Dear Team,

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

A Message from the Principal
Special Shout-out
Update on Staff, Recruitment and reminders
Practical Information
- Halloween is coming to Aprendizes tomorrow!
- Trick-or-Read: Books for the Half-Term Break
- Event & Activity Coverage Request
Upcoming Events
- Workshop | Screens: It’s Complicated
- Coffee Morning with Parents
- 3-Way Conferences
- Bio Market | São Martinho Edition
Section Stories
- Outdoor Painting
- Mascot Project: Learning, Caring and Sharing
- Real Scientists in Grade 5
- Visit to Casa Fernando Pessoa
Act Together
- Combine Project: Final Results Presented at Aprendizes
- Campaign for Xavier: an Invitation to our Community
- News from the Kitchen

The Art of Saying NO

On boundaries, brave parenting and little Halloween monsters

Halloween is approaching, and I suspect many of our children are already planning their costumes, practising their spooky looks and preparing their best arguments for why they really, really need just one more piece of candy. Meanwhile, parents are preparing for the annual negotiation: how much sugar is too much sugar, and who will be awake at midnight?

Jokes aside, parenting often involves another kind of trick-or-treat: knowing when to say YES and when to say NO. Our children are usually very clear about what they want. More sweets, a phone, more screen time, another online game or a later bedtime. They can be wonderfully persuasive when they have a goal in mind! But while our children know what they want, we have the responsibility to consider what they need.

At Aprendizes, we sometimes refer to the four parenting styles: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive and neglectful. The authoritative style offers an important balance: clear boundaries and high expectations combined with warmth, respect and responsiveness. It is neither about controlling every decision nor allowing children to decide everything for themselves. It is about giving them voice and choice while providing the sturdy leadership they need.

Being a loving parent does not mean always saying YES. Sometimes, love means having the courage to say NO.

I see many parents struggling to set boundaries, and I also see how this can become a challenge for our students. When children are not used to hearing NO, accepting limits, dealing with disappointment and taking responsibility can become difficult. This is not about blaming parents. Raising children is hard work, and we all get it wrong sometimes. But clear, consistent boundaries are a gift we give our children.

This is particularly relevant when we think about screen time and online gaming. It can be tempting to avoid the arguments and give in, especially when everyone is tired. That is why I am looking forward to the parent workshop Bruno Bergher will be holding, "Screens: It's Complicated". It will be a valuable opportunity to reflect together on how we can guide our children towards a healthy relationship with technology, balancing their growing independence with the boundaries they still need from us.

Our children also need to experience friction. They need to discover that not everything comes easily, that disappointment is part of life and that they cannot always get what they want. Our role is not to remove every obstacle from their path, but to walk alongside them as they learn to navigate it. When your child is upset because you have said NO, you can acknowledge their feelings without changing your decision. Listen, show empathy and offer choices within the limits you set. Resist the temptation to solve every problem for them. Sometimes, children need us to sit beside them, trust them and let them work through the difficulty themselves.

So, as we head into the autumn half-term break, let us remember that kindness is not the absence of boundaries, and leadership is not the absence of love. Our children need both. I wish all our families a wonderful autumn holiday! Enjoy the slower mornings, time together, outdoor adventures and, of course, a little Halloween fun. And if you find yourself negotiating over the last piece of candy, remember: even the most persuasive little monsters need a grown-up who can hold the line!

Sunny regards,

Rikke

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

A big thank you to Sophie Dias for such a wonderful partnership with Communications! Since last year, you’ve shared your plans with us in advance, so we always know what’s coming up and which students are involved. It makes all the difference: every week there’s something exciting to follow, and that’s why the Lab shines across all our platforms. Thank you, Sophie! (From Vanessa Fevereiro)

I'd like to say a big thank you to Jaime Atkinson for all her support, dedication and care, both with every student and with every case I've asked her to help with. (From Diogo Santos)

I'd like to say a big thank you to all the kitchen and support staff for always doing their very best on field trip days, making sure every trip leaves on time and with all the food it needs. (From Diogo Santos)

Congratulations to the Primary assistants team, Ana Fernandes, Afonso Ovídeo, Cláudia Branco, Rúben Gouveia and Sofia Marques, for their excellent teamwork in finding ways to improve our break times, outings and classroom support. Thank you! (From Andreia Ponte)

A big thank you to Victoria Rivadeneyra for supporting our Secondary Student Council in leading such a powerful student assembly on sexual assault awareness. Our students took the lead on a difficult and important topic with maturity and care. This is student agency in action! (From TfD)

RECRUIT

WE’RE LOOKING FOR A NEW:

Computer Science Teacher for Middle and Secondary
Head Teacher for Primary

Additionally, at Aprendizes, we believe that YOU are the best person to identify and select your future colleagues. That's why we're implementing an active referral system. If you recommend a future colleague (and they confirm that you informed them about the position), you'll receive a €250 gross referral bonus!

