From the Principals Office:

Dear Parents,

The children have been overjoyed to finally have some nicer weather and get outside! Although winter seems to be struggling to hang on I am sure that the beautiful warm weather will be here very shortly. The children have been so busy learning and working together. It is great to see how far they have come and how much they have grown since the beginning of the school year.

We will be having our Annual celebration of Earth Day again this year. It will be on April 22nd and we invite you to come join us for our Lady Bug Day! We will be doing many special lady bug activities, the favorite of which will be the releasing of the Ladybugs into the garden. We had many parents join us last year and we want to be sure to see you all again for this special day. Please RSVP to your child’s teacher. The ladybugs will be released at 10:00a.m.
If there are any questions please feel free to stop by my office. My door is ALWAYS open!

Karen

Calendar –  April

• 1st – Kindergarten and PK2 Egg Hunt
• 3rd – Egg Hunt – Toddlers through PK
• 2nd and 3rd – Non Academic Days for Kindergarten
• 8th – Picture Day – Class pictures will be taken
• 10th – Scholastic Book orders due
• 16th – Kindergarten Report Cards distributed
• 17th – Kindergarten Parent Conferences
• 20th to 24th – Kindergarten SAT10 testing
• 22nd – Lady Bug Day
• 28th – Bookmobile
• 29th – Links to Learning monthly folders distributed

Fall Registration – The early bird incentive for Fall 2015 registration is now over. If you have not registered yet please be sure to do so as soon as possible to save your child’s spot for the fall.

Camp – Camp calendars are now available. Please be sure to drop off your camp registration paperwork as soon as possible. Also, current families that already have a deposit do not need to have an additional deposit for camp. The camp deposit referenced on the form is for new campers only. Changes can be made to your camp schedule until June 1st. If there any additional camp questions please see Miss Karen or Miss Meagan.

Kindergarten

• April 2nd and 3rd are non academic days
• Report Cards will be distributed on April 16th
• Parent conferences will be held on April 17th, Please use the sign -up Genius link provided by Mrs. Paulhamus to sign up for a conference.
• SAT 10 testing will be the week of April 20 -24th. Please make every effort to be in school that week.

Egg Hunt– The Egg hunt will be held on 2 different days this year.

• Kindergarten and PK2 will have their egg hunt on Wednesday, April 1st.
• All other classes will have their egg hunt on Friday, April 3rd.

If You’re Happy and You Know it – Tell Your Friends! When you refer a family to Chesterbrook Academy and they enroll, we will give you a free week of tuition!

Tuition and ACH
Tuition is due on Friday for the upcoming week. Trouble remembering the check each week? Try ACH and have your tuition paid by automatic payment and never be late again!

From the Education Department

Appreciating the Wonders of Mother Nature

Spring is here and Earth Day is right around the corner, providing a wonderful opportunity to connect children with nature and reinforce the importance of preserving and protecting the world around us.

Our Links to Learning curriculum uses hands-on activities to cultivate a deeper connection to the earth and foster academic, physical and social skill development.

Below are activities we implement in our classrooms to get children excited about nature, as well as activities and books to read with your child at home.

INFANTS/TODDLERS:

• In the classroom: Our teachers provide natural objects, such as leaves, pinecones and flowers for the children to see and touch. We help children associate words with the concrete objects they represent.
• At-home activity: Allow your child to experience different textured fruits, such as an orange, watermelon and cantaloupe. Talk about what he sees, smells, tastes and feels.
• Recommended reading: Colors from Nature from PlayBac Publishing and The Earth Book by Todd Parr

BEGINNERS (Ages 2-3):

• In the classroom: Around age two, children begin to understand interdependencies in nature. For instance, they learn that ladybugs feed on insects that are harmful to gardens, trees and shrubs. On Earth Day, many of our students have the opportunity to release ladybugs to help local gardens.
• At-home activity: Take a walk outdoors with your child and play a game of “I Spy.” Ask him point out objects found in the springtime, for example a red flower, a blue bird or a colorful butterfly.
• Recommended reading: Biscuit’s Earth Day Celebration by Alyssa Satin Capucilli & David T. Wenzel and The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

INTERMEDIATES (Ages 3-4):

• In the classroom: As our Intermediates gain a greater understanding and appreciation for how living things grow, the class may adopt a pet such as a fish or bunny. Students develop math, science and language skills by measuring the pet’s food, observing the pet’s behavior and habitat, and learning new vocabulary. Research shows that when children have the opportunity to care for animals, they practice nurturing behaviors that help them interact in gentle ways with people also.
• At-home activity: Create a small garden and allow your child to help you plant and water seeds, either outdoors or indoors. Ask him to predict what the plant will look like by drawing pictures in his journal. Check the plant regularly so he can observe and measure changes in growth. Discuss the importance of watering and caring for the plant.
• Recommended reading: Our Earth by Anne Rockwell and the poem “Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out!” by Shel Silverstein

PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (Ages 4-5):

• In the classroom: Teachers encourage our older preschoolers to reuse recyclable materials in fun and unconventional ways. For instance, our students use cardboard boxes to create a castle, milk jug lids to sort and match, and plastic bottles to create beautiful, unique artwork.
• At-home activity: Set up a recycling station using cardboard boxes, and label each box with the words “metal”, “plastic” and “paper”. Throughout the month, ask your child to help sort your family’s recyclables by placing the items into the correct box. Explain that recycling is just one way that we can be kind to the earth. Ask him to name a few other ways, such as conserving electricity, picking up litter and planting a garden.
• Recommended reading: A Tree is Nice by Janice May Udry and The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

We create a path for lifelong learning by providing numerous opportunities for children to study and explore nature. These hands-on experiences lead to growth in all areas of development as students transition into elementary school and beyond.

– Lauren Starnes, PhD- Director of Early Childhood Education