Hello Families of Kingstowne Chesterbrook Academy ,
We are delighted to share all we learned during the month of September. We enjoyed meeting new friends and teachers, and getting back to school! Many of the children started in new classrooms in September and are now situated and things are going great. We had a blast learning all about our families, our future careers, and enjoying time together with new friends. Here is what is coming up!
For the month of October we are looking forward to the following weekly themes:
September 29-October 3 – When I Grow Up
October 6-10 – Fire Safety Week
October 13-17 – Community Helpers & Scholastic Book Fair Week
October 20-24 * Character Counts
October 27-21 * Make Believe
October Calendar
October 3 – Making dream catchers
October 9 – Fire truck visit, 10am
October 13-17 – Scholastic Book Fair Week! Books will be displayed and available for purchase, all week.
October 16 – Police Officer visit, 10am
October 24 – Dress as your favorite character day
October 28 – Trunk-or-Treat 6-8PM, ALL ARE INVITED!
Join us for costume wearing, dinner, trunk-or-treating, pumpkin patch, and more! Parents, please sign up if you are interested in participating in the trunk-or-treat portion of the event. Decorate your car trunk to be “spooky” and enjoy as the children treat from your trunk! We would appreciate any nut-free treats you would like to bring in (ex. stickers, nut-free candy). Please send in your child’s costume to wear after nap time!
Reminders
We are pleased to welcome the following new staff to our Chesterbrook Academy team:
* Ms. Kim – Toddler B Teacher * Ms. Norina – Infant Teacher
* Ms. JaTia – Toddler Teacher * Ms. Samia – Beginners Teacher
* Ms. Ghulam – Toddler Teacher
– – – Please stop by and introduce yourself, you may learn something new and exciting! – – –
* Nap Time Reminders: Please remember to bring in a bottom sheet and top cover, labeled with your child’s first and last name, for nap time. Please bring these items in on Monday, and take them home on Friday, to be washed for the following week.
* Facility: Please note we are a nut-free facility. We appreciate parents as they send in special snacks for all to enjoy. Please be sure they are nut-free, as well as do not contain traces of nuts.
* If you have any questions or concerns, please speak with administration up front. We look forward to a fun month of October festivities!
Thank you!
* Ms. Amanda, Principal and Ms. Alyssa, Assistant Principal *
— From The Education Department —
Winning Bedtime Battles
We’ve all been there. You’ve had a long day, and as bedtime is approaching, your attempts at an easy transition to sleep for your child are met with sharp resistance, outbursts and tears. Rest assured you are not alone. Bedtime battles are a common occurrence for parents of preschoolers.
For children, bedtime is a time of separation from the parent and having to transition away from their beloved toys and books. For some children, nighttime elicits feelings of fear of the dark or of being alone. The best way to counteract your child’s resistance to bedtime is to be proactive. It’s very helpful to discuss with children how important sleep is for their health and growth. At school, we focus on the importance of sleep in the Wellness component of Links to Learning. Explaining at home that sleep is one of the most important ingredients to growing big and strong will help motivate your child.
Here are some additional tips to make bedtime easier:
Establish a bedtime routine. Decide on a firm bedtime schedule (i.e. water/snack time, bath time, story time, bedtime) and discuss it with all caregivers. Follow the same sequence of events at the same time every night. Consistency is the key to success.
Limit pre-bedtime activity and excitement. Keep noise low, and limit computer and television time for at least an hour before bedtime. This approach allows your child to wind down more easily. Story time is one of the best ways to share a special quiet moment with your child and build warm associations with the pleasure of books and reading.
Provide reassurance. If your child is hesitant to fall asleep alone, try giving him a favorite stuffed animal or blanket. If that does not suffice, promise your child that you will return every few minutes to check on him. Return to your child’s room at the promised time, but gradually extend your absences. He will grow tired waiting for your return and independently fall asleep.
Don’t give in to power struggles. If your child refuses to stay in bed, lie him down, tell him goodnight, and leave the room. If you keep returning to the room, you are actually reinforcing your child to get up more often. Leaving the room shows you are not going to participate in the struggle.
Remain calm. Don’t show your child your frustration. Follow the routine and then leave the room. If tears ensue, wait a few minutes before returning to calm your child and lay him back down.
By teaching your child the importance of a bedtime routine and getting enough sleep, you will help establish a lifetime of healthy habits that will help him succeed in later years.
