From the Office of the Principal:
It’s hard to believe it’s already April because 2015 is flying by! We hope everyone has enjoyed the spring weather when it has been around. March has come and gone, but let’s take a look back at the exciting things that happened during the month. Sunday, March 8 marked the beginning of Daylight Savings Time, and we’ve all been enjoying longer afternoons of sunny weather. Tuesday, March 17 marked St. Patrick’s Day, and the classes had a wonderful time during their parties! On Saturday, March 21, Chesterbrook Academy held our fifth Open House of the school year. Remember, when you tell other parents about our school, you can become a Chesterbrook Academy Ambassador. For every new child you refer who enrolls at our school for three months, you’ll receive an Ambassador Certificate for one FREE week of tuition for your child.
April will be a busy month as well! The week of April 6-10 will be our Spring Break Camp for our school-agers. We will have plenty of fun activities and field trips planned that week! During the week of April 13-17 we will be celebrating the Week of the Young Child. We will have plenty of fun activities throughout the week as well as the Scholastic Book Fair in the lobby during the week as well. On Monday, April 13, we will have PJ Day, Tuesday, April 14 will be “Bring Your Favorite Book to School” Day, Wednesday, April 15 will be Jersey Day, on Thursday, April 16, we will have an Ice Cream Party during afternoon snack, and on Friday, April 17, we will have St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital Trike-A-Thon! The students will be able to bring their own bikes on this day to ride during the Trike-A-Thon! On Monday, April 20, LifeTouch Preschool Portraits will come to do cap and gown pictures as well as individual portraits for this year’s PreK graduates. On Wednesday, April 22 and Thursday, April 23, LifeTouch will be back to take Spring Portraits and Classroom Portraits of all of our students. We will be sending out more information next week about our upcoming visit from Lifetouch. We are excited to announce that our Chesterbrook Academy location will be holding our 4th Annual Earth Day Ladybug Release on Wednesday, April 22 at 3:15 pm. All ages will participate, and families are invited to attend! Also on Earth Day, the preschoolers will participate in planting our preschool gardens on our playgrounds. Finally, on Thursday, April 30, Links to Learning folders will go home.
As always, we will always be here to help you in any way possible if you have any questions or concerns.
Kindest Regards,
William Gordon, Principal
william.gordon@nlcinc.com
Claire Autry, Assistant Principal
claire.autry@nlcinc.com
Upcoming Events and Special Days
April is Keep America Beautiful Month
- Wednesday, April 1: April Fool’s Day
- Monday, April 6 – Friday, April 10: Spring Break Camp for School-agers
- Tuesday, April 7: World Health Day
- Week of the Young Child: April 13-17
- Monday, April 13 – Friday, April 17: Scholastic Book Fair
- Monday, April 13: PJ Day!
- Tuesday, April 14: Bring Your Favorite Book to School Day!
- Wednesday, April 15: Jersey Day!
- Thursday, April 16: Ice Cream Party!
- Friday, April 17: St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital Trike-A-Thon
- Monday, April 20: Cap & Gown and Individual Portraits for PreK Graduates
- Tuesday, April 21: Patriot’s Day
- Wednesday, April 22: Ladybug Release and Planting Preschool Gardens Activity
- Wednesday, April 22 – Thursday, April 23: Spring Portraits and Classroom Portraits
- Thursday, April 30: Links to Learning Folders Go Home
- Tuesday, March 31: Links to Learning Folders Go Home
Every Tuesday morning: Tickled Ivories piano lessons for preschoolers
Every Wednesday morning: Soccer Shots
Every Thursday morning: Little People’s Creative Workshop
Every Thursday afternoon: Music for Little Ones
Every Friday: Tickled Ivories piano lessons for after-schoolers
For Parents
Parent Sign In/Out Policy Reminder
We wanted to take this time to remind you all about an important security feature here at Chesterbrook. Please remember to sign your child in and out on a regular basis on the class Sign In/Out sheets located at the front desk. If someone on your child’s authorized pick-up list is picking up, please remind him or her to do so as well. In the event of a true emergency, the Sign In/Out sheets will give Chesterbrook as well as the authorities an accurate count of who is actually in our building at any given time. Although we have never had any problem nor do we expect to in the future, this is an important security measure that keeps all of the children safe. Thank you for your continued compliance with our security policies.
Chesterbrook Academy is on Facebook!
We wanted to remind everyone that the Chesterbrook Academy group of schools is on Facebook. We invite you to “like” our page at www.facebook.com/ChesterbrookAcademy where we’ll be providing our fans with regular educational tips for children from preschool to 8th grade and the opportunity to network with fellow parents. We would love to have your participation and encourage you to continue to check our school website for more local updates specific to our own school. We’ve recently been able to post pictures of our PreK2 graduation and some of our summer camp activities! We look forward to having you as part of our Facebook community!
Automatic Draft Program
“CHECK” IT OUT… No checks necessary! Enroll in our Automatic Payment Program and never write another check for your monthly tuition or pay another late payment. Tuition can be automatically deducted from your checking account. You can find more information about the ACH program here in the office. Let us sign you up today!
Chesterbrook Academy Parent Referral Program
If there’s one thing parents love to do, it’s talk about their children’s successes. When friends ask you about your child’s experiences at Chesterbrook Academy, what type of success stories do you share? Do you mention the personal and educational discoveries your child is making thanks to our advanced curriculum? Do you talk about the new levels of self and social confidence your child has gained thanks to our encouraging atmosphere? Whatever glowing reports you deliver about how your child is growing with his or her education, we couldn’t be more appreciative. In fact, we’d like to show you just how thankful we are for your endorsements. Now when you tell other parents about our school, you can become a Chesterbrook Academy Ambassador.
