Summer Term - Update

25/05/20

 

Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),

I hope this message finds you all well on this Monday morning. I am writing to outline our plans for the next few weeks as this most unprecedented of terms draws to a close. I would like to reiterate just how proud I am of the way in which our school community is coping so admirably with this new situation in which we find ourselves. We have all been in survival mode for some time now and the kind words exchanged between us all is fueling our desire to keep going.

As the weeks have gone on, many of you have found momentum with remote learning difficult to maintain. This is perfectly normal and is something being felt by teachers, parents and pupils all over the country. The wonderful pupils of Ballydesmond NS have done so well to stay engaged for so long. Don’t worry if your child is losing focus, instead, try to celebrate their achievements to date.

With all of this in mind, the upcoming weeks will see more of an emphasis placed on active homework, projects and hands on learning. June is traditionally a month of reduced homework, school tours and outside learning. In conjunction with our wonderful Parents Council, we had even been planning for a big sports day around now. While circumstances deny us the chance to do much of this, we will still do our best to continue the ‘June Spirit’ from a distance.

Mrs. Cronin (Our PE co-ordinator) has been liaising with all staff to create a wonderful active week to begin on June 3rd . While not every activity may suit your family, it would be fantastic if your children could engage in as many as possible from the menu of activities. There really is something for everybody and much of it can be achieved by the children independently.

To conclude, the weeks and months ahead will bring new challenges for our entire school community. Decisions will need to be made at both national and local level regarding procedures for the proposed return to school in September. Once guidance has been issued by the Department of Education, I can assure you that our dedicated Board of Management will set to work on ensuring that we make our return to school as safe and welcoming an experience for our pupils as possible.

Le meas,

Mr. Neenan.

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