This evening the Government has announced a phased return of students to in-school education and we are delighted that on Monday 1 March, Leaving Certificate students will return to our school. We are very excited to welcome the girls back and we commend them on the work they completed online over the last number of weeks.
The Department has outlined in a statement that public health has reviewed the measures put in place to ensure the safe operation of schools and is satisfied that these infection prevention and control measures, if rigorously adhered to, will keep the school community safe during this period. They emphasise that all measures must be followed carefully by students, staff and parents.
Parents have been asked to ensure that children with symptoms do not attend school and that all children know and understand the procedures in place in school. Parents have also been asked not to congregate at the school grounds to give schools the best possible chance to get all students back as quickly as possible. All the school's protocols and procedures can be accessed at http://holyfaith.ie/page/Covid-19/94542/Index.html.
In the video message below, Consultant in Public Health Medicine Dr Abigail Collins talks about how to ensure the safe return of Leaving Certificate students to in-person learning:
Parents of Leaving Certificate students will be required to complete a 'return to school' form which we will post out to homes tomorrow. We are asking that students present these on Monday when they enter the school building. All students are required to wear face masks and to sanitize on arrival.
We will be providing students with information about State Examinations and Accredited Grades as they prepare to make important decisions in the coming weeks.
We thank all our parents/guardians for their support over recent weeks and we look forward to a productive few weeks of teaching and learning from the classroom as the girls complete their education in St. Mary's.