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Aver-o-MarSchool Group joins schools from all over the world in Olympic Blue Schools

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Aver-o-MarSchool Group joins schools from all over the world in Olympic Blue Schools

The Olympic Blue Schools programme, which is part of the Blue School education project, is being widely adopted by schools in different parts of the world. From Canada and the United States to Brazil and Argentina; from Honduras to Mexico;

from Panama to Uruguay; from Ireland to Belgium, Spain, Portugal and Germany; from Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Mozambique, East Timor to Australia, schools are joining forces in favour of the cause of the oceans.

The Blue Olympics came about as an exciting challenge, proposed by Spanish coordinating teacher Félix Rodríguez. On 8 May, an online meeting was held with the organisers of the more than 80 participating schools to outline the project. The aim is to involve schools from all continents and show the world that Blue Schools are united, highlighting the possibility of promoting ocean literacy at a global level.

During the week of 20 to 24 May, students from Agrupamento de Escolas de Aver-o-Mar carried out a series of activities related to protecting the oceans. These activities were compiled into a video, as required by the project, to commemorate World Oceans Day, celebrated by the United Nations (UN) on 8 June. The video demonstrated the commitment and active participation of our students in preserving the oceans and raising environmental awareness.

Graça Pinheiro

SuperTmatik Championship – Mental Calculation and Iberian Maths Quiz 2023/2024: results

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SuperTmatik Championship – Mental Calculation and Iberian Maths Quiz 2023/2024: results

As in previous years, the school’s students took part in the SuperTmatik Championship – Mental Calculation and Iberian Maths Quiz – 2023/2024. These games arouse great interest in the students because they combine mental stimulation with the fun of classic board games and their aims are to encourage interest in learning, contribute to the acquisition, consolidation and expansion of skills and knowledge, reinforce the playful component in the teaching-learning process and promote socialising between students and teachers.

The qualifying rounds of this competition, to determine the champions and runners-up in each class, took place on 28 February at the E.B. 2/3 school in Aver-o-Mar.

The champions and runners-up took part in the online grand final to determine the international winners in each category in May

Of particular note were the excellent classifications of the students who took part in the Iberian Maths Quiz, where three students stood on the podium in the TOP 10, Miguel Vieira – 2nd position from 8thE, Matilde Salgado – 7th position from 9thA and Gonçalo Moreira – 10th position from 9thA.

5th D – Catarina Pereira – 26th position (out of 3450 participants)

5th C – Maria Luíza Silva – 29th position (out of 3450 participants)

6th E – João Morim – 40th position (out of 4400 participants)

6th E – Isaac Souza – 74th position (out of 4400 participants)

8th A – Carolina Aldeias – 27th position (out of 1850 participants)

 

Also remarkable were the scores obtained in Mental Calculation.

1st CMRE Award of the Archdiocese of Braga

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1st CMRE Award of the Archdiocese of Braga

The 1st CMRE Award ceremony took place on 4th June 2024 at 9pm in the large auditorium of the Braga Forum. This initiative, unprecedented in Portugal within the scope of the subject of Catholic Moral and Religious Education, sought to give greater visibility to the work carried out in the subject in the various educational communities, which are the School Groups in the geographical area of the Archdiocese of Braga. The EMRC Service team, which promoted the event, wanted to dignify the subject of EMRC, value the students enrolled in the subject who reveal and demonstrate human values for the good of others and the common good, and at the same time recognise the commitment and close work of teachers and students, as well as pay tribute to teachers with 25 or more years of teaching career in EMRC, in addition to gratitude and recognition to students and EMRC teachers in general. The event featured three musical performances by students and teachers from the Articulated Music Education programme at AE Maximinos, a project resulting from a partnership with the Artistic School of the Calouste Gulbenkian Conservatory of Music. Guests at the 1st EMRC Gala included mayors and education councillors, headmasters and deputy headmasters of school groups, presidents of parents’ associations, presidents of the General Council, HSC coordinators, as well as one student per school, representing the students enrolled in EMRC, and all the EMRC teachers.

Representing the Aver-o-Mar School Group were: Sara Cortesão from 7th grade, elected by her peers as the Student Representative of the EMRC students, accompanied by her parents and brother, Deputy Principal Helena Costa, the

President of the school’s Parents’ Association, Carlos Pinheiro, and the EMRC teacher.

