8th January 2021
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Following yesterday’s updated announcement by the Government on school closures, I would like to share with you our plans in Loreto Secondary School Letterkenny to continue with our student’s teaching and learning.
As you may be aware, the school has been using Google Classroom as an online digital learning platform since March 2020. During term 1 of this academic year, we continued to use this platform as a teaching and learning tool so your daughter should be very familiar with how it works and how to submit their work.
We ask that all parents/guardians ensure that their daughter can successfully access her account. This is of utmost importance for their continued learning. We also ask that you revisit the schools Acceptable Usage Policy that you and your daughter read and signed in Sept/October.
Please take the time over the next few days to sit with your daughter and check that she can:
1. Log in to her Google Classroom Account.
2.She has accepted all google classroom invitations to each subject she studies.
If issues arise with accessibility, or if she needs her password reset, this can be sorted over the next few days.
Please email gsuitesupport@loretoletterkenny.ie if you require assistance.
The school will be open for students to collect their books next Monday & Tuesday. The school office will be in contact by text to arrange the times for year groups to enter the school, these times must be adhered to in order to ensure social distancing and Covid 19 regulations are followed. Most school textbooks are available as E-Books, please check your textbook for the code to avail of this.
Teachers in each subject area will give direction and instruction on what is expected from each student/class they teach. Teacher online engagement will start on Tuesday 12th. We ask that each parent has checked that their daughter has successfully logged into each of their google classrooms by Tuesday. Once online teaching commences we remind students that, in our Acceptable Usage Policy, it states that under no circumstances will recording/photographing of live classes by students on their personal electronic devices be acceptable by the school and that appropriate action will be taken should anyone be found engaging in such activity. We ask that school hours are respected in any communications where at all possible.
We understand and appreciate the difficulties associated with remote teaching and learning. We also acknowledge the fact that this is an anxious time for all in our school community. There will be a period of adjustment over the next few days and we ask that we are all patient and supportive of each other. Senior Management along with year heads and subject department heads will continue to work together to help support our students in the best way possible. We will be monitoring the online engagement of our students and will make contact with parents/guardians of those students who do not engage to see how best we can support them. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the parents/guardians of our students in their support of online teaching and learning at this very difficult time. If you have any difficulties or queries do not hesitate to contact us at gsuitesupport@loretoletterkenny.ie
Over the next two weeks we will be in contact with parents asking for contact email addresses in order to set up email communication directly between school and parents in an effort to increase efficient communication.
To our sixth year students and parents, we are aware that this is a more stressful time for you than any other year group. Remember that our aim is always to do what is best for you and your future. Your deputy principal, Ms Rodgers, your year head, Ms Ferry and your guidance teachers, Ms Crowe and Ms Mulhern are available at any time you need for support. We will be in contact with you directly as a year group next week. We are in discussion with the exam secretaries and the company that we use for the mocks in order to plan for the most effective means of mock assessment for you, our students.
While we are busy getting the school up and running again, we are very conscious of the many families within our school community who have been personally affected by Covid-19. Many of you have had bereavements in the last year and have had to grieve in a very different type of way to what we are used to in Donegal. Our thoughts and prayers are with each and every one of you now and always.
May 2021 bring to all of our lives a much greater sense of Peace, Hope and Healing.
Yours sincerely,
Sr Gerardine Mullen
Principal