From the Principal’s Office
Dear Families,
2017 has been a busy year already. Thankfully we have avoided any inclement winter weather so far and we hope to continue with that same trend. Remember, if the winter weather does hit us and we have to adjust scheduling, we shall inform you all via Tadpoles and also by updating our school website.
February is another busy month with fun days and of course Valentines parties. Just a quick reminder that we shall be closed to students on Monday, February 20th while our staff receives some professional development. We are holding our first annual Sweetheart Ball on Saturday, February 25th. Make sure to turn your form into the front desk to reserve your space.
Along with all of that fun, it is time to begin our in house registration for summer camp and for the 2017/18 school year. You will be receiving information about those registrations very soon. We are trying to make life as easy for you as possible this year by having the appropriate forms packaged together for you based on the responses that you gave a couple of weeks ago. It is important that you register as soon as possible as we do not want to risk not having a spot for your family. Registration for external families begins on March 25th, so you definitely want to be registered and have those registration fees paid by then so that we can guarantee your space.
As always, thank you for all that you do to help our very busy school to run as smoothly as possible.
Stay warm and safe and busy this February.
Regards,
Helen Parks, Principal
- National Children’s Dental Health Month.
- 1 – Food Share Box Pick Up.
- 2 – Pennies for Patients Begins.
- 2 – Groundhog Day.
- 3 – NUT Day for National Wear Red Day – wear RED with donation for the American Heart Association.
- 6 – Family Heart projects are due.
- 8 – Krispy Kreme Fundraiser Begins.
- 9 – Fun Time Magic Show (for all ages) at 9:00am and 10:15am.
- 10 – Umbrella Day – bring your umbrella to school!
- 10 – Parent’s Night Out! 6pm-9pm, sign up at the front desk.
- 14 – Valentine’s Day Parties @ 2:30pm.
- 14 – Lifetouch Portraits – Rooms 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 (no uniform required).
- 15 – Lifetouch Portraits – Rooms 12, 9, 10 and 11 (no uniform required).
- 15 – Food Share Box Pick Up.
- 16 – Lifetouch Portraits – Rooms 6, 7 and 8 (no uniform required).
- 17 – Lifetouch Portraits – Class pictures and make-up (please dress in uniform with CBA logo t-shirt).
- 17 – Pennies for Patients Ends.
- 20 – School Closed – Teacher In-Service Day.
- 22 – Krispy Kreme Fundraiser Ends.
- 23 – Progress Reports Go Home.
- 23 – Dentist program (for all ages) at 9:30am and 10:15am.
- 25 – Sweetheart Ball (5pm – 8pm).
- 27 – Butter Braid Fundraiser begins.
- 27 – Parent-Teacher Conferences.
- 28 – Parent-Teacher Conferences.
- 28 – Mardi Gras – wear green, purple & gold!
- 28 – Links to Learning Folders Go Home.
2017-2018 Registration Information for Current Chesterbrook Families
Paperwork for Summer Camp 2017 and the 2017-2018 School Year will be available mid-to-late February for current Chesterbrook families. At this time, you will be able to register your child(ren) for the Summer Camp program and/or the upcoming school year. This is also the time to register any siblings that meet the age requirements of the school. If you have any questions, please contact Helen, Melissa or Andrea.
School Spotlight
Tuesday, February 14th – Rooms 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Wednesday, February 15th – Rooms 12, 9, 10 and 11.
Thursday, February 16th – Rooms 6, 7 and 8.
Friday, February 17th – Class Pictures and make-up pictures.
*No uniforms are required on your scheduled picture day.
What is a Fresh Food Box?
A REAL box of food filled with top-quality fruits and vegetables.
12 to 15 varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables in each box.
Cost: Each Fresh Food Box costs $21.00
Next delivery dates are February 1st and 15th.
Saturday, February 25th
Multipurpose Room
5pm – 8pm
Start Date: Monday, February 27th
End Date: Monday, March 13th
How to Prevent Child Identity Theft
Identity theft in children is becoming more common. Here’s how to protect your kid’s privacy and prevent and detect identity theft.
By: Sandy Fernández
One day in early 2011, Simon Umscheid got a call from a woman asking to speak to Mr. Ian Umscheid — a strange way, he thought, for someone to refer to his 6-year-old.