At the end there was cake, served by Bishop Delfim Gomes. Delfim Gomes, with sparkling wine or juice to toast. It was an incredible evening where good humour, fraternisation, gratitude and joy reigned.

VIII Educational Conference: those in the audience did their part!

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VIII Educational Conference: those in the audience did their part!

The morning of 8 June, a rainy Saturday, included in a long weekend, was intensely experienced by the 80 or so participants in the VIII EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL DAYS of the Aver-o-Mar School Group, with the general theme “And you, can you/do you want to change the world?”.

The musical opening was provided by Miro Couto, whose voice wasn’t taken away by the early hours of the morning – quite the opposite!

In his opening speech, Carlos Gomes de Sá, in his capacity as director of the grouping, had the opportunity to pay tribute to Dr Luís Diamantino, vice-president of Póvoa de Varzim City Council, as the municipality has always supported the grouping, highlighting its permanent stance and support.

Thanks were also given to the Quantal company and the CCR Group (seven will be presented at a later date), who are regular partners in many of the school’s activities, as part of the social responsibility they promote.

The speech by Paulo Azevedo, the first speaker, left no one indifferent, with tears flowing, either from the story or from the sense of humour imposed on his contagious communication. The final hugs, the words exchanged, the confidences… these are memories that will linger with everyone present.

The snack was the responsibility of the Health Club, under the guidance of Prof Isabel Campos and with the support of AO Fátima Silva.

Also noteworthy was the logistical support of the Communication Club, while the Arts and Robotics Club and the CAA also collaborated in the production and customising of the souvenirs.

In the second panel, after the viewing of Professor Carlos Neto’s TEDEx, who was unable to attend for health reasons, the moderator Carla Peixoto Melo de Carvalho Vila do Conde City Council’s Councillor for Education, promoted a discussion on digital projects involving teacher training, with the director of PVVC Teachers Training Centre, Luis Fernandes, focusing on international projects, and Marco Bento spoke about the naturalisation of digital, contrasting it, with incisive notes of humour, with the demonisation of technology.

The session ended with a presentation of the 7 previous editions by Andreia Teixeira, a social worker at the school, and the morning was rounded off with an infectious performance by David Freitas, who, together with Marco Paulo, got everyone singing! For those who dared to take part, we’re sure the time wasn’t wasted – on the contrary!

Thank you to everyone who took part and to all those who collaborated, in the certainty that everyone was willing to do their bit!

Aver-o-Mar school group gets funding for reading projects

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Aver-o-Mar school group gets funding for reading projects

The School Library of the Aver-o-Mar School Group was selected, following an application, to take part in two projects promoted by the National Reading Plan: “Family Reading” and “Reading Club”.

These applications resulted in a grant of €2,000 for the “Family Reading” project, which will be developed initially at ES Do Teso and may be extended to other schools in the cluster, in partnership with the Póvoa de Varzim Municipality. In this school, in addition to the co-ordinator, Carina Monte, we will also be working with the educators Fernanda Leite and Maria Paula Pires.

With regard to the “Reading Club” project, the application of the 1,000 euros has not yet been fully finalised, as we are waiting for the project to be concluded, and we expect to reinforce the documentary fund.

It should be emphasised that these projects will involve the community in reading and will provide the school with valuable resources for educators and students, and the school will continue to be committed to applying for projects that integrate and enable networking.

Earthquake with epicentre detected by the seismograph

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Earthquake with epicentre detected by the seismograph

On 7th June, Portugal recorded an earthquake with a magnitude of 2.7 on the Richter scale, which was felt in the city of Castelo Branco.

The epicentre was located 20 kilometres east of Oleiros and was detected by the seismograph installed at the school, which is more than 200km from the site in a straight line. On the same day, on the island of Terceira, in the Azores, there was also an earthquake of magnitude 3.7, which was the sixth felt on the island in a seismovolcanic crisis that has been going on since June 2022, all events with no data to consider.

The data from the seismograph installed at Aver-o-Mar School is available online and can be accessed via its website, as can the IPMA seismicity map.

Earthquakes – Aver o Mar School Group (aeaveromar.pt)

IPMA – Earthquake map

Weather monitoring centre detected 964 atmospheric electromagnetic discharges on 7 June!

