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September 25, 2015
Volume 4 / Issue 5
 
IN THIS ISSUE:
- Note from Dr. Beekley 
- Reading Challenge
- Nurse Substitutes
- Mission Smiley Bake Sale
- Kindergarten/New Family Gathering
- Social Development Theme of the Month
- Health Office News
- PTO Carnival Meeting
- PTO Clothing Drive
- Adams Reward Card
- PTO Yankee Candle Sale 


Sunday, October 4th 
- Kindergarten/New Family Gathering
(2:30-4:00 pm - Camp Hazen)

Tuesday, October 6th - Grade 4 Field Trip to Florence Griswold Museum

Monday, October 12th
- Professional Development Day (No School for Students)

Tuesday, October 13th
- PTO Meeting
(7:00 pm - CES Library)

Thursday, October 15th
- Student Banking & Box Tops Due

Wednesday, October 21st
- PTO Fall Clothing Drive

Thursday, October 22nd - PTO Fall Clothing Drive
- Early Dismissal at 1:00 pm for Parent/Teacher Conferences 
 
October 23rd  
- PTO Fall Clothing Drive
- Early Dismissal at 1:00 pm for Parent/Teacher Conferences

Friday, October 30  
- Halloween Parade for grades K-3
- PTO Halloween Carnival

Friday, November 6th
- Early Dismissal (Professional Development for Staff)

Tuesday, November 10th - PTO Meeting
(7:00 pm - CES Library)

Wednesday, November 11th - Veterans Day Program

Thursday, November 19th - Student Banking & Box Tops Due

Monday, November 23rd - Chester Board of Education Meeting
(7:00 pm - CES Library)

November 25th-27th
- Thanksgiving Break

Tuesday, December 1st
- PTO Meeting
(7:00 pm - CES Library)

Tuesday, December 8th
- Winter Concert

Friday, December 11th
- PTO Holiday Craft Night

Thursday, December 17th
- Student Banking & Box Tops Due

Tuesday, December 22nd
- Snow Day Play

December 23rd-January 1st
- Holiday Break

Tuesday, January 12th
- PTO Meeting
(7:00 pm - CES Library)

Friday, January 15th
- Early Dismissal
(Professional Development for Staff)

Monday, January 18th
- Martin Luther King's Birthday (No School)

Thursday, January 21st
- Student Banking & Box Tops Due

Thursday, January 28th
- Chester Board of Education Meeting
(7:00 pm - CES Library)

Tuesday, February 9th
- PTO Meeting
(7:00 pm - CES Library)

Friday, February 12th
- Early Dismissal (Professional Development for Staff)

Monday, February 15th
- Presidents Day (No School)

Tuesday, February 16th
- Professional Development Day (No School for Students)

Wednesday, February 17th
- Possible Snow Make-up Day

Thursday, February 18th
- Possible Snow Make-up Day
- Student Banking & Box Tops Due

Friday, February 26th
- PTO Bingo & Basket Raffle Night

Tuesday, March 8th
- PTO Meeting
(7:00 pm - CES Library)

Thursday, March 17th
- Student Banking & Box Tops Due

Tuesday, March 22nd
- PTO Book Fair

Wednesday, March 23rd
- PTO Book Fair
- Early Dismissal (Parent/ Teacher Conferences)

Thursday, March 24th
- PTO Book Fair
- Early Dismissal (Parent/ Teacher Conferences)
- Chester Board of Education Meeting
(7:00 pm - CES Library)

Friday, March 25th
- Good Friday (No School)

Tuesday, March 29th
- S.T.E.A.M. Fair Open House

Wednesday, March 30th
- S.T.E.A.M. Fair Judging

Tuesday, April 12th
- PTO Meeting
(7:00 pm - CES Library)

Thursday, April 14th
- Student Banking & Box Tops Due

Friday, April 15th
- Early Dismissal (Professional Development for Staff)

April 18th-April 22nd
- Spring Recess

Monday, April 25th
- Possible Snow Make-up Day

Tuesday, April 26th
- Possible Snow Make-up Day

Friday, April 29th
- Arbor Day

Friday, April 30th
- State Invention Convention

Tuesday, May 3rd
- PTO Teachers' Appreciation  Lunch

Wednesday, May 4th
- ACES Day
- Spring Arts Festival

Tuesday, May 10th
- PTO Meeting
(7:00 pm - CES Library)

