Thanks for your Responses

     Thank you so much for your response to our recent survey!

And for taking the time to email us and respond to our phone calls.

As expected the survey revealed the broad scope of the challenges so many of you are facing and the inventiveness with which you tackle those challenges. 

Our phone calls in particular revealed the depths of those challenges-people who are worried about loved ones with health issues, worried about grandparents feeling isolated, worried about the job loss and layoffs.

And we continue to be acutely aware of the many parents in our community who work as nurses, doctors, care workers and cleaners in our Health Services right now. We also have members of our staff who are directly connected with people working in the front line and staff members who have volunteered to work in support of the frontline.

Every Little Helps
Most of the boys spend between 30-60 minutes working each day.  Some of you mentioned that your son can only work for short spurts-twenty minutes at a time, say. Or when the mood takes him.

That's fine. Often a little motivation can help-`do this first and then...`offering him some play with something he enjoys after or whatever little reward that will help build his discipline for work.

Setting up a routine and structure to the day is vital. Some days that will go out the window too but routine for us all can help us stay the course on days when we feel least like it.

Most of you favoured worksheets and working in books. The challenge of not having all of the school books at home is acknowledged. We currently are not allowed to access the school for those books but have plans in place to do so as soon as government restrictions are changed to allowed for this.

We have developed our blog pages to include audio and/or video tutorials in response to parent and teacher feedback. We have also revisited our Acceptable Usage Policy in relation to email.Suggested work is sent both via the teachers' blog pages and Aladdin. Most parents now are engaging with the class teachers via the class emails.

We know learning is not about school work but about the every day life experiences each of us have and our learning constantly adjusts according to the challenges we encounter.

We know the vast majority of respondents are appreciative of the work given by our staff but we know there are bigger challenges for you outside of having your son engage with work from school as this comment from one parent reveals...

"We are adjusting to this uncertain time...we are trying to keep a safe, happy home. The last thing we need is to be arguing with kids about school work. They are learning great life skills now about empathy, kindness, pulling together as a family"

• When school returns we teachers expect there will be learning gaps to fill.
• You son is learning things right now from you that will enrich his life.
• We are here to help and support in whatever way we can.

Thank you so much for responding to our calls, to the survey and for your emails! And thank you for your supportive, kind and encouraging words! All of us are engaging with webinars and forums via Navan Education Centre, the Primary Development Support Team as we continue to grow and amend our supports as we steer through these unchartered waters.

Do encourage your son to comment on his class blog.
He may also email teachers with his parent`s email address. Reponses will be addressed to parent and son.

The following are the email addresses of each class. Click on the link! :-)

Gliondar Mara
Junior Infants
Senior Infants
First Class
Second Class
Third Class
Fourth Class
Fifth Class
Sixth Class

And all our class blogs are here!