“When I told her he was unavailable, she got sort of nasty and said, ‘I need to talk to him. He has a very large balance on his credit card that he needs to take care of,'” Umscheid recalls. “So I said, ‘After he gets home from school and makes his bed, I’ll let him know.'” The woman’s stunned silence said it all: She’d had no idea Ian was a child — and a victim of identity theft.
It turned out thieves had used his name and social security number (SSN) to go on a spending spree, and now the bills were coming due. “There were six or seven accounts owing somewhere between $15,000 and $20,000,” says the dad of two. Included in the haul: $4,500 to a local jewelry store, over $3,000 in bank loans, and more than $5,000 on a credit card. Ironically, this was far from the first time Umscheid had seen this sort of thing happen: As a supervising deputy district attorney for San Bernardino County in California, he deals with these types of criminal cases regularly.
“I’m extremely careful with my family’s information,” he says. “If it can happen to us, it can happen to anyone.”
Fact is, kids are more likely to have their identities stolen than adults — and to suffer more serious consequences. When Carnegie Mellon researchers followed up on about 350,000 cases involving a breach of personal information, they discovered that kids’ SSNs were 51 times more likely to be used to open fraudulent accounts. That number is on the rise: Another 2012 study found that identity theft among children younger than 5-years-old had more than doubled from the previous year.
Why are kids such easy pickings? Nobody thinks to watch out for them in this way. “Often, child identity theft isn’t detected until a kid is a teenager, and by then, the damage is done,” says Robert P. Chappell, Jr., a Hampton, VA, police captain and author of Child Identity Theft. Adds Umscheid: “Adults use their credit all the time, so you or I are likely to notice red flags, like being turned down for a loan. But who checks up on a 6-year-old’s credit?”
Even scarier, child identity theft goes beyond credit card fraud. Yes, unsavory folks want to get their hands on your child’s social security number, but they’ll settle for his name and address, too — and that info lets them give the cops a false name if they get arrested, get medical care without insurance, or a fake ID in order to work. The more bits of your child’s identity someone has, the more damage that person can do.
For example, Michelle Finneran Dennedy, the privacy officer at the computer protection company McAfee, discovered that someone in Arizona had used her daughter’s name and SSN to open an account with a utilities company, rack up bills in Riley’s name, and then walk away without paying them off.
With so many ways thieves can game the system, it’s wise to stay one step ahead. So we talked to experts who are onto their tricks and found out exactly what you need to do to protect your family’s privacy — at home, your kid’s school, and any other place your data might be up for grabs. Operation Stop Thief starts now!
At Home: Too many computers and tablets remain seriously vulnerable — and there are scads of viruses that can crawl into your device and search for details about your family. But old-school trash-diving is also still profitable: Simply plucking an old tax form or envelope with your kid’s name out of the garbage allows a person to start scamming. Here are some steps you can take to protect your child’s identity:
Update your computer’s virus protection. One study found that if you have triple-protection software on your device — anti-virus, antiadware, and anti-spyware — you’ll block malware attacks and cut the risk of identity theft in half.
Use safe passwords. A combination of letters, numbers, and signs that aren’t keyed into public info, like your address or birthday, is best. Don’t use the same password (or variations), and change the ones you use occasionally.
Lock away important papers. Put your tax returns, health forms, and other important papers on a flashdrive, in a safe, or on an encrypted cloud-based service.
Shred sensitive documents. This means anything with your child’s date of birth or social security number. Try AmazonBasic’s 12-sheet Cross-Cut Shredder, $50, which rips up credit cards, too.
At School: Many schools ask for your child’s social security number to help track test scores — without knowing or investing in the cyber-protection programs to keep this info safe. Some camps and even clubs may ask for SSNs, too. Question the need for a SSN. The only time you have to share your child’s info is on your taxes or when you sign up for health insurance. Otherwise, don’t hand her SSN over. “Most of the time, if you ask about it, the camp or sports league will say it’s not necessary, but you need to speak up,” says Chappell. Federal laws now make it easier for you to opt out of data-gathering by schools or other programs. Don’t worry, your child won’t be penalized.
In the World: One reason child identity theft numbers are rising is that hackers target large databases — like your workplace or health insurance company — and snatch private information in increasingly sophisticated ways. The Umscheids, for instance, received a letter from their health care provider saying a hard drive had gone missing that contained Ian’s name, birthdate, address, and social security number, among other details — along with those of thousands of others. Use these steps to help protect your kid’s identity:
Opt out of marketing lists if you open a bank account for your child. The more times a child’s information changes hands, the higher the risk of someone stealing it.
