A Message from the Principal:

As we were putting special dates on the calendar for March, it was exciting to see that Spring starts on March 20!!  Everyone is looking forward to getting outside again on a regular basis and saying farewell to Old Man Winter!

Thanks to all of the parents who participated in the annual parent survey.  We had so many positive comments about the staff and the curriculum – thank you!  Some areas of concern were better communication and healthier menu items.   Our Chesterbrook schools work together to get ideas in order to remedy some of your areas of concern.  We look forward to letting you know how we will be implementing some of these ideas.

Another area that was mentioned in parent comments was the parking lot.  It is an aspect of the school that cannot be changed in a physical sense.  But we can all work together to help the situation.  We, as a staff, will try to park so that the front spots are left open for parents.  Even if this is done, it does not entirely take care of those busy drop off times.  Everyone can help the crunch times by making drop off and pick up as quick as possible.  We ask that you be aware that when you get back to your car, someone is probably waiting for your spot.  We are trying to avoid any “parking lot agita”!!

It is that time of the year when we “mustache” you the question – Are you an Early Bird?  On Monday, March 2, you will find re – enrollment papers in your child’s cubbie.  By returning the enrollment papers and paying the registration fee, your child will be assured of a spot for the new school year continuing to learn with our Links to Learning curriculum.  After your registration is paid, your child’s picture will be placed on the bulletin board in the lobby.

Some General Reminders: 

• Please do not let your child bring toys from home.
• Make sure your child’s cubbie has weather appropriate clothing.
• If your child is ill, please make sure he/she is symptom-free for 24 hours before returning to school.

Schedule of “extra” activities at school:

• Monday: Soccer Shots
• Wednesday: Dance
• Thursday: Mr. Dave
  • 3:15 – 3:45:  Intermediates,   Pre-K and PreK-2
  • 3:45 – 4:15: Tods & Beginners

Calendar:

• Wed., March 4 – Speech & Hearing Screening
• Fri., March 6 – Kindergarten Field Trip – Stars on the Move
• Sun., March 8 – Daylight Savings Time (Clocks Forward)
• Wed., March 11 – Dance Starts
• Mon., March 16 – Soccer Shots starts
• Tues., March 17 – Happy St. Patrick’s Day
• Fri., March 20 – Spring Begins
• Sat., March 21 – Open House
• Tues., March 24 – Mr. Dave Music here
• Thurs., March 26 – NO Mr. Dave Music

FOR PARENTS

Please Remember: Winter Weather Advisory

At this time we would like to remind our families and staff of how to find out about our school delays and closing information. We do our best to maintain our regular operations, but occasionally there are times when we need to open late, close early, or possibly close the school due to extreme weather and/or school conditions.

Please tune to ABC 6 for our school delays and closings. You may also find this information on the ABC 6 website at: www.6abc.com and on any wireless device with internet access. In addition, you have the option to sign-up on the 6 ABC website for email alerts, dismissals and delays that are posted. We will be listed as Chesterbrook Academy – Newtown Square. Also, a message will be left on the school’s voice mail and website whenever possible.

For your reference:

If school is delayed one hour, CBA will open at 7:30 a.m.
If school is delayed two hours, CBA will open at 8:30 a.m.

Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation. Your safety and that of your children and our staff is important to us.

For school closings or late openings, please remember to check 6 ABC.  We are listed by school name, NOT a number.

From the Education Department

Developing Confident Future Readers

March is National Reading Month, so it is a great time to reinforce how important it is to expose children to books from an early age. We engage all of our students in language and literacy activities every day throughout the school year.

Research has shown that reading aloud to children has a profound influence on their speech development and listening skills. Reading allows children to experience the wondrous world depicted in books, and thrive on the interaction with adults.

Below are age appropriate activities that we implement in our classrooms to get children excited about reading, as well as recommended books to read with your child at home.

INFANTS – Linking sensory and reading experiences

• In the classroom: We introduce language and literacy beginning with our infants, by consistently speaking, reading and singing to them. Teachers choose interactive books with bright colors, different textures and pop-up designs to help stimulate infants’ growing sensory awareness.
• Books to read at home: Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt, Fuzzy Yellow Ducklings by Matthew Van Fleet and Baby Danced the Polka by Karen Beaumont

TODDLERS – Rhyme and repetition

• In the classroom: Toddlers enjoy hearing the same books read over and over again, because they are able join in as the stories become more familiar. Teachers read books with rhyme and repetition, such as Goodnight Moon, and vary their voice each time they tell the story. The change in tone gives children a chance to hear different sounds, and encourages them to practice making the sounds themselves.
• Books to read at home: All Fall Down by Helen Oxenbury, Where is the Green Sheep by Mem Fox and Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown

BEGINNERS – Engaging the imagination

• In the classroom: Around age two, children begin to develop a love for the world of imagination. It’s important to engage children’s imaginations and encourage them to participate in shared reading experiences. A picture walk motivates children to rely on pictorial clues to decipher the story’s plot and make predictions. Before reading the story, the teacher and student flip through the book, and the child is encouraged to make predictions about the characters and plot. The teacher then reads the book aloud with the student. When finished, the child is asked to relate his predictions to the actual outcome of the story. For example, “Now that you know what happened, why was the elephant wearing a tutu?” or “What would you have done if you were the elephant?”
• Books to read at home: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff, Corduroy by Don Freeman or Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

INTERMEDIATES – Exploring the wider world

• In the classroom: As our Intermediates are introduced to the Citizens of the World component of our curriculum, they read about different places, cultures and traditions in books. Books help children understand and enjoy learning about the diversity of human experience. During circle time for example, we may read a story about children living in another country, in a different type of house and wearing different types of clothes. Afterward, the teacher connects the story back to what the children know by asking, “What does your house look like?” and “Who lives in your house with you?”
• Books to read at home: Abuela by Arthur Dorros, So Much by Trish Cooke and On Mother’s Lap by Ann Scott

PRE-K/PRE-K 2 – Nonfiction Adventures

• In the classroom: Children are naturally fascinated by the lives of real people and the world around them. Our teachers cultivate this fascination by exposing students to nonfiction books. For example, the class may read both a fiction and nonfiction book about animals. Afterward, they are encouraged to compare and contrast the two books and discuss what was accurate in the fiction book.
• Books to read at home: Stellaluna by Janell Cannon (fiction) and Bat Loves the Night by Nicola Davies (non-fiction)

By experiencing a literacy-rich environment, both at school and at home, we instill a love of reading and provide the foundation for our students to become successful, confident readers in elementary school and beyond.

– Lauren Starnes, PhD- Director of Early Childhood Education