Dear Parents, Guardians and Students,
In this week's newsletter, please find our latest updates and important information, including:
Preschool learns about the Chickens in the Horta
Primary create stunning "land art" outdoors
Middle School embrace hockey in PE classes
Secondary learns about the League of Nations: a Collaborative Experience for Grade 9
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
Launch of the Parent Portal
Results of Parents Satisfaction Survey
Successful Week of the New Drop-Off & Pick-Up System
Christmas Donation Campaign - Gift Collection Completed
Lost & Found - Reminder
Sustainability at Christmas
Bi-weekly Menu/ Country Days in Our Kitchen
December’s Seasonal Star: Ginger
Dear Aprendizes families,
As we wrap up these final weeks—filled with assessments, Math Olympics, chess tournaments, Model United Nations conferences, Christmas concerts, and so much more—I want to express my gratitude. I’m incredibly proud of our students, deeply thankful for your unwavering support, and immensely grateful for our amazing Aprendizes team.
I’m thrilled to share that our recent parent survey confirms what we already see every day: your children are happy here, thriving in an environment where they feel safe and supported. Together, we are helping our students grow into confident change-makers, and it’s clear that as a school, we’re improving and moving in the right direction.
However, we’ve also heard your concerns about whether a focus on happiness and psychological safety will translate to strong academic outcomes, especially in Cambridge exams at the end of Grades 10, 11, and 12. Let me reassure you: the evidence speaks for itself—our students are excelling academically! That said, we recognize the need to improve our communication on this topic, and we’re excited to share more about our plans and updates in the New Year.
Not surprisingly, the staff satisfaction survey reflects the same positive momentum that you’ve highlighted in the parent survey. This shared commitment from our entire school community fills me with pride and gratitude. Of course, there’s always room to grow, and when we return in January, we’ll dedicate time to identifying areas where we can improve and continue striving for excellence together.
Until then, I wish you and your families a joyful, restful holiday break. Let’s recharge and come back inspired and ready for another fantastic year at Aprendizes!
Warm wishes,
Rikke
Principal, Aprendizes
PRESCHOOL learns about the Chickens in the Horta
Our Pre-schoolers had the delightful opportunity to visit the chickens in the school garden, combining hands-on learning with a meaningful connection to nature. Under the guidance of André, our garden coordinator, the young learners fed the chickens and observed their behavior.
Seeds and Discovery: A Classroom Activity
As part of the visit, the children brought a mix of seeds back to the classroom for a special activity designed by André. The task was to separate the seeds and identify which types the chickens eat. Through this playful exercise, the children practiced sorting, counting, and identifying different seeds, discovering the chickens’ preferences along the way.
PRIMARY Create Stunning "Land Art" Outdoors
Primary students embraced their creativity and connection to nature through a "Land Art" challenge.
Students from different grade levels collaborated, sharing ideas and resources to transform leaves, sticks, stones, and other elements into masterpieces.
Through this hands-on experience, our students not only created beautiful art but also strengthened their understanding of the importance of sustainability and working together to protect and celebrate the natural world.
MIDDLE SCHOOL Embrace Hockey in PE Classes
Our middle school students have been actively engaging in an exciting new challenge during their Physical Education (PE) classes: hockey!
Students have shown great enthusiasm, embracing both the competitive and cooperative aspects of the game. It’s been wonderful to see them develop their skills while having fun and staying active.
SECONDARY learns about the League of Nations
Grade 9 students delved into the humanitarian commissions and organizations of the League of Nations, engaging in a dynamic and collaborative learning experience.
Working in groups, students matched slogans and photos to their assigned commissions. They were provided with a fact file as a starting point, which they expanded upon through research.
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 January 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!
LAUNCH OF THE PARENT PORTAL
We are excited to announce that the Parent Portal was officially launched last week! This new platform provides parents with easy access to important information about their child's progress.
If you haven’t yet logged in, please follow the instructions sent via email to complete the login process. This will allow you to access all the features the portal offers. If you encounter any issues or have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact our support team for assistance.
Additionally, we would like to inform you that student reports will be available at the end of this term.
RESULTS OF THE PARENTS SATISFACTION SURVEY
We are thrilled to share that this year’s Parent Satisfaction Survey shows significant improvement from last year.
Our kids are happier, and we’re making great strides in many areas, confirming that we’re on the right track.
We are excited to share the results here, including comparisons between last year and this year. We’re also diving deeper into your valuable feedback and will share more insights and plans for further growth at the PTSO meeting and Parent Meetings in January. Thank you to our wonderful students, supportive parents, and amazing staff for making Aprendizes such a special community!
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
The results of the recent Staff Satisfaction Survey also highlighted a significant improvement, reflecting the positive strides we have made as a team and the strong sense of collaboration within our school community.
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.
LOST & FOUND DISPLAY:
Available Until December 20th
We would like to inform everyone that all items in the Lost & Found will be on display until December 20. If you have lost any belongings, please make sure to visit the designated area and check for your items before this date.
After December 20th, all unclaimed items will be donated to charity.
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.