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Weather monitoring centre detected 964 atmospheric electromagnetic discharges on 7 June!

From 7th to 9th June, the Aver-o-Mar School Group’s weather monitoring centre detected close to 1,000 atmospheric electromagnetic discharges, more precisely 964 occurrences, between 4pm and 9.04pm on the 7th, when the peak was reached.

In the tables below you can see the type of warning issued by the station.

An electromagnetic anomaly detected in the context of meteorology refers to an unexpected deviation or change in the characteristics of the electromagnetic fields that can be measured in the atmosphere. These anomalies can be indicative of various meteorological or geophysical situations or phenomena. Electromagnetic anomalies can occur before natural events, such as storms, and these changes in

the electromagnetic fields can be indicative of underlying processes that are developing, such as changes in the electrical charge of the atmosphere.

During the formation of storms, there is intense electrical activity that can generate anomalies in the electromagnetic fields, and are therefore the subject of research and monitoring. In fact, electromagnetic anomalies are monitored in order to better predict and understand meteorological and geophysical phenomena. In terms of detection techniques, these include Radio Frequency equipment, which detects changes in radio frequencies that may indicate anomalous electromagnetic activity.

In our case, we’ve been detecting an increase in the quantity and frequency of these anomalies at the weather station, which are far removed from the normal defined as a baseline for perfect weather conditions (sunny day, no approaching storms or other meteorological or geophysical phenomena).

The Grouping’s station has a sensor, the first of its kind in the region, which detected the intensity and distance of the events, as can be seen in the photos below. The installation of two more sensors, in different locations, is being considered, in order to better triangulate the signal and increase accuracy in identifying the location. The lightning sensor uses AMS’s innovative AS3935 Franklin IC and a dedicated Coilcraft MA5532-AE antenna to detect the distance, intensity and frequency of lightning strikes within a radius of 40 kilometres, both indoors and outdoors.

Cover image source: Notícias de Coimbra newspaper

Frightening! The number of lightning strikes recorded in Portugal in the last 24 hours – Notícias de Coimbra (noticiasdecoimbra.pt)

Inter-city final of the solar cart races

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Inter-city final of the solar cart races

On Energy Day, 29th May, Polis de Gondomar hosted the Intermunicipal Final of the solar cart races, part of the “At the Speed of the Sun 2024” project. This event brought together several schools from the municipality of Porto, highlighting the importance of renewable energy and technological innovation among young people.

The Aver-o-Mar School took part with the “Wally” trolley, built with commitment and dedication by the 8ºC students under the guidance of their Physics and Chemistry teacher. Although they didn’t manage to reach the podium, the experience was extremely enriching. The project offered an excellent educational opportunity, promoting knowledge of renewable energies and encouraging teamwork and creativity.

The support of Póvoa de Varzim City Council, represented by Dr Silvana Pontes, was fundamental. The Municipality provided transport, ensuring that the students could take part in both the Municipal Race in Matosinhos and the Intermunicipal Final in Gondomar. This support was crucial to the school’s presence in the competition.

The students’ dedication to building the solar carts not only highlighted the potential of renewable energies, but also emphasised the importance of educational projects that integrate theory and practice. These projects enrich the school curriculum and develop essential skills for the students’ future.

Intercultural Festival

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Intercultural Festival

Next Friday we’re going to have our Intercultural Festival. It’s going to be a full day, starting at 8.00am and ending close to midnight!

There will be hundreds of activities being prepared for the community, including the arrival of all the 4th year students at the main school, using the Unir public transport network, as part of the “Escola viva: ciência em movimento” project. There will once again be multicultural stalls, musical moments on stage, not forgetting the various exhibitions (manily the public presentation of the Miosótis project, where a kit with a set of sensors for detecting living beings in car interiors will be unveiled – it will be applied to a Póvoa de Varzim municipality vehicle) and the launch of a book. Also noteworthy was the presence of the PSP’s Cinotécnico group, the presentation of a theatre play and the awarding of hundreds of diplomas, including the Diplomas of Merit and Excellence.

Here is the full programme of activities (subject to change), inviting the entire educational community to get involved.

