November 2021 Newsletter
November 22nd 2021
Dear Parents & Guardians,
COVID-19 Update
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued cooperation and support of our Covid Response Plan. Since the 27th September, schools are no longer informed of a positive case in the school. As a result of these changes in Covid-19 contact tracing, we are not allowed to inform parents/guardians of cases. We appreciate being informed by parents and guardians when their children have received a positive PCR result or when their child(ren) need to isolate and restrict movements.
It is of critical importance that we all continue to monitor children for symptoms of Covid-19. If your child has symptoms associated with Covid-19 then they need to restrict their movements until they receive a ‘negative/not-detected’ PCR Test Result. Please follow the HSE advice if your child is identified as a close contact.
As you may have seen via media reports from last week, a new system of antigen testing of asymptomatic close contacts in primary schools will commence on or before Monday 29th of November. Please see below, details of the correspondence received from both the Department of Education & Department of Health in relation to this matter.
How the programme will work:
- When a parent receives a ‘detected’/positive PCR COVID-19 test result on their child, they should notify the school principal immediately.
- The school principal will inform the parents of the children in the case’s pod that they are close contacts of a confirmed COVID-19 case. The name of the case or any other details will not be shared.
- The school principal will identify the children in the case’s pod, and inform their parents, offering the opportunity to order antigen tests from the distribution company.
- The antigen tests will be posted to the parents of the children in the pod.
- Parents carry out the antigen test on the day that they receive it and every second day until three tests have been done.
- The children in the pod can continue to attend school as long as they remain asymptomatic and their antigen test results remain not detected.
If a child’s antigen test indicates a positive result:
- If an antigen test is positive, the child isolates at home and the child’s parent/guardian logs onto the HSE to request a PCR test.
- The antigen test distribution company will record the numbers of antigen tests distributed, batch numbers and the names of the relevant schools.
If a child develops symptoms of COVID-19:
- If at any stage a child becomes symptomatic they should isolate at home and organise a COVID-19 PCR test if indicated. A ‘not–detected’ antigen test holds no value in this situation of a symptomatic child.
If two or more cases arise in a class, outside a single pod:
- In a case where two or more cases arise in a class, within a seven-day period, outside of a single pod, antigen testing will be offered to the full class.
As soon as we receive further information in relation to this we will communicate it to you via Aladdin and on our school website.
- HSE Advice if your child has Covid 19 symptoms
- Isolation Quick Guide (updated 29th September)
Parent / Teacher Meetings: Parent / Teacher Meetings are taking place this week. The meetings will be held via a phone call or Google Meet. Meetings should be booked via the Aladdin App/portal. The booking system will close today at 1:30pm. If you need to book a meeting after this time, please contact office@milfordns.ie with your request.
The aim of our meetings is always to promote respectful, dignified dialogue and communication between staff and parents/guardians. Please note that to be fair to all, the teachers will need to finish the meeting at the prescribed time. If further discussion is required, a separate meeting can be arranged.
Christmas Shoebox Appeal: Many thanks to everyone who donated a Christmas Shoebox this year. The shoeboxes were collected from the school last week. A special word of thanks to Ms. Laura Hynes for organising the Shoebox Appeal.
Shakin’ with Shakespeare: Shakin’ with Shakespeare is an after-school club which runs two days a week, where the children from 5th and 6th classes read the plays of William Shakespeare in a fun and hands-on way! The current groups have almost completed studying and dramatising “Romeo & Juliet”, with Ms. Orla Murray. The pupils have enjoyed the play so much, and have gained a really good insight into the characters of the tragic play. In the new year, Ms. Murray will hope to continue with the two groups, and begin other Shakespearean plays. Any interested pupils can contact Ms. Murray if they wish to put their name down for the next term, beginning in early January 2022.
Lost Items: A large number of school uniform items have been found around the school building, yard and gym. The majority of the items are not labelled. In this instance, it is extremely difficult to return the item to its owner.
Please label every item belonging to your child, including their bags and lunchboxes and particularly outerwear items: coats, hats, scarves, gloves and school & tracksuit jumpers.
Lunches: Please remember that our school is a Nut Free Zone. Some of our pupils have allergies to nut products so please check the labels of all food items in your child’s lunch box.
