FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear Chesterbrook Parents,
Happy February! I can’t believe one month is already come and gone! We have done so much this year already, and the fun will continue! We’ve already had our taste of winter weather and Pauxautawney Phil didn’t see his shadow so bring on that spring weather! With that said, we will keep you all posted as usual per our normal methods (voicemail, website, and email) if we are to get hit with inclement weather again. Thank you all for understanding out need to be closed that Friday in January. We always want to make sure everyone is safe!
We will have our annual Friendship Parties, Friday 2-12-16. Please see sign up sheets on the classroom doors if you would like to sign up to bring something! Please make sure you are checking your child’s folders/cubbies for other important information regarding upcoming events etc….
Hopefully we will all be rid of these colds and other illnesses that have hit some of our children and some the whole family. We are committed to keeping as germ free school as possible. You can help by washing your child’s hands upon entering the classroom each morning, following our sick policy, and keeping us aware of anything contagious that your little one may have. Thank you all so much for your help with this!
Thank you to the 70% of our families that completed this survey. This information is so valuable to us and can help us keep the things that you all like and change the things that you don’t! So thank you!
Please also remember that we will be CLOSED Monday February 15, 2016 in observance of Presidents Day. Our teachers and staff will be participating in one of our two annual professional development days. We will be eager and ready to see all of the children back here on Tuesday 2-16-16.
As always, thank you for your support for Chesterbrook Academy! Here’s to another wonderful month!
Sincerely,
Lindsey Soban, principal
——————————————————————————————————————————-
Fun Recipe
What you’ll need:
- 1 cup unbleached white or white whole wheat flour (I did a blend of both)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 large banana, ripe, mashed well
- 1 cup 1% milk (or almond milk)
- 3 large egg whites
- 2 tsp oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- cooking spray
How to make it:
- Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine milk, egg white, oil, vanilla and mashed bananas in another medium sized bowl and mix until smooth.
- Combine wet ingredients with the dry and mix well with a wooden spoon until there are no more dry spots. Don’t over-mix.
- Heat a large skillet on medium-low heat. If you are using a heart shaped pancake mold, you will want to spray it lightly with cooking spray so the batter doesn’t stick to it.
- Lightly spray a skillet with cooking spray, place the mold on the hot skillet and pour 1/4 cup of pancake batter.
- Add 1 teaspoon of chocolate chips in each pancake. When the pancake starts to bubble and the edges begin to set, flip the pancakes.
- Repeat with the remainder of the batter.
- Makes about 3 cups of batter which yields 12 pancakes. ————————————-———————————————————
February 2nd- Ground Hogs Day
February 12th- Friendship Parties- 3:00pm
February 14th- Valentines Day
February 15th- CLOSED for Presidents Day
February 29th- End of the Month Folders go Home
MONDAYS: MUSIC FOR LITTLE ONES @ 10am
Weekly music classes with Music For Little Ones will be lots of fun!! Each week the children will participate in different songs, and activities with music. They will even get to try different musical instruments. They will receive a CD of all songs learned that session. It is a wonderful, musical experience!
TUESDAYS: Soccer Shots @ 10am
Soccer Shots has three rules: Score a goal, be a team player, and HAVE FUN! This is a great way to get some extra physical fitness in and have a blast doing it! Spaces are still available so sign up today!!
THURSDAYS: JUMP BUNCH @ 10am
Jump Bunch introduces sports and fitness to your child in a hands-on setting. It builds coordination and interest in sports, teaches through constant praise and encouragement, offers a safe, non-competitive environment, and promotes healthy fitness and nutrition!
Is a piano based music program for children ages 3 and up. Classical music and keyboard skills are taught. Please see us for more details.
——————————————————————————–——————————————————
FROM THE EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT
Helping Your Preschooler Develop
Positive Friendship Skills
Are you puzzled by some of your child’s social behaviors? Have you noticed that your toddler doesn’t interact with other children very often? Does your three-year-old get frustrated when a classmate won’t play with him? Will your four-year-old only play with her best friend?
These are all normal social behaviors for preschoolers. Learning how to develop friendships is a lifelong process. Children’s social behaviors evolve from smiling and cooing at others, to engaging in parallel play, to eventually forming friendships and playing together.
Below are ways we help develop friendships in the classroom, as well as ideas for you and your child to do at home.
INFANTS:
In the classroom: Before they can communicate verbally, infants build connections by smiling, cooing and crying. By two months old, they might turn toward other infants, and by twelve months, they begin to imitate their peers. Teachers help facilitate this relationship by sitting infants near each other during activities such as story time and tummy time.
