SHORT STORY operation candy drop

The Citron Campus donated an unprecedented 1,000 pounds of candy to military servicemen and servicewomen during Operation Candy Drop 2011! 

Contributed by Alyssa 

FRIDAY FOLDER november 4

Highlights From This Week 
Mable Students Advance to Orange County Spelling Bee
Congratulations to Mable 8th grader Liza and 7th grader Ronik for placing 1st and 2nd, respectively, in the 7th, and 8th grade Spelling Bee. Liza's championship word was exonerate. Both students will advance to the Orange County Spelling Bee where the winner advances to the National Spelling Bee Championship in Washington, D.C. Congratulations also go out Jade for rounding out the top 3 spellers.

Citron Gives Back

The annual Operation Candy Drop candy drive began Monday, October 24th. The Citron campus has been collecting Halloween candy for the servicemen and servicewomen in the military. This year our small but mighty campus collected over 1,000 pounds of candy! Next month, Citron will be supporting the City of Anaheim's Thanksgiving Meal Project by collecting and donating food for deserving families' Thanksgiving meals. We love seeing our students become involved in service projects at such a young age. For more kid-friendly community service ideas, check out this blog post. 

Hot Off the Press at Edgewood 

The first edition of The Eagle's Eye, the first student newspaper at Edgewood, has just been released! This is big news around campus! Pick up your copy at Edgewood and read a sample article in this week's e-newsletter. 

8th Grade Bonding at Anaheim Hills 

The eighth graders just returned from their annual overnight bonding trip. They enjoyed spending time together and making quality memories during their last year here at Anaheim Hills. Check out the e-newsletter for a great re-cap of the trips. 

Weekly E-Newsletters 
Anaheim Hills Campus 
Citron Campus 
Edgewood Campus 
Mable Campus 

November Lunch Menus 

AH Preschool-1st Grade

AH 2nd-8th Grade

Citron
Edgewood Preschool-Kindergarten
Edgewood 1st-8th Grade
Mable 

Contributed by Alyssa 

community service for kids...A TO Z

Edgewood students carry boxes of toys destined for hospitalized kids during last year's CHOC Toy Drive.  This year's collection starts on November 14 and culminates in an all-campus visit from the Orange County HOG Chapter bikers in early December.  Photo credit: OC Register

Sandwiched between the high jinks of Halloween and the frenzy that surrounds winter holidays, is November—the classic month for giving thanks. Somehow, Thanksgiving has managed to elude the commercialism of its counterparts and remain a day for celebrating the home-grown pleasures of family, friends and togetherness. For many, the sense of unity and fellowship extends outwards into the community as they give of their time and resources to help those less fortunate.

Imagine, a holiday more about sharing our collective blessings than hording our individual good fortune. It’s a concept easy to embrace as we approach this most thankful of holidays. Harness your good intentions now, before the rush, and plan to involve the whole family in making a difference this holiday season.

The benefits of giving back
Getting your children involved in community service has a host of benefits. Parents magazine’s Thrive in 2025: Raise a Kid Who Gives article lists a few. “Kids who volunteer do better in school and are less likely to try drugs, according to a study conducted by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that promotes acts of citizenship and responsibility. The same organization found that people who regularly lend a hand tend to be healthier and that these wellness benefits increase if they start charitable work earlier in their life. Research also demonstrates that doing volunteer work that involves personal contact makes people feel better: There's a literal endorphin rush for the giver, the givee, and anyone watching. Plus, it builds confidence and self-worth in the right way, by showing kids that their actions matter.”

Find a cause
We loved some of the kid-friendly causes suggested by Parents such as Defenders of Wildlife which lets your child "adopt" an endangered animal and get a plush version of the wild animal to play with at home.  And, Project Knapsack, where your child can write a pen pal from a developing country and send him or her a backpack filled with school supplies.  Browse the causes at Changing the Present with your children to see what sparks their interest.


Simple ways to get involved

You won’t have to search for long, especially during the holidays, to find a food drive, coat drive or toy drive behind which to rally. Make the experience of donating more meaningful by involving your children in the process. Have them clean out their closets and pick the items they’d like to donate. Let them raid the pantry and load up a few bags of canned goods or personal hygiene supplies. Give your kids a budget and let them go on a toy shopping spree for kids in need in your community. Then, bring your children along when you drop off your donations.

Family friendly community service
For service-oriented activities you can participate in with your children, you’ll have to do a little pre-planning. Volunteer Family is a great resource to jump start your service project with ideas, family-friendly volunteer opportunities in your area, and advice for making the experience meaningful for your children. Another great resource is the book Doing Good Together: 101 Easy, Meaningful Service Projects for Families, Schools, and Communities, written by Doing Good Together’s Founder and Executive Director Jenny Friedman and Jolene Roehkepartian. Volunteer Match features local listings for volunteers with specifics about the cause, the type of work needed, and the amount of hours involved. When you’re ready to take your volunteering to the next level, consider taking a service-oriented vacation during Winter Break, Spring Break or over the summer. Cross Cultural Solutions and others provide international volunteer vacations.

When it comes to community service, the thought doesn’t count nearly as much as rolling up your sleeves and getting to work. Whether it’s simply donating to your local food bank or traveling across the world to build a school, the act of helping others is an experience to be experienced this holiday season. Let us know how you plan to get your family involved in giving back.

Contributed by Danyelle

THE FAIRMONT FIVE tips for family wellness

There's a chill in the air and leaves on the ground, which means fall has arrived--and so has flu season. Help your family stay healthy all season long with these tips from OC Family. 

1. Eat Healthy. Children and adults should eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and grains every day. Make vegetables fun by creating "colorful plates" with orange carrots, green broccoli, red and yellow bell peppers, etc. The more color the better! 
2. Be Active. Grown-ups should strive to be active at least two and a half hours each week and should encourage children to be active at least one hour a day. Activities should raise breathing and heart rates and strengthen muscles. 
3. Protect Yourself. Avoid disease and the spread of germs by washing hands frequently with warm water and soap. Take vitamins to build a healthy immune system. Encourage children to wear helmets, seat belts, sunscreen and insect repellent. Have an emergency supply kit ready just in case. 
4. Manage Stress. Balance work, home and play as much as you can. Quality rest and relaxation is vital. Remember that adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night and children need more, depending on their age. 
5. Get Checkups. Avoid frequent doctor visits to treat illness by scheduling regular preventative checkups. Based on your family health history and lifestyle, ask your doctor for ways to avoid health problems. 

We also love the rhyme-y Sniffle SOS page of the Puffs website. It's a great resource for health tips and flu season facts. 

Contributed by Alyssa 

(Image from Health e-Tips)

BULLETIN BOARD thankful for fall

As we ring in November, we're reminded to be thankful for the natural autumn beauty that surrounds us and the love of family and friends. We hope you find inspiration in some of these fall favorites. 

1. Custom Thanksgiving Invites 2. Fall Feast Place Setting 3. Fall Scrappy Trails Quilt 4. Gabrielle's Honey Pie 5. Pilgrim Finger Puppets 6. Crafty Napkin Rings

Contributed by Alyssa & Danyelle  

SHORT STORY halloween haunt

Harry Potter magically multiplied at the annual Halloween Haunt!

Contributed by Alyssa 

FRIDAY FOLDER october 28

Highlights From This Week 

Mable Student Wins Anaheