We have a few free courses available for parents during the month of November. Click on each image below for more details.

Welcome back to everyone. We hope that all the children enjoyed the Halloween activities at school. Our website www.stbrigidsinfantschool.ie has some photos of the Halloween fun.

Teaching and Learning

We are glad that schools are remaining open and that we can get back teaching and learning. We have a lot to catch up on after the long closure in the spring and summer. All workbooks, reading books, stationery and materials have been delivered on a sale or return basis. Please make arrangements to pay for books and materials as soon as possible.

We cannot give out workbooks which haven’t been paid for.

You can pay one of the staff in the yard, call to the hatch at Jackie’s window, or put the money into an envelope in your child’s bag and tell them to give it to their teacher in the classroom. Anyone who has any difficulty paying should phone the school as soon as possible. Receipts will be issued.

For the month of November we will celebrate “love of learning” all around the school. You can keep in touch about your child’s learning and homework through Class Dojo app. There’s a lot to learn…

Communication and Technology

As we cannot meet in person, we are depending more and more on technology to keep a two-way channel of communication between home and school: Class Dojo app, school and teacher email, text, Whatsapp, or phone calls to our Home School Liaison teacher Olwen at 086 3705773 or the school landline 8348770.

School absence – Please call the office on 8348770 between 9 and 10 am to explain every school absence. Alternatively email the school address info@stbrigidsinfantschool.ie before 10 am. The School Completion Programme attendance monitor Elaine calls families in the case of all unexplained absences every day. A child returning from any absence must have a parental declaration form filled in. The form can be returned by email to Olwen at omay@stbrigidsinfantschool.ie. Or you can request a paper copy from one of the staff in the yard.

Day-to-day queries about homework, lunch menus, PE can be done via Class Dojo or teacher email. The teachers will not reply during the school day as they are working! They will respond after school. Teachers will turn off their notifications when they go home.

Phone calls or socially distant meetings can be arranged if you have important concerns about your child’s education or welfare. Please ring the principal’s office to make an appointment.

Social Media Etiquette – We expect all parents and guardians to be respectful of the privacy and safety of our children, staff and parents in their use of social media. Once again, we urge you NOT to share names/ photographs of any pupil or staff member on any platform. We are currently updating our Acceptable Use Policy (which guides the use of technology and social media for school use). We would welcome your feedback, concerns or comments to be included in the policy.

Phone numbers – We must have up-to-date phone numbers for every family.

Office hatch at Jackie’s window available for anyone who wants to collect a lunch form, fill in an enrolment form or pay for books.

Health & Safety

• Safe movement of people on the school grounds
• Staggered entry and exit times which we introduced just before the break worked well and have reduced the numbers on the path at one time. Please follow the yellow arrows.
• Bikes and scooters must be walked on the school grounds. Children must walk on the path by their parent’s side.
• All adults and teenagers dropping off or collecting children must wear a mask on the school grounds. Please phone the school to advise us if you are unable to wear a mask.
• To facilitate a smooth two-way flow through the grounds, everyone walking through the grounds must KEEP RIGHT and follow the yellow arrows.
• Parents, while the children are in your care, please make sure they stand on their line markers and walk nicely in and out of school. They know what to do!

After listening carefully to feedback from parents, the BoM of the two schools have decided to revert to the old entry and exit system, with staggered entry and exit times. Senior girls will enter and exit by their own gate. Infant School pupils and their parents will enter and exit by the Infant School gate, keeping right, following the yellow arrows. The passageway is now closed.

Before leaving home, children must go to the toilet and wash hands thoroughly. Please dress children warmly this winter as we are sticking to the safety guidelines on increased ventilation and outdoor education.

Enrolments for 2021

We are now accepting enrolments for Junior Infants and Early Start for September 2021. Each application form must be accompanied by a PPS number and original birth cert, which we will photocopy. Offers of a place will issue in writing in November. All offers must be accepted in writing. St Brigid’s Senior Girls and St Fergal’s are also enrolling for September 2021.

Other News

Bernard McGivney, father of two children in our school has been elected as parents’ nominee (father) on the Board of Management. We thank the school community for the support and interest in the BoM.

In St Brigid’s School, we observe the November tradition of remembering and praying for our dead. This year, we remember our past pupils Gary McKenna and Reece Wilde (both died last September) and our family members and neighbours in Finglas who died in 2020.

What will be different this year?