HALLOWEEN IS COMING TO APRENDIZES TOMORROW!

Tomorrow morning, Pre-School, Primary and Middle School will be celebrating with our Trunk or Treat, and in the afternoon Middle School will keep the fun going with a party in the Refectory. Secondary will close Spirit Week with Class Costumes.

We’re counting on everyone to make this day special, so bring your costumes and join in the fun!

O rapaz que prendeu o vento William Kamkwamba.jpg

TRICK-OR-READ: BOOKS FOR THE HALF-TERM BREAK

The Aprendizes library invites the whole community to celebrate Halloween with a good book! For this half-term break, we have put together a bilingual reading list in Portuguese and English, full of stories guaranteed to send shivers down your spine and spark your imagination.

The selection is organised by age, from 9 years old through to adult readers, and brings together classics such as Dracula, 1984 and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes with newer titles like The Monsters of Rookhaven. There is something for every taste: mystery, adventure, fantasy and a few frights along the way.

Make the most of the holidays to discover a new book, on your own or with the family. Happy reading!

EVENT & ACTIVITY COVERAGE REQUEST

Following your feedback and suggestions on how we cover school events, we’re introducing a simple process to make sure we can plan ahead and capture the moments that matter most to you. From now on, please submit your coverage requests by the 20th of each month for events and activities taking place the following month. This gives us time to organise the team and make sure every request gets the attention it deserves.

We have also set up a team on Microsoft Teams, a shared space for everyone, with different access permissions for each folder, to support collaboration between school staff and the Communications and Marketing team. It brings together photos by class and by event, an archive from previous years, image consent forms and bookings for event coverage. All in one place.

Thank you for your help, always!

LUNCH ROTATION FOR SECONDARY AND GRADES 7 & 8

From the week commencing Monday 2 November, Secondary and Grades 7 & 8 will alternate lunch times each week:

W/C 2 November: Secondary at 13:10 | Grades 7 & 8 at 13:20
W/C 9 November: Grades 7 & 8 at 13:10 | Secondary at 13:20

The rotation will continue in this pattern every week. Signage will be in place at the entrance and along the lunch queue to guide students. Thank you for your support in helping students settle into the new routine.

NEW CAR PARK RULES

From 2 November, new rules will apply in the school car park:

Staff may only park in the orange area.
The grey lane in the middle and the red area are reserved for parents and must not be used by staff.

Thank you all for your cooperation in helping keep the car park organised and safe for our whole community.

Pre-School

Primary

Middle

Secondary

Whole Community

Staff

COMMUNITY

WORKSHOP | SCREENS: IT’S COMPLICATED

A practical talk and open conversation – from parents, for parents. Open to the whole community: feel free to bring family and friends.

Worried about screens, but tired of being told you’re getting it wrong? So are we. The Digital Well-being and Safety Committee invites parents to a workshop with honest facts and practical, real-life ideas you can put into action. Research shows that habits can change quickly once a plan is in place, so come along and let’s talk about it together.

Tuesday 3 November | 8:45–9:45 | Library
Wednesday 4 November | 16:30–17:30 | Library

Community

COFFEE MORNING WITH PARENTS

On Friday 6 November, from 08:45 to 10:00, we will host another Parents’ Coffee Morning with our Principal and Head Teachers in the school refectory. Parents from all sections are very welcome to join us.

It’s a chance to strengthen the dialogue between families and the school, share ideas and stay up to date with upcoming activities and events. We look forward to seeing you there!

3-WAY CONFERENCES

SAVE THE DATE: Wednesday, 11 November

Our 3-Way Conference Day is coming! This is a moment for our students to take charge of their learning. Each student will share their own reflection on how they are doing, both academically and beyond the classroom, and set the goals they want to achieve in the coming months.

It is a time to reflect together, with parents and head teachers by their side, because learning is a shared journey.