For every new child you refer who enrolls at our school for three months, you’ll receive an Ambassador Certificate for one FREE week of tuition for your child.
It’s our way of saying thanks for doing what comes naturally – singing the praises of your child and sharing your experiences with the Chesterbrook Academy difference. At the front desk are referral certificates you can give to friends and colleagues who ask about our school. If you have any questions about how you can become a Chesterbrook Academy Ambassador, please contact an administrator.
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
April News
From the Office of the Principal:
It’s hard to believe it’s already April because 2015 is flying by! We hope everyone has enjoyed the spring weather when it has been around. March has come and gone, but let’s take a look back at the exciting things that happened during the month. Sunday, March 8 marked the beginning of Daylight Savings Time, and we’ve all been enjoying longer afternoons of sunny weather. Tuesday, March 17 marked St. Patrick’s Day, and the classes had a wonderful time during their parties! On Saturday, March 21, Chesterbrook Academy held our fifth Open House of the school year. Remember, when you tell other parents about our school, you can become a Chesterbrook Academy Ambassador. For every new child you refer who enrolls at our school for three months, you’ll receive an Ambassador Certificate for one FREE week of tuition for your child.
April will be a busy month as well! The week of April 6-10 will be our Spring Break Camp for our school-agers. We will have plenty of fun activities and field trips planned that week! During the week of April 13-17 we will be celebrating the Week of the Young Child. We will have plenty of fun activities throughout the week as well as the Scholastic Book Fair in the lobby during the week as well. On Monday, April 13, we will have PJ Day, Tuesday, April 14 will be “Bring Your Favorite Book to School” Day, Wednesday, April 15 will be Jersey Day, on Thursday, April 16, we will have an Ice Cream Party during afternoon snack, and on Friday, April 17, we will have St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital Trike-A-Thon! The students will be able to bring their own bikes on this day to ride during the Trike-A-Thon! On Monday, April 20, LifeTouch Preschool Portraits will come to do cap and gown pictures as well as individual portraits for this year’s PreK graduates. On Wednesday, April 22 and Thursday, April 23, LifeTouch will be back to take Spring Portraits and Classroom Portraits of all of our students. We will be sending out more information next week about our upcoming visit from Lifetouch. We are excited to announce that our Chesterbrook Academy location will be holding our 4th Annual Earth Day Ladybug Release on Wednesday, April 22 at 3:15 pm. All ages will participate, and families are invited to attend! Also on Earth Day, the preschoolers will participate in planting our preschool gardens on our playgrounds. Finally, on Thursday, April 30, Links to Learning folders will go home.
As always, we will always be here to help you in any way possible if you have any questions or concerns.
Kindest Regards,
William Gordon, Principal
william.gordon@nlcinc.com
Claire Autry, Assistant Principal
claire.autry@nlcinc.com
Upcoming Events and Special Days
April is Keep America Beautiful Month
Every Tuesday morning: Tickled Ivories piano lessons for preschoolers
Every Wednesday morning: Soccer Shots
Every Thursday morning: Little People’s Creative Workshop
Every Thursday afternoon: Music for Little Ones
Every Friday: Tickled Ivories piano lessons for after-schoolers
For Parents
Parent Sign In/Out Policy Reminder
We wanted to take this time to remind you all about an important security feature here at Chesterbrook. Please remember to sign your child in and out on a regular basis on the class Sign In/Out sheets located at the front desk. If someone on your child’s authorized pick-up list is picking up, please remind him or her to do so as well. In the event of a true emergency, the Sign In/Out sheets will give Chesterbrook as well as the authorities an accurate count of who is actually in our building at any given time. Although we have never had any problem nor do we expect to in the future, this is an important security measure that keeps all of the children safe. Thank you for your continued compliance with our security policies.
Chesterbrook Academy is on Facebook!
We wanted to remind everyone that the Chesterbrook Academy group of schools is on Facebook. We invite you to “like” our page at www.facebook.com/ChesterbrookAcademy where we’ll be providing our fans with regular educational tips for children from preschool to 8th grade and the opportunity to network with fellow parents. We would love to have your participation and encourage you to continue to check our school website for more local updates specific to our own school. We’ve recently been able to post pictures of our PreK2 graduation and some of our summer camp activities! We look forward to having you as part of our Facebook community!
Automatic Draft Program
“CHECK” IT OUT… No checks necessary! Enroll in our Automatic Payment Program and never write another check for your monthly tuition or pay another late payment. Tuition can be automatically deducted from your checking account. You can find more information about the ACH program here in the office. Let us sign you up today!
Chesterbrook Academy Parent Referral Program
If there’s one thing parents love to do, it’s talk about their children’s successes. When friends ask you about your child’s experiences at Chesterbrook Academy, what type of success stories do you share? Do you mention the personal and educational discoveries your child is making thanks to our advanced curriculum? Do you talk about the new levels of self and social confidence your child has gained thanks to our encouraging atmosphere? Whatever glowing reports you deliver about how your child is growing with his or her education, we couldn’t be more appreciative. In fact, we’d like to show you just how thankful we are for your endorsements. Now when you tell other parents about our school, you can become a Chesterbrook Academy Ambassador.
For every new child you refer who enrolls at our school for three months, you’ll receive an Ambassador Certificate for one FREE week of tuition for your child.
It’s our way of saying thanks for doing what comes naturally – singing the praises of your child and sharing your experiences with the Chesterbrook Academy difference. At the front desk are referral certificates you can give to friends and colleagues who ask about our school. If you have any questions about how you can become a Chesterbrook Academy Ambassador, please contact an administrator.
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:
BEGINNERS (Ages 2-3):
INTERMEDIATES (Ages 3-4):
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (Ages 4-5):
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