 Fáilte romhaibh to all of our Parents, Guardians, and members of the Esker School Community. As spring brings brighter days and new energy, our school has been alive with creativity, kindness, and curiosity. This term has truly highlighted the values we cherish—generosity, empathy, understanding, and a strong work ethic. From imaginative classroom projects to the steady commitment shown in daily learning, our pupils continue to make us incredibly proud. We are delighted to share that there has been a marked improvement in attendance and punctuality during our recent attendance drive. A huge well done to all the children—and to families—for the fantastic effort. It has made a meaningful difference to teaching, learning, and the smooth running of our school days. Another highlight this term was our successful Curriculum Inspection in Physical Education. The children were wonderful ambassadors for the school, showcasing their favourite ways to move and demonstrating the joy and confidence that sports of all varieties brings to daily life in Esker. The children demonstrated respect for each other and staff along with inclusive practice and a sense of fair play. Lots of very good teaching and learning was observed. Well done to everyone involved. We look forward to sharing the full report with you on our school website. Our spring term has also been enriched by exciting trips, vibrant clubs, and celebrations of different religious belief festivals that deepen our sense of community and respect. A special moment for everyone was Seachtain na Gaeilge, where the whole school embraced the Irish language and culture through language music, dance, games, and storytelling with Niall de Burca. As you read through this newsletter, we hope you feel the same pride we do in all that our pupils have achieved. They continue to make our school a warm, joyful, and inspiring place to learn and grow. As ever a huge thank you to the most incredible staff who turn up each day with the same enthusiasm and care for the children. Thank you to all of our families who support us in everything and encourage your children to work hard and to have strong values.  Junior Infants Junior Infants Green are really enjoying the brighter days. They are looking out for different signs of spring such as flower buds, daffodils, sunny skies and baby animals. We are so glad to finally see the sun again! We are taking any chance to go out and enjoy the sunshine. Junior Infants loved expressing their creativity with the chalk. They drew shapes, numbers, hopscotch and lots of different pictures!  Junior Infants Red have enjoyed a wonderful, busy and active school term. During Aistear, the class explored a range of themes including The Doctor’s Surgery, The Post Office and The Garden Centre. We even took a walk to the nearby postbox to send our handwritten letters. The children had some delicious pancakes for Pancake Tuesday, they thoroughly enjoyed listening to the fantastic stories told by Niall De Búrca and had great craic at the céilí for Seachtain na Gaeilge! Senior Infants Red and Green Weston airport visit - On the 24th of February, firefighters from Weston Airport visited both Senior Infant classes for a very special and exciting morning. Commander Adam, Firefighter Gareth, and Louise from the management team spoke to the children about the important work firefighters do and how they help to keep people safe. The team showed the children a range of firefighting equipment and explained how each item is used during emergencies. The children were fascinated to see the helmets, protective clothing, and other tools that firefighters rely on when responding to fires and rescue situations. The firefighters also talked to the classes about fire safety, teaching the children simple but very important ways to stay safe. The children listened carefully and asked lots of great questions. One of the highlights of the visit was seeing the fire jeep from Weston Airport. The children loved getting a close look at the vehicle and learning about how it is used to respond quickly to incidents at the airport.It was a wonderful and memorable visit, and we would like to say a big thank you to Commander Adam, Firefighter Gareth, and Louise for taking the time to visit our school and share their knowledge with the children. A special thank you as well for the lovely gifts you brought for all of the children. They were greatly appreciated. Seachtain na Gaeilge Céilí - Both Senior Infant classes had a wonderful time getting into the spirit of Seachtain na Gaeilge over the past few weeks. The children really enjoyed practising their Irish dancing and learning some simple céilí steps together. We spent lots of time rehearsing in the hall and out on the yard, and it was fantastic to see everyone getting more confident and enthusiastic with each practice. All of their hard work paid off when we held our céilí. The children had a brilliant time performing their dances and showing what they had learned. There was a great sense of excitement on the day, with plenty of smiles, laughter and energy as we danced together. It has been so lovely to see the children engaging with Irish culture and tradition in such a fun and active way.   1st Class Red We have had a very busy term in 1st Class Red. The pupils have been enjoying working with a sports coach to develop their rugby skills. They have been working on passing, catching, running and dodging through skill building drills and mini games. In February, the students were thrilled to listen to and engage in a traditional story telling session with Niall De Burca. 