A thank you to all who got the school Covid-ready...
13th September 2020
Tomorrow morning, we'll head back into a shining, spotless school.
We'll sanitise our hands at one of the many dispensers, we'll go to rooms knowing all of the floors, tables, chairs and surfaces were cleaned and sanitised. We'll turn on the computers, log in to the school network, and start the day.
There's so much we take for granted in just those few sentences. We just assume it'll all be there, the same as always. It's long past time we gave credit here to all the people behind the behind the scenes, who keep everything running and looking immaculate.
While there'll always be little jobs and maintenance in the general scheme of things, Covid 19 threw up a whole slew of extra requirements this year, and we were blessed to have a range of skilled local tradespeople to work in some cases practically round the clock in order to get the school ready. Hot water plumbing, moving or installing partition walls, conversions of storage spaces to classroom spaces, converting the stage were all the noticeable differences. But then there needed power to be brought to all these nooks and crannies, and internet access, and computers and projectors.
None of this could have happened without the sterling work of Tom Buckley's plumbing, Allen Kenny and Ciarán McNeill transformed rooms and installed I don't know how many, but it was a LOT, of sanitiser dispensers, Gerry Buckley and NIS linked whole new areas of the school into the broadband system, while Eddie Dwyer brought power, switches and plug points wherever needed. A huge thank you to all these local tradespeople: we are so grateful to have so much top class help only ever a phone call away.
While the aforementioned are there when there's an emergency or something out of the ordinary crops up, we also are blessed to have a care-taking staff that, if there was National Awards for caretakers and cleaning staff (there should be, now that I think of it!!), there is no doubt that Killina's care-taking staff would sweep the boards. Seriously, they'd clean up!! At this stage, Paul O'Brien and Bridgie Delaney are, metaphorically, part of the furniture in Killina. They are so thorough, so professional, and take such pride in keeping the place looking fantastic always: and that's not in any way diminishing the contribution of Mary Larkin, Mary Kelly and Kathleen Tannahill, and everyone who worked over the years. Always friendly, always smiling and having the craic while always being accommodating and hardworking; they really are a huge part of the fabric of the school community.
So once again, a special thank you to our unsung heroes, we are so, so, grateful for everything you do, and everything you've done.
