Good afternoon everyone,
It has been another very positive week in St Seton’s and today we had the pleasure of coming together as a school community for a lovely Mass to celebrate the new school year. It was a special opportunity to pause, reflect and give thanks as we look ahead to the year together and I would like to commend our students for their respectful and positive behaviour throughout the celebration.
I would also like to thank our students and families for their continued engagement with our Attendance Challenge. We are encouraging everyone to keep making every day count – and remember, every day is a new school day and a new opportunity to learn, connect and make progress.
Finally, I hope that all our students and staff enjoy a well-deserved day off on Monday, 28th September. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on Tuesday, refreshed and ready for another positive week of learning and achievement together.
Please read through the updates below for some important information.
Kind regards,
Sarah Green
Anseo Attendance Clinic Meetings
Anseo Attendance Clinics were introduced last year as a support for students who are deemed ‘at risk’ of chronic attendance. The Anseo Attendance Clinic Coordination meetings will return next week for Seniors and the following week for Juniors. From these meetings, the Year Heads will be contact some parents/guardians to discuss the attendance patterns of some of the students highlighted. These are positive conversations and should be a support for any parent / guardian and not a source of worry or concern for any parent.
Attendance Challenge and Attendance Strategy 26/27
On Tuesday, the Attendance Strategy 2026-27 was approved by the Board and it can be viewed at the link and will be published on our website. The Board expressed appreciation for the work being led by Ms Sweeney, Year Heads, DEIS leaders, our student support teams and our classroom teachers and SNAs, SCP team and administration staff to support whole school positive attendance.
Board of Management Parent / Guardian Nominees (2)
The current Board of Management’s term comes to an end on 14th October. Two parent / guardian nominees will be required to be nominated by the parents / guardians for the new Board which comes into effect on 15th October. The nomination and vote (if required) will take place at a meeting for all parents / guardians in early October. I will confirm the details next week and circulate nomination forms.
A Life Remembered, a Friendship Treasured
There will be a night of musical celebration to honour the life and work of Dympna Byrne. The proposed date is 19th November from 7.30pm. Thank you to the generous committee who are coordinating the arrangements for what is sure to be a special night for all who knew and loved Dympna. The committee are meeting next on 7th October and if any parent / guardian wishes to volunteer to assist, it would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Catherine Turley – cturley@stsetons.ie with any offers of assistance / support.
HSCL Event: Coffee and Compass
On 30th September, Wednesday morning, at 9.30 – 10.30 there will be a ‘Coffee and Compass’ event in our Junior Campus library. This is a support for any parent / guardian who is finding it difficult to get Compass app working on their phone. The Compass App should be downloaded on parent’s phones. It should never be downloaded onto a student’s phone and they should never have access to it to amend their own attendance record!
HSCL (Acting) Appointment
I am delighted to confirm the appointment of Emma Rochford to the role of HSCL (Acting). Ms Rochford is filling the vacancy left by Noel Gaughran. I want to congratulate Ms Rochford on her new role and also extend our best wishes to Mr Gaughran who we all miss. I know Mr Gaughran is keeping St Seton’s in his thoughts and will be delighted that Ms Rochford will step into this role. Ms O’Brien and Ms Rochford will collaborate closely as they fulfill the HSCL duties across both campuses and I have no doubt that they will be a great partnership and dynamic addition to our range of student and family support. The HSCL teachers can be contacted by email – hscl@stsetons.ie or Junior (085 234 7143) / Senior (0894466267).
Arrangements are in place to ensure continuity of teaching and learning for Ms Rochford’s classes.
Midterm Assessments
Our first Assessment period for this school year will run from 5th October – 23rd October. Common assessments (within levels) will be given to each class for each examinable subject in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th year.. For the midterm assessments, the mark alone will be recorded on Compass within a report. Reports will be made available to parents on 5th November. Revision Lists will be given to students by the end of this week.
Programmes Update – A. Maher
JCSP
The 1st Year JCSP Induction took place on Thursday with some of our 1st Year JCSP students. Ms Maher will meet with the remaining students next week.
TY
The 2026/2027 TY Student Team had their first meeting, with 11 enthusiastic Transition Year students volunteering to join. It was a very positive session, filled with great energy and fresh ideas for the upcoming trips and events throughout the coming year. A special thanks to Ms. Tarpey, who has also joined the team as part of her new role as Postive Mental Health and Wellbeing Coordinator.
Next week marks the final week of the first rotation for Culture Studies, Personal Development, Religion, and Comparative Studies.
TY work experience forms are due this Wednesday, 30th September. Could all parents / guardians give students a gentle reminder to drop their forms to Ms Maher or reception.
LCA
Starting 29th September through Friday, 16th October, we are running a 3-week “Be on Time Challenge” for 5th and 6th Year LCA classes to encourage punctuality to all lessons, including transitions between classes.
Being Well
As there is no school on Monday 28th September, there will be no Being Well class this week.
Looking Ahead:
30th September – ‘Coffee and Compas’- Parent / Guardian Session – 9.30 – 10.30am
5th October – Tús Nua Meeting at 4pm in JC Gallery
8th – 23rd October – October Midterm Assessment Window
12th – 16th October – Numeracy Week
