Aldergrove News, March 6, 2026

Admin Message

Dear Aldergrove Families,

This week brought us a welcome change in the weather. Seeing the sun shine and feeling temperatures rise above zero gave us a much‑needed lift, and the melting snow offered a hopeful reminder that spring is slowly making its way toward us. Even small signs of seasonal change can spark a sense of renewal in our school community.

School Highlights

Lego Mechanics Competition at Humber College
A dedicated team of Grade 4–6 students travelled to Humber College to compete in a Lego Mechanics competition. They problem-solved, collaborated, and demonstrated impressive creativity and engineering thinking. Their enthusiasm was wonderful to see, and they represented our school with pride.

French-Canadian Cultural Performances
Our Junior and Intermediate students presented a vibrant performance in the gym celebrating French-Canadian culture and history. Through music, storytelling, and drama, they brought traditions to life. We were also pleased to welcome families in the afternoon for a second performance — a wonderful opportunity to share learning and culture together.

International Women’s Day — Sunday, March 8
This Sunday is International Women’s Day, a global day recognizing the achievements, leadership, and contributions of women in every part of society. It also highlights the continued work toward equity, respect, and opportunity for all.
We extend heartfelt well-wishes to the women in our community — staff, students, and families — and we thank them for the strength, wisdom, and inspiration they bring to our school each day.

Daylight Saving Time Begins This Weekend
A quick reminder that Daylight Saving Time begins this Sunday, meaning we “spring forward” by moving our clocks ahead one hour. While it may make the weekend feel a bit shorter, the extra daylight in the evenings is a welcome sign that brighter, longer days are on the horizon.

Looking Ahead: Last Week Before March Break
Next week is our final week before the March Break. It’s a great time to stay focused, enjoy the activities happening around the school, and look forward to some well‑earned rest and recharge time ahead.

Theme of the Week: Hope and Renewal

From warming weather to increasing daylight, the signs of change remind us to look forward with optimism and an open heart.

Quote of the Week

Hope grows quietly, the way spring begins — small changes that remind us brighter days are on the way.

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.  

Lunch Safety Reminder

A reminder for family members bringing lunch for students. Please ensure that you enter the building and drop-off lunch on the designated table. We are finding students leaving the front doors and walking to cars to pick-up their lunches. We are also finding students waiting at the doors for lunches to be brought to them. This is creating a safety concern. Students are not permitted to leave the school to retrieve lunches. Family members are again asked to drop-off lunches and exit the building promptly. We will ensure that all students receive their food. Thank you for your cooperation.

Black Mental Health Week

The first week of March commemorates Black Mental Health Week, a crucial time to raise awareness about the harmful effects of anti-Black racism on mental health. This week highlights the unique mental health needs of Black communities and encourages action towards systemic change. This year’s theme, " The Power of CONNECTION: Ancestral Wisdom in a Digital Age" highlights the teachings, traditions, and healing practices of ancestors while navigating a fast-paced, hyperconnected digital landscape.

The following resources come from TAIBU,  NACCA and York Hills who are valued CRES partners, as well as YouthREX and more! 

Black Mental Health Week

Hosted by TAIBU Community Health Centre and the City of Toronto and in partnership with Tropicana Community Services, Black Health Alliance and Strides Toronto, Black Mental Health Week is a community-led series of gatherings, dialogues, immersive experiences, and artistic expressions that centre culturally grounded healing and collective wellbeing. Click here for more information

• CRES Partner - NACCA Mental Health First Aid Training for the Black Community:
  • March 7th 2026 - 8:30am - 4:30pm, Newmarket Public Library
  • Click here to access all community events, facilitated by NACCA 

• CRES Partner - York Hills: Kuumba Black Mental Health Program, Caregiver Advocacy Series

1. A supportive workshop series led by Black clinicians for African, Caribbean, and Black parents and caregivers navigating complex systems while supporting their child’s mental health and well‑being.

