From the Office of the Principal
Dear Parents,
Our 2016-2017 school year is underway! We have just started our first week of school and the children are adjusting
well to their new classrooms. Saying goodbye every morning is getting easier for all! It has been great to see our returning students move to the next level as well as the many new families who have joined our Chesterbrook Academy family this year. Thank you all for your continued support and trust. We are committed to providing your children with the best educational opportunities possible and look forward to all the 2016-2017 school year has in store for us.
Our teachers have a busy fall planned, please remember to review parent boards, lobby displays as well as our school website so that you are connected with all that is happening at school.
We have many events going in during the month of September. Our Little Caesars Pizza Kit Fundraiser Event starts Tuesday, September 6, offering all the pizza, garlic bread, and dessert kits that you can make at home as family! Order payments are due back by Monday, September 19, and checks should be made out to “Chesterbrook Academy.” We were closed on Monday, September 5 in observance of Labor Day. Also, beginning this week, our Links to Learning curriculum will be in full swing. You will begin to see evidence of what your child is learning at school on hallway and classroom education boards as well as a daily overview of “What We Learned Today” posted on each classroom parent board. Although a variety of activities take place daily in all age groups and displayed and sent home at the end of every month, not all learning ends with a tangible product, sometimes it’s a learning experience. For this reason, teachers are committed to communicating with you daily, weekly, monthly about the process of learning that is going on in their classroom, especially through our Links 2 Home app (available at the App Store as well as Android phones). We also like to take pictures so you can see the activities your child participated in to learn a particular skill. Be on the lookout….hallway bulletin boards will start popping up showing your child at work and play.
As always, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Kindest Regards,
William Gordon, Principal
Candi Staines, Assistant Principal
_________________________________________________________________________
Upcoming Events and Special Days
Monday, September 5: Chesterbrook Closed in Observance of Labor Day
Tuesday, September 6: Little Caesars Pizza Kit Fundraising Event Starts!
Friday, September 11: Patriot Day
Wednesday, September 14: First Day of Soccer Shots Fall Season
Friday, September 16: National Step Family Day
Monday, September 19: Orders for Little Caesars Pizza Kits Due
Wednesday, September 21: International Day of Peace
Thursday, September 22: First Day of Autumn (Autumnal Equinox)
Monday, September 26: Johnny Appleseed Day
Friday, September 30: Links to Learning Folders Go Home
Every Monday afternoon (starting 9/12/16): Music for Little Ones @ 3p for Toddlers and 2 year olds and 3:30p for 3-5 year olds
Every Wednesday morning (starting 9/14/16): Soccer Shots @ 10a for 2-3 year olds and 10:30a for 4-5 year olds
Every Thursday morning (starting 9/8/16): Jumpbunch @ 10a
___________________________________________________________________________
Chesterbrook Academy is on Facebook!
We wanted to remind everyone that the Chesterbrook Academy group of schools is on Facebook. We invite you to
“like” our page at www.facebook.com/ChesterbrookAcademy where we’ll be providing our fans with regular educational tips for children from preschool to 8th grade and the opportunity to network with fellow parents. We would love to have your participation and encourage you to continue to check our school website for more local updates specific to our own school. We’ve recently been able to post pictures of our PreK2 graduation and some of our summer camp activities! We look forward to having you as part of our Facebook community!
___________________________________________________________________________
Automatic Draft Program
“CHECK” IT OUT… No checks necessary! Enroll in our Automatic Payment Program and never write another check for your monthly tuition or pay another late payment. Tuition can be automatically deducted from your checking account. You can find more information about the ACH program here in the office. Let us sign you up today!
___________________________________________________________________________
From the Education Department
Developing Balance Skills in Young Children: From Tummy Time to Bike Riding
Balance is a fundamental skill necessary for maintaining controlled positions, such as sitting in a chair, or engaging in physical activities like running or riding a bike. Having balance makes motor skill development easier, reduces the risk of injury, and helps children focus on academic tasks.
Our Nobel Learning Education team stays up to date with the latest research to ensure that our Links to Learning curriculum exceeds childhood learning standards. The Links to Learning curriculum was enhanced last fall to include a greater focus on balance, a building block for skills such as hand-eye coordination, muscular strength and body awareness.
Here are some ways we help improve balance in the classroom, as well as ideas for you and your child to do at home.
INFANTS:
In the classroom: Tummy time promotes neck, back and abdominal strength needed for infants to eventually push up, roll over, sit up and crawl. Teachers keep infants engaged by using activity mats or plush blocks.
