From the Principal’s Office:
It looks like Spring has arrived!!! Time to check your child’s cubby to make sure he/she has a weather appropriate change of clothes. It is also time for all of our flying friends and insects to come out and play. I highly recommend that you provide sunscreen and bug spray for your child while he/she is at school. If providing sunscreen and/or bug spray, you will be required to fill out the authorization form found on the sign in/out table.
Upcoming Events
4/3 CBA Egg Hunt
4/13 Week of the Young Child
4/13 Food Drive for Housing Families First
4/16 Spring pictures with Lifetouch @ 8am
4/17 Ladybug release @ 4pm
Easter Egg Hunt!
Our annual egg hunt is on Friday, April 3rd. The schedule is as follows:
- Toddlers 10am
- Beginners 10:30am
- Intermediates 11am
- Pre-K & SA 4pm
Thank you to all of the families who donated eggs and treats for this event!!!
Week of the Young Child 4/13 – 4/17
Music Monday – Dance Party
Tasty Tuesday – Bring in your favorite fruit to make a fruit salad
Work Together Wednesday – Build planters and plant flowers
Artsy Thursday – Creative artwork
Family Event – Ladybug Release at 4pm
Ladybug Release
In honor or Earth Day, we will be releasing 1500 ladybugs into the environment on Friday, April 17th. Families are welcome to attend!!
Food Drive
Chesterbrook Academy will be hosting a food drive for Housing Families First (Hilliard House) beginning Monday April 13th and running until Friday, April 24th. The organization is in need of breakfast and lunch items that they can distribute to the families who are being placed in their own homes. Suggestions are: oatmeal, grits, cereal, granola bars, canned pasta with pull tab lids, microwavable mac & cheese, and cans of soup. Thanks for your support!
Food Policy
Please be mindful of our policy regarding outside food being brought into the building. We do have children in our care who have severe allergies to certain foods or ingredients, therefore, we highly frown upon outside food being brought into the building unless it has been cleared through the office. It is our top priority to ensure all of our children spend their day in a safe environment. Absolutely no peanut products may be brought into the building.
Medication Policy
Per Virginia State Licensing we can not house medication in the building unless we are to administer the medicine to the child while he/she is in our care. Please refrain from storing medication in your child’s backpack, cubby, or mailbox without our knowledge. Not only is this a licensing violation, but we do not want to pose any risk to the children by it being in the classroom. Thank you for your understanding and support in this matter.
Late Payment Policy
Tuition payments are due by noon each Monday. If your payment has not been received by that time there will be a $25 late fee assessed to your account. There are no exceptions to the policy.
Sign In/Out
We are required by law to have documentation of when each child enters and leaves the building. Please be sure to take an extra minute each morning and afternoon to sign your child in and out# In the event of an emergency these documents will help us in knowing who we have in our care each day. We would also like to remind you that you may not take your child over the fence from the playground at pick up time.
Extra Clothes
We are frequently running into an issue with children not having extra clothes in their cubby. Please check periodically to ensure that your child has a weather appropriate change of clothes ,including socks, that are the correct size and season. This will avoid us having to interrupt you during your busy day to bring extra clothes for your little one. It is not CBAs responsibility to provide extra clothes for the children.
Sick Policy
Per our sick policy, if a child is not feeling well or has been sent home from Chesterbrook due to illness they must remain at home for at least 24 hours after their symptoms have passed. If you have taken them to the doctor and can provide a note stating that they are not contagious then they may return sooner. It is very important that we all follow through and do our best to keep our children happy, healthy, and safe. Thank you for your support!
Along with memos that may go home, you can always check our website to find out what will be going on during the month.
Thank you!
Lori
Happy Birthday to all of the children and staff who will be celebrating a birthday in April!
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
April News
From the Principal’s Office:
It looks like Spring has arrived!!! Time to check your child’s cubby to make sure he/she has a weather appropriate change of clothes. It is also time for all of our flying friends and insects to come out and play. I highly recommend that you provide sunscreen and bug spray for your child while he/she is at school. If providing sunscreen and/or bug spray, you will be required to fill out the authorization form found on the sign in/out table.
Upcoming Events
4/3 CBA Egg Hunt
4/13 Week of the Young Child
4/13 Food Drive for Housing Families First
4/16 Spring pictures with Lifetouch @ 8am
4/17 Ladybug release @ 4pm
Easter Egg Hunt!
Our annual egg hunt is on Friday, April 3rd. The schedule is as follows:
Thank you to all of the families who donated eggs and treats for this event!!!
Week of the Young Child 4/13 – 4/17
Music Monday – Dance Party
Tasty Tuesday – Bring in your favorite fruit to make a fruit salad
Work Together Wednesday – Build planters and plant flowers
Artsy Thursday – Creative artwork
Family Event – Ladybug Release at 4pm
Ladybug Release
In honor or Earth Day, we will be releasing 1500 ladybugs into the environment on Friday, April 17th. Families are welcome to attend!!
Food Drive
Chesterbrook Academy will be hosting a food drive for Housing Families First (Hilliard House) beginning Monday April 13th and running until Friday, April 24th. The organization is in need of breakfast and lunch items that they can distribute to the families who are being placed in their own homes. Suggestions are: oatmeal, grits, cereal, granola bars, canned pasta with pull tab lids, microwavable mac & cheese, and cans of soup. Thanks for your support!
Food Policy
Please be mindful of our policy regarding outside food being brought into the building. We do have children in our care who have severe allergies to certain foods or ingredients, therefore, we highly frown upon outside food being brought into the building unless it has been cleared through the office. It is our top priority to ensure all of our children spend their day in a safe environment. Absolutely no peanut products may be brought into the building.
Medication Policy
Per Virginia State Licensing we can not house medication in the building unless we are to administer the medicine to the child while he/she is in our care. Please refrain from storing medication in your child’s backpack, cubby, or mailbox without our knowledge. Not only is this a licensing violation, but we do not want to pose any risk to the children by it being in the classroom. Thank you for your understanding and support in this matter.
Late Payment Policy
Tuition payments are due by noon each Monday. If your payment has not been received by that time there will be a $25 late fee assessed to your account. There are no exceptions to the policy.
Sign In/Out
We are required by law to have documentation of when each child enters and leaves the building. Please be sure to take an extra minute each morning and afternoon to sign your child in and out# In the event of an emergency these documents will help us in knowing who we have in our care each day. We would also like to remind you that you may not take your child over the fence from the playground at pick up time.
Extra Clothes
We are frequently running into an issue with children not having extra clothes in their cubby. Please check periodically to ensure that your child has a weather appropriate change of clothes ,including socks, that are the correct size and season. This will avoid us having to interrupt you during your busy day to bring extra clothes for your little one. It is not CBAs responsibility to provide extra clothes for the children.
Sick Policy
Per our sick policy, if a child is not feeling well or has been sent home from Chesterbrook due to illness they must remain at home for at least 24 hours after their symptoms have passed. If you have taken them to the doctor and can provide a note stating that they are not contagious then they may return sooner. It is very important that we all follow through and do our best to keep our children happy, healthy, and safe. Thank you for your support!
Along with memos that may go home, you can always check our website to find out what will be going on during the month.
Thank you!
Lori
Happy Birthday to all of the children and staff who will be celebrating a birthday in April!
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