St Joseph's Secondary School First Year 2021/2022 - Core Subjects Option Subjects Wellbeing Junior Cycle Assessment

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St Joseph's Secondary School First Year 2021/2022 - Core Subjects Option Subjects Wellbeing Junior Cycle Assessment
St Joseph’s Secondary School
      Newfoundell, Drogheda, Co. Louth

    First Year 2021/2022

         Core Subjects
       Option Subjects
            Wellbeing
   Junior Cycle Assessment
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St Joseph's Secondary School First Year 2021/2022 - Core Subjects Option Subjects Wellbeing Junior Cycle Assessment
What core subjects will I study in St Joseph’s?

All students study the following subjects in first year and continue then for 3 years as part of
their Junior Cycle;

                   Subject                        Maximum Number of
                                                  Students in Each Class
                   English                        30
                   Irish                          30
                   Maths                          30
                   History                        30
                   Geography                      30
                   Religion                       30
                   Science                        24

What are option subjects?

In St Joseph’s, every student chooses three option subjects from the list below. They study
these for 3 years as part of their Junior Cycle. Typically, students choose a continental
language (French, Spanish, German) and two other subjects from the list below.

                 Subject                          Maximum Number of
                                                  Students in Each Class
                 German                           30
                 Spanish                          30
                 French                           30
                 Classics                         30
                 Business Studies                 30
                 Applied Technology               24
                 Wood Technology                  24
                 Graphics                         24
                 Visual Art                       24
                 Music                            24

Do I study ICT (Computers) in St Joseph’s?

Yes. All first years have 2 computer classes each week. They will learn how to use Microsoft
Office, as how to code using a BBC Microbit and get an introduction to Robotics. These skills
are very valuable to allow students to solve every day problems and form a key component
of our STEM subjects in the school.

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Why is it suggested that I choose a continental language as one of my 3 option subjects?

College may be a long way away when you are entering secondary school for the first time.
However, a small number of NUI colleges require you to have studied a continental
language to gain entry to courses in that college/university. By studying a continental
language from first year, you are giving yourself the option of studying in one of these
colleges when you leave school. Choosing a continental language is not compulsory – you do
not have to pick a language if you don’t want to.

Can I put off studying a continental language until I choose my subjects for my Leaving
Certificate in 5th year?

No. If you choose to study a continental language for your Leaving Certificate, it is not at
beginners’ level. It is a continuation on from three years of study at Junior Cycle. Therefore,
it is not possible to choose French, German or Spanish for the first time in fifth year. We
recommend that each student studies a continental language for Junior Cycle and then
makes up his mind whether to continue with it or not in fifth year.

Parent: My son has an exemption from doing Irish because of AEN. Should he still do a
continental language as one of his option subjects?

No. If your son has additional educational needs and has an Irish exemption as a result, we
don’t recommend that he chooses French, German or Spanish as one of his options. If your
son has additional educational needs, please contact the school to arrange a meeting with
our AENCO (Additional Educational Needs Co-ordinator), Mr Crummey. Mr Crummey will
advise you on what subjects best suit your son’s needs.

What is the Option Subjects Video?

Each year, we normally bring our incoming first years into the school for a day to sample
each of the 10 option subjects. This is not possible this year because of Covid. Therefore, we
are making a video which showcases each of the option subjects. The video will allow
incoming first years to watch the subjects being demonstrated and see the teachers speak
about them. We hope that this will help enable you to make an informed decision on which
3 subjects you pick. The video will be available on the school website www.droghedacbs.ie
at the end of January and we will text parents when it is ready.

How do I choose my option subjects?

You will be sent a form in the post to fill in to choose your option subjects. We will post the
form to parents once the video is on the website at the end of January. The 10 subjects will
be on the form and you must place a number from 1 to 6 beside the 6 subjects that you like
the most. Number 1 will be your favourite subject and so on down to number 6.

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Why do I have to choose 6 subjects when I will be doing 3?

When you enter 6 subject choices, the school uses software to generate 3 option lines. The
software works out the option lines so that the majority of students get their top 3 choices.
A small number of students may not get one of their top 3 choices. This means that instead,
he will be offered one of his 4-6 choice subjects.

What are the subject option lines?

The software generates 3 lines of roughly 5 to 6 subjects based on the demand from the
students. Every student does one subject from each of the 3 lines. The option lines are
based entirely on student demand and are not altered after the software generates the best
solution so that the majority get their top 3 choices. Once the option lines are generated,
they are final. The following table is the 2020 option lines. This is for illustrative purposes
only. The 2021 option lines will be different.

