Inspectorate Research into Anti-bullying in Schools

Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),

The Cinéaltas Action Plan on Bullying (2022) includes a commitment that the Department’s Inspectorate prepare an annual report on the views of various stakeholders on how schools prevent and addresses bullying.  Please find attached, an information note that outlines the Inspectorate's plans to carry out surveys in a sample of schools with principals, teachers, parents and children and young people. The outcomes of the surveys will provide insights that will inform the Department’s ongoing work in this area.  

Our school has been randomly selected and is invited to participate in this research.

Please download detailed information about the survey below:

School Transport Closing Dates

The Bus Éireann portal is open for applications for school transport for the 2023/24 school year.

 Information for families regarding School Transport Application

Process for 2023/24 School Year

Applications for the 2023/24 school year

 Important dates

New Applicants: The closing date for new applications is Friday 28 April 2023.

New applications made after this deadline date will be deemed late and families are not guaranteed a ticket.

 Bus Éireann will contact all existing applicants via email directly, and a wider media campaign is now underway. Further information is available on www.gov.ie/schooltransport and buseireann.ie/schooltransport.

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Information for families regarding School Transport Application Process for 2023/24 School Year

 Families are asked to note that the closing date for payment/registering medical cards has been brought forward so that Bus Éireann can process applications, arrange transport and issue tickets to families as soon as possible for the 2023/24 school year.

  

1.    New Applicants – Apply By 28TH APRIL 2023

The Bus Éireann family portal is now open for new applications for school transport services for the 2023/24 school year. New applications are considered as:

 ·         pupils who will be attending junior infants in primary school or first year in post primary school for the first time in 2023.

·         pupils that may move home address or will be attending a new school in the 2023/24 school year

Applications can be made by visiting www.buseireann.ie/schooltransport

The closing date for new applications is Friday 28 April 2023. Any new applications made after the closing date are considered late applications and families are not guaranteed a ticket. 

 2.    All Applicants- payment/enter medical card details – closing date 9 June 2023

The Bus Éireann family portal will be open to accept payments/medical card details from the 3 April 2023 until the 9 June 2023.  Payments made after the deadline date will be deemed late and families are not guaranteed a Ticket.

 Payments/medical card details must be submitted for:

·         new applicants, and;

·         pupils who have previously applied/availed of school transport and require a seat on a service for the 23/24 school year.

Children (who are eligible for school transport) and who possess valid medical cards (GMS Scheme) are exempt from paying the annual charge however, their medical card details must be submitted to Bus Éireann.  Bus Éireann will accept medical card details from 3 April 2023 until 9 June 2023.  Medical card details received after 9 of June deadline are considered late. 

 Families are strongly urged to make sure that they pay/enter valid medical card details on or before the deadline of 9 of June 2023.

 The Annual Charge for School Transport Services for the 2023/24 school year is set out below:

 Category of pupil

 Annual Charge

Primary Eligible/ Concessionary pupil

 €50

Post primary Eligible/ Concessionary pupil

€75

Maximum annual charge for families

€125

 

3.    Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for School Transport for the 2023/24 school year is as follows:

 ·         Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post-primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post-primary school/education centre as determined by the department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

 ·         Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application and payment process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.

 ·         Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who complete the application and payment process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

 ·         Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.

 ·         In addition, temporary alleviation measures will continue for the 2023/24 school year, pending completion of the school transport scheme review. This means that transport will be provided where such services are in operation for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and who apply and pay on time.

 4.    Pupils from Ukraine

Pupils from Ukraine who require school transport should not apply on the Bus Éireann family portal but should visit gov.ie/ukraine for details on how to apply. Please note that any pupils from Ukraine who are currently on school transport do not need to re-apply for the 2023/24 school year unless they have changed address or school.

July Provision

Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),

Please download below information in relation to the July Provision for children with complex needs. Please note that our school will not be participating in the School Based Programme this year, so please view the Home Based Provision details. The Grant Claim Form is available to download below.

All Students Return to School

Dear Parent(s), Guardian(s) and Student(s)

This letter is a reminder of a few very important points for all our safety.

  • New Procedure: It is extremely important that you fill in the Return to School Declaration Form: This form must be filled in for every student who is returning to school on Monday, including the students who returned before Easter.

  • It must also be filled in, if a student is absent for one day or more, during the term. Just go to the website and fill in the relevant form for your child/children and submit. You will get text reminders over the weekend to fill in this form. If a student returns without the form filled, we will have to contact home on Monday morning.

To prevent introduction and spread of COVID-19 in Schools

1. Students are to self-isolate or restrict their movements at home if they display any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 and contact their family doctor to arrange a test. Please do not come to school if you feel unwell.

2. Students must not return to or attend school in the event of the following:

  • if they are identified by the HSE as a close contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19

  • if they live with someone who has symptoms of the virus

  • if they have travelled outside of Ireland; in such instances students must consult and follow latest Government advice in relation to foreign travel.

3. Students must cooperate with any public health officials and the school for contact tracing purposes and follow any Public Health advice, in the event of a case or outbreak in the school.

  • Social distance must be maintained throughout the day and especially at break and lunch. All benches are marked with tape to show where you can sit. You must stay one metre apart.

  • Mask wearing is essential. I strongly recommend that you have a plastic bag for your mask. It is a good idea to have a clean spare mask with you also. You should wear a mask when you are on the bus or on the street.

  • Please do not linger in shops or gather in groups outside the shops. If possible bring in a lunch with you so you do not have to go to the shop. Lollipops cannot be used as an excuse to leave your mask off.

We all need to work together to keep everyone safe from Covid-19 and keep the school open for the remainder of this school year.

Looking forward to having you all back on Monday.

Yours sincerely,

Josephine Donohue

Principal