Firhouse ETNS
October 2025
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I hope you have all had a great week and have a lovely weekend ahead. Please find some updates/information below about things happening in our school.
Best wishes,
Niamh
Fáilte Friday
We are delighted to welcome you to our first Fáilte Friday of this school year. This will be held on Friday 17th October.
This is a chance for you to visit your child's classroom with them as they arrive to school, meet their teacher and other staff that work with their class. It usually lasts for approximately 10-15 minutes (8.25-8.40am).
Rule focus and calm focus
Each week we will focus on a rule and calm focus throughout the school. Our school rules are:
Be respectful
Be responsible
Be ready
Rule focus - Ready
Ready means children have what they need for school - when their teacher asks them to take out a book/copy that they do that quickly/without delay. It also means that they take responsibility for their own belongings, making sure their coats/jumpers have their name on them and their lunch box/school bag etc.
Calm focus
We're focussing on finger breathing this week. This is really useful for the children as they can use their hand to help them focus on their breath.
Admissions 2026/2027
If you have a sibling due to start Junior Infants/ Autism class in September 2026, please ensure you complete the admissions form by 23rd October.
Open days:
Tuesday 7th October (Junior Infants)
Monday 13th October (Autism classes)
Messages to the school
PGTA
The PGTA have been busy over the last few weeks, and October is shaping up to be a jam-packed month of exciting events in the school hall!
Costumes for Change – October 10th
Our first event is Costumes for Change, in aid of UNICEF, who support children across the globe. Please see the attached poster for full event details and timings.
We are currently short 6 volunteers for the 7:45–8:30am and 1:00–2:30pm time slots on the day.
If you’re available for either (or even a portion), please contact your class rep or email the PGTA. Even if you can only spare a short time, we’d still love to hear from you—we can work around your availability
Book Fair 15th - 20th October
Next up is the much-anticipated return of the Book Fair (as mentioned in Niamh’s newsletter). Each book sold contributes to books for the classroom and main school library.
We need 7 volunteers for the afternoon slot (1:00–2:20pm) on:
• Wednesday, October 15th
• Thursday, October 16th
• Monday, October 20th
If you’re available to help on any of these days, for what ever amount of time you can give please reach out to your class rep or the PGTA.
Self Expression Disco - October 23rd
Finally, we’re closing the month with the return of the Self-Expression Disco—a great chance for the kids to show off their moves before midterm break!
• Junior Disco (up to 2nd class): 6:00–7:15pm
• Senior Disco (3rd class & up): 7:30–9:00pm
• Tickets (€6 + booking fee) go on sale October 13th at 10am, with proceeds going to the school.
We’re looking for volunteers for everything from first aid and music setup to sensory area support and door management.
All help is welcome—and it’s always a fun evening!
Get Ready to Groove! The PGTA Self-Expression Disco is Coming!
The PGTA is delighted to share all the details for our upcoming Self-Expression Disco on Thursday, October 23rd!
Tickets will go on sale on Monday, October 13th.
To ensure the best experience for everyone, we have separated the discos into two fantastic events:
Junior Disco (Junior Infants - Class 2)
To allow enough capacity for all the children to join us for this fabulous event, please be aware that we only expect a ratio of 1 adult for every 4 children you bring.
Senior Disco (Class 3 - Class 6)
For the Senior Disco, parents are not expected to stay. Please ensure you are ready to collect your children at the end of the night. The main school gate will be open, and all standard school rules and collection procedures will apply.
We Need Your Help: Volunteer for the Discos!
If you have time to spare, the PGTA is always on the lookout for dedicated volunteers to help make these events run smoothly.
Please email us at pgta@firhouseetns.ie with your available timeslot. We will send a volunteer roster out a few days beforehand to everyone who signs up. Your help is greatly appreciated!
Help Us Set the Soundtrack!
To make this a night to remember, we want your input! We’ve created a quick form for you or your children to fill out to give us some musical inspiration.
Please fill it out and send it back to us by Monday, October 20th. Let's make this the best disco yet!
PGTA Contact
Any questions please contact your class rep or email us on Pgta@firhouseetns.ie
Part time secretary
We are seeking an additional part time secretary. Deadline to apply is Monday 6th October. Please see advertisement below.