Health/Covid-19:
Advice from the Chief Medical Officer to Parents of School and Pre School Children

RE: Scaffolding and precautionary measures in place around the school
28th August 2019
Throughout the summer, the Department of Education and Skills has been doing remediation work on our school building. As a precautionary measure scaffolding has been erected around the hall and senior school. Although the building is unsightly, the building company ‘SISK’ and the Department of Education & Skills have assured us that the buildings are fully safe and fit for purpose for our school community.

Because of the scaffolding, part of our senior school yard and set down areas to the front of the senior school are now out of bounds. Thus, there is less playground space for the children and less parking for parents on the school grounds. Given this situation, we must seek parents’ full co-operation in the following matters:
• Due to limited carparking facilities, we advise parent to walk with your child to school or seek parking elsewhere.
• Because of the scaffolding, we must insist that parents supervise their children at all times, while on the grounds of the school. Under no circumstances are children allowed to play or run around the perimeter of the school in the morning or at collection times.
I am attaching a letter which I received from the Department of Education & Skills in relation to health and safety around the school. We regret any inconvenience to parents, pupils or staff while these precautionary measures are in place and we are grateful to you for your understanding and co-operation in this matter.

This letter is from the Department of Education & Skills

26 August, 2019.

Dear Principal,

I refer to the Department led programme of detailed assessments carried out in 17 schools constructed by Western Building Systems during the summer months, which included Scoil Choilm Community National School. This programme was supported by the National Development Finance Agency and by ARUP and PUNCH engineering companies.

You will be aware that, following the detailed investigations in the 17 schools involved, the Department’s engineers have advised that some permanent remediation work is required in each of the schools.

In the interim, some temporary engineering solutions and other precautionary measures have been or are being put in place in some parts of these school buildings.

These interim works were recently completed in Scoil Choilm Community National School with the building handed back to the school authority on the 26th of August 2019.

The purpose of this letter is to confirm that the Department is satisfied that the works carried out in your school were completed to the required standard and that the building is safe to occupy.

I also wish to confirm that a statutory form of inspection of the external precautionary measures will take place at your school on a weekly basis or following any inclement weather. The function of these inspections is to ensure that no tampering or damage is taking place and that the integrity of the precautionary measures is maintained. A formal record of these visits will be kept and the school will be provided with a copy of same. The Department will be in contact with you again shortly to formalise the arrangements around this issue.

The Department would like to express its sincere appreciation for your cooperation and to acknowledge the disruption and inconvenience caused to your school during this process. I would like to assure the Board of Management that the safety of pupils and staff has been and will continue to be our overriding priority and that this underpins all of our decisions.

Should you have any queries in relation to the content of this letter, please do not hesitate to contact any of the following members of the Department’s team:

Edel O’Meara 057 932 4464
Chrissie Maguire 057 932 4356
Anthony O’Lone 057 932 4351
Or by emailing PBUQueries@education.gov.ie

Yours sincerely,

Jacky Hynes,
Assistant Principal Officer,
Schools Remediation Programme Section

 Scoil Choilm CNS – Schedule of Events   

Coffee Mornings are regularly held throughout the year to welcome parents into the school and facilitate them in getting to know other parents and to develop links within the community.

Throughout the year we have many celebrations in the school where parents are invited to come along and participate such as:

• Welcoming Ceremony for Junior Infants
• Eid Celebrations
• Classroom Information Meetings
• English Classes for Adults
• Yoga Classes for Adults
• Parenting Classes for Adults
• Dress Up Day Celebration before Mid-term
• Winter Concerts
• Christmas Coffee Morning and Celebration with Sing-along
• Parent-Teacher Meetings in February
• Coffee Morning for Book Week and Book Fair – with readings by parents
• Talks for Parents on various topics
• Anti-Racism and Anti-Bullying talks and coffee morning
• Lá Glas celebrations in March
• Community Day Celebration
• Sports Day