IPPN Roadmap to Re-Opening

IPPN ROADMAP TO RE-OPENING

Table of Contents 1

Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1

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Documents, Templates & Checklists ............................................................................................... 1

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Working Group................................................................................................................................ 1

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School Leader Welfare .................................................................................................................... 1

5

Policies & Plans ............................................................................................................................... 2

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School Buildings .............................................................................................................................. 2

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School Routines............................................................................................................................... 2

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Hand Washing Facilitates & Sanitising ............................................................................................ 3

9

Staff Issues ...................................................................................................................................... 4

10

Cleaning Issues ............................................................................................................................ 4

11

Protocols for dealing with suspected cases of Covid19 .............................................................. 5

12

Communication Strategy ............................................................................................................ 5

13

Additional Issues ......................................................................................................................... 5

IPPN ROADMAP FOR RE-OPENING

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INTRODUCTION

This “Roadmap� is an IPPN guide to completing the work needed to be done by school leaders in conjunction with their BoMs, Staffs and the entire School Community. It is designed to ensure that school leaders can effectively progress the work required with the help of local stakeholders and ensure that s/he is in a position to take the maximum number of days holidays this summer.

The order of work suggested here is current at present and will be updated as further information becomes available. Much of the work can be started immediately and progressed to the extent possible with current information. We would suggest that school leaders delegate where possible and co-ordinate the work of those involved.

Please note that this is not a prescriptive list of jobs to be done. Rather, it is a template / menu of the tasks involved in re-opening your school, and will be adapted by you to suit the context and capacity of your particular school community

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DOCUMENTS, TEMPLATES & CHECKLISTS

IPPN has been working with INTO and CPSMA in conjunction with the DES to produce documents, templates and checklists to assist school leaders in re-opening schools for the 2020/21 School Year.

These documents, templates and checklists are contained in the IPPN Live Resource Bundle and will be constantly updated until the schools re-open fully. The Live Resource Bundle is available by clicking here.

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WORKING GROUP 1. Establish a working group to assist in the re-opening of the school. Select people from the school community (Staff, BoM, Parents Association, Parent Body, etc.) who are capable and willing to help 2. Appoint a Staff Rep (Lead Worker Rep) and Covid Compliance Officer. The details appointment and roles for these persons is still under consideration by the DES and the education partners

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SCHOOL LEADER WELFARE

Establishing a working group and delegating the various tasks will allow school leaders to plan for a break during July and August. This is very important as school leaders have been dealing with unprecedented challenges during the Covid-19 period and the opening of the new school year in September will also pose many new and unexpected obstacles. School leaders will need to face these in a refreshed and relaxed frame of mind.

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POLICIES & PLANS 1. Download the Covid-19 School Response Plan Template, adapt the template for your school and have it ratified by the BoM 2. Revise the school’s Health and Safety Policy by adding the Health and Safety Template provided here (Shay’s Template) 3. Revise the school’s Code of Behaviour to include a reference to non-compliance with Covid19 measures in the school’s Covid-19 Response Plan 4. Have the BoM consider and adopt a “contract” to be signed by all parents agreeing to abide by the school’s Covid-19 Response Plan

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SCHOOL BUILDINGS 1. Download and print signage and affix it as required throughout the school. These are available free at  https://www.hsa.ie/eng/topics/covid-19/  https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/news/newsfeatures/covid19-updates/partnerresources/ Schools can also purchase pre-printed signs from various commercial outlets – see on-line 2. Remove any extraneous material from corridors or classrooms to give space for the maximum possible social distancing within the school and the classrooms 3. Consider the capacity of all areas, classrooms, offices etc. in light of social distancing requirements 4. Organise and mark isolation areas or rooms to be used in the event of someone displaying suspected Covid-19 symptoms 5. Flush all hot water systems to ensure that any risk of Legionnaire’s Disease is minimised.

6. Ensure that all classrooms, PE rooms, library, staff room, office are as well ventilated as possible. Have any mechanical ventilation system checked

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SCHOOL ROUTINES 1. Review assembly routines at the beginning of the school day and collection routines at the end of the school day. Ensure that, as far as possible, parents can drop off and collect their children safely without interacting with other adults or children. Consider using staggered drop-off and collection times 2. Review the arrangements for school transport or SEN transport at drop-off and collection times 3. Review break-time arrangements to minimise contact between class groups 4. Review supervision arrangements at break-times

