A Message From the Principal:
Dear Parents,
March is sure to be another busy month at Chesterbrook Academy. Spring is around the corner and teachers are busy planning a variety of fun seasonal activities that will help our students learn more about the many changes which occur in our environment during springtime. Be on the look-out for plants and flowers popping up around campus.
Thank you for taking advantage of our “Early Bird Registration” by securing your child’s space for the 2015/2016 school year. We are excited that our current students will continue to learn, grow and shine at Chesterbrook Academy. You still have time if you haven’t registered, however, please keep in mind that available space is now being offered to the public. We are currently at 90% capacity.
This month teachers and students in all age groups will be working hard at creating new dramatic play centers in their classrooms. Please take a moment to check out what your child’s classroom dramatic play theme will be. Thank you for donating items or letting us borrow items to make dramatic play a quality experience. Dramatic play can be defined as a type of play where children accept and assign roles, and then act them out. It is a time when they break through the walls of reality, pretend to be someone or something different from themselves, and dramatize situations and actions to go along with the roles they have chosen to play. And while this type of play may be viewed as frivolous by some, it remains an integral part of the developmental learning process by allowing children to develop skills in such areas as abstract thinking, literacy, math, and social studies, in a timely, natural manner.
March Snapshot:
- Lifetouch portraits, individual & class pictures will be taken on March. 16th, 17th & 18th – Details will be sent home.
- Lifetouch CAP & GOWN pictures for PRE-K/VPK will be taken in April – Details to follow
- Elementary Age Spring Break is from March 30th – April 3rd. Sign-up information is located on the front desk.
- VPK – March 30th – April 3rd are NON-VPK days. Chesterbrook Academy will be open and ALL VPK students may attend, however, there will be a $25. fee per day. Sign-up information is located on the front desk.
Best Regards,
Melinda Willey, Principal
Nicole Pezzullo, Assistant Principal
VPK SCHEDULES:
- VPK ONLY (AM) – 9:00am – 12:00pm – Classroom doors open at 8:50am
- VPK ONLY (PM) – 1:15pm – 4:15pm – Classroom doors open at 1:05pm
ALL VPK ONLY STUDENTS MUST BE PICKED UP IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING DISMISSAL TIME. FULL TIME VPK students are permitted to attend between the hours of 6:30am & 6:30pm
- March 20th – NON-VPK DAY
- March 30th – April 3rd – NON -VPK DAYS
These dates are considered NON-VPK days, however, we are open.
This is one of the two times during the school year when full time VPK student are required to pay an additional $25 per day to attend.
Sign-up forms are located at the front desk.
Upcoming Events
MARCH 20th – CAMP DAY
We’re going to Skate Factory in Vero Beach! Lunch will be provided. WEAR LONG PANTS.
MARCH 30th -APRIL 3rd Spring Break
Click Here for the Spring Break Calendar & Sign-up form
WACKY WEDNESDAY DRAMATIC PLAY SCHEDULE
ALL AGE GROUPS
Note: 3/25 – Zany Zoo Day – CHANGED TO WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25TH DUE TO PICTURE DAY!
APRIL PREVIEW
2014-15 Preschool & Elementary Calendars
Printed copies of calendars are always available in the school lobby.
Our Infants and Toddlers Communicate!
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
FRIENDLY REMINDERS
TUITION: Tuition is due on the 1st business day of each month. Rates are the same month to month unless you have changed you child’s program/schedule or added enrichment programs. Please pay tuition in a timely manner to avoid late fees. Statements will be printed upon request once tuition is paid in full. Thank you!
UNIFORM POLICY: Students ages 2 to 5 are required to wear a Chesterbrook Academy uniform Monday through Friday. Although optional, Friday is our school spirit day when teachers and children may wear the NEW Links to Learning orange t-shirt. The past year’s forest green or tye-dye Friday t-shirts are no longer permitted. We currently have black uniform polos and orange Friday t-shirts in stock. Inquire at the front desk.
SIGN-IN & SIGN OUT BOOKS: Signing your child in and out daily is not only a licensing and company policy, but an added security measure in making sure all children are accounted for while in our care. PLEASE BE DILIGENT ABOUT RECORDING THE TIMES YOUR CHILD ARRIVES AND LEAVES. Thank you!
