Dear Parents,

I hope letter finds you and your family well in spite of the Covid-19 pandemic.

We find ourselves in circumstances that are unprecedented because of Covid-19. On Prize Day when Clodagh Finn told us the story of Mary Elmes, she told us about a period when Rochelle School was closed because of illness. I am sure none of us imagined that in the very same academic year Ashton School, and all other schools in the Republic, would be closed to contain/delay the spread of a virus that would affect, in some way or other, the whole nation. It is clear that we are in uncharted waters and we must do our best to deal with whatever comes our way.

Remote Learning
The government’s response to Covid-19 in closing schools means that teachers have to establish new channels of communication with students and new methods to deliver lessons online. There are two methods of communication open to teachers and students – email and/or Microsoft Teams which incorporates shared posts, shared files, a video/voice and a text chat facility, online assignments and much more. With some practice and familiarity teachers and students will, in time, be able to communicate very effectively using Office 365. Progress will be slow initially, but with some perseverance we will get there.

Ashton School has used Microsoft Teams for some time now and many teachers are familiar with Teams as an online learning platform. Nevertheless, using Microsoft Teams as the sole means of teaching students is a new journey for teachers and students. I am asking right now that student’s do their part by becoming familiar with the technology so that a reasonable degree of progress is made on using Microsoft Teams in the short term. We have been advised to prioritise supporting exam classes which means that the teaching of sixth years and third years is our first priority.

It is our aim to do the best job that we can to support students in their learning during the school closure. We have already checked the attendance roll following the online assembly on Wednesday morning and it is our aim over the next week to check up on students who are not yet online. Over the next day or so we will post a message for students on MS-Teams and will ask them to give a thumbs up in response to show that they have read it. It will be an indication of whether or not they are able to access MS-Teams. After a number of days we will make more formal contact with students to find out how their learning is progressing, and bit by bit we will get there.

State Examinations
I know that students in exam classes have been concerned about oral and practical exams that would normally take place around this time of year. Minister McHugh made an announcement today in relation to the Cancellation of Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle Oral and Practical Performance Tests. Any further announcements in relation to exams will be communicated to students via MS-Teams. Dedicated teams have been set up for each year group. Students should access their year group team regularly and check for new posts. Students should remember that if they choose to post to the team, it will be seen by everyone in the team. To communicate more privately with teachers, students should use the chat facility instead.

Communication
In following official advice our administration staff members have been asked to work from home. Accordingly the school office is current closed. If you need to make urgent contact please email office@ashton.ie.

Acknowledgements
I acknowledge that this is a very difficult time for all members of the school community – students, parents and teachers. The Taoiseach during his state of the nation address told us that now is the calm before the storm, so we can expect worse to come. It is a time like no other that we remember. It is a time for us all to work together to help and support each other, and I have the confidence that, working together, we have the capacity to deal with whatever comes our way. I want to encourage students and parents to have the same confidence in what we can achieve.

Yours sincerely,

Adrian Landen
Principal

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