This document details the Department of Education's guidelines on the use of PPE in schools. This include the most recent recommendations on face masks / coverings made by Minister Foley on 7th August.

It is now recommended that teachers and secondary school students wear face coverings, similar to those worn in shops or on public transport, when a physical distance of 2 metres cannot be maintained.

This means that all students and staff must wear face coverings anytime they are within the school buildings as only 1m social distancing is possible to maintain in the classrooms and on the corridors.

All students will continue to wear the St. Dominic's College full school uniform.

Students will wear PE gear for the duration of the school day on which they have PE. This will also serve as a day out of uniform that students and parents could wash and turn around the uniform.

We have converted the rear car park into a large outdoor seating area for students and all staff must now park in the front car park area of the school.

Students are encouraged to walk or cycle to school wherever possible. Arrangements for secure bicycle storage during the day is in place.

Unfortunately as a result of these changes, parents are no longer able to enter the premises of St. Dominic's College for dropping off or collecting students at the start and end of the school day. We ask for parents to cooperate and understand why this health and safety measure is necessary.

Each year group will have a designated area in the school where their base classrooms will be located.

• 1st Year - First Floor of St. Dominic's building, Rooms 11, 12, 15.

• 2nd Year - Ground Floor of St. Dominic's building, Rooms 1, 2. 5

• 3rd Year - Top Floor of St. Catherine's building, Rooms 37, 38 & Suaimhneas

• TY - Ground Floor of St. Dominic's building, Rooms 9, 10

• 5th Year - Ground Floor St. Catherine's Building, Rooms 26, 28

• 6th Year - 1st Floor St. Dominic's building, Rooms 18, 19

Students will sit an single desks and there will be a minimum of 1m social distancing between the desks.

There will be a float classroom on each corridor for each year group for when classses are mixed eg Maths, English, Irish & Languages.

At times, students will be required to move to specialist rooms eg Science Lab, Art Rooms etc. Procedures will be in place to assist students make their way safely to these rooms.

Each year group will have a designated entrance through which they can access the specific area of the school buildings where their base classrooms are located.

• 1st Year - Main Entrance and use of staircase at the lobby up to the first floor.

• 2nd Year - Fire Escape Entrance beside Room 5

• 3rd Year - Fire Escape Entrance beside the Career Guidance Office and use of front staircase in St. Catherine's building.

• TY - Fire Escape Entrance beside Room 7

• 5th Year - Fire Escape Entrance to St. Catherine's Building beside the Art Room and use of back staircase in St. Catherine's building.

• 6th Year - Main Entrance and use of back staircase by the SCP offices

A concrete pathway exists around St. Dominic's building to allow easy access to the fire escape entrances on the ground floor.

Students will not have access to a school locker this year. The reason for this is lockers would pose a significant risk for transmission and require students to be too close in proximity to each other.

Instead, each student is encouraged to bring a plastic storage box for storing their books in school. A limited number of boxes will be for sale in school with a cost of 5Eur.

Students will not have to carry all their books in and out of school each day and can safely leave books in their base classroom overnight.

Students will be restricted to specific student toilets.

• 1st & 6th Year Toilets - Upstairs in St. Dominic's Building

• 2nd Year & TY Toilets - Ground floor in St. Dominic's Building

• 3rd Year Toilets - First floor in St. Catherine's Building

• 5th Year Toilets - Ground floor in St. Catherine's Building

A maximum of three students will be allowed in the toilets at any one time. The toilets will be cleaned continually throughout the school day.

Part of the school's risk minimisation strategy is to implement an increased cleaning schedule. There will be a member of the cleaning staff on duty during each school day maintaining excellent hygiene standards in the school's toilets and common areas like stairwells and corridors. This is in addition to an increased schedule of cleaning taking place after school hours.

We have also invested in some top-range cleaning equipment that maintains the cleanliness of the school in a more efficient way.

As with all staff, particular precautionary measures are being taken to protect the members of our cleaning staff and ensure that all risks associated with cleaning the school are minimised for them. For example, each member of staff will have their own supply of cleaning equipment so that no sharing of equipment is taking place. Each member of the cleaning staff will also have their own supply of suitable PPE to wear while at work.