Author: John Hurley

Wearing of Face Coverings

John Hurley

From: The Association of Community And Comprehensive Schools:

Clarification on the use of face coverings in Post Primary schools
Wearing a face covering or mask does not negate the need to stay at home if symptomatic.

Wearing of face coverings – a requirement
Staff and students, at post-primary level, are required to wear a face covering.

Cloth face coverings
Cloth face coverings are recommended for staff and students. Cloth face coverings act as a barrier to help prevent respiratory droplets from travelling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the face covering coughs, sneezes, talks or raises their voice. Cloth face coverings are therefore intended to prevent transmission of the virus from the wearer (who may not know
that they are infected) to those with whom they come into close contact.

Face coverings must not contain any slogans/logos/images that may cause upset or be deemed offensive to any member of the school community.

Directions for effective use of face coverings

  • Information should be provided by schools on the proper use, removal, and washing of face coverings. Advice on how to use face coverings properly can be found here.
  • All staff and students should be reminded not to touch the face covering and to wash or sanitise their hands (using hand sanitiser) before putting on and after taking off the face covering.
  • Face coverings should be stored in a designated space, for example, in an individually labelled container or bag.
  • Cloth face coverings should be washed after every day of use and/or before being used again, or if visibly soiled.
  • Face coverings should not be worn if they are wet. A wet cloth face covering may make it difficult to breathe.

For the Class of 2020

John Hurley

Attention Parents and Students of the class of 2020
Leaving Certificate results are available from 9am on 7th September 2020  at the Student Portal on education.ie https://lc2020.education.gov.ie/Students will need their examination number, PPS number and account password.

Ms O Regan, your Guidance Counsellor will be available to you from 9 am on Monday.
Please email Ms O Regan or call the school to arrange a meeting.

For more information, please see this booklet:

Information-LC-Class2020Download

Letter to Parents

John Hurley

Dear parents
We hope that you are keeping well. Since our last letter to you on the 14th August, we have continued to work hard to get our school ready for reopening.
Our priority is to minimise any potential introduction of Covid-19 into our school.

We would like to remind you that;

  • Visitor access to the school will be very limited. Parents can only be allowed access if an appointment has been made.
  • Any student who has been abroad to countries outside the Green List are required to quarantine for a full two weeks before they return to school.
  • Parents should remain vigilant around symptoms and keep their children isolated at home if they are experiencing flu like symptoms.

Our safety matters and with this in mind, we are introducing the following measures:

  • All students must sanitise their hands when they enter our school.
  • There are 75 Hand Sanitising point clearly identified around our school
  • To avoid crowds, students will be designated an entry and exit point at the start and end of each school day. These entry / exit points will be clearly identified for the students during our first week back in school
  • Please arrive at school as close as possible to 8.55am and once your son / daughter is in school, they must go straight to class.
  • All classes will remain in their classroom for tuition and lunchtimes.
  • All students will be allocated a specific seat in their base classroom.
  • Lockers have been moved into the rooms and each student will be allocated their own individual locker.
  • Year Groups will remain together in pods around the building e.g. Fifth Years will be based in B05 and B07. The students will remain in those classes for the majority of their classes.
  • The students will have to move to subjects such as Art, PE, Computer Science etc.
  • Classes will be allocated designated toilet facilities specifically for certain Year Groups close to their respective pod area.

A reminder that students must wear MASKS in school. If your son/daughter cannot wear
a mask for medical reasons then you must provide a medical cert to the school before your
son/daughter returns to school.

Thank you for your full support and we are looking forward to seeing your son / daughter
back in our school


Take care
Kieran Golden, Kathleen Daly

Creative ideas for the Summer

Creative ideas for the Summer

John Hurley

Dear friends of Creative Ireland,

 

I wanted to update you on plans for Cruinniú na nÓg 2020 – Ireland’s national day of free creative activities for children and young people under the age of 18.

 

Over the past 2 years Cruinniú na nÓg has become a key point in the calendar for children and young people to try something creative, develop an appetite for discovery and acquire new skill, 2020 will be no different.  In light of ongoing public health restrictions we’re inviting young people to celebrate our culture and creativity and to take part in a virtual Cruinniú on Saturday 13th June.

 

Cruinniú na nÓg 2020 is a collaboration between the Creative Ireland Programme, local authorities and RTÉ.

