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In this issue
Spring Activities Registration
Summer Quest
Kindergarten Orientation
Auction is Open
Fun Fair
Chesterbrook Friends
FLEX Language Camps
Parent Spring Social
Youth Survey Findings
Video Fairfax
Quick Links
Join Our Mailing List
Like us on Facebook
Gold and Platinum Business Friends


Hier and Haines
FAQs
Question: WOW! Fun Fair was awesome! It looks like it takes quite a few people to run it -- how do people get involved in this and other PTA programs, aside from just volunteering to work at events?

Answer:  Why, thanks, yes, it is a lot of work, but even more fun! It's the best way to meet and make friends with other parents. The easiest way to get involved is to ask someone who's already involved. You can always contact our PTA board members or the Nominating Committee who are working hard right now to fill some spots for next year. We have a number of "graduating" PTA parents to replace. We can find something for every skill and time commitment. PTA jobs range from large to small, with consistent commitments (like this weekly publication) to seasonal commitments (like Auction and Fun Fair) and everything in between. At the beginning of the school year we'll publish our volunteer needs, but we'd really like to get most of the chairs filled NOW!

Check out our new FAQs section on the website for more as the year goes on. Send any questions to  Ask Chester and we'll answer them here and/or on the website.
Chesterbrook PTA Weekly Digest

No. 22, March 12, 2012    

 

Thanks to everyone who helped with Fun Fair -- hope everyone had a great time!

 

  • Kindergarten Orientation, Tuesday, 3/13, 7 pm, Library 
  • Fourth Grade FLE Review, Wednesday, 3/14, 6:30 pm
  • Spring Activities Registration, Thursday, 3/15, 7pm, online 
  • Second Grade Showcase, Thursday, 3/22, 9 am and 2 pm
  • Spring Break, Monday, 4/2 through Monday, 4/9 (Monday, 4/9 is Teacher Workday)
  • Schoolwide Picture, Wednesday, 4/12 
  • PTA Meeting (DATE CHANGE), Tuesday, 4/17, 8:30 am 

 

Don't forget to complete Chesterbrook's school-wide parent survey! 

Spring Activities Registration
It's time to register for Spring Before- and After-School Activities! The PTA is offering spring sessions of drama, science enrichment and fitness warriors that will begin after spring break.  Registration begins for the following on our website at 7 pm on Thursday, March 15:
  • Drama, grades K-2 Tuesday and 2-5 Wednesday  
  • Fitness Warriors, grades 1-2 Tuesday, 3-4 Wednesday, and 5-6 Thursday 
  • Science Enrichment, grade 2 Thursday, grade 3 Monday, and grade 4 Monday
There are several changes to both drama and science enrichment.  The drama age groupings have changed to address the larger demand for younger grades, and second graders will have flexibility to pick either session. The very popular science enrichment will have a new curriculum, Mission Space, and now has an offering for fourth graders! Flyers and details on our website. Please contact After School Activities Chair with additional questions.
Summer Quest Registration Open
SummerQuest
The 2012 Summer Quest camp registration has been open for a few weeks and classes are filling. This year camp runs from July 9 for 4 weeks through August 3. Again we have morning and afternoon sessions (children registered for both may bring a lunch) and after camp fun to make a full-day. Cost is $130 per session, plus listed supply fee. The reference chart lists camps by week, with morning (9 am-12pm) or afternoon (1-4 pm), grade levels (rising K through rising 7), camp name, and supply fee. The full program adds a description for each camp.

Camp is open to all students regardless of school attending. Please note that because we opted not to password-protect our website, registration is open to ANYONE on the first day. Also, Summer Quest information is available on our Business Friend CampEasy's website this year, so we will have much more publicity and families all over the area can access our information. Chesterbrook students DO NOT get priority placement, so register early! The CampEasy site can help you sort through the Summer Quest options for your multiple kids' interests around your vacation schedule. Get ready for some summer fun!
Kindergarten Orientation
Parents of children who will turn 5 by Sept. 30, 2012 and live in the school's boundary are invited to join this orientation on March 13th from 7 - 8 pm in the school's cafeteria. This parent information meeting will provide an overview of the kindergarten curriculum and help prepare parents of kindergarteners for this new chapter in their child's life. There will be an opening session starting at 7, and then parents will split into different kindergarten rooms for two sessions for about 20 minutes each to meet all of the kindergarten teachers and learn more about the curriculum and schedules. Please let your neighbors know about the event!

We'll also be collecting contact information for our Rising K Playdate list. Over the summer our coordinators, Carrie Moore and Melissa McManus, will organize several playground playdates so kids (and parents!) can make some new friends before school starts. Please contact [email protected] if you have questions about the playdates or anything about kindergarten. You can also register for the Kinders list, as well as PTA mailings on our website at the Newsletter Sign-Up on the righthand menu.
Online Auction
gavelThanks to everyone who volunteered and bid on our Auction. It was a great success. We'll have final figures in the coming weeks. Suffice it to say we're pretty happy. If you have not picked up your winning item, please contact Julia Nelson as soon as possible.
Fun Fair
Fun Fair CrestThanks to everyone who led, volunteered, and came to Fun Fair! We hope everyone had a great time. If you want the fun to continue and would like to get more involved in the Fun Fair, there are several lead positions that will be open next year. Please contact us if you are interested in shadowing a lead position this year so you can lead in 2013.  It is a fun way to get involved and meet people in our school!
Chesterbrook Friends
Our Friends of Chesterbrook fundraising program continues to grow! Even during our biggest fundraisers, we new Family Friends to thank:
  • The Joseph Family (Silver level)
  • The Signori Family (Copper level)
  • Anonymous (Copper level) 

Thanks to these new Friends and all our Friends for helping us close in on our fundraising goal! If you have questions or would like to get involved, contact Bob Nelson.

