Saturday 15th November
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I apologise that my Friday email became a Saturday morning email but the weather got the better of my Friday afternoon!
Anyone that follows us on Instagram will have seen what a busy week we had in St Seton’s! Our events for Pathways and Possibilities were a great success with lots of wonderful guest speakers, a super trade expo event and of course our Annual Awards Night to celebrate student achievement from 24/25.
Well done to all the students and staff involved, especially our Career Guidance teachers, Ms Keeler and Ms Howell!
Thank you to our Science department who coordinated a wonderful Science week with lots of interesting lunchtime activities on the junior campus and a great staff vs students science quiz on the Senior Campus!
As our busy month of November continues, we look forward to Bi Cinealta week next week which is our annual Anti-Bullying Awareness week! More on that below…
Thank you for taking the time to read this weekly bulletin and keeping up to date with all that is happening in St Seton’s!
I hope you all have a lovely weekend,
Sarah Green
Principal
Bí Cineálta Week
Our annual Anti-Bullying Awareness Week week takes place from 17th – 21st November. Thank you to our Wellbeing Committee Coordinator, Ms Murphy, and Bí Cinealta Leader, Ms Mollison, and her team of Bi Cinealta Student Ambassadors who will be leading the activities to celebrate this week.
Each year during Bí Cinealta week, we will be reviewing our Bi Cinealta policy. The review includes consultation with all stakeholders. Please take some time to complete the following survey for parents / guardians. Bí Cineálta Policy Review – Parent/Guardian Consultation Survey We will also be facilitating a focus group for parents / guardians about our Bi Cinealta Anti Bullying Policy. If you would like to volunteer to partake in this focus group, please email policyformation@stsetons.ie and let us know.
Draft Policy for Students’ Use of Toilets
A new draft Policy on Students’ Use of Toilets in School has been prepared and I would appreciate it if all parents / guardians would review it. Any feedback comments are appreciated and can be emailed to policyformation@stsetons.ie. The main changes are listed below:
- The designated toilet breaks on the Junior campus will be discontinued
- Students will be allowed access to toilets after the first ten minutes of class and before the last ten minutes of class.
- The use of toilets will be monitored by teachers signing the students journal when they leave class to go to the toilet.
- One student may leave the class at a time to go to the toilet.
- The toilet blocks will be gender based – girls / boys. Universal access toilets are available to students who prefer to use a universal toilet.
- A cleaning schedule will be implemented at times when the students are not allowed access the toilets (first 10 minutes and final 10 minutes of class.)
Following the consultation process next week and any final revisions, it is hoped that the new policy will take effect from 24th November.
Draft Policy for Students Taking Regulation Breaks
A new draft Policy on Students’ Use of Regulation Breaks in School has been prepared and again, I would appreciate it if all parents/guardians would review it. Any feedback comments are appreciated and can be emailed to policyformation@stsetons.ie.
Staff Meeting
There will be a brief Staff Meeting on 24th November. Classes will commence for all students at 9.45am instead of 8.45am.
Family Association Meeting
The Family Association of St Seton’s will meet on Thursday 20th November at 2.30pm on the Junior Campus. The opening of the Parents Space ‘Suaimhneas’ in the School Library will follow the meeting at 3pm.
Nasal Flu Vaccine
The HSE have asked us to circulate information on the Nasal Flu Vaccine. Please view the relevant information by clicking this link. There will be a Nasal Flu Clinic in St Seton’s on a date in November.
Please complete the short online consent form if you wish to register your child: Register for Nasal Flu Vaccine
Christmas Season in St Seton’s
It is hard to talk about Christmas in the middle of November but I want to give plenty of notice about the upcoming events and dates that are part of the St Seton’s Seasonal Celebrations.
- This year, the Christmas decorations will go up during the week of 24th November and the Christmas Lights will be turned on on Friday 28th November ahead of the first Sunday of Advent on 30th November. We look forward to some special St Seton’s seasonal cheer!
- Our annual Christmas Card Competition was launched today. Students are invited to design a Christmas Card Cover and enter it into the competition by Monday, 24th November. The cards will be available for purchase from 1st December and the proceeds will go to the charity of choice of our Student Council. This year parents / guardians are invited to enter the competition too and we will have a winning parent / guardian entry. Please drop your entries into the Junior or Senior Campus Reception and leave them for the HSCL teachers ahead of the closing date of 24th November.
