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October News

From the Principal’s Office

Dear Chesterbrook Families:

It’s hard to believe we have completed our first month of school! Please be sure you take a few moments out of your day, week, and month to review the “This is What We Learned Today” posted outside your child’s classroom from Infants through PreK 2. We encourage you to have your child show you one of their Student Learning Boards and initiate a conversation about some of the learning activities displayed. At the end of the month, you will receive a few samples of your child’s work from the month in their Links to Learning End of Month Folder, along with the skills that were covered and coming up in the month ahead. We also maintain a few samples for your child’s individual portfolio to show their grow and progression over the year. There is so much learning happening all around, I would like to share some highlights from each of our classrooms with you.

During the first week of this month, our Kindergarten students are celebrating their 20th Day of school with “Zero the Hero”, and will be celebrating each 10th day up to the 100th Day of School later this year. This is helping them to reinforce “making 10” and counting to 100 by ones and tens. They will soon begin discussing Earth’s landforms and types of land, and connecting the world around them to their studies in Social Studies with several essential questions: Who are we?, Where are we?, and What are we doing? They created a school map of individuals around the school to help identify the answers to these questions. The Bucks County Conservation group will be visiting with our Kindergarten class to take a closer look at Soils and Enviro-scapes. Be sure to take a look at the Kindergarten Education Display Board in the hallway linking their Back to School Treasure Box/Book Nook activity to the Common Core Standards and thinking from an “author’s point of view”, as well as a few Back to School favorites such as Mrs. Bindergarten Goes to Kindergarten. Ms. Mueller has imparted them with the “Key” to reading success!

If you look around, you are sure to see a bushel of apples somewhere around each classroom. The start of the new school year and fall always seems to go hand in hand with APPLES! Many of our classes utilized Apples to reinforce a variety of learning skills. The Beginner’s class used apples to: Count number sets of 1-5, work on Color Identification, learn songs about apples, and follow multi-step directions to create art with varied materials, such as apple prints. And, our Intermediates learned about Johnny Appleseed, and kicked up their senses and following multi-steps when they made applesauce from scratch! Yum! PreK graphed the student preferences of several different types of apples. Which one is the leading favorite?

PreK and PreK 2 began their Letter Buddies lessons with the letters “B” and “D”. The students developed their writing skills through the use of inventive spelling in PreK 2, and our PreK class focused on writing their name in with the appropriate case. They have been busy graphing the weather daily and discussing how it affects our lives. PreK worked on building structures using various size and shape blocks. PreK 2 created complex pictures to tell a story. The Intermediates have been following suit, working on recognizing their name in print, beginning to write letters and numbers, and identifying their colors, shapes, and creating repeating patterns of 3 or more!

Our Infants and Toddlers continued to explore the world around them, and developing their language through the use of Baby Sign and imitating new words. They participated in activities to encourage exploration through their senses such as using a paint brush, pointing to familiar objects, and listening to stories and songs.

Hoy en espanol was all about family! And, our Second Step Character Education lessons fit in with our universal Getting to Know You and All About Me theme throughout the month with the introduction of Skills for Learning – “Welcoming” and “Listening” as the topics of discussion in our Intermediates, Prek, PreK 2, and Kindergarten classes. This early learning program promotes: Success in the early learning classroom, School readiness, Social and Life Success by directly teaching children the skills that strengthen their ability to learn, have empathy, manage emotions, make friends, and solve problems. Stay tuned to the Home Links for lessons throughout the month to incorporate some of the lessons into your “car” talk on the way home from school.

As you can tell from just a few highlights, September was a month full of learning that will continue into October. We will be talking about Community Helpers and Fire Safety at the beginning of the month. Our PreK, PreK 2, and Kindergarten students will be going on their first field trip of the school year to learn about farm life and harvesting crops, such as pumpkins! We will also recreate our own “Pumpkin Patch” for our younger learners here at the school to enjoy. We are also working on incorporating simple technology in the classroom through the use of various medias. We hope you are enjoying the use of our Parent Share application to extend and share the learning experience with our parents.

We will wrap-up the month with our annual Halloween Parade to New Seasons on Friday, October 30th. The event will take place in the afternoon around 4:00pm. (Time to be confirmed) Parents and siblings are welcome to join us for the short stroll to visit our “Grand Friends”. Our bi-annual Scholastic Book Fair will also arrive for the last week of the month – just in time for the holidays!

Don’t forget, our first teacher in-service day of the new school year is Tuesday, November 3rd! Please start making alternative plans for your child. Thank you for your continued support of our efforts to provide quality professional development to our teachers.

