From the Principals Desk:

Dear Chesterbrook Families,

Well I’m sure you are familliar with the saying, “April showers bring May flowers” right?  Well I don’t know about you but I hope that those “showers” are rain showers and come few and far between.  I am ready to open the windows and I know that all of the kiddos are ready to get outside and play!

April is a VERY busy month here at Chestebrook Academy.  We have so many exciting things planned!

April 13th starts the Week of the Young Child.  The Week of the Young Child is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the world’s largest early childhood education association. The purpose of the Week of the Young Child is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.  We have something planned for the student’s every day of the week during that week, as well as a Family Art Night on Thursday, April 15th. During that night, we ask that you bring along an appetizer or a dessert to share.  You will then have the opportunity to join your child in each one of our classrooms to create a work of art that focuses on a well known artist.  We are very excited about the event and hope that you will join us.  Below are the other activities listed for the week.

• Monday, April 13th~ Music Monday. The children will sing and dance along to their favorite music.  They will participate in music games and will have the opportunity to listen to familiar music as well as multicultural music. They will be encouraged to clap, sing, dance, and play musical instruments.
• Tuesday, April 14th~ Taco Tuesday!  This is a fun-food filled day!  The children will have tacos for lunch and will have the opportunity to put their own toppings on their tacos. During the day the teachers will teach the children about healthy nutrition and daily fitness activities to keep them happy and healthy.
• Wednesday, April 15th~ Work Together Wednesday. The children will be encouraged to work together to build something using materials that they can find around the classroom.  Blocks, Legos, and maybe branches from the playground, the opportunities are endless!
• Thursday, April 16th~ Family Art Night.  We ask that you join us for an evening of creativity!  Bring an appetizer or dessert to share and plan to visit each classroom to create a work of art with your child that focuses on a well known artist.
• Friday, April 17th~ Family Friday. The children will be asked to bring in pictures of their families.  They will have the opportunity to share their pictures and stories with their classmates.

Another exciting week that we will have here at Chesterbrook is to celebrate Earth Day.  Earth Day is an annual event where events are held worldwide to demonstrate support of enviromental protection. Instead of just celebrating it on one day, April 22nd, we have decided to celebrate it for an entire week!  One major event that we have planned is a Ladybug Release!  Each student will have the opportunity to release a ladybug into nature to try and help the use of pestisides! Please feel free to join us at 10am for this planned event! Below are the other activities listed for the week.

• Monday, April 20th~ Paint a Pot. Each class will have the opportunity to paint a pot together as a class.  At the end of the week, they will have fun planting flowers in their classroom pots!
• Tuesday, April 21st~ Make a Crown of Grass. The children will use construction paper and various art materials to decorate a crown of grass.  They will then be encouraged to wear that crown in support of Earth Day week.
• Wednesday, April 22nd~ Earth Day! Schoolwide Ladybug Release!  Please join us for the release of ladybugs at 10am!
• Thursday, April 23rd~ Make a Garden in a Glove.  With assistance, each child will use seeds to make a garden in a glove.  In the new few weeks they will have the opportunity to watch their gardens grow then be encouraged to take them home to plant to continue the process.
• Friday, April 24th~ Arbor Day!  Each classroom will plant flowers in their flower pot that they decorated at the beginning of the week.  They will also learn about trees and whey they are important to our environment!

During the entire month of April, we will be participating in fundraising activities to to help moms have full term babies and to research the problems that threaten the lives of babies. We hope that you will particpate in raising funds for this wonderful cause.  On Thursday, April 9th, we will be hosting a Take Out Spaghetti Dinner to benefit the March of Dimes. The cost is $10 per family and includes spaghetti with sauce and rolls with butter. Please fill out the form that was in your child’s folder and submit payment before Tuesday, April 7th. If you need a new form, please feel free to take another on the table in the front lobby.  Another event that we will particpate in for the March of Dimes is the March for Babies Walk on Sunday, April 26th at 9am.  Please look for more information to come soon!  We hope that you will join us for this family fun event.

As always, reminders about special events and spirit days will be on your classroom daily forms, posted on the white board in the front lobby, or will be emailed to you.  If you need another special events calendar, please feel free to take one from the table in the front lobby.

If you ever have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email us or come talk to us at anytime.  And again, thank you for allowing us to be a part of your child’s life!

Sincerely,

Ms.Kasey and Ms.Leah

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