NOTE: Please check the bottom of this page for information and advice documents.

Letter from Mr John Murphy, Principal (March 16th 2020)

Dear Parent/Guardian,

I am just checking in with you and sharing some information.

•  The How to access Office365 document (at the bottom of this page) will help you and your son/daughter to login to their 365 account.

• The Subject Resources document (at the bottom of this page) provides a great range of subject material, activities and links to keep your son/daughter busy over the next while. There are also lots of examples of activities that can be done by a group of children/young people together, or by the whole family.

• The following is a list of phone numbers of key school personnel. The numbers are being made available so that you will use them. These colleagues are available to all students. In particular, if your son/daughter receives regular support from a Guidance Counsellor or the Chaplain, they will be very happy to continue this. Please do not hesitate to telephone - either yourself or your son/daughter.

• Mr. John Murphy, Principal (087-4443028) or advice@stkilianscs.com
  
• Ms. Mary Casey, Guidance Counsellor (085-8109401) or m.casey@stkilianscs.com
  
• Mr. David Keane, Guidance Counsellor (085-8109391) or d.keane@stkilianscs.com
  
• Ms Sheelagh Murtagh, Chaplain (089-2350183) or s.murtagh@stkilianscs.com
  
• Ms. Izzy Fox, Home School & Community Liaison Teacher (086-7008999) or i.fox@stkilianscs.com
  

 I have a couple of concerns:

• I am anxious that, in the event of a total lockdown, the school building will be completely closed. If your son/daughter needs books/materials etc. from his/her locker, please contact me without delay and I will arrange for you to collect them.

• Email is the only efficient way of sharing information with large numbers of parents/guardians. Some families do not use email and I am also having difficulty with some email addresses supplied. It would help greatly, in ensuring that all information reaches all families, if you would talk among your friends within our community and share key documents/information with those who have not received it.

 I hope that you all, and your families, continue to stay safe and well.

 Best wishes,

John Murphy,

Principal.

Letter from Mr John Murphy, Principal (March 14^th 2020)

Dear Parent/Guardian,

I hope that you are coping with the challenges that the Coronavirus situation is presenting to our families, our country and our world.

As you know by now, the Government has decided that all schools should remain closed until Monday, March 30th, at the earliest. While this interruption to your son’s/daughter’s education is regrettable, I think we are all agreed that it is a wise decision in the circumstances.

I am very anxious that our students will continue to be supported by their teachers during this enforced closure. In recent days, we have been working at putting systems in place to ensure that Teaching and Learning can continue.

Please note the following:

• All students and their teachers have Office 365 accounts. Communication using 365 is the cornerstone of our plans for the weeks ahead.
• Ask your son/daughter to show you their 365 account, and check it regularly with them.
• Using 365, teachers can continue to teach/support students and assign them schoolwork. Students can submit work to teachers for marking and have their questions answered etc..
• 6^th Year and 3^rd Year students are, initially, the priority groups, but there will be engagement with all students.
• The level and frequency of contact between teachers and students may depend on the subject, the syllabus and the types of assignment given.
• Some teachers have already been using 365 with some classes and things may run more smoothly for these classes than for others.
• Many teachers assigned work for their students before Thursday evening’s school closure. They have given worksheets and handouts and work may be written in the students’ journals.

The school has never before been in a situation where it has had to put such plans in place, at such short notice. There may be difficulties in implementing the plans, but we will continue to monitor/adjust/develop/improve them as time passes. The plans cannot work if students are not engaging with their 365 accounts and doing the work assigned for them – please support us in supervising this. Be assured that the teachers are fully committed to doing their very best to ensure that some continuity is maintained in all of the students’ education.

In relation to other matters:

• Please check the school website (www.stkilianscs.com) for up-to-date information from the school. Any important/relevant information from the HSE/DES or other agencies will also be published in the COVID-19 article on the homepage.
• 6^th Year students were issued with an Advice Sheet on Thursday. One has also been prepared for 1^st to 5^th Year students. These are available on the school website (in the Covid-19 article). Please discuss these with your sons/daughters.
• An Advice and Help folder will be shared with your son/daughter through their 365 account. This will contain resources to support both their wellbeing and academic progress at this challenging time.
• Your son/daughter was encouraged to take all of their books home on Thursday. If they have forgotten something you may collect it on their behalf. I expect to be on-site during office hours for the duration of the closure.
• The school’s Guidance teachers, Ms. Casey (085-8109401) and Mr. Keane (085-8109391), are available to support students for the duration of the school closure.
• Parents/Guardians may contact Ms. Fox (HSCL) at 086-7008999 if they need advice/support.
• Over the next week, I hope that further remote support services can be put in place for students.
• Please note that, for the duration of the school’s closure, the regular school telephone (01-2828126) will be unmanned.
• Any meetings/events scheduled in the School Calendar during this period of closure are postponed.
• 3^rd and 6^th Year Mock reports will be posted next week.

I hope that you and your families remain safe and well during these worrying and challenging times. I look forward, as I know you do, to an early return to life, and school life, as it is normally lived.

Yours sincerely,

John Murphy, Principal.