Aldergrove News, February 20, 2026

Admin Message

Dear Aldergrove Families,

This week, our school community embraced a rich blend of cultural celebration, athletic inspiration, and meaningful learning.

We recognized Lunar New Year—the Year of the Horse—through morning announcements, traditional music, and our joyful Primary Dragon Parade. These activities helped highlight the beauty and diversity of the traditions celebrated within our school. We look forward to culminating our Lunar New Year festivities next week with a traditional Lion Dance presentation, a vibrant display of culture and artistry.

February is also Black Heritage Month, and in recognition of Black Excellence, our students have been engaging in thoughtful in‑class learning about the rich history, contributions, and accomplishments of Black people here in Canada. Classes have explored stories of resilience and innovation, and students have enjoyed creating traditional bead art, connecting artistic expression with cultural understanding. We are also excited for our Patty Lunch next Friday, honouring the long‑standing and influential Jamaican heritage that continues to shape Canada’s cultural landscape.

This week, our community also came together to cheer on Team Canada as we watched moments from the Men’s and Women’s Olympic hockey games. These shared experiences gave us a chance to reflect on national pride, the strength of community, and the Olympic spirit, which celebrates perseverance, dedication, and striving to be one’s best.

Next week, our Intermediate basketball teams will compete in their Area Tournaments. Just like the Olympic athletes who inspire us, our students have trained with discipline, teamwork, and commitment—demonstrating that success is built on preparation, resilience, and heart. Their journey reflects the values we have celebrated all month: hard work, cultural pride, unity, and excellence.

Warm regards,
Mr. Louca                         Mr. Pamayah

Principal                           Vice Principal

Parking Lot Safety Update

To ensure the safety of all our students, we are implementing an important change to our parking lot procedures.

Our parking lot will now be for staff only during morning drop‑off and afternoon pick‑up. Recently, we have experienced a significant increase in vehicle traffic in the lot, including vehicles blocking others in and drivers exiting their cars to drop-off students. This creates unsafe conditions for our students. Student safety is always our highest priority. For this reason, no cars will be permitted to park in the school parking lot during drop‑off or pick‑up times. Anyone parked in the lot will be asked to find street parking instead.

Families are kindly encouraged to:

Walk to school whenever possible, or use street parking in an alternate location and walk their child to and from school.

Thank you for your understanding, cooperation, and continued support in helping us keep all Aldergrove students safe.

Ramadan, February 18- March 20, 2026

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and begins on February 18 this year.  This is a blessed month for Muslims as it is the month during which the teachings of the Qur’an were revealed.  This is considered a time for Muslims to cultivate spiritual renewal through fasting, and an increased focus on prayer and contemplation, as well as a time to recommit themselves to practicing compassion and generosity for others.

Fasting:

Fasting from dawn to sunset during the month of Ramadan is one of the five prescribed tenets of Islamic practice.

Suhoor:

In preparation for each day, most Muslims who are fasting partake in a pre-dawn meal, called Suhoor or Sehri.  Muslims are strongly encouraged to partake in this meal in preparation for the day’s fast.

Iftar:

The fast concludes at sunset with prayer and a light meal called Iftar.  The end of the fast is determined by sunset, at which time the Adhan (call to prayer) is recited, and Muslims consume their first food items of the day.  These first items are traditionally water and dates.  Many masjids (mosques) and community groups will host Iftar meals for the public. 

Tarawe’eh:

Tarawe’eh prayers are performed only during the month of Ramadhan by some Muslim communities.  These prayers take place in congregation following the night prayer.  The whole Qur’an is recited over the course of the month during Tarawe’eh prayers.  

Students at Aldergrove who are fasting for Ramadan can use the library during lunch time (12:20-12:40).  The Quiet Space Room (Room (119) may be used for prayers during the day.

2026-2027 Kindergarten Registration

Bright Beginnings, Endless Possibilities

Kindergarten Registration Opens January 16, 2026

Is your child turning 4 or 5 in 2026? Or do you know someone who is? 

Mark your calendars and follow these simple steps. 

1. Find your home school. 

Use our school finder to find your home school - the school in your neighbourhood. 

2 .Register for Kindergarten. 

You can register online, in person, or by phone or email.

Visit www.yrdsb.ca/kindergarten to access the online registration portal or download the registration form. Once you have completed your application, the school will contact you to make an appointment to review and verify the required documents. 

3. Register early for Before and After Care 

All schools offer before and after-care programs. Check your school’s website or our before and after care directory for details. Contact providers early to secure your spot. 

4. Explore and Prepare for Kindergarten

Kindergarten is where big dreams start small. Learn how Kindergarten helps children develop the academic and social skills they need to thrive in Grade 1 and beyond. Our skilled and caring teams of certified teachers and early childhood educators work together to support every child in a welcoming, inclusive environment.

Ready to Begin?

Start your journey at www.yrdsb.ca/kindergarten.  

Mental Health Awareness @ Aldergrove:

February

This month there is a focus on Self Care. Students in Grade 1-5 will be receiving lessons based on a Tip Sheet created by School Mental Health Ontario. You can access this resource by clicking HERE. In support of these 10 lessons, our S.P.I.R.I.T. leaders will be visiting classrooms to demonstrate and explain the uses for our mental health backpacks. In these backpacks are resources, activities and strategies for managing mental health. 

Students in Grade 1-2 will also be receiving lessons on a self-regulation strategy called Interoception, or the ability to notice body signals and align them with an emotion or feeling.  Students will learn how to recognize signals in their bodies and what they could mean. For example, if I have a stomach ache, trying to find out if it means I am hungry, nervous, anxious, stressed or ill. These lessons are supported by our PTOT Anne Martin.

Literacy at Home

Reading starts in the ears before it ever reaches the eyes. By playing with sounds at home, you are building the foundation your child needs to become a confident, independent reader.

Here are some fun and quick activities you can do with your child at home to build their literacy skills.

Target: Syllables 

This activity works in every language because it strengthens the foundation of how words are put together.

• How to play: Sit with your child and clap the syllables of different words.
• Examples: Practice with food, animals, or household items. Saying the words in your first language is a powerful way to learn.
• Get active: Have your child tap their toes, hop, or stomp along to the rhythm of the syllables.

Example:  Dog = 1 clap

• A-pple = 2 claps
• Ba-nan-a = 3 claps

Why it works:  It teaches children to break long strings of sounds into smaller chunks.  This will help both reading and writing

Target: First sound and Rhyming

Game: I Spy

This is a great game to play while you are walking, driving, or cleaning the house.

• How to Play: Look around the room and pick an object, but don't tell your child what it is.
• To practice Rhyming: Say, "I spy something that rhymes with Cat." (The answer could be a Hat or a Mat).
• To practice First Sounds: Say, "I spy something that starts with the sound /mmm/." (The answer could be Milk or a Mug). You can also try to challenge them to look for something that ends with a certain sound.

Tip for Success: When you say a sound like /mmm/, try not to say "em" or "muh." Just make the long, continuous sound of the letter (/mmm/). This helps your child's ears hear it clearly.

Scavenger Hunt:

This includes five fun, auditory-based challenges that you can do together at home to build those essential reading foundations.

Each task is designed to be simple and "ears-only”

1. Find something that starts with /s/ (like a spoon or soap)
2. Find something with 2 "beats" or syllables (like ap-ple)
3. Find something that rhymes with "cat" (like a mat or hat)
4. Find something that starts with /m/ sound (like milk or a mug)
5. Find something that ends with the /t/ sound (like a pot or shirt)

Additional Resources/Programs offered by the Markham Public Library:

Markham Public Library Learning Space