Guidance Handbook link:
Update No: 2
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Further to my letter this morning, I wish to give you an update on the current situation.
Online Learning.
The Guidance Handbook is complete and has now been posted on our School’s website page. It has also been signposted on our Facebook page. Please ensure that you read through this with your child thoroughly so that you are familiar with the provision that has been made for them over the coming weeks.
I would also alert your child to a Monday morning briefing which can be accessed in Google Classroom at 9.30am. This will include important information for the week ahead.
Teachers have placed resources in the relevant location in Google Classroom and work is on SMHW as previously indicated. This will all go live on Monday morning. Should you experience any problems, please contact the IT Helpdesk email address - details of which are included in the Handbook.
Skeleton Service for children of Key Workers
As communicated to you this morning, children of key workers will be provided for. If you are a key worker and feel that your child needs to be supported, then you should email agraham013@c2kni.net for an application form and return it to the same email address. Many parents working in the identified key workers list may be able to ensure that their child is kept at home.
EVERY CHILD WHO CAN BE SAFELY CARED FOR AT HOME SHOULD BE
There is no requirement for identified key worker parents to take up this offer or send their children to school if they do not wish to. Any children previously withdrawn from school on the basis of risk should not return.
This facility is designed only for children with both parents working as Key Workers, and only when both parents are working at the same time should their children attend school. In single parent families, the main carer must be a Key Worker and be required at work.
Every alternative childcare arrangement should be explored before deciding to send children to school. School should, in effect, be a last resort. This is in order to comply with general public health advice on social distancing.
Wrap around services will not be available and our school will only be open for normal school hours: 9.00am – 3.20pm. There will be no nurse or medical support available in school.
Provision of any level of service will be dependent on staff availability and the school may have to be closed if this becomes a problem.
Below is a detailed list of the Key Worker categories and some questions that you can ask to determine whether this is a suitable option for you:
Questions for Key worker parents:
Are you a key worker? What category of key worker are you? Have you already withdrawn your child for Health & Safety reasons? Is your family socially isolating? Is any member of your family exhibiting any symptoms of cough or temperature? Does your child have underlying health issues? Do you have family members at home with underlying health issues? Are you clear that children exhibiting symptoms must be picked up immediately? Are you clear that that children will be socially distanced in school?
Categories:
Health and Social Care. This includes doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, home carers and staff required to maintain our health and social care sector.
Education and childcare. This includes nursery and teaching staff, social workers and those specialist education professionals who will remain active during the Covid-19 response.
Public Safety and national security. This includes civilians and officers in the police (including key contractors), Fire and Rescue Service, Prison Service and other national security roles.
Transport. This will include those keeping air, water, road and rail transport modes operating during the Covid-19 response.
Utilities and Communication. This includes staff needed for oil, gas, electricity and water (including sewage) and primary industry supplies to continue during the Covid-19 response, as well as key staff in telecommunications, post and delivery, services and waste disposal.
Food and other necessary goods. This includes those involved in food production, processing, distribution and sale, as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods (e.g hygiene, medical etc.).
Other workers essential to delivering key public services. Key national and local government including those administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the Covid-19 response.
Transport
From Monday onwards, Translink will be operating a holiday timetable. This means that parents/guardians will be responsible for transporting their child to and from school.
Free School Meals
No decision has been conveyed to school from the Department of Education in connection with the provision of Free School Meals. However, we will contact you with further details of this when they are known.
Vulnerable Children
LJHS remains committed to supporting children who are vulnerable. Our Senior Pastoral Team has been contacting families who have vulnerable children to establish arrangements for attending school.
Communication
School will continue to update you via our brief text messaging facility which will direct you to messages on our website and Facebook pages. In addition, we would encourage you and your child to check these regularly, alongside checking SMHW and Google Classroom.
Visits to school
We request that there are no visits to school at this time, in order to safeguard our staff. As you know, we have provided two time slots for next week, for the collection of resources, should your child’s teachers deem this to be necessary. We would remind you that this will be indicated on SMHW where appropriate.
Finally, once again, I take this opportunity of thanking all members of our school family – parents, pupils, staff and governors - for their continued support, patience and good-will at this very difficult time.
As we move forward, there will undoubtedly be challenges for us all to face, but I give you my commitment that all of us here in LJHS are working hard to ensure that your child’s learning journey continues and that their spiritual, physical and mental health remain of paramount importance to us.
With renewed best regards and assurances of my thoughts and prayers for you all.
J. McCoy, Principal.
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