Aldergrove News, January 30, 2026

Message from Admin 

Dear Aldergrove Families,

This week at Aldergrove, we continued to strengthen our sense of community and shared responsibility. Students participated in our Caring and Safe Schools assemblies, where we reviewed expectations and reminded everyone of the importance of kindness, respect, and making choices that help keep our school a safe and welcoming place for all.

Our Grade 8 students also met with representatives from Milliken Mills High School, who guided them through the Grade 9 course selection process as they begin preparing for their exciting next chapter in high school. Meanwhile, our Grade 5 students engaged in an informative and hands-on Invasive Species presentation, helping them deepen their understanding of environmental stewardship and the interconnectedness of local ecosystems.

It was also an eventful week in athletics: our Junior Boys and Girls Volleyball teams competed in their Area tournaments, playing with incredible dedication, sportsmanship, and pride. They represented Aldergrove beautifully and were wonderful ambassadors for our school.

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Looking Ahead: Welcoming February

Next week marks the beginning of February, a month in which we proudly recognize and celebrate both Asian Heritage and Black History. Throughout the month, students will engage in meaningful learning that honours the voices, stories, achievements, and contributions of Asian and Black communities—past and present. These experiences help deepen students’ understanding of identity, inclusion, equity, and the strength of our wonderfully diverse school community.

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Theme of the Week: Growth

As we move into a new month, our theme for the week is growth. February reminds us that even in the heart of winter, growth—both personal and collective—is always happening. Whether students are developing new skills, broadening their perspectives, or learning more about themselves and others, growth strengthens our community and brings us closer together.

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Quote of the Week

“The growth of understanding begins the moment we decide to listen.” — Unknown

Warm regards,

Mr. Louca                         Mr. Pamayah

Principal                           Vice Principal

2026-2027 Kindergarten Registration

Bright Beginnings, Endless Possibilities

Kindergarten Registration is OPEN

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.  

Extracurricular Calendar

Mental Health and Well-being @ Aldergrove
January Notes

Our S.P.I.R.I.T team met this month with our Public Health Nurse Noreen to discuss some initiatives that we can start here at Aldergrove. This week, some of the team members will be meeting to build Wellness Walls in a corner of our school that encourages self-reflection, self-regulation, and self-love. We are also working on ideas to promote mental health and engagement through our school community. Stay tuned to what’s next from the S.P.I.R.I.T leaders!

Mrs. Martin (YRDSB PTOT) and Mrs. Szonda engaged in teaching and learning with the Kindergarten classes on a self-regulation topic that encourages students to recognize their body signals and determine what their body might need.  This is called “interoception”. For example, they learned that your stomach can send signals to indicate hunger, but it can also be a sign of illness or stress.  We talked about how to “power up”or “power down”our bodies to get ready for different parts of the school day. For example, if they are feeling sluggish and tired, they may need to “power up” in order to be ready for circle time.  The next classes to receive this instruction are Grade 1-2.  Using some of the Grant money that we have from YR Public Health, we have purchased some books for the Library that support this learning. 

January was recognized as Mental Wellness Month where there is a strong focus on connection with others, physical well being, and reducing stigma around mental health in youth.  As the month closes, please consider using some of these tips when engaging in some of these conversations with your child.  These tips are brought to you by “School Mental Health Ontario”

How can I encourage my child to open up about their feelings? 

Here are some tips for talking to your child and their feelings:  

• Be genuine: Children know when an adult is pretending. 
• Use simple language: Avoid language you wouldn’t usually use with your child. 
• Allow for silence: Letting your child sit with their thoughts helps them find words for what they’re feeling.
• Watch your body language: It sends big signals. 
• Provide positive feedback: Recognizing your child’s strengths encourages them to talk. 
• Recognize your child’s feelings: Their situation is their whole world. Acknowledging and respecting their feelings shows them that you care. If a child is feeling harassed, bullied or a victim of racism, gather the context and work swiftly with your child to address it.
• Recognize their actions: Understand that a child’s actions may be a coping mechanism. They might act impulsively (leave the room, walk away, etc.) as they may lack age-appropriate skills. 
• Have frequent conversations: Children of different ages experience varying levels of stress. It helps to discuss feelings, thoughts, and actions that are part of your child’s life. 
• Lead by example: Actions speak louder than words. Model mental health for your child. If you’re having difficult feelings, name them. 

For a more information  about talking to your child about their emotions, I would encourage you to visit the SMHO website for parents linked below:

https://smho-smso.ca/online-resources/help-me-understand-talking-with-your-child-about-mental-health/

In alignment with breaking stigmas and barriers, Mrs. Szonda has partnered with Always and Secret  to bring Puberty Awareness pamphlets and coupons that were given to females in Grade 4-8.  The guides are designed to prompt and support conversations at home surrounding menstruation and changes in puberty. If your child has received this from school, I do encourage you to look over it along with them. Feedback has been sent to the company regarding dual language pamphlets to be better accessible to all. 

Learning Commons Update
January 26-30th

Well it was a short and snowy week here in the Learning Commons, but we were still able to engage in some great hands-on learning and conversations in our Makerspace!

Using a Grant that was awarded to us by Ms. Liu and Ms. Cao through Hackergals, I have ordered some coding activities for the Learning Commons for classes to use during makerspace or to sign out if they would like to use them in class. We’ve ordered and added several STEM tools to our collection for Primary’s and early Junior Grades including Makeblock Codey Rocky, Tale-Bot Pro and an Ozobot Ocean Exploring Kit.

As for Scholastic Rewards from the Book Fair, I have ordered $1500 worth of new books from student interests and identity affirming texts, as well as some STEM activities for primary students.