1st Class recently visited a local Gealscoil where they got to practise their Irish through games, activities and interactions with other first class children from that school. Other highlights from this term include winning the Golden Boot and enjoying some delicious pancakes for Pancake Tuesday.  1st Class Green We have had a very busy term 2 here in First class green. This term we have been exploring the theme of ‘Spring’ ! We first went out to the fairy garden on a walk to explore and look for signs of the spring seasons approaching. We saw lots of lovely signs of spring. Next we put on our green fingers and we planted some cress seeds! It was very exciting to learn about planting, how to water plants and, of course,watching them grow! In first class green we also celebrated Esker Loves Books on the 18th March!. We brought in our pillows, teddies, and our favourite books. We had a lovely relaxing afternoon of reading and sharing our favourite stories with our friends in our class. We got to do so many fun things in Term 2 and we are looking forward to all the different activities and learning that we will have when we come back for Term 3!  2nd Class Green 2nd Class Green had lots of fun exploring Yoga with Kate. We had 3 sessions in the hall and went on ‘visits’ to Egypt, outer space and many more amazing places. It was lots of fun! We have also been doing lots of training for Athletics and Rugby and are working on lots of new skills. We have been trying to get outdoors more. We visited Willsbrook Park to see the signs of Spring. Lots of fun! 6th Class Green visited our class to practise our Gaeilge phrases and even teach us some new ones. They read some stories as Gaeilge too. We also worked hard on our Learn Together Assembly performance which was all about love and the monthly value of generosity. We are learning all about places at the moment. Inspired by this, we created and built somewhere for our class pet Gerry JR the Giraffe to live in the Forest Area. We made sure he stayed warm, dry and cosy, comparing the different materials we could use to make his shelters. We are so excited for the rest of the year in 2nd Class Green!  2nd Class Red Our class had a busy term! For PE we had rugby training with a coach from Barnhall RC and Athletics coaching too! We were lucky to spend extra time outdoors this term in the Spring sunshine. We visited Willsbrook park to find the signs of Spring and we took part in outdoor STEM challenges to build forts and homes using natural materials. Rachel’s mum visited our class and brought in special biscuits with fruit jam to celebrate the Jewish festival of Purim. We loved listening to the story of Queen Esther! We learned about Global Citizenship as part of our work for the Green School’s flag and brainstormed ways we can help our communities and the creatures on our planet. We loved hearing Niall De Burca’s stories when he visited our school and told us about Cú Chulainn. We enjoyed extra DEAR time in class as part of World Book Day, where we brought in our cushions, blankets and teddies to snuggle up with as we read together. For Seachtain na Gaeilge we felt very lucky to be invited to Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada for a Céilí! We had been practising our moves - slas-céim, luascadh and our isteach agus amach moves so we had great fun joining in, especially for An Droelín!  3rd Class Red Our recent sessions of Yoga with Kate have been a wonderful addition to our weekly routine. The students have been enthusiastically learning a variety of new poses while focusing on the importance of stretching and strengthening their bodies. These classes provide a great balance of physical activity and mindfulness, helping everyone develop better coordination and a sense of calm during the school day. In addition to our movement exercises, the classroom transformed into an art studio as we prepared for Valentine’s Day. The students worked diligently to hand-sculpt clay pots, learning how to mold and shape the material into unique gifts. This project allowed them to practice their fine motor skills while creating a meaningful, handmade token of appreciation for their loved ones.   3rd Class Green Third class have been learning about Myths and Legends. We have explored the old traditions of story telling around the fire side in ancient times, understanding that this was a time before the written word was commonplace in Ireland. We were exploring Irish place names and how the Irish name of a place gives more information about the place itself. We have put lots of emphasis on learning our counties of Ireland. We are having a great time learning about the Vikings and we are enjoying using google slides to create a project on this. Blue Class Blue have been really enjoying the brighter days and spotting the many beautiful signs of spring around us. The boys were delighted to take part in rugby sessions with JP from Leinster Rugby, where they learned a variety of kicking, throwing and ball-handling skills. It was a fantastic opportunity and the boys thoroughly enjoyed developing their rugby skills. We were also very lucky to welcome Niamh and Alex, who worked with the boys on a range of athletics skills. The boys made great progress each week and, most importantly, had lots of fun taking part in the activities. We are continuing our daily walks and making the most of the dry spells between the showers to explore our beautiful parks and walkways. It has been lovely to see the signs of spring all around us, with daffodils and other colourful spring flowers beginning to bloom. 