At home: Even though infants don’t really play with one another, they still benefit from “play dates” with other infants. Sit your infant face-to-face with another infant or in close proximity to an older sibling, and provide each child separate toys. Note when your infant watches the other child and what captures his attention.
Recommended reading: Friends by Helen Oxenbury and Let’s Play by Leo Lionni
TODDLERS (ages 1-2):
In the classroom: Many young children tend to engage in “parallel play.” They play near other children, but each child is doing something different. This is a natural phase of development. As children get older, they begin to enjoy more shared activities with their peers. For example, they might enjoy splashing their hands at the water table with others, looking at books while sitting close to a friend, and dancing to music with their classmates.
At home: Invite another parent and child to your home for a play date. Blocks, balls, dress up clothes and toy kitchen sets are great toys for children at this age. Don’t force them to play with each other. Instead, let the children decide on the level of interaction.
Recommended reading: Do You Want to be My Friend? by Eric Carle and I Can Share by Karen Katz
BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):
In the classroom: In the Beginner classroom, teachers refer to classmates as “friends.” Students learn about personal space and begin to practice good manners by saying please and thank you.
At home: Model positive behaviors while playing with your child. Say “I’m going to roll the ball to you. Can you please roll the ball back to me?” Afterward, say “Thank you. You are being a good friend.”
Recommended reading: How Do Dinosaurs Play with Their Friends? by Jane Yolen and Let’s be Friends by P. K. Hallinan
INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):
In the classroom: Between ages three and four, children attempt to understand social situations, but often do so from an egocentric point of view. They need adult guidance to help them navigate peer conflict and model appropriate friendship-making behaviors. Small group activities help children learn how to follow directions, take turns and develop friendships.
At home: Ask your child about their friends and what games they played together. If he says, “Andrew didn’t play with me today. He’s mean,” you could say, “Andrew may have wanted to play a different game today. Maybe you can play together tomorrow. What does Andrew like to play?”
Recommended reading: Just My Friend and Me by Mercer Mayer and Llama Llama Time to Share by Anna Dewdney
PRE-K/PRE-K2 (ages 4-5)
In the classroom: Friendship in Pre-K and Pre-K2 is usually reciprocal and deliberate as children become more skilled in social interactions and look for peers with shared interests. Our character education program reinforces friendship making skills using songs, games, books and brain-builder activities to nurture skills such as collaboration, understanding feelings and resolving conflicts.
At home: Bring your child to events that include multiple children, such as birthday parties, or encourage your child to play a board game that requires multiple players. Ask him to introduce himself to the other children, or encourage him to play the game taking turns. If you notice frustration from your child, say, “In order to play the game, we all have to play together.”
Recommended reading: Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel and A Splendid Friend, Indeed by Suzanne Bloom
Don’t be concerned about the number of friends your child has, as it is more about quality than quantity. Each child will develop friendships at his own pace. What matters most is the development of social skills such as collaboration and problem-solving, which will help him transition into elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education
February News Letter
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear Chesterbrook Parents,
Happy February! I can’t believe one month is already come and gone! We have done so much this year already, and the fun will continue! We’ve already had our taste of winter weather and Pauxautawney Phil didn’t see his shadow so bring on that spring weather! With that said, we will keep you all posted as usual per our normal methods (voicemail, website, and email) if we are to get hit with inclement weather again. Thank you all for understanding out need to be closed that Friday in January. We always want to make sure everyone is safe!
We will have our annual Friendship Parties, Friday 2-12-16. Please see sign up sheets on the classroom doors if you would like to sign up to bring something! Please make sure you are checking your child’s folders/cubbies for other important information regarding upcoming events etc….
Hopefully we will all be rid of these colds and other illnesses that have hit some of our children and some the whole family. We are committed to keeping as germ free school as possible. You can help by washing your child’s hands upon entering the classroom each morning, following our sick policy, and keeping us aware of anything contagious that your little one may have. Thank you all so much for your help with this!
Thank you to the 70% of our families that completed this survey. This information is so valuable to us and can help us keep the things that you all like and change the things that you don’t! So thank you!
Please also remember that we will be CLOSED Monday February 15, 2016 in observance of Presidents Day. Our teachers and staff will be participating in one of our two annual professional development days. We will be eager and ready to see all of the children back here on Tuesday 2-16-16.
As always, thank you for your support for Chesterbrook Academy! Here’s to another wonderful month!
Sincerely,
Lindsey Soban, principal
——————————————————————————————————————————-
Fun Recipe
Chocolate chip, banana Valentines Pancakes
What you’ll need:
How to make it:
February 2nd- Ground Hogs Day
February 12th- Friendship Parties- 3:00pm
February 14th- Valentines Day
February 15th- CLOSED for Presidents Day
February 29th- End of the Month Folders go Home
Why spend your evenings and weekends driving to and from practices and programs when your child can participate in there right here at school? Please see the front desk for more information on any of these wonderful programs!