📍 Bradford | 6:00–7:30 PM
March 5 – Navigating the Health Care System
Register Here 

York Hills Kuumba:

Click here to access services

 

• School Mental Health Ontario
  • Black History Month - Spotlight on Black student well-being This collection of resources is intended to help staff and school mental health professionals provide identity-affirming support to Black students.
  • How to Foster and Maintain Supportive Spaces for Black Youth  
    
     
• CAMH Black Mental Health Week Panel Discussion Centred on Black Research in Mental Health - Building on the Accomplishments of the Ancestors: A Black Mental Health Week Research Spotlight
  • This event will highlight the critical contributions of Black researchers whose work continues to advance knowledge, equity, and impact in mental health and beyond. Each featured researcher will share a brief overview of their current research, offering insight into innovative approaches, emerging findings, and the communities they serve.
    
     
• YouthREX
  • Interactive Workshop Call-In Cards for Anti-Black Racism Action
  • Kit for Centering Black Youth Wellbeing
  • Registration for Free online workshop -Centering Black Youth Wellbeing
    
     
• Black Health Alliance Knowledge Hub
  
   
• YRDSB:
  • Tune in YRDSB: Supporting Black Students
  • Supporting Black Student Mental Health
    
     
• Rainbow Health Ontario: Racialized 2SLGBTQ People: An evidence review and practical guide designed for healthcare providers and researchers
• The Trevor Project: Supporting Black LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health
• Black Youth Helpline

Learning Commons Update

The Learning Commons was a busy hub this week!!! It was host to the VOICES program for Grade 5 students sponsored by the McMichael Art Gallery. Students made various original pieces of art that were then set out for display in our Gallery for students to share their learning and work. 

It also hosted a Black History Month Exhibit where classes engaged in learning surrounding Black Excellence in STEM, Space Exploration, Social Movements/Change, and Art. Every student at Aldergrove also created a black, yellow, red, or green paper bead that was part of the exhibit to demonstrate the recognition of the past, present and future of Black Excellence.  You can find these beads in our front foyer surrounding our Hero Wall beside the gym.

Mr. Lindo’s class came to do Makerspace with a focus on Indigenous Ingenuity in STEM with our curriculum connection to Structures.  We discussed the importance of the influences of Indigenous People. We learned about how Indigenous people used materials in a sustainable way, and how learning and teaching is shared through generation knowledge and how much of this was shared with settlers.  Students then engaged on 1 of 5 building tasks:

1. Build a bridge that would support a load
2. Build a structure that covers a person and is weather proof
3. Build a sled that could pull a load.
4. Build a drying rack

When they were done, they realized that they had built a small community and had to: using the sled, pull a “bison” (a stack of books) over the bridge, over to the structure where the “bison” would be processed. During this, it “rained” (spray bottle) to test whether the structure was water proof.  Then, their “bison skin” (two books) had to be transported to the drying rack where they were hung as was tradition with tanning hides.  It was a lot of fun and they learned a lot about structural integrity and the importance of reconciliation through honoring of Indigenous ways of design and building practices. 

Literacy at Home

Helping your child read at home doesn’t have to be a mystery. When your child gets "stuck" on a word, our instinct is often to just tell them the word. Instead, try these three simple strategies to help them build their "reading muscles."

1. The "Sound It Out" Rule (Small Words)

If the word is short (like map, stop, or trip), have your child point to each letter and say its sound, then "slide" them together.

• Example: /c/… /a/… /t/… Cat!

2. The Vowel Check (Two-Syllable Words)

When a word has more than one vowel, it usually has more than one part (syllable). Have your child find the vowels and use them as "anchors" to break the word apart.

• The Trick: Look for the vowels, split the word between them, and read it piece by piece.
• Example: In the word napkin, find the a and the i. Split it into nap-kin.

3. Peel the Layers (Long Words)

For those "long" words, look for a prefix (the start) and a suffix (the ending).

1. Cover the prefix and suffix.
2. Read the small base word that’s left.
3. Add the pieces back on to read the whole thing.

• Example: In the word unhelpful:
  • Take away un- and -ful.
  • Read the base: help.
  • Put it together: un-help-ful.

Ask "Does it make sense?"

After your child figures out the word, always ask: "Does that word make sense in this sentence?" This ensures they aren't just making sounds, but actually understanding the story.

Math Learning @ Home

Sparking Joy through Patterning in Our World

Welcome, families! This month, let's use our senses to notice and explore the world of Patterning. From the design of a spiderweb to the rhythm of a song, patterns are everywhere! Recognizing, describing, and creating patterns helps students make predictions and develop thinking skills. When we highlight these patterns in everyday life, math becomes a joyful journey of discovery.

