September 2020 return

 

We are really looking forward to welcoming the children back to school next week on Thursday 3rd September. We are fully committed to your children’s well-being and education and, although their return to school will be different to usual, your child will be supported on their individual learning journey.

 

It is vital that all children return to school next week and become familiar with new routines with their peers. Teachers will be working hard to ensure that learning gaps are identified quickly and that any learning that has been lost over the past few months is addressed quickly.

 

In order to keep our school community safe, the start and end time of the school day will need to be staggered in order to reduce the number of parents and children at the school gate at the same time. Please ensure that you are on time! 
 

Staggered starts & ends to the day! 
 

YR, Y1 & Y2; start time 8:45 and finish at 3:00pm

Important: New YR parents, please see Reception Class page on the school website for more detailed information regarding transition into YR (changes have been updated)

 

Y4 & Y3: start time 9am and finish at 3:15 Y6 & Y5: start time 9:15- Finish 3:30pm

 

If your child is in KS1 & you have a sibling in KS2, they will both/all, come to school at 8:45 and finish at 3pm.

 

Pupils must not bring anything into school except their book bag, reading book/research book/homework and water bottle (and lunch box if needed). Due to fire regulations, large rucksacks are not permitted.

 

The school has taken every measure possible to ensure that school is as safe as possible whilst still ensuring that all students can access their full curriculum entitlement. The government are clear that it is in the best interests for children to return to school and that it is safe for them to do so. The school has completed a full risk assessment to this end, and your child will be in a bubble of thirty with their class, suitably distanced within the classroom, with staggered breaks and lunch times.

 

All pupils need a water bottle. Bottles must be taken home every night and washed and then brought back each day. We will not have disposable cups available. 

 

COVID-19 symptoms

Anyone (staff/pupil) whose household member develops symptoms, should not attend school and should self-isolate for 14 days from the onset of symptoms and follow the following steps:

• Inform setting of the reason for absence i.e. household member is symptomatic
• Household member with symptoms to arrange to be tested
• If the household member’s test result is positive, 14 days isolation must be completed by all other household members
• If the outcome of the test results is negative, the self-isolation ends for the household members provided they have not developed symptoms during the isolation period
• If member of staff/pupil/ child who is self-isolating due to a positive household member develops symptoms during the isolation period, they should arrange to be tested and self-isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms

 

We look forward to seeing you all again soon! 
🌈😊🙏💕

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our children who are starting High School next week; the very best of luck to you all. Use all your God given talents wisely; make yourself, your parents & us, proud! Sending virtual hugs 🤗 to you all, luv from Mrs F & Team OLSK.💕

 

 

I am aware that many have you have taken to social media to express your concerns about the possibility of the gates on the gulley being locked, due to antisocial behaviour & extreme vandalism to the Yemeni Centre. 
 

I want to assure you that I & the Governors have been involved with this issue for the last twelve months & have been in discussion with the local councillors, Dudley Council & the Yemini Centre, during my holidays to try and come to some sort of agreement about opening the gates for parents to access the route into school. 
 

Please don’t take to social media to vent your anger about what you think I am or am not doing about this; this is not the platform for such discussions; it is unprofessional & unwelcome. 
 

If I hear any more regarding the issue about the gates, I will inform you immediately. 
 

From Mrs Finnegan 

Sad news this week to hear that Vera Jarvis has died. Vera was a legend in "Brownie World" and led the pack at our OLSK primary school for many years. Lots of us will have very fond memories of a dedicated servant of "her girls" and the Guiding movement. 🙏😊🙏 RIP Vera! 💕

Olsk Parish: Please note that with effect from the first weekend in September (5th / 6th September) the Vigil Mass on Saturdays will be at 4.30 pm.🙏😊🙏 Please keep Father Bruce in your thoughts as he will be having treatment on Friday to ease the soreness in his throat.🙏💕🙏

The information below gives you further details of start dates, timings and the environment your child will be in. Punctuality is paramount; if you are late, you may be asked to wait until all other children have entered the school building, which will be after 9:15.

Little Kenelm’s Pre- School: start 8:30am finish 11:30am (one parent can escort them into Pre-School) If you have a school age sibling in KS1 or KS2, once your child is placed in Pre- School, please exit the playground and wait at the green gates until 8:45, when your child/children can then come into school. Whilst I appreciate that this is not ideal, these are the conditions we are required to put into place to protect everyone, until the Government advises us differently.

YR, Y1 & Y2; start time 8:45 and finish at 3:00pm

Important: New YR parents, please see Reception Class page on the school website for more detailed information regarding transition into YR (changes have been updated)

 

Y4 & Y3: start time 9am and finish at 3:15 Y6 & Y5: start time 9:15- Finish 3:30pm

 

If your child is in KS1 & you have a sibling in KS2, they will both/all, come to school at 8:45 and finish at 3pm.
 

Tomorrow is the Feast Day of St. Maximilian Kolbe 🙏💕🙏 Y5 will be learning more about him when we return to school in September! Maximilian Kolbe, venerated as Saint Maximilian Kolbe, was a Polish Catholic priest. 🙏😊🙏

We stand together

We pray for all who are suffering and bereaved. At this time of sorrow, incomprehension and tragedy, we stand together.

In this crisis, we pray for God’s mercy and healing for the sick and for health and strength for all who care for them. 

Amen.

Prayer: Adapted from a message from Sister Bridget Tighe of Caritas Jerusalem

Please keep Fr Bruce in your prayers today 🙏😊🙏 Today, on the anniversary of their Ordinations, please pray for:

Fr. John Burns (1953)
Fr. Bruce Dutson,
Fr. John Hancock
& Fr. Stephen Pimlott (1996)
Fr. Neil Bayliss,
Fr. Martin Flatman @FrMartinFlatman
& Fr. Peter Weatherby @frpeter (1997)

 

We pray that Fr Bruce is safe & well and enjoying his retirement 🌈😊🙏💕

Wow! What can I say? Thank you to EVERYONE for making me feel so loved with your cards, gifts, messages and kindness -I am genuinely humbled! 
 

If I could have planned my own final day at OLSK I don’t think that I could have done as good a job as the brilliant children and staff who led our celebration assembly today. I have never cried so many happy tears!!! You have given me memories today that will last a lifetime. Thank you!!

 

My only regret is, due to the COVID19 pandemic, I didn’t get the chance to see everyone but I promise that I was thinking of you all today. As the school prayer says: ‘It takes every child (and adult) to make our school a lovely place.’ I promise that when it is safe enough to do so I will pop in for a visit. 
 

So farewell for now to all of my OLSK family. They say it’s not always what a teacher teaches you, but how they make you feel that is important. To all of my children out there past and present -I hope I made you feel confident, happy and resilient. You made me feel like a superhero....thanks for giving me the best days of my life! I love you all. 
 

Have a great summer! 
 

Love

 

Mr Brown