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April 15, 2016
Volume 4 / Issue 31
 
IN THIS ISSUE:
- Note from Dr. Beekley
- CES Spirit Wear Items Available
- Screen Free Week
- School Climate Parent Survey
- Fitness Calendars
- CES Lunch Accounts
- Social Development News
- Social Development Books from CES Library
- PTO News
- Community News 


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

April 18th-April 22nd 
- Spring Recess

Monday, April 25th
- No School

Tuesday, April 26th
- No School

Wednesday, April 27th 
- School Resumes

Friday, April 29th
- Arbor Day

Saturday, April 30th
- State Invention Convention

Monday, May 2nd
- Board of Education Teacher Appreciation Breakfast

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

Tuesday, May 24th
- Grade 1 Field Trip to Theaterworks

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

Tuesday, May 31st - Friday, June 3rd
- PTO Spring Clothing Drive

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

Tuesday, June 7th
- Grade 3 Field Trip to British Art Museum & Yale Art Gallery
- Grade 6 Field Trip to Puerto Vallarta Restaurant

Wednesday, June 8th
- Grade 4 Field Trip to State Capitol

Thursday, June 9th
- Grade 1 Field Trip to The Children's Museum

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     
 
Choosing a just-right book for your child can be tricky.
Below are some strategies to use to assist your child in finding the right level of book. However, don't underestimate a child's willingness to struggle with a difficult book if highly motivated by the topic or a friend's enthusiastic recommendation of the book. Encourage your child to read many types of books, including picture books that are more sophisticated, informational books, biographies and poetry.

FIVE FINGER RULE
Teach your child the five finger rule. Have him/her open the book to any page and begin to read.
*    If s/he misses five or more words on a page, the book is a challenge for him/her right now.
*    If s/he doesn't miss any words, the book is a breeze - the book may be too easy.
*    If s/he misses three words, it is just right.

THE "GOLDILOCKS" METHOD
Listen to your child read the book to find out if it is too easy, just right, or too hard for him/her.

Too Easy:
* Does s/he know almost every word?
* Can s/he read it smoothly?
* Does s/he understand the story very well?

Just Right:
*    Are there just a few words per page s/he doesn't know?
*    When s/he reads, are some places smooth and some choppy?
*    Does s/he understand a lot of the book?

Too Hard
*    Are there more than five words on a page s/he doesn't know?
*    When s/he reads, does it sound too choppy?
*    Is s/he confused about what is happening in most of the book?

Happy Vacation, and enjoy a good book!

Joanne D. Beekley, Ed.D. 
Principal        
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
CES SPIRIT WEAR ITEMS AVAILABLE 
We have several Spirit Wear items available for purchase. To view our remaining inventory or to print the order form, please click here. Proceeds benefit our Student Activity Fund. Thank you for your support!

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SCREEN FREE WEEK IS AROUND THE CORNER!   
From April 25 through May 6, Chester Elementary School will be participating in Screen-Free Week. Screen-Free Week is a nationwide event sponsored by Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and celebrated by schools, families, and other civic and community groups each year. During Screen-Free Week, we are encouraging students to pledge to spend five days screen-free. Instead of watching TV, looking at ipads or playing video games, students will choose to read books, play games, write stories, create art projects, get physically active, and spend more time with friends and family.     
    
All students who return their Activity Log by May 9, listing their alternative activities for five days, will receive a certificate for a free ice cream cone from the Pattaconk Creamery to redeem in warmer weather!

Please see the Chalk Talk Digital Backpack to view our Screen Free materials.   

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SCHOOL CLIMATE PARENT SURVEY  
 
It is time to complete the School Climate Survey. Our students in grades 2, 4 and 6 will complete a survey here in school during the month of April. We are encouraging all parents to complete the survey. We use the results of the survey to develop one of our School Improvement Goals. This year, we are focused on our Social Development Monthly Themes. Next year, we will set a new goal based on the parent and student responses to the survey questions. All of the data help us set a direction for the next school year.

The letter from Mrs. Martineau, Assistant Superintendent, explaining more details regarding the survey was e-mailed to all parents on April 1st. To view Mrs. Martineau's letter, please click here. If you wish to access the survey directly, please click on the link below:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CHSPRNTSVA

Thank you so much for taking the time to complete the survey. All of us at CES appreciate it very much.

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APRIL FITNESS CALENDARS   
 
At Chester Elementary School, we encourage our students to be physically active both inside and outside of the school setting.

Our April Fitness Calendars offer you and your child simple ideas for how to integrate physical activities throughout a busy day. Check them out for ways to get your whole family moving! 
Please click here for the April Fitness Calendars.

 
CES LUNCH ACCOUNTS
 
Many cafeteria accounts are not up-to-date, and we ask that all accounts be brought current. If you receive a letter with a lunch deficit, please be sure to include all of the information on the check or the front of the envelope if payment is sent to school. You may also pay on-line at any time. Your assistance with this is greatly appreciated by all of us.
 
 
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT NEWS 
 
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

Service-Learning Projects
During buddy classes on April 8th, our students decorated the covers of the coloring books for the patients at Connecticut Children's Medical Center. Two members of our Social Development Committee, Jessica Dobratz and Allison Abramson, along with their children, Arden, Emma, and Sophia, melted the donated crayons into fun shapes to go along with the coloring books. Thanks for everyone's efforts with this project, and thanks to Jessica, Allison, and their children for putting in the time and effort to make the crayons for us.

Have a wonderful April vacation. Please be looking for information on our Spring service-learning project when we return. 

 
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THEMES

The Social Development Theme for the month of April is Responsibility. The Social Development Book of the Month is Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners by Laurie Keller.

Please enjoy a description of the book below.

