Portuguese language school to restart classes this month
A Portuguese language school for children has recruited a new teacher.
The Portuguese Cultural Association of Bermuda said Lidia Silvia, who has taught the language in Bermuda for a year from her home in London by Zoom, would be moving to the island.
Richard Ambrosio, the chairman of the PCA, said: “She was very well-received despite delivering instruction during these challenging times.”
Mr Ambrosio said the Portuguese school had to suspend operations to the end of the last school year because of the Covid-19 pandemic and thanked the school’s previous teacher Veronica Franco, who worked on the island for a decade, for her service.
He added: “Most of our fundraising for 2020 and 2021 had to be cancelled, depriving the PCA of critical revenue.
“Chief among these have been the Ag Show, the Kappa Classic, the Santo Cristo Festival, bake sales, fundraising dinners and football tournaments.”
Registration for the Portuguese school is open and there are still some spots available.
It is run as an after-school programme for primary pupils across Grade 6 levels.
The school, on the ground floor of the Vasco da Gama Club on Hamilton’s Reid Street, costs $500 a year a pupil, but the PCA said parents could pay by four instalments of $125 because of the economic impact of the pandemic.
Classes are scheduled to start next Tuesday, by Zoom at first.
But the PCA said it was hoped to return to the classroom as soon as possible.
The PCA added it was working on a language programme for adults and registration was expected to start soon after Ms Silva arrives on the island.
Ms Silva has a degree in Romance Language and Literature, specialising in Portuguese and French, from the University of Madeira.
She later gained a diploma in primary school education from the University of the Azores.
To register for classes or for further information, e-mail portugueseBDA.com.
Mr Ambrosio added that the PCA was a charity and depended on public support to keep its programmes running.
To donate, use Butterfield Bank, Portuguese School a/c 20006060707516100.
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