Dear Families,
What an incredible first week we have had at Aldergrove! Our halls and classrooms have been filled with excitement, energy, and smiles as students settled into a new school year. Throughout the week, students focused on learning new routines, building classroom communities, and making new social connections with their peers. It has been wonderful to see students demonstrating kindness, curiosity, and a willingness to embrace new opportunities.
As we begin another year together, we want to emphasize the importance of the partnership between home and school. Strong connections between families and educators play a vital role in supporting student growth, well-being, and success. We value your ongoing support and look forward to working alongside you throughout the year to help every student thrive.
This newsletter will be shared with families each week and will provide updates, celebrations, important reminders, and information about upcoming events. We hope it serves as another way to strengthen the connection between home and school while keeping everyone informed about the many exciting things happening at Aldergrove.
This week, all students participated in our Safe Schools presentations, which focused on creating and maintaining a safe, caring, and inclusive learning environment for everyone. These presentations are an important part of establishing shared expectations and helping students understand how we can work together to ensure that every member of our school community feels respected, valued, and supported. Details about the presentations and supporting materials can be found below.
As we reflect on this first week, we are reminded that it is only the beginning of an exciting journey. We are looking forward to seeing the many ways our students will learn, grow, and make a positive impact throughout the year. There is so much to celebrate already, and we know there are many more wonderful moments ahead.
Looking ahead, we are excited to participate in our annual Terry Fox Run on Friday, October 2nd. Curriculum Night will be on Thursday, October 1st and Class Photo Day will be on October 13th. Please keep an eye out for additional details which will be shared soon.
Thank you for your partnership and for helping make Aldergrove such a caring and supportive community. We are looking forward to a fantastic year together!
Warm regards,
Mr. Louca Ms. Yadallahi
Principal Vice-Principal
Important Safety Message
In our continued efforts to create the safest possible environment for our students, please note that students are not permitted to ride e-scooters or e-bikes to school. The legal age for these vehicles is 16. Students that bring them to school will need to have a parent pick it up as they will not be permitted to ride it home. Also, any adults that choose to ride any such vehicle must dismount when they reach school property. Thank you for helping to keep our students and school a safe place.
Caring and Safe Schools Presentations
As the new school year is beginning, students will be attending Caring and Safe Schools Start-Up Presentations. These presentations are designed to underscore behaviour expectations as we continue to sustain caring, safe and inclusive school environments.
Presentation topics include:
- Racism;
- Bullying;
- Progressive discipline;
- Personal mobile devices such as cell phones, smart watches, and tablets;
- Vaping for grades 7 & 8; and
- Standing up for each other, including methods of reporting incidents of racism, discrimination and bullying.
Inappropriate Behaviour
In the Start-Up Presentation, students are learning about racism, discrimination, and bullying. This learning will continue throughout the school year. Instances of racism, discrimination and bullying are not acceptable and are addressed through progressive discipline. In some cases of racism and discrimination, York Regional Police may be involved.
Students will also be reminded about safe school behaviours, including what items must never be brought to school, such as peanut products, vape products/drug paraphernalia, weapons/replica weapons (including knives).
Reporting Behaviour
Standing up for one another and reporting when something does not feel safe is part of a caring and safe school environment. Students should report incidents involving other students that make them or others feel unsafe or uncomfortable, including acts of racism, discrimination and bullying. Students can report incidents by:
- Telling a caring adult;
- Using the YRDSB’s “Report It Button” (Located on our school’s website, the online Report It button allows students and families to share information about inappropriate student behaviour and incidents of hate or discrimination. Contacting Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868).
For More Information
For more details on these items or other Caring and Safe Schools topics, please read the Guide to the School Year or visit the Caring and Safe Schools section on the YRDSB website for more information and to access family resources to continue these conversations at home.
Thank you for helping us create a caring, safe, and inclusive school community.