Information for New Parents
Strong home/school partnerships;
A strong partnership exists between school and home, which is vital for good learning outcomes. We have an open-door policy to parents in Scoil Éanna and we value parental input. Parent-Teacher meetings take place in November each year. We have a Welcome Day for the parents of incoming Junior Infants in May. We communicate with parents/guardians via the Aladdin App and our school website.
Parent Association
We are very appreciative of the support which parents/guardians give to the school and to the school’s various activities. We encourage you to take an active part in the Parent Association. Read notes/letters taken home by the children.
Enquiries
All enquiries can be made by dialling 091-847379 or emailing the school at info@bullaunns.ie. Please note that the Eircom email address is no longer in use. The school email is monitored each day by the school secretary Ann. The school phone is attended throughout the day, should you need to contact the school.
Contacting Teachers
Teachers will no longer be available to talk to parents at arrival or dispersal times. If you have a query or concern, please email the school at info@bullaunns.ie and the relevant teacher will be in contact by phone or email at their earliest convenience.
School Uniform
The school wishes to thank parents for their efforts to ensure that pupils observe the school uniform.
There is flexibility on days when, for unexpected reasons, the uniform can’t be worn. A note in the diary for these days is appreciated.
Please label all your children’s clothes and belongings clearly.
To learn more about the school uniform click here.
Junior and Senior Infants
All Junior and Senior Infants go home at 1.50 pm o’clock. If there are any special collection arrangements please let your child's teacher know by note.
First 2 Weeks in September: To ease the children gently into school life, the Junior Infant children will go home at 11.50am.
Absences and School Journals
Each pupil in 1st to 6th will get a school journal from the school. As well as containing homework details, this journal acts as a link between school and home. It may be used should you need to give a message to the teacher (e.g. homework, absent, uniform etc).
It must also be used for absence notes. Should your child’s absences exceed 20 days, a precise breakdown of the reasons for absences, e.g. illness, appointments, family business etc. is required by the Tusla (Child and Family Agency). This is forwarded to Tusla by the school.
Please ensure that the personal details of your child have been compiled at the appropriate page including parent contact-numbers (home and mobile).
It is crucially important that parents are contactable at all times during school hours. The purpose of this is to ensure that the optimum response may be undertaken in the event of any emergency arising concerning your child.
Junior and Senior Infant Teachers will be using Seesaw as a school diary.
Sick Children
Do not send your child to school if he/ she is sick as they will not be allowed to stay in during break periods due to supervision regulations. Also, it is imperative that we reduce in-class risk at this time in accordance with our Covid Response Plan.
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.
Accompanying your child to and from the school
It is each parent’s responsibility to ensure that they accompany their child from their car all the way to within the school premises whereby they are received by the teacher or SNA.
Drop-Off Area
The drop-off area is available to parents who wish to use it.
There are two teachers supervising the entrance points and exit points of this drop-off area.
There are bollards and safety gates at this area in order to enhance safety. These have been purchased with additional Government funding. Your co-operation and patience is appreciated.
Using the Drop Off Area
When you have switched on your indicator and stopped, wait for the signal from the teacher to enter.
Parents and pupils who are walking along this path have the right of way. Do not turn in until the footpath is clear, and the teacher has signalled to do so.
To exit, wait until the other red gate has been removed and the teacher gives you the signal that it is safe to leave. The drop off area can accommodate four cars only. It is not always possible to use it.
Arriving and Collecting at the hall
Pupils who are being dropped to the hall will observe social distancing prior to entering the hall. This will be supervised by Mr. Kilroy.
Parents must drop their children at the gate without entering the hall premises.
Parents are requested to observe 2 metre social distancing when dropping children at the hall.
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
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 2nd class and between 3rd to 6th classes. Certain flexibility will exist in Junior, Senior, 1st and 2nd class pods. 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th class pods will not be allowed the same flexibility.
Health and Safety
Hand Sanitisers
Hand sanitiser will be available at all entry points and outside all classes and support rooms. This sanitiser is produced in Ireland, used by the H.S.E. and meets all Covid certifications. Younger children should not have independent use of containers of alcohol gels.
As part of health and safety in the school, we encourage regular washing of hands, particularly around eating time and after toilet use. We will be reminding your child of the importance of hand washing on an ongoing basis. Unfortunately, germs and viruses spread very quickly in a classroom environment so it is vital that the children are encouraged to use a tissue when blowing their nose and to cover their mouth and turn away when coughing.
If your child develops any contagious illness such as chickenpox, please keep him away from school until the period of contagion is over and inform his teacher immediately. We recommend that you check your child regularly for head lice which is highly contagious, treat immediately if they occur and inform the teacher so that notification of possible risk may be sent out to other parents.
All information regarding your child’s health is treated in the strictest confidence.
Occasionally your permission will be required for dental, eye or other health examinations.