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Two elementary schools, one in May and a second in Laois, are closing early for the Christmas holidays due to a worrying increase in Covid-19 among students.
Laremorris Boys National School and Holy Family Senior School in Portlaoise will close their doors today and will not reopen until January 6, 2021.
In stark contrast to each other, the Higher School of the Holy Family says Public Health ordered them to close. While the Claremorris Boys NS say they are “deeply frustrated by the system adopted by Public Health”, they insist that “schools remain open at all costs.”
In a message sent to parents this afternoon, Holy Family Senior School Principal Roisin Brennan said:
“Public Health has informed us that, learning from other cases, it has been decided that the safest way to protect our entire school community is to close the school starting tonight and reopen on January 6 as planned.
“A more detailed letter from Public Health will be sent later today or in the morning.
“Public Health says that this measure is proactive and not reactive.”
However, Mark Loftus, principal of Claremorris Boys NS, told parents that:
“Despite not being able to secure the support of the HSE Public Health and Inspection, this is the only practical way we can help prevent the further rise and spread of Covid cases among the school community.”
He said the closure was correct and necessary as the number of infections at the school increased.
School closures conflict with Department of Education rules that require all state-funded schools to remain open until next Friday.
At Claremorris Boys NS, more than a dozen out of 125 students have tested positive for coronavirus in different classes since the midterm break.
This has required an increasing number of students and teachers to isolate themselves.
HSE data shows that the Claremorris region currently has one of the highest incidences of the virus in the country.
The current local rate is 258 per 100,000 inhabitants. That’s more than three times the national figure, which stands at 80.
Mark Loftus said he and the Board of Trustees encountered a “very difficult decision to close the school.”
“We are well aware of the dire inconvenience this entails for parents and students and we ask that you understand what an extremely stressful, anxious and unfortunate situation has been for all of our students and their families, for staff and their families and for the school in general. community.
Mr. Loftus said the decision was an attempt to “support and maintain the health, safety and well-being of our students, their families, the teaching staff and their families, and the school community at large.”
“We hope you realize and understand that we did everything possible to keep Covid out of our school and to promote, enforce and encourage the Covid-19 plan at school.
“We are deeply frustrated with the system adopted by Public Health on the levels of cross infection and the Department regarding Covid-19 and its effects to insist that” schools remain open at all costs. “
“We believe that these exceptional closures are necessary.
It is not known what the infection rates are at Holy Family Senior School, however its decision to close was made by order of public health officials, leaving the Board of Directors and the principal with no alternative. “
Online editors
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