SOLS for some grades continue through this week...

May 21 - Pink Palm Sale 5-7:30 pm (see article below)
May 27 - No school (Memorial Day) 

June 4 - Band Concert @ 7 pm

June 7 - Field Day 

June 7 - Brain Show @ 6-8:30 pm

June 11 - PTA Officer Election and Budget Amendment @ 7 pm

June 11 - Strings Concert @ 2 pm and 7 pm

June 14 - Band Concert @ 2:20 pm

June 15 - Rising K Playdate @ 9:30-11 am, playground

June 18 - Last Day of School (see FAQ)

June 21 - Deadline for Donations of Leftover School Supplies (See article below) 

Field Day is always a huge success because of the strong parent involvement that we receive at Chesterbrook.  Volunteers will be grouped together for events.  Please arrive at the school at 8:30 for the a.m. session and at 12:00 for the p.m. session, sign in at the school's front office and then head to the gym for instructions.  Each station will run a few different activities.  Volunteers must be able to run the activity from start to finish in either the morning or afternoon.  If you have kids in both the lower grades (1-3) and upper grade (4-6) we'd love to have you volunteer for both sessions. Online sign up is now available at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/field44  

We also would like to have volunteers walk with the classrooms, so if you find all the slots filled up please come to the school, sign in at the school's front office, go to your child's classroom and you can help aid with class management, organization and cheering on your kids.  The rain date is scheduled for Thursday, June 13. 

Field Day Times are:

1st - 3rd Grade = 9 am - 11am

4th - 6th Grade = 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm  

Thanks so much for making Field Day a great success!! 

Sincerely,

Jay Levesque and Bethany Brooks

Physical Education Teachers

June 7th from 6-8:30 pm

Families "Compete" Against Families In A Fun Trivia Game Atmosphere.

Parents: There are questions only your kids may be able to answer.  Kids: Be surprised how smart your parents really are!   The Brain Show is taking the country by storm. This interactive trivia game, which is a big hit with all ages, offers authentic fun and excitement of a real live TV game show including colorful podiums featuring computerized lights and sounds.  

Thanks to all our volunteers who worked so hard this year, but particularly to our terrific PTA Executive Committee: Beth Mahood, President; Julia Nelson, VP for Fundraising; Delia Swigart, Treasurer; Maryam Redjaee, VP for Membership; Kate Garcia, Secretary and Laurie Plishker, Immediate Past President. Delia, Maryam and Laurie will continue in their roles next year.   We will hold a brief PTA General Membership Meeting in the cafeteria just before the Strings Concert on Tuesday, June 11th at 7 pm to elect officers for next year.  We are excited to present for election: Kate Garcia, President and Elizabeth Hale, VP Fundraising and Kathleen Weil, Secretary.   Click here to read more about Kate, Elizabeth and Kathleen.

By: Gina Manning 

From the special touches at the Chinese Fun Fair to the expertly run Thanksgiving Luncheon, effortless style is the hallmark of Chesterbrook's Hospitality and Fun Fair Chairperson, Kim Johnson. This month we celebrate Kim, not just as the woman with the magic touch who makes many of the school's events both stunning in decor and smooth in execution (not to mention one of the visionaries behind the amazing library mural who found the right artist for the job!), Kim now has another honor - she is the longest running consecutive parent at Chesterbrook, having had a child in the school for the last 17 years.  Read more ....

By: Elizabeth Ende  

Many thanks to Beth Mahood, who has done a fantastic job as Chesterbrook PTA's President for the last two years (and as fomer audit chair, money room chair, Directory chair and many other volunteer activities during her time at Chesterbrook).  Beth was impressive as she navigated working a full time job and serving as Chesterbrook PTA President. Beth's focus was on Health and Wellness. During Beth's tenure, the Chesterbrook PTA implemented a 'Chesterbrook Goes Green Campaign' which changed cafeteria procedures to reduce what goes into the landfill by more than 50%, implemented an upcycling campaign, developed a weekly food recovery program which will result in a donation of almost one ton of food to local food pantries by year end, and helped instill students with important lifelong skills.  

From a capital improvement perspective, during her two years as president the Chesterbrook PTA has helped facilitate and fund a new gym floor, a renovated track, a Fitness Trail, renovated outdoor stairs, and an expanded stage in the cafeteria. She also began a conversation which will result in a new sound system for the stage (hopefully to be installed in 2013-2014). The Andrews family  have been longtime volunteers, participants, and cheerleaders of Chesterbrook. Thanks Beth, Stewart, Duncan and Hanna. We will say goodbye to the Mahood/Andrews family as their youngest child, Duncan, moves on to Longfellow next year.  Chesterbrook will sure miss you!!  

By Michele A. Pearce

On May 10, 2013, approximately 460 Chesterbrook students and parents rode their bikes or walked to school as part of Bike/Walk to School Day.  The event raises awareness of the need to create safer routes for bicycling and walking, and emphasizes the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, reducing traffic congestion and concern for the environment.  Read more... 

By:  Rick Barnard, Health and Wellness Co-Chair 

Chester the Chipmunk is now green!  Over the last year, Chesterbrook Elementary School and its students implemented a multi-faceted plan to reduce, reuse and recycle at Chesterbrook.  Learn more... 

By:  Ann-Marie Turnage

Not sure what to do with your used school supplies and you don't want the clutter in your house?  New and used school supplies will be collected to be sent to a group home for abused or at-risk girls in Managua, Nicaragua.  Please tear out all used pages from notebooks.  

*   Pencils

*   Children's scissors

*   Black ball point pens

*   Colored markers (fine and wide tips)

*   Composition notebooks

*   Crayons

Any questions on the Nicaragua program should go to   Ann-Marie Turnage.  

Donations will be collected at school through June 21 in a box outside the library.

Summer Quest will be held over four one-week sessions beginning July 8, 15, 22, and 29, with morning and afternoon sessions and an after-care program. The Program Guide includes descriptions of all camps. We also have a Matrix that shows classes by week and age group. 

**Please note that due to planned replacement of the roof at Chesterbrook, all Summer Quest camps will be held at Haycock Elementary (about 1.7 miles away at Westmoreland Street and Haycock Road in Falls Church). Questions? Contact summerquest@chesterbrookpta.org.