Dear Parents,
Welcome to the 2015/2016 school year! We made it through the couple of weeks and the children are adjusting well to their new school environment. Goodbye’s are getting a little easier for all! What a joy to see our returning students who have moved to the next level as well as the many new families who have joined our academy this year. Thank you Chesterbrook Academy families for your continued support and trust. We are committed to providing your children with the best educational opportunities possible and look forward to all the new school year has in store for us.
Our teachers have a busy fall planned, so please remember to review parent boards, lobby displays as well as our school website so that you are connected with all that is happening at school.
The first school wide event this year is our “Johnny Appleseed Day” on Friday, September 25th. During that week students will learn about John Chapman. a historical American figure who went across America planting apple seeds and helping pioneers settle their land. Johnny was known for wearing a pot on his head. he used the pot to make mush from apples and kept it on his head when he was traveling. The teachers have planned fun and creative ways to integrate math, language, wellness, creative expression and science skills into their lesson plans by using apples. Please send your child to school with an aluminum pot to wear for our Johnny Appleseed parade day.
Our annual Trunk or Treat event will be on Friday, October 30th. This is a wonderful opportunity to take your little ones trick or treating in a safe and fun environment while being able to socialize with other Chesterbrook Academy families and friends. A lobby display will go up soon with specific details about this year’s fun-filled Trunk or Treat family event.
Beginning September 1st, our Links to Learning curriculum will be in full swing. You will begin to see evidence of what your child is learning at school on hallway and classroom education boards as well as a daily overview of “What We Learned Today” posted on each classroom door. Although a variety of activities take place daily in all age groups and displayed and sent home at the end of every month, not all learning ends with a tangible product, sometimes it’s a learning experience…For this reason, teachers are committed to communicating with you daily, weekly, monthly about the process of learning that is going on in their classroom. We also like to take pictures, so you can see the steps your child took to learn a particular skill. Ok, enough of me telling you about how we show evidence of learning, I will let the teachers take over from here.
Please remember, my doors are always open if you should have any questions or concerns.
Thank you for sharing the apple of your eye with us!
Nicole Pezzullo
Acting Principal
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JOHNNY APPLESEED DAY
School Wide Celebration & Parade
Friday, September 25th at 10:30am
Join the fun! Details to follow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
September 2015
Developing Balance Skills in Young Children
From Tummy Time to Bike Riding
Balance is a fundamental skill necessary for maintaining controlled positions, such as sitting in a chair, or engaging in physical activities like running or riding a bike. Having balance makes motor skill development easier, reduces the risk of injury, and helps children focus on academic tasks.
Our Nobel Learning Education team stays up to date with the latest research to ensure that our Links to Learning curriculum exceeds childhood learning standards. The Links to Learning curriculum was enhanced last fall to include a greater focus on balance, a building block for skills such as hand-eye coordination, muscular strength and body awareness.
Here are some ways we help improve balance in the classroom, as well as ideas for you and your child to do at home.
INFANTS:
In the classroom: Tummy time promotes neck, back and abdominal strength needed for infants to eventually push up, roll over, sit up and crawl. Teachers keep infants engaged by using activity mats or plush blocks.
At home: Place your baby on his stomach and shine a flashlight near him. Once you have captured his attention, shine the light in a rhythmic pattern. For older infants, encourage your baby to move or crawl toward the light.
TODDLERS (ages 1-2):
In the classroom: During the toddler years, children make major strides in balance and coordination. Teachers play music and encourage students to move their bodies in different ways while maintaining their balance.
At home: Push and pull toys require children to use core balance and arm strength, which can be difficult for new walkers. Place a small wagon or toy shopping cart and a pile of blocks on the floor. Show your child how to fill the cart with blocks. He will enjoy pulling or pushing the blocks around the room.
BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):
In the classroom: Sitting cross-legged, or as we say with the children “criss-cross applesauce,” is an important developmental skill for two year olds. Teachers encourage children to sit criss-crossed anytime they are playing on the floor. Sitting in this position strengthens a child’s core muscles and helps improve body control. We discourage “W-sitting,” with knees together and feet on either side of the hips, because it puts strain on knees and hips and fails to engage core abdominal muscles.
At home: Provide your child with a sit-and-spin toy. Ask him to sit on the toy with his legs crisscrossed. As he turns the wheel to spin, he will gain a better understanding of cause and effect.
INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):
In the classroom: Around age three, children learn to maintain control of their upper body while moving their lower body. Our Intermediate students practice pedaling a tricycle, bouncing on hopper balls, and walking on a balance beam.
At home: Have your child practice running and stopping with control by playing the traffic light game. Shout out the color green, yellow or red. Have him move quickly when hearing “green,” move slowly when hearing “yellow,” and completely stop when hearing “red.”
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (ages 4-5):
In the classroom: Teachers encourage children to practice balance and coordination by jumping on their non-dominant foot, walking on a line or beam, or jumping rope. Children also practice balance by crouching down to tie their shoes.
At home: Ask your child to tell you about the games and activities played at school. Include these activities at home and during family events such as birthday parties and vacations. Scooters and pogo jumpers are great toys for children at this age.
