Dear Team,

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

• Special Shout-out

• Update on Staff & Recruitment

• IRS Tables and Meal allowance

• Upcoming Events

  • Open day for new families

  • Save the date | Bio Market 2025/2026!

  • Save the date | Three Way Conferences (Student, Teachers and Parents)

• Section Stories

• Act Together

  • Menu

  • Star of October: xxxx

About this space

This space is for colleagues, by colleagues — it’s not from the management, it’s from the team, for the team. It’s about valuing what we are together, recognizing the effort, care, and presence. If you’d like to thank a colleague, this is the place. It will be published in the next newsletter.

Shout out

xxxxxx

RECRUITMENT

At Aprendizes, we believe that each of you is the best person to identify and select your future colleagues. That’s why we are implementing an active recommendation system. If you recommend a future colleague (and they confirm that you were the one who informed them about the opening), you will receive a €250 referral bonus!

Update on Action Research Groups – Get Inspired!

So far, we have 21 people signed up and, as it stands, 8 research groups have started to take shape. However, we expect a few more colleagues to join in the coming days.

If you're still considering whether to participate or are unsure about what to focus on, take a look at what your colleagues are already working on—there are some exciting ideas taking shape that might spark your own!

If you have any questions or would like to join, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your Head of Section or to Rikke directly.

Here’s a preview of what’s brewing so far:

Kate Tingley, Diogo Santos, Liz Nash
Exploring student agency in connection with field trips, project-based learning (PBL), and volunteering.

Mariana Menino, Madalena Teixeira
Investigating how the problem-solving structures in Singapore Math—such as bar modelling, collaborative talk, and reflective journaling—can foster responsibility, persistence, and respectful engagement in the classroom.

Laura Morala Forte, Tiago Rodriguez, João Ferreira, Laura Cercas
Looking into ways to promote student agency through the implementation of the House System at Aprendizes.

Stephen Hakim
Exploring strategies to enhance student agency in IGCSE Global Perspectives, while still preparing students effectively for their exams.

Bárbara Doria, Joana Geraldo, Maria Gomes, Sara Prudêncio
Designing interdisciplinary PBL units focused on communication (visual, written, and oral), with a thematic lens on fake news and misinformation.

Victoria Rivadeneyra
Investigating student agency and engagement in non-academic contexts, such as student council and student-led clubs.

Ana Marta Costa, Margarida Nabais, Andreia Palhinhas, Joana Coelho, Catarina Pires
Exploring ways to build bridges to learning, focusing on how to ease the transition from Preschool to Primary.

Helen Bacchus
Still deciding on a topic. Current ideas include exploring formative assessment in the classroom—possibly through deeper use of tools like the Socrative AI app—or designing PBL units that integrate Socrative strategies in IGCSE and AS classes.

IRS TABLES

This month, transitional IRS withholding tables (Aug–Sep), under Law no. 55-A/2025, are still in effect, temporarily increasing net salaries. From October, the final tables will apply, and values return to normal. Detailed information has been shared by e-mail and is also available on Teams.

MEAL CARDS

As agreed for the 25/26 school year, the meal allowance will be paid through a meal card. The distribution of the cards will take place on Monday 29th between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM.

16 OCT | Open Day for new families | 9:00 to 10:30 AM

16 OCT | Online session Information about admissions Universities in USA | 6:00 PM

17 OCT | Bio Market Halloween Edition | Tent | 4:15 PM to 6:00 PM

20 OCT to 22 OCT | Book fair | School Reception

22 OCT | Halloween Lunch | Secondary

23 OCT | Online session Information about admissions Universities in UK | 6:00 PM

24 OCT | Halloween Party | Preschool, Primary and Middle

07 NOV | All Parents | Parents’ Coffee | 08:45–09:45 AM

13 NOV | Online session Information about admissions Universities in EU | 6:00 PM

20 NOV | Online session Information about admissions Universities in PT | 6:00 PM

12 NOV | Three Way Conferences (Students, teachers and Parents) | Primary to Secondary

11 FEB | Three Way Conferences (Students, teachers and Parents) | Middle to Secondary

03 MAR to 05 MAR | Regeneration Festival

29 MAR to 04 APR | Erasmus+ Preschool and Primary Trip | Sweden

21 APR | Three Way Conferences (Students, teachers and Parents) | Primary

26 APR to 02 MAY | Erasmus+ Middle and Secondary Trip | Denmark

OPEN DAY FOR NEW FAMILIES

We are delighted to invite prospective families to our Open Day on October 16, from 9:00 to 10:30 AM.

Families will meet our Principal and Head of Pedagogics, join a personalized tour of Preschool, Primary, Middle, or Secondary, and discover our vision and curriculum.

Registration is required. Please encourage interested families to register early.

SAVE THE DATE | BIO MKT 2025/2026!

Bio Mkt returns this academic year, bimonthly, for the moments we’ve missed!
Editions:

17/10 – Halloween Edition

12/12 – Christmas Edition

30/1 – Charity Edition

4/3 – Regeneration Edition

29/5 – Final Edition
Always from 4:15 PM to 6:00 PM. Want to become a vendor? Check our criteria and register two weeks before each event by requesting the form via our email: biomkt@aprendizes.pt

Preschool

MINI POLLOCKS IN ACTION!

After reading Olivia by Ian Falconer, where Olivia visits a museum and becomes enchanted by a Jackson Pollock painting, some of our “Salteadores” decided to try something similar. Motivated by Pollock’s energetic dripping and splattering style—and even inspired by a photo of him painting—we set out to create our own bursts of color.

The result was more than joyful mess: it encouraged creativity, helped kids explore feelings, practice patience, refine technique, and gain confidence in their ideas. Watching their art take shape was pure delight; art became both play and learning!

Primary

MEET THE MINI REPS

Last week, primary school students elected their class representatives. For many, it was their first time exercising their right to vote. The whole process went smoothly, from the campaigns featuring posters, videos, and promises to the moments of reflection and voting. The newly elected representatives will now have the important task of representing their classes during the next term in all official moments and whenever they are called to participate.

This is a role of great responsibility, as in our school most decisions are made together.

Middle

PODCAST SEASON IS HERE!

Our podcast’s new season is underway! Behind the mic, it’s more than speaking — podcasting requires research, planning, and preparation. Our team spends hours outlining episodes, rehearsing scripts, and editing audio to make each story engaging and polished.

This work cultivates teamwork, time management, and creative problem-solving. It also helps our podcasters gain confidence, improve communication skills, and learn to express ideas clearly. Seeing drafts evolve into final episodes is truly rewarding — a journey of patience, creativity, and dedication.

SECONDARY

BUILDING STRONG FOUNDATIONS IN SCIENCE

Grade 9 students have kicked off their IGCSE Coordinated Sciences with a hands-on experiment to reinforce the scientific method. Using the ruler drop test, they measured reaction times, compared dominant vs. non-dominant hands, repeated trials, calculated averages, and reflected on the importance of accuracy, precision, and reliable data collection.

This practical not only boosts confidence but also establishes the critical habits of inquiry and careful methodology that will carry them through the year.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA