Aldergrove News, March 13, 2026

Message from Admin 

Dear Aldergrove Families,

As we move through this transitional stretch of late winter, the weather continues to shift between milder days and reminders that the season is not quite finished with us. Signs of spring are beginning to appear, but cool winds and sudden flurries remind us to stay prepared. Please encourage students to continue dressing appropriately for the conditions — layers are still very much needed.

Eco Team Initiatives

In the spirit of the changing seasons, our school Eco Team has begun planning several exciting spring initiatives. Upcoming events will include a community clean‑up and a Spring Walk‑to‑School Day, both designed to promote environmental awareness, healthy living, and community involvement. Stay tuned for more details as plans take shape.

Athletics Update

Our Junior Volleyball teams continue their preparation with great energy and commitment. The Intermediate Volleyball Club is in full swing as well, giving students a chance to build skills, take healthy risks, challenge themselves, and support one another as learners and teammates.

Meanwhile, our School Badminton Team is currently being selected. As always, we appreciate the courage students show when they step forward to try something new, the perseverance they demonstrate through practice, and the learning that comes from both success and challenge.

March Break Reminder

A reminder that March Break takes place next week, and there is no school for students. Classes resume on Monday, March 23rd.
The break offers a valuable chance for rest, renewal, and time with family. We hope everyone finds some well‑deserved moments of relaxation and enjoyment.

Theme of the Week: Growth in Transition

Just as the seasons shift gradually, our students continue to grow step by step — through effort, curiosity, resilience, and reflection.

Quote of the Week

“In every season of change, there is quiet growth — and in every moment of growth, the promise of something new.”

Warm regards,

Mr. Louca                         Mr. Pamayah

Principal                           Vice Principal

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.  

Learning Commons Update

This week, Ms. Choe and Ms. Huang’s Grade 6 class came in to do STEAM work around Electricity.  They made a steady hand game, an electroscope that checks for static, fruit and vegetable batteries, a banana piano with Makey Makey, tested different materials for their conductivity, and played with different circuits.  They sure had a SHOCKING time realizing how hard it is to make circuits work successfully! They made an LED GLOW with a lemon battery, and turned bananas and oranges into a piano. The electroscopes detect electric charges and may be used in class to detect the presence of static electricity on chairs or door handles before touching them. OUCH! They ended Friday with an intense race of various cans and plastic bottles using the power of static electricity. Teams made names, chants and posters to cheer on their teammates as they raced in three different races around the library. 

Students in Kindergarten to Grade 2 learned about a transportation type called a Tuk Tuk or a Rickshaw and how people use different types of transportation in different parts of the world. They engaged in discussions about how we travel in our community and compared it with some South Asian countries like Thailand, India and Bangladesh with high population densities.  

Monday marked the final day of the Pop-Up Shop for Grade 6-7 students.  I must make a correction about the design supplier. Their name is TOPSON DOWNS who are a clothing design and manufacturer based out of California.  Topson Downs has a 50 year history of supplying US retailers like Walmart, Target and Nordstrom and businesses within Canadian based Companies like Walmart Canada and former companies Hudson’s Bay and Sears.  Krista Green works for Topson Downs and provided the sample clothes for our students to enjoy; and we thank her for her and her company for their generosity. 

Literacy at Home

Reading comprehension isn't just about knowing the words; it's about understanding the story. When you ask questions, you help your child to visualize, predict, and think critically. 

Fiction Texts:

Before Reading

"Looking at the cover and title, what do you think this book will be about?"

 Why: Helps kids use clues to make predictions.

During Reading

Goal: To check for understanding and keep them engaged.

"What do you think will happen next?"

Why: This keeps them thinking ahead and engaged with the text.

"How do you think the character is feeling right now?"

Why: Builds empathy and helps them understand the character better.

"I wonder why the [character] did that?"

Why: Encourages deeper "inferencing" (reading between the lines).

Does this text remind you of something?

Why: It helps to build interest and understanding

After Reading

Goal: To reflect and summarize.

"Can you tell me what happened in the beginning, middle, and end?"

Why: Builds sequencing skills and memory.

"What was your favorite part and why?"

Why: Encourages them to form and defend an opinion.

What is the lesson of this story? It’s the big idea the author wants you to walk away with.

Why: It moves them from what happened to why does it matter? 

"If you could change the ending, what would happen?"

Why: Sparks creativity 

Non-Fiction Questions (Fact-Based Reading)

Goal: To help children learn how to find information and understand real-world topics.

Before Reading: "What is one thing you already know about this topic? What is one thing you want to learn from this book?"

Why: This sets a goal for reading and activates their brain.

During Reading: "What does this photo or caption tell us? What do you think is the most important idea on this page?"

Why: Non-fiction has unique features (maps, charts, bold words) that help us understand the text.

After Reading: "What are three cool facts you learned? Did anything in the book surprise you or change what you thought?"

Why: This helps them summarize information and separate new facts from what they already know.

Fire Safety:

Our Grade 1 classrooms were buzzing with excitement this week as firefighters from our local station visited the school! They shared life-saving tips, showed us their gear, and taught us how to be brave and prepared.

The students were fantastic listeners, and the firefighters left us with some "homework" for the whole family. Here are the most important takeaways from our session:

Know Your Information: Firefighters emphasized that every child should know their full home address and phone number by heart so they can give this information to emergency dispatchers.

The Meeting Place: Does your family have a designated "safe spot" outside? The firefighters taught us that everyone should meet at a specific landmark (like a neighbor’s porch or a big oak tree away from the house) as soon as they exit the house. 

Practice: Have a "fire drill" where everyone meets at that exact spot.

Hear the Beep, Get on Your Feet: Smoke detectors should be on every level of your home.  Please test your alarms at home this week so your child recognizes the sound and knows it means it is time to go to the meeting place.  Also, remember to change the batteries on your smoke detector.

Mental Health Awareness @ Aldergrove

It’s Brain Awareness Week next week! During this week there is a focus on Brain health as well as the body-mind-brain connection to mental health. What are some good things you can do for your brain? Read a book! Play a game like chess or checkers or any other non-screen oriented game.  Make a puzzle or try a sudoku! There are many ways to keep your brain stimulated and healthy, including what you eat! Try limiting food high in sugar, trans fats, or ultra processed and instead try including food high in omega-3, antioxidants and vitamins. Will you try some of these ways to keep your brain healthy over the break?

SPIRIT is working with Healthy School Ontario and our Public Health Nurse to promote eating fruits and vegetables. You may have seen an email about the “Big CRUNCH” event we will be doing at the school on the 27th! SPIRIT will be reading announcements and visiting classrooms to remind students to bring a crunch fruit or vegetable to participate. Healthy bodies and healthy minds go together; and why not have a little fun doing it too!