EVENTFUL: Transitioning from Junior High to High School

High school is an important time in a young person’s educational and social growth. Choosing a high school can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Fairmont Private Schools has taken the liberty of compiling an evaluation checklist for families looking for the best private school.

After curating a list of schools that interest you and your junior high student, set-up an appointment with a school's’ admissions director. An in-person meeting not only provides you with a friendly face to answer your questions, but also gives you and your student an opportunity to peruse the campus. Take in the physical attributes of campus, as well as the overall atmosphere. Be on the lookout for modern technologies included in classrooms, current and well-maintained textbooks, and that classrooms are welcoming and organized. Also, make sure that the facilities on campus are safe and sufficient for your student’s needs and interests.

While on campus or while researching a particular school, take some time to investigate the type of learning community. Are teachers well-qualified and engaging with students in the classroom? Were the administrators welcoming and knowledgeable during your campus visit? Did the students seem well-mannered and enthusiastic? Observe carefully the people associated with the school while touring, as well as any background information found on the school’s website or social media platforms. This will help you and your student determine whether a school’s social and learning environment is right for your incoming freshman.

One of the most important factors when choosing a high school is the quality of the education offered. Investigate and compare the rigor of curriculums and specialty or advanced courses offered. Does the school offer classes for college credit? Do they offer enough Advanced Placement courses for your student? Encourage your student to look over the course catalogue to see which school offers the most interesting electives and programs (e.g. foreign language, art, computer science, etc.). Decide on the importance of technology in the classroom and determine which schools are the most tech-savvy. Another large question to ask while talking with an admissions director is what percentage of graduates are accepted to the top 100 colleges and universities?

Extracurricular experiences help students grow and discover specific interests or talents. Compare and contrast extracurricular opportunities between schools. Determine your student’s social priorities (e.g. does he or she care most about athletics? Is he or she very service-oriented or interested in student government?, etc.) and let them see what most excites them.     

Remember to ask lots of questions when visiting a new school, and encourage your junior high student to do the same! But to take the guesswork out of searching for a premier southern California private high school, schedule a tour or attend an upcoming Open House event at Fairmont Preparatory Academy!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

BOOK REPORT: Thanksgiving Must-Reads

November is a month of falling leaves, hot cider, and preparations for the holidays. With the onset of Thanksgiving, you might be interested to read several fun and interesting books to your young learner. Check these titles out at your local library and share the spirit and history of Thanksgiving with your child!

Mayflower 1620: A New Look at a Pilgrim Voyage, Peter Arenstam

Readers will learn about the realities of the Mayflower’s long voyage to America with primary sources detailing what the voyageurs wore, what they ate, the dangers of the journey, how they survived, and much more.  

Squanto’s Journey, Joseph Bruchac

A Native American descendant, Bruchac tells the story of Squanto, who, after being kidnapped by Europeans and taken to Spain, returns to his homeland and helps a group of new Europeans bear the harsh winter and create the Thanksgiving holiday celebrated today.

Magic Tree House: Thanksgiving on Thursday, Mary Pope Osborne

On another whirl-wind adventure, Jack and Annie are transported back to 1621 and must work together to help the pilgrims prepare the first Thanksgiving meal!

Thank You, Sarah, Laurie Halse Anderson

Anderson’s book shares the history behind how Thanksgiving became a national holiday! Through the persistence and petitioning of Sarah Hale, Thanksgiving become a nationally recognized holiday with Abraham Lincoln’s signing of the Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1863.  

Milly and the Macy’s Parade, Shana Corey

Based on the true story behind the inception of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, this book tells of Milly, a young Polish girl living in New York City during the 1920’s. Noticing the homesickness of her fellow immigrants, Milly persuades her father’s boss, the Macy’s shop owner, to host a parade in hopes of boosting spirits during the holiday season in a new country.  

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Images by Amazon & Goodreads  

FRIDAY FOLDER: November 6

Weekly Highlights:

 Historic Anaheim Campus

Anaheim Hills Campus

North Tustin Campus

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

ARTS & CRAFTS: Corn Wreath

The crisp, cool weather of autumn has arrived! Usher in the season of thankfulness by making these simple, quick, and festive wreaths with your child!