• Teachers and SNAs will be wearing visors or masks when a 2m distance cannot be maintained
• Parents are welcome to wear face coverings in the yard
• Children under 13 are not expected to wear face coverings
• Children will be sanitising their hands under adult supervision before and after using any learning equipment, before and after handling their books, before eating, and after coming indoors
• Children will be having lessons on hand hygiene, cough and sneeze etiquette, and distancing while walking in the line
• Children will be staying and playing with their OWN CLASS ONLY ( their “bubble”) all day
• A very limited group of adults (class teacher, SNA and support teacher) will be working with the children
• Staff will be working and taking breaks in small teams to reduce interactions and increase distancing
• We will be implementing strict cleaning procedures twice a day
• Children will not come into school if they are unwell in any way
• Staff members will not come to school if they are unwell
• Classrooms and corridors will be well ventilated
• Children will be playing outdoors every day whatever the weather and will be need to be dressed appropriately
• A one-way system will operate on the school grounds in the morning
• We request that parents and children remain in safely spaced family groups while waiting at the gates or in the yard
• Parents will not be allowed into the building except by appointment but we will stay in touch with brief outdoor chats, text message, email and phone calls.
• Meetings will take place only by appointment in safely spaced, well-ventilated environment.
• We expect all families to cooperate fully with all our safety procedures
• Any child who is not well will be minded by a member of staff in the parents’ room until they are collected by a parent
• All details on advice and procedures for schools are available on the website www.gov.ie/backtoschool.

What will be the same?

Like every other new school year, we all look forward to getting back to teaching, learning and reconnecting with friends.

As always, your children’s safety, health, wellbeing and learning are our priority.

Morning Routines for a Safe Return to School

We have been busy preparing for a safe return to school for children, staff, families and visitors.

Dublin City Council has asked all schools to promote walking, cycling or park ‘n’ stride to school. We are very happy to support and reward this initiative.
Please respect our lollipop people– they are here to help us cross the road safely.

• To reduce crowding at the school gates, and to accommodate families dropping children to more than one school, St Brigid’s Infant School, St Brigid’s Senior Girls and St Fergal’s have coordinated our drop-offs.
  • Big brothers of our pupils can be dropped off at St Fergal’s for 8.50a.m. The staff in St Fergal’s will be ready to receive the big brothers-we are co-ordinating.
  • Both St Brigid’s Schools will have a MORNING ONE-WAY SYSTEM through the grounds, which will be clearly signposted.
  • All senior school girls, our pupils and parents walk IN by the INFANTS gate. Our children are too young to come in alone.
  • Our children and parents wait in the socially distanced class lines until the teachers collect the lines at 9 am. Social distance spots will be marked on the ground. Each family group must respect social distance whatever the weather. Remember only children and staff will be entering the building.
  • All parents and senior girls walk along the back of Infants yard by the edge of the shelter, through the corridor at the hall and out along by the edge of the shelter in the Girls Yard, down their path and OUT by the GIRLS gate. Keep moving.
  • Bikes, scooters and buggies must be wheeled through both yards.
  • No dogs are permitted on school grounds.
  • No gathering in groups in the yard or at the gates.
  • Access through the middle gate for staff and Senior School special class transport only.
  • Early Start children and parents will enter through Infant Gate and then their own outside doors.
• Keep right on entering the school grounds.
  • NO PARENTS inside the building without a prior appointment.
  • Punctuality is essential for our system to work.

We will monitor and review this routine during September. Feedback welcome.

Hometime Routine

• Classes will exit by the upper, middle and lower doors. Parents will wait on the social distance spots in a safely distanced line. Thanks for your cooperation.
• Junior Infants exit at 1.30 p.m. Senior Infants and First Class at 1.40 p.m.
• Families will leave by the Infant gate, keeping right at all times on the path.

Before You Leave Home Checklist:

• Does your child look and feel well?
  • If children seem unwell in any way, they MUST stay at home!
  • Does any member of your household display Covid symptoms?
  • If so, your child must also stay at home.
• Visit to the toilet last thing before leaving?
• Hands washed with soap and water for 20 seconds? Nails short?
• Does your child have a tissue up sleeve?
• Velcro shoes?

• Uniform or school tracksuit to be worn. Vest, tights, hat, gloves and warm coat once the weather cools down?
  • Empty lunchbox to bring home uneaten lunch?
  • Are your three contact numbers on our list up-to-date?
  • Is someone available to collect your child if they become unwell during the day. ( They cannot go home by public transport.)

