Weekly themes for May
- Week 1- “Bees, Bugs, and Butterflies”
- Week 2- “Farm Life”
- Week 3- “Animals of the Jungle”
- Week 4- “Deep Blue Sea”
Important Dates
- May 2nd-May 6th-Teacher Appreciation Week
- May 9th- Mother’s Day Tea (4 pm-5 pm)
- May 11th-Plant Our Garden Day
- May 13th-Spirit Day: Wear your favorite jersey!
- May 18th-Show: TBD
- May 20th-Parents’ Night Out: Popsicle Making (6:30 pm-9:30 pm)
- May 24th-Breakfast to Go for Parents (6:30 am-10 am)
- May 30th-LCPS Closed
- May 30th- Closed in Observance of Memorial Day
Parent Communication Center
The parent communication center is located in our front lobby. The communication center contains the following:
- Vacation Credit Request Forms – Please remember that vacation credits run July 1st to July 1st not on calendar year
- Receipt & Statement book
- Alternative Pick Up Binder
- Extra Lunch & Snack Menus
- Daily postings of important events and due dates
- Food Policy
As a reminder, it is a school policy that food from home is not allowed in the building for our Beginners and up. It is to hard to monitor all the different types of food that can be brought in and we do have some severe allergies in our building. All children Beginners and up must eat breakfast at home before coming to school, please refrain from sending muffins, Dunkin Donuts, cereal, sandwiches, etc. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to come and speak with someone at the front desk.
Tuition Policy
Please remember that tuition is due every Friday for the upcoming week and that it is late at noon on Monday. All tuition turned in after noon on Monday will receive a $25.00 late payment fee. If you have any questions, please feel free to stop by the front desk.
Late Pick Up Policy
Please remember that our hours of operation are 6:30am to 6:30pm. As a reminder our late pick up fee is $1 per minute starting at 6:31pm. Please be sure to pick up on time and if you do plan to be late, we ask that you please call to give us a heads up.
Toy Policy
Toys from home are not permitted at school. Please refrain from allowing your child to bring in toys from home, unless it is their scheduled show and share day or a stuffed animal for nap time. Toys from home can get lost, be broken, stolen, etc… and can cause fighting among the children.
From Chesterbrook Elementary
Our elementary school is a unique private school community. We provide a superior education today and a foundation for continued academic success tomorrow. We partner closely with parents to create the best understanding of each child’s strengths and opportunities. We offer personalized attention to students, without the high tuition rates you would expect for a private school of this caliber. Please contact me directly with any questions at lydia.soto@nlcinc.com or 703-404-0202
From the Education Department
Building Your Child’s Sense of Family Belonging
Relationships with family members play an important role as children begin to develop a sense of self. When they feel a sense of identity and belonging within their own families, children are better able to grow emotionally, make friends, and appreciate and accept the diversity of others.
With Mother’s Day right around the corner, it’s a great time to share activities that celebrate the importance of family.
Below are age appropriate activities that we implement in the classroom, as well as activities you can do with your child at home.
INFANTS/TODDLERS:
In the classroom: Teachers use baby sign language to help children identify and eventually verbalize names for their family members. When parents enter the classroom, teachers say, “Look! Here’s Sophia’s mommy,” while also signing “mommy.” They work with parents to learn specific names used at home, and then use those names in the classroom.
At home: Use baby sign language as you come across names of family members in books and songs. To sign “mommy,” tap your thumb on your chin repeatedly. To sign “daddy,” tap your thumb on your forehead repeatedly. Remember to say the word aloud as you sign.
Recommended reading: Spot Loves His Mommy by Eric Hill, Are You my Mother? by PD Eastman
BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):
In the classroom: By age two, children begin to learn the names of extended family members, such as grandmother, uncle and cousin. They practice using these words as they talk about their families. After sorting stuffed animals by type, teachers might say, “This is the horse’s family. He has a big family. Who’s in your family?”
At home: Give your child play dough and encourage him to create the members of his family. Afterward, ask him to count and name them. This activity helps him conceptualize that multiple people make up his entire family and gives you insight into what family means to your child at his particular point in development.
Recommended reading: On Mother’s Lap by Ann Herbert Scott, Oonga Boonga by Frieda Wishinsky
INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):
In the classroom: As children read stories about diverse families, teachers encourage them to share unique details about their own families. For example, teachers might ask, “Who has a sister?” or “Who has a pet?” Afterward, students create charts with the information.
At home: Have each member of your family make a thumbprint using finger paint on a piece of paper side by side. Then, ask your child to compare the various sizes, and guess which thumbprint belongs to each person. As they talk about their family members, they begin to appreciate what makes their family unique.
Recommended reading: Clifford’s Family by Norman Bridwell, What Mommies Do Best and What Daddies Do Best by Laura Numeroff
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (ages 4-5):
In the classroom: Our older preschoolers begin to understand that their parents have more than one role. Family members are invited to visit and talk to the class about their roles inside and outside of the home. Students are encouraged to write and draw their family members in the different roles they serve. For example, “Mommy is a doctor.”