ADDITIONAL PARENT INFORMATION:
- Tuition is due on the 1st of every month to avoid a late fee. LATE FEES WILL BE APPLIED THE FIFTH BUSINESS DAY OF EVERY MONTH.
- School uniform policy requires children ages 2 to 5 to wear: C.A. Black Polo, Khaki Bottoms & Closed Shoes and Socks daily.
- Label all of your child’s belongings!
- Please remember to sign-in & out daily at the front desk.
- We close promptly at 6:30pm. Per licensing and company policy we are not permitted to care for children beyond 6:30pm. Please arrive at least 5 minutes prior to closing. Staff members are expected to clock out at 6:30pm. We understand that from time to time there may be an emergency or traffic, etc… If that is the case, please call us and an administrator will stay with your child until you arrive. Please refer to your Preschool Tuition Agreement or Fee Schedule regarding late fees.
- As a precaution, all classrooms have a posted allergy list. Please take a moment to check with your child’s teacher to make sure she has accurate information on your child if he/she has allergies, special needs or religious exceptions.
- LUNCH ORDERS- monthly hot lunches & pizza must be paid for in advance. You will have a one week opportunity prior to each new month to place and order.
- Please do not leave children or valuables in your vehicle at pick-up or drop-off. We have been informed that preschools in the PSL are being targeted by smash and grab criminals. We have not had an incident of this nature at our school, but want to be pro-active. SAFETY is PARAMOUNT!
WE NEED YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!
PARKING – As many of you have experienced, finding a parking space between 8:45am & 9:15am is challenging. Assigning a parking attendant is not possible, so we are asking families to please be considerate during drop-off and pick-up times by not parking in an area that is not a designated parking space. There is a field on the north side of the building that we have permission to use for parking, so you are welcome to park there during drop-off and pick-up times. PLEASE DO NOT PARK IN FRONT OF THE DUMPSTER.
Thank you
Good to Know…
We offer a “Hot Lunch” program, which is an optional service for families. Lunch menus will be located at the front desk two weeks prior to each new month. Orders and payments must be made prior to each new month. If you miss the deadline, you will have to provide lunch from home until the following month’s menus are available. Thank you for your cooperation!
Enrichment Activities
We are pleased to offer soccer, dance, gymnastics and a sports program as additional enrichments to your child’s early education. These wellness programs are conducted on campus during school hours. If you would like your child to participate, please inquire at the front desk. Lessons are held once a week for about 30 to 45 minutes. All instructors are trained professionals and approved to work with children. Prior to making a decision, you are welcome to sign your child up for a trial lesson for one or all four enrichments. Sign up forms for all are located at the front desk.
- Happy Feet Soccer – Every Wednesday
- 2 & 3 year olds – 9:30am
- 4 & 5 year olds – 10:00am
- iShine Dance & Ballet – Every Friday
- 3 year olds – 10:00am
- 4 & 5 year olds – 10:30am
- Fun Bus Gymnastics – Every Tuesday-
- 18mo. to 3 year olds
- 3 to 5 year olds – 10:30am
- Kenpo Karate w/ Sensie Nuwar – Every Tuesday – 3 to 5 years old – 10:00am
- Play Ball Sports & Fitness – Every Monday
- 2 year olds – 10:15am
- 3 & 4 year olds – 10:50am
- Pre-K 4 & 5 year olds – 11:25am to 11:55am
- Happy Kicks Tennis – Every Thursday – 10:00am
Uniform Shirts are mandatory for students 2 to 5 yrs. old. Currently accepting orders for the 2014/2015 school year. ORDER FORMS LOCATED ON FRONT DESK.
Hot Lunch Program Menus available the last week of each month for the following month.
Pizza Pack Fridays – Every Friday. A pizza pack includes: 2 slices of pizza, drink & fruit snack. Order forms are located at the front desk.
School Pride Fridays – Every Friday. Join us as we show our school spirit by wearing a SPECIAL CHESTERBROOK ACADEMY T-SHIRT every Friday!
PLEASE REMEMBER TO SIGN-IN AND OUT DAILY! DOCUMENTATION OF VPK ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY.