STALLS / WORKSHOPS

– Various food and drink: 8thC, 8thE 6thE, 6thC, “Kiosk” (Communication Club), Health Club – all day (In the covered area of Block E and Block D)

– Pork on the spit and green broth: Block C – from 4pm

– Vegetables: Parents’ Association – every day (inside the canteen – Block C)

– Succulent plants: Special Education Department / CAA – all day – in front of the CAA

– Gastronomic and cultural products: Brazil, Ukraine, Venezuela, Argentina, Nigeria, Nepal – in the afternoon (inside the students lounge – Building C)

– Workshops: mehendi painting (Nepal) and tererés (Mozambique) – throughout the day (inside the refectory – Block C

– Sensory activities: CAA – throughout the day

– “Wellness Space” – health information/projects (D.1.15) – throughout the day

– Music workshop (target audience 4th year): Music room (E.2.1) – morning

– Animal imaginary – Arts workshop (target audience 4th grade): D.2.5 room – morning and afternoon

– Games and recreational activities: History Club – morning and afternoon

– Science and Chemistry lab’ activities/experiments (target group 4th grade) – rooms D.1.2 and D.1.3

– Maths Bingo (target group 4th grade) – room B.2.7

– Fun 4 You, Games and music (target audience 4th grade) – Library

EXHIBITIONS (throughout the day)

– Myosotis Project: TV with permanent information + car test at 2pm and 7.15pm – Outside, between Blocks B/C

– Recreate April – outside block A + B.1.2 + B.1.13

– Demonstration of the PSP’s cynotechnical resources – 10.00am: outdoor playing field

– Competing work for the “School of my life” project – throughout the day – D.2.5

– Clothing forgotten by students throughout the year – throughout the day – D.1.13

ACTIVITIES in the AUDITORIUM / THEATRE

13.15: Board meeting with 4th year students

13.30: Dramatisation of an excerpt from scene X, act I, of the play “Leander, King of Hellas”: auditorium (target audience: 4th graders)

14.45: Cinema session (CSH) – subject to capacity

16.00: Film session (CSH) – subject to capacity

18.00: Presentation of the BOOK “Poetry in History”

COMPETITIONS / SPORTS ACTIVITIES

– AveroBot competition: line-following robot competition (for 8th and 9th graders): outside the multipurpose hall

– Various sports tournaments – playing field / sports hall

– Sports entertainment, with 3 areas: Gymnastics circuit (pavilion), Just Dance (pavilion) and Karting (outdoor circuit) – (target audience 4th grade)

– History and Geography Kahoot: 7th and 8th grades – room B.2.5 (2.30pm)

– Who wants to be a scientist: 5th to 8th grade – rooms B.2.9 and B.2.8 (8.10am/ 1.30pm)

STAGE ACTIVITIES (handing out certificates…)

11.00 a.m. – Zumba moment

11.30 a.m. – awarding of PLNM diplomas (SMALL STAGE)

14.00 – recorded music

15.00 – Zumba moment

18.00 – Poetry/piano moment

18.15 – musical moment

– Year 2023/24 in review: TV in the atrium of Block A, Multipurpose Centre and Cafeteria – throughout the day

– Portuguese Popular Songbook (published in 1981): library

– Michel Giacomett’s sound archive – “Projeto Povo que canta”: library

– Folk songs of the wordl – published in 1966: library

– US and THEN – Multicultural exhibition by Póvoa de Varzim Municipality and ESE – D.1.12

– Remeber April – outside block A + B.1.2 + B.1.13

– Demonstration of the PSP’s cynotechnical resources – 10.00am: outdoor playing field

– Competing work for the “School of my life” project – throughout the day – D.2.5

– Clothing forgotten by students throughout the year – throughout the day – D.1.13

ACTIVITIES in the AUDITORIUM / THEATRE

13.15: Board meeting with 4th year students

13.30: Drama moments with an excerpt from scene X, act I, of the play “Leander, King of Hellas”: auditorium (target audience: 4th graders)

14.45 – 16.00: Cinema Sessions

18.00: Presentation of the BOOK “POETISING HISTORY”

COMPETITIONS / SPORTS ACTIVITIES

– AveroBot competition: line-following robot competition (for 8th and 9th graders): outside the multipurpose hall

– Various sports tournaments – playing field / sports hall

– Sports entertainment, with 3 areas: Gymnastics circuit (pavilion), Just Dance (pavilion) and Karting (outdoor circuit) – (target audience 4th grade)

– History and Geography Kahoot: 7th and 8th grades – B.2.5 (2.30pm)

