Remote Learning and Easter Break

Dear Parents,

I hope that this letter finds you and your family well.

Today marks an important milestone following three weeks of school closure to contain coronavirus Covid-19.  It is the last day of remote teaching and learning before the Easter break.

A lot has changed for teachers and students in a very short space of time.  The tried and tested methods of classroom delivery were taken from us rather suddenly on the 11^th March, and the whole community had to do its best to respond.  In the last three weeks we have achieved many of the targets written in our digital learning plan for 2020/2021. Teachers are using their experience and skill to create online teaching and learning resources and to teach remotely. Student skill has also developed significantly, and students have responded with commitment and enthusiasm.  Parents have also given their support and have shown much appreciation for the efforts made by the school to support the continuation of teaching and learning and to bring the school together for assembly on Wednesday mornings.

The last three weeks have been a difficult and stressful time for all members of the community.  I want to acknowledge that it has not been easy for parents. You may well have struggled with a lack of resources – enough devices to share, space to work, lost or forgotten passwords, a poor broadband connection, or many of those. Despite all that I have greatly admired your support and response to the situation.  Teachers have benefited from some additional training, but if school closure continues after the Easter break, I will endeavour to organise some training for students so they get an opportunity to develop their skills also. Some aspects of remote learning will continue to be a challenge, but I have good confidence that with patience and perseverance we will manage to do it effectively.  There will be compromise, but I am confident we will succeed.

Remote teaching and learning will end today for the Easter break.  The break is intended to give everyone the opportunity to rest and relax. It is important for teachers and students to take a break at this stage.  During the next two weeks there will be no expectation that remote teaching or learning will continue.  There will be many students who will feel the need to study during the break to prepare for house or state examinations and that is appropriate, but the work they will do will be self-directed as in the past.

I wish to make a final plea that each family follows the health advice issued by our Government.  The advice at this stage is simple.  Stay at home and keep your distance.  It is difficult, but it is what we must do to help the HSE to meet the needs of those who have contracted the virus and are in need of specialist care.  We can all help by doing our part to comply.

I will end by thanking you for your support of the school and students over the last three weeks.  It has been greatly appreciated and has made a lot of difference.

Stay safe until we meet again.

Yours sincerely,

Adrian Landen
Principal