Please note there will be no lessons (for Primary, Middle and Secondary) on this day, and parents will have the opportunity to request childcare if needed. Parents will receive more information by email.

BIO MARKET | SÃO MARTINHO EDITION

Friday, 13 November | 16:15–18:00 | The Tent

The second Bio Market of 2026/27 takes its theme from São Martinho, with pumpkins and chestnuts on the tables. As in every edition, parents, students and staff run stalls alongside producers from outside the school, while students manage their own, choosing what to sell and setting their own prices. Expect organic and local produce, handmade and second-hand goods, food prepared by our students, music and plenty of people to catch up with.

Registrations
To book a stall, please fill in the form by Tuesday, 3 November, at 18:00.
Submitting the form does not guarantee a place. Confirmations will be sent by email on Thursday, 5 November, and your stall is only secured once you receive one. As space is limited, stalls will be allocated based on the order of registration and on the diversity and creativity of the products proposed.

Participation fee
€4 per vendor, or €2 for students. The fee is fully reinvested in running the Bio Market and must be paid in advance at the school office by Tuesday, 10 November. Stalls cannot be held without prior payment.

For visitors
You don’t need a stall to join in. Come along, wander through the tent, taste, chat and take something home.

Questions
Write to biomarket@aprendizes.pt

OUTDOOR PAINTING

Students in the Salteadores Room made the most of the warm start to autumn by painting outdoors. They created a collective painting while listening to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. They tried out different tools and ways of painting: rollers, brushes, fly swatters, toothbrushes, bottle brushes and sponges. A moment of discovery, full of colour and music.

MASCOT PROJECT: LEARNING, CARING AND SHARING

Grade 1C has a new friend: Floppy! Through the Mascot Project, we aim to help children develop responsibility, independence and empathy, while bringing the class closer together.

Every Friday, Floppy goes home with a different pupil for the weekend and joins in the family’s adventures. By looking after her, children learn to take on responsibility. By recording these moments through drawings, photos and short stories, they build creativity, language and communication skills. And by sharing them with their classmates, they learn to listen to and respect others.

A project that brings school and families together, because learning is also about caring, sharing and growing together!

REAL SCIENTISTS IN GRADE 5

This week, Grade 5 students stepped into the role of biologists in a heart and lung dissection lab. Working in small groups, they examined real specimens to see how the circulatory and respiratory systems work. Before starting, they put on lab coats and gloves and followed real safety procedures.
For many, this was their first time experiencing an authentic laboratory setting: gowned up, following protocol, and seeing science happen in their own hands rather than in a textbook.

VISIT TO CASA FERNANDO PESSOA

Grade 10A and 10B students of Portuguese First Language visited Casa Fernando Pessoa. They learnt about the poet’s life, work and heteronyms. They also took part in the “Máquina do Devaneio” (Daydream Machine) workshop, where they explored connections between the period and Pessoa’s writing. The visit was accompanied by teachers Ana Rocha, Bárbara Dória and Victor Felippe.

COMBINE PROJECT: FINAL RESULTS PRESENTED AT APRENDIZES

On 19 October, we hosted the presentation of the final results of COMBINE, an EU-funded project exploring ways to reduce food waste in Portugal, France, Finland and Italy. Aprendizes was the project’s partner school in Portugal.

For more than a year, researchers Iva Pires and Sónia Nobre (NOVA FCSH) worked with our canteen and some of our families. The results show that participating families cut their household food waste by 33%, and students’ readiness to waste less rose from 58% to 78%. Aprendizes also started with the lowest level of food waste of the three participating schools, and the session highlighted our next steps: working on portion sizes and the canteen menu.

Thank you to all the families and staff who made this project possible!

CAMPAIGN FOR XAVIER: AN INVITATION TO OUR COMMUNITY

Xavier is 4 years old and the brother of one of our students. He lives with a neurological condition that significantly affects his development, and his family has launched a campaign to give him access to an intensive neurorehabilitation programme in the United States.

The family has shared Xavier’s story with us and asked the Aprendizes community to help it reach more people. More than a request for financial support, it is an invitation to get to know Xavier. Every share helps give the campaign more visibility.

To find out more, visit the official website, instagram, the GoFundMe campaign.

Thank you to everyone who joins this journey!

NEWS FROM THE KITCHEN

INTERNATIONAL DAYS IN THE KITCHEN:
27 NOV | United States of America

GET TO KNOW OUR MENU