Health and Safety Routines to keep us all safe this year

1. Children’s hands will be sanitised as soon as they go indoors every morning, and then regularly throughout the day under adult supervision.
2. Children may wear uniform or tracksuit, with warm coat, gloves and hat in winter. Classrooms will be ventilated regularly throughout the day and the children will have plenty of outdoor learning and fresh air breaks.
3. Children will be staying and playing in their class bubbles all day. There will be no mixing of classes inside the building or in the yard. The same small group of staff (class teacher, learning support teacher and SNA) will be working with the class.
4. Staff will be wearing visors or masks in situations where 2m distancing is not possible. Children under 13 are not required to wear face coverings.
5. There will be no visitors, including parents, allowed into the building without an appointment.
6. We expect all family groups to respect social distancing in the grounds and on the way to and from school.
7. Children will be doing SPHE (Social Personal and Health Education) lessons on hand hygiene, cough etiquette, and social distancing.
8. We will be paying great attention to wellbeing. We want all children and families to settle into a happy, calm, productive routine. We have a whole lot of learning, friendship and fun to catch up on!
9. We will continue to follow public health advice faithfully and will keep our school community (staff, children and parents) informed and updated through our website, school newsletters and Aladdin text messages. We only listen to information from trusted sources.
10. Children and staff will not come into school if they are unwell, and will be sent home immediately if they feel unwell during school. Please make sure we have your up-to-date numbers and that there is someone available to collect.

Starting times

First Class and Senior Infants: 9 am – 1.40 pm, beginning Monday 31st August.

Junior Infants: 10 am – 11.15 am beginning Monday 31st August. The Junior Infants will work up to 9a.m. start and a 1.30 p.m. home time over a number of weeks. We will let you know by text message.

Early Start: begins Tuesday 1st September, beginning with a short visit with one parent.
Morning group Afternoon group
Room 8 Emer & Tara 9.00 a.m. – 11.20 a.m. 12.00 p.m. – 2.20 p.m.
Room 10 Barbara & Evelyn 9.00 a.m. – 11.20 a.m. 12.00 p.m. – 2.20 p.m.

Payment for Book Rental, Workbooks and Materials:
There will be a payment desk in the yard. Please have exact change in the envelope.

We look forward to welcoming everyone back for a new school year. If you have any concerns or questions, ask us.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We have been preparing for the reopening of school on 31 August and we are pleased that we now have clarity from the Department of Education. The roadmap for the full reopening of schools is available to read on gov.ie/backtoschool. Our new Minister for Education Norma Foley has asked all schools to thank parents and families for their patience and co-operation during the school closures and commended them for their efforts to keep learning going at home.

Classes for the new year

We have tried to keep continuity for the children in the arrangement of classes for next year.

A huge thank you and goodbye (for the moment) to Ms McDonald, Ms McMonagle, Ms Banks, Ms McIntyre, and Ms Kathy Kelly. We hope our paths will cross again.

SET team of teachers: Mrs Foley, Mrs Higgins, Mrs Stafford, Ms Pierce (standing in for Ms O Brien) will be working closely with the class teachers to support children’s needs with reading & writing, language, maths, fine motor skills, concentration and attention skills, social skills.

Early Start: Barbara and Evelyn in room 10, Emer and Tara in room 8.

Home School Community Liaison: Olwen will continue to link in with families during the year. We will be unable to have a Parents’ Room or gatherings of any kind in the school this year.

Special Needs Assistants: Aileen, Jackie, Fiona, Laragh, Mary will be working in various classrooms to support children with care needs, sensory needs and independence. As far as possible, they will be working with the same children as last year. As we have some new children who require SNA assistance, the SNAs will be working over a number of classrooms during the day.

Support for Schools

We will be getting advice from NEPS and Special Education Support Service around planning for individual educational needs and wellbeing for all children. Both agencies have useful parent pages on their websites. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment will be advising ALL schools about the curriculum in the new school year. All staff have been busy doing online and remote courses, meetings and preparation for the safe reopening of schools and return to education.

Reopening of School

Senior Infants and First Class: School reopens Monday 31 August, with slightly staggered opening and collection times, to prevent crowding. We will text you to let you know your times. Parents will NOT be allowed to accompany the children into the school building this year. There will be a team of familiar teachers in the yard to assist with directing/escorting the children into their rooms.

Children may wear their uniform or tracksuit. Crests and ties will be available to buy at the school from 19 August 10 – 12 daily.