 Line 1                          Line 2                          Line 3
 Applied Technology              Applied Technology              Business Studies
 Business Studies                French                          Applied Technology
 Classics                        German                          Visual Art
 Graphics                        Spanish                         Spanish
 Music                           Graphics                        Wood Technology
 Spanish                         Wood Technology                 Wood Technology
 Wood Technology                                                 Wood Technology

Can there be more than one class of a certain subject?

Yes, as you can see in the table above there can be more than one class of a certain subject,
such as Wood Technology in Line 3. This is based entirely on student demand. When you
choose your options, we will look at the numbers that want to do each subject. That will
then determine how many classes of each subject we will run. This changes from year to
year based on the demand at the time.

Why is the deadline for returning the option forms to the school so important?

As you saw on page 2 of this booklet, there are maximum numbers of students that can be
in each class. We cannot add any more students above the maximum for each specific
subject. When the forms are sent back to us, some classes will fill up and become full. We
assign students to classes whose forms are sent back on time first. If your form is sent in
after the deadline, then it is possible that a subject that you want to do could be full and you
may miss out on studying it. Therefore, we strongly recommend, to avoid disappointment,
that all forms are sent back to the school before the deadline, which is 3pm on Friday
February 12th .

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Please note that the time/day before the deadline on February 12th, in which forms are sent
back to the school will have no bearing whatsoever on your son getting a place in a class.
However, late forms may do. Completed forms must be returned to the school by;

   •   Posting it to the school in the stamped address envelope. If any parents are self-
       isolating and cannot make the journey to the post office, please contact the school
       at info@droghedacbs.ie and we will accommodate you.

Is it possible to change an option subject in September if I don’t like it?

Yes, it is possible to switch a subject if you don’t like it. Every student must give the subject a
go and we don’t allow students to move without consulting with the teacher first to see
what the issue is.

All students and parents should be aware that it may not be possible to switch subject in the
new school year. If you look back at the table of subjects, you will see that there is a
maximum number of students allowed in each class. In the new school year, many of these
subjects will be full and it will not be possible to move. The option lines will be formed at
this stage and it may not be possible to move to a subject that you like on the same line. It is
highly recommended that students consider this when choosing their subjects to avoid
disappointment.

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Wellbeing
What is Wellbeing?

As part of the new Junior Cycle, every student must receive 400 hours of Wellbeing across
the 3 years of Junior Cycle. The school’s Wellbeing policy is available on the school website
www.droghedacbs.ie and clicking on the ‘Reports & Policies’ tab. We advise that all parents
read this policy as it contains a lot of information on the various care structures that exist in
the school. Wellbeing is comprised of the following subjects;

                   Subject                        Number of Classes a
                                                  Week
                   PE                             A double class
                   SPHE                           1 class a week
                   CSPE                           1 class a week
                   Wellbeing                      A double class

                                 First Year Wellbeing
 PE                                 1 double class a week
 45 hours
 SPHE                               1 class a week
 23 hours
 CSPE                               1 class a week
 23 hours
 Managing the Transition from       This programme introduces students to St Joseph’s.
 Primary to Secondary School        Students are given tours of the school and shown the
 8 hours                            offices of their year head, principal and deputy
 (5 double classes)                 principals, as well as the guidance counsellor. They are
                                    shown how to use their locker and lock. They will be
                                    taught how to use their student journal effectively. The
                                    teacher will go through the school rules in the code of
                                    behaviour and draw their attention to the school’s rules
                                    on no physical fighting, anti-bullying procedures and the
                                    mobile phone policy.
 Get Up Stand Up                    This is a personal development /social skills programme
 8 hours                            for young people, developed by NEPS. It explores the
 (5 double classes)                 skills they need to understand themselves and to
                                    respond well to others. It covers topics like
                                    getting to know myself, friendship, dealing with
                                    emotions, resilience and coping skills, teasing, bullying
                                    and intimidation and decision making skills. The
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programme includes discussion and stories, class room
                             activities, Group work and targets the students can set
                             themselves to assist them in different situations.
Swimming & Life Saving       Students enjoy an additional hour a week of fun,
8 hours                      physical activity which develops their confidence,
(5 double classes)           friendship groups and feeling of connectivity to the
                             school community. There is a developing group and
                             advanced group within the session. Pupils learn
                             anything from the basic front crawl strokes right up to
                             butterfly. They also have the time to play at the end
                             enjoy a little water polo in the pool. Students learn
                             basic life saving techniques, such as information about
                             cold water shock, floating when in danger and pulling
                             somebody in using a pole. The swimming module costs
                             €40 per student for the 5-week course.
First Aid & CPR              This course introduces students to First Aid. They will
8 hours                      learn the basics of First Aid, as well as how to check a
(5 double classes)           pulse rate, how to treat somebody with a nose bleed,
                             how to put on a sling and how to put somebody in the
                             recovery position. Students will be introduced to the
                             CPR4schools programme which is run by the Irish Heart
                             Foundation. CPR 4 Schools is a programme for post
                             primary schools supported by Bank of Ireland. CPR 4
                             Schools gives students the confidence to perform
                             hands-only CPR, use an AED and know what to do when
                             someone is choking.
Nutrition & Healthy Eating   This course allows students to understand the
8 hours                      importance of food and diet in making healthy lifestyle
(5 double classes)           choices. They will learn about the food pyramid, the
                             sugar content of foods, food allergies and coeliac
                             disease.
Choir                        This course introduces students to singing as part of a
8 hours                      choir where they emphasis will be on having fun and
(5 double classes)           participation. It will be led by one of the school’s music
                             teachers and aims to allow students to participate
                             regardless of musical ability. Singing as part of a group
                             enhances teamwork and collaboration.

