Parent Communication 25th January

Dear Parent

I am writing to you as we enter the fourth week of lock down for the children and as a parent myself, I am very aware of the pressure and strain that this situation is putting on all of us.

Home schooling is not easy and we understand that parents are juggling jobs and managing the best they can and life has become more difficult for all of us. The work packs and online learning that the staff have organised are designed to make home school as manageable as we can. We know we have high expectations and there is quite a bit of work to get through. However, the most important thing is that the children are safe, loved and cared at this time. All we ask is that you do your best.

Please do not let home schooling put any extra pressure on you when you are trying to hold down jobs, earn a living and keep your children safe. If you manage to get 30 minutes’ home schooling done in a day, that’s ok. If you get all the work done, that’s ok too. Everyone’s circumstances are different and we appreciate that.

I have put arrangements in place for each family to be able to book a phone call from their child’s teacher to support your child and to help with any issues with home schooling. The booking system will be available soon on the school website and I will inform you when this opens. The phone call is optional and will last 10 minutes.

It is my intention to send a video message to the children in each year group very soon to encourage them to continue to work hard and to acknowledge their achievements. 

There will be a Zoom PE class led by Healthy Kidz tomorrow afternoon. I will share the link for each class when it becomes available. 

There will be a special mass for the schools in the local area on Wednesday 27th January at 2:00pm in St. Pauls Church in Lurgan to celebrate Catholic schools week. Father Brian would like to invite our school community—pupils and parents, teachers and staff—to join us online for our annual Catholic Schools Week Mass. Unfortunately, due to present restrictions, attendance at the mass is not permitted, however, the mass will be streamed live on http://www.lurganparish.com/stpauls-webcam/.

Best wishes

Seamus McCreesh

Principal