Materials:

White and Green Construction Paper

Yellow, Orange, Red, and Brown Paint

Bubble Wrap

Hot Glue Gun

Cardboard

Twine

Instructions:

1. To create corn kernels, paint sections of bubble wrap with yellow, orange, red, and brown paint. The more sporadic and multicolored the bubble wrap becomes, the better. Press bubble wrap, paint side down, onto a large sheet of white construction paper, then remove.
2. Once dry, use scissors to cut the painted construction paper into individual corn shapes.
3. Next, cut husk shapes from green construction paper, matching the husks and corn in length.
4. Using scissors, cut a doughnut from cardboard and hot glue the ears of corn into their husks and around the inner edge of the doughnut so that the corn is fanned out, spaced evenly, and covers the cardboard.
5. Hot glue a loop of twine to the backside of the cardboard for hanging.
   
   

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Images and Craft Instructions by Purely From the Heart  

A to Z: Developing Hobbies

People often need a constructive distraction from the pressures of daily life. Deadline-free in nature, hobbies are a great solution because they allow participants to engage in the activity at their own pace. Encouraging your child to pursue a hobby is a great way to build upon skills and reinforce concepts learned in the classroom and at home. For example, collection hobbies require patience and observance. Craft hobbies, such as modeling or sewing, require fine motor skills and an element of creativity. Even if your child has yet to master fine motor skills or has trouble with being patient, hobbies are a great opportunity for children to engage in an interest with no outside pressure, while subconsciously honing specific skills.

Introducing your child to a new pastime also creates the potential for bonding. Does your child show an interest in a hobby of yours, or simply a desire to be near you? If so, take the opportunity to include your child in your favorite pastime. Doing this not only allows you and your child to spend more time together, but also allows you to pass down specific knowledge.

Another great benefit of hobbies is that many are relatively cheap. Collection hobbies, such as stamp or coin collecting, simply require that the participant be watchful and learn to look for the items in the spare change jar or pile of discarded envelopes. Even if you are not experienced in a hobby that your child takes an interest in, resources such as YouTube, Pinterest, and books from your local library can quickly educate you and your child about a particular activity. Here are a few basic hobby ideas:

Birdwatching

Natural Collecting (rocks, leaves, etc.)

Meteorology

Astronomy

Gardening

Stamp Collecting

Coin Collecting

Model Building

Cooking

Photography or Filmmaking

Crafting (knitting, crochet, sewing, cross stitch, etc.)

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by All Womens Talk  

A to Z: The Importance of Poetry

An alternative to prose, frequent exposure to poetry can benefit your child in a multitude of ways. A universal path to human emotions, poetry serves as a great empathy-teaching tool. Emotions and ideas expressed in a poem are transmitted to the reader, who gleans insight into the author's feelings and purpose. Being able to emotionally identify with others and acknowledge their ideas, is a pivotal skill for students to build as they grow into adulthood. The rhythm and sound of poetry can also be influential, especially for younger children. Toddlers who may not understand a poem’s words, can learn from the rhythm and begin to experiment with making their own sounds. As children develop and begin to read and write, exposure to poetry helps students become more versed in literature and composition, preparing them for higher education. 

Jabberwocky, Lewis Carroll

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
  Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
  And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son
  The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
  The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand;
  Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
  And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
  The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
  And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
  The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
  He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
  Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
  He chortled in his joy.

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
  Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
  And the mome raths outgrabe.

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by Southfield Library Reads

FRIDAY FOLDER: October 9

Highlights of the Week:

Historic Anaheim

Anaheim Hills

North Tustin

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools 

EVENTFUL: Total Lunar Eclipse

This weekend, you may have noticed a total lunar eclipse, or “Blood Moon,”  while looking out upon the evening sky. This rare phenomenon occurs as a result of light and shadows. As the Earth rotates around the sun, it becomes aligned between the sun and moon, casting its shadow onto the moon’s surface. The reddish color of the moon is created by the Earth’s shadow and the light from the sun that emanates past the outer edges of the Earth. This creates a sunrise-like effect that encompasses the entire Earth and causes the moon’s surface to appear red.

 Glastonbury, England courtesy of Getty Images

Geneva, Switzerland courtesy of the Associated Press

September’s eclipse was the fourth of a four-part series of total lunar eclipses, known as a “tetrad.” A very rare occurrence, only seven more tetrads are expected until the year 2100. September’s lunar eclipse was particularly special due to the lunar eclipse and “supermoon” occurring on the same night. A supermoon refers to the times when the moon is in the closest part of its orbit to the Earth, making the moon appear larger to us on the ground.

Watch NASA’s stream of the entire eclipse:

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Images & Video by Associated Press, Getty Images, & Griffith Observatory 

FRIDAY FOLDER: September 25

Highlights of the Week:

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools