Dear Parents and Guardians,

We hope this letter finds you and your families well.

As we approach the final weeks of the school year, we would like to take the opportunity to update you on some important developments. We would also like to sincerely thank you for your ongoing support, which continues to make such a positive difference to the life of our school.

Permanent Accommodation – Exciting Progress

 We are delighted to share some fantastic news from the Department of Education. Phase 1 of our permanent accommodation (the main school building) is several months ahead of schedule, with handover now expected in late March of 2025–2026. We anticipate receiving final logistics details and specific dates in September.

This is a major milestone for our entire school community. From September 2026, we expect to have full access to our new building, sports hall, outdoor play and social areas, and school garden. It is an exciting step forward for our students, our staff, and the wider community.

School Lotto – Help Us Build an All-Weather Sports Facility

At HCETSS, we firmly believe that access to outdoor activity and team sports is vital for the health and wellbeing of our students. We are currently embarking on a major fundraising drive to install an all-weather multi-sports surface on our campus.

Unfortunately, facilities like this fall outside the Department of Education’s direct funding, which is a challenge faced by many schools nationwide. However, with the strong community spirit that defines HCETSS, we are confident we can meet this challenge through our school fundraiser lotto.

All proceeds raised will go directly towards the installation of this valuable facility, which will be a tremendous asset to both our school and local community—providing year-round sports and fitness opportunities for all our students.

You can support us here:

 HCETSS School Lotto

 Summer Assessments

 First, Second, and Fifth Year summer assessments will take place from Monday 12th May to Friday 16th May. Please note:

• During this week, school will finish at 12:39pm for First, Second, and Fifth Year students only.
• Third Year students will follow their normal timetable.
• There will be no extra-curricular clubs running during this week.

 School Expectations – Thank You for Your Support

 We ask for your continued support in reinforcing the following expectations at home:

• Punctuality and Attendance: Good habits lead to strong outcomes.
• Dress Code: Students should be dressed appropriately for a safe, respectful, and positive learning environment (details below).
• Water Breaks: Students should use the water fountains only during break and lunchtime.
• Journals: Students should be recording homework daily; your encouragement with this is greatly appreciated.
• Classroom Tidiness: Helping to maintain a clean and respectful environment benefits all.
• Toilets: We respectfully ask that toilet use during class time be kept to a minimum, except where a medical need has been notified to the school.

Dress Code – Key Reminders

Our school environment should reflect a culture of respect and readiness for learning. Please remind your child of the following:

• Hats, caps, hoods, and sunglasses must not be worn indoors.
• Jewellery must be appropriate for daily school life and safe for practical classes.
• Torn/ripped jeans are permitted only if rips are at or below the knee.
• Flip flops, vest tops/sleeveless tops, and midriff-exposing tops are not permitted.
• Clothing should fully cover underwear and not be see-through.
• Shorts, skirts, and dresses should be of mid-thigh length or longer.
• Outdoor coats must be removed during class time.

Mobile Phones

We aim to foster an environment where students focus on learning and building real-world connections.

We recommend that students do not bring mobile phones to school. If you need to contact your child during the day, you can do so through the school office.

However, if students do bring a phone:

• It must be switched off and locked in their locker before 8.20am.
• Phones may only be accessed after the final lesson each day.
• If a phone is used without permission, it will be confiscated until the end of the school day. A repeat infringement will require a parent or guardian to collect the phone by appointment.

 Thank you for your support in helping us maintain a focused and safe school environment.

 New School Administrator

 We are delighted to welcome Sarah Hatcher to the HCETSS team.

Sarah will be supporting the school office alongside Alex on a part-time basis, working from 8:30am to 12:30pm each day.

We look forward to you getting to know her in the months ahead.

Summer Programme 2025

Due to ongoing building works on site this summer, we will not be able to offer the Summer Programme (formerly known as July Provision) on-site this year.

However, parents of eligible students—including those enrolled in our autism classes or those requiring the highest level of support—can apply for the Home-Based Summer Programme, which will offer 10 hours of support per week for four weeks.

Full details, once finalised by the Department of Education, will be available here:

 Summer Programme 2025 Home-Based Programme Information

If you have any questions or require assistance with the application process, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

Once again, we wish to sincerely thank you for your ongoing support. It is truly appreciated and plays such an important role in the life of our school.

We look forward to a busy and successful final term together.

Kind regards,

Pádraig Conaty, Principal                                                         

Mick Heffernan, Deputy Principal

Dear parents/guardians,

The Home-Based Summer Programme is available in 2025 for children who meet the eligibility criteria, and for whom no school-based programme is available for them. For 2025, the Department of Education has created an Online Sanctioning Portal where schools can submit the information of eligible children. The Department can then issue a sanction email to both the parents and school confirming that their child is eligible and the number of hours that they are entitled to receive. Please email application to: nicolamccann@hcetss.ie

Kind regards, School Office

Thank you so much to everyone who is supporting our HCETSS Lotto. You are making a real difference, and we really appreciate your support in raising funds for an astro surface at the school.

Some exciting news, every line in our fundraiser on Thursday 22nd May 2025, has a chance to win our Jackpot and has a FREE chance to win one of three exciting Summer Giveaway Competition prizes. This nationwide competition is open to all people who have a ticket in a fundraiser run by our service provider ‘Our Fundraiser’ and the prizes are €2,000 for a Summer Getaway, €1,000 for a Garden Makeover or 2 X Oasis Premium Package Tickets.