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5. Review the operation of SEN support to limit the movement of SET teachers between classrooms. Consider in-class support wherever possible rather than withdrawal 6. Review the operation of team teaching initiatives such as Literacy Lift-off, Maths Blast etc. to minimise the movement of teachers between classes 7. Review the operation of shared SET teachers with the leaders of the other schools involved to avoid SET teachers travelling between schools on the same day 8. Organise and mark travel routes to and from classrooms, PE rooms, library, staff room, office and other areas to avoid groups meeting on corridors – one-way systems, if possible. Use all possible entrances and exits to the school buildings 9. Organise and mark assembly and collection areas in the school playground to minimise interaction between adults and children 10. Organise and mark routes and waiting areas to be used by visitors to the school. It may be safer to ask visitors to wait in their cars until called in for a meeting 11. Review the procedures for visitors and delivery personnel to the school, ensuring that they complete the Contact Tracing Log and minimise their duration and access to the school

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HAND WASHING FACILITATES & SANITISING 1. Wash hand basins, warm running water, liquid soap dispensers and hand drying facilities should be provided in all toilets, kitchens and other food preparation areas. Hand sanitiser can be used to bridge the interval until sufficient handwashing facilities can be provided or upgraded.

2. Provide foot operated pedal bins should be near wash basins for disposing of paper towels 3. Organise the purchase and installation of good quality paper towels as required. An alternative for the children would be to ask them to bring their own hand-towel (a facecloth would do) to school for their own personal use. Shared towels, including roller-type towels, should not be used 4. Hot air hand dryers are an acceptable alternative although they are often not used properly; either because the machines are not very efficient (too slow, wrong height) or there are not enough dryers for the numbers requiring them, especially at break times. If hand dryers are provided they must be regularly maintained. There is no evidence that hand dryers are associated with increased risk of transmission of COVID-19 5. Provide hand sanitising stations at entrances to the school and hand sanitiser for staff at their workstations and in all classrooms and offices

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STAFF ISSUES 1. Return to Work (School) Form. Ensure that all staff members complete the form and return it to the school leader at least 3 days before returning to work 2. Ensure that all staff members receive • a copy of the School Covid-19 Response Plan for their information and suggestions • details of the DES on-line training prior to returning to school • familiarisation training on returning to school 3. Ensure that each staff member completes and signs checklist 7 4. Arrange for consultation with staff members who are in the high risk category and for substitution, if required 5. Clarify how whole staff meetings and other staff meetings will be conducted considering social distancing guidelines. Many schools may continue to use on-line conference platforms 6. Ensure that there is a protocol whereby all subs (Teachers, SNAs or Ancillary) are properly inducted in light of the School Covid-19 Response Plan i.e.

• They sign a Return to Work(School) Form • They read and sign the Safety Statement and Risk Assessment • They complete and sign Checklist 6

10 CLEANING ISSUES 1. All cleaning staff to undergo on-line training currently being prepared by the DES in conjunction with HSA 2. BoM to provide a written cleaning schedule for cleaning staff, specifying • Item(s) and area(s) to be cleaned • The frequency of cleaning; • Cleaning materials to be used • Equipment to be used and its method of operation 3. The written cleaning schedules should be monitored to ensure that they are adequate and are being followed 4. Cleaning staff will check on the availability of liquid soap, paper towels and sanitiser supplies each day and replenish when needed 5. Ensure that there is adequate waste storage and collection. Waste which is suspected of containing the virus must be stored separately for 72 hours before being put with other waste.

6. These guidelines should follow the “Covid-19 Interim Recommendations for the reopening of schools and educational facilities” published by the HPSC and available to download here

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11 PROTOCOLS FOR DEALING WITH SUSPECTED CASES OF COVID19 Designate personnel to deal with suspected cases of Covid-19, isolation areas / rooms to be used, routes to and from these areas /rooms and a plan to allow persons with symptoms to leave the school.

This is already outlined in the School Covid-19 Response Plan

12 COMMUNICATION STRATEGY 1. Ensure that the school has a mobile number and e-mail or for all parents to ensure that every parent can receive communications from the school.

2. Send the parents timely communication regarding the re-opening 3. Details of changes to the Code of Behaviour 4. Clear advice and information on Covid-19 in relation to when to send children to school and when to keep them at home 5. Details of arrangements for drop-off and collection

13 ADDITIONAL ISSUES 1. After school activities: Clarify for parents the status of these activities 2. Assemblies: clarify how these are to be held, or postponed for the present 3. Sharing of toys and educational resources: clarify how toys and resources will be, or will not be, shared between classes. Clarify how toys and resources will be shared among children in the same class and the arrangements for these resources to be cleaned daily 4. Use of laptops and other IT items: clarify how these will be used and cleaned in classrooms and arrangements for sharing IT equipment among classes 5. Mobile phone use by children: clarify if children are now allowed to have mobile phones in their possession while in school.

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