January 2023 Newsletter
Port St Lucie
Welcome 2023!
Dear Families,
First and foremost, on behalf of all the Chesterbrook Academy staff, Ms. Laura, Ms.
Michelle and I would like to extend a special thank you to our families for your heartfelt
holiday wishes and lovely gifts! Your thoughtfulness and generosity are much appreciated.
Speaking of Holiday wishes, we hope you had a wonderful holiday season, and we would
like to welcome all of you back!
January always reminds us of when we celebrated the grand opening of our school. This
January marks our 13th year of serving children and families in the Port St. Lucie area. We
treasure the many relationships we have formed over the years and want to thank you once
again for choosing Chesterbrook Academy for your child’s early education. Thanks to you,
many of our new families have come to us after hearing from you about your experience at
our school. YOU ROCK!
Our food drive for the House of Hope was a success! We collected over 296 pounds of food
and our superstar students were featured on WPBF, channel 25 morning news! We also
collected over 70 toys for the Treasure Coast Foster Closet in Stuart. Thank you for the gift
of giving, especially for children that are less fortunate. Your generosity has kept the spirit of
giving alive at Chesterbrook Academy.
Now that the holidays are behind us, teachers will place strict focus on preparing their
students for what lies ahead. Utilizing student observation records and assessments as a
guide, teachers will hone in on each of their student’s individual needs and provide varied
learning experiences, which will strengthen and challenge cognitive, social and emotional
growth. Our goal is to ensure each child is confident in his or her ability and prepared with
the necessary tools for a successful start in the next level of education.
Jami Melnick, Principal
Laura Ward, Assistant Principal
Michelle Middleton, Office Manager
Fun with STEM
What Scientific Exploration Looks Like in Our Preschool Classrooms
Soda bottle geysers and volcanoes made from baking soda and vinegar might be just some of
the things that come to mind when you think about science education for young children. It’s
important to note that even simpler activities and everyday experiences can introduce
children to scientific concepts and help them gain an understanding of how things work.
Science also helps children to develop important life skills, such as communication,
collaboration, perseverance, analytical reasoning, and most importantly, a sense of wonder.
We believe science education is critical in the preschool years, and we do so by tapping into
children’s natural curiosities to explore the world around them.
Below are ways we foster this in each of our classrooms.
Toddlers (1-2 years)
The Scientific Exploration component of our curriculum begins in our Toddler classroom.
Teachers provide toys and materials that allow toddlers to experiment with cause and effect,
such as buttons that push to make a sound, knobs that twist to open, and levers that slide
open to make an object appear.
Beginners (2-3 years)
Our Beginner students begin to explore engineering concepts. They design and build small
structures using various materials, such as toothpicks and playdough or craft sticks and small
paper cups. As students design and build, teachers ask open-ended prompts, including, “Tell
me about what you made” or “What are you going to do with your new structure?”
Intermediates (3-4 years)
While our Intermediate students are engaged in science activities, teachers offer a variety of
tools and technology to support and enrich the learning. For example, when learning about
living things, they may explore with magnifying glasses, paper, and writing utensils. While
studying the Earth’s environment, students may use balances, thermometers, rain gauges, and
sifters.
Pre-K (4-5 years)
Students in our Pre-K classrooms love learning about different animals and their life cycles.
After reading related books, students use playdough, paper, and writing utensils to create a 3-
D representation of the life cycle of their choosing. They label the different stages and share
their unique models with their classmates. Afterward, they write about the life cycle in their
science journal.
Important Reminders
SICK POLICY:
The purpose of our sick policy is to reduce the spread of illness among our students and to
encourage full recuperation of sick children before they return to school. We depend on
parents to assist us in maintaining a safe and healthy environment for all our children.
Children may be sent home if they have any concerning symptoms. Also, a child must be
free of all these symptoms for at least 24 hours before he/she can return to school. These
symptoms include:
A Fever of 100 degrees or more
Vomiting within the previous 24-hour period
Diarrhea within the previous 24-hour period
Symptoms of a communicable disease
Fussy, cranky behavior and not himself/ herself
Green runny nose
Following an illness, a child may return to school once he/she has either been seen by a
doctor or it has been determined that illness is not contagious. (A doctor’s clearance may be
requested.) Please help us keep all of our children healthy by following these rules. If you
have any questions or concerns, please let us know. Thank you for your support!
TUITION: Tuition is due the 1st business day of every month. Accounts not paid in full by
12:00 pm the second business day of every month will automatically receive a late fee of
$30. If tuition is not paid in full by the 5th business day of each month, your child may not
attend until the balance is paid in its entirety. Failure to comply with tuition policies will
result in a notice of dis-enrollment. If you’d like to sign up for our ACH program, which
automatically pulls your monthly tuition from the account of your choice the 1st business day
of every month, just let us know, and we will help get you enrolled.
ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS FEES: Enrichments are still available for sign up with
Amazing Athletes and Computer Kids. The cost is $65 per month for a 30-minute session
once per week.
CATERED LUNCH PROGRAM: ADVANCE ORDERING REQUIRED Monthly lunch
order forms are available two weeks before each new month. Please be sure to turn your
lunch order in with payment no later than the posted deadline. Late orders may not be
honored. Pizza Friday orders for the entire month must also be turned in by the deadline.
Ordering lunch is an optional service. You may also send lunch from home.
