The Board of Management of Goatstown Educate Together Secondary School wishes to inform you that:

• The Board of Management's annual review of the school's Child Safeguarding Statement was completed at the Board meeting of September 13th, 2023.
• This review was conducted in accordance with the 'Checklist for Review of the Child Safeguarding Statement' published on the Department's website www.education.ie

Kind regards,

Ben Murray,  Chairperson, Board of Management

Jonathan Browner, Principal

Dear parents, guardians and carers,

We would like to get your feedback on the level of interest in having Supervised After School Study for Second and Third Years in the school and a shorter period possibly for First Years.

We would ask that you complete this short survey to establish your interest and also to determine if we could provide this service during the school year.

Our proposal is:

• After school study would begin at 15:30 and finish at 17:30 Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.  On Wednesday it would begin at 14:00 and finish at 16:00.  First Years could avail of one hour slot.
• The number of days in the week it will be offered will be dependent on level of interest
• Payment would be required in advance for each term (€120- €150 approx. depending on length of term and no. of days)

Please note it is an expression of interest and not a sign up to the service.

Kind regards

Goatstown ETSS

Dear parents, guardians and carers,

This is a reminder that school is closed on Monday October 2nd.

On Tuesday 3rd, students will commence at the later time of 9:53 (Period 2) due to a staff planning meeting. 

Please note our school calendar, available on the school app and our website, highlights all events up to the end of the school year.

Kind regards

Goatstown ETSS

Dear parents, guardians and carers,

It is important that students update their student device monthly to ensure that they are receiving all required apps and settings for teaching and learning.

Can you please remind your child to do a software update on their device this evening and monthly thereafter.  

For Lenova users (First & Second Year):

Connect device to WiFi at home.  Seach for app 'company portal' -> settings -> sync

For iPad users (Third & Transition Year):

Connect device to WiF at home.  Settings -> general -> software update

Kind regards

Goatstown ETSS 

Dear parents, guardians and carers,

We are trialling a new approach to how we organise some communications in our school.

Your point of contact for the Additional Support Needs (ASN) department (e.g. RACE, Learning Support, Assistive Technology etc.) will be your child's Year Coordinator.  There is a weekly meeting for Year Coordinators with Matthew (DP), Mairead (Learning Support Teacher) and John Toomey (Guidance) where supports and interventions will be discussed.  General issues around academic progress and behaviour should still go to your child's tutor.

We ask you to be patient as we build our guidance department.  We welcome John Toomey who has completed year one of a two-year masters programme in Guidance Counselling.  Bridget Cody is commencing her first year of the masters programme in Guidance Counselling.  Teachers may not offer any one-to-one counselling until the completion of the master's degree.  However, they may offer a range of guidance activities, such as career options, career guidance and support for work experience etc while they are in training.

Thank you to Mairead Kennedy who has built the ASN department to this stage.  As the school continues to grow, we will continue to adapt our practice.

Kind regards,

Jonathan Browner

Dear parents, guardians and carers,

A reminder that due to a whole school planning meeting today, school will finish at the earlier time of 14:34 for students.

There will be no after school extra curricular activities today.

Kind regards

Goatstown ETSS

Dear parents, guardians and carers,

A reminder that the Goatstown ETSS Parent & Staff Association (PSA) AGM takes place this Thursday (21st) at 19:00.  

The PSA are delighted to welcome guest speaker Eoghan Cleary who will talk about Teenagers: Protecting their positive sexual development in an online world - at home and in school. It should be an interesting talk that will be beneficial to us all. 

Eoghan Cleary is a secondary school teacher and assistant principal teaching English, Drama, SPHE and Wellbeing for the last 6 years in Wicklow. He has over 10 years previous experience as a youth worker in the east inner cities of both Dublin and Galway and has studied at UCD, NUIG and TCD, completing master’s degrees in Drama and Theatre Studies, International Human Rights Law, and Education.

The PSA would love to see you there and promise lots of fun stuff too for all the school community!

Kind regards

Goatstown ETSS 

Dear parents and guardians,

A gentle reminder that we will accept parent nominees for the Board of Management over the weekend! Closing date extended to Monday 11th.

See original notice below:

The term of the current Board of Management of our school ends in October 2023. 

Notice is hereby given that an election for the selection of two parent nominees will take place at the PSA AGM, which takes place in the school on Thursday September 21st 2023.

Parents/ Guardians/ Carers who are interested in the role should:

1. Email office@goatstownetss.ie in complete confidence by Monday, September 11th, 2023 to put their name forward
2. Forward a short outline of why they feel they are suitable for the role. This information will be made available to all parents in advance of the AGM. 
3. Be prepared to speak briefly at the PSA AGM about their suitability for the role. Nominees will be required to put their names forward and to have another parent second their nomination at the PSA AGM.  

Parents should understand that the operation of a school board of management is a function of the 1998 Education Act which can be found here. 

As such, parent nominees are not there to ‘represent parents’ but to act in the best interests of the school as a whole. 

We are extremely grateful to Moya Carey and Finbarr Callaly for their exemplary work as parent nominees on the Board of Management. 

Kind regards

Goatstown ETSS

Dear parents, guardians,

Unfortunately there was some disruption to the Food Village service today.

It came to our attention at lunch time that some of the hot food orders had not arrived for some of our students.  Students impacted were offered free sandwiches instead and they will be refunded for any orders not received.

We are liaising with Food Village to ensure steps will be put in place to ensure that this will not occur again.

Apologies if your child was impacted today.

Kind regards

Goatstown ETSS

Dear parents and guardians,

Please note that our book and stationery lists are now updated on our website for 2023-24 here. Equipment and spare copies from last year should be retained for the new school year.

First Year: We have already communicated details on how to order the device and ebooks/physical books.  Stationery List and our full list of schoolbooks for those who have taken the option to purchase the physical books are available on our website. Please note that Wriggle will deliver your child's device to the school and we will distribute them during induction.

Second Year: This year you have the option to purchase the required new books through either the Wriggle Store (for the digital copy only) or from any school bookstore (if you wish to have a physical book at home to study without using screens and use the electronic code on the inside of book to provide digital copy for use in school).  

Third Year: There are no new books required for this year group.  However you will be required to purchase Junior Cycle exam papers when available from the publishers.  It is important to purchase early as stocks can run out very quickly and they are not reprinted.

Transition Year: You must purchase Wriggle Support and Training Services for one year. 

Wriggle Store Details:  You may enter the Wriggle Store store here using our school's login code 27483965.

If you have any queries please contact the office at office@goatstownetss.ie  or if you have a query relating to device/ebooks or support you may contact Wriggle directly at info@wrigglelearning.ir or phone 01 5009060.

Kind regards

Goatstown ETSS