Soccer Shots has three rules: Score a goal, be a team player, and HAVE FUN! This is a great way to get some extra physical fitness in and have a blast doing it! Spaces are still available so sign up today!!
Jump Bunch introduces sports and fitness to your child in a hands-on setting. It builds coordination and interest in sports, teaches through constant praise and encouragement, offers a safe, non-competitive environment, and promotes healthy fitness and nutrition!
Is a piano based music program for children ages 3 and up. Classical music and keyboard skills are taught. Please see us for more details.
——————————————————————————–——————————————————
FROM THE EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT
Helping Your Preschooler Develop
Positive Friendship Skills
Are you puzzled by some of your child’s social behaviors? Have you noticed that your toddler doesn’t interact with other children very often? Does your three-year-old get frustrated when a classmate won’t play with him? Will your four-year-old only play with her best friend?
These are all normal social behaviors for preschoolers. Learning how to develop friendships is a lifelong process. Children’s social behaviors evolve from smiling and cooing at others, to engaging in parallel play, to eventually forming friendships and playing together.
Below are ways we help develop friendships in the classroom, as well as ideas for you and your child to do at home.
INFANTS:
In the classroom: Before they can communicate verbally, infants build connections by smiling, cooing and crying. By two months old, they might turn toward other infants, and by twelve months, they begin to imitate their peers. Teachers help facilitate this relationship by sitting infants near each other during activities such as story time and tummy time.
At home: Even though infants don’t really play with one another, they still benefit from “play dates” with other infants. Sit your infant face-to-face with another infant or in close proximity to an older sibling, and provide each child separate toys. Note when your infant watches the other child and what captures his attention.
Recommended reading: Friends by Helen Oxenbury and Let’s Play by Leo Lionni
TODDLERS (ages 1-2):
In the classroom: Many young children tend to engage in “parallel play.” They play near other children, but each child is doing something different. This is a natural phase of development. As children get older, they begin to enjoy more shared activities with their peers. For example, they might enjoy splashing their hands at the water table with others, looking at books while sitting close to a friend, and dancing to music with their classmates.
At home: Invite another parent and child to your home for a play date. Blocks, balls, dress up clothes and toy kitchen sets are great toys for children at this age. Don’t force them to play with each other. Instead, let the children decide on the level of interaction.
Recommended reading: Do You Want to be My Friend? by Eric Carle and I Can Share by Karen Katz
BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):
In the classroom: In the Beginner classroom, teachers refer to classmates as “friends.” Students learn about personal space and begin to practice good manners by saying please and thank you.
At home: Model positive behaviors while playing with your child. Say “I’m going to roll the ball to you. Can you please roll the ball back to me?” Afterward, say “Thank you. You are being a good friend.”
Recommended reading: How Do Dinosaurs Play with Their Friends? by Jane Yolen and Let’s be Friends by P. K. Hallinan
INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):
In the classroom: Between ages three and four, children attempt to understand social situations, but often do so from an egocentric point of view. They need adult guidance to help them navigate peer conflict and model appropriate friendship-making behaviors. Small group activities help children learn how to follow directions, take turns and develop friendships.
At home: Ask your child about their friends and what games they played together. If he says, “Andrew didn’t play with me today. He’s mean,” you could say, “Andrew may have wanted to play a different game today. Maybe you can play together tomorrow. What does Andrew like to play?”
Recommended reading: Just My Friend and Me by Mercer Mayer and Llama Llama Time to Share by Anna Dewdney
PRE-K/PRE-K2 (ages 4-5)
In the classroom: Friendship in Pre-K and Pre-K2 is usually reciprocal and deliberate as children become more skilled in social interactions and look for peers with shared interests. Our character education program reinforces friendship making skills using songs, games, books and brain-builder activities to nurture skills such as collaboration, understanding feelings and resolving conflicts.
At home: Bring your child to events that include multiple children, such as birthday parties, or encourage your child to play a board game that requires multiple players. Ask him to introduce himself to the other children, or encourage him to play the game taking turns. If you notice frustration from your child, say, “In order to play the game, we all have to play together.”
Recommended reading: Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel and A Splendid Friend, Indeed by Suzanne Bloom
Don’t be concerned about the number of friends your child has, as it is more about quality than quantity. Each child will develop friendships at his own pace. What matters most is the development of social skills such as collaboration and problem-solving, which will help him transition into elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education