A Powerful Connection to a Lifetime of Learning
Your children experience the perfect balance of learning and play in a safe, nurturing environment. Our Links to Learning (LTL) curriculum prepares them for kindergarten by introducing concepts in reading, math, art, music and much more. You will receive progress updates, as well as ideas to continue the learning at home.
As a reminder, we encourage you to take a few moments each week to review your child’s classroom Links to Learning “Parent Board”. This is one way you can”Link” to your child’s early education. Posted are “Weekly Skills”, “Lesson Plan”, “Daily Schedule”, “Spanish for the Month”, and the daily “This is What We Learned Today!” Parent folders go home the last Friday of every month! Please review the contents and return your child’s folder for the following month. We hope you enjoy “Linking” to what your child is learning at school !
Our Links to Learning curriculum provides the foundation for Florida documented kindergarten standards.
Don’t forget about our PARENT AMBASSADOR REFERRAL PROGRAM
Spread the word about Chesterbrook Academy and save on your child’s tuition. For more information, see the principal.
AUTOMATIC PAYMENT PROGRAM
This payment option allows you to have your monthly tuition debited directly from your bank account. Convenient! No Checks! No Late Fees! If you are interested in this payment program please inquire at the front desk.
Keeping in touch with your Treasures
So each child receives the best care possible it is imperative that parents and teachers maintain frequent and accurate communication. Please feel free to call or stop by at any time to see how your child is doing. We always have an open door policy!
March News
Dear Parents,
March is sure to be another busy month at Chesterbrook Academy. Spring is around the corner and teachers are busy planning a variety of fun seasonal activities that will help our students learn more about the many changes which occur in our environment during springtime. Be on the look-out for plants and flowers popping up around campus.
Thank you for taking advantage of our “Early Bird Registration” by securing your child’s space for the 2015/2016 school year. We are excited that our current students will continue to learn, grow and shine at Chesterbrook Academy. You still have time if you haven’t registered, however, please keep in mind that available space is now being offered to the public. We are currently at 90% capacity.
This month teachers and students in all age groups will be working hard at creating new dramatic play centers in their classrooms. Please take a moment to check out what your child’s classroom dramatic play theme will be. Thank you for donating items or letting us borrow items to make dramatic play a quality experience. Dramatic play can be defined as a type of play where children accept and assign roles, and then act them out. It is a time when they break through the walls of reality, pretend to be someone or something different from themselves, and dramatize situations and actions to go along with the roles they have chosen to play. And while this type of play may be viewed as frivolous by some, it remains an integral part of the developmental learning process by allowing children to develop skills in such areas as abstract thinking, literacy, math, and social studies, in a timely, natural manner.
March Snapshot:
Best Regards,
Melinda Willey, Principal
Nicole Pezzullo, Assistant Principal
VPK SCHEDULES:
ALL VPK ONLY STUDENTS MUST BE PICKED UP IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING DISMISSAL TIME. FULL TIME VPK students are permitted to attend between the hours of 6:30am & 6:30pm
These dates are considered NON-VPK days, however, we are open.
This is one of the two times during the school year when full time VPK student are required to pay an additional $25 per day to attend.
Sign-up forms are located at the front desk.
Upcoming Events
MARCH 20th – CAMP DAY
We’re going to Skate Factory in Vero Beach! Lunch will be provided. WEAR LONG PANTS.
MARCH 30th -APRIL 3rd Spring Break
Click Here for the Spring Break Calendar & Sign-up form
WACKY WEDNESDAY DRAMATIC PLAY SCHEDULE
ALL AGE GROUPS
Note: 3/25 – Zany Zoo Day – CHANGED TO WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25TH DUE TO PICTURE DAY!
APRIL PREVIEW
2014-15 Preschool & Elementary Calendars
Printed copies of calendars are always available in the school lobby.
Our Infants and Toddlers Communicate!
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
TODDLERS – Rhyme and repetition
BEGINNERS – Engaging the imagination
INTERMEDIATES – Exploring the wider world
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 – Nonfiction Adventures
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
FRIENDLY REMINDERS
TUITION: Tuition is due on the 1st business day of each month. Rates are the same month to month unless you have changed you child’s program/schedule or added enrichment programs. Please pay tuition in a timely manner to avoid late fees. Statements will be printed upon request once tuition is paid in full. Thank you!
