Changes to primary school operations from 23 November

Modest changes to the operation of Hafnarfjörður's primary schools will be introduced from Monday, 23rd November, until 1st December. The new changes are being implemented with a cautious approach, focusing only on measures and adjustments that are in line with the public health authorities' regulations. The implementation is coordinated for the primary schools of Hafnarfjörður municipality. 

Following a review by school and education authorities in Hafnarfjörður of the new regulations from the public health authorities, the conclusion is to maintain essentially the same arrangements until 1 December as have been in place in the primary schools throughout November. 

The basic arrangement is as follows:

• Pupils remain in their own classrooms, which form a single bubble (Years 5-10) or are paired up on the junior school level (Years 1-4).
• One teaching bubble at a time will be allowed to use the school's collections, which will be disinfected between groups from different teaching bubbles. 
• Pupils in the junior school will continue to have a full school day and a club facility, but the mobile club will now be added with the same arrangement as earlier this autumn. 
• Pupils in Years 5-10 will continue to have four lessons a day in school and increased homework, possibly with remote meetings with teachers as each school and its teachers decide. The school attendance arrangements for older pupils may change.
• Pupils and staff in Years 5-7 are no longer required to wear face coverings in lessons, and the school grounds are mask-free for all pupils. However, face coverings are still required for pupils and staff in Years 8-10 in classrooms and corridors. 
• The new regulation gives schools the option to organise playtimes during the school day, as there is no longer a compartmentalisation of the school playground.
• Sports instruction in sports halls and swimming instruction in swimming pools is an option that each school is considering. Each school will present its decisions to its parents.

It has been important for us to be able to maintain a catering service for students during these disruptions to school activities, but this has not been without its challenges. The cooperation with Skólamat has been exemplary in these difficult circumstances for the company. The practice was therefore adopted of serving students lunch in disposable trays in classrooms, but this did not offer the same quality as serving food in the canteen and increased both food preparation and food waste, as well as adding other complications. The situation now is that there are no more food trays available in the country to continue this practice. The decision has therefore been taken to reopen the canteens, but with an amended procedure, namely the phased serving and delivery of lunch over a longer period than before, due to smaller groups being in the room at any one time. If individual schools cannot get all pupils with a pre-ordered lunch into the dining hall, or collect it and take it to their classrooms, the older pupils at some schools will receive a simpler meal, i.e. a sandwich, wrap, pasta, etc., in their classrooms for their lunch. This is not the most ideal situation, but it appears to be the only viable option in the effort to provide all pupils on the meal subscription scheme with their food, ensuring it does not have to be cancelled. Each school will provide parents with further details on the arrangement. 

The staff of the City of Hafnarfjörður thank all concerned, and especially the pupils and their guardians, for their understanding and patience with the constant changes and adaptation to new circumstances.