Showing posts with label School News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label School News. Show all posts

Monday, April 30

SCHOOL NEWS debaters win top awards in national championship



Fairmont Edgewood Debate Team
From left: 
Sonali Narang, Lauren Lee, Amanda Madden
On Saturday, April 21, 27 middle school students from Orange County competed in the 10th annual Middle School Public Debate Program (MSPDP) National Championship. The MSPDP has leagues in locales across the country, including New York, New Orleans, Washington, San Francisco, and several in Southern California. Only 27 of the roughly 200 students from the MSPDP-affiliated Orange County Debate League (OCDL) earned the chance to compete in the National Championship.

We are very proud of our OCDL debaters. The students from Fairmont Anaheim Hills and Edgewood did a fantastic job. About 100 teams (300 bright students) came to participate in this event. As a group, the OCDL students won roughly 65% of their debates! Clearly, some of the BEST competition in middle school debate is right here in Orange County (and at Fairmont Private Schools)!


Team Awards
Anaheim Hills PPL (Kyle Patel, Nikasha Patel, Zeke Levin) 4th place
Anaheim Hills RTC (Nick Crosson, Sabrina Tawfik, Jack Renton) 15th place


Speaker Awards
Anaheim Hills - Zeke Levin 6th place
Edgewood - Lauren Lee 16th place
Anaheim Hills - Nikasha Patel 23rd place
Edgewood - Amanda Madden 24th place

Best in League (Given to the top performing school of each league)
Anaheim Hills

Contributed by Ben Hughes and Danyelle Knight, Fairmont Private Schools

Monday, April 23

SCHOOL NEWS week of the young child




At Fairmont Private Schools, the Week of the Young Child™, an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), is packed with fun and learning designed for the early childhood years.  Each of Fairmont’s elementary campuses has plans for commemorating this special week (April 22–28) with events and activities including an outdoor concert with Nick the Music Man at the Anaheim Hills campus, a Bubbleology performance at the Edgewood campus, an international fashion show at the Citron campus and buddy story time at the Mable campus.


“Research and our own experiences at Fairmont have proven the importance of early childhood for laying the foundation for academic and life success,” said Fairmont Director of Education Sandy Cosgrove.  “We look forward to the Week of the Young Child each spring to bring awareness to Fairmont’s youngest learners and celebrate the teachers whose nurturing and instruction prepare our students to excel.”


The purpose of the Week of the Young Child™(WOYC) is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.  Fairmont’s third annual WOYC celebration perfectly aligns with NAEYC’s 2012 theme: Early Years Are Learning Years®.


In addition to the on-campus events and activities, Fairmont will be hosting a special WOYC Chalk Talk at the Fullerton Library on Wednesday, April 25 from 5:30-7pm. This complementary workshop is open to the public and is designed for children ages 1-3 and their parents. Starting with Potty Training 101, parents will learn simple potty training tips and tricks. Next, one of Fairmont’s seasoned early childhood educators will provide insights into how to prepare children for school with a comprehensive Preschool Readiness presentation. Parents can RSVP at www.fairmontschools.com/chalktalks


Contributed by Danyelle, Fairmont Private Schools 

Tuesday, April 17

SCHOOL NEWS mable students add up awards at math invitational



This past Saturday, April 14, 2012, Mable junior high students participated in the second annual Sage Hill Math Invitational, a team-based competition for local middle schools. The goal of the event is to promote and celebrate mathematics by providing a fun environment for middle school students to collaborate and share their interests. There are six competitions based upon the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards: Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, Data Analysis and Probability, Reasoning and Proof, and Mental Math. Seventh graders Han C., Ejay C., Tara F. and Ronik K. and eighth graders Jonathan L., Tarek S., Jimmy W., and Nathaniel Y. represented Fairmont at the event, bringing home several top awards!

Take a look at this impressive showing:
Mental Math (7th grade)--First Place, Han C.
Mental Math (7th grade)--Third Place, Ejay C.
Mental Math (8th grade--First Place, Tarek S.
Algebra (7th grade)--First Place, Fairmont
Algebra (8th grade)--First Place, Fairmont
Logic and Reasoning (7th grade)--First Place, Fairmont
Overall Winner (7th grade)--Second Place, Fairmont
Overall Winner (8th grade)--Second Place, Fairmont



Congratulations to our individual award winners and to all of the students who contributed to Fairmont Mable's exciting team awards!  And a special "thank you" to their teacher Michelle Paraiso for all of her hard work in preparing our students to shine!

