Dear Parents,
On 25th August, HCK will open its gates to start welcoming back our students on a phased basis. In particular, we are looking forward to meeting and greeting the new First Year girls.
Please check the calendar on the App for all dates.
The purpose of this letter is to outline the initial steps we have taken thus far to ensure your daughter’s safe return to the school campus. We will be following the Department of Education and Skills (DES) recommendations and will amend our protocols as and when required. As the recommendations evolve, we will update you on the School App. Currently, all dates on the App are provisional and will be amended as necessary (all parent information evenings are postponed until further notice).
It is to our advantage that we are a small school with small classes.
From September:-
- Each Year Group will have their own designated entry and exit to the school.
- Each Year Group will have their own designated bathroom.
- Each Class Group will have a designated classroom as a base. Students will remain in their classroom and teachers will rotate. For specialist subjects (Science/HE/Coding etc.) the girls will be asked to follow a one-way system to get to the particular room.
- Once your daughter arrives in school, she is to go directly to her designated base classroom.
- No lockers will be available for the foreseeable future. A student’s rucksack will remain with her in her base classroom. As HCK is an iPad school all that is required for the first few days is an iPad and a few copies. Individually, subject teachers will advise the girls as the week progresses.
- Whilst HSE guidelines on handwashing, coughing and sneezing etiquette will be consistently promoted, social distancing will be expected at all times.
Details relating to the above information will be emailed to your daughter closer to her return to school. First Years will be given guidance during their induction day on Friday 28th August.
- Following Minister Foley’s announcement last Friday, all students will be expected to wear face coverings when a 2m distance cannot be observed. A cloth mask or visor is acceptable.
- On days when students have Physical Education (PE), they will be allowed to wear their full and correct school tracksuit into school for the day.
- For the first few weeks during the initial school opening period and, until new protocols and systems are established, there will be no microwaves. Packed lunches are advised. Lunches can be eaten outside or in the base classroom if the weather is inclement. Arrangements for socially distanced lunches will be finalized in the coming weeks.
3 days prior to your daughter’s return to school we will ask you to complete a questionnaire via Survey Monkey. A sampleof the questions has been sent via email and can also be accessed here.
Returning to school is always a happy, busy and exciting time and I know the girls are looking forward to being with one another. However, this year we have an additional layer of health and safety regulations. It is imperative the girls reflect on the changes we have made for their care and protection and take responsibility in their daily (indeed hourly) interactions with one another. With just under 3 weeks to go, Nickola and I are confident we are meeting the HSE and DES guidelines to ensure HCK will be a safe school campus.
If, for any reason, your daughter is feeling unwell, please do not send her into school.
Please continue to check the App regularly for updates.
With best wishes,
Caroline O’Brien | Principal
Holy Child School, Military Road, Killiney, Co. Dublin