Mr. Rabbit's new neighbors are Otters. OTTERS! But he doesn't know anything about otters. Will they get along? Will they be friends? Just treat otters the same way you'd like them to treat you, advises Mr. Owl.                                            
  
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.

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SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT BOOKS AVAILABLE FROM CES LIBRARY 
 
Our Social Development theme-of-the-month for April is Responsibility. There are many excellent books in our library about responsibility. A few will be featured during April and any may be borrowed from the library to be shared with your family. Just email Mrs. Moshier at bmoshier@reg4.k12.ct.us to request the book, and she will send it home with your child.
   
Arthur's Computer Disaster by Marc Brown
   
Arthur disobeys his mother by playing his favorite game on her computer, which leads to a lesson in taking responsibility for one's actions.

Jamaica's Find by Juanita Havill   
  
A little girl finds a stuffed dog in the park and decides to take it home. 

The Pigeon Wants a Puppy by Mo Willems
  
The pigeon really, really wants a puppy, but when a puppy arrives the pigeon changes its mind.  
 
Summer Wheels by Eve Bunting  
 
The Bicycle Man fixes up old bicycles and offers both his friendship and the use of the bikes to the neighborhood kids.

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PTO NEWS
 
PTO FUN RUN CHALLENGE  
 
2016 Fun Run Challenge: Sponsor money due 4/15
Thanks to the efforts of all of our wonderful volunteers, we had an exciting Fun Run Challenge on Saturday with more athletes than ever. Perfectly brisk and sunny for great running conditions. Though breathing heavily, the kids finished the  course with smiles asking for more! Many repeated the course multiple times with some parents trailing behind.

We want to remind you that we're not done yet. To make this event a complete success, we ask that you have your sponsor money in this week by Friday 4/15.  Your sponsor money will go towards another school year filled with many educational and multi-cultural events. For every $25, you will receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win a fabulous prize from many local vendors. We will draw for raffle prizes on 4/29. Checks payable to CES PTO.

Deep River Toy Company
Simon's Marketplace
Hays Haven Marina
The Wheat Market
Pattaconk Ice Cream
soundRUNNER
Community Music School
Main Street Sweet Shoppe
Lark
Bushy Hill Nature Center
Valley-Shore YMCA
Face Arts Music
New Balance

Pictures taken at the event are being compiled and will soon be available on the PTO Website. The link will be shared when they are ready.

PTO Officers for 2016/2017
Officer positions are open! Interested or have questions? Please speak with any PTO Officer, email us at cespto@reg4.k12.ct.us or call Co-President Kim Stack at (860) 526-9260.

Teacher & Staff Appreciation Luncheon: May 3rd
Our Teacher & Staff Appreciation Luncheon is around the corner! Be on the lookout for the food donation and volunteer signup sheet.

Spring Clothing Drive: May 31st-June 3rd
Doing some spring cleaning? Save Your Clothes, Blankets, Coats, Linens, etc. for our Spring Clothing Drive - it's next month, and we get paid by the pound - so the more the better! We will gladly accept leftovers from the Town-wide Tag Sale.  

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COMMUNITY NEWS 
 
FREE GIRLS' LACROSSE CLINIC
For information on the free girls' lacrosse clinic on May 1st at Essex Elementary School, please see the Chalk Talk Digital Backpack, or click here.
 
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CHESTER PARKS AND RECREATION
 
Chester Parks and Recreation
Celebrating Community through People, Parks and Programs! 

Please call 860-526-0013, x223 or email parkrec@chesterct.org for availability before submitting registration.

MAKE A SPLASH THIS SUMMER!   

We are an outdoor program specializing in waterfront activities! Our Camp Counselors are Certified Lifeguards.  

Our SUMMER CAMP rivals any camp in the area!
We offer swimming, sports, science & nature, arts & crafts, team building, and more, but unlike many camps, children choose most of what they wish to participate in throughout the day from a variety of programmed activities. It is open to children entering grades 1 through 7, and the hours are from 8:15am until 3:45pm, the weeks of June 27, July 5, July 11, July 18, July 25, August 1, August 8, and August 15, at Chester Elementary School on Mondays, Fridays and severe weather days, and Cedar Lake on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. The children take field trips on Fridays. The fee is $115 per child, per week, and payable at the time of registration. The weeks of July 5 (SEE INTRODUCTION TO CAMP BELOW) and August 15 are 4-day weeks without a field trip, for $80 each. The weeks of July 5, July 25, August 1 and August 15 are open to children entering Kindergarten, too!

INTRODUCTION TO CAMP for children ages 4 and 5 meets from 8:15am until 3:45pm, Tuesday and Friday at Chester Elementary School and Wednesday and Thursday at Cedar Lake, July 5th through 8th with staff and programming designed specifically to meet the needs of younger children. Activities include games, sports, crafts, nature, teacher led swimming and story time. The children have their own teachers, lunch time, and activities in their group of 8 to 12 campers, running concurrently with our grades 1 through 7 camp, at the same location. The cost is $80 for the 4-day week.

SWIMMING LESSONS are included in the Introduction to Camp program and by request, for all ages, the weeks of July 25 and August 1.

 
YMCA SUMMER CAMP

For information on the Valley Shore YMCA Summer Camp, please see the Chalk Talk Digital Backpack, or click here.

 
LITTLE LEAGUE SIGN UPS!
 
New for the 2016 season -  Chester and Deep River Little League will merge into one League.

You may sign up now at www.deepriverll.com.

Important Dates/Info:

4/30 - Opening day:  Place and time TBD

5/2 - Golf Tournament:  Info to follow

6/4 - Yard Goats Game

If there are any questions or concerns please feel free to contact Bryan Knudsen at bryanknudsen@yahoo.com or 760-271-8274 after 3pm. Thank you.

 
 
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