Dear Team,
In this week's newsletter, please find our latest updates and important information, including:
Highlight Event - Aprendizes Students qualify for second round of Math Olympiad
Highlight Event - Celebration the Christmas Season: Middle School shines in Christmas Concert
Highlight Event - Christmas Biomarket
Highlight Event - Chess Tournament
Highlight Event - Model United Nations @aprendizes
Upcoming Event - Pre-school & Primary Christmas Celebrations
Upcoming Event - Christmas Lunch
Results of Parents and Staff Satisfaction Surveys
Successful Week of the New Drop-Off & Pick-Up System
Christmas Donation Campaign - Gift Collection Completed
Return from Christmas Break
Sustainability at Christmas
Bi-weekly Menu/ Country Days in Our Kitchen
December’s Seasonal Star: Ginger
In the past 15 days, so many incredible things have happened at our school, and we want to take a moment to recognize and celebrate everyone who made these achievements possible!
Math Department: Huge congratulations to Mercedes and all the Math Department teachers for their dedication and hard work in supporting the students who have successfully advanced to the second round of the Math Olympics! Your commitment to excellence is truly appreciated. Well done!
Alexa & the Concert Team: A massive thank you to Alexa and everyone who helped her organize the amazing Middle School concert. Your creativity and effort made it an unforgettable event!
Rita Marques & the Dancing Staff: A special shout-out to Rita Marques for organizing the staff dance, and to the dancing elves for spreading so much joy and festive spirit. You all brought smiles to everyone’s faces!
We extend our deepest gratitude to Kate & Stephen and everyone involved for their incredible work during the Model United Nations event. Your dedication made it a success!
Traffic Committee: A big thank you to Teresa, Susana, Claudia, Diogo, Luci, Marco and Ines for the successful implementation of the new pick-up and drop-off system. Your hard work has made a big difference in our school’s safety and efficiency.
Arts & Performances Department: Thanks to Guilhas, Rita, Alex, Joana T., and Emily for their fantastic efforts in organizing the upcoming Preschool & Primary concert tomorrow. We can’t wait to see the show!
Kate & Carlos: A special thank you to Kate, Carlos and everyone involved for their hard work in organizing the chess tournament. Your efforts brought this fantastic opportunity to life for our students!
Francisco & Laura: Huge appreciation to Francisco, Laura and everyone involved for launching the Parent Portal. Your initiative and execution have created a valuable resource for our community.
SPECIAL THANK YOU
Coordinators & Teachers: A heartfelt thank you to all coordinators and teachers for their patience and hard work with the reports. Your dedication ensures everything runs smoothly and efficiently.
Support Team: We extend our deepest gratitude to all the support team working tirelessly behind the scenes to make everything come together. Your efforts are invaluable and do not go unnoticed!
Let’s continue to support one another and celebrate these wonderful accomplishments. Thank you to everyone for your dedication and teamwork!
RECRUITMENT
We are recruiting so please help us find your new fantastic colleagues for the following positions:
1st Cycle Primary Teacher
Communication and Marketing Manager
Middle and Secondary Math & Business Teacher
Kitchen Porter
Remember, these positions are open for all of you to apply, so don't hesitate to let us know if you're interested - or simply apply. Additionally, as we at TFD believe that YOU are the best individuals to spot and select your future colleagues, we have decided to introduce an active referral system. This means that if you refer a future colleague (and they credit you as the person who informed them about the job), we will compensate you with €150.
YESTERDAY & TODAY | MODEL UNITED NATIONS (MUN) AT APRENDIZES (All Day)
DEC 20 | PRESCHOOL & PRIMARY CHRISTMAS PARTY (9:00 AM to 12:00 PM)
DEC 23 TO JAN 3 | CHRISTMAS BREAK
JAN 3 | PARENTS MEETING FOR PRE-SCHOOL & PRIMARY PARENTS (All-day, Online, Individual Scheduled)
JAN 6 | RETURN AFTER BREAK
JAN 8 | TRANSITION PRIMARY- MIDDLE - Meeting with Grade 4 Parents (3:00 PM)
JAN 8 | TRANSITION GRADE 6 TO 7 - Meeting with Grade 6 Parents (4:00 PM)
JAN 10 | PARENTS COFFEE MORNING (8:45 TO 9:30 AM)
JAN 10 | ALUMNI GET TOGETHER (12:00 PM)
JAN 16 | TRANSITION PRE-SCHOOL-PRIMARY - Meeting with Pre-School Parents (4:00 PM)
JAN 21 | PARENT, TEACHER AND STUDENTS ORGANISATION (PTSO) MEETING (4:00 PM)
JAN 28 | TRANSITION GRADE 10 TO 11 - Meeting with Grade 10 Parents (3:00 PM)
JAN 29 | A-LELVEL FAIR (Grade 10 Students and Parents)
JAN 30 | PARENTS MEETING FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL (4:30 PM)
JAN 31 | BIOMARKET - CHARITY EDITION (4:15 TO 6:00 PM)
FEB 11 | TRANSITION GRADE 8 TO 9 - Meeting with Grade 8 Parents (3:00 PM)
FEB 12 | IGCSE FAIR (Grade 8 Students and Parents)
FEB 26 | PARENTS MEETING FOR SECONDARY (Afternoon, Students will leave at 12:00 PM)
SAVE THE DATE - APRIL 3-4 | REGENERATION FESTIVAL
HIGHLIGHT EVENT
Aprendizes Students qualify for second round of Math Olympiad
We are proud to announce that three talented students from Aprendizes have qualified for the second round of the 43rd Portuguese Mathematics Olympiads (OPM), an impressive achievement that highlights their dedication and skill in mathematics.
Inês Moura Cirne, from 9th grade, qualified in Category A.
José Menegol Schmitt, from 12th grade, qualified in Category B.
Leonor Rodrigues, from 7th grade, qualified in the Junior Category.
Congratulations to our outstanding students and we can’t wait to see how they continue to excel in the world of mathematics!
HIGHLIGHT EVENT
Celebration the Christmas Season: Middle School shines in Christmas Concert
On December 13, the Aprendizes community gathered in the school’s refectory for a truly special afternoon of music and festive cheer. The Christmas Concert, featuring our talented Middle School students, was a beautiful celebration of the season and the musical abilities of our students.
A huge thank you to our musicians for sharing their talents and making this year's Christmas Concert a memorable event. We look forward to more performances in the future that showcase the creativity and passion of our students.
HIGHLIGHT EVENT
Christmas Biomarket
Last Friday, we hosted its highly anticipated Christmas edition of the Biomarket, an event that brought together more than 30 exhibitors. Visitors enjoyed a diverse selection of sustainable, artisanal, and organic products, making it the perfect opportunity to find unique holiday gifts while supporting local businesses.
This Christmas edition marked another successful event for Escola Aprendizes, further solidifying its reputation as a hub for community and sustainability.
HIGHLIGHT EVENT
CHESS TOURNAMENT at Aprendizes
Yesterday, we hosted a Chess Tournament for students from 1st to 6th grade! This event was not only for members of the Chess Club but is also open to the entire student community, providing a great opportunity for all young chess enthusiasts to showcase their skills and strategic thinking.
We counted with the participation of more than 50 students.
The tournament aims to promote critical thinking, patience, and friendly competition among our students while fostering a love for the game. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just starting out, we encourage all interested students to participate and enjoy this exciting event!
HIGHLIGHT EVENT
Model United Nations @aprendizes
Over the past two days, our school has been bustling with energy as we hosted a Model United Nations (MUN) conference for students from Grade 7 to Grade 12. The event brought together delegates from Park International School, Colégio São João de Brito, and our own student community, creating an atmosphere of collaboration, debate, and diplomacy.
To support the event, our students took the initiative to create a dedicated website, showcasing the committees, event details, and other key information.
At the same time, our Grade 5 and 6 students have already begun their preparations for their very own MUN Conference in 2025.
Upcoming Event
Pre-school & Primary
Christmas Celebrations
We are excited to celebrate the festive season with our Preschool and Primary Christmas Party tomorrow, December 20th, from 9:30 to 12:00.
Preschool Schedule:
9:30 – 10:30: Musical performance by the children followed by a special theatre play performed by parents.
10:30 – 12:00: Shared brunch in classrooms.
Primary Schedule:
9:30 – 10:30: Shared brunch in classrooms.
10:30 – 12:00: Musical performance by the children followed by the parents’ theatre play.
We look forward to seeing you there and sharing these magical moments!
CHRISTMAS STAFF LUNCH
This Friday, we will be holding our traditional collective lunch. Please bring food to share. Our children can stay and join us.
For the lunch, we suggest the following:
Pre-school & Primary: Savory snacks
Middle School & Support: Sweets
Kitchen & Secondary: Drinks
After the lunch, the school should be tidied up and prepared for the upcoming year. Once this is done, we will be ready to enjoy the holiday season and celebrate Christmas!
Looking forward to seeing you all there!
RESULTS OF THE STAFF & PARENTS SATISFACTION SURVEY
We’re excited to share that this year’s Staff Satisfaction Survey shows a big improvement compared to last year. It’s clear that everyone is feeling more positive, and we’re making great progress in several areas, which tells us we’re on the right track.
We’re sharing the results here, along with comparisons to last year. We’ll also be diving deeper into your feedback and sharing more insights and plans for improvement at the section meetings in January.
STAFF SATISFACTION SURVEY:
Number of answers:
School Year 2023/24: 87
School Year 2024/25: 90
QUESTION: I am proud to be a part of the ongoing transformation to create a unique school.
School Year 2023/24: 4,09
School Year 2024/25: 4,33
QUESTION: The school is developing in a good direction.
School Year 2023/24: 3,66
School Year 2024/25: 3,90
QUESTION: I would recommend this school as a good place to work to my network.
School Year 2023/24: 3,84
School Year 2024/25: 4,15
A huge thank you to all of you for the fantastic results in the Parent Satisfaction Survey as well! It’s because of your dedication and hard work that our students at Aprendizes truly thrive, develop, and learn. You are our everyday heroes!
Thanks for being such an important part of this journey!
PARENTS SATISFACTION SURVEY:
Number of answers (one per student):
School Year 2023/24: 223
School Year 2024/25: 208
QUESTION: My child is happy at Aprendizes.
School Year 2023/24: 4,39
School Year 2024/25: 4,57
QUESTION: The school is living up to its mission “Together we Educate for Change”.
School Year 2023/24: 3,89
School Year 2024/25: 4,32
QUESTION: The school is developing in a good direction.
School Year 2023/24: 3,93
School Year 2024/25: 4,11
QUESTION: Would you recommend this school to other parents?
School Year 2023/24: not asked
School Year 2024/25: 4,34
SUCCESSFULL WEEK OF THE NEW DROP-OFF & PICK-UP SYSTEM
We are pleased to announce that the new drop-off and pick-up system has been successfully implemented! This initiative is the result of the hard work and collaboration of the Traffic Committee, which consists of school staff and three parent representatives.
After several meetings throughout the term to evaluate and design a more efficient and safe process, the committee is excited to share that the new procedures officially started during the week of December 16-20. Full details of the system were shared with the community via email in advance.
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone for their excellent cooperation in making this transition smoother. We understand this is a challenging task, but your efforts are essential for the greater good of our school community.
The Traffic Committee deeply appreciates your support and we look forward to continuing to work together to refine these procedures for the future.
CHRISTMAS DONATION CAMPAIGN
Gift Collection Completed
We are thrilled to share that today we completed our Christmas Donation Campaign at Aprendizes School, and it was a heartwarming success! Thanks to the generosity of our school community, approximately 120 gifts were collected, which will bring joy to many this festive season.
Students from Grade 4 played a vital role in the collection process, helping to deliver the gifts, which will now be sent to the following institutions:
Lar de Santo António in Santarém
Casa do Parque in Carnaxide
Fundação O Século in Estoril
Cercioeiras in Oeiras.
We extend our sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to this campaign, and we look forward to continuing to spread kindness and support in the future.
RETURN FROM CHRISTMAS BREAK
We hope everyone has a joyful and restful Christmas break! As we prepare to start the new year, we would like to inform you about the upcoming return to school.
On January 2nd and 3rd, teams will return to work and engage in training and/or team-building activities organized by their Head of Section. These days will be dedicated to strengthening collaboration and preparing for the next term.
The entire school community will officially reconvene together on January 6th, as we begin the next period of the school year.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back and starting the new term with energy and enthusiasm!
Preschool Promotes a Sustainable Christmas with Decorations Made from Recycled Materials
The Christmas spirit has taken on an eco-friendly twist thanks to a creative and educational initiative organized by our Pre-School. With the support of their teachers, the children crafted festive decorations using recycled materials, such as milk cartons, egg boxes, old magazines, sticks, pinecones from the forest, and cardboard boxes.
This initiative highlights the importance of sustainability during the holiday season, encouraging families to reflect on ways to celebrate Christmas without harming the environment. By transforming everyday items into ornaments, the project not only sparked the children’s imagination but also reinforced the values of resourcefulness and environmental care.
Our Next Country Days:
January 9 - FINLAND in our Kitchen
January 16 - ITALY in our Kitchen
DECEMBER SEASONAL STAR: GINGER
As December arrives, ginger fills the air with warmth and festive cheer, especially in the beloved tradition of gingerbread cookies. These spiced treats, often shaped into festive figures, evoke the cozy spirit of Christmas and have been enjoyed for centuries.
Beyond its delicious flavor, ginger offers numerous health benefits. Known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, it helps soothe digestion, boost immunity, and alleviate nausea. It’s the perfect spice to keep us healthy and warm during the holiday season.
Ginger’s timeless presence in both our treats and wellness routines makes it a true Christmas star.