Dear parents, guardians, and students,

In this week's newsletter, please find our latest updates and important information, including:

A Message from the Principal
Upcoming Events
- The Final Bio Market of the Year
- Honouring Our Roots: The Stories That Shape Our Children
- Universal Children’s Day | Pyjama Day
- ReLIEable Museum
- PTSO (Parents, Teachers and Student Organization) Meeting
- Parents’ Coffee Morning
- Secondary Art & Design Exhibition
- The LASA Tournament
- Save The Date - Aprendizes Got Talent
- Save The Date - End of Year Arraial
Practical Information
- Summer school
- Yearbook Pre-order
Best Practices
Act Together
- Screensafe: Raising Awareness About Online Safety
- Wellbeing Peer Program
- News from the Kitchen

Dear students, parents and staff

As the weather gets warmer and the layers get fewer, one annual school tradition returns with great force:
The Great Dress Code Debate of June.

Every year, questions emerge:

“Are slippers technically shoes?”
“How short can shorts be?”

“I have a beautiful belly - can I not just show it?”

The truth is that dress codes are deeply subjective and culturally determined. What feels perfectly normal and appropriate for one person may feel completely inappropriate to another. Schools around the world approach this very differently, and even within our own community there are many perspectives.

At Aprendizes, we are generally quite liberal. We want young people to express themselves, to feel comfortable, and to develop their own identity. Clothing can be creative, personal, cultural, practical, rebellious, artistic - sometimes all at once before breakfast.

At the same time, part of education is also learning that the way we present ourselves communicates something to others - whether we intend it to or not. Different environments come with different expectations, and understanding this is an important life skill. The way we dress can influence how others perceive us, fairly or unfairly, and navigating that reality is part of growing up.

So, while trying to find the delicate balance between freedom of expression, mutual respect, and basic community boundaries, I would like to offer three simple guidelines that generally work quite well:

As a member of our community, please remember that you are coming to school. This means:

You are NOT going to the beach.
You are NOT going to bed.
You are NOT going to the discotheque.

So this is a friendly reminder to everyone: even though June is approaching… you are STILL GOING to school.

Thank you all for helping us keep Aprendizes a respectful, comfortable, expressive, and occasionally fully-clothed learning environment.

For a beautiful summer with lots of beach, long sleeps and parties!

(; Rikke

18 JUL | Vacations

THE FINAL BIO MARKET OF THE YEAR

Our final Bio Market of the year will take place tomorrow, 29 May, from 16:15 to 18:00, at The Tent. Visitors can explore organic and sustainable products while supporting local vendors.

UNIVERSAL CHILDREN’S DAY

On 1st June, we will celebrate Universal Children’s Day in a very special way! We invite everyone to come to school wearing their pyjamas and support Operação Nariz Vermelho by purchasing a a red nose (€2) and/or a bottle of water (€5). Together, we will spread joy, kindness, and lots of smiles!

HONOURING OUR ROOTS: THE STORIES THAT SHAPE OUR CHILDREN

On Monday, June 1st, from 8:45 to 10:00, parents are invited to join a reflective workshop led by psychologist Luisa Heitor.

The session explores how family stories, ancestry, values, and emotional legacies shape children’s identity, sense of belonging, and development, encouraging families to reflect on what is passed on beyond genetics and how to nurture stronger, more conscious roots.

RELIEABLE MUSEUM

The exhibition "Museu da Mentira / ReLIEable Museum" is the result of an interdisciplinary project developed by students in grades 5, 6, and 7 in the subjects of Portuguese (1st and 2nd language) and Art & Design, focused on the theme of disinformation. The exhibition opens on 1st June at 4.15 pm in the corridor leading to the Library and is open to the whole school community.

PTSO MEETING

The next PTSO (Parents, Teachers and Students Organization) meeting will take place on June 2nd, 2026, at 4:00 PM in the Library. This session will be an opportunity to reflect, review progress, and establish continuous improvement strategies through to the end of the school year.

PARENTS’ COFFEE MORNING

On Friday, 12 June 2026, Aprendizes will host a Parents’ Coffee Morning from 8:45 to 9:45. This informal session gives parents and staff the opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and discuss students’ development, while keeping up to date with school life and upcoming activities.

