A Message from the Acting Principal
Dear Parents and Guardians of the pupils in our school,
I’m communicating with you all in these unprecedented times. My first wish and hope for you all is that you are safe. We are all a bit scared, scared of the unknown. I know that many of your children are scared too. What we need to do right now is to mind those who live with us and do our utmost to make sure they are safe and endeavour to stay safe ourselves.
I would ask you not to worry about what is being missed in school, about not completing the curriculum at this time. All of our pupils left school with some work to do but when we do return to school all children will be in the same boat. We may not get through the books this year but there is a much wider curriculum out there. What we need to do right now is to reassure our children, to let them know that this, too, will pass. Read a book together, bake something nice, cook a different dinner, spot some birds from your window or your balcony, play a board game or a game of cards, write a poem, do a project on a country you would love to visit some day and don’t forget to exercise. Stay fit. Be creative. Einstein said, ‘Creativity is like a virus, it should be spread.’ I look forward to reading book reviews and some lovely poems when we return to school and to hearing how our pupils have spent their time.
We are uploading resources you might like to share with your children. RTE will begin a series of one hour lessons for primary school pupils beginning on March 30th. Dublin Zoo will post an activity book each day themed around one of the animals in the zoo. This sounds like a lovely learning experience. Don’t feel under pressure to do everything or to follow the routine of a regular school day.
A whole generation of young people have missed out on having a parent at home for the greatest part of the day due to economic circumstances…… everybody rushing out to work in the morning and coming home tired and exhausted in the evenings. Treasure this time with your wonderful children. Do things together. Snuggle up if you can.
Lots of you, our parents, work on the front line. You are the people in the hospitals. You are the faces we meet when we go to the shops. You drive the buses and the delivery vans and much more. You are our super heroes. We thank you and we salute you.
Sometimes, when holidays are coming to an end we wish they were only beginning. This is different. We want to be at school. We want this to end and it will. All of the staff at St. Philip’s are thinking of you and wish you well. We miss our pupils. Stay safe and well. Look after each other and those near and dear to you.
I wish a blessing on you and your children.
Geraldine Casey
Acting Principal
