Parking

Parking is available in the village carpark and the square in Bullaun. Parents are advised to use the village path which links the square to the school each morning and afternoon. Please exercise extreme caution when crossing the road.

Arrival

When you arrive with your child in the morning, staff will be waiting in their designated places for when the gates open at 9:00am.

You will enter through the front gate. Ground markings and bollards are in place in the interest of ensuring that social distancing is being adhered to within the school premises.

The designated teacher will direct your child into their assigned yard (front yard is designated for Junior, Senior, 1st , 2nd and 6th classes). The back yard will accommodate 3rd 4th and 5th class are to be dropped off at the hall.

Once children have made their way to their class bubble line, their parents may exit via the stile only. Children will sanitise their hands leaving and entering their classroom.

Your child will be directed to their lining up area where they will assemble with their class bubble. They will be led from their lining up area to their respective classrooms. At their classroom they will be brought to their seat with their designated pod. Each pod will consist of a group of no more than 6 pupils. While physical distancing isn’t mandatory from Junior to 2nd class, they will be kept in their pods and their respective bubbles during break time. 3rd class to 6th will be maintaining a distance of 1 metre between pupils and 1 metre between pupils within each pod. Pupils will remain in their pod in class, pupils can interact with their fellow class pods within the yard, but class bubbles will not interact during the school day.

Teachers and SNAs are not in a position to talk to parents at this time. An appointment must be made in order to arrange a meeting with a teacher. These meetings can take place by phone if possible. Should you need to drop off items or if there is an emergency you should phone when you are outside and wait to be admitted. Parents are not allowed into the school building.

Children arriving by bus will be escorted to their respective bubbles by a designated teacher.

School bus providers will have their own specific guidance regarding seating as directed by Bus Eireann, and the HSE.

Dispersal

In the afternoon when you come to collect your child, parents will line up on the path outside the school and hall, entering through the front gate and waiting at the designated marked areas. There will be 3 teachers at the front of the school directing pupils to meet their parents and exit at the stile. 5 th class will be collected at the hall. The remaining teachers and special needs assistants will be supervising at their respective class bubbles.

Children leaving by bus will be escorted to the bus by a designated teacher.

Junior Infant pupils will go home at 1:50pm.

All other classes will go home at 2.50pm

Social Distancing and Wearing Masks

While the Board has made every effort for parents to observe 2 metre social distancing at arrival and dispersal, parents are advised to wear face masks.

Break times have been reconfigured in order to keep class bubbles separated in adherence with guidelines. The outline of break times is as follows:

First Break:

10:30-10:50am: Junior Infants (middle yard), Senior Infants/1st and 2nd Class (front yard)

10:50 – 11:10am: 1st/2nd class (front yard), 3rd class (back yard), 5th class (car park area).

11:10 – 11:30am: 4th class (front yard), 6th class (back yard).

Second Break:

12:00 – 12:20: Junior Infants, Senior Infants and 1st Class

12:20 – 12:40: 2nd class, 3rd class and 5th class

12:40 – 1:00: 4th class and 6th class

Lunches

We would like to commend pupils and parents for the great efforts made last year regarding healthy lunches and we hope this will continue during the current year.

Lessons on making healthy food and lifestyle choices will be given to all classes at various times throughout the year.

Because there are children at this school with a nut allergy and a kiwi allergy, nuts or any food containing nuts (e.g. Nutella) and kiwis are strictly forbidden at this school.

In order to maximise best practice, children are not allowed to share their lunch with other children in school. Please make sure to continue to send in lunches that are easy for your children to open and eat.

Children will remain seated at their desks while eating their lunches. We will be asking that all children bring home their lunch waste every day. All lunch boxes and bottles must be labelled. Please ensure you send a drink for your child as we will not be able to share drinking vessels. If a child forgets their lunch, we will contact you at home and arrange to drop off at school according to procedure.

Personal Equipment, School Equipment and Lunches:

Each child will have their own box which will be placed under their chair. Their personal belongings (lunch-boxes, books, pencil case, drinks) will be stored in this box when not in use in order to prevent sharing of equipment.

Their bag and jacket will be hung on the back of their chair. Further details will be explained to pupils once they are in the in-class environment regarding keeping their hands sanitised, not sharing equipment.

There is a variance between what is allowed in Junior Infants to 2^nd class and between 3^rd to 6^th classes. Certain flexibility will exist in Junior, Senior, 1^st and 2^nd class pods. 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th and 6^th class pods will not be allowed the same flexibility.