 

We’re delighted to announce that 300 + events will be happening in the run up to and on the day itself.  

These will feature on our website https://cruinniu.creativeireland.gov.ie/ .  RTE School Hub, TRTE on RTE2, RTE Culture and RTE social media will also carry our content.  

 

Some creative efforts are already in train like 

 

  • Glen Hansard teaching singer songwriter workshops.

 

  • Fighting Words and the Great Lighthouses of Ireland had an astonishing 1300 entries for their storytelling call. Submissions have come from every part of Ireland.  A team of staff and professional editors donating their time are proofreading and copy editing the stories. The Fighting Words illustrator team are providing illustrations that will be included in the digital magazine on Saturday June 13th, with children’s own illustrations. Three separate volumes of Become A Young Storykeeper will be published in June, July and August 2020. Each volume will have 250 submissions. A lucky ten story entries will be made into animations and will be ready for June 13th.

 

  • A radio series and podcast ‘My Creative Life’ featuring young people of all ages from around Ireland will air throughout the summer.  

 

There are a number of creative “calls to action” which young people – indeed entire families – can create in their own homes and gardens.    I’d be grateful if you would share the details and links among your own networks and encourage as many children to get creative for Cruinniú:

 

 

  • Céilí in the Kitchen – A collective call to action for young people and their families to create a Céilí in their kitchen for Cruinniú, with Áirc Damhsa, who will guide us through the Irish tradition of these communal social events that take place in houses.  

 

 

On the 13th of June you won’t have to leave the house to join a Céilí, you can have one right there in your own home.  All you have to do is push back the kitchen table, put the chairs against the wall and you’re good to go. Creative Ireland with the help of choreographer Edwina Guckian, singer Cathy Jordan, musician Thomas Johnston and storyteller Mikel Murfi are putting together weekly video workshops from May 18th that will make sure you have all you need for a great night of traditional music, song, dance and storytelling. The children at Áirc Damhsa will also be showcasing daily their preparations for Céilí in the Kitchen with videos of performances and tutorials for you to enjoy. The whole family can learn together and then on the 13th of June share your Céilí using #CreativeIreland.

 

https://cruinniu.creativeireland.gov.ie/event/ceili-in-the-kitchen/

https://www.aircdamhsa.com/ceili

 

 

  • Let’s Go Fly a Kite – A collective call to action for children, young people and their families to make and fly a kite for Cruinniú. 

 

 

The Design and Crafts Council Ireland have joined forces with Creative Ireland to design a kite that anyone can make at home. All you need is some sticks, some newspaper, some string and a whole lot of imagination. Why not decorate in your county colours, or decorate it with pictures of your favourite pop star? From the 15th May, a series of webinars and videos will guide you and your family through fun ways to make a kite.

 

https://cruinniu.creativeireland.gov.ie/event/lets-go-fly-a-kite/

 

 

 

  • Create a Video Game App – If you could click your fingers and create a video game app, what would it be? A racing game or a coin collector? A target game or a platform? The choice is endless and it’s time for you to decide.

 

 

https://cruinniu.creativeireland.gov.ie/event/create-a-video-game/

 

In addition, local authorities will also be hosting a range of cultural and creative activities and online events for Cruinniú na nÓg – full details of the 300+ events available on our special Cruinniú website https://cruinniu.creativeireland.gov.ie/events/

 

 

Many thanks

 

Tania Banotti

 

Clár Éire Ildánach

Creative Ireland Programme Office

 

Áras an tSeoighigh, 8-11 Sráid Lombard Thoir, Baile Átha Cliath 2.

Joyce House, 8-11 Lombard Street East, Dublin 2.

 

 

Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades Portal

John Hurley

As part of the Calculated Grades process, the Department of Education and Skills asks all Leaving Cert and Leaving Cert Applied students to opt-in to the calculated grades process.

