Parents will be packing lunches once and ironing the uniforms once as 3rd to 6th class primary school students and 5th years are set to return to the classrooms next week.
These students will join Junior Infants to 2nd class, special school students and Leaving Certificates who have already returned to the classroom.
Meanwhile, 1st year to Transition Year students will not return until April 12.
The Department of Education has been working to ensure the safe operation of schools for students, staff and families.
All schools have put in place rules and routines which must be followed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Children may be feeling excited or worried about going back to school which is normal as they haven’t been in school since December.
Teachers will help students settle in again and give them time to get used to being back, while children are advised to go to bed earlier, eat healthily and exercise.
And if your child has any of the following symptoms of COVID, you should contact a GP and avoid sending them to school.
A temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or higher
A new cough, loss or changed sense of taste or smell, shortness of breath or an existing breathing condition that has become worse
Been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID
Been living with someone who is unwell and may have COVID
Other uncommon symptoms like sore throat, headaches or diarrhoea
Returned from another country in the last 14 days
If a student or staff member in a school tests positive for COVID, they are required to self-isolate and a public health risk assessment will take place.
And any student or staff member who is deemed a close contact is required to restrict their movements and not attend school for 14 days.
Students and staff must practice good hand-washing and hygiene. They should use a tissue to cover coughs or sneezes or to cough or sneeze into their elbow.
Primary school children are not required to practice physical distancing, but have been organised into pods within the class.
Physical distancing procedures should be followed by all students in senior primary classes and at post-primary. Teachers, staff and students in a post-primary setting must wear face coverings at all times.
Children should be encouraged to walk or cycle to school if possible and safe to do so and any students travelling by bus will have an assigned seat that they must sit in, and post primary students must wear a face covering when waiting for and when on-board the bus.
Parents must drop and collect your child quickly without lingering and they should follow public health advice when socialising outside of the household to keep their children safe outside of school.
The latest public health advice on returning to school is available on gov.ie/schools.
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