Contributed by Danyelle, Fairmont Private Schools 

Thursday, April 5

SCHOOL NEWS fairmont teacher makes the teaching channel



Congratulations to Fairmont teacher Mrs. Heather Lopez whose Kindergarten lessons were recently featured on The Teaching Channel! The Teaching Channel was started by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as a network for teachers to share great ideas. A production company came to Fairmont last summer to film Mrs. Lopez teaching a C-V-C Phonemics lesson and a Counting Objects & Ordering Numbers lesson.


Both lessons are now available on The Teaching Channel website, which has over 25,000 members, and the videos will air on the show The Teaching Channel Presents on PBS in the fall. We are so proud to have incredible teachers like Mrs. Lopez at Fairmont! 

Contributed by Alyssa, Fairmont Private Schools 

Thursday, March 29

SCHOOL NEWS fairmont debaters win big



The Fairmont Preparatory Academy Debate Team traveled to Claremont McKenna College this past Saturday to participate with nearly 100 other high school debaters in this year's fourth tournament in the High School Public Debate Program (HSPDP). Three cheers to Fairmont students and their coach Mr. Matthew Brandstetter for bringing home the following awards:
  • 2nd Place Overall in Debate: Nikhil N., Austin K., and Anjali N.
  • 4th Place Speaker Award: Nikhil N.
  • 4th Place Overall School Award
  • 3rd Place Sweepstakes
Tiany Z., Jessica C., Justin L., Milan M., and Meeran I. also contributed to Fairmont Preparatory Academy's overall point total allowing Fairmont to receive its two school awards.

Contributed by Danyelle, Fairmont Private Schools

Tuesday, March 27

SCHOOL NEWS fairmont summer program receives aca accreditation


Jamie Gonce, Fairmont's Director of Summer Programs and 2012 ACA Rising Star 
As Fairmont Private Schools unveils its summer program for 2012 it does so with a new feather in the schools’ cap—American Camp Association (ACA) accreditation. In order to receive ACA’s stamp of approval, Fairmont’s program was carefully scrutinized and was found to comply with or exceed over 300 ACA safety, security and program design standards. In addition, Fairmont Summer Programs Director Jamie Gonce has been recognized as an ACA Rising Star in the western region.

“Fairmont Private Schools started as a summer program 59 years ago, and though our schools are accredited through a number of organizations, 2011 was the first year our camp program sought accreditation,” said Gonce.  “I am very proud of our staff for earning the accreditation and look forward to drawing on the ACA’s support and resources as our summer program continues to grow and improve.”

The American Camp Association’s Rising Star Award recognizes individuals who are new to service in organized camping and have shown great potential for leadership in and contribution to the field of camping.

"Four summers ago when I started with Fairmont Schools, I was new to organized camping--now I just can't get enough! Involvement with ACA has allowed me to access an incredible network of people--resources and support that strengthens and elevates Fairmont's Summer Camp Program. It has been such a highlight for me to volunteer with ACA and connect our program and staff with the best of the best in the Southern California camp community,” said Gonce.

The American Camp Association (formerly known as the American Camping Association) is a community of camp professionals who, for 150 years, have joined together to share their knowledge and experience and to ensure the quality of camp programs. As a leading authority in youth development, ACA and its 9,000 plus membership work to preserve, promote, and improve the camp experience.

“Parents in Orange County have many options when it comes to choosing a summer camp experience for their children.  ACA accreditation will help further differentiate Fairmont Summer Programs as a high quality program that balances fun with academic preparation and personal growth,” said Gonce. 

This year’s theme of adventure on the high seas comes complete with pirates, mermaids and buried treasure and promises to be one of Fairmont’s most exciting summer programs yet.  The program features day camp, enrichment courses and summer school and can be customized to fit each camper’s needs and each family’s busy schedule.  For more information, visit fairmontsummerprograms.com.

Contributed by Danyelle, Fairmont Private Schools 

Thursday, March 15

SCHOOL NEWS fairmont mable team wins regional toshiba exploravision award


Four fifth graders from Fairmont's Mable Campus demonstrated their talent for scientific innovation in Toshiba’s national ExploraVision Competition. The team, led by science teacher Kathryn Baham, was named one of 24 regional winners in the country and will now take their project “Hearing the World’s Silent Side” to the national round of the competition. The team members include Chloe S. of Fullerton, Taylor T. of Orange, Riya B. of Buena Park and Raj S. of Anaheim. 

The ExploraVision competition challenges fourth through sixth graders to propose how a current technology might be used 20 years in the future. Fairmont’s team of students studied the cochlear implant (hearing aid) and was shocked to discover that with today's technology doctors are still unable to help patients with deafness caused by auditory nerve damage. To find a solution, the students looked to the technology that is currently being tested for spinal cord injuries and wondered if that technology could be re-purposed in deaf patients. The answer, it turned out, was yes.

Applying this creative thinking, the students came up with their product: “Hearing the World’s Silent Side” [HWSS]. HWSS is a mixture of two components: nanofibers used in Spinal Cord technology and a 2012 Cochlear Implant. In HWSS the nanofibers are used to coat the auditory nerve. When sound waves enter the ear they are able to bypass the nerve damage. Combining this nanofiber technology with the regular cochlear implant results in a perfect solution for any type of hearing loss. 

"I am so proud to be coaching this team of students. They are innovative thinkers who explore new ideas with enthusiasm. Cochlear implants and spinal cord procedures are complicated technologies to understand, but these students did their research and became experts on the topic, because they had a passion for helping the deaf to hear," said Kathryn Baham, Fairmont Mable Campus Science Teacher and ExploraVision Coach. 

Each of the regional winning teams receives a Toshiba laptop for the school and each member of the regional winning teams will receive a Toshiba HD Camcorder. Toshiba will visit the Mable Campus to recognize the students in an awards ceremony on Thursday, March 22 at 2:00pm. 

Each of the regional winners will now move on to the national phase of the competition, where they will compete to be named among the eight national winner teams, including four first-place and four second-place winners. Students on the four first-place ExploraVision national winner teams will each receive a $10,000 US Series EE Savings Bond valued at maturity. Students on second-place teams will each receive a $5,000 Savings Bond valued at maturity.The eight teams will also receive an expenses-paid trip with their families, mentor, and coach to Washington, DC for a gala awards weekend in June 2012. Activities will include a visit to Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress, a Science Showcase during which the students will display and demonstrate their winning ideas, and sightseeing around the nation’s capital.

This is the third consecutive year Fairmont Private Schools has placed in the annual Toshiba ExploraVision competition. Past awards include: 
  • 2010: 2nd Place Nationally for Automatic Correcting Eyeglasses by  John W. and Valerie N.
  • 2009: Regional Winner for The Smart Cane by Tera G., Justine G. and Victoria N.
Read the story in the OC Register and Parenting OC

Contributed by Alyssa, Fairmont Private Schools 

Wednesday, February 15

SCHOOL NEWS kindergartners featured in oc register

"Four score and seven years ago..." starts one of the most famous speeches in American History and Ms. Bauman's kindergartners know every line by heart.  Dressed as little Lincoln's, the class presented the Gettysburg Address at the Fairmont Expo last month and were invited by Mayor Tom Tait to perform it at last week's city council meeting.  Parents, teachers, fellow Citron students and press from the OC Register were in attendance at Friday's on-campus presentation.  You don't want to miss the Register's coverage including a photo gallery and video posted online.

We couldn't be prouder of our pint-sized presidents or of their teacher who has passed down her own love of country to successive generations of future leaders.

photo credit: OC Register

Contributed by Danyelle, Fairmont Private Schools

Thursday, January 5

SCHOOL NEWS visit treasure island in summer 2012!




DATES TO KNOW
Online Registration Begins
February 15

Priority Registration & 10% Discount
February 15 - April 30

Summer School
(PK-12th Grade)
June 25 - August 3

Summer Camp
(P-6th Grade)
Weekly, June 18 - August 17

Counselor-in-Training Program
(7th & 8th Grade)
Weekly, June 18 - August 17

Enrichment Workshops
(JK-12th Grade)
Throughout the Summer

A'HOY MATEYS!

Each summer, Fairmont Summer Programs has a new theme and those of you who follow us on facebook and twitter have been getting hints all week long! This summer, we're excited to invite you to TREASURE ISLAND and wanted you to be the first to know!

Online enrollment kicks off mid February at www.fairmontsummerprograms.com and we're happy to extend a 10% priority registration discount to the Fairmont community on summer school and summer camp registration through April 30, 2012. 

Get ready for a summer filled with adventure and academic preparation at Fairmont's summer school, weekly day camp and subject-specific enrichment workshops. 

Please contact the Fairmont Summer Programs Team at 714.765.6300 or summer@fairmontschools.com with any questions. 




Monday, November 28

SCHOOL NEWS choc toy run headed our way

So, maybe Santas on Harleys isn't the most traditional holiday tradition, still it has become one of Fairmont's most beloved and highly anticipated ways to celebrate the season. This is our 12th year to participate in the OC HOG chapter’s annual CHOC Toy Drive.

Fairmont students, teachers and staff spend a month collecting toys, and about 30 bikers make the campus rounds in early December to pick them up. The OC HOG members will officially deliver the gifts to Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) on Christmas Eve. Fairmont’s presents, and thousands of other toys donated by area civic groups, will help lift the spirits of sick and injured children being treated at CHOC throughout the coming year.

Fairmont’s Judy Coderre has been the driving force (quite literally) behind Fairmont’s participation these 12 years. She’ll be one of the bikers making the rounds on December 9.

“Thank you all for your thoughtfulness and generosity. It’s a very rewarding experience to know that we all helped lift the spirits and put smiles on the faces of the young patients at CHOC,” says Judy.

Thanks so much to everyone who has already participated in this year’s CHOC Toy Drive. If you haven’t brought in an unwrapped gift, it’s not too late. You have until Friday, Dec. 9 to bring in your toy donation.  CHOC especially needs presents for toddlers and teenagers. For tips on what to donate, check out our blog post from last week.

Contributed by Danyelle, Fairmont Private Schools

Monday, November 7

SCHOOL NEWS mayor tait visits anaheim hills campus


The Anaheim Hills campus welcomed Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait to the campus today.  He read A Very Silly Mayor to the kindergartners of Room 2 and talked with them about city government.  We think he's a very smart mayor (and a very cool one) to have made time to visit some of the brightest students in the community!  Thank you, Mayor Tait.

Contributed by Danyelle

Friday, October 14

SCHOOL NEWS fairmont wins anaheim chamber family owned business award


We are honored to accept the Anaheim Chamber's 2011 Family Owned Business Award and would like to congratulate all of the other winners! We'd also like to recognize the Jackson family for their unwavering dedication to making Fairmont a phenomenal school and a second family for so many students, parents, teachers and administrators for the past 58 years. 

Contributed by Alyssa 

Monday, July 25

SCHOOL NEWS fairmont named la times readers' choice

Yesterday's edition of the Los Angeles Times announced Fairmont's Elementary School Program as a regional winner of an LA Times Reader's Choice Award! We'd like to thank the LA Times readers for this honor and congratulate all of our teachers and administrators. 

To read more about the Reader's Choice Awards, check out the electronic edition here

Contributed by Alyssa, Marketing 

Friday, July 15

SCHOOL NEWS the teaching channel film shoot at fairmont


On July 13, 2011, Wingspan Pictures, the production company working with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to create programming for The Teaching Channel, visited Fairmont to film two teachers.  The footage from Fairmont is slated to appear on The Teaching Channel website, You Tube and Facebook pages, and could be included in a television episode on the PBS program “Great Lesson Ideas” this fall.


Wingspan began by filming two Kindergarten lessons at the Fairmont Anaheim Hills Campus taught by Heather Lopez. The first lesson incorporated an interactive white board to teach students about ordinal numbers in an engaging, dynamic way. The second lesson focused on identifying and understanding consonant-vowel-consonant words through sounding out and then acting out the words as a group. Mrs. Lopez led the students in jogging in place and mopping the floor while the camera crews captured the learning process in action.

