Aldergrove News, January 16, 2026

Message from Admin 

Dear Aldergrove Families,

This week brought a true taste of Canadian winter! On Thursday, a significant snowstorm swept through our region, resulting in the closure of all YRDSB schools. With unexpected weather days like this, we want to gently remind families of the importance of checking email regularly, especially on mornings with extreme weather conditions. Staying connected ensures that you have the most up‑to‑date information about school operations, transportation, and any changes to the day.

While the storm may have disrupted our routines, we hope your children enjoyed the magic of an unexpected snow day—from snowman‑building to cozy indoor adventures, these moments often become childhood favourites.

Despite the weather interruption, learning continued in meaningful ways. Some of our classes spent time at the McMichael Art Gallery, deepening their appreciation of Canadian art and engaging in creative, hands‑on experiences.

Our Intermediate basketball and Junior volleyball teams also continue to train with dedication as they prepare for their Area tournaments later in February, demonstrating teamwork, perseverance, and school spirit.

Theme of the Week: Preparedness

Whether it’s staying informed during winter storms, dressing for the weather, or practicing for upcoming tournaments, preparedness helps our students—and families—navigate challenges with confidence. Thank you for partnering with us to ensure our students feel ready, supported, and safe each day.

Quote of the Week

“Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.” — John Ruskin

Warm regards,

Mr. Louca                         Mr. Pamayah

Principal                           Vice Principal

2026-2027 Kindergarten Registration

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.  

2026-2027 French Immersion Registration

This year, the Information session for Grade 1 entry into the French Immersion program (FI) will take place in French Immersion schools on January 15, 2026, at 7 p.m. French Immersion registration will begin on January 16, 2026. Parents or guardians of Year 2 Kindergarten students entering Grade 1 in 2026, and wishing to enrol in the French Immersion Program, can email or call their home school office and indicate their intention to enrol. 

Extracurricular Calendar

Important Safety Note

While we want our school to be a welcoming place for all of our families, we must always put student safety first. Please be reminded, that all visitors to our school must only be entering the building through the main entrance at any time of day. Visitors must use the intercom button to identify themselves before entering the building and all visitors should report directly to the office. We also cannot have any visitors waiting in the lobby for extended periods of time. If dropping off lunch, it should be dropped off on the provided carts in front of the office and visitors should then vacate the school building immediately. Family members should not be waiting in the lobby to hand-off food or speak with students and at no time should they be walking through the halls of the school. This is essential for us to maintain student safety. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Math @ Home
Sparking Joy through MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Welcome, families! As we settle into the new year, let's explore how to make math meaningful by focusing on making connections. This means helping students see how the mathematical concepts and strategies they learn in the classroom are connected to one another and to the world around them. When students connect math to their lived experiences, it becomes more relevant, understandable, and joyful!

Connecting it Back to the Classroom

"Connecting" is a fundamental Mathematical Process, it helps students see how mathematical ideas are related to each other, to other subjects, and most importantly, to everyday life. When students make connections, they move beyond memorizing procedures and build understanding. They begin to understand the why of different math concepts and how it applies to real-world situations. For example, understanding that counting by twos to sort socks is the same foundational math as multiplying by two to figure out how many shoes are in a room. 

Engaging in CONNECTION CONVERSATIONS at Home

You don't need a formal lesson to help students make mathematical connections! Here are ways to spark conversations:

• Sorting and Comparing:   While folding laundry, sorting toys, or organizing a drawer, pick two items that are somewhat similar but have clear differences.This task encourages students to notice similarities and differences between objects by observing their attributes. It builds early sorting skills and lays the foundation for measurement and geometry concepts.
  • Primary Foci
    • “What colour/size/shape are they?” ,
    • “Can you find something else that looks like this?”
    • “Which one is heavier? How could we check?”
  • Junior Foci
    • What attributes can you use to sort these? Colour? Texture? Size? Shape?”
    • “Can you group them another way? Why did you choose that?”
    • “Can you describe the differences using measurement words like longer, taller, heavier, or thicker?”
  • Intermeidate Foci
    • “How could you describe these using precise measurements (cm, g,mL)?”
    • “Compare these 3D shapes—what properties do they have in common? How do their volumes or surface areas differ?”
    • “Can you create a sorting rule that uses two or more attributes at once (e.g., size and weight)?”
• Comparing Speed: When going to a familiar place (e.g. the park, a friend's house, or even a different room in your home), discuss two possible routes.This task invites students to estimate and compare travel times using different routes. It introduces concepts like time, distance, efficiency, and eventually rate and ratio.
  • Primary Foci
    • Which way do you think will be faster? Why?”, “Should we walk slowly or quickly to get there on time?”
    • “Let’s time it! Was your prediction right?”
  • Junior Foci
    • “How many minutes did it take us on each route?”
    • “If we were running, would it change the time? What if we were biking?”
    • “If the distance is the same, why might one way take longer?”
  • Intermeidate Foci
    • “Let’s figure out the rate: If it took 5 minutes to go 600 metres, how fast were we going (m/min)?”
    • “Compare the speed of a car going 50 km/h with a bike going 12 km/h—how long would each take to go 5 km?”
    • “How could we use this information to decide the most efficient route somewhere farther away?”
• Which is more?: When plating a snacks, arrange them in different ways. This activity helps children develop number sense by making estimates, comparing quantities, and exploring how arrangement affects perception. It can grow into proportional reasoning and understanding percentages.
  • Primary Foci
    • “Which one looks like it has more? Why do you think that?”
    • “What’s another way we could check, besides counting?”
    • “Let’s line them up to see if they match.”
  • Junior Foci
    • “Can you estimate how many are in each bowl before we count?”
    • “Do the same number of items always look the same if arranged differently? Why or why not?”
    • “If I take 5 from this plate and move it to the other, what happens?”
  • Intermeidate Foci
    • How can we compare amounts quickly using multiplication or grouping?”
    • “How many more grapes are in Bowl A than Bowl B? What’s the difference as a percentage?”
    • “If we doubled the number in each bowl, would one still look like more? Why or why not?”

A Fantastic Resource for Families: SAME BUT DIFFERENT 

A powerful tool for encouraging connection-making is Same But Different www.samebutdifferentmath.com

The main concept is about the sharing of two images( e.g.numbers, shapes, or situations)  that are similar in some ways but different to each other. The challenge is to identify all the ways they are the same and all the ways they are different from a mathematical perspective. The beauty of "Same But Different" is that there's no single "right" answer. It encourages observation and discussion around the many connections based on properties, relationships, and even real-world applications. This resouce reaches across numeracy, spatial sense, and measurement concepts and strategies for all grade levels, including secondary students, making it a versatile resource.

By making connections a regular part of your conversations, you'll be developing mathematically curious and capable thinkers who see math as a powerful lens for understanding their world.