UNIFORM POLICY: Students ages 2 to 5 are required to wear a Chesterbrook Academy uniform Monday through Friday. Although optional, Friday is our school spirit day when teachers and children may wear the NEW Links to Learning orange t-shirt. The past year’s forest green or tye-dye Friday t-shirts are no longer permitted. We currently have black uniform polos and orange Friday t-shirts in stock. Inquire at the front desk.
SIGN-IN & SIGN OUT BOOKS: Signing your child in and out daily is not only a licensing and company policy, but an added security measure in making sure all children are accounted for while in our care. PLEASE BE DILIGENT ABOUT RECORDING THE TIMES YOUR CHILD ARRIVES AND LEAVES. Thank you!
ADDITIONAL PARENT INFORMATION:
WE NEED YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!
PARKING – As many of you have experienced, finding a parking space between 8:45am & 9:15am is challenging. Assigning a parking attendant is not possible, so we are asking families to please be considerate during drop-off and pick-up times by not parking in an area that is not a designated parking space. There is a field on the north side of the building that we have permission to use for parking, so you are welcome to park there during drop-off and pick-up times. PLEASE DO NOT PARK IN FRONT OF THE DUMPSTER.
Thank you
Good to Know…
We offer a “Hot Lunch” program, which is an optional service for families. Lunch menus will be located at the front desk two weeks prior to each new month. Orders and payments must be made prior to each new month. If you miss the deadline, you will have to provide lunch from home until the following month’s menus are available. Thank you for your cooperation!
Enrichment Activities
We are pleased to offer soccer, dance, gymnastics and a sports program as additional enrichments to your child’s early education. These wellness programs are conducted on campus during school hours. If you would like your child to participate, please inquire at the front desk. Lessons are held once a week for about 30 to 45 minutes. All instructors are trained professionals and approved to work with children. Prior to making a decision, you are welcome to sign your child up for a trial lesson for one or all four enrichments. Sign up forms for all are located at the front desk.
Uniform Shirts are mandatory for students 2 to 5 yrs. old. Currently accepting orders for the 2014/2015 school year. ORDER FORMS LOCATED ON FRONT DESK.
Hot Lunch Program Menus available the last week of each month for the following month.
Pizza Pack Fridays – Every Friday. A pizza pack includes: 2 slices of pizza, drink & fruit snack. Order forms are located at the front desk.
School Pride Fridays – Every Friday. Join us as we show our school spirit by wearing a SPECIAL CHESTERBROOK ACADEMY T-SHIRT every Friday!
PLEASE REMEMBER TO SIGN-IN AND OUT DAILY! DOCUMENTATION OF VPK ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY.
A Powerful Connection to a Lifetime of Learning
Your children experience the perfect balance of learning and play in a safe, nurturing environment. Our Links to Learning (LTL) curriculum prepares them for kindergarten by introducing concepts in reading, math, art, music and much more. You will receive progress updates, as well as ideas to continue the learning at home.
As a reminder, we encourage you to take a few moments each week to review your child’s classroom Links to Learning “Parent Board”. This is one way you can”Link” to your child’s early education. Posted are “Weekly Skills”, “Lesson Plan”, “Daily Schedule”, “Spanish for the Month”, and the daily “This is What We Learned Today!” Parent folders go home the last Friday of every month! Please review the contents and return your child’s folder for the following month. We hope you enjoy “Linking” to what your child is learning at school !
Our Links to Learning curriculum provides the foundation for Florida documented kindergarten standards.
Don’t forget about our PARENT AMBASSADOR REFERRAL PROGRAM
Spread the word about Chesterbrook Academy and save on your child’s tuition. For more information, see the principal.
AUTOMATIC PAYMENT PROGRAM
This payment option allows you to have your monthly tuition debited directly from your bank account. Convenient! No Checks! No Late Fees! If you are interested in this payment program please inquire at the front desk.
Keeping in touch with your Treasures
So each child receives the best care possible it is imperative that parents and teachers maintain frequent and accurate communication. Please feel free to call or stop by at any time to see how your child is doing. We always have an open door policy!