Thursday Note 23rd April 2020

April 23rd, 2020

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We hope you are well and everybody is safe. Our news this week is as follows

  • We still do not know when schools will be permitted to open or in what form that may take. As soon as we have any updates we will let you know. The Department of Education and Skills directed all school staff to work from home so we are not in the school at present. All teachers are currently working from home.

  • We intend to send out activities/guidance for pupils for each class weekly. This will be sent out on Fridays via the Aladdin system for the week ahead.  We are conscious that not all families have access to tablets/laptops so teachers are trying to include as many offline activities as possible to be done in copies etc.. Please keep these safe and teachers will look at these when we return to school. Thank you to all the parents who have emailed us and sent on photos of pupils’ work. It has been a pleasure to see pupils’ writing/pictures etc. Remember we know that every family circumstance is unique and you may not be in a position to engage with these activities. Do not put undue pressure on yourself or your child as the most important thing is that your child is happy and safe.
  • To make communication easier each teacher has set up a dedicated email address for the duration of the current closure . You will receive this with your child’s work this week. You may use this email for general queries in relation to the work assigned or to share pupils’work . We would appreciate if you could contact your child’s teacher on this during school hours 9a.m.-3p.m. on weekdays. Teachers will endeavour to respond as soon as is  practicable but it may not be immediately.  By contacting the teacher on their email you are giving consent  for them to communicate with you via email. Teachers will not be permitted to communicate directly via email with pupils. The office email is monitored daily  and you may communicate with us via email at office@tolasns.com
  • Don’t forget to have a look at our website tolasns.com which we are updating regularly.  There are some lovely photos of Easter bonnets up there. Our school twitter account is updated regularly also with many links to websites and resources. Follow us  on twitter @St TolasNS
  • Next week should have been Active Schools week. Please see information attached about how you might be able to keep active within 2km and socially distancing !!! This might be something all the family can do.
  • Finally Ms Fleming in 3rd class will be going on maternity leave on Fri 1st May. Ms KellyAnn Brady will be taking over the class from the following week. Ms Brady will be liaising with Ms Fleming in the coming week to ensure a smooth handover. We wish Ms Fleming all the best as she prepares for her new

Kind regards,

Mary Dunlea Fitzgerald, Principal