Transitioning from Kindergarten to high school, the production company then traveled to Fairmont Preparatory Academy to film math teacher Mark Hassoun teach “The Fundamentals of Triangles and Quadrilaterals” to his summer school geometry class, which is taught in a hybrid online/in-class format. Wingspan cameras captured close-ups of the students using cut-out triangles to represent the angles of a quadrilateral and then followed as Hassoun’s impeccable handwriting filled the white board to visually explain the lesson.


“Being neat and organized in your lecture and using colors to make the white board notes visually appealing are two ways to ensure the success of this lesson, and any geometry lesson,” Hassoun explained to the Wingspan Director during his follow-up interview. He and Lopez had the opportunity to share their teaching tips and tricks along with the story behind their passion for teaching in their individual interviews filmed after the lessons.    

Fairmont Private Schools and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation share a dedication to supporting innovations in learning. Through this participation with The Teaching Channel, Fairmont hopes to demonstrate that belief in innovation by showcasing integrated technology in the classroom, and to support the channel’s founding principle that “inspired teaching, like any great art, should be seen.” 

Contributed by Alyssa, Fairmont Private Schools  

Wednesday, July 13

SCHOOL NEWS whooping cough vaccination now req'd for 7th-12th grades


This is just a reminder that a new school immunization law requires all students entering 7th through 12th grades in the 2011-2012 school year in California to be immunized with a pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine booster called Tdap.

Fairmont 7th-12th grade students will not be able to start school this fall without proof of vaccination. Please schedule your vaccination today:

As stated by the CA State Government-affiliated organization, Shots for School: Pertussis is a very contagious respiratory disease that can be severe and last for months. The immunity received from either early childhood immunization or pertussis disease wears off over time, leaving older students and adults susceptible again to pertussis. Immunization with Tdap can protect students, schools and communities against pertussis.

The new requirement affects all students – current, new, and transfers – in public and private schools. The law has two phases:
  • For the 2011-2012 school year, all students entering into 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grades will need proof of a Tdap shot before starting school.
  • For 2012-2013 and future school years, all students entering into 7th grade will need proof of a Tdap shot before starting school.

Friday, July 8

SCHOOL NEWS bill and melinda gates foundation plans to film fairmont teachers


The fact that Fairmont Private Schools has some of the best teachers around is something we've known for years.  We've also been proud to share our innovative approach to technology; blending online and in-class learning experiences to reach out to 21st century learners.  Now, the cat is out of the bag in a big way!  This June, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, working on behalf of The Teaching Channel, requested to film some of our K-2nd and high school teachers in action. The Teaching Channel is a video showcase -- on the Internet and TV -- of inspiring and effective teaching practices in America's schools.

On July 13, Wingspan Pictures, the production company working with the Foundation, will be visiting the Anaheim Hills campus to film Heather Lopez teaching an interactive Kindergarten lesson using an interactive whiteboard.  In the afternoon, they will head over to Fairmont Preparatory Academy to film Mark Hassoun teaching "The Fundamentals of Triangles" to his summer geometry class using Fairmont's hybrid online/in-class format.  Both Heather and Mark were required to meet certain qualifications set by the Foundation and had to submit detailed lesson plans for approval.  Special thanks to them for their willingness to jump on board with this project!  

Fairmont's footage will eventually appear on the Teaching Channel website, You Tube and Facebook pages and could be included in a television episode on the program "Great Lesson Ideas" this fall. Fairmont is incredibly proud of our amazing teachers and honored to have the opportunity to share what they do so well!

Contributed by Alyssa, Marketing 

Friday, June 17

SCHOOL NEWS student artwork showcased at laguna festival of arts

The Laguna Beach Festival of Arts is famous for its summer showcase and its spectacular Pageant of the Masters. A visit to the festival is a great way to spend a day with the family this summer! 

While you're there, be sure to look for art on display from our Fairmont Mable student artists. The following pieces will be on display: 

Happy Scarecrow by 2nd Grader Christine C.  
My Cute Panda by 2nd Grader Natalie B.
Still Life by 4th Grader Tiffany K.
Chinese Village by 4th Grader Daryuish K.  

