February Update Letter

Febuary Update

8th February 2021

Dear Parent/Carer

Christmas now seems like a distant memory as we head into the second week of February and our first midterm break of this Spring term.

It definitely has not been the “new year” that we expected, with children remaining at home and families managing “lockdown learning” once again. I want to pay tribute to all families ensuring that the children meet their daily and weekly learning goals. While I am immensely proud of the staff at St. Francis’ in the provision of work and learning and supervision, I am under no illusion that as we remain in lockdown, you the parents are directing and facilitating our little learners and for that I want to say a great big thank you. Going forward, the return date currently set by DE is the 8th March but we await updated guidance towards the end of this week. As soon as I have any new information I will be in touch via text or through the teachers. (Keep listening to Radio Ulster – Robbie Meredith will probably know before all of us!)

MIDTERM BREAK (School Closed)
Just a reminder to all families that the midterm break is Monday 15th – Friday 19th February. School will be closed and all home learning will cease for the week. A welcome break for all.

PE Gear
In the Autumn term many of you took part in a survey about an upgrade to our PE uniform. We have the links ready to go for the varying options so hopefully there is an option there that will suit the needs of your children and family. This is not compulsory, but will give you the added option to send your children to school in this “relaxed” sports wear especially on PE days. The “Bunscoil” has a different link to “St Francis” so make sure you’re in the correct site. I will also send the links via text. The purchase is made directly with McKeever Sports and the items will be delivered to your home address.

The links for new orders will remain open until 26th February:

St Francis’ Logo Link: https://cutt.ly/1kzoDxv

Bunscoil Naomh Proinsias Link: https://cutt.ly/ikzoEbe

Accelerated Reader
Over the coming weeks the children from P/R4-P/R7 will be receiving new codes, passwords and activities to complete as we launch Accelerated Reader. This is a programme purchased through funding secured by Friends of St. Francis and we are grateful for their constant commitment to the school, especially at this difficult time. Accelerated Reader and the linked myOn online-books means that if lockdown should intermittently disrupt us we have access to quality reading materials that teachers can direct and set activities or that the children can simply enjoy. Lots to look forward to for our many little bookworms out there. A big thank you to Mrs. Buck and the literacy/ICT team for organising and to her P5 class in being our guinea pigs helping us get it up and running. Hopefully all little tweaks have been ironed out as we roll it out to the other classes. Good luck with this over the days ahead!!

Come what may...
Our complete school staff are committed to providing your children the best experience we can in these difficult times. Every member of the St. Francis’ team is involved in making sure that key curriculum learning continues for all and, despite the distance between us, that all children have plenty of opportunities to shine and share all their good work. I also want to acknowledge the difficult circumstances that many families continue to face over these months and if you need to speak to me or Miss Rice regarding support, please call or email us to discuss ways in which we can help. To our families who are dealing with illness or bereavement in these difficult times, we hold you all in our thoughts and prayers.

Yours sincerely,

Orla O’Dowd

Proof of Key Worker Status from your employer will be required if you seek a place for supervised learning
Definition of Key Workers:
• Health and Social Care. This includes doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, home carers and staff required to maintain our health and social care sector;
• Education and childcare. This includes pre-school and teaching staff, social workers and those specialist education professionals who will remain active during the Covid-19 response;
• Public safety and national security. This includes civilians and officers in the police (including key contractors), Fire and Rescue Service, prison service and other national security roles;
• Transport. This will include those keeping air, water, road and rail transport modes operating during the Covid-19 response;
• Utilities, and Communication. This includes staff needed for oil, gas, electricity and water (including sewage) and primary industry supplies to continue during the Covid-19 response, as well as key staff in telecommunications, post and delivery, banking and waste disposal;
• Financial Services - This includes staff needed for essential financial services provision (including but not limited to workers in banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure);
• Food and other necessary goods. This includes those involved in food production, processing, distribution and sale, as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods (e.g. hygiene, medical, etc.);
• Retail. This includes those workers who have been working throughout the pandemic in food retail, for example, and will now extend to those working in other retail businesses permitted to operate by the Executive from June 2020;
• Other workers essential to delivering key public services such as the National Crime Agency; and
• Key national and local government including those administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the Covid-19 response
St. Francis’ Primary School, 28B Francis Street, Lurgan, BT66 6DL Tel: 02838 323163 Email: office@stfrancis.lurgan.ni.sch.uk www.stfrancisps.co.uk