Newsletter
11 04 2025
2nd class Spring Wreaths.
They used egg cartons to create the flowers, and some children added colourful ribbons
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Your children are ready for a well-earned break!
We’ve had a lovely term — thank you to both you and your children for all the support.
We look forward to another active and busy term, commencing at 8:30am on April 28th.
Wishing you a fun and relaxing holiday!
BOM Agreed Report
Agreed Report
- Child Protection Oversight Report and Bullying Report presented.
- D7 Smartphone free Meeting – 16th May, 9:30am in Dublin 7 ETNS.
- Staffing requests approved.
- Gaeilge for parents, thanks Patrick for coordinating
- GDA updates shared.
- ISM roles shared
- 25th Birthday celebrations & opening of school discussed
- Thanks to PGSA on all of the hard work on the table quiz and upcoming smartphone meeting and summer fete.
- Evening meeting for incoming infants on May 6th.
- Thank you to Katrina for coordinating First Aid & defibrillator training. Thanks to Grainne for coordinating OT training for SNAs & teachers.
- Thanks to all of the staff for coordinating and attending all of the various sports matches, badminton, hurling and camogie, basketball, soccer, spelling B and to the parents for all of the lifts.
🌱 School Garden 🌱
Thank you to Stephen Kenny for building us beautiful planters to grow our summer veg in. They are looking lovely down beside our wildflower mural.
Together, this week, we planted-out potatoes , peas, spring onions, nasturtiums, borage, chamomile & verbena.
Well done to all our green fingered paistí, contributing once again to the Biodiversity in D7ET 👏👏
Potato planting in the space cleared by our parents earlier this term
4th class making chocolate Easter nest making using their active maths and procedural writing skills
Leinster House
Enda’s 6th class had an unforgettable experience at Leinster House on Wednesday as guests of local TD Marie Sherlock and Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik. The pupils enjoyed a guided tour of the historic building, including visits to the Dáil and Seanad chambers, led by the knowledgeable Usher, Kev. They also had the unique opportunity to raise local constituency issues with Marie Sherlock in the former office of Eamon de Valera. The class highlighted the dysfunctional waste management system in the city centre. Concern was also expressed at the condition of the bike lanes in the locality and the irresponsible behaviour of a small number of drivers. The crippling cost of childcare was noted. Don’t be surprised if one or two of these articulate and politically conscious pupils grow up to walk these halls again!
Keeping Childhood Smartphone Free
We’re excited to let you know that our school is taking part in the Dublin 7 and Dublin 15 Keeping Childhood Smartphone Free initiative – new voluntary No Smartphone Code, alongside 13 other schools across Dublin 7 and Dublin 15.
Parents who sign up to the code agree not to buy their child a smartphone until at least secondary school.
Why We’re Choosing This Path
Research suggests that delaying smartphone access during formative years:
– Promotes better mental health and emotional development
– Encourages face-to-face social skills
– Reduces screen dependency and associated sleep issues
– Allows children to develop critical thinking skills before navigating online content
– Prevents exposure to age-inappropriate content and cyberbullying
The aim is simple but powerful: to protect our children’s wellbeing and preserve their childhoods for as long as possible. By coming together as a community, we can take some of the pressure off individual families and create a supportive environment where no child feels left out.
To launch this initiative, we’ve organised a large community meeting including all schools involved in the initiative on:
Friday 16th May
9:30am
Dublin 7 Educate Together — a central location for all 13 participating schools
We’re thrilled to have a panel of expert speakers, including:
Dr. Colman Noctor, child psychotherapist, author, and media contributor, who has completed a PhD on this very topic
Dr. Eleanor Griffith, child psychologist from the local CAMHS team
Jennifer Goodwill, child psychotherapist also with CAMHS
A Garda representative to discuss the legal and safety aspects of children using smartphones
The meeting will include a short series of talks followed by a Q&A, where we’ll answer the most frequently asked questions submitted by parents. After the spring holidays, you will be sent a google form and asked to submit questions in advance of the meeting. We will also be looking for you to confirm your attendance at the meeting so that the venue know how many people to expect.
Thank you for your partnership in nurturing our children’s development and wellbeing and please, now, save the date of May 16th at 9:30am.
Spelling Bee Champion
Big Congratulations to PJ, D7ETNS Spelling Bee Champion who attended the recent county final. PJ acquitted himself well and making it through to the fourth round. The whole experience was very positive, and the event was both carefully judged but all in the spirit of kindness. The bee master made it quite clear from the headset that the competition in County Dublin is fierce and even making it to today’s event at all was a kind of victory.
Well done PJ.
Picker Pals Program
First Class have taken advantage of the good weather this week to continue with the practical element of the Picker Pals Program.
On Tuesday, Róisín and Kathleen’s class went to Grangegorman to continue collecting litter and cleaning up the community.
We then went on to the South Wall of the complex and completed a mini-beast hunt. We were able to identify many different types of mini-beasts. We focused on learning about the land-based crustation that is the Woodlouse. We made a woodlousery and have been keeping and studying the Woodlice in our classroom this week. We released then back into the wild on Friday.
We finished off our trip to Grangegorman with a visit to the playground!
Michelle’s class have also been taking part in the Picker Pals Program the last month. This week’s lesson was all about recycling. So much rubbish is blown into the school, unfortunately.
Easter Rowing Camps.
Dublin Municipal Rowing Centre,Chapelizod Road, Islandbridge,D08 EF83 are advertising
Easter Rowing Camps.
They are open to 5th / 6th Class students
Camp 1: Monday 14th & Tuesday 15th 9.30am – 12.00pm
Camp 2: Monday 14th & Tuesday 15th 1.00pm – 3.30pm
Camp 3 Wednesday 16th & Thursday 17th 9.30am – 12.00pm
The cost of each camp is €50 & is on a first come first served basis.
This is the ccentre that we use for our 5th class rowing module. Many of our past pupils are accomplished rowers because they had these taster opportunities in primary school.
Please contact gavin.doyle@dublincity.ie if you would like to book a place in this camp.
Dublin Municipal Rowing Centre are organising a blitz with all the schools that row with them during the school term and have invited us to send eight pupils from 5th / 6th Classes ( two boats ) to participate in the event.
If this is something you think your child might be interested in, please let me know so we can get a team for the event.
Congratulations Fred representing Dublin in the Leinster U12 Championship (C category) in Kells last weekend.
Phoenix Club Football for all children with additional needs
Phoenix FC will be holding a “*Football for All”* blitz in conjunction with the DDSL on Sat 26th April from 2 – 4pm in Scribblestown. It promises to be a fun day with games, goodie bags, medals, carnival atmosphere etc.
If you are interested in joining us for the day contact Tony Bridgeman 0872800347 and he will arrange to have your child placed on a team before the day.