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The Junior Cycle Programme
The new Junior Cycle spreads assessment throughout the three years of Junior Cycle giving
students the opportunity to demonstrate their learning away from the exam hall.

                   Classroom Based Assessments explained
What is a C.B.A?
Classroom-Based Assessments will provide students with opportunities to demonstrate
their understanding and skills in a way which would not be possible in a formal examination.
The tasks will cover a broad range of activities including oral presentations, written work of
different genres, practical or designing and making activities, artistic performances,
scientific experiments, projects or other suitable tasks. A particular purpose of the
Classroom-Based Assessments will be to facilitate developmental feedback to students in a
timely manner to reinforce their learning and aid them in reflecting on their progress.
Classroom-Based Assessments (CBAs) are best described as the occasions when the teacher
assesses the students using the specific tasks set out in the curriculum specification for each
subject. They are completed within the teaching time allocated for each subject. All subjects
with the exception of Gaeilge will have their first CBA in second year and their second one
before Christmas in third year. Gaeilge will have both CBAs in third year.

In deciding the level of achievement for the Classroom-Based Assessments, there are four
level descriptors of achievement for each CBA. Teachers use the Features of Quality set out
in The Assessment Guidelines for each subject to decide the level of achievement in each
CBA. The Features of Quality are the criteria used to assess the student work as best fitting
one of the following descriptors:

EXCEPTIONAL; describes a piece of work that reflects the Features of Quality for the
Classroom-Based Assessment to a very high standard. While not necessarily perfect, the
strengths of the work far outstrip its flaws, which are minor. Suggestions for improvement
are easily addressable by the student.

ABOVE EXPECTATIONS; describes a piece of work that reflects all of the Features of Quality
for the Classroom-Based Assessment very well. The student shows a clear understanding of
how to complete each area of activity of the investigation, and the work is praised for its
rigour. Feedback from the teacher might point to the necessity to address some aspect of
the work in need of further attention or polishing, but on the whole, the work is of a high
standard.

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IN LINE WITH EXPECTATIONS; describes a piece of work that reflects most of the Features
of Quality for the Classroom-Based Assessment well. It shows a good understanding of the
task in hand and is free from significant error. Feedback might point to areas needing
further attention or correction, but the work is generally competent and accurate.

YET TO MEET EXPECTATIONS; describes a piece of work that falls someway short of the
demands of the Classroom-Based Assessment and its associated Features of Quality.
Perhaps the student has made a good attempt, but the task has not been grasped clearly or
is marred by significant lapses. Feedback will draw attention to fundamental errors that
need to be addressed.

NOT REPORTED; describes when a student has not submitted any piece of work for
assessment

It is important to acknowledge and affirm that it is not only the grade that matters but also
what the students have actually learned about themselves throughout the CBA experience.
In particular students should reflect about how their project work, experiments or
presentations have helped them engage with their subjects and how the feedback they have
received will enable them to progress further in the future.

Does the CBA count towards the SEC grade at the end of third year?