FLEX Summer Language Camp
The FLEX program will offer Chinese, French, German and Spanish one-week summer language camps at four FCPS elementary schools. These camps are ideal for current FLEX students or newcomers who want to discover fun with languages. Children can begin or continue their world language learning while enjoying crafts, music, and activities, and sharing their experience with new friends. NOTE: These are different than the Spanish and Italian camps we are offering through our own Summer Quest program.

Most camps are from 9 am to noon; German Immersion* is from 10 am - 1 pm. Tuition is $179 per student. Languages include Chinese, French, German, and Spanish for beginning language learners in grades K - 6. Registration opens March 9, 2012 on the FLEX registration website.

Please download required FCPS Emergency Care Form. This form is used during the summer session and is required at the first class.
Save the Date - Parent Spring Social - April 28

Join us for a night of music, food and fun featuring Chesterbrook's very own Veronneau "an acoustic, song-based group playing Latin Jazz, Gypsy Swing and much more."  We have reserved the Penthouse at Vinson Hall for Saturday, April 28, 2012 from 8-11 pm. Located right next to Chesterbrook, the Penthouse offers us a lovely space, food and drinks. Additonal details and tickets will be available in March. Book your sitters now!

FCPS Youth Survey Findings for McLean Pyramid
Dr. Dede Bailer,  FCPS School Psychology Services, will be presenting the 2011 FCPS Youth Survey Results at the McLean High School Pyramid level on May 2nd from 6:30-8 pm in the McLean HS Lecture Hall.  This is a unique opportunity for our community to see what our 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th grade students are saying about their behaviors, experiences, and risk and protective factors that influence their well-being.
 
The 2010-2011 Fairfax County Youth Survey Data will be broken down to illustrate data for just the McLean High School pyramid schools.  Data at this level have never been publicly available before! Topics will include:  alcohol and other substance usage, nutrition, sleep, bullying, and sexual health (6th graders not surveyed on sexual health topics).

This session is for any parent or staff member who has in interest in better understanding our children in order to help them be healthier and safer. These survey data will provide a lot of information about our youth: some expected, some shocking.  How can we help our students if we don't understand what they are experiencing, thinking and feeling? There will be a presentation on the survey results followed by a discussion about what we can do as a community to improve the safety and health of our children, called "Three to Succeed."

Light snacks will be provided given that this presentation will take place during the dinner hour. If you have any questions about this event, please contact Longfellow/MHS parent Wilma Bowers.
Video Fairfax
The application deadline for the 20th annual Video Fairfax Competition is rapidly approaching. The Video Fairfax program began in 1991 in order to promote student interest in film production by encouraging them to gain more experience in working with the art medium and exploring creative ideas through film. Ultimately, the competition seeks to leave students with a sense of personal accomplishment.

The Video Fairfax program promotes student interest in film and technology by encouraging them to gain experience in working with the art medium and exploring creative ideas and storytelling through film and new media. Winners will receive a cash award and Cox Communications will be making the winning entries available for viewing On Demand.

1st Prize: $500.00
2nd Prize: $200.00
3rd Prize: $100.00

Also new this year, we added more submission categories. We do accept cell phone videos. Be creative! Cash awards will be paid out directly to the winning students and entries will be judged in four grade level categories (K-3, Grade 4-6, Middle School, High School).

Registration deadline is Monday, April 2, 2012. The Awards Ceremony will be held on Friday, May 4, 2012 at the Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center.
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Chesterbrook PTA Newsletters Disclaimer

The Chesterbrook PTA Newsletter (Weekly Digest and Digest PLUS) may contain external links to non-Chesterbrook ES PTA websites and access to certain third-party services, which may include, without limitation, social bookmarking services. These external links and services are provided as a convenience, and the Chesterbrook ES PTA is not responsible for the content of any linked website or use of any third-service service. Any external link to a non-Chesterbrook ES PTA website or service accessed from the Chesterbrook PTA Newsletter is independent from the Chesterbrook ES PTA, and the Chesterbrook ES PTA has no control over, and assumes no responsibility for, the content, privacy policy, terms of use and practices of such website or service.  Any such website or service has terms of use and a privacy policy different from the Chesterbrook ES PTA's privacy policy.  In addition, an external link to any non-Chesterbrook ES PTA website or access to a third-party service does not imply that the Chesterbrook ES PTA endorses or accepts any responsibility for the content or use of such website or service.  By using any such website or service, you expressly release the Chesterbrook ES PTA from any liability arising from your use of such third-party website and service and any related content.