Dear Friends and Family of Crossmichael and Gelston Primary Schools,
I hope that you are well. The sun is shining today and the days are getting longer. I hope that we can all be optimistic and look forward to getting back to some normality over the next few months.
Return to School Information
We look forward to the return of P1-3 pupils from 22nd February and hope that this is possible. This will be confirmed by the First Minister on 16th February. In the meantime, we have been making preparations for the return of our P1-3 pupils whilst also continuing to provide emergency childcare for pupils in P4-7.
All risk assessments and hygiene practices will continue to be in place to keep us all safe.
Arrangements at Gelston Primary School from 22nd February
In Gelston, our P1-3 pupils will return and be taught by Miss Drummond. Miss McNeill will continue to support pupils in her role as Learning Assistant. Mrs Bielinski will teach the class on a Tuesday morning so that Miss Drummond can complete her reduction in class contact time (RICCT) time.
Mrs Glover (Principal Teacher from Crossmichael) will be on site from Monday – Wednesday. Mrs Maxwell will be on site each Friday. Miss Reid will be working from home and can be contacted Monday to Thursday as normal.
Miss Reid, Mrs Maxwell and Mrs Bielinski will provide remote learning for P4-7 pupils as they do currently.
School meals will be available as normal.
Arrangements at Crossmichael Primary School from 22nd February
In Crossmichael, P1/2 will return as normal with Mrs Marscheider. Mrs Stitt will continue to support pupils in her role as Learning Assistant.
P2 and P3 pupils from the P2-4 class will return to their classroom in the Portakabin with Mrs Burton (Mon-Thurs) and Miss Todd (Fri). Miss Todd will provide the remote learning for the P4 children who are at home. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Mrs Jennings will support pupils in P2 and P3 in her role as Learning Assistant.
Miss Todd will also cover Mrs Burton and Mrs Marscheider so that they can complete their RICCT time.
I will be on site every day.
Each class will operate within a bubble so that they will play in zoned areas of the playground and will have staggered lunch breaks.
School meals will be available as normal.
Arrangements for Emergency Childcare for P4-7 Pupils
The emergency childcare hub will be collapsed into one site at Crossmichael Primary School from 22nd February so that we can staff it appropriately.
The hub will be staffed by our Learning Assistants, Mrs Cowan and Mrs Clifton. This means that Mrs Clifton will not be available to continue with her targeted interventions – Closing the Literacy Gap/ Literacy Ladders.
This means that all P4-7 Gelston pupils will now join the hub at Crossmichael Primary School. We have 13 pupils on the list for emergency childcare but there tends to be around 8 pupils attending each day. Pupils who attend the hub will operate within a bubble so will have separate break and lunch times to pupils in the other classes.
Covid-19 Testing Arrangements In Our Schools
More detailed information will be available on the Dumfries and Galloway Council website soon. All adults working in our schools will be tested twice weekly.
How to contact us
You will be able to contact the Headteacher at Crossmichael Primary School on 01556 670282 or 07741 686730.
For general enquiries contact the school office via email:
gw08officegelston@ea.dumgal.sch.uk
gw08officecrossmicha@ea.dumgal.sch.uk
If your enquiry relates to learning then please contact your child’s teacher via email.
Please stay safe and do get in touch if you wish further clarification.
Best wishes,
Mary E Lidstone-Scott
Headteacher