CBAs do not form part of the SEC component. The Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement will
document achievement in CBAs and for the SEC component separately. The SEC component
includes student achievement in the Assessment Task and the final assessment towards the
end of third year. It should be noted that ‘The Assessment Task’ is directly related to the
nature and focus of the second Classroom-Based Assessment, which will vary in each
subject.

                     Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA)
The JCPA reports on the broad spectrum of student learning and experience over the
three years of the Programme. Although there are plans by in place by the State
Examinations Commission to expediate this, it is currently awarded in January of TY/5 th
year.

CBAs: Classroom-Based Assessments.
SEC: State Examination awarded grades (90% from the terminal exam & 10% from the
Assessment Task).
WELLBEING; has become a core part of the Junior Cycle programme. This area of learning
includes, amongst others, Physical Education, Civic, Social and Political Education, Social,
Personal and Health Education and Guidance as well as a vibrant Wellbeing programme
which is established here in St. Joseph’s.
OAL: Other Areas of Learning
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New Grading system explained
With the rollout of the Junior Cycle a new language of learning has been introduced which
takes the emphasis off grades-based achievement for students. As well as formative
assessment and feedback language being a core aspect of the classroom experience, the
final award is described in a different manner. Please see the table below which breaks this
down for you.

The core subjects (English, Irish and Maths) are assessed at Higher and Ordinary Level and
all other subjects are now assessed at common level for all students.

The L1LP (Level 1 Learning Programme) and L2LP (Level 2 Learning Programme)
programmes are also available to some students.

 State Examinations                            Classroom Based Assessment

    •   Distinction (90 -100%)                     •   Exceptional
    •   Higher Merit (75 – 89%)                    •   Above expectations
    •   Merit (55 – 74%)                           •   In line with expectations
    •   Achieved (40 – 54%)                        •   Yet to meet expectations
    •   Partially Achieved (20 – 39%)
                                                   •   Not reported
    •   Not Graded (0 – 19%)

For further information, please see:

www.curriculumonline.ie

www.jct.ie

www.ncca.ie

www.stjosephscbs.ie

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General Questions
What time does the school start and finish at?

                 1st/2nd/TY Class & Break Times
                               Mon      Tue      Wed   Thur   Fri
             8:45 - 9:25
             9:25 - 10:05
             10:05 - 10:45
             10:45 - 11:00
             11:00 - 11:40
             11:40 - 12:20
             12:20 - 13:00
             13:00 - 13:40
             13:40 - 14:20
             14:20 - 15:00
             15:00 - 15:40

             3rd/5th 6th Year Class & Break Times
                               Mon      Tue      Wed   Thur   Fri
             8:45 - 9:25
             9:25 - 10:05
             10:05 - 10:20
             10:20 - 11:00
             11:00 - 11:40
             11:40 - 12:20
             12:20 - 13:00
             13:00 - 13:40
             13:40 - 14:20
             14:20 - 15:00
             15:00 - 15:40

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Are students allowed to leave the school at lunch time?

No, students are not allowed to leave the school at lunch time. We are operating a ‘closed
school community’ during the day as part of our Covid safety measures.

Small break for 1st years is 10:45 to 11:00. Big break is 1:00 to 1:40.

Does the school have a canteen?

Yes, the school has an excellent canteen and is extremely popular with the students in the
school. The canteen service run by the company Get Fresh and is available at lunch break
each day. Get Fresh have a new pre order and pre-pay online service for students. It is a
cashless system using a card given to students by Get Fresh and this makes using the
canteen safer as it will be a cash free environment. The canteen is not open at small break
and students must bring their own snack and drink to eat then.

How long should students spend on homework each night?

Students should spend 2 hours on homework each night. This includes homework that is
given by teachers on a day to day basis, as well as studying for tests and assessments. Every
student has a homework journal to write his homework in and to help him keep organised.

The school runs a supervised homework club from Monday to Thursday each week for first
years who need support doing their homework.

The school also runs supervised after school study each evening for 2 hours Monday to
Friday.

Do students have lockers?

Students currently don’t have lockers because of the Covid restrictions. All students in first
year currently have a plastic box in their base room where they can keep their books and
coat.

What are the Drumcondra Tests?

All incoming first years sit the Drumcondra tests before starting school. The date for this
year’s Drumcondra Tests is postponed until further notice. These used to be known as
entrance exams. They are not entrance exams and have no implication whatsoever on your
son getting a place in St Joseph’s. The Drumcondra tests assess student’s literacy and
numeracy and give us a picture of what learning supports may be needed to put in place for
students when the start in September.

