May is one of my favorite times of the year. The flowers are blooming, the trees are green, the weather is usually perfect. May is the month we wish all Moms a Happy Mother’s Day and tell them how much we love them . May is also the month we appreciate our teachers. We thank the teachers for their dedication and commitment to the children.
We will be having an Open House on Tuesday, May 10th from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Met Life will be here providing all the children with free digital fingerprinting.
Please remember to send in a change of clothes for the season. If you have not signed up for Summer Camp, please do so ASAP. Our camp spots are filling up. If you are leaving us at the end of the school year , let us know. We need four weeks notice. Thank You!
We are continuing our work on our re-accreditation. We will keep you informed as we move through the process.
WEEKLY THEMES
May 1 Mother May I
May 8 Rain, Rain Go Away
May 15 All Around The World
May 22 All American
May 29 You’ve Got A Friend In Me
DATES TO REMEMBER
May 1 Miss Alisha’s Birthday
May 2 Scholastic Book Fair Week
May 3 Teacher Appreciation Luncheon
May 4 Favorite Pet Day
May 5 Cinco De Mayo
May 6 Mother’s Day Tea (3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.)
May 8 Mother’s Day
May 9 No Sock Day
May 10 Open House (5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) Free Digital Fingerprinting
May 12 St. Jude Trike – A- Thon
May 13 Kite Day – Bring a kite to school
May 16 Tadpoles Begin
May 17 Pre-K and Kindergarten Graduation Trip to Storybook Land.
May 24 Storybook Land Rain Date
May 30 Memorial Day (School Closed)
Enjoy the holiday weekend!
Chesterbrook Staff
Building Your Child’s Sense of Family Belonging
Relationships with family members play an important role as children begin to develop a sense of self. When they feel a sense of identity and belonging within their own families, children are better able to grow emotionally, make friends, and appreciate and accept the diversity of others.
With Mother’s Day right around the corner, it’s a great time to share activities that celebrate the importance of family.
Below are age appropriate activities that we implement in the classroom, as well as activities you can do with your child at home.
INFANTS/TODDLERS:
In the classroom: Teachers use baby sign language to help children identify and eventually verbalize names for their family members. When parents enter the classroom, teachers say, “Look! Here’s Sophia’s mommy,” while also signing “mommy.” They work with parents to learn specific names used at home, and then use those names in the classroom.
At home: Use baby sign language as you come across names of family members in books and songs. To sign “mommy,” tap your thumb on your chin repeatedly. To sign “daddy,” tap your thumb on your forehead repeatedly. Remember to say the word aloud as you sign.
Recommended reading: Spot Loves His Mommy by Eric Hill, Are You my Mother? by PD Eastman
BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):
In the classroom: By age two, children begin to learn the names of extended family members, such as grandmother, uncle and cousin. They practice using these words as they talk about their families. After sorting stuffed animals by type, teachers might say, “This is the horse’s family. He has a big family. Who’s in your family?”
At home: Give your child play dough and encourage him to create the members of his family. Afterward, ask him to count and name them. This activity helps him conceptualize that multiple people make up his entire family and gives you insight into what family means to your child at his particular point in development.
Recommended reading: On Mother’s Lap by Ann Herbert Scott, Oonga Boonga by Frieda Wishinsky
INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):
In the classroom: As children read stories about diverse families, teachers encourage them to share unique details about their own families. For example, teachers might ask, “Who has a sister?” or “Who has a pet?” Afterward, students create charts with the information.
At home: Have each member of your family make a thumbprint using finger paint on a piece of paper side by side. Then, ask your child to compare the various sizes, and guess which thumbprint belongs to each person. As they talk about their family members, they begin to appreciate what makes their family unique.
Recommended reading: Clifford’s Family by Norman Bridwell, What Mommies Do Best and What Daddies Do Best by Laura Numeroff
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (ages 4-5):
In the classroom: Our older preschoolers begin to understand that their parents have more than one role. Family members are invited to visit and talk to the class about their roles inside and outside of the home. Students are encouraged to write and draw their family members in the different roles they serve. For example, “Mommy is a doctor.”
At home: Go on an uninterrupted family outing with your child. Try to avoid checking work emails or answering unimportant phone calls. Afterward, ask your child to write about his favorite parts of the day in his journal.
Recommended reading: Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother Too? by Eric Carle, The Napping House by Audrey Wood
All of our schools will be celebrating families in really fun ways this Mother’s Day season, and we hope that you do too!