SECONDARY ART & DESIGN AND DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY EXHIBITION

We are proud to announce our Secondary Art & Design and Design & Technology Exhibition, running from 15th to 29th June, with an opening ceremony at 4pm on 15th June. Celebrating the creative and technical achievements of our Grade 9 to 12 students, the exhibition features a diverse range of artwork and Design & Technology projects across IGCSE, AS, and A Level, reflecting the skill, dedication, and growth of our students.

LASA TOURNAMENT – VOLLEYBALL

The LASA Tournament – Volleyball takes place on 16–17 June! Parents from Primary, Middle and Secondary are warmly invited to come and support our teams. Join us to cheer, encourage and celebrate the sporting spirit together!

APRENDIZES' GOT TALENT SHOW: HOUSE EVENT

We are excited to announce the Aprendizes' Got Talent Show: House Event, taking place on 26th June, with Primary starting at 11am and Middle & Secondary at 2.30pm. This celebration of student talent goes beyond the stage, with all ticket, food, and drink sales going directly to four charities supported by our Houses: Helpo, CASA Cascais, Cozinha com Alma, and Cascais Refood.

Tickets can be purchased at the BioMarket, or from our Grade 9 Business students outside the main building on various days at collection time. Come together as a community, support our students, and make a real difference.

END OF YEAR ARRAIAL

The smell of grilled sardines, traditional music and great company are back! Join us on 26 June from 6:00 pm to celebrate another school year with food, laughter, music and our usual festive spirit.

SUMMER SCHOOL: LAST DAYS TO REGISTER

We would like to remind you that the Summer School is approaching and that, although it is a activity without extra fees, registration is mandatory for all students who wish to participate. The Summer School is a school programme for students from Preschool to Year 8 and will take place from July 1st to July 17th.

Activities will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The school opening hours will be from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please note that activities take place within the school; it is not a holiday camp or summer camp.

We would also like to remind you that registrations will only be accepted until May 31st.

Please complete the registration using the following link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/JzCU8VwwsB

For further important information regarding the Summer School, please refer to the email sent on May 18th.

OUR 2025/26 YEARBOOK IS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!

A true time capsule filled with memories, laughter, and the moments that defined our year. Secure your copy for 15€ - Pre-order here - and take home a lasting piece of our story.

preschool

BRINGING FAMILIES TOGETHER FOR A SPECIAL CELEBRATION

We celebrated the International Day of Families with a special breakfast organised by parents at Aprendizes. Families came together to share a joyful morning.

PRIMARY

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS IN ACTION AT PRAIA DA RAINHA

As part of the Environmental Awareness Workshop led by co-teacher Leonardo Montinho, 2B students participated in a beach clean-up at Praia da Rainha. The activity promoted environmental responsibility, teamwork, and awareness.

MIDDLE

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES FUELS STUDENT CREATIVITY & ACTION

7th grade students organised a Global Perspectives Market to fund their projects addressing real-world issues. They developed solutions, implemented action plans, and presented their results at the Global Perspectives Summit.

SECONDARY

BUILDING LITERARY BRIDGES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COIMBRA

A group of 9th and 11th-grade students in Portuguese First Language presented research on African literatures at the University of Coimbra’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities. The session fostered academic dialogue with university students, strengthening links between secondary education and higher academic study.

SCREENSAFE: RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT ONLINE SAFETY

9th grade students Lara Moura, Mariana Almoster, Valentina Khan, Jakob Borek, and Owen Dixon created ScreenSafe, a Global Perspectives project focused on raising awareness about harmful online content and promoting online safety for children and parents. Through posters, presentations, and research, they educated 3rd graders about responsible internet use and will soon present to 2nd graders.

If you would like to learn more about their findings and research, you can check out their website:
https://screensafe.online/

LAUNCHING OUR WELLBEING PEER AMBASSADORS PROGRAM!

The WELLBEING PEER AMBASSADORS PROGRAM is a school-based wellbeing initiative in which selected secondary students are trained to support younger students through listening, empathy, and kindness. Ambassadors provide a safe and approachable space to share everyday concerns, while being guided by the psychology team on confidentiality and referrals. This year, we launched the program as a pilot project, and next school year the team will be fully prepared to begin supporting students from the very start.

NEWS FROM THE KITCHEN

INTERNATIONAL KITCHEN DAYS

17 Jun - Israel

25 Jun - Germany

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