Get a one-time check from an outside company, suggests Dennedy, who created Theidentityproject.com, a victim-education site, after her family’s identity-theft experience. AllClear ID, for instance, offers a free one-time scan for minors that includes not just the credit bureaus, but arrest records.
Ask for a special child scan from credit bureaus like Equifax, which is better than a regular credit scan (the kind you’d ask for yourself) for kids. Here’s why: A regular scan just looks for the exact match of a name, address, and social security number. If one element doesn’t sync up — which it usually won’t if the ID’s been stolen — the bureau reports that that file wasn’t found. To request the scan, send a letter along with a copy of your driver’s license, your child’s social security card, and your child’s birth certificate.
Sign up for more protection. Companies can do regular checks for a fee: AllClear ID charges about $5 a month for a child, LifeLock about $10. Equifax also has a family plan (two adults and up to four kids) for $30 a month for 24/7 monitoring and alerts.
Create a file with the credit bureaus and freeze its credit until your child is 18. This way, if someone tries to access it, you’re automatically notified.
Demand free credit repair if your employer or health insurer has suffered a data breach. Often these companies will provide it to those affected. Companies will also provide free monitoring for at least a year. If your workplace or insurance company doesn’t provide this, speak up.
Get a scan when your kid’s a teen. If you want to hold off now for whatever reason, experts advise checking up on your child’s credit no later than age 16. “I’ve seen kids who couldn’t go to college when they wanted to because a problem was discovered and they couldn’t get college loans or a scholarship,” says Chappell.
Don’t Miss These Red Flags!
If you see any of these warning signs , your child’s ID could be — or is — compromised.
- Lots of junk mail addressed to your kid
- Credit card offers or bills in your child’s name
- Collection calls
- The IRS tells you there’s a file under your kid’s SSN — and you didn’t create it
Once your suspicions are confirmed, take the steps below:
Call the cops. A police report can help you head off problems later and will bolster your case with credit agencies and other organizations. Speak to whoever deals with identity crimes.
Contact the credit bureaus. Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion can get you a copy of the fraudulent credit file and help you put a freeze on it.
Bone up to the law. Regulations governing identity theft vary from state to state, but the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center (ID Theft Center) has an interactive map with links to helpful resources. One will probably take you to your state’s attorney’s office site, which will be the most up-to-date source for laws. It’ll also have letter templates so you can contact the right people in the correct way and with the right information.
Reach out to banks or stores. Ask for the security or fraud department, and let the person in charge know what’s happened. Request that the store or credit-card company not hold you accountable for the charges — it may choose to go after the thief or simply write off the debt. You may need to send the police report as proof.
Bring in the pros. People who’ve had their IDs stolen spend an average of 330 hours fixing their credit. But when the victim’s under 18, you have to go through extra steps to prove you’re the parent and that can take even longer. That’s why it makes sense to get help from services that specialize in this, like AllClear ID — the company that straightened out Ian Umscheid’s problem — or Identity Guard. Sure, it may cost several hundred dollars, but it’s worth it: “The company that helped with our case really knew what it was doing, and it still took about a year to clean up,” says Dennedy.
Please drive slowly on school property!
Be courteous and patient with other
drivers and watch out for our children!!!
If you or your passengers are NOT disabled, please do not park in the handicap space provided in the front of the school. This space is reserved for persons that have been issued placards or special license plates. Thank you.
Resources
LIKE US 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 in this forum and encourage you to continue to check our school website for local updates specific to our own school. We look forward to having you as part of our Facebook community!
Open Registration & Open House to the Public: Invite a family member or friend to come to our Open Registration (9am-1pm) & Open House (10am-1pm) on Saturday, March 25, 2017. This is the day to register your child(ren) for Summer Camp 2017 and/or the 2017-2018 School Year. Be prepared to complete the required school paperwork and pay the registration, activity, and one week’s deposit fees. If you have any questions, please contact Helen, Melissa or Andrea.
Chesterbrook Academy & Queensboro Apparel Company: If you are interested in ordering Chesterbrook Logo apparel for your child(ren), please view our online store. You may notice all the wonderful colors available, but please keep in mind that Chesterbrook Academy uniform colors are Navy, White and Forest/Dark Green.
Reminders For Parents
Tuition: Parents, please understand the importance of paying your tuition & paying it on time! Payments are due every Friday for the coming week. Late fees will be applied at 12 noon on Monday following the due date. Unpaid tuition, more than a week past due, will result in immediate dis-enrollment. If you have any questions, please see Helen, Melissa or Andrea in the front office. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.
