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In this issue
Teacher Appreciation Luncheon
Movie Night
Bike to School Day
School Outreach
GRECO Day
Chesterbrook Friends
Summer Quest
Kindergarten Playdates
Youth Survey Findings
Quick Links
Join Our Mailing List
Like us on Facebook
Gold and Platinum Business Friends


Hier and Haines
FAQs
Question: My son came home from school talking about all the recycling they are doing at lunch. How can I get more involved?

Answer:  The week before Earth Day, Chesterbrook launched an effort to "Go Green" by recycling in the classrooms and cafeteria.  Recycling bins have been distributed to every classroom and our 6th graders have labeled them with what can be recycled.   

 

In the cafeteria, students have started separating plastic and cardboard packaging from other trash, with plans to start upcycling foil lined products (e.g. capri sun, chip bags), donate unopened/unused food (e.g. unopened milk), and collect compost material for the gardens.   

 

The Lorax has already visited students over the morning announcements to help spread the word on recycling and its importance!  If you would like to get more involved, there are great ways to participate inside or outside the classroom.  Please join our Google Group!
 


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. 26, April 30, 2012    

 

We hope everyone enjoyed our Parent Social on Saturday night! Thanks to Veronneau (who are Chesterbrook parents Ken Avis, Lynn Veronneau, and Pete Walby, and joined by David Rosenblatt). Thank you also to our social committee: Carla Post, Nancy Najarian, Candace Stromberg-Soberman and everyone at Vinson Hall for bringing us such a lovely evening! 

 

  • Teacher Appreciation Week, May 7-11
  • Staff Appreciation Luncheon, May 7, 12-1 pm
  • PTA Meeting, May 8, 7 pm
  • Bike (or walk) to School Day, May 9
  • School Nurse Day, May 9
  • Outdoor Movie Night, feat. Wallace&Gromit, May 11, 8 pm 
  • LAST DAY OF SCHOOL--NEW DATE! Friday, June 15, 3:20 pm (full day). Mark your calendars that there is NO SCHOOL now on June 18 or 19 for students.   

 

Note: A camera was left on the playground during the QR Code photograph event. Please let Linda Barnard in the front office know if you have lost one and what kind it is. 

  

 Teacher Appreciation Luncheon
It's a party for the staff of Chesterbrook Elementary School this year for their Appreciation Luncheon! We need the help of about 43 parents to share their favorite recipes with the staff. The luncheon will not be complete without donations of salads, main dishes and desserts. Please SIGN UP to help them enjoy this special day and to thank them for all they do for our children at Chesterbook.

Please bring your food contribution that Monday May 7th any time before 12:30 to the office or between 12:30 and 1:15 pm directly to the Media Center. If you have any questions, please email Kim Johnson.

Also, please look out for information from your Room Parents on activities for your teachers all week long. Remember that we celebrate all Chesterbrook staff during the week, so you'll be assigned some Support and Specials teachers as well.
Movie Night featuring Wallace & Gromit
Mark your calendars for a Friday, May 11, 8:30 pm showing of "Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit." The movie is fun for all ages. Renowned movie critic Roger Ebert says "Wallace and Gromit are arguably the two most delightful characters in the history of animation." Weather permitting, the movie will be shown outdoors on Chesterbrook's blacktop and hill by the playground.  

The event is FREE and includes popcorn! 
  • Please RSVP at www.chesterbrookmovie.eventbrite.com  by Wednesday, May 9 so that we may have an accurate headcount (no need to bring the paper tickets that the system generates)
  • Please bring a towel or blanket to sit on and a beverage and snack.The movie will start promptly at 8:30 so please arrive early to get your popcorn and get settled.
  • Please remember this event is a Thank You to our Chesterbrook
  • families for supporting us all year long, so we ask that you bring only immediate family members.  
This is not a drop-off event. All children must be supervised by a responsible adult.
 
We need volunteers to help with popcorn, ushering, and clean-up. Middle school volunteers who need hours are welcome. It will be a fun, easy way to earn volunteer credit.  Click here to sign up to volunteer  or contact Melissa House at (703) 506-4558.   

National Bike (or walk) to School Day, May 9
Students at Chesterbrook may participate in the first National Bike to School Day on Wednesday, May 9, in an effort to promote physical activity and reduce traffic congestion and pollution near schools. Students are encouraged to bike or walk to school that day. Parents are encouraged to accompany their children to school, and to work with their school to assemble bike trains or walking groups for the event. Last year this was a great event and many regretted they missed it!

 

School Outreach Spring Collection
The PTA School Outreach Committee will begin its Spring collection of new or gently used school supplies and grocery giftcards for students at schools within the McLean HS pyramid, as well as Carlin Springs in Arlington. We are not collecting clothing at this time.
 
Specific requests include:
  • Pencils
  • Children's scissors
  • Black ball point pens
  • Colored markers (fine and wide)
  • Jumbo glue sticks
  • Wide-ruled composition notebooks
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Kleenex
Please leave donations in the marked bins outside the Library beginning Monday, April 30th. Please contact Emily Ludwikowski with any questions.
Third Grade GRECO Day Tomorrow
GRECO stands for Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Chinese, and Other cultures, including those of Native Americans and Mali. GRECO Day provides the third graders with a fun way to celebrate all they have learned about ancient cultures, and also relate them back to our culture.
  • Costumes add to the fun, but are not mandatory
  • No backpacks on Tuesday
  • Bring lunch as no cafeteria purchases that day (lunch will be 12:05 - 12:30p)
  • Thank you to all the parents and our many volunteers!
Chesterbrook Friends
Thanks to our newest Family Friend: Earl Jones and Cheryl Ginyard-Jones at the Gold Level. Cheryl worked with her employer, Verizon, to get a matching donation for her volunteer hours. Does your company have a matching program?

We also thank the Palumbo Family for joining us at the Bronze Level!
summerquestSummer Quest Registration Open
SummerQuest
The 2012 Summer Quest camp registration has been open for a few weeks and classes are filling. However, we are at the point at which we must consider cancelling camps that have not met minimum enrollment. Please sign up today to make sure your camp stays in business!

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!
Rising Kindergarten Playdates
We're still 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.
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.
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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.