Aldergrove P.S.

(905) 470-2227 aldergrove.ps@yrdsb.ca
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Aldergrove News, November 21, 2025

Message from Admin 

 

Dear Aldergrove Families,


This week at Aldergrove, we focused on progress and partnership. Progress Reports were sent home as hard copies for this reporting period, and an electronic version will follow on Friday, November 28. Please note that for Terms 1 and 2, report cards will be electronic only.
Progress Reports are designed as a snapshot of how students are progressing—they are not a reflection of achievement. Their purpose is to highlight current strengths and areas for growth, ensuring students are on the right path toward meeting curriculum expectations.


We also held Parent-Teacher Interviews this week, and it was wonderful to see so many families. These conversations are an essential part of building strong connections between home and school. Clear communication and collaboration have a powerful impact on student achievement and well-being, and we deeply value your partnership in supporting every child’s success.
In addition, we conducted a repeat of our Safe and Caring Schools assemblies for our Junior division students, reinforcing our behavioural expectations and commitment to creating a respectful, inclusive environment for all.
 

Looking Ahead to Next Week:
Grade 7 students will continue their Swim to Survive program, building confidence and water safety skills.
Grade 8 students will attend the Career Fair, exploring pathways and possibilities for their future.
 

Thank you for your ongoing support in making Aldergrove a place where every child feels safe, valued, and inspired to grow.
 

“It takes a village to raise a child.” — African Proverb
 

Together, we are that village—working hand in hand to nurture curiosity, resilience, and success.

Warm regards,
Mr. Louca                         Mr. Pamayah

Principal                           Vice Principal

 

THIS WEEK:

Mon. Nov. 24

Day 1

JK Observations for Year 1 FDK this Week

9:30-11:30 CAPC 

 

Tues. Nov. 25

Day 2

9:30-11:30 CAPC 

Pizza Lunch Day

Wed. Nov. 26

Day 3

9:30-11:30 Swim to Survive 7B

Sushi Lunch Day

 

Thurs. Nov. 27

Day 4

9:30-11:30 CAPC 

9:30-2:35 Level Up. Grade 8 Career Fair

Subway Lunch Day

 

Fri. Nov. 28

Day 5

Progress Report Cards are electronically sent to families.

Spirit Day: Stripes and Polka-Dot Day

 

Change to Morning Kiss-and-Ride Procedure

As the weather gets colder, we are finding that more families are choosing to drive their children to school. To help alleviate some of the traffic congestion and to keep cars moving safely and efficiently through our Kiss-and-Ride, we are asking for cars to only turn right when exiting the school property. This will allow traffic to keep moving and get our students into the school on time for learning. We will have signage up beginning Monday as a reminder. As an alternative, we encourage families to continue to walk to school whenever possible. Thank you very much for your cooperation in this matter.

 

Math @ Home Sparking Joy through Number Sense and Numeracy

Welcome, families! This month, we're diving into the exciting world of Number Sense and Numeracy. Number Sense and Numeracy is about helping students conceptually understand how numbers work and how we use them in everyday life. It includes learning to count, add, subtract, multiply, and divide, as well as working with fractions, decimals, and money. These skills help students solve problems, make sense of the world around them, and build confidence in math. 

There are many opportunities to create joyful moments and meaningful conversations with children around numbers

Some ideas to try:

  • Ask open-ended questions: Instead of "What's 2 + 3?". Try "How many different ways can you make 5?"
  • Connecting math to real life: Point out numbers on bus routes or count socks while folding laundry. Math is everywhere!
  • Focusing on "how" and "why": Understanding the process is just as important as getting the answer. Let students experiment with different ways to solve a problem, and have them explain their thinking. The journey is where the real learning happens. 

Connecting it Back to the Classroom

Children begin developing number sense from a very young age. When families talk about math at home—whether it's counting objects, comparing amounts, or noticing numbers in daily life—children deepen their understanding of how numbers work. These conversations help them see how numbers relate to one another, represent quantities, and how each digit in a number has a value depending on its place. As children talk about numbers and practice using them, they start to build their own strategies, helping them become more confident, flexible, and fluent with math.