Automatic Payment Program: Parents this is a very easy way for you to not worry about writing those checks every week and avoiding late fees. APP can be used to pay tuition only invoices or all invoices (tuition, registration & activity fees). Please see Helen, Melissa, or Andrea in the front office for details and information on getting signed up or you can print the form from the link on the school website. In addition, you can also set up online bill-pay through your bank.
Contact Information: Please be sure that all home, work, cell and pager numbers and any other contact information is up to date in your child’s file. This helps the staff at Chesterbrook have every available option to contact the parent(s) in the event of an emergency.
E-Mail Addresses: Please update your email addresses with the front office in order to receive important information about upcoming and/or emergency events from the school. We can send email notifications to more than one email address.
School Operating Hours: This is a friendly reminder that Chesterbrook’s hours of operation are 7:00 am – 6:00 pm, Monday thru Friday. Half day hours of operation are 8:30 am – 11:30 am. The late pick up fee is $15 per child for the first 15 minutes and an additional $15 per child for each quarter hour after the regularly scheduled pick up time. Also parents, if you are running late and its close to closing time, please be sure to give the school a courtesy call.
Entry & Exit Doors: ** DO NOT USE THE BACK DOOR FOR ENTRY TO THE SCHOOL!!!** As you all know there is a code required for entry to the school. Please be sure to limit the code to family members and/or friends that are picking up your child(ren) on a regular basis. Do not give the code to your child(ren). In addition, everyone should use the front entrance for drop off and pick up. We advise strongly not to let individuals in the side entry door, as this person may or may not be a Chesterbrook parent or other family member. The side door is to only be used as an exit. This guarantees the safety of Chesterbrook Academy students and staff. Thanks in advance for your cooperation in this matter.
Parent Ambassador Program: Spread the word about our school and save on your child’s tuition! Refer a new family to our school and you could earn a free week of tuition. For more information on our Ambassador Program, see your school’s principal. The current referring Chesterbrook family will receive a discount after the referred child has attended full time for 3 months. Discount applies to the tuition of the oldest child in the referring family.
For Parents & Teachers
NUT FREE SCHOOL: We have several children enrolled at Chesterbrook Academy with severe nut allergies. Please do not send your child to school with food containing any type of nut products.
Prescription Policy for Chronic or Allergic Conditions:
** WE CANNOT ADMINISTER OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS TO YOUR CHILD**
Medication may be brought in for chronic or life threatening medical conditions. All medications must be in their original container with the prescription label attached to include the proper administering time(s) and dosage to be given. For the use of a nebulizer, a letter or note will be required from your child’s doctor’s office stating time(s) to be administered and the tubule dosage to be given. In addition, an “Authorization to Administer Medication Form” must be completed and turned in by the parent. Please see Helen, Melissa, or Andrea in the front office if you have any questions or concerns.
Weather Policy: In the event of severe weather, we will make every effort to open on schedule and to remain open during the course of our regular hours of operation. In the event that severe weather requires us to close our school, delay our school or close early, parents will be notified initially by e-notify. Please make sure we have your most current email address and that you have added us to your address book so our message does not go to spam. In the event that your employer will not allow you to receive email at work, please provide us with an alternate email address for you. Parents may also call the school’s voicemail at 803-699-9988 and listen to the prerecorded message by 5:30 a.m. for information regarding the operating hours. Information will also be posted to the school’s website which is http://Wildewood.ChesterbrookAcademy.com as well as messages sent via the Links to Home app. You can also tune into WIS channel 10 and/or WLTX channel 19 for closing and/or delay information.
**Chesterbrook Academy DOES NOT follow the schedule of Richland School District 2 during weather delays or closings**
Sign In & Out Books: We wanted to take this time to remind you all about an important security here at Chesterbrook. Please remember to sign your child in and out every day on the class Sign In/Out sheets located outside or inside of your child’s classroom everyday. If someone on your child’s authorized pick-up list is picking up, please remind him or her to do so as well. 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.
Parking Policy
- Traffic should enter the school parking lot at the first driveway and exit through the carport out the last driveway.
- Cars should be parked in designated parking spaces or on the road above the school.
- Please do not park under the carport, behind the bus, or in front of the dumpster.
- Please do not block the mailbox.