We also operate a healthy lunch box policy. Teachers will indicate to classes throughout the year when they may bring in a special treat to eat. The policy in relation to this is on our website.
Parents’ Council: The Parents’ Council AGM took place on Wednesday, 10th November 2021. The AGM was very well attended and we are pleased to announce a new committee has been officially formed. Our school would not be where it is today without the support and dedication of successive Parents’ Councils, Boards of Management, and the wider parent community, whose extraordinary voluntarism and active citizenship helped overcome many obstacles in providing us with the structures and facilities for an appropriate learning environment, and who have pioneered initiatives and worked assiduously on behalf of parents and pupils alike.
Sincere words of gratitude to James O’Shaughnessy (Chairperson), Julianne Phelan (Secretary) and Keith Murray (Treasurer) for accepting positions on the new Parents’ Council Committee. A big thank you also to the members of our Parents’ Council 2021/22:
- Raymond Lynch
- Rosemary Ryan
- Jennifer Gallagher
- Keith Murray
- Alex Moloney
- James O’Shaughnessy
- Rachel Meehan
- Asanke Wasala
- Sarah Meehan
- Elaine Murray Bowles
- Joanne O’Carroll
- Seán Walsh
- Orla Grant
- Caitriona Wynne
- Irene Kenzie
- Nuala Dooley
- Mark Glancy
- Sandra Price
- Christine Murphy
- Julianne Phelan
- Jean Flannery
A huge Thank You to Jean Flannery (Outgoing Chairperson), Elaine Hickey (Outgoing Treasurer) and Julianne Phelan (Secretary) for all their work for Milford School. They have been a wonderfully motivated and enthusiastic committee of the Parents’ Council and have done enormous work for the parents and school during their time on the Parents’ Council committee.
The Parents’ Council members are always happy to meet new parents who would like to help out at school events. If you would like to help out in any way please contact parentscouncil@milfordns.ie
Parents’ Workshop: Limerick Education Centre (LEC) have a webinar on Digital Citizenship Study – Parents Workshop on Tuesday 23rd November, Time 7.00pm. Digital Citizenship covers a set of skills that are vital for modern living. It includes Digital Proficiency, which covers the ability to be able to use digital technologies for your personal benefit, Digital Literacy, which covers the ability to be able to find, evaluate and use information & finally it covers respectful behaviour towards yourself & others in the digital space. TUS, Science Foundation Ireland & Limerick Education Centre invite parents/guardians to a workshop where we will explore Digital Citizenship learning opportunities for parents/guardians, including rights & responsibilities online, digital commerce & internet shopping, copyright & plagiarism and online safety. All we require is that you fill in a questionnaire to find out the attitudes and perceptions you have to various aspects of Digital Citizenship at the start of the workshop & again at the end of the workshop.
Parents can register for this webinar by clicking on the tab
Fís Film Awards: Congratulations to all the pupils in Ms. O’Neill’s 5th Class who received the Award for Outstanding Special Effects in the 2021 Fís Film Awards. The pupils, under the expert guidance of Mr. Gallagher and kind assistance of Ms. Barrett supported the children in the creation of their wonderful movie, ‘Good Will Virus.’ We are very proud of their achievements. The movie may be viewed here.
Congratulations: Congratulations to Ms. Gemma Ryan on the recent birth of her baby boy.
Important Dates:
- Our next Board of Management meeting will take place on 1st December.
- The next Primary Language Curriculum inservice workshop for teachers will take place on Monday, 13th December 2021. As a result, the school will close early on that day. The staggered times are as follows: 11:50am closing for Juniors, 1st, 3rd and 5th Classes. Noon closing for Seniors, 2nd, 4th & 6th Classes.
- Christmas Holidays: School will close early on 22nd December. The staggered times are as follows: 11:50am closing for Juniors, 1st, 3rd and 5th Classes. Noon closing for Seniors, 2nd, 4th & 6th Classes.
- School will reopen again on 6th January 2022.
- The closing date for Junior Infant Admissions for the school year 2022/23 is Friday, 14th January 2022.
Wishing you and your family the very best.
Le gach dea-ghuí
Diarmaid Moore
Principal