🌼🌷  4th Class Green and Red 4th Class recently had the exciting opportunity to welcome Pramod and Eoin from Microsoft to our classrooms. During their visit, we explored the benefits of artificial intelligence in everyday life and gained a deeper understanding of how it can be used in a fun and practical way. The students also had the chance to create their own games through coding and thoroughly enjoyed playing Bug Arena. It was a fantastic, engaging workshop that brought plenty of smiles to everyone’s faces. 4th Class Green had a busy start to 2026. In January, we explored Italy, finishing with a fun pizza wrap party. We enjoyed a visit from storyteller Niall De Búrca, who shared imaginative tales of Irish history. For our Learn Together Assembly on empathy, we performed a drama based on Battle of the Bands and sang “I’ll Walk With You.” We also took part in an AI and coding workshop with Pramod from Microsoft. We have also really enjoyed reading for pleasure and we have been participating in DEAR time outside which has been really relaxing for all. This all lead to ‘Esker World Book Day.’ Bhí an-craic againn i rith Seachtain na Gaeilge ag canadh, ag damhsa agus ag labhairt as Gaeilge. Bhíomar ag léamh agus ag súgradh le Rang a Dó Glas freisin agus bhaineamar an-taitneamh as.  4th Class Red We have had a super busy term in 4th Class Red. The children had great fun exploring gymnastics in PE. It was excellent to see the children learning new skills and having fun. The children had great fun learning about Máirt Inide (Pancake tuesday) which was celebrated by enjoying a delicious pancake with their chosen toppings. The children wrote how to make pancóga as Gaeilge. Mhaith sibh! In February, the excellent storyteller Niall de Burca paid an entertaining visit. The children really enjoyed listening to the hilarious stories. Great fun was had by all. Bhí na páistí i rang a ceathair dearg ag deanamh job mhaith a bheith ag labhairt as Gaeilge don Seachtaine Gaeilge. Báint siad taitneamh as an Céile Mhór freisin! Finally, It was great to see the children practicing their gardening skills. The children planted potatoes in the school garden as part of their learning about The Great Famine in History. Well done all! 
  In other news … Student council The student council were nominated last term and have been working on gathering ideas for school projects and for a community project. On Thursday they carried out a taste test for the new spring menu from Carambola. They had lots of interesting feedback to offer including suggestions for favourite national dishes from different countries, more vegetarian options, more healthy dishes such as salads for the summer term and lots more flavour!! They are excited about the next term during which they have plans for a Big Project! Details to follow.   Green school The Green School Committee have been very busy this term preparing for their renewal visit from SDCC. He came last Wednesday and was very impressed with the work they have done in preparation for the Global Citizenship Litter and Waste Flag. He found them to be very knowledgeable. You can see from the photo some of the activities that they have been involved in such as litter picking, recycling electronic waste, teaching the younger classes in class and informing the older classes at assemblies. We are looking forward to our Action Day which will take place in May and will include a community litter pick with parents and the results of the Make Something Useful or Beautiful Competition! Coiste Gaelbhratach The Coiste Gaelbhratach have been very busy over the last few weeks getting ready for Seachtain na Gaeilge. They were out in force each morning for the full week of SnaG, offering a warm fáilte to all the children, parents, and guardians as they arrived at school. Our dedicated team also had the very important job of distributing our free family resources to the school community. Maith sibh to all the members for their hard work and for promoting an Ghaeilge so effectively during this special time.  Weekly Learn Together Assemblies Our weekly Learn Together Assemblies are a special time for us to gather as a school to talk about school life, celebrate achievements, perform dramas, poems and songs and to discuss our Value of the Month. The values we’ve focussed on so far this year are kindness, responsibility, respect and helpfulness. Our Educate Together ethos is reflected through our values and we try to focus on the importance of upholding these values in our day-to-day lives. You can watch our Learn Together Assembly performances on our school website under the ->Initiatives ->Learn Together Assemblies tab. Seachtain na Gaeilge Seachtain na Gaeilge was a spectacular success this year, bringing a vibrant energy to every corner of the school. The children participated in a wide array of activities, from the excitement of the tóraíocht taisce (treasure hunt) to the wonderful