- All preschoolers must be escorted into the school by an adult.
- Elementary students may be dropped off at the front door. Cars should stop in the right lane only and students should exit their cars through the passenger side door.
- Please do not allow your child to run through the parking lot unattended or play on the hill.
- Please drive slowly on school property. Be courteous and patient with other drivers and watch out for our children.
Illness Policy
A parent of a child that is determined to be ill shall be notified immediately. The child must be picked up within an hour of notification. No child shall be allowed to remain at school with the following conditions:
- Elevated Temperature (100 degrees or higher)
- Vomiting and/or Diarrhea
- Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
- Head Lice
- Other Communicable Diseases (ie. chicken pox, strep throat, etc.)
- Student Pick-Up
Student Pick-Up: Parents, please be sure to inform the teachers and/or front office if another family member or friend will pick up your child. This applies to names that are on your list as well as names that are not. If it will be the first time the family member or friend picks up your child, please remind them to bring in their drivers licensewhen they come in. This is very important to insure the safety of your child(ren).
Students
- 2 – Corley Finklin
- 5 – Dennis Quinn III
- 7 – Julia White
- 8 – Addison Maradei
- 8 – Catherine Maradei
- 12 – Justen Chishom
- 18 – Rhys Chamberlain
- 18 – Madeleine Norman
- 19 – Carlie Kimberger
- 23 – Vihaan Yemewar
- 27 – Ezra Buchner
- 27 – Nassir Guirand
Staff
- 17 – Helen Parks
- 18 – Ryan Glover
From the Education Department
February, 2017
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Topics: Language & Literacy
You’re probably aware that reading to children at a young age has a profound influence on vocabulary acquisition, speech development and listening skills. If you’re a parent of an infant or toddler, you may have noticed that interactive books are especially likely to hold their attention. Pat the Bunny and[.....]
Read More »
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education
February Newsletter
From the Principal’s Office
Dear Families,
2017 has been a busy year already. Thankfully we have avoided any inclement winter weather so far and we hope to continue with that same trend. Remember, if the winter weather does hit us and we have to adjust scheduling, we shall inform you all via Tadpoles and also by updating our school website.
February is another busy month with fun days and of course Valentines parties. Just a quick reminder that we shall be closed to students on Monday, February 20th while our staff receives some professional development. We are holding our first annual Sweetheart Ball on Saturday, February 25th. Make sure to turn your form into the front desk to reserve your space.
Along with all of that fun, it is time to begin our in house registration for summer camp and for the 2017/18 school year. You will be receiving information about those registrations very soon. We are trying to make life as easy for you as possible this year by having the appropriate forms packaged together for you based on the responses that you gave a couple of weeks ago. It is important that you register as soon as possible as we do not want to risk not having a spot for your family. Registration for external families begins on March 25th, so you definitely want to be registered and have those registration fees paid by then so that we can guarantee your space.
As always, thank you for all that you do to help our very busy school to run as smoothly as possible.
Stay warm and safe and busy this February.
Regards,
Helen Parks, Principal
2017-2018 Registration Information for Current Chesterbrook Families
Paperwork for Summer Camp 2017 and the 2017-2018 School Year will be available mid-to-late February for current Chesterbrook families. At this time, you will be able to register your child(ren) for the Summer Camp program and/or the upcoming school year. This is also the time to register any siblings that meet the age requirements of the school. If you have any questions, please contact Helen, Melissa or Andrea.
School Spotlight
Tuesday, February 14th – Rooms 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Wednesday, February 15th – Rooms 12, 9, 10 and 11.
Thursday, February 16th – Rooms 6, 7 and 8.
Friday, February 17th – Class Pictures and make-up pictures.
*No uniforms are required on your scheduled picture day.
What is a Fresh Food Box?
A REAL box of food filled with top-quality fruits and vegetables.
12 to 15 varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables in each box.
Cost: Each Fresh Food Box costs $21.00
Next delivery dates are February 1st and 15th.
Saturday, February 25th
Multipurpose Room
5pm – 8pm
Start Date: Monday, February 27th
End Date: Monday, March 13th
How to Prevent Child Identity Theft
Identity theft in children is becoming more common. Here’s how to protect your kid’s privacy and prevent and detect identity theft.
By: Sandy Fernández
One day in early 2011, Simon Umscheid got a call from a woman asking to speak to Mr. Ian Umscheid — a strange way, he thought, for someone to refer to his 6-year-old.