Are classes in the school streamed?

No, first year classes in St Joseph’s are not streamed. All classes are mixed ability and there
are no top, middle or bottom classes. Students are assigned a class which will be one of

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1F/1N/1R/1S/1T/1U. There is no distinction between any of the classes. Students will be
streamed in Maths and Irish in second year based on their assessment results in 1st year. All
other classes are mixed ability.

How will he be assigned to one of the classes named above?

The Drumcondra tests allow us to see what a student’s broad ability in literacy and
numeracy is like once he completed the test. We form the classes so that there is an equal
mix of students based on the Drumcondra tests in each of the first-year base classes.
Therefore, we obtain each of the base classes as being equal in terms of ability and learning
needs.

What is the St Joseph’s School Uniform?

Junior Cycle Uniform (1st/2nd & 3rd Years)
        • Grey Trousers
        • Light Blue Shirt
        • School Tie
        • Grey Jumper with the school crest
        • Navy Blue School coat
        • Black or Brown Shoes or Runners. No white soles or markings on runners are
        allowed.
Senior Cycle Uniform (TY/5th & 6th Years)
        • Grey Trousers
        • White Shirt
        • School Tie
        • Grey Jumper with the school crest
        • Navy Blue School coat
        • Black or Brown Shoes or Runners. No white soles or markings on runners are
        allowed.
The school jumper/coat/tie can be purchased at any of:
        • Loop Clothing (beside Greenhills School),
        • Bestwear on Shop Street
        • The Children’s Shop on West Street.
        • The shirt and trousers can be purchased in Tesco, Penneys etc.

There is no PE uniform. Students can wear their own sportswear to PE class.

Can I monitor my son’s attendance when he is at school?

Yes, we use the VSware administration system in the school and parents have their own
VSware mobile app. This can also be accessed on the laptop or computer. Parents can
monitor their son’s class by class attendance and submit absence/late notes to the school

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via the app. Parents can also receive messages from the school, view their son’s timetable
and term reports on the app.
How does the Book Rental scheme work?

St Joseph’s operates a comprehensive Book Rental Scheme and is open to all students in
First, Second and Third Year. To avail of this service, parents pay a rental fee of €100 each
year. In contrast with other schools, where only the textbooks of core subjects are included
in the scheme, in St. Joseph’s, textbooks in every subject and in all levels, up to Third Year,
are included.

This means that there will be no booklist issued to parents before your son starts in
September and parents do not need to worry about buying textbooks. The school looks
after buying all of your son’s textbooks and they will be distributed to them in September.
Some subjects may have specific equipment or supplementary texts, such as novels in
English, that are not included in the book rental scheme. The teachers of these subjects will
inform you of what needs to be bought in September.

What type of copies do I need to buy before he starts school?

The small A5 softback copies are the best ones to buy. Some teachers will ask the boys to
have specific types of copies. We don’t recommend buying hardback copies for each of his
subjects, as these can make his school bag very bulky and heavy. Small copies which can fit
inside his textbook are fine.

How can I pay the Book Rental and other fees?

All parents of incoming first years have been set up on way2pay. This is the method of
payment which we use in the school and it works well for all other small miscellaneous fees
that may occur over the course of the school year. Way2pay generates an electronic receipt
for each payment processed. The link to way2pay is in the Parents section of the school
website www.droghedacbs.ie.

The school office is not able to accept credit/debit card payment. Fees can be paid in cash,
however due to Covid, we are trying to keep the number of cash payments and contacts at
the office to a minimum. Please pay with way2pay if you can.

How do I return the forms and documentation to the school?

You can post the forms to the school office for the attention of the school secretary. The
address is at the bottom of the homepage on www.droghedacbs.ie. We are asking all
parents to please post the forms in at this time, if possible, in order to reduce the number of
contacts at the office. Thank you for being understanding in this regard.

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My son has an exemption from doing Irish. What will he do when Irish class is on?

If your son has an exemption from doing Irish, then he will do two classes of literacy
(English) support and two classes of numeracy (Maths) support each week when the 4 Irish
classes are running. These classes are taught by English and Maths teachers and will be
completely separate from the Irish class. He will not be sitting at the back of an Irish class
doing his own work. He will receive homework and assessment in these classes in the
normal manner, just the same as every other subject. We also offer EAL support (English as
an additional language) during this time for students whose first language is not English and
would benefit from extra help in this area. If your son has an Irish exemption and would
benefit from EAL support, please email us at info@droghedacbs.ie so that we can put this in
place for him for when he starts school.