Tuesday, May 17th
- Grade 3 Field Trip to Trash Museum

Thursday, May 19th
- Student Banking & Box Tops Due

Thursday, May 26th
- Chester Board of Education Meeting
(7:00 pm - Location TBD)

Friday, May 27th
- Early Dismissal (Professional Development for Staff)
- Memorial Day Program

Monday, May 30th
- Memorial Day (No School)
- Memorial Day Parade

Tuesday, May 31st
- Possible Snow Make-up Day
- PTO Spring Clothing Drive

Wednesday, June 1st- Friday, June 3rd
- PTO Spring Clothing Drive

Thursday, June 2nd
- Grade 6 Unity Day (JWMS)

Monday, June 13th
- Field Day

Tuesday, June 14th
- PTO Meeting
(7:00 pm - CES Library)

Wednesday, June 15th
- Early Dismissal (Last Day of School - depending on number of weather/ emergency days used)
A NOTE FROM DR. BEEKLEY

Dear Chester Elementary School Community,

At Chester Elementary School, we believe that every child can learn and succeed. Volunteers are an important part of our mission, and we appreciate all that they do to assist in classrooms and throughout the building. 

 

Here are some ways that a volunteer touches a child's life:

  • A volunteer praises and encourages.  
  • A volunteer tells the child good things about him/herself.
  • A volunteer tries to understand how a child feels.
  • A volunteer builds caring and supportive rapport with a child.
  • A volunteer is an important listener.
  • A volunteer accepts each child as he/she is. 

Again, a sincere thanks to all of our volunteers. We look forward to working with you throughout the school year. 

 
Have a terrific weekend!

Joanne D. Beekley, Ed.D.
Principal
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
READING CHALLENGE CELEBRATION!



One hundred eleven Chester students happily celebrated  accepting Governor Malloy's Summer Reading Challenge at an ice cream sundae party on Thursday afternoon. They collectively read 1,413 books over our summer vacation, a school record! 

      
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NURSE SUBSTITUTES

Currently, Region 4 is looking to augment their list of substitute nurses who are available to provide coverage in our buildings when a full-time nurse is absent.  If you are a registered nurse (RN) (or know an RN who might be interested in being placed on the Region 4 nursing substitute list), please go to the Region 4 webpage, click on the "Employment" link and submit your application materials. 
 
 
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT NEWS
 
MISSION SMILEY DONATES PROCEEDS

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. In honor of this, our sixth grade Mission Smiley Committee held a bake sale at Curriculum Night on September 21st.  The bake sale raised $147, and these proceeds will be delivered to the Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven.
 
KINDERGARTEN/NEW FAMILY GATHERING 
 
There will be a kindergarten/new family gathering at Camp Hazen, on Sunday, October 4th from 2:30-4:00. The purpose of the day is to give families of kindergarten and new students the opportunity to socialize while engaging in fun team building activities directed by Camp Hazen staff. This day always turns out to be wonderful. Please be looking for more information to follow.

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THEMES

The Social Development Theme for the month of September is Respect. The Social Development Book of the Month is The Recess Queen. Please enjoy a description of the book below.

Oh, would that all bullying problems could be solved so easily! Mean Jean is the reigning Recess Queen, pushing and smooshing, hammering and slammering the other kids whenever they cross her. And then one day a puny new girl  shows up on the playground and catches Mean Jean completely off-guard. Not only is little Katie Sue not the least bit intimidated by the bully, she actually asks her to jump rope with her. In no time flat, Jean and Katie Sue are best buddies, and the playground is safe for all again.

Sure, it's simplistic, but there's a strong element of truth in this energetic rhyming story by Alexis O'Neill (Loud Emily). Bullies are people, too, and sometimes nothing is quite so effective as ingenuous disarmament. Big, bold, funny acrylic and collage illustrations by Laura Huliska-Beith (The Book of Bad Ideas) bounce right along with the text. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

The goal of our Social Development Book-of-the-Month is to integrate literature and concomitant language arts objectives with themes and ideas that support our social development program.
 