 If you already have a ticket for our fundraiser on 22nd May 2025, you will be entered into the Summer Giveaway Competition. If you do not have a ticket, please visit our fundraiser website to join: https://www.ourfundraiser.ie/org/hcetss/

Previously Registered - log in using your mobile number and password and click on the ‘Play’ button.

Not Previously Registered - click on the ‘Join’ button and follow the steps, it just takes a minute!

 If you need any assistance, please email support@ourfundraiser.ie

 To Win - at 7pm on Thursday 22nd May 2025 a participant will be chosen at random by ‘Our Fundraiser’ for each prize. They must answer a phone call within five rings and correctly answer the quiz question below to win a prize. T&C's apply  

Which one of these months is in the summer?  (a) July  (b) February  (c) December

 Good luck to everyone!

 From the PSA

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Attached is our Return to School Plan. Please notice the staggered start to the school year of different classes returning on different dates and the start and finish times the first week.

Have a wonderful summer and see you in August!

HCETSS

Dear parents/guardians, 

please see below information from the School Transport section:

All applicants – Payment or medical card details - closing date 6 June 2025

The Bus Éireann family portal is now open to accept payments or enter medical card details until Friday, 6 June 2025. Payments or medical cards entered after the deadline date will be deemed late.  A late payment or entering medical card details may mean that a ticket is not available.

 The portal will close from 7 June 2025 for a 3-week period to allow Bus Éireann time to plan for the new school year.

 Payments or medical card details must be submitted for:

• new applicants, and;

• pupils who have previously applied/availed of school transport and require a seat on a service for the 25/26 school year.

 Children (who are eligible for school transport) and who possess valid medical cards (GMS Scheme) are exempt from paying the annual charge however, their medical card details must be submitted to Bus Éireann by the closing date.

 Ticket Charges

For the 2025/26 school year charges of €50 per student at primary level and €75 per student at post-primary level will apply, with a cap per family of €125.  Eligible children with a full medical card and children who are eligible for SEN transport services remain exempt from the annual ticket charge.

 Customer Call Centre

Bus Éireann has put in place a dedicated customer care call centre to assist families specifically with School Transport queries during the busy summer period. Families that have queries can contact the call centre on: LoCall 0818 919 910. Operating hours are 09.00 – 17.00 Monday to Friday.

 Families can also contact Bus Éireann their website: www.buseireann.ie/schooltransport by submitting a query via: https://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=769,

 Updates on the application process can be found on Gov.ie/schooltransport and on buseireann.ie/schooltransport 

 Eligibility

Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language and at post-primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post-primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

• Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application and payment process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation and where capacity exists.
• Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who complete the application and payment process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
• Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.
• In addition, temporary alleviation measures will continue for the 2025/2026 school year, this means that transport will be provided, where such services are in operation and where capacity exists, for pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school/post primary centre and who apply and pay on time.

 Pupils from Ukraine

Pupils from Ukraine who are currently on school transport do not need to re-apply for the 2025/2026 school year unless they have changed address or school.

 New applications – living independently or with host families

All families who are living independently or with host families who wish to apply for mainstream school transport for their child for the 2025/26 school year, and who are not currently on school transport, are asked to apply and pay or enter their medical card details via the Bus Éireann family portal, which can be found here.

 This includes families who have moved address since their last application and/or pupils who are changing schools for the 2025/26 school year.

 New applications – living in accommodation centre

New applications for school transport for the 2025/26 school year for pupils living in accommodation centres must be made by the school principals. School principals should forward the information required to their local REALT.

 A new application is:

• a pupil who is enrolling for the first time in school;
• has moved schools or;
• has moved to a new accommodation centre.

 The information provided by you will be submitted by members of the REALT to Bus Éireann who will arrange for school transport to be provided where it is possible to do so.

 Rannóg Iompar Scoile

School Transport Section

Dear parents/guardians, 

Please see attached information on the Post-primary Schoolbooks Scheme.

Kind regards, School Office

Dear parents/guardians,

Our new student management platform, Tyro, will go live from Monday 28th April. You should get an onboarding email this week. It will be sent to your email address that you have provided us with when applying to the school. This email address can be checked on VSware in the contact details section (see attached picture).

Please update us if you have a new email address.

A short parent user guide is also attached.

Thank you and kind regards,

School Office

Dear Parent/Guardian;

Sports Day is on Monday, 26th of May. 

Students will be in normal classes during Period 1 and 2. Starting from Period 3 (10:43 am) Sports Day will BEGIN!

Please dress in your team colours and bring a water bottle, suncream/raincoats (if needed). Please adhere to our School's Dress Code: hair tied up, no UGGS or CROCS and wear appropriate shoes.




Students will be dismissed from Harold's Cross Football Club at 3 pm.


 

Thanks,

Megan and Niamh

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As the weather begins to warm up, we’d like to take a moment to remind students and families of our school’s dress code expectations.

It’s important to us that all students feel comfortable, confident, and ready to learn in an environment that reflects our shared values.

Please find the dress code guidelines attached for your reference. We kindly ask that you take a few moments to review them and have a conversation with your child(ren) to ensure they’re prepared for the coming weeks.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support and partnership.

Warm regards,
Pádraig Conaty
Principal

Dear Parents/Guardians,

If your child is planning to leave the school at the end of this academic year (or earlier), can you please let us know. 

There is a long list of students across all year groups,  looking for places in the school, and if we are made aware of upcoming vacancies we can offer them to those on the waiting list.

Many thanks.

 Kind regards,

School Office