“When I told her he was unavailable, she got sort of nasty and said, ‘I need to talk to him. He has a very large balance on his credit card that he needs to take care of,'” Umscheid recalls. “So I said, ‘After he gets home from school and makes his bed, I’ll let him know.'” The woman’s stunned silence said it all: She’d had no idea Ian was a child — and a victim of identity theft.
It turned out thieves had used his name and social security number (SSN) to go on a spending spree, and now the bills were coming due. “There were six or seven accounts owing somewhere between $15,000 and $20,000,” says the dad of two. Included in the haul: $4,500 to a local jewelry store, over $3,000 in bank loans, and more than $5,000 on a credit card. Ironically, this was far from the first time Umscheid had seen this sort of thing happen: As a supervising deputy district attorney for San Bernardino County in California, he deals with these types of criminal cases regularly.
“I’m extremely careful with my family’s information,” he says. “If it can happen to us, it can happen to anyone.”
Fact is, kids are more likely to have their identities stolen than adults — and to suffer more serious consequences. When Carnegie Mellon researchers followed up on about 350,000 cases involving a breach of personal information, they discovered that kids’ SSNs were 51 times more likely to be used to open fraudulent accounts. That number is on the rise: Another 2012 study found that identity theft among children younger than 5-years-old had more than doubled from the previous year.
Why are kids such easy pickings? Nobody thinks to watch out for them in this way. “Often, child identity theft isn’t detected until a kid is a teenager, and by then, the damage is done,” says Robert P. Chappell, Jr., a Hampton, VA, police captain and author of Child Identity Theft. Adds Umscheid: “Adults use their credit all the time, so you or I are likely to notice red flags, like being turned down for a loan. But who checks up on a 6-year-old’s credit?”
Even scarier, child identity theft goes beyond credit card fraud. Yes, unsavory folks want to get their hands on your child’s social security number, but they’ll settle for his name and address, too — and that info lets them give the cops a false name if they get arrested, get medical care without insurance, or a fake ID in order to work. The more bits of your child’s identity someone has, the more damage that person can do.
For example, Michelle Finneran Dennedy, the privacy officer at the computer protection company McAfee, discovered that someone in Arizona had used her daughter’s name and SSN to open an account with a utilities company, rack up bills in Riley’s name, and then walk away without paying them off.
With so many ways thieves can game the system, it’s wise to stay one step ahead. So we talked to experts who are onto their tricks and found out exactly what you need to do to protect your family’s privacy — at home, your kid’s school, and any other place your data might be up for grabs. Operation Stop Thief starts now!
At Home: Too many computers and tablets remain seriously vulnerable — and there are scads of viruses that can crawl into your device and search for details about your family. But old-school trash-diving is also still profitable: Simply plucking an old tax form or envelope with your kid’s name out of the garbage allows a person to start scamming. Here are some steps you can take to protect your child’s identity:
Update your computer’s virus protection. One study found that if you have triple-protection software on your device — anti-virus, antiadware, and anti-spyware — you’ll block malware attacks and cut the risk of identity theft in half.
Use safe passwords. A combination of letters, numbers, and signs that aren’t keyed into public info, like your address or birthday, is best. Don’t use the same password (or variations), and change the ones you use occasionally.
Lock away important papers. Put your tax returns, health forms, and other important papers on a flashdrive, in a safe, or on an encrypted cloud-based service.
Shred sensitive documents. This means anything with your child’s date of birth or social security number. Try AmazonBasic’s 12-sheet Cross-Cut Shredder, $50, which rips up credit cards, too.
At School: Many schools ask for your child’s social security number to help track test scores — without knowing or investing in the cyber-protection programs to keep this info safe. Some camps and even clubs may ask for SSNs, too. Question the need for a SSN. The only time you have to share your child’s info is on your taxes or when you sign up for health insurance. Otherwise, don’t hand her SSN over. “Most of the time, if you ask about it, the camp or sports league will say it’s not necessary, but you need to speak up,” says Chappell. Federal laws now make it easier for you to opt out of data-gathering by schools or other programs. Don’t worry, your child won’t be penalized.
In the World: One reason child identity theft numbers are rising is that hackers target large databases — like your workplace or health insurance company — and snatch private information in increasingly sophisticated ways. The Umscheids, for instance, received a letter from their health care provider saying a hard drive had gone missing that contained Ian’s name, birthdate, address, and social security number, among other details — along with those of thousands of others. Use these steps to help protect your kid’s identity:
Opt out of marketing lists if you open a bank account for your child. The more times a child’s information changes hands, the higher the risk of someone stealing it.
