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April News Letter

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

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Dear Chesterbrook Parents,
Spring has sprung and April is here!  We have a VERY busy month of fun and learning!  Please make sure you are checking your child’s daily sheets, checking our white board in the front, as well as emails for upcoming events and exciting activities.  We kicked off today with our Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Pajama Day!  Thank you ALL so much for your donations!  All money will go directly to this foundation and will help many children in need.

We have the Week of the Young Child the week of April 11 – 15.  Each day we will have a fun event or project to do, including our St. Jude’s Trike-a-thon on Friday April 15th!  We will also be asking for a mystery reader in each class to come on Thursday and read to the children!  And so much more!  We will send home/email communication next week!

We will also have our Scholastic Book Fair Monday April 18 – 22nd.  Please stop by and pick a book or two to take home as well as viewing our teachers class wish lists!  This is a great way to help us get more books into the classrooms!

And finally Earth Day!  This is on Friday April 22nd.  We are planning a few different things, some for our older children and some for our little ones!  We will send out communication when we have exact details, etc…

As always, thank you for your support for Chesterbrook Academy!   Here’s to another wonderful month!

Sincerely,
Lindsey Soban, principal
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Fun Recipe

Banana-Mango Frozen Yogurt

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What you’ll need:

  • 1 cup sliced ripe banana
  • 3/4 cup chopped peeled mango
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 1/2 cups 2% low-fat milk
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 (16-ounce) carton vanilla low-fat yogurt

How to make it:

  • Place first 4 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Combine banana mixture, milk, sugar, and yogurt in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
  • Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Spoon into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze at least 1 hour.
  • You can let your toddler help by: Pouring the measured fruit and sugar into the blender with your guidance.

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April 1st- Pajama Day- fundraiser for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

April 11 – 15 The Week of the Young

April 14th- Bring your child’s favorite book to school for a special Mystery Reader

April 15th- St. Jude’s Trike-a-thon

April 15th- Silent Auction

April 18 – 22 Scholastic Book Fair

April 22nd- Earth Day

April 29th- Links to Learning Folders go home

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ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS
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!
MONDAYS: MUSIC FOR LITTLE ONES @ 10am  music               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 @ 10amsoccer
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!!
WEDNESDAYS: Yogi Bears Yoga @ 3pm
As a yogi with a passion for yoga and all the benefits it offers the mind and body, it is our yoga instructors personal goal to share her practice with our young ones so the each child in time can cultivate his or her own practice.
THURSDAYS: JUMP BUNCH @ 10amjumbunch_logo_up
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!
THURSDAYS: MusIQ @ 10am            MusIQ

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.

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FROM THE EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT

Linking Learning with Nature

Spring is here! Flowers are blooming, days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer. Now is a great time for children to explore these environmental changes happening in the world around them.

Not only are children curious about nature, but research shows that it has a profound influence on their problem solving skills, creativity, imagination and cognitive ability. Because of this, our teachers incorporate nature in all aspects of our Links to Learning curriculum.

Below are ways we connect learning with nature, as well as activities you can do with your child at home.

INFANTS/TODDLERS:

In the classroom: After reading a book about springtime, teachers bring children outdoors to explore and investigate objects in nature. The children have fun crumbling leaves, smelling flowers and looking at clouds.

At home: Take tummy time outdoors and allow your infant to explore different sights, sounds and textures. Encourage him to move and grab things by placing objects just beyond his reach. For toddlers, ask questions like, “Who made that chirping sound” or “Can you point to the flowers?”

Recommended reading: Wake Up! Wake Up! A Springtime Lift-the-Flap Book by Kathryn Davis,                Welcome Spring by Little Scholastic

BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):

In the classroom: Our Beginners read books about seasonal changes, then bring the story to life by going outdoors to find real-world examples.

At home: Help make your child aware of the seasonal changes going on around him. Talk a walk with him and ask questions such as “Why do we see flowers growing now?” or “What do flowers need in order to grow?” Encourage him to use his creativity when answering.

Recommended reading: Over in the Meadow by Olive Wadsworth, Mouse’s First Spring by Lauren Thompson

INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):

In the classroom: Students plant seeds in their school garden and learn about the importance of caring for them. Through this activity, they practice math skills such as measuring, sorting, counting and making predictions.

At home: Set up a bird feeder outside a window that your child can easily see. Let him help you fill it with birdfeed. As the birds come to eat, ask your child to talk about them. “What color are they?” “Are they big or small?” “What are they doing?”

Recommended reading: Little Seed by Eric Carle, Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (ages 4-5):

In the classroom: Pre-K and Pre-K 2 students explore the sounds they hear in nature while playing outdoors. They then use recycled and natural materials, such as string and pine cones, to make their own wind chime.

At home: Reuse junk mail for a fun arts and crafts activity with your child. Encourage him to look through flyers and magazines to find words and pictures that he recognizes. Then, ask him to create a collage by cutting and gluing them to a piece of paper or poster board.

Recommended reading: And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano, About Springtime, Not a Box by Antoinette Portis

We provide many opportunities for our preschoolers to think creatively and imaginatively about the world around them. By setting this foundation, children build confidence in their own unique thoughts and maintain a thirst for learning as they enter elementary school and beyond.

– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education

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