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education
May Newsletter – 2016
May is one of my favorite times of the year. The flowers are blooming, the trees are green, the weather is usually perfect. May is the month we wish all Moms a Happy Mother’s Day and tell them how much we love them . May is also the month we appreciate our teachers. We thank the teachers for their dedication and commitment to the children.
We will be having an Open House on Tuesday, May 10th from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Met Life will be here providing all the children with free digital fingerprinting.
Please remember to send in a change of clothes for the season. If you have not signed up for Summer Camp, please do so ASAP. Our camp spots are filling up. If you are leaving us at the end of the school year , let us know. We need four weeks notice. Thank You!
We are continuing our work on our re-accreditation. We will keep you informed as we move through the process.
WEEKLY THEMES
May 1 Mother May I
May 8 Rain, Rain Go Away
May 15 All Around The World
May 22 All American
May 29 You’ve Got A Friend In Me
DATES TO REMEMBER
May 1 Miss Alisha’s Birthday
May 2 Scholastic Book Fair Week
May 3 Teacher Appreciation Luncheon
May 4 Favorite Pet Day
May 5 Cinco De Mayo
May 6 Mother’s Day Tea (3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.)
May 8 Mother’s Day
May 9 No Sock Day
May 10 Open House (5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) Free Digital Fingerprinting
May 12 St. Jude Trike – A- Thon
May 13 Kite Day – Bring a kite to school
May 16 Tadpoles Begin
May 17 Pre-K and Kindergarten Graduation Trip to Storybook Land.
May 24 Storybook Land Rain Date
May 30 Memorial Day (School Closed)
Enjoy the holiday weekend!
Chesterbrook Staff
Building Your Child’s Sense of Family Belonging
Relationships with family members play an important role as children begin to develop a sense of self. When they feel a sense of identity and belonging within their own families, children are better able to grow emotionally, make friends, and appreciate and accept the diversity of others.
With Mother’s Day right around the corner, it’s a great time to share activities that celebrate the importance of family.
Below are age appropriate activities that we implement in the classroom, as well as activities you can do with your child at home.
INFANTS/TODDLERS:
In the classroom: Teachers use baby sign language to help children identify and eventually verbalize names for their family members. When parents enter the classroom, teachers say, “Look! Here’s Sophia’s mommy,” while also signing “mommy.” They work with parents to learn specific names used at home, and then use those names in the classroom.
At home: Use baby sign language as you come across names of family members in books and songs. To sign “mommy,” tap your thumb on your chin repeatedly. To sign “daddy,” tap your thumb on your forehead repeatedly. Remember to say the word aloud as you sign.
Recommended reading: Spot Loves His Mommy by Eric Hill, Are You my Mother? by PD Eastman
BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):
In the classroom: By age two, children begin to learn the names of extended family members, such as grandmother, uncle and cousin. They practice using these words as they talk about their families. After sorting stuffed animals by type, teachers might say, “This is the horse’s family. He has a big family. Who’s in your family?”
At home: Give your child play dough and encourage him to create the members of his family. Afterward, ask him to count and name them. This activity helps him conceptualize that multiple people make up his entire family and gives you insight into what family means to your child at his particular point in development.
Recommended reading: On Mother’s Lap by Ann Herbert Scott, Oonga Boonga by Frieda Wishinsky
INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):
In the classroom: As children read stories about diverse families, teachers encourage them to share unique details about their own families. For example, teachers might ask, “Who has a sister?” or “Who has a pet?” Afterward, students create charts with the information.
At home: Have each member of your family make a thumbprint using finger paint on a piece of paper side by side. Then, ask your child to compare the various sizes, and guess which thumbprint belongs to each person. As they talk about their family members, they begin to appreciate what makes their family unique.
Recommended reading: Clifford’s Family by Norman Bridwell, What Mommies Do Best and What Daddies Do Best by Laura Numeroff
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (ages 4-5):
In the classroom: Our older preschoolers begin to understand that their parents have more than one role. Family members are invited to visit and talk to the class about their roles inside and outside of the home. Students are encouraged to write and draw their family members in the different roles they serve. For example, “Mommy is a doctor.”
At home: Go on an uninterrupted family outing with your child. Try to avoid checking work emails or answering unimportant phone calls. Afterward, ask your child to write about his favorite parts of the day in his journal.
Recommended reading: Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother Too? by Eric Carle, The Napping House by Audrey Wood
All of our schools will be celebrating families in really fun ways this Mother’s Day season, and we hope that you do too!
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education