Get a one-time check from an outside company, suggests Dennedy, who created Theidentityproject.com, a victim-education site, after her family’s identity-theft experience. AllClear ID, for instance, offers a free one-time scan for minors that includes not just the credit bureaus, but arrest records.
Ask for a special child scan from credit bureaus like Equifax, which is better than a regular credit scan (the kind you’d ask for yourself) for kids. Here’s why: A regular scan just looks for the exact match of a name, address, and social security number. If one element doesn’t sync up — which it usually won’t if the ID’s been stolen — the bureau reports that that file wasn’t found. To request the scan, send a letter along with a copy of your driver’s license, your child’s social security card, and your child’s birth certificate.
Sign up for more protection. Companies can do regular checks for a fee: AllClear ID charges about $5 a month for a child, LifeLock about $10. Equifax also has a family plan (two adults and up to four kids) for $30 a month for 24/7 monitoring and alerts.
Create a file with the credit bureaus and freeze its credit until your child is 18. This way, if someone tries to access it, you’re automatically notified.
Demand free credit repair if your employer or health insurer has suffered a data breach. Often these companies will provide it to those affected. Companies will also provide free monitoring for at least a year. If your workplace or insurance company doesn’t provide this, speak up.
Get a scan when your kid’s a teen. If you want to hold off now for whatever reason, experts advise checking up on your child’s credit no later than age 16. “I’ve seen kids who couldn’t go to college when they wanted to because a problem was discovered and they couldn’t get college loans or a scholarship,” says Chappell.
Don’t Miss These Red Flags!
If you see any of these warning signs , your child’s ID could be — or is — compromised.
Once your suspicions are confirmed, take the steps below:
Call the cops. A police report can help you head off problems later and will bolster your case with credit agencies and other organizations. Speak to whoever deals with identity crimes.
Contact the credit bureaus. Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion can get you a copy of the fraudulent credit file and help you put a freeze on it.
Bone up to the law. Regulations governing identity theft vary from state to state, but the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center (ID Theft Center) has an interactive map with links to helpful resources. One will probably take you to your state’s attorney’s office site, which will be the most up-to-date source for laws. It’ll also have letter templates so you can contact the right people in the correct way and with the right information.
Reach out to banks or stores. Ask for the security or fraud department, and let the person in charge know what’s happened. Request that the store or credit-card company not hold you accountable for the charges — it may choose to go after the thief or simply write off the debt. You may need to send the police report as proof.
Bring in the pros. People who’ve had their IDs stolen spend an average of 330 hours fixing their credit. But when the victim’s under 18, you have to go through extra steps to prove you’re the parent and that can take even longer. That’s why it makes sense to get help from services that specialize in this, like AllClear ID — the company that straightened out Ian Umscheid’s problem — or Identity Guard. Sure, it may cost several hundred dollars, but it’s worth it: “The company that helped with our case really knew what it was doing, and it still took about a year to clean up,” says Dennedy.
Be courteous and patient with other
drivers and watch out for our children!!!
Resources
LIKE US 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 in this forum and encourage you to continue to check our school website for local updates specific to our own school. We look forward to having you as part of our Facebook community!
Open Registration & Open House to the Public: Invite a family member or friend to come to our Open Registration (9am-1pm) & Open House (10am-1pm) on Saturday, March 25, 2017. This is the day to register your child(ren) for Summer Camp 2017 and/or the 2017-2018 School Year. Be prepared to complete the required school paperwork and pay the registration, activity, and one week’s deposit fees. If you have any questions, please contact Helen, Melissa or Andrea.
Chesterbrook Academy & Queensboro Apparel Company: If you are interested in ordering Chesterbrook Logo apparel for your child(ren), please view our online store. You may notice all the wonderful colors available, but please keep in mind that Chesterbrook Academy uniform colors are Navy, White and Forest/Dark Green.
Reminders For Parents
Tuition: Parents, please understand the importance of paying your tuition & paying it on time! Payments are due every Friday for the coming week. Late fees will be applied at 12 noon on Monday following the due date. Unpaid tuition, more than a week past due, will result in immediate dis-enrollment. If you have any questions, please see Helen, Melissa or Andrea in the front office. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.