 

Sincerely,

Jenell Hilton


 

Upcoming Events:

  • Thursday, October 8th: Chalfont Fire Co. visits at 10:30am
  • Thursday, October 15th: Prek/PreK 2/Kindergarten Field Trip to Pumpkin Patch and Delaware Valley College Farmer’s Market
  • Wednesday, October 21st: Vision Screening (Optional for ages 3+) – information will be sent home closer to date
  • October 26th-October 30th: Scholastic Book Fair
  • Friday, October 30th: Halloween/Costume Parade to New Seasons (School-wide) (4:00pm)
  • Tuesday, November 3rd: Election Day – School Closed for Teacher In-service
  • Saturday, November 7th: Open House 10am-1pm
  • Friday, November 20th: CBA Thanksgiving Feast (School-wide)
  • Thursday, November 26th: Happy Thanksgiving! School Closed

 

From the Education Team

Exploring Community Helpers & the Roles They Play

This month, our students are gaining a greater understanding of community helper occupations, such as police officers, mail carriers, medical professionals and firefighters. The children have a lot of fun imagining themselves in these important roles, and incorporating toy versions of the uniforms, equipment and vehicles that go with them.

In addition, October is National Fire Prevention Month, so we place a special emphasis on the importance of fire safety and the role of firefighters. Our classroom activities help the children become more comfortable around emergency responders in uniform, and teach them basics about what to do in case of an emergency.

Here are some ways children learn about community helpers in the classroom, as well as activities for you and your child to do at home.

TODDLERS (ages 1-2):

In the classroom: Toddlers are fascinated with dressing up as doctors, police officers and firefighters, because they have distinct uniforms and roles that children can easily understand. During dramatic play, our teachers provide students with costumes and props, and encourage them to choose the role they want to play.

At home: Continue dress-up play by providing your child with various props and costumes. Ask him, “Who do you want to dress-up as?” and “What does that person wear?”

Recommended reading: Whose Hat is This by Sharon Katz Cooper

BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):

In the classroom: Our Beginner students learn about the special vehicles that community helpers use, by playing matching games, reading books, and building vehicles using cardboard boxes.

At home: Go for a drive with your child. Point out vehicles that belong to community helpers, such as a fire truck and a police car. Ask, “Who drives that vehicle?” and “Where might it be going?”

Recommended reading: The Little Fire Engine by Lois Lenski

INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):

In the classroom: During fire safety lessons, many of our schools invite local firefighters to visit. Students explore the tools firefighters use, learn “Stop, Drop and Roll,” and may have the opportunity to tour a fire truck.

At home: Continue exploring fire safety by practicing “Stop, Drop and Roll” with your child. Ask him, “Who puts out fires?” and discuss what he should do if he hears a fire alarm at home.

Recommended reading: The Fire Engine Book by Tibor Gergely

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

In the classroom: Teachers introduce situations when it might be necessary to dial 9-1-1. Students practice finding 9-1-1 on different keypads, such as cell phones and landlines.

At home: Show your child photos of various community helpers and the buildings where they work. Ask him to identify the helpers and their workplaces, and describe the roles the helpers play in our community.

Recommended reading: The Berenstain Bears: Jobs around Town by Jan Berenstain

We provide many opportunities for students to learn about community helpers. By setting this foundation, they become more familiar and comfortable around the people that make their neighborhoods a better place.

          

Lauren Starnes, PhD- Manager of Curriculum and Instruction


 

For Parents and Teachers

With the start of a new school year, it can be challenging to remember all of the things, we as parents need to do. Here are a few important reminders to be aware of:

  • Tuition is due on Friday for the upcoming week. Let us help make life a little easier, and save yourself from writing checks by signing up for the Automatic Payment program. We have forms available at the front desk for those interested.
  • Please sign your child in and out each day at the front desk. If you are not sure what to do or where to look, please do not hesitate to ask.
  • Please do not hold the door open for individuals you do not know or recognize. Anyone who is supposed to be here will understand and thank you for it!
  • Check your child’s mailbox/folder at the end of each day for imporant notes and information coming home.
  • Our two inservice days of the year are on Election Day (11/3/15 – Tuesday!) and President’s Day (2/15/16). Our school will be closed on these dates for our staff to attend required training.
  • Tune into 6ABC.com or Channel 6 News for information on school closings and delays. Please refer to the For Parent and Teachers below as well for further details.
  • All children are required to have an updated and current physical on file. Children up to the age of 2 years are required to have an updated Health Assessment Form completed at each well visit. Children 2 years of age and older are required annually. Forms are available at the front desk and on our school website under Forms and Policies.
  • Enrollment paperwork will be required to be updated periodically to remain in compliance with our state regulations and licensing. Be aware of information coming home of forms that need to be updated. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation to make sure that we meet and exceed the requirements.

In addition to all the efforts we are making to ensure a year of tremendous growth for the children, we are striving to make life easier for parents! We encourage you to check out our school website for updates. On this site you will find our school calendar, menus, newsletter and more. Please bookmark the address at www.newbritain.chesterbrookacademy.com .

 

 

From the Desk of Donna Miller, Executive Director:

Fall2015

Dear Infant Parents.

Chesterbrook Academy Schools are the industry leaders in providing strong early childhood programs for their children. We are constantly evaluating our current operational practices and identifying new ways to continue to keep our children safe and healthy.

