Local schools 'seriously affected' by staff and student absences

Athlone-area secondary schools which reopened last week reported a very high level of Covid-related staff and student absences, with one principal saying the situation was having an unsustainable impact on teaching and learning.

Athlone Community College principal Eileen Donohoe has long advocated for in-person learning and is acutely aware of the educational and social benefits of being present in the classroom.

However, at the end of last week, with student absences from the school's Leaving Cert classes running at around 50%, she expressed doubts about how effective the full reopening had been.

"Last week, I would have been on the rooftop of Leinster House saying 'don't close the schools, we need to have the children in.'

"But what has transpired on the ground over the last two days is not what we had hoped, and teaching and learning has been seriously affected," she told the Westmeath Independent on Friday.

"I have been amalgamating classes, where I can, to try to continue with face-to-face teaching. The staff are wonderful, and they will buy in and continue teaching.

"You can't beat to face-to-face, and it's what I want in my heart of hearts, but based on what I've witnessed (last Thursday and Friday) I have serious doubts about whether it's working. I don't think it is.

"I feel so sorry for those who are missing out through no fault of their own. If the school was closed, and went to online teaching, then at least there would be teaching going on (for everybody)," she said.

Ms Donohoe said around 15% of staff in the Community College were absent last week, but she was hopeful that would improve this week as some had been coming towards the end of their isolation periods.

At Moate Community School, principal Tom Lowry had ten staff members, and about a quarter of the student population, absent when classes resumed last Thursday.

"The challenge was trying to ensure that, where staff members were absent, the students would have meaningful work to do," said Mr Lowry.

"That is a big challenge, and we're glad that lots of our staff offered and are voluntarily teaching additional classes for their absent colleagues."

He commented that the Leaving Cert students of 2022 found themselves in the most difficult position of all of the Leaving Cert groups since the pandemic began.

"They've had two years in senior cycle which have been very disturbed and unusual. They're preparing to sit a Leaving Cert exam in June and, as of this moment in time, they won't have the option of receiving an accredited grade.

"They are certainly at a disadvantage, there's absolutely no doubt about that, and that's a very stressful situation to be in."

He felt the Department of Education should be acting with more urgency on making decisions around the Leaving Cert format and the upcoming mock exams.

"I was looking for advice on mock exams (last Thursday) and was told that the Department would be meeting at the end of January. Now, the end of January is three weeks away, and mock exams are potentially four to five weeks away. I can't wait that long," he said.

"We all understand that it's difficult to make decisions because we're in such an unknown situation, but we are dealing with young people's lives here.

"I don't think it's good enough to say to students, 'We'll make a decision at the end of January, give us a few weeks'. That's my personal opinion."

In the Marist College in Athlone, principal Michael Dermody said last Friday that staff absences were at close to 20%, and between 30 and 35% of students had not been in attendance for the opening days of term.

"It's a positive that we were able to reopen, but after that it has been quite challenging," he said.

"Trying to get appropriate substitute cover for staff is a challenge, but fortunately we were able to reopen fully with all year groups. We haven't had to ask any year group to stay home, and hopefully we won't have to."

He said the school was utilising online tools such as Microsoft OneNote in order to support students who were unable to attend class.

"That doesn't replace being there in person, but it certainly helps to minimise and reduce the impact (of an absence)," he said.

Mr Dermody agreed that a swift decision around the format of this year's Leaving Cert would be beneficial.

"The Department might want to wait and see for as long as possible, but I think they will have to take into account the amount of absenteeism, through no fault of the students themselves, right across the country.

"I would think that the 'noise' around this will continue to build, and it will begin to develop towards the students having the option (of an accredited grade), similar to last year.

"That would seem like the equitable thing to do, because these students have missed a lot of fifth year as well."

He concluded by praising the resilience of young people in dealing with the huge challenges posed by the pandemic.

"As always our students - not just in the Marist, but throughout the country - are very resilient and are getting on with it and doing everything that's asked of them.

"When they are in school we try to ensure that things are as safe as we can make them, so they're getting on with conditions that are not as comfortable as anybody would like," he said.

Meanwhile, one student from a secondary school in Athlone wrote to the Westmeath Independent to express concern and disappointment that schools had been allowed to reopen.

The student, who did not wish to be named, argued that Education Minister Norma Foley was 'using students as guinea pigs' and putting them at risk.

"She needs to start earning her money and understand that schools are full of Covid," the student's email stated.