The Chester Public Library is graciously partnering with us on our social development Book-of-the-Month initiative.  Our Book-of-the-Month is displayed at the library, and there are multiple copies available for families to borrow, so that the discussion begun at school can be shared and extended at home. 
 
HEALTH OFFICE NEWS 
 
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FOOTWEAR FOR RECESS

In order to keep our kids safe at recess, it's important that they are wearing proper shoes while playing. Please make sure your child has sneakers or closed toe shoes for recess time. Flip flops and sandals should not be worn on the playground. Thank you for your cooperation!
 
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PTO NEWS
 
HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL MEETING!

Next Wednesday, September 30th at 7:00 pm in the CES Library 

We had a great first meeting with lots of ideas flowing on Wednesday, Sept. 16th, and we look forward to doing it again this coming Wednesday, Sept. 30th. Join us for our second committee meeting to hear updates on the Halloween Carnival set for October 30th and ways that you can help. 

We are specifically looking for a "Grade Captain" for the 3rd Grade. A Grade Captain helps coordinate that grade's two activities, solicit volunteers to run the activities, organize supplies, and communicate with the rest of the Halloween Committee. If you have an interest in being the 3rd Grade Captain, please email Lindsey Goergen at lgoergen7911@gmail.com or Kimberly Stack at kimberly_stack@yahoo.com.  

We will also need volunteers on October 30th to assist in setting up, running game and activity tables and selling tickets. If you can't volunteer that night, don't worry, we will need donations of creative spooky cupcakes and other supplies. Keep on the lookout for upcoming emails to sign up to volunteer and/or donate.

 
CES PTO Fall Clothing Drive - Next Month!



As the Fall weather finally makes an appearance and you might be in the process of cleaning out the closets for winter clothing - Please start thinking about the CES PTO Fall Clothing Drive. It's coming in October, and we will send more notices about the collection times as it gets closer.

Just set aside any clothes, blankets, or coats in a bag. Remember - the CES PTO earns money by the pound, so the more the merrier!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Amy Gordon Pullin at amygordonpullin@hotmail.com.
 
CES PTO logo
YOUR ADAMS REWARDS CARD CAN EARN MONEY FOR THE PTO 

Do you shop at Adams?
 
Sign up the CES PTO with your Rewards Card, and effortlessly earn money for the PTO. 

Adams Hometown Market has changed the program it used to donate to the CES PTO. The program is now run directly through Adams, so that a larger percentage of your monthly purchases is donated directly to the CES PTO when you sign up your rewards card.

If you never signed up, or even if you have signed up previously (information was not carried over from the previous program), you need to re-register your card online through the following steps:

1) Log on to: https://adams.reachoffers.com/

2) Click on Register Your Card

3) Once you're logged on to your account you'll see the header Community Rewards at the bottom left of your screen. Just below that header is a drop down menu. Please select Chester Elementary PTO from the drop down menu. Then click on the Add Community icon.

4) Go Shopping!

Once you have selected Chester Elementary PTO and added us to your card, you are ready to start effortlessly earning money for the CES PTO at no additional cost or effort by you.
 
YANKEE CANDLE SALES GOING ON NOW!   

Our 2nd Annual Yankee Candle Fundraiser runs until October 9th.

Besides the Catalog that went home with your students, the best way to sell (& to shop) is online. Shopping online is easy, convenient and you receive your items sooner with faster delivery.

To sell online, click: https://www.yankeecandlefundraising.com/scripts/ycfwcgi.exe?_V4=Process&_Func=genWebPage&page=sellerlogin&frComp=ycf.

Simply fill out the "Signup to be a seller" form, and use the CES PTO group number: 990067377 to register. After you create a seller account, you can email the link to Family and Friends to make purchases. You can even post the link on your Facebook page! Purchases will be shipped directly to customers' homes.

If you are not interested in selling and would prefer to give a 100% tax-deductible donation, simply write a check to CES PTO and submit to the school, Attn: CES PTO.

If you did not receive a catalog or have any questions, please contact Yankee Candle Fundraiser Co-Chairs: Melissa Hays, mismarz@hotmail.com or Dawn Saunders, dawnsaunders91@yahoo.com. 
 
 
Chester Elementary School
"It Takes a World of Differences to Make a Difference in this World"
23 Ridge Road / Chester, CT  06412 / 860-526-5797
www.ces.reg4.k12.ct.us