Automatic Payment Program: Parents this is a very easy way for you to not worry about writing those checks every week and avoiding late fees. APP can be used to pay tuition only invoices or all invoices (tuition, registration & activity fees). Please see Helen, Melissa, or Andrea in the front office for details and information on getting signed up or you can print the form from the link on the school website. In addition, you can also set up online bill-pay through your bank.
Contact Information: Please be sure that all home, work, cell and pager numbers and any other contact information is up to date in your child’s file. This helps the staff at Chesterbrook have every available option to contact the parent(s) in the event of an emergency.
E-Mail Addresses: Please update your email addresses with the front office in order to receive important information about upcoming and/or emergency events from the school. We can send email notifications to more than one email address.
School Operating Hours: This is a friendly reminder that Chesterbrook’s hours of operation are 7:00 am – 6:00 pm, Monday thru Friday. Half day hours of operation are 8:30 am – 11:30 am. The late pick up fee is $15 per child for the first 15 minutes and an additional $15 per child for each quarter hour after the regularly scheduled pick up time. Also parents, if you are running late and its close to closing time, please be sure to give the school a courtesy call.
Entry & Exit Doors: ** DO NOT USE THE BACK DOOR FOR ENTRY TO THE SCHOOL!!!** As you all know there is a code required for entry to the school. Please be sure to limit the code to family members and/or friends that are picking up your child(ren) on a regular basis. Do not give the code to your child(ren). In addition, everyone should use the front entrance for drop off and pick up. We advise strongly not to let individuals in the side entry door, as this person may or may not be a Chesterbrook parent or other family member. The side door is to only be used as an exit. This guarantees the safety of Chesterbrook Academy students and staff. Thanks in advance for your cooperation in this matter.
Parent Ambassador Program: Spread the word about our school and save on your child’s tuition! Refer a new family to our school and you could earn a free week of tuition. For more information on our Ambassador Program, see your school’s principal. The current referring Chesterbrook family will receive a discount after the referred child has attended full time for 3 months. Discount applies to the tuition of the oldest child in the referring family.
For Parents & Teachers
NUT FREE SCHOOL: We have several children enrolled at Chesterbrook Academy with severe nut allergies. Please do not send your child to school with food containing any type of nut products.
Prescription Policy for Chronic or Allergic Conditions:
** WE CANNOT ADMINISTER OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS TO YOUR CHILD**
Medication may be brought in for chronic or life threatening medical conditions. All medications must be in their original container with the prescription label attached to include the proper administering time(s) and dosage to be given. For the use of a nebulizer, a letter or note will be required from your child’s doctor’s office stating time(s) to be administered and the tubule dosage to be given. In addition, an “Authorization to Administer Medication Form” must be completed and turned in by the parent. Please see Helen, Melissa, or Andrea in the front office if you have any questions or concerns.
Weather Policy: In the event of severe weather, we will make every effort to open on schedule and to remain open during the course of our regular hours of operation. In the event that severe weather requires us to close our school, delay our school or close early, parents will be notified initially by e-notify. Please make sure we have your most current email address and that you have added us to your address book so our message does not go to spam. In the event that your employer will not allow you to receive email at work, please provide us with an alternate email address for you. Parents may also call the school’s voicemail at 803-699-9988 and listen to the prerecorded message by 5:30 a.m. for information regarding the operating hours. Information will also be posted to the school’s website which is http://Wildewood.ChesterbrookAcademy.com as well as messages sent via the Links to Home app. You can also tune into WIS channel 10 and/or WLTX channel 19 for closing and/or delay information.
**Chesterbrook Academy DOES NOT follow the schedule of Richland School District 2 during weather delays or closings**
Sign In & Out Books: We wanted to take this time to remind you all about an important security here at Chesterbrook. Please remember to sign your child in and out every day on the class Sign In/Out sheets located outside or inside of your child’s classroom everyday. If someone on your child’s authorized pick-up list is picking up, please remind him or her to do so as well. 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.
Parking Policy
Illness Policy
A parent of a child that is determined to be ill shall be notified immediately. The child must be picked up within an hour of notification. No child shall be allowed to remain at school with the following conditions:
Student Pick-Up: Parents, please be sure to inform the teachers and/or front office if another family member or friend will pick up your child. This applies to names that are on your list as well as names that are not. If it will be the first time the family member or friend picks up your child, please remind them to bring in their drivers licensewhen they come in. This is very important to insure the safety of your child(ren).
Students
Staff
From the Education Department
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– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education