It is in our hands!

Dear Dads, Mams, Pupils and Staff,

The re-opening of our school has gone really well, and the girls are doing everything we are asking them to do to stay safe while they are at school.

We all know from news reports that the number of Covid-19 cases in Waterford is rising. Waterford City and County Council, the Gardaí and the HSE have come together to make a special appeal to everyone to act now to bring the numbers down. We must work together and do everything we can to keep our families safe, and to keep our services, including schools, open.

The key messages are:

• Keep the number of visitors to your home down to a minimum.
• Limiting the number of people you meet outside your home.
• Avoid crowds.
• Prioritise the people you need to see.
• When you do meet someone, keep your distance (2 metres), wear a face covering, cough into a tissue and bin it, wash your hands.
• Remember this disease can spread even if you have no symptoms.
• If you have a fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of smell, loss or change to sense of taste, isolate yourself from others and phone your GP for advice – remember that a referral and test for COVID are free and you do not have to be registered with a GP.

You can read the full message by following this link: https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/news/media/pressrel/it-is-in-our-hands!-joint-appeal-by-council-gardai-and-hse-in-waterford.html

The good news is that we all know what to do to keep ourselves and our families safe. We’re in this together so let’s do it!

Yours sincerely,

C. O’Reilly – Principal

Drop Off and Pick Up Times

Thank you again to all of our Mams, Dads, Grandparents and Minders who have been so co-operative and supportive with the drop off and pick up from school. To keep all the girls safe, here are a few little reminders.

• If you are driving, please do not park.  It is especially important not to park at the entrance to Madonna House as it needs to be kept free at all times for emergency access. The ‘drive through’ system works so please use it.
• If you are walking, please wait on the school fence side of the car park to pick up children. This is to avoid having the girls walk across the drive through area. Remember to social distance and wear a mask if at all possible.
• Please remind the older girls who walk home by themselves, not to hang around outside the school and to go straight home.

A big thank you to all our staff and to Mr. Doyle for their great work in helping to get the children in and out of school safely.

What Happens If a School Has a Positive Covid-19 Case?

We hope and pray that we will not be in this position, but it may be useful for you to know what happens when a member of staff or a pupil tests positive for Covid-19. It is very important to understand that the school cannot act on the basis of information shared on social media so please do not expect us to do so.

• The HSE is responsible for managing the situation.
• The HSE will make an assessment and decide what needs to happen.
• If necessary, the HSE will contact the Principal and request Contact Tracing Information. The Principal must provide this information to the HSE. For more information check out https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/5/publichealth/publichealthdepts/moh/covid-19-and-schools.html  The HSE will conduct any Contact Tracing.
• The HSE will make the decision on whether children or staff need to stay at home. Until this decision has been given to the school by the HSE, the school will remain open.
• To protect the privacy of children and staff members (GDPR) and to comply with Public Health guidelines, the school will not be contacting you to advise you of a positive test unless it is directed to do so by the HSE.

Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE)

The Department of Education and Skills has asked schools to focus on SPHE at the beginning of this school year and especially on the Stay Safe Programme. Teachers are currently working through the Stay Safe Programme with all the children. You can find out what is involved in the programme on these websites:

http://www.staysafe.ie/parents.htm

https://www.webwise.ie/parents/  and

www.pdst.ie/staysafe

We encourage you to become involved in the programme by discussing the lessons with your child.

Music Generation Kilkenny – www.musicgeneration.ie

Music Generation Kilkenny has asked us to pass on this information about its Autumn Programme.

Music Generation Kilkenny is returning this September 24^th at the Creative Music Space, The Drum Youth Centre Foróige, MacDonagh Junction shopping centre. Music Generation is offering tuition in:

·         Drums, Ukulele,Guitar, Voice/Singing, Virtual Voices online/in-person blend

Classes are available for 8-18 year olds and will take place in-person, in small groups.

Our Covid-19 response plan will be in operation, adhering in lessons to social distancing guidelines, hand sanitising and the cleaning of instruments where applicable.

Contact us on (056) 7786896, email us at musicgenerationkilkenny@kcetb.ie , find us on Facebook at musicgenerationkilkenny or submit the form at this link https://bit.ly/3lDxBPu

Administrator
Music Generation Kilkenny E: kate.twohig@kilkennycarlowetb.ie T: 056 7786896 

Under the Weather

This is a good website for information on many common illnesses and it also has a link to the HSE’s Covid-19 updates and advice. https://www2.hse.ie/under-the-weather/

School Website

Be sure to check in regularly on the Latest News tab on www.goodcounselngs.ie

Do you know what these people have in common?

What do all these famous and successful people have in conmmon – Leonardo da Vinci, Steven Spielberg, Jamie Oliver, Albert Einstein, Whoopi Goldberg?

All of them have Dyslexia. Dyslexia is a life long issue that can make it difficult for people to speak, read, write and spell. If you would like to contact the Dyslexia Association of Ireland, their email address is info@dyslexia.ie Dyslexia Awareness Week takes place in the first week of October.

Reminder

Thank you to everyone who has contacted Tracey to arrange payment for Art and Craft, Reading materials and Photocopying. Just a  gentle reminder to those of you who haven’t gotten around to it yet, to make an appointment please to come in and pay by Debit or Credit card.

Wellbeing – Words of Wisdom

• “If plan A doesn’t work, the alphabet has 25 more letters — 204 if you’re in Japan.” — Claire Cook
• “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you’ll ever know.” — A.A. Milne
• “To lose patience is to lose the battle.” — Mahatma Gandhi