At home: Go on an uninterrupted family outing with your child. Try to avoid checking work emails or answering unimportant phone calls. Afterward, ask your child to write about his favorite parts of the day in his journal.
Recommended reading: Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother Too? by Eric Carle, The Napping House by Audrey Wood
All of our schools will be celebrating families in really fun ways this Mother’s Day season, and we hope that you do too!
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education
May 2016
Important Dates
Parent Communication Center
The parent communication center is located in our front lobby. The communication center contains the following:
As a reminder, it is a school policy that food from home is not allowed in the building for our Beginners and up. It is to hard to monitor all the different types of food that can be brought in and we do have some severe allergies in our building. All children Beginners and up must eat breakfast at home before coming to school, please refrain from sending muffins, Dunkin Donuts, cereal, sandwiches, etc. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to come and speak with someone at the front desk.
Tuition Policy
Please remember that tuition is due every Friday for the upcoming week and that it is late at noon on Monday. All tuition turned in after noon on Monday will receive a $25.00 late payment fee. If you have any questions, please feel free to stop by the front desk.
Late Pick Up Policy
Please remember that our hours of operation are 6:30am to 6:30pm. As a reminder our late pick up fee is $1 per minute starting at 6:31pm. Please be sure to pick up on time and if you do plan to be late, we ask that you please call to give us a heads up.
Toy Policy
Toys from home are not permitted at school. Please refrain from allowing your child to bring in toys from home, unless it is their scheduled show and share day or a stuffed animal for nap time. Toys from home can get lost, be broken, stolen, etc… and can cause fighting among the children.
From Chesterbrook Elementary
Our elementary school is a unique private school community. We provide a superior education today and a foundation for continued academic success tomorrow. We partner closely with parents to create the best understanding of each child’s strengths and opportunities. We offer personalized attention to students, without the high tuition rates you would expect for a private school of this caliber. Please contact me directly with any questions at lydia.soto@nlcinc.com or 703-404-0202
From the Education Department
Building Your Child’s Sense of Family Belonging
Relationships with family members play an important role as children begin to develop a sense of self. When they feel a sense of identity and belonging within their own families, children are better able to grow emotionally, make friends, and appreciate and accept the diversity of others.
With Mother’s Day right around the corner, it’s a great time to share activities that celebrate the importance of family.
Below are age appropriate activities that we implement in the classroom, as well as activities you can do with your child at home.
INFANTS/TODDLERS:
In the classroom: Teachers use baby sign language to help children identify and eventually verbalize names for their family members. When parents enter the classroom, teachers say, “Look! Here’s Sophia’s mommy,” while also signing “mommy.” They work with parents to learn specific names used at home, and then use those names in the classroom.
At home: Use baby sign language as you come across names of family members in books and songs. To sign “mommy,” tap your thumb on your chin repeatedly. To sign “daddy,” tap your thumb on your forehead repeatedly. Remember to say the word aloud as you sign.
Recommended reading: Spot Loves His Mommy by Eric Hill, Are You my Mother? by PD Eastman
BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):
In the classroom: By age two, children begin to learn the names of extended family members, such as grandmother, uncle and cousin. They practice using these words as they talk about their families. After sorting stuffed animals by type, teachers might say, “This is the horse’s family. He has a big family. Who’s in your family?”
At home: Give your child play dough and encourage him to create the members of his family. Afterward, ask him to count and name them. This activity helps him conceptualize that multiple people make up his entire family and gives you insight into what family means to your child at his particular point in development.
Recommended reading: On Mother’s Lap by Ann Herbert Scott, Oonga Boonga by Frieda Wishinsky
INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):
In the classroom: As children read stories about diverse families, teachers encourage them to share unique details about their own families. For example, teachers might ask, “Who has a sister?” or “Who has a pet?” Afterward, students create charts with the information.
At home: Have each member of your family make a thumbprint using finger paint on a piece of paper side by side. Then, ask your child to compare the various sizes, and guess which thumbprint belongs to each person. As they talk about their family members, they begin to appreciate what makes their family unique.
Recommended reading: Clifford’s Family by Norman Bridwell, What Mommies Do Best and What Daddies Do Best by Laura Numeroff
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (ages 4-5):
In the classroom: Our older preschoolers begin to understand that their parents have more than one role. Family members are invited to visit and talk to the class about their roles inside and outside of the home. Students are encouraged to write and draw their family members in the different roles they serve. For example, “Mommy is a doctor.”
At home: Go on an uninterrupted family outing with your child. Try to avoid checking work emails or answering unimportant phone calls. Afterward, ask your child to write about his favorite parts of the day in his journal.
Recommended reading: Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother Too? by Eric Carle, The Napping House by Audrey Wood
All of our schools will be celebrating families in really fun ways this Mother’s Day season, and we hope that you do too!
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education