My son does not have an exemption from doing Irish, but he has mild dyslexia (or any
additional educational need). Will he get any supports in school?

Mr Crummey, our Additional Educational Needs Coordinator is currently liaising with the
primary schools to ascertain which students will need support when they start in August. Mr
Crummey will contact parents of these boys over the coming weeks to ascertain what their
level of needs are and discuss with parents what supports can be put in place for your son
when he starts school. If your son has any additional educational needs, please email the
school and Mr Crummey will give you a call. Please don’t adopt a ‘wait and see how he gets
on’ approach before letting us know. If you would prefer for us not to put any supports in
place for him initially, that is no problem. However, it is better that the school is aware of
your son’s needs, so we can monitor his progress and then, if necessary, make any
interventions in consultation with parents.

Mr Crummey’s presentation from the Information Evening is on www.droghedacbs.ie.

My son is anxious about starting secondary school. Will there be any supports in place to
help him settle in?

First years settle into secondary school at their own pace. Some students need a little more
time and help than others. Some may be anxious that they do not know anybody else in the
school, or that their friends have gone to a different school. There are several supports that
we have in place in the school to help each of our first years settle in. The school’s Pastoral
Care Policy goes through each of these supports in detail. This policy can be accessed in the
Incoming First Years section of the school website www.droghedacbs.ie. One programme
designed specifically for first years is the Cara mentoring programme.

This programme has been set up in the school to help first years to settle into their new
school environment. The Cara team agree at the beginning of the year to help initiate our
first years. This team consists of a group of fifth year students. Each fifth year Cara Mentor is
assigned approximately five students to look after. They meet each of their students on

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their first day in August and at regular intervals throughout the year particularly during the
first term. The beginning of secondary school can be difficult for first years with so many
new subjects and new faces to get used to. The Cara team aim to help first years with any
concerns they may have at this challenging time and indeed, throughout the year the Cara
team are present in the school to assist with the needs of their assigned first year group
through group or individual sessions. They also assist in the preparation and organisation of
school- based pastoral activities.

Ms O’Doherty’s presentation from the Information Evening is on www.droghedacbs.ie.

What platform does the school use for remote teaching and learning?

The school uses the GSuite (Google) platform which is sanctioned for use in the school by
the Board of Management. Every student has his own school Gmail address which ends in
@droghedacbs.ie. He will be given this email address when he starts in first year and keep it
until he leaves the school. Google Classroom is the main feature that is used for remote
teaching and learning and it is very user friendly and easy to use. Teachers use Google
Meets for delivering live classes. Your son will be shown how to use each of these features
in his Computers class at the beginning of first year.

How do I get set up on VSware to view my son’s attendance?

The school office will write to the parents of incoming first years in August to set you up on
VSware. The office will send you instructions on how to access your log in details. Your son’s
timetable will be available for you to view a few days before he starts school and we will
notify you when it is ready.

What Covid-19 safety measures are in place in the school?

The health and safety procedures that we put in place for the return of all students to
school at the beginning of the 2020/21 academic year will continue to apply to all students
when they return in August 2021, subject to any adjustments that may need to be made
closer to the time. These are available to read in the parents’ section on the school website
www.droghedacbs.ie. The school recently had a Covid-19 compliance inspection from the
Department of Education in December and received a report stating that St Joseph’s is
compliant in all areas of the safe provision of schooling. The report is also on the school
website. A full cleaning rota is in place and will continue next year. Windows will also be
open in all classrooms to provide ventilation as per government guidelines. We will write to
parents to inform you of the safety measures that will be in place in August before your son
starts school.

When will the incoming first years begin school?

The school calendar for the new school year will be made available to parents in late
May/early June. The calendar will contain the start back dates for each year group. The

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school will reopen on the week beginning on August 23rd and each year group will be
brought back on a phased basis. First years will be brought in on their own on their first day
(to be confirmed in June). This is to give them a chance to settle in and get their bearings.
They will be given a tour of the school, meet their Cara mentor and get their journal and
timetable.

How can I stay informed of everything that is going on in the school?

The school uses VSware messaging and text message to communicate with parents. The
school website www.droghedacbs.ie has a huge amount of information about the school, as
well as an archive of past newsletters. We also use Twitter @Droghedacbs to post good
news stories in the school and to celebrate our students’ achievements.

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