– Who wants to be a scientist: 5th to 8th grade – B.2.9 and B.2.8 (8.10am/ 1.30pm)

6.40pm – Portuguese Language Olympics school phase (3rd cycle)

6.50pm – Languages Brainstorm Competition (3rd cycle)

18.55 – Bebras competition – international computational thinking challenge

19.00 – Musical moment

7.15pm – Spelling Bee competition (3rd to 6th grades)

7.25pm – SuperTmatik English-Portuguese Vocabulary Competition( 3rd-6th grades)

7.30pm – Musical moment

7.45pm – “Abanicos” competition (3rd cycle)

7.50pm – Cork and plastic stopper collection competition + eco-poster

20.00 – SuperTmatik “Mental Calculation and Maths Quiz” competition

8.05pm – SuperTmatik Science Quiz Competition

8.10pm – GalpEnergyUp Award * Robotics Competition Certificates

8.20pm – ChemRus competition + Plastic Piatres: Go Europe! research activity

8.25pm – Child-Friendly School Competition + “At the Speed of the Sun” Competition

8.30pm – “PONTE …NAS ONDAS” and “EFA Award cinema” diplomas

20.35 – History&Geography Diplomas – April; History and Geography – Kahoot

20.45 – Erasmus certificates

20.50 – Certificates for the 2nd Aver-o-Mar Inclusive Photography Competition

21.00h – Musical moment

21.15h – Students from the 2022/23 Merit and School Excellence Framework

11.30pm – Closing

Musical performances:

11.00h/15.00h – zumba //14.00 – recorded music

18.15: Songs from Ukraine (various students/EE)

19.00: Igor Borer (Brazil)

19.30: Filipe Gaúcho (Brazil – country singer)

21.00: Aver-o-Mar Fanfare

Note: in the case of the 1st cycle, see the proposal for a tour of the 7 stations in the morning/afternoon; the stations are free and you can access any of the activities listed Inter-cycle articulation – Timetable.docx

MYOSOTIS PROJECT HIGHLIGHTED IN JN … AND ON RTP (news with video)

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MYOSOTIS PROJECT HIGHLIGHTED IN JN … AND ON RTP (news with video)

On Friday 14th June, the Aver-o-Mar School Group held its Intercultural Festival. Among the dozens of initiatives that marked this day and which we will report on in future publications, one deserved top honours in Saturday’s edition of the JN and was, on the morning of the same day, one of the news items highlighted by University Professor Felisbela Lopes, on RTP 1, in her “Press Review”. The article, written by journalist Ana Trocado Marques and photographed by Pedro Correia, is entitled “Students create app that alerts you to children forgotten in the car”

This project, which internally has been named the Miosótis project, is coordinated by teacher Fátima Morais and involves 8th grade students Ema Pinheiro, Diana Faria, Tiago Costa and Dinis Costa, members of the Robotics Club, coordinated by Prof António Cunha, which has also been the basis of other award-winning projects, as we recently highlighted when the Galp Energy Up2024 Grand Prize was awarded.

This project, whose prototype version was tested, was formally presented on the 14th in the presence of members of the municipality, which also provided the car for the experiment, and the DGEstE, specifically the Northern Regional Delegate, Dr Luís Lobo, Dr Ana Paula Lopes, from the Delegate Support Unit and Dr Luís Lopes, coordinator of Autonomy and Curricular Flexibility in the north. As well as getting to know the Miosótis project in detail, where they spoke to the students and the teacher in charge, they visited the Robotics Club space, where António Cunha explained in detail how our meteorological station and seismic station work, as well as other ongoing projects, especially the liaison with Municipal Civil Protection. The need to “increase and requalify the space” was presented, as the challenges are many, challenging and innovative, with a growing number of students involved.

On 5 July there will be the regional final of the Apps for Goods candidate projects, where the school will be present, as it has two projects among the 20 finalists! The other, about the “Sustainable Greenhouse”, involving 5th graders and coordinated by Prof Filipe Santos, was also explained to those present, initiatives that were very much appreciated.

We also share the video in which Felisbela Lopes highlights the work done in public schools, referring to this project, so the educational community of Agrupamento de Escolas de Aver-o-Mar is once again to be congratulated!

JN news: JN miosotis news

RTP video:

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