Connecting it Back to the Classroom

Patterning builds a strong foundation for algebraic thinking and problem-solving across all grades. In early years children are learning to identify, describe, extend, and create repeating patterns (e.g., ABABAB) and growing patterns. As student’s understanding of patterning continues these early experiences form the building blocks to understanding of patterns through tables of values, establishing pattern rules, developing linear algebraic equations, and graphing patterns. 

Engaging in Patterning Conversations at Home

Patterns are naturally everywhere in our daily lives! Here's how to create math conversations around them:

Nature’s Patterns → Look at the sunflower or pinecone. What patterns do you notice in how the seeds are arranged?"

Primary: “Do the seeds or petals repeat? What comes next?”

Junior: “Can you count how many rows or spirals there are? Is there a pattern in the numbers?”

Intermediate: “Does this arrangement remind you of any mathematical sequences, like the Fibonacci sequence? Can you explain why this might be efficient in nature?”

Patterns Around the House → Look at the tiles on the floor (or the pattern on a rug or blanket)."

Primary: “What colours or shapes repeat?”

Junior: “Can you describe the repeating unit? How many times does it show up in this space?”

Intermediate: “If each tile is a square foot, and the pattern repeats every 4 tiles, how many full patterns would fit in a 10 ft × 8 ft room? Can you model this with multiplication or algebra?”

Patterns in Time and Routines → Think about what we do every day before school, or each week with our activities.

Primary: “What do we do every morning that repeats?”

Junior: “Can you make a chart of our weekly schedule and find the pattern?”

Intermediate: “If we have soccer every third day starting Monday, on which days will it fall over the next two weeks? Can you represent this pattern with a rule or number sentence?”

Counting and Number Patterns - Let’s explore a number pattern together."

Primary: “When we count by 5s or 10s, what do you notice about the numbers?”

Junior: “Here’s a pattern: 3, 6, 9, 12... What’s the rule? What comes next?”

Intermediate: “If the pattern grows by 3 each time, how can we write a rule for the nth term? What does the graph of this pattern look like?”

Patterns in Music or Movement → Let’s create a rhythm or body movement pattern."

Primary: “Try a simple pattern like clap-clap-stomp. What comes next?”

Junior: “How many beats are in your pattern? Can you change it to grow by one movement each time?”

Intermediate: “If you repeated your pattern for 1 minute at 120 beats per minute, how many full patterns would fit? Can we express that mathematically?”

A Fantastic Resource for Families: Visual Patterns 

An incredible online resource for exploring patterns is Visual Patterns www.visualpatterns.org. This website offers a rich collection of growing visual patterns, each shown in three stages. Can you describe the patterns? Make a prediction of what comes next ?

At home choose a pattern together that looks interesting or challenging for your child's age. Looking at the first few steps of the pattern together discuss what you notice and how the pattern changes. Ask the child to draw or describe what they think Stage 4 or Stage  5 may look like. Encourage them to talk about how they know. For another challenge (for older students) ask how we can figure out the number of components at any stage, even Stage 100 of the pattern? This encourages some algebraic thinking! 

By exploring patterns with "Visual Patterns" and in your daily life, you'll be fostering critical thinking, prediction skills, and a deeper appreciation for the mathematical order in our world.

Happy patterning!

Mental Health Update

As a carry over from last week, a Black History Month exhibit was set up in the Library to lift the voices and contributions of Black people through history.  Students were able to walk through and learn from our own Olive Allenye who gave them a very informative tour while sharing her own experiences or connections to the Black Community and we thank her for sharing with us and supporting the Mental Health of all students but particularly our Black Students at Aldergrove. 

Our S.P.I.R.I.T group met with Nurse Noreen this week to discuss applying for a Mental Health grant to support students at Aldergrove. A survey was sent to the school population and it looks like we will be making sensory or calming containers for classrooms including fidget toys.  We will also try to invest in some headphones that support learning with the classroom environment and to provide a quieter environment for some learners. 

Students in Grade 6-7 were invited to “shop” at our Pop-Up shop in the Library on Friday.  Clothes for this age group were generously donated by Krista Green of Walmart Canada, with the brand tags as My Sister’s Closet and Jackson which she personally helped design. We thank her for her donation and bringing some smiles to students who were able to benefit from them.