— Lauren Starnes, PhD- Director of Early Childhood Education
October News
Hello Families of Kingstowne Chesterbrook Academy ,
We are delighted to share all we learned during the month of September. We enjoyed meeting new friends and teachers, and getting back to school! Many of the children started in new classrooms in September and are now situated and things are going great. We had a blast learning all about our families, our future careers, and enjoying time together with new friends. Here is what is coming up!
For the month of October we are looking forward to the following weekly themes:
September 29-October 3 – When I Grow Up
October 6-10 – Fire Safety Week
October 13-17 – Community Helpers & Scholastic Book Fair Week
October 20-24 * Character Counts
October 27-21 * Make Believe
October Calendar
October 3 – Making dream catchers
October 9 – Fire truck visit, 10am
October 13-17 – Scholastic Book Fair Week! Books will be displayed and available for purchase, all week.
October 16 – Police Officer visit, 10am
October 24 – Dress as your favorite character day
October 28 – Trunk-or-Treat 6-8PM, ALL ARE INVITED!
Join us for costume wearing, dinner, trunk-or-treating, pumpkin patch, and more! Parents, please sign up if you are interested in participating in the trunk-or-treat portion of the event. Decorate your car trunk to be “spooky” and enjoy as the children treat from your trunk! We would appreciate any nut-free treats you would like to bring in (ex. stickers, nut-free candy). Please send in your child’s costume to wear after nap time!
Reminders
We are pleased to welcome the following new staff to our Chesterbrook Academy team:
* Ms. Kim – Toddler B Teacher * Ms. Norina – Infant Teacher
* Ms. JaTia – Toddler Teacher * Ms. Samia – Beginners Teacher
* Ms. Ghulam – Toddler Teacher
– – – Please stop by and introduce yourself, you may learn something new and exciting! – – –
* Nap Time Reminders: Please remember to bring in a bottom sheet and top cover, labeled with your child’s first and last name, for nap time. Please bring these items in on Monday, and take them home on Friday, to be washed for the following week.
* Facility: Please note we are a nut-free facility. We appreciate parents as they send in special snacks for all to enjoy. Please be sure they are nut-free, as well as do not contain traces of nuts.
* If you have any questions or concerns, please speak with administration up front. We look forward to a fun month of October festivities!
Thank you!
* Ms. Amanda, Principal and Ms. Alyssa, Assistant Principal *
— From The Education Department —
Winning Bedtime Battles
We’ve all been there. You’ve had a long day, and as bedtime is approaching, your attempts at an easy transition to sleep for your child are met with sharp resistance, outbursts and tears. Rest assured you are not alone. Bedtime battles are a common occurrence for parents of preschoolers.
For children, bedtime is a time of separation from the parent and having to transition away from their beloved toys and books. For some children, nighttime elicits feelings of fear of the dark or of being alone. The best way to counteract your child’s resistance to bedtime is to be proactive. It’s very helpful to discuss with children how important sleep is for their health and growth. At school, we focus on the importance of sleep in the Wellness component of Links to Learning. Explaining at home that sleep is one of the most important ingredients to growing big and strong will help motivate your child.
Here are some additional tips to make bedtime easier:
Establish a bedtime routine. Decide on a firm bedtime schedule (i.e. water/snack time, bath time, story time, bedtime) and discuss it with all caregivers. Follow the same sequence of events at the same time every night. Consistency is the key to success.
Limit pre-bedtime activity and excitement. Keep noise low, and limit computer and television time for at least an hour before bedtime. This approach allows your child to wind down more easily. Story time is one of the best ways to share a special quiet moment with your child and build warm associations with the pleasure of books and reading.
Provide reassurance. If your child is hesitant to fall asleep alone, try giving him a favorite stuffed animal or blanket. If that does not suffice, promise your child that you will return every few minutes to check on him. Return to your child’s room at the promised time, but gradually extend your absences. He will grow tired waiting for your return and independently fall asleep.
Don’t give in to power struggles. If your child refuses to stay in bed, lie him down, tell him goodnight, and leave the room. If you keep returning to the room, you are actually reinforcing your child to get up more often. Leaving the room shows you are not going to participate in the struggle.
Remain calm. Don’t show your child your frustration. Follow the routine and then leave the room. If tears ensue, wait a few minutes before returning to calm your child and lay him back down.
By teaching your child the importance of a bedtime routine and getting enough sleep, you will help establish a lifetime of healthy habits that will help him succeed in later years.
— Lauren Starnes, PhD- Director of Early Childhood Education