The full instructions can be viewed by clicking on this link

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

  • Pen and Paper
  • Exam Number
  • PPS Number
  • Email address (Make sure it’s one you will be able to access over the next few months)
  • Your phone number

When you are satisfied that you have those, go to: https://lc2020.education.gov.ie/

Step 1.
  • Go to https://lc2020.education.gov.ie/
  • scroll down the page until you get to the green box that says ‘Register using Candidate Number and Pin’.
  • Click on this
  • Enter your Exam number and THE FIRST FOUR digits of your PPS (This is your PIN)
  • Click on ‘Confirm Identity’
Step 2.
  • This brings you to the ‘Registration Step 2’ Page.
  • In here you need to create your account
  • Enter your email address and your telephone number.  They will be used to confirm your identity and account.
  • Create a password.
  • WRITE DOWN THE PASSWORD SO YOU DON’T FORGET IT
  • Click the ‘Create’ Button.
  • You will be sent a confirmation email
If you are an LCA student you are now finished the process.
Step 3.
  • Open your confirmation email and click on the link
  • Now go back to : https://lc2020.education.gov.ie/
  • Scroll down the page
  • Click on ‘Log In To Confirm Your Subject Levels’
  • Enter your exam number and the password that you have just created.
  • This will bring you to a screen showing you the subjects and levels that you registered for in February.
  • Check that your subject levels are correct
  • It is possible to change a subject downwards.
  • It IS NOT POSSIBLE to change a subject upwards.  If you were registered incorrectly for a subject, you need to send an email to lcsupport2020@education.gov.ie
  • At the end of the page click on the ‘Submit Confirmed Levels’ button
You will now receive an email confirming the subjects and levels that you are registered for.

Good Luck!

 

Important note for CAO Applicants

John Hurley

Dear Applicant,
This is an important email, read it now and follow the instructions carefully. Please do not ignore. Please note: Due to Covid-19 restrictions CAO will not be sending a postal Statement of Application Record this year.
This Statement of Application Record email has been sent to instruct you to log in and verify that all of your information has been recorded completely and correctly on your CAO Account. Failure to follow this instruction may have serious consequences for your application.

Please take the following steps:
Step 1. Read the instructions on the Statement of Application Record page online at http://www.cao.ie/index.php?page=aboutStmt . On this page you will also find a link to additional information which relates specifically to your application type(s), e.g. Leaving Certificate, QQI FET, GCE, and Other Applicants – including Mature applicants and those presenting Other School Leaving Qualifications. Please make sure to read this information carefully.

Step 2. Log in to your CAO Account to review your account information, including your personal information, your examination information, supporting documentation (if you supplied any) and your course choices. Do not delay. If you have applied for an NUI and/or TCD exemption, check that it is recorded on your account.

Step 3. If there are any errors or omissions inform CAO immediately. Failure to correct errors or omissions at this stage may have very serious consequences and lead to the loss of a place.
Please note: If your examination has been replaced by calculated/predicted grades we still require your examination number (or board, centre and candidate number for GCE applicants) for administrative purposes.

Notifying CAO of errors or omissions:
In some instances you may be able to edit/update your account information yourself using the My Application facility, for example personal details (except for name or date of birth), course choices or examination information. Simply log in to your CAO account and update the information in the relevant sections. If we receive your changes/updates before the end of May they will be updated to your account in early June. For more information on updating these sections, go to the instructions page online at http://www.cao.ie/index.php?page=aboutStmt. In other instances you will need to email CAO via the Correspondence Section of your account to inform us of any errors or omissions, for example an exemption that has not been recorded, an incorrect name or date of birth, or missing documentation.
Please note that only documents received by CAO up to 25th March have been uploaded to applicant accounts. Documents received after 25th March will be processed and uploaded to your account when our office re-opens. If this applies to you, you will be notified and given an opportunity to view your documents at a later date – check your documents when instructed to do so and no later than 30th June.

Other important information:
The CAO Change of Mind facility will operate as usual, opening on the 5th May at noon and closing on the 1st July at 17:15. If you wish to make changes to your course choices you must do so online at our website: www.cao.ie before 5.15pm on 1st July.  Go to `My Application` and log in to your account. There is no fee for this facility and you may use it more than once. Carefully read the instructions on page 14 & 15 of the 2020 CAO Handbook. Additional instructions and a `Change of Mind Video Guide` are available here: http:// www.cao.ie/index.php?page=aboutCOM Over the coming weeks, CAO will hold further discussions with the State Examinations Commission about the expected revised timeline for the provision of Leaving Certificate grades. Following on from this, CAO and HEIs will continue to discuss the impact this change will have on the existing offers and acceptances schedule. We will be notifying you as soon as a revised schedule has been agreed by CAO and HEIs.
Yours sincerely,
CAO Information Service

Note for Leaving Certificate & LCA Students

John Hurley

There is a lot of confusion in the matter of students and parents contacting school staff.

