First Edition: Newsletter for Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board Schools

First Edition

Newsletter for Limerick and Clare Education

and Training Board Schools

Colleagues,

Welcome to our Newsletter which aims to support our Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board School Leaders, Teaching and SNA staff, at this challenging time. 

Well done to you all for your innovative thinking and positive approach to supporting each other and  our students since our schools closed on 12 March 2020. The response across our eighteen ETB schools has been remarkable. While online support for each other may be virtual, it feels real and heart-felt, so thank you all.

Keep it up, it is greatly appreciated by all of our school communities, our ETB and the wider public.

In this edition of our newsletter we will be providing you with local and national updates. 

In addition, we have put together a few ideas boards which we hope will resource and help you as you link in with your students.

Donncha O Treasaigh

Director of Schools

Latest from the Department of Education and Skills

All schools, pre-schools and further and higher education settings will remain closed to students until 19 April 2020.

The decision has been taken following advice from the NPHET (National Public Health Emergency Team) as part of efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19.  Click Here for the full statement.

National Updates :

National Organisations (PDST, NEPS, NCSE, etc. are busy supporting schools during Coronavirus/Covid-19:

• PDST is constantly updating their website with resources and online support for teachers - Click Here for more
• PDST Technology in Education is updating its Distance Learning Site and there are great resources and ideas on using technology available here - Click Here for more.
• NCSE is currently providing online resources for children with AEN who are at home as a result of school closure www.ncse.ie.
• NEPS  are also providing advice and resources to keep young people well during Covid-19 - Click Here for more.
• NCCA also has guidance available on its site - Click Here for more. 

Resources from our Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board Support Team

The Support Team has worked on resources which Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board teachers can contribute to also. These resources are available via the links at the top left of this Newsletter. They include Additional Education Needs, LCAP, Transition Year and the Staff Page of LCETB.ie

Students with Additional Educational Needs

We have created a Spreadsheet of teaching and learning  resources for students with Additional Educational Needs.  It has been created by our ETB Teacher Support Team and Additional Needs Coordinators. AENCOs may contribute to this spreadsheet at any time and have been emailed the link to do so. This sharing of resources is proving very beneficial for all. 

Transition Year Students

This important group of students will need a lot of guidance and encouragement. We hope the resources on this TY ideas board will keep students engaged in their education and encourage them to use their recreation time constructively. It includes free online courses, talks, lectures, tutorials and virtual classrooms. Thanks to all TY Coordinators who are continuing to contribute to this resource.  

Leaving Cert Applied Students

An ideas board of educational resources for the LCA course has been devised by our ETB. This group of students need much support and we hope this board supports our teachers as they do this. 

Teacher Wellbeing

It is important to stay physically and mentally well at this time.  You can find information on CareCall here via our Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board Staff Page, should you need it.

You can also access excellent resources here - https://www2.hse.ie/mental-health/

Poem by Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland

“Take Care”

In the journey to the light,

the dark moments

should not threaten.

Belief

requires

that you hold steady.

Bend, if you will,

with the wind.

The tree is your teacher,

roots at once

more firm

from experience

in the soil

made fragile.

Your gentle dew will come

and a stirring

of power

to go on

towards the space

of sharing.

In the misery of the I,

in rage,

it is easy to cry out

against all others

but to weaken

is to die

in the misery of knowing

the journey abandoned

towards the sharing

of all human hope

and cries

is the loss

of all we know

of the divine

reclaimed

for our shared

humanity.

Hold firm.

Take care.

Come home

together.