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The Department of Education will tell schools today that plan to hold Christmas celebrations, such as plays or musical performances, to do so without parental assistance.
The Department will issue strict guidance that any Christmas celebration must be in line with Covid-19 guidelines, but recognizes that “the end of each period is a significant milestone” and that the celebration of these milestones is “important to support the positive welfare of pupils and students in schools “.
Choirs and shows
Choirs and grand musical performances “should be avoided at present” due to public health advice showing that singing can increase the spread of Covid-19 by projecting droplets beyond speech.
The Department’s directive also states that brass and wind instruments, including tin whistles and recorders, should not be played indoors due to the “additional risk of infection posed by such activity.”
“Outdoor classroom performances and other precautions such as moisture shields for wind instruments can be considered as alternative options,” the department has stated.
Parents
Online streaming of nativity plays and other end-of-term musical performances is encouraged so that parents and guardians can view the student performance, but the Department made it clear that they should not attend any indoor celebrations or the fresh air.
Class performances may be shared with other classes and parents / guardians using digital technologies such as the school website, the school digital platform, and / or video conferencing facilities, provided that appropriate consent has been obtained from the parents / guardians.
Parents / guardians should not be invited to attend end-of-term celebrations this year, however, Department directive states that “Christmas singing while maintaining social distancing and within normal capsule structures may take place outdoors.
“Unfortunately, parents / guardians will not be allowed to attend these outdoor events either.”
Exchange of gifts and cards in class
Students will be allowed to share Christmas presents and cards with each other, but this should be limited to their usual social compartments and done in a “controlled” way so as not to increase interaction between students.
“Ideally, any cards or gifts would be given directly to a staff member, and then a staff member would distribute them to the pupils / students in a controlled manner. There should be a strong emphasis on hand hygiene at all times, ”the Department has said.
End-of-Quarter Assemblies and Post-Primary Exams
High schools have also been advised to consider administering end-of-term exams to groups of individual classes in their classrooms rather than “large assembly-style groups” to limit the number of student-to-student contacts.
Meetings in elementary schools should also be avoided.
Teachers should be reminded that they can handle student notebooks and exams, but that hand hygiene etiquette must be maintained at a high level at all times.
Online editors
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