collaborative spirit of buddy reading. We celebrated Lá Glas with a sea of green throughout the building, and the sound of music was never far away. We held three fantastic céilithe, and it was particularly special to welcome parents to join the Junior and Senior Infant sessions. The week culminated in a magnificent ceolchoirm that showcased the incredible talents of our students and staff, featuring hip-hop dancers, Irish dancers, singers, and our very own banna ceoil. Throughout the week, there was so much Gaeilge being spoken by everyone in the building. With such an air of excitement and pride in our language, the entire celebration was an absolute aoibhneas (joy) to behold. Maith sibh go léir! School Sports Sports play a huge part in the life of Esker ETNS. We have an Active committee who work to promote all things physical and individual teachers lead a wide variety of sports initiatives. There is something to suit all tastes and interests. Over the last term children from different classes have had the opportunity to try out many different physical activities such as swimming, football, rugby, badminton and basketball. We have teamed up with local schools in our area to encourage more local sports participation. We attended a basketball event hosted by Lucan East Educate Together on January 30th. Secondary school students came from Griffeen Community College to act as referees and there was a special guest appearance from Danielle from Liffey Celtics Women’s squad. We had a Cross Country event in Griffeen Park on March 9th. We had 12 representatives from 6th class and 12 from 5th class. The students ran with many other schools under their class group. It was such an encouraging event for future athletic events and really gave all students involved a great level of motivation for running and outdoor events. We also met Niamh who ran our athletics last year and she was delighted to see us participating. At the moment, Deirdre and the Esker Athletics team are busy training for the Community Games which takes place in Santry in May. We look forward to celebrating their participation and cheering them on! After School Activities As always, teachers offered a range of after school activities this term, and we are very grateful to them for doing so. After-school activities or ECAs offer children an opportunity to develop new or existing interests, and it greatly contributes to their personal and social development. This term the children enjoyed Arts and Crafts, Sports and Games, Variety Club, Junk Art and Construction and Quiz and Kahoot.    Staff training
Continuous learning and professional development are central to ensuring our staff can provide the highest quality teaching and support for all students. This term, we dedicated a school closure day to staff training in the new Curriculum Framework with Oide, which will begin to be implemented from September 2026. We were also fortunate to welcome Niamh from Oide, who is currently on secondment, to guide us through the updates in the new Maths Curriculum. In addition, our NEPS psychologist, Jane, joined us to deepen our understanding of emotional regulation and trauma‑informed practice. These opportunities allow our team to stay informed, skilled, and confident as we work to meet the evolving needs of our learners. We engaged in Mindful based Stress reduction with Loretta - who guided us through techniques for grounding, breaking and being grateful and in the moment. We upskilled in our Ceili skills and staff shared their skills and knowledge at teach meets during staff meetings. Attendance / punctuality drive Leah, our HSCL teacher, led a highly successful Attendance and Punctuality Drive throughout the month of March. Establishing a strong daily routine, maintaining consistency, and attending school whenever students are well are all key indicators of positive engagement and long‑term success in education. We extend our thanks to all students and parents for their commitment, as we observed a significant improvement in both attendance and punctuality during the initiative. Many students reported practical strategies that helped them arrive on time, such as getting up earlier, preparing clothes the night before, avoiding screens in the morning, and leaving home earlier to allow for traffic. These are excellent habits that contribute to smoother, more settled starts to the school day. Several classes earned nights of no homework in recognition of their efforts, and our most improved group received €50 to purchase games for their classroom. We congratulate everyone involved and encourage all families to continue prioritising strong attendance and punctuality for the remainder of the year. And finally ... The holidays are here, the clocks have gone forward, the days are longer and brighter and there is a feeling of Spring in the air, after what seems to have been a particularly long, wet winter. We would like to wish all of our families and friends well for the holiday season, and Happy Easter to those of you who celebrate the festival. We look forward to seeing all our students back bright and refreshed on Monday 13th April for another busy and action packed term. With good wishes from Gemma and all the staff of Esker ETNS Follow us on instagram @eskeretns to keep up with all the goings on in Esker.
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