On February 12th, the first meeting of the Parents' Representatives Group took place. It was a very positive, participatory, and constructive meeting, marked by an atmosphere of open dialogue and genuine commitment to the future of the school.
The members of this group are:
Fábia Martins, Filipa Vaz, Vanessa Martinho, Helena Ferreira, Rui Jacinto, Teresa Batista, Stacey Stuart, Vicki Matos, Cátia Milene Pereira Rodrigues, Ricardo Ferreira, Soraia Freire, Paula Alexandra de Lima Rosa Correia, Tânia Sofia dos Santos, Pedro Gomes, José Neves, Luzileine Fagundes and Filipa Príncipe.
The representatives shared what they value most about the school: the strong sense of community and family atmosphere, the close relationships between students, families and staff, the cultural diversity present at the school, and the fact that we are a school that supports students throughout their entire journey. The genuine care for the well-being of children and young people was also highlighted.
Among the areas they would like to see developed were: a greater offering of extracurricular activities, continuous reinforcement of security, greater consistency and retention of tenured teachers, the return of EITV Talks, the continuous development of English and Portuguese language teaching in some areas of the school, the creation of a student association, and the strengthening of student leadership.
The three aspects of the School Improvement Plan were presented – Safeguarding, Improving Academic Performance and Retaining TeachersIt was explained how these concerns fit into these strategic priorities, particularly with regard to team stability and pedagogical continuity. It was also emphasized that the commitment and retention of teachers are strengthened through collaborative work in Professional Learning Communities, which are currently exploring areas such as Artificial Intelligence in education, interdisciplinary learning, metacognition, student leadership, and neurodiversity.
The parents also visited the campus and were introduced to ongoing and planned projects.
This period:
- Opening of a dedicated library and quiet study area next to the LED lighting.
- Introduction, ideally in the 3rd term, of extracurricular activities related to literacy, including Reading Races, Battle of the Books and Writers' Workshops.
- Installation of an access control system at the school entrance, ensuring that we always know who is on the premises, maintaining a balance between security and the family atmosphere that characterizes us.
Outdoor spaces:
- Replacement of the flooring in two areas of the Preschool and 1st Cycle (primary school).
- Planned installation (ideally March/April 2026) of a permanent volleyball court next to the padel and futsal courts.
- Creation of a 3x3 basketball court in the space previously occupied by the old skate ramps.
- Investment in creating shaded areas and picnic tables for outdoor study and socializing.
- Replacing the outdoor playground equipment, involving students in choosing the new options.
- Consultation on the best use of the "green triangle" area as additional outdoor space. Fencing will be necessary for safety, but the intention is for it to be a free play area with different activity stations. We would very much like to receive your suggestions, and there will be an opportunity to discuss your ideas on our community forum next week.
- Development of the school garden, the outdoor wild play area, and the forest learning areas.
Regarding the mobile phone policy, the possibility of implementing mandatory handover of mobile phones upon entering the school, with their return only upon leaving, was discussed. Some parents expressed support for a total ban, considering the benefits in terms of concentration, privacy, and safeguarding. Other parents argued that older students should be educated on responsible use, possibly allowing some use in designated areas away from younger students, as part of their development for adult life. The ideas shared will be presented to the Pedagogical Council to support the final decision.
The meeting was a positive space for dialogue, and it was encouraging to observe the engagement and willingness to contribute to the school's success. We will meet again before the end of this term and again in May.
Finally, in the context of developing the new library, we welcome suggestions for books that you consider important for different age groups—titles that have been significant in your families or that you consider relevant to the creative, factual, and literacy development of our students. You can share your suggestions using the following form:
Form
Best regards,
.
EITV, February 19, 2026
The General Director
Kate Sommerville