There will be no training today 24/2/23
Dear parents/guardians,
Please note that as per our calendar, the school will be closed on Tuesday due to a JCT School Cluster Training Day for all staff.
Kind regards, School Office
Boys and girls basketball teams will both train tomorrow 1/3/23. No training will happen on Thurs. This is as a result of girls matches scheduled for Thursday.
Training will not be on today Friday 10th March. The pitches are unplayable.
Dear parents, guardians,
We are delighted to inform you that our U16 boys were successful yesterday in winning the East Plate Final yesterday against Cabinteely Community School. They won 23-13 to a very strong Cabinteely side.
Lucas Attard captained the team which was made up of 11 third year boys.
The team has worked so hard over the number of years since forming in 2020 and their victory was well-deserved.
It was a great day for our entire school community and the 170 HCETSS student spectators present were thrilled to support the team and witness our first ever school sporting win!
Please also see below link to our Term 1 School Magazine. Huge thanks to Dan for coordinating this entire publication and thanks also to all students and staff involved for contributing articles, photographs and art-work.
This magazine gives a great snapshot into how vibrant and dynamic our school is and the sense of belonging which our amazing students feel to our school.
https://sway.office.com/DxyIBJIaFdfDRexg?ref=Link
Our sporting victory and this magazine display the progress that we are making as a school community across a wide range of areas.
Please know that as parents and guardians, each of you play a significant role into helping our students achieve success whether that be in or out of the classroom, on the basketball court, on the stage as well as in numerous other ways.
Thank you again for your continued support.
It is greatly appreciated.
Kind regards,
Pádraig and Mick
Dear parents/guardians,
Please see attached list of co-curricualr activities for Term 2.
Kind regards,
School Office
Significant increase in viral infections
We have seen a very significant increase in the usual winter viral infections. This includes an increase in flu, RSV and now Covid-19. This is because we are all mixing together more.
We would like to thank you for supporting the dissemination of these important messages and thank the whole school community for their efforts in following public health advice. As schools and other activities re-open it is timely to remind the school community of the key measures outlined below.
Important messages for families and children regarding any infections:
1) The most important measure is to stay home if you are unwell.
Many children might have a runny nose or a slight cough in winter season. However, if a child is feeling unwell they should be at home. For example, they may have:
They should stay at home until those symptoms have finished. Children unwell with symptoms of one infection are more likely to get ‘co-infected’ with another infection which might make them more unwell, if they are exposed.
See www2.hse.ie/conditions/colds-coughs-children/
Staying home when unwell will help prevent spread to other children, families and staff.
2) Infection, prevention and control measures
- Cover coughs and sneezes
- Keep hands clean
Many of the measures that we all got used to with Covid-19 are still important. Hygiene measures such as these should be encouraged for everyone. These measures help stop the spread of infection.
3) Vaccination
Making sure your child is up to date on all recommended vaccinations will help:
- stop your child getting an infection and
- make them less likely to be unwell if they do get an infection
Routine childhood vaccinations protect against many significant viral and bacterial infections.
More information is available at www2.hse.ie/babies-children/vaccines-your-child/
Flu vaccine
Children and young people with underlying conditions, are at increased risk of severe complications from flu and are recommended the flu vaccine.
It is important that all adults and children recommended the flu vaccine receive the vaccine. Check if you are recommended the flu vaccine at hse.ie/flu
It is not too late to get your free flu vaccine.
More information is available at www2.hse.ie/conditions/flu/getting-the-vaccine/
Vaccination for Covid-19 is still available. Visit www2.hse.ie/screening-and-vaccinations/covid-19-vaccine/get-the-vaccine/children/
The most important ways to prevent the spread of all infections are making sure:
4. If you are concerned about your child
If you are concerned your child may be unwell, please check www2.hse.ie/conditions/colds-coughs-children/ There is information on coughs, colds, fever, rashes and symptoms of concern.
Advice on when to contact your GP or go to a hospital emergency department is available at
www2.hse.ie/babies-children/parenting-advice/caring-for-a-child/baby-child-seriously-unwell/
Typical symptoms of viral infections
Symptoms of viral infections typically include:
Many children with viral infections also have a generalised rash.
Most children with viral infections can safely be cared for at home.
Dear Parents, Guardians,
Please see attached copy of our Mock Examinations Timetable. As you can see, we have tried our best to follow the exact same order of examinations as our Third Years will sit in June 2023. In order for us to source and purchase good quality mock examination papers and marking schemes from the various examination companies, there will be a charge of €35 per student for sitting these Mock Examinations. Alex has set up a payment option for you via our school app. As we need to process this payment before delivery of examination papers, we would greatly appreciate if you could pay this fee by Friday 27th January.
We have spoken to all Third Year students in detail regarding timetable and expectations of students and how we will support them over the coming four weeks.
As these examinations are a trial run for the state examinations in June, we strongly recommend that all students plan in advance with their parents and guardians how they will implement healthy habits around study, sleep, nutrition and exercise before and during examinations. This approach will help your child to achieve their full potential in Mocks and for state examinations in June.
Within the next few days, we will also send you resources from our Third Year study skills module which your child will receive over the coming two weeks.
In terms of our Mock Examinations timetable, please note that for supervised study sessions, no phones or music are permitted. On Wednesday 8th February, for students who do not study Business Studies, Graphics or Home Economics, their school day will end after their supervised study session at 10.16am. We would encourage these particular students to continue their study for Thursday and Friday examinations at home.
If you have any queries about these examinations, please contact relevant subject teacher or your child's class tutor (Claudia or Dan).
Thank you for your continued support.
Kind regards,
HCETSS Examinations Team
Dear parents/guardians,
Tomi Reichental, a Holocaust survivor, recently spoke with our third year students. For any students interested in purchasing his book "I Was a Boy in Belsen", Tomi will dedicate a copy of the book personally to you. Students should give their name to Holly in school and pay via the app. The cost is 15 euro per book.
Kind regards, School Office
Dear parents/guardians,
Please see attached inforamtion from the HSE reragding HPV Vaccination Programme in schools.
The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) have updated their advice about the number of HPV vaccine doses young people need to receive.
People with healthy immune systems now only need one dose of HPV vaccine.
The reason for this change is that recent scientific evidence did not show a big difference in the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine in people with healthy immune systems, aged 9 to 24 years, who received one, two or three doses of the HPV vaccine.
HSE school vaccination teams will visit schools twice in students' first year of secondary school.
Boys and girls will get 3 injections in total, over 2 different visits:
One vaccine is given in each arm.
Vaccine dosage for people with a weak immune system (immunocompromise)
The NIAC recommend that people who have a weak immune system due to:
will need to get 3 doses of the HPV vaccine.
If you think that you or your child may need to get 3 doses of the HPV vaccine because of having a weak immune system, please speak to the Specialist Doctor or Consultant treating you. They will be able to discuss with you if you need 3 HPV vaccine doses . You should also speak with the HSE vaccination team and let them know about your discussion with your doctor.