New Junior Infants: Parents of incoming junior infants have been contacted to arrange a brief visit to their new classroom with ONE ADULT ONLY the week before school reopens. This is the only time that parents will be allowed into the building. A welcome pack and school lunch menus will be given out on the day. Parents may also like buy iron-on crests and school ties which are for sale in the school.

On Monday 31 August, Junior Infants will start school at 10 am. They will be greeted in the yard by a welcome team (familiar Early Start team from last year and the SET teachers) and escorted into the school. Parents will NOT be able to come into the school building this year.

As usual, the Junior Infants will begin with a shorter day, working their way up to the full day over a few weeks.

Early Start: All new Early Start pupils will start school on Tuesday 1 Sept. We will be in touch by phone to arrange an induction visit before school starts.

We are really looking forward to meeting all our pupils and families again!

Book rental, workbooks and stationery

All materials are ordered by the school. The cost is €60 for Junior Infants and €50 for Senior Infants and First class. Payment can be made at the school any morning between 10 and 11 am from 19 August. If necessary, parents can arrange to pay in instalments.

Communication with families

Under the new guidelines, we have to restrict visitors to the school building but we want to ensure that we keep a two-way channel of communication with parents. Principal Margaret O’Reilly, Acting Deputy Principal Helen Foley and HSCL teacher Olwen May will be in the yard every morning to deal with quick queries. We will be happy to arrange a longer conversation by phone or in a safely spaced arrangement. Our school email is info@stbrigidsinfantschool.ie. Olwen’s HSCL mobile number for calls, texts or WhatsApp messages is 086 370 5773.

We will need three up-to-date contact numbers for every child as we will ring immediately if any child seems unwell. No child should come into school if they have any coronavirus symptoms.

If a child has to stay at home, we expect that you will follow up with assigned work so that they do not fall behind with their learning.

Urgent school messages will be sent through Aladdin text. Please make sure we have up-to-date numbers.

We will continue to communicate updates through our website, monthly printed newsletters, phone calls and email. Please let us know if there is anything on your mind, as we want to keep the communication two-way.

Health & Safety for Children, Staff, Parents and Essential Visitors

We will strictly observe the public health and Department of Education guidelines and we know we can rely on the full support and co-operation of all parents and families to keep our children, our staff, and our school and local community safe, happy and back in a normal routine. The only way this can happen if everyone takes personal responsibility to keep the virus suppressed.

Children will be staying and playing with their own class group only in the new school year, with no crossover between classes. There will be no breakfast club this year, but we will continue to provide milk, healthy snacks, fruit and lunches in the classrooms.

There will be a lot of time spent on practising and teaching health education- hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene and personal space. Please ensure that every child has a tissue and can blow their nose and catch a cough or sneeze in their elbow. Sing the alphabet while washing hands at home.

Children must be able to tie their own laces or else wear Velcro or pull-on shoes or runners – for the safety of children and staff.

Primary school children will not be required to wear face coverings. Staff may wear visors in certain situations.

Tights, leggings or tracksuit bottoms under pinafores will reduce the number of grazed knees.

We will be spending extra time in the fresh air this year, with as much outdoor learning as possible, so please make sure that all children are dressed warmly and have a hat, gloves and warm coat for the winter. (We have clean spare coats, hats and school bags. Just let us know if you need something.)

We will be observing the very strict guidelines on enhanced cleaning procedures and social distance throughout the school.

We request all family groups to maintain social spacing at drop-off and collection times. There may be staggered arrival and collection times to prevent crowds gathering. Siblings will be dropped and collected together. Keeping a safe distance from other family groups is the MOST IMPORTANT THING parents can do to keep our school safe.

We have been requested by the Department of Education to ask all families to walk to school wherever possible. Families living far away from the school may like to “park and stride”.

There may be a one-way movement system through the school grounds. Please follow the signs. While this may be inconvenient to a few parents, we will be expecting your full support. We will be working in cooperation with the Senior school.

The school carpark will be strictly for staff and Senior School Special Class transport only.

Our safety processes will only be as strong as the weakest link! We need your help to keep our school and local community safe.

The focus in September will be on reconnecting with friends, teachers, school routines and settling in smoothly to school. We will have the children’s wellbeing uppermost in our plans. If we all co-operate with a practical, sensible, calm approach to the arrangements for the new school year, the children will quickly adapt to the new normal and gladly get back to learning and playing in a safe and happy school.