At home: Place your baby on his stomach and shine a flashlight near him. Once you have captured his attention, shine the light in a rhythmic pattern. For older infants, encourage your baby to move or crawl toward the light.
TODDLERS (ages 1-2):
In the classroom: During the toddler years, children make major strides in balance and coordination. Teachers play music and encourage students to move their bodies in different ways while maintaining their balance.
At home: Push and pull toys require children to use core balance and arm strength, which can be difficult for new walkers. Place a small wagon or toy shopping cart and a pile of blocks on the floor. Show your child how to fill the cart with blocks. He will enjoy pulling or pushing the blocks around the room.
BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):
In the classroom: Sitting cross-legged, or as we say with the children “criss-cross applesauce,” is an important developmental skill for two year olds. Teachers encourage children to sit criss-crossed anytime they are playing on the floor. Sitting in this position strengthens a child’s core muscles and helps improve body control. We discourage “W-sitting,” with knees together and feet on either side of the hips, because it puts strain on knees and hips and fails to engage core abdominal muscles.
At home: Provide your child with a sit-and-spin toy. Ask him to sit on the toy with his legs crisscrossed. As he turns the wheel to spin, he will gain a better understanding of cause and effect.
INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):
In the classroom: Around age three, children learn to maintain control of their upper body while moving their lower body. Our Intermediate students practice pedaling a tricycle, bouncing on hopper balls, and walking on a balance beam.
At home: Have your child practice running and stopping with control by playing the traffic light game. Shout out the color green, yellow or red. Have him move quickly when hearing “green,” move slowly when hearing “yellow,” and completely stop when hearing “red.”
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (ages 4-5):
In the classroom: Teachers encourage children to practice balance and coordination by jumping on their non-dominant foot, walking on a line or beam, or jumping rope. Children also practice balance by crouching down to tie their shoes.
At home: Ask your child to tell you about the games and activities played at school. Include these activities at home and during family events such as birthday parties and vacations. Scooters and pogo jumpers are great toys for children at this age.
Good balance helps children maintain appropriate and controlled body movement during important tasks. By building balance skills in the preschool years, your child will be better prepared as he enters elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education
Chesterbrook Academy September Newsletter
From the Office of the Principal
Dear Parents,
Our 2016-2017 school year is underway! We have just started our first week of school and the children are adjusting
well to their new classrooms. Saying goodbye every morning is getting easier for all! It has been great to see our returning students move to the next level as well as the many new families who have joined our Chesterbrook Academy family this year. Thank you all for your continued support and trust. We are committed to providing your children with the best educational opportunities possible and look forward to all the 2016-2017 school year has in store for us.
Our teachers have a busy fall planned, please remember to review parent boards, lobby displays as well as our school website so that you are connected with all that is happening at school.
We have many events going in during the month of September. Our Little Caesars Pizza Kit Fundraiser Event starts Tuesday, September 6, offering all the pizza, garlic bread, and dessert kits that you can make at home as family! Order payments are due back by Monday, September 19, and checks should be made out to “Chesterbrook Academy.” We were closed on Monday, September 5 in observance of Labor Day. Also, beginning this week, our Links to Learning curriculum will be in full swing. You will begin to see evidence of what your child is learning at school on hallway and classroom education boards as well as a daily overview of “What We Learned Today” posted on each classroom parent board. Although a variety of activities take place daily in all age groups and displayed and sent home at the end of every month, not all learning ends with a tangible product, sometimes it’s a learning experience. For this reason, teachers are committed to communicating with you daily, weekly, monthly about the process of learning that is going on in their classroom, especially through our Links 2 Home app (available at the App Store as well as Android phones). We also like to take pictures so you can see the activities your child participated in to learn a particular skill. Be on the lookout….hallway bulletin boards will start popping up showing your child at work and play.
As always, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Kindest Regards,
William Gordon, Principal
Candi Staines, Assistant Principal
_________________________________________________________________________
Upcoming Events and Special Days
Monday, September 5: Chesterbrook Closed in Observance of Labor Day
Tuesday, September 6: Little Caesars Pizza Kit Fundraising Event Starts!