This communication is to make you aware of two initiatives that your school will be implementing in the upcoming months. The first initiative is to educate our families on recent information and trainings associated with safe sleep practices. We will then share the Safe Sleep Practice that Chesterbrook Academy is adopting. The other initiative is one that will improve our current bottle feeding practice.

The Safe Sleep initiative is in place for all of our new infant families as of April 2014. They will be educated on the Safe Sleep Practice at the time of enrollment. They will also be asked to sign the document which shares that they understand and will adhere to the expectations of the Safe Sleep Practice. All of our infant staff were trained on the procedure and have a certificate of completion on file. New infant teachers hired after April will be trained on both the Safe Sleep Practice and Bottle Feeding and Labeling System. Our safe sleep practice includes the elimination of any and all soft items in the crib. Soft items would include stuffed animals, dolls, mobiles, bumpers, blankets and lovies. Our rooms are kept at temperatures that are warm enough for the babies. However, if you would still like your child to have some type of outerwear, i.e. blanket, the Association of American Pediatrics recommends a sleep sack. Your teachers and management team will be providing an orientation over the next month or so and the expectation is that by the end of June our current families will be managing by the new practice as well.

The second initiative is to add a color-coded labeling system to our bottle feeding procedure. Your child will be assigned a specific color. Their cubby tag, crib label, daily sheet and bottles will also be identified by that color. We will begin by purchasing the materials and then assisting you with the labeling process when you drop off. Our ultimate goal will be to pass onto you that responsibility when you are comfortable. The labeling system supplier that we are purchasing from will be provided to you, so in the event you may want added supplies beyond what we give you, there is an avenue to do so. We will also have breast milk labels available for all families so those specific bottles can be identified.

As with any major initiative, we are looking for your compliance and assistance in implementation to provide the best care for our children and families. Please feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions with your school management team so that we may better meet your needs as we roll-out this initiative.

Sincerely,

Donna Bonfiglio-Miller


 

Dear Chesterbrook Families and Staff,

For your reference, we thought it would be helpful to remind our families and staff of how to find out about our school delays and closing information. We do our best to maintain our regular operations, but occassionally there are times when we need to open late, close early, or possibly close the school due to extreme weather and/or school conditions. 

Please tune to ABC 6 for our school delays and closings. You may also find this information on the ABC 6 website at: www.6abc.com and on any wireless device with internet access. In addition, you have the option to sign-up on the 6 ABC website for email alerts, dismissals and delays that are posted. We will be listed as Chesterbrook Academy – Chalfont.

 

For your reference:

If school is delayed one hour, CBA will open at 7:30 a.m.

If school is delayed two hours, CBA will open at 8:30 a.m.

 

As a reminder, please do not leave your vehicle running unattended with or without children. This is a serious violation and safety hazard that we want all of our families to avoid.

Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation. Your safety and that of your children and our staff is important to us.   

  


 

 For Parents

Dear Chesterbrook Academy® Community:

If there’s one thing parents love to do, it’s talk about their children’s successes.

When friends ask you about your child’s experiences at Chesterbrook Academy, what type of success stories do you share? Do you mention the personal and educational discoveries your child is making thanks to our advanced curriculum? Do you talk about the new levels of self and social confidence your child has gained thanks to our encouraging atmosphere?

Whatever glowing reports you deliver about how your child is growing with his or her education, we couldn’t be more appreciative. In fact, we’d like to show you just how thankful we are for your endorsements. Now when you tell other parents about our school, you can become a Chesterbrook Academy Ambassador.

For every new child you refer who enrolls at our school for three months, you’ll receive an Ambassador Certificate for one FREE week of tuition for your child*.

  (Part-time enrollments will receive $100 tuition credit)

It’s our way of saying thanks for doing what comes naturally – singing the praises of your child and sharing your experiences with the Chesterbrook Academy difference.

If you have any questions about how you can become a Chesterbrook Academy Ambassador, or if you’d like any additional certificates or flyers, please don’t hesitate to call me directly at 215-997-9085.

 

P.S. – All parents want the very best education possible for their child. If you think your family has that, spread the word and become a Chesterbrook Academy Ambassador. Thank you to all of our families who have referred our school to new families!


 

Box Top News, Chesterbrook Academy Logo Wear, and Additional Information

Help Support our school with Box Tops! Collected Box Tops can be left at the front office or in the Campbell Soup bin by the front desk. To learn more, go to the link below:

http://www.boxtops4education.com/

We are very excited to announce the launch of our new NLCI logo wear online portal through the Queensboro Shirt Company.

The Queensboro Shirt Company is our preferred vendor for all logo wear, apparel, and accessory needs and is a one-stop-shop for all NLCI branded items.

As an NLCI parent, you are invited to purchase items through the exclusive Chesterbrook Academy – Queensboro website and take advantage of our very special pricing plan.

Simply follow this link, follow the instructions, and place your order:

http://chalfontcb706.qbstores.com

Your order will be shipped directly to your school.
Thanks!

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