The Festival of Arts runs from July 7-August 31 and is located at 650 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach. 

Contributed by Robin, Art Teacher at Mable 

Thursday, June 9

SCHOOL NEWS fairmont students honored at annual trash artist challenge awards

"Harry Potter Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry"
The old saying goes: "one person's trash is another person's treasure." Well, the annual Trash Artisit Challenge says trash can not only be treasure, but art!! On June 8, 2011 at the Anaheim Hilton, Fairmont students Jyothii K., Bryan D., and Justin C. were invited to attend the Trash Artist Challenge awards, celebration and dinner. Our two sixth grade teams were finalists in this year's competition. 
"Come Alive-the story of Little Red Riding Hood"
Bryan and Justin along with many students from Mrs. Cameron’s 6th grade class created the Harry Potter’s Hogwarts school. Jyothii created “Come Alive”--the story of Little Red Riding Hood in 3-D. All materials were recycled.
Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait
Kent French, the Host/Producer of the Anaheim Ducks, was the Master of Ceremonies. Mayor Tom Tait from Anaheim was also in attendance, and he even introduced himself to Bryan and Justin during the showcase. Jyothii’s father, Bryan’s mom and Justin’s mom were glowing with pride. (not to mention their art teacher!) 

Contributed by Robin Gormin, Mable Campus Art Teacher 

Monday, May 9

SCHOOL NEWS mable students win big in poster contest


On Friday, May 6, three Mable students were honored for their participation in the Council on Aging’s Poster Contest. Ryan C. won 1st place in the K-3 grade division, Jamie C. won 1st place in the 4-6 grade division and Kile Y. won 1st place in the 7-9 grade division. Mable Campus took 3 out of 4 first place finishes in the entire contest. Cerrick C. also placed second in the 4-6 grade division.


Students were asked to depict positive interaction with seniors. Each student was also invited to give a speech about their inspiration for the poster. For winning their division, each student was given a bag of art supplies, a $50.00 VISA gift card, a calculator, a Certificate of Excellence and a State of California Senate Certificate.

Congratulations! 

Contributed by Karen, Mable Campus

Friday, May 6

SCHOOL NEWS orange county debate league championship


The Orange County Debate League Championship was this past Saturday, and the top 80 students, 27 teams, and 6 schools in the county were present. We are very proud of all of the students for their accomplishments at this championship, and we were particularly happy to see our Edgewood "captains" team remain undefeated during the regular tournament and compete in the final public debate where the topic concerned birthright citizenship.

Congratulations to the Edgewood Students!
Speaker Awards:
3rd Nick F.
5th Francisco B.
6th Amanda M.
10th Kieran M.
18th Cassandra F.
20th Sonali N.

Teams
2nd Edgewood MMF (Amanda, Kieran, Cassandra)
6th Edgewood NFN (Sonali, Cassandra, Lam)
10th Edgewood MRB (Liam M., Alison R., Francisco) 

School Awards
Overall Wins (Most wins as a school)
2nd Edgewood
Tournament Award (Greatest percentage of wins per school)
3rd Edgewood

Congratulations to the Anaheim Hills Campus Students!
Teams:
1st Anaheim Hills TCL (Tawfik, Crosson, Lee)
3rd Anaheim Hills KBC (Bach, Crawford, Kim)
4th Anaheim Hills PPK (Patel, Patel, Kim)
5th Anaheim Hills JLW (Joo, Lee, Wang) 

Speaker Awards:
1st Kayla B.
2nd Yvonne K.
4th Kyle P.
8th River C.
12th Austin L.
13th Sabrina T.
14th Timothy K.
17th Nikasha P.
19th Nicky C.

School Awards:
Overall Wins
1st Anaheim Hills

Tournament Award
2nd Anaheim Hills

Congratulations to the Mable Campus Students!
Teams:
9th Mable NIC (Niu, Ismael, Courelli) 

Speaker Awards:
9th Vasiliki C.
15th Meeran I.

Contributed by Mr. Hughes, Debate Coach