Friday, September 11: Patriot Day
Wednesday, September 14: First Day of Soccer Shots Fall Season
Friday, September 16: National Step Family Day
Monday, September 19: Orders for Little Caesars Pizza Kits Due
Wednesday, September 21: International Day of Peace
Thursday, September 22: First Day of Autumn (Autumnal Equinox)
Monday, September 26: Johnny Appleseed Day
Friday, September 30: Links to Learning Folders Go Home
Every Monday afternoon (starting 9/12/16): Music for Little Ones @ 3p for Toddlers and 2 year olds and 3:30p for 3-5 year olds
Every Wednesday morning (starting 9/14/16): Soccer Shots @ 10a for 2-3 year olds and 10:30a for 4-5 year olds
Every Thursday morning (starting 9/8/16): Jumpbunch @ 10a
___________________________________________________________________________
Chesterbrook Academy is on Facebook!
We wanted to remind everyone that the Chesterbrook Academy group of schools is on Facebook. We invite you to
“like” our page at www.facebook.com/ChesterbrookAcademy where we’ll be providing our fans with regular educational tips for children from preschool to 8th grade and the opportunity to network with fellow parents. We would love to have your participation and encourage you to continue to check our school website for more local updates specific to our own school. We’ve recently been able to post pictures of our PreK2 graduation and some of our summer camp activities! We look forward to having you as part of our Facebook community!
___________________________________________________________________________
Automatic Draft Program
“CHECK” IT OUT… No checks necessary! Enroll in our Automatic Payment Program and never write another check for your monthly tuition or pay another late payment. Tuition can be automatically deducted from your checking account. You can find more information about the ACH program here in the office. Let us sign you up today!
___________________________________________________________________________
From the Education Department
Developing Balance Skills in Young Children: From Tummy Time to Bike Riding
Balance is a fundamental skill necessary for maintaining controlled positions, such as sitting in a chair, or engaging in physical activities like running or riding a bike. Having balance makes motor skill development easier, reduces the risk of injury, and helps children focus on academic tasks.
Our Nobel Learning Education team stays up to date with the latest research to ensure that our Links to Learning curriculum exceeds childhood learning standards. The Links to Learning curriculum was enhanced last fall to include a greater focus on balance, a building block for skills such as hand-eye coordination, muscular strength and body awareness.
Here are some ways we help improve balance in the classroom, as well as ideas for you and your child to do at home.
INFANTS:
In the classroom: Tummy time promotes neck, back and abdominal strength needed for infants to eventually push up, roll over, sit up and crawl. Teachers keep infants engaged by using activity mats or plush blocks.
At home: Place your baby on his stomach and shine a flashlight near him. Once you have captured his attention, shine the light in a rhythmic pattern. For older infants, encourage your baby to move or crawl toward the light.
TODDLERS (ages 1-2):
In the classroom: During the toddler years, children make major strides in balance and coordination. Teachers play music and encourage students to move their bodies in different ways while maintaining their balance.
At home: Push and pull toys require children to use core balance and arm strength, which can be difficult for new walkers. Place a small wagon or toy shopping cart and a pile of blocks on the floor. Show your child how to fill the cart with blocks. He will enjoy pulling or pushing the blocks around the room.
BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):
In the classroom: Sitting cross-legged, or as we say with the children “criss-cross applesauce,” is an important developmental skill for two year olds. Teachers encourage children to sit criss-crossed anytime they are playing on the floor. Sitting in this position strengthens a child’s core muscles and helps improve body control. We discourage “W-sitting,” with knees together and feet on either side of the hips, because it puts strain on knees and hips and fails to engage core abdominal muscles.
At home: Provide your child with a sit-and-spin toy. Ask him to sit on the toy with his legs crisscrossed. As he turns the wheel to spin, he will gain a better understanding of cause and effect.
INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):
In the classroom: Around age three, children learn to maintain control of their upper body while moving their lower body. Our Intermediate students practice pedaling a tricycle, bouncing on hopper balls, and walking on a balance beam.
At home: Have your child practice running and stopping with control by playing the traffic light game. Shout out the color green, yellow or red. Have him move quickly when hearing “green,” move slowly when hearing “yellow,” and completely stop when hearing “red.”
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (ages 4-5):
In the classroom: Teachers encourage children to practice balance and coordination by jumping on their non-dominant foot, walking on a line or beam, or jumping rope. Children also practice balance by crouching down to tie their shoes.
At home: Ask your child to tell you about the games and activities played at school. Include these activities at home and during family events such as birthday parties and vacations. Scooters and pogo jumpers are great toys for children at this age.
Good balance helps children maintain appropriate and controlled body movement during important tasks. By building balance skills in the preschool years, your child will be better prepared as he enters elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education