Students may need to contact school staff for legitimate reasons such as careers advice, support, etc.

In this matter, we  will follow the following advice from the DES

However, In advance of any planned interaction with students a clear statement must be communicated to students and parents/guardians that the guidance counsellor will not be engaging in discussions regarding the calculated grading process or potential marks awarded by teachers. Guidance Counsellors, teachers and students may not discuss the student’s achievement in the subject over the past two years.  Nor can they discuss the student’s ranking in a class, or their estimated mark or the level at which an estimated mark is to be provided in a subject.

All conversations between Leaving Certificate students and members of the School’s Student Support Team, during this time, need to be prefaced with a statement such as the following:

‘As part of our conversation today we are prohibited from having any discussion about student achievement over the past 2 years, student ranking in a class, student’s estimated mark or the level an estimated mark is to be provided in a subject.

If our conversation strays into speaking about any of these matters, our meeting will have to cease immediately.’

Guidelines from Department of Education & Science, FAQ #33

 

For more information go to the Department of Education & Skills website:

https://www.education.ie/en/Learners/Information/State-Examinations/leaving-cert-2020.html

There is an FAQ page regularly updated at:

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/d8920c-leaving-cert-2020/?referrer=/leavingcertificate/

Gaelcholáiste Ghort Álainn

John Hurley
Scoil úrnua is ea Gaelcholáiste an Ghoirt Álainn le foireann óg fuinniúil. Tá sé suite I Scoil Phobail Ghort Álainn agus tá na seomraí, idir ghinearálta agus phraiticiúil feistithe go maith leis na háiseanna agus an trealamh is déanaí. Táimid tiomanta don oideachas is fearr agus is fairsinge is féidir a chur ar fáil d’ár ndaltaí uile. Cuirimid réime cuimsitheach ábhar ar fáil ag leibhéil an Teastas Shóisearaigh agus réimse leathan imeachtaí seach-churaclaim freisin. Tréimhse spreagúil dúinn í.
Gaelcholáiste an Ghoirt Álainn is a newly established school with a young and energetic staff. It is situated in Mayfield Community School, with both general and practical rooms fitted out with up to date equipment and facilities. We are dedicated to providing the best and broadest education possible for all our students. We provide a range of subjects at Junior Certificate level as well as an array of extra-curricular activities. It has been a very exciting time for us.
  An focal is tábhachtaí inár pobail ná ‘Meas’. Bíonn sé á múineadh againn dár mac léinn gach lá ar scoil. Beidh ar gach uile dalta a bheith ag caint le chéile ar bhealach an-bhéasach agus beidh air/uirthi meas a léiriú de gach duine comh maith chun áit slán sábhailte a chruthú do do pháiste.
With ‘Meas‘ or ‘respect’ being the most important word in our school community. It is actively taught to our students each and every day. We expect our students to speak to each other and treat each other with respect so that your child will always feel safe and secure in our school.

I nGaelcholáiste Ghort Álainn is duine linn gach dalta. Déanaimid freastal ar riachtanais phearsanta, shóisialta, oideachasúla agus spioradálta dó páiste leis an gclár tréadchúram, cuirimid romham athne phearsanta a chur ar gach dalta mar dhuine. Tá aithne ag na scoláirí ar namúinteoirí agus támuinín acu astu. Tá a fhios acu go mbeidh gach tacaíocht agus cabhair ar fáildóibh in uair na práinne. Tá múinteoir ranga ag gach dalta le dul I gcomhairle leis/léi más gá, agus bíonn doras na fáilte ar leathadh I gcónaí do thuismitheoirí. Tá Comhairleoir Treorach again agus foireann oilte tacaíochta.

In Gaelcholáiste Ghort Álainn each student is an individual. We look after your child’s personal, social, educational and spiritual needs through our pastoral care programme. The philosophy of our school is get to know each student on an individual basis. As our smaller class groups facilitate this, we are in a position to really get to know our students. Students know and trust the teaching staff and know that they are guaranteed every support and assistance if they experience any personal difficulties. Students have a class teacher to confide in when necessary and we have an open door policy for parents. The school has a very effective Pastoral Care Team which includes trained support staff.