Engaging in Number Conversations at Home

We can use everyday items to engage in math conversations at home. Using concrete objects helps children visualize and understand mathematical concepts at home. Here are some ways you can do this together:

  • Counting Collections: Gather larger collections of items (e.g., rocks, paperclips, LEGO pieces). Ask your child to estimate the total before counting, then count efficiently by grouping (e.g., by 10s, 25s, 50s, 100s). Challenge them to express the total in multiplication sentences (e.g., "I had 7 groups of 25, so 7 × 25 = 175").
    • Some other questions to ask could be :
  • “If we split this into equal groups of 8, how many would be in each group?”
  • “What if we wanted to share this collection equally between 3 people—how many would each person get? Would there be any left over?”
  • Money Matters: Use real or play money to set up a small store. Give your child a budget and a flyer, or create a menu of items with prices. Ask them to:
    • Find multiple combinations to spend exactly $5.00 or stay under a budget
    • Calculate discounts (e.g., “This item is 20% off—what’s the sale price?”)
    • Add sales tax and figure out the total cost
    • Compare prices to find a better deal
  • Building with Blocks: Use blocks or building materials to explore volume, perimeter, and patterns.
     Try these tasks:
    • Build a tower. Ask: Can you build a tower that is bigger? Build a tower that is smaller?
    • Build a tower 15 blocks tall, then increase its height by 25%. How tall is it now?
    • Build a rectangular prism with dimensions (length, width, height). Ask: “What’s the volume? How would it change if we doubled the height?”
    • Create and extend patterns using colours or shapes. Ask: “What’s the rule for your pattern? What would the 10th or 20th item look like?”
       

A Fantastic Resource for Families: THE RESOURCE

A super fun resource to highlight this month is "SPLAT!" https://stevewyborney.com/2017/02/splat/  You may have heard of this activity from the classrooms; it's incredibly easy to play at home with items you already have. The idea is to give the student the total number of items, and then cover a group of the objects with a “splat” and then ask children to figure out how many are hidden. This simple concept provides rich opportunities for children to recognize the number of objects in a small group without counting, create (compose) numbers and break into parts (decompose) numbers, in a hands on engaging way! 

DIY "SPLAT!":

What you need: A small towel and a collection of everyday objects (e.g., buttons, dry pasta, small toys).

How to play:

"SPLAT!" (Early Learners): Place a small number of objects (e.g., 5-10) on the table for all to see.  Determine how many there are. Ask all players to close their eyes while you "splat" (cover) some of the objects with the small towel. Ask: "How many did I start with? How many can you see? How many are hiding under the blanket?" Encourage students to explain their thinking.

"SPLAT!" (Primary Learners): Place a number of objects (e.g., 20 or more) on the table for all to see.  Determine how many there are. Ask all players to close their eyes while you "splat" (cover) some of the objects with the small towel. Ask: "How many did I start with? How many can you see? How many are hiding under the blanket?" Encourage students to explain their thinking.

"SPLAT!" (Junior Learners): Place a number of objects (e.g, include half or quarter pieces) on the table for all to see.  Determine how many there are. Ask all players to close their eyes while you "splat" (cover) some of the objects with the small towel. Ask: "How many did I start with? How many can you see? How many are hiding under the blanket?" Encourage students to explain their thinking.

"SPLAT!" (Intermediate Learners): Place a number of objects on the table for all to see.  Determine how many there are. Ask all players to close their eyes while you "splat" (cover) the same number of objects with example  2 or 3 small towels. Ask: "How many did I start with? How many can you see? What equation might represent what you see? (e.g. 3x + 4=16) How many are hiding under the blanket?" Encourage students to explain their thinking.

"SPLAT!" encourages flexible thinking and deepens understanding of number relationships, all while feeling like a game!

Remember, the goal is not perfection. It is to participate and have a positive experience. Every time you engage in a math conversation or play a math-related game, you're building a student's confidence and showing them that math is fun, relevant, and a natural part of the world aroun them.

Happy math exploring this November!

 

Resources and Events for Families