Home learning

Please read this letter carefully and often before your child begins home learning on Wednesday 25th March.

Dear parents and guardians,

As I begin this letter I have many thoughts and emotions, but without a shadow of doubt for the first time ever, I know our foremost thoughts at the moment are exactly the same! And that is - to ask if everyone in your family is well and to keep safe, and that extends to elderly relatives and vulnerable members of your family. And so I begin this letter in the hope that everyone in your family is well and that you are all keeping safe.

Most of you should have received your letter from us yesterday. Don’t worry if it has not arrived, it will come tomorrow. All letters were posted to the address that we have on the school system. We can see that so many of the children have logged on. Well done children, you have done great so far. And thank you for helping each other too.

I must stress that what we are setting up is Home learning, not Home schooling. When a child is absent from school for a long time in normal circumstances the Education Authority will liaise with the principal and a service is provided in the child’s home. This usually takes the form of a teacher visiting the child’s home for 2 or 3 hours each week. But these are not normal circumstances. Home learning has never been an option for primary school children simply because it is not possible to do. But despite all the challenges we have managed to set up Home learning, with no warning, time to prepare and with no training. The staff have worked remotely as we followed the PHA guidelines from the outset for their safety and the safety of their families. I am extremely proud of the staff for the hard work that has been done, bearing in mind that they are also coping with this unprecedented crisis. But as usual our staff have responded and nothing was too much to ask.

I will outline some very important points that I must ask you to follow and commit to memory:

• home learning will begin for everyone on Wednesday 25th March. Teachers will continue with training and your child might be involved.
• we will begin with one activity which one of the teachers will set for your child. Saturday was World Downs Syndrome Day. We have celebrated this day in school for the past 4 years, this year is no different. All the children are asked to wear a pair of odd socks on Wednesday. The activity that will be set for Wednesday will be centred around a sock. You may also come up with some ideas of your own for your child.
• the activities that the teachers will set will be time bound and you will be given clear direction how long your child should spend on it. It is entirely your choice if your child does this activity. We will never ask or check at the end of each day what any child has done, as we must be mindful of why we are doing this in the first place.
• the same also applies to any work or questions that your child submits. If a teacher does not respond it will be for a number of reasons: internet is down, tiredness, are sick or a family member is sick (we pray that this is never a reason) but we must stress that it will always be a genuine reason. 
• at the end of each day the activity will be taken down. That way there is never a backlog. Teachers are not teaching. They are revising and keeping in touch with your child. 
• we will take down all the chats that are up at the minute. The children are excited and understandably so, but this is not a chat line. Children may continue to use the ways that you allow them to use to keep in touch with their friends.
• if you still have some difficulties getting logged on please contact Miss Campbell via a private message through our Facebook page.
• classroom assistants will begin training tomorrow. They will link in with the children as soon as possible.
• to help with continued preparation and training the home learning day will begin from 10 - 12 noon. All times and days must always remain flexible for the same reasons that I have given for why a teacher may not reply to your child.

I want to reassure you that whatever you do with your child in the days, weeks and months ahead will be great learning. You are the key educators for your child. You taught them their language, how to play and share, how to be kind and helpful...the list is endless. Above all you taught them how to care and love each other and to pray. Never underestimate the part you play in your child’s learning.

On this very special day, Mother’s Day, we wish all parents, guardians, grandparents and all those many people who love your child, a special blessing. We ask Our Lady to bless and protect our doctors, nurses and all those involved in any way to help those who are very ill to recover.

I promise that I will try to keep in touch as often as I can. I wish to thank you for the support you have unreservedly extended to staff and myself. 

Keep safe and keep well. Continue to look after each other.

God bless

Mrs Donnelly