measure. In the north we are not doing this at present but a number of political parties, Church leaders, Education Sectoral Bodies, Principals, Teachers, and various Unions have now called for schools to be closed. The level of risk associated with keeping schools open is high.  The close interaction of staff, children, parents and visitors increases the likelihood of community transmission of COVID-19.  Many, if not every, school has children and staff with underlying health concerns and to that end alone it is irresponsible (factoring in the risk) to keep schools open.  Schools cannot get hand sanitiser anywhere and soap stocks are running low, to name but a few issues we are facing and it is adding to the risk factor in our schools. 

In addition, and looking forward to the inevitable, when staff, teaching and ancillary/auxiliary, begin to communicate that they are unfit to attend school because of illness, how are we, as Principals to ensure health and safety and high quality education of children on site with little or no staff?

We are now in the position that School Principals are being forced to take decisions on the grounds of health and safety because of conflicting scientific advice. In the wider community people are being asked to work from home and we are being asked to practice social distancing. This is impossible to do in either a Nursery or Primary school context.

What has become apparent is that schools will close and that in order to continue to put plans in place schools need time to prepare. The continued education of our pupils (in a different format) needs to continue. Schools must be afforded time to prepare home learning packs and create access to online resources so that pupils can access learning and teaching provision from home. We want pupils to continue learning and we want to set up systems that will allow us to do that.

What I do know is that staff have a great deal to do to prepare for the potential closure of our school. The situation is extremely fluid and fast-moving. I will be consulting regularly with the BOG and local cluster of Principals over the coming days as things continue to develop and progress. Please be mindful to check social media and the school app for further updates from the school. The government have indicated that when schools close it could be for a lengthy period (some suggestions even for as long as sixteen weeks).

The teaching staff will prepare some work for their classes, some of it online/downloadable and some in the form of collection packs. Please do be aware though that this is more difficult for NU, P1, P2 & P3 classes due to the nature of their learning.

I appreciate that this is a very difficult time for all members of our school community, but I am confident we can all work together for the wellbeing of our pupils, staff and parents.

St. Colman please continue to pray for and bless us all, these are unprecedented times. Keep safe.

Yours sincerely,

Mr K O’Neill

Principal