Letter from the Principal Jan 6th 2021

Dear Parents and students,

As you are now undoubtedly aware, we find ourselves in lock down until the end of January. Remote teaching and learning will begin on Monday 11th January. This is not the situation anyone wanted to be in and certainly, it will present challenges for parents, students and teachers. However, we have learned from our past experiences during the last lockdown and have put in place since last September the structure to facilitate effective online classes, sharing of resources and communication between student and teacher.

During the last term, we have been using MSteams and One Note. All students have been provided with a username and password. Teachers have been using this system to post homework and notes during the last term therefore, students should be very familiar with the system.

Having said that it is not easy for students to work online and they will need to be encouraged and motivated to keep them focused on their work during this time. We have carried out surveys on both teachers and students which suggest that a mixture of live classes, recordings and time to work on questions was the most welcome approach to remote learning. Too much of any one methodology was counter-productive. Teachers will plan out the weeks work for each class so they will have notice of scheduled live classes and independent learning.

 Parents have a very important role to ensure that students remain focussed and motivated. Below are some suggestions on how you can support your child:

Getting Started

Ø   It is very important that you check before next Monday that your child’s log on details and username are correct.  We have provided a step by step guide for you on how to access MSTeams and OneNote This guide will tell you how to log on and what to click on to see your child’s online classes. It also tells you how to view work set by teachers in OneNote. This guide can be accessed here (Guide for MS Teams and Onenote) If you have a difficulty in logging on  please email Emma on info@ccn.ie .

Maintaining School Routine

Ø  To encourage a positive routine and to help students get into the right mind-set for work we encourage them to wear their uniform while they are engaging in online learning.

Ø  They should be ready to start work each day at 8.50 am and should follow their timetable, taking breaks at the appropriate times.

Ø  Their teachers will plan out their weeks work and will allocate time for independent learning & live classes. Students should work according to their timetable and should work on their subjects during their allocated class time for that subject. Teachers will endeavour to give adequate notice both in scheduling classes and setting deadlines for homework/assessment.

Ø  If your child cannot attend an online class they should email their teacher or send them a message via MSteams to let them know.

Do not suffer in Silence!

Ø  We are aware that remote teaching and learning can be very stressful for both students and their parents. If your child requires support, or you require help or advice you should, just like in school, contact their subject teacher, Class teacher or Year head. The Guidance counsellor and school chaplain can also be contacted at mhearn@ccn.ie and npower@ccn.ie

Ø  If your child has access to an SNA, they will contact you in the coming days to offer their support.

Ø  Students that receive learning support will be contacted by their teacher during the week

On a final note, it is really important that during this time we all follow public health advice and stay at home. I know, as a father to a 15 and 18-year-old how difficult it can be to keep teenagers away from their friends. However, the fastest way we can get our children back to school with their friends is by flattening the alarming growth of this virus which has for far too long controlled how we live.

Kind regards,

Colm Ó Corcora

Principal