‘Best day ever’ as schools reopen to excited pupils

A LOCAL teacher said Monday was one of the ‘best days ever in school’ after welcoming students back after five months.

Primary schools across the county reopened their doors to P7 students this week, with all students expected to return next Tuesday, September 1.

Schools have implemented social distancing and new safety measures and so far, the reopening has been a success.

Eimear Donnelly, principal of St Joseph’s Primary School in Drumquin, said welcoming pupils back to school gave a feeling of some sense of normality returning.

Mrs Donnelly said, “We have additional measures in place but it was lovely to see their wee smiling faces coming back in, and to hear laughter and chatter in the school again.

“We are doing induction classes throughout the week to give children the chance to meet with teachers and address any fears or concerns they may have.

“We know there is a lot of anxiety about coming back to school so we want to alleviate those worries and when the children come in, they realise it is not much different from what it had been before.

“There are extra measures in place to keep the pupils safe but they have been seeing similar measures everywhere they go so they are getting used it them.”

Mrs Donnelly said the pupils have been very accommodating and have been adapting to include social distancing measures into their school day.

She continued, “It is a different way of school for now.”

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