Sir. – As the term closes and the fear rises, a simple thank you. Thank you to the teachers. Thank you for helping in the restoration of our sanity, thank you for taking the risk, and thanks for making the last four months as normal as possible for our children. I only say this because, amid all the debate, that simple fact that our children went back to school successfully has been forgotten and should be celebrated. Merry Christmas. – Yours, etc,
NOEL BUCKLEY,
Clonakilty,
Co Cork.
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Sir, – As our schools close today for the Christmas holidays, our students and staff will leave to take a much-needed and well-deserved break. It is, however, a more subdued departure than normal because of the necessary curtailments and restrictions on our traditional school festivities and rituals.
Nevertheless, our students and staff must be commended for celebrating and sharing the spirit and joy of Christmas in our schools, safely.
As for so many others, it has been a tough year for the students and staff of our schools. Some still feel anxious and afraid. Others feel upset and dismayed and many feel depleted and exhausted. Yet their strength and resilience have won through, and we thank them.
Schools will reopen in January again as the days get brighter, and hope, the forgotten virtue of our time, reappears tentatively on the horizon. Some of us may move on to take up other challenges but we do so in the knowledge that our students and staff will come together again and learning and teaching will continue, in hope, confidence and care for each other. – Yours, etc,
JOHN McHUGH,
Deputy Principal,
Loreto Secondary School,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.