Aldergrove News, December 5, 2025

Message from Admin 

Dear Aldergrove Families,

This week at Aldergrove, we focused on community building, and what an incredible week it was! Here are some of the highlights:

• Thursday night’s Gingerbread Building event was a huge success! Our school was filled with families, laughter, and creativity. There was delicious food, face painting, and most importantly—a sense of togetherness that makes Aldergrove so special. Thank you to our School Council, parent volunteers and our school staff for volunteering their time to make this such a successful event.
• We hosted the Scholastic Book Fair, giving students and families the chance to explore new stories and foster a love of reading.
• Our intermediate students attended a Raptors 905 basketball game in Toronto, experiencing the excitement of professional sports and team spirit.
• We also had a music trip to Milliken Mills, providing students with enriching opportunities to grow their artistic talents.

The Power of Relationships

At Aldergrove, we believe that strong relationships and a sense of community are the foundation of a safe and supportive learning environment. When students feel connected—to their peers, their teachers, and their school—they are more confident, engaged, and ready to learn. Thank you for partnering with us to create these meaningful experiences that strengthen our school community.

Quote for the Week:
 "Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much." — Helen Keller

Warm regards,

Mr. Louca                         Mr. Pamayah

Principal                           Vice Principal

Morning Drop-off Reminder

A reminder that during morning drop-off there will be no left turns out of the Kiss-and-Ride onto Aldergrove Drive. We have been placing a sign there to help everyone acclimatize to this new routine, but please note that even if the sign is not there, we ask that you do not make a left turn out of the school. This helps keep traffic flowing smoothly and safely while helping to ensure that students get to class on time. Please plan accordingly for this and thank you for your cooperation.

Math @ Home

Sparking Joy through Reasoning and Proving

Welcome families! As the winter gets near, let's explore a powerful way to spark joy in math at home through Reasoning and Proving. What exactly is "Reasoning and Proving" in math? It's about explaining why something is true, or how you know. It's moving beyond just giving an answer to explaining the thinking process behind it. Whether a child is explaining why one season is better than another, or how they figured out how many cookies are left, they are engaging in reasoning and proving – a critical life skill!

Connecting it Back to the Classroom

Reasoning and proving is a fundamental "Mathematical Process" that students are developing from Kindergarten onwards. When a students learn to reason and prove, they build a much deeper understanding of the mathematics than if they simply memorize a series of steps or procedures. For example, knowing why 2+3=5 (e.g., "because if I have 2 and add 3 more, I get 5") is more powerful than just recalling the sum. This ability to explain their thinking is essential for problem-solving across all areas of mathematics and helps students make sense of the world around them.

Engaging in Reasoning and Proving at Home

Here are some  ways to engage students in some reasoning and proving though everyday math conversations at home:

• Ask "Why" and "How": After an answer is given; or a choice is made, simply ask, "Why do you think that?" or "How did you figure that out?"
• Encourage Different Approaches: "Is there another way you could solve this?", “Does this strategy always work?” Why or why not ?” This shows there's often more than one path to a solution.
• Actively Listen: Give students time to articulate their thoughts, even if it's messy at first. Model curiosity, not judgment.
• Value the Process: Praise students thinking and effort, not just getting the "right" answer. "I love how you explained that!" , “I can really picture your thinking in my head!”
• Use Everyday Situations: "Why do you think this line for the cashier is shorter?" or "How do you know we have enough wrapping paper for all these gifts?"

A Fantastic Resource for Families: WHICH ONE DOESN’T BELONG? 

A wonderful tool for sparking these conversations is "Which One Doesn't Belong?" https://talkingmathwithkids.com/wodb/

Present a set of four numbers, shapes, images, or objects. The challenge is that any of the four can be the one that "doesn't belong," depending on the rule or attribute you identify. For example, show four shapes: a red square, a blue circle, a red triangle, and a blue square. Some responses may be: 

• "The circle doesn't belong because it's the only one without straight sides." (Reasoning about shape attributes)
• "The red square doesn't belong because it's the only red shape that is also a square." (Reasoning about color and shape)
• "The blue square doesn't belong because it's the only shape that's both blue and a square." (Reasoning about unique combinations)

The beauty of "Which One Doesn't Belong?" is that there's no single "right" answer. Instead, it requires students  to observe, analyze, categorize, and most importantly, justify their reasoning. This naturally leads to rich discussions where they're compelled to reason and prove their thinking.

By making reasoning and proving a natural part of your family conversations, you'll be fostering confident, articulate mathematical thinkers.

Happy math talking!