Good balance helps children maintain appropriate and controlled body movement during important tasks. By building balance skills in the preschool years, your child will be better prepared as he enters elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education
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September News
Dear Parents,
Welcome to the 2015/2016 school year! We made it through the couple of weeks and the children are adjusting well to their new school environment. Goodbye’s are getting a little easier for all! What a joy to see our returning students who have moved to the next level as well as the many new families who have joined our academy this year. Thank you Chesterbrook Academy families for your continued support and trust. We are committed to providing your children with the best educational opportunities possible and look forward to all the new school year has in store for us.
Our teachers have a busy fall planned, so please remember to review parent boards, lobby displays as well as our school website so that you are connected with all that is happening at school.
The first school wide event this year is our “Johnny Appleseed Day” on Friday, September 25th. During that week students will learn about John Chapman. a historical American figure who went across America planting apple seeds and helping pioneers settle their land. Johnny was known for wearing a pot on his head. he used the pot to make mush from apples and kept it on his head when he was traveling. The teachers have planned fun and creative ways to integrate math, language, wellness, creative expression and science skills into their lesson plans by using apples. Please send your child to school with an aluminum pot to wear for our Johnny Appleseed parade day.
Our annual Trunk or Treat event will be on Friday, October 30th. This is a wonderful opportunity to take your little ones trick or treating in a safe and fun environment while being able to socialize with other Chesterbrook Academy families and friends. A lobby display will go up soon with specific details about this year’s fun-filled Trunk or Treat family event.
Beginning September 1st, our Links to Learning curriculum will be in full swing. You will begin to see evidence of what your child is learning at school on hallway and classroom education boards as well as a daily overview of “What We Learned Today” posted on each classroom door. Although a variety of activities take place daily in all age groups and displayed and sent home at the end of every month, not all learning ends with a tangible product, sometimes it’s a learning experience…For this reason, teachers are committed to communicating with you daily, weekly, monthly about the process of learning that is going on in their classroom. We also like to take pictures, so you can see the steps your child took to learn a particular skill. Ok, enough of me telling you about how we show evidence of learning, I will let the teachers take over from here.
Please remember, my doors are always open if you should have any questions or concerns.
Thank you for sharing the apple of your eye with us!
Nicole Pezzullo
Acting Principal
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JOHNNY APPLESEED DAY
School Wide Celebration & Parade
Friday, September 25th at 10:30am
Join the fun! Details to follow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
September 2015
Developing Balance Skills in Young Children
From Tummy Time to Bike Riding
Balance is a fundamental skill necessary for maintaining controlled positions, such as sitting in a chair, or engaging in physical activities like running or riding a bike. Having balance makes motor skill development easier, reduces the risk of injury, and helps children focus on academic tasks.
Our Nobel Learning Education team stays up to date with the latest research to ensure that our Links to Learning curriculum exceeds childhood learning standards. The Links to Learning curriculum was enhanced last fall to include a greater focus on balance, a building block for skills such as hand-eye coordination, muscular strength and body awareness.
Here are some ways we help improve balance in the classroom, as well as ideas for you and your child to do at home.
INFANTS:
In the classroom: Tummy time promotes neck, back and abdominal strength needed for infants to eventually push up, roll over, sit up and crawl. Teachers keep infants engaged by using activity mats or plush blocks.
At home: Place your baby on his stomach and shine a flashlight near him. Once you have captured his attention, shine the light in a rhythmic pattern. For older infants, encourage your baby to move or crawl toward the light.
TODDLERS (ages 1-2):
In the classroom: During the toddler years, children make major strides in balance and coordination. Teachers play music and encourage students to move their bodies in different ways while maintaining their balance.
At home: Push and pull toys require children to use core balance and arm strength, which can be difficult for new walkers. Place a small wagon or toy shopping cart and a pile of blocks on the floor. Show your child how to fill the cart with blocks. He will enjoy pulling or pushing the blocks around the room.
BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):
In the classroom: Sitting cross-legged, or as we say with the children “criss-cross applesauce,” is an important developmental skill for two year olds. Teachers encourage children to sit criss-crossed anytime they are playing on the floor. Sitting in this position strengthens a child’s core muscles and helps improve body control. We discourage “W-sitting,” with knees together and feet on either side of the hips, because it puts strain on knees and hips and fails to engage core abdominal muscles.
At home: Provide your child with a sit-and-spin toy. Ask him to sit on the toy with his legs crisscrossed. As he turns the wheel to spin, he will gain a better understanding of cause and effect.
INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):
In the classroom: Around age three, children learn to maintain control of their upper body while moving their lower body. Our Intermediate students practice pedaling a tricycle, bouncing on hopper balls, and walking on a balance beam.
At home: Have your child practice running and stopping with control by playing the traffic light game. Shout out the color green, yellow or red. Have him move quickly when hearing “green,” move slowly when hearing “yellow,” and completely stop when hearing “red.”
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (ages 4-5):
In the classroom: Teachers encourage children to practice balance and coordination by jumping on their non-dominant foot, walking on a line or beam, or jumping rope. Children also practice balance by crouching down to tie their shoes.
At home: Ask your child to tell you about the games and activities played at school. Include these activities at home and during family events such as birthday parties and vacations. Scooters and pogo jumpers are great toys for children at this age.
Good balance helps children maintain appropriate and controlled body movement during important tasks. By building balance skills in the preschool years, your child will be better prepared as he enters elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education