Mrs N’s Notes 15.8.20
WELCOME BACK
Firstly, can I thank everyone who has made our safe return to school possible. Without our cleaning, janitorial, kitchen, clerical and support staff, the teachers would not have been in a position to welcome your child back to class safely this week. Also can I thank all our parents who have patiently supported our attempts to coordinate the movement of adults at the school gates. The safety of your child and your entire family is our primary concern at this time.
DROP OFF AND COLLECTION
It is vitally important that adults continue to maintain 2m distancing on the pavements around the school. For this reason we must continue with our staggered start and stop times. The volume of adults on Old Monkland Road, particularly at the end of the day, means we cannot dismiss all children safely at the same time. Siblings from the same Zone will be dismissed together as we did last week.
PRIMARY 1 – From Monday 17th August Primary 1 will be in school for a full day; from 8.50am until 2.50pm. P.1 pupils should be dropped off at the Zone 1 gate, where staff will guide your child up to the playground where Mrs Begley and Mr Haggarty will collect them. We will continue to dismiss P.1 pupils from the playground for the time being. ONE adult only should enter via the Zone 1 gate just before the class are dismissed at 2.50pm. Please leave the playground promptly as soon as you have your child, in order to allow the other classes to exit the building safely.
PRIMARIES 2 & 3 – The school gates will not open until 8.45am. Please drop your child off as close to their designated start time as possible (9am or 9.10am). Siblings can be dropped off together. The Zone 1 gate will remain open until 9.15am. At the end of the day P.2 and P.3 parents and carers should form a single queue along the fence at the pitch at your child’s designated stop time. The first adult in the queue should walk into the space at the gate before calling their own child down. Please ensure you are standing IN THE GATEWAY to avoid your child running onto the road. This worked successfully last week. Thank you for your patience. Throughout the period of lockdown we became used to queueing for everything; I know the queue for Rooms 3 & 4 looks big, but we managed to dismiss both classes in less than 5 minutes last week and we will get quicker at this with practice.
PRIMARIES 4-7 – The Zone 2/3 gate will not open until 8.45am when staff will be present in the playground. Pupils should arrive at school as close to their start time as possible. Siblings can arrive together. Can I ask all adults to park legally and consider parking a short distance from the school, allowing your child to walk the last part of the journey. We need to ensure the road and pavements around the Crossing Patrol are kept clear for your child’s safety. The Zone 2/3 gate will remain open until 9.15am. At the end of the day P.4-7 parents and carers should arrange a meeting spot with your child. As you saw this week, your child will be escorted to the gate by their class teacher. Those children crossing Old Monkland Road will leave first, allowing Rona to escort them safely to the other side. Those children who are going home alone, those who can see their parent or who are heading to a meeting spot independently will be allowed to leave. Any pupil who has been instructed to wait for an adult can wait inside the gate with a member of staff until you arrive. Please discuss your family arrangements with your child to ensure they are confident with this and know what you want them to do.
I know that there has been great excitement and chat this week as many families have been meeting up again for the first time in months, but can I ask that families move away from the school grounds as quickly as possible to avoid congestion around the gates.
FOOD AND DRINK
Breakfast Club opens at 8.15am each morning. No adult should enter the school grounds. Mrs Dillon will be at the front gate from opening time. At Breakfast Club, children will all be in the dinner hall with Mrs Stewart and they will sit alongside friends from their own Zones.
Please remember that no Tuck Shop is in operation at this time. If your child requires a healthy snack for playtime they should bring this to school.
Pupils can bring a healthy packed lunch or purchase a school meal at lunchtime. Pupils should bring a filled water bottle for use in class. Diluting or fruit juice can be drunk at break times. Fizzy juice should be kept as a treat for home. Any payment of school lunches should be made using the online payment system. Log in details for this have been sent out in the past week. Week 2 menu this week.
START OF SESSION ORGANISATION
Please ensure your child’s name is on every item of clothing and all their belongings. We have already had fun trying to match lunch-boxes and water bottles to their owners. 😃
For health and safety reasons, pupils should not wear looped or dangling earrings. A stud in the lobe of the ear is the safest option.
In line with national advice, classes will take their learning outside whenever they can. Please ensure your child has an appropriate jacket and shoes for going outside each day. Also, if the weather looks good, please put protective sun lotion on your child in the morning (maybe I’m being a bit optimistic here?!).
Over the next few weeks your will be informed of your child’s PE days. At the moment timetables are deliberately being kept more flexible to allow teachers to react to the needs of the class on a daily basis. Your child will not require any change of clothes for PE at this time.
DIGITAL HARDWARE
At the end of last term North Lanarkshire Council asked parents to indicate if their child did not have access to a digital device or Internet for learning at home. The process of coordinating this and distributing devices on loan is still going ongoing. Any families who are in this position but who have not contacted me directly should do so as soon as possible to be added to this list.
ADULT ACCESS TO SCHOOL BUILDING
At this time, for the safety of our entire school community, access to the building is restricted. If you require to speak to a member of staff, please email or telephone the school to organise a telephone appointment. If, in exceptional circumstances, you need to visit the school at any time you will be asked to wear a face-covering and provide your details for Test & Protect. No adult should visit the school without a prior appointment.
You will understand that this also means we have had to postpone our school photographs this term. We will look at the possibility of organising this later in the year, if restrictions are relaxed.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Normally I would be sending out a Calendar of School Events this week. Under the circumstances, this will not be coming to you this year as the long term situation is so uncertain. However, news and events will be posted here and on the school app (Piota) as required.
PARENT PORTAL
Look out for a new service coming your way soon. Some schools in NLC launched this last session and it will soon be our turn to jump on board too! This digital portal will allow you to check the contact information we hold for your child, ensuring we can keep it updated at all times. It will also allow us to send home and receive letters that require a signature – meaning less paper moving back and forward. In addition, I am told it makes the online payment system easier to use. I am sure you will see this being advertised on Council platforms over the coming weeks. Rest assured, you will have access to these facilities very soon.