- Our Annual Christmas Fair takes place on Friday 5th December from 10am. Parents / Guardians are invited to attend this event which is always a festive highlight.
- Our Christmas Celebration Week runs from 8th – 12th December.
- We are delighted to be inviting all 1st Year Parents / Guardians to our first ever St Seton’s 1st Year’s Got Talent and JCSP Christmas Celebration on 9th December at 13.30.
- The Ice Skating Trips take place on 10th December. There are still a number of places left on this trip. Please secure your child’s place today by booking online via Compass or paying for the trip at the office. Any parent / guardian who requires assistance with booking the trip are requested to contact your child’s Year Head.
- Our Christmas Carol Service takes place on 11th December at 12 o’clock. All parents / Guardians are welcome to join this joyous celebration in the Assumption Church. Students will finish school on that day at 1pm.
- Christmas Assessments – Our Christmas Assessments Week takes place from 15th – 19th December. These assessments for 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th years are only four weeks away. Please encourage your son / daughter to spend the next four weeks revising and preparing for these assessments. After school study and quiet study spaces are available for any student who wishes to remain in school up to 17.30 to revise. Assessments can bring additional pressure for students but they are a normal part of the school experience. Timely preparation for assessments is the best way to avoid overwhelm from assessments.
Courses & Learning Opportunities for Parents / Guardians
- 🗓️ 17th November 2025 – IN PERSON
“Resilience, Understanding Teen Anxiety and Supporting Neurodiversity” delivered by Peter O’Leary, School Psychotherapist in Pobalscoil Iosolde from 7pm – 8pm.
- 🗓️ 18th November 2025: IN-PERSON
“The Teen Brain Workshop” – Understand and supporting you pre teen and teenagers – being hosted in St Seton’s at 5.30pm.
Please see the flyer here for more information. We highly recommend this event for all of our parents / guardians. Refreshments will be provided.
- 🗓️ 19th November 2025: ONLINE
Study Skills for Parents of 1st Year Junior Cycle Students “Helping You Help Your Child Succeed”
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Online via Zoom (join on your phone or computer) – Link to be sent on the day of the event prior registration.
Moving from primary to secondary school is a big change — for students and parents alike. This informative and practical online talk will help you understand how to support your child as they begin the Junior Cycle. This session is full of useful tips and real-life examples, and links directly with the Junior Cycle Study Skills workshops your child will take part in at school, giving you a better understanding about what you can do to support your child’s education!
Registration: Parents must register in advance using the link below to receive the Zoom link and reminder. https://accessandoutreach.simplybook.it/v2/#book/service/95)
Celebrating School Community Success
- Well done to our sports teams and their coaches who were in action representing St Seton’s this week.
- Well done to the TY students participating in the Community Development Project with Maryfield Nursing Home. Thanks to Ms Flood who has coordinated this really uplifting project.
- Thanks to Mr Farrell who took a group of Summit Squad and LC HL Eng students to a talk on WB Yeats in TCD on Tuesday evening.
- Summit Squad – Thank you to Ms Wyatt and Mr Farrell who took a group of our Summit Squad Students to the Ballet this week in Bord Gáis. The students had a wonderful experience.
- Congratulations to Aaliyah Cooke and Aaliyah Meredith who were awarded with Diageo Scholarships at the annual Finbarr Flood Awards which were held in Guinness Storehouse on Monday evening. Both students received laptops as scholarship awards due to their high achieving Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Applied results. Aaliyah Cooke was also awarded the great accolade of the Finbarr Flood Scholarship which is an annual bursary award for two years and a beautiful trophy. Congratulations to both of these fantastic students and their families on their wonderful successes.
Friday Reflection – In November, We Remember
At this time, we are keeping our colleague, Dypmna Byrne, close to our hearts and in our thoughts and prayers. Those of you who know Dympna in her role as SCP Coordinator will be aware of how impactful she has been on the many lives of the young people she has worked with over her long career in Caritas College and St Seton’s. Having bravely fought illness for 6 months, we pray for her and her family and for the staff of Our Lady’s Hospice.
Loving and gentle God, We hold Dympna in our hearts. Surround her with your peace — a peace that brings calm, comfort, and freedom from fear. May she feel your presence beside her, and may she know she is cherished, valued, and loved beyond all measure.
May compassion guide us, may peace sustain us, and may love hold us all at this difficult time. Amen.
