Ashbourne Educate Together National School

New road safety measures are being planned for roads close to our school. We would like to thank Councillor Alan Tobin for proposing these changes and helping to keep our school community safe. The planned improvements include:

1. Flashing yellow lights and pedestrian crossings with ramps near the Thomas Ashe Roundabout.
2. Flashing yellow lights and zebra crossings at Castle & Killegland Street junction (Lidl)

As of yet, we do not know the planned timeframe and as these changes are still in the planning stages the final works may differ slightly.

All bathrooms have become gender neutral. This change is taking place in the context of the school’s commitment to Equality and inclusiveness as set out in out equality policy Equality policy-2018 2019. The decision to do this was made at the school’s Board of Management Meeting , including parents.

Please be assured that classroom teachers will take all matters hygiene, privacy, comfort and health and safety into consideration.

As has always been the case all toilet cubicles can be locked from Senior Infants onwards.

The children will be given lessons on toilet etiquette and hygiene and we will be asking parents to do the same.

• All toilets in the school are built without being gender-specific. (there are no urinals)
• All gender-specific toilet signs have been removed from the doors and new signs will be introduced.
• Toilet cubicles are lockable and this will be encouraged apart from Junior Classes.
• Boys will be expected to lift the toilet seat and aim at the water below. Intrinsic prompts (e.g. stickers on base of bowl) will be added for junior classes if required.
• Flushing the toilet, wiping toilet seat, washing hands carefully and binning paper towels properly will be practised and encouraged from home.
• If a child observes a bathroom to be in an unhygienic state on entering the child will be instructed to leave immediately and inform the class teacher with subtlety. .
• For older girls all bathrooms from 3^rd Class up will be provided with sanitary bins.
• Deliberate or repeat instances of unhygienic use of toilet or defacing toilet facilities will, as has always been the case, be considered a disciplinary matter and dealt with as such by the school.
• Through SPHE lessons and class discussion children will be introduced to the change.
• local arrangements at class level will be decided upon by teacher and students to ensure the comfort, privacy and ease of transition for all. (e.g. “engaged” poster on door, knocking system, toilet monitoring sheet etc)

Children will be reminded that all home bathrooms are gender neutral as are disability toilets. etc.  An increasing number of public toilets are gender neutral. Many café’s and restaurants and family swimming areas  are gender neutral and in this way school will be no different.None of the toilets in the school were built with urinals in place, therefore they are not gender -specific. Children will be reminded that it will reduce needless queuing and waiting time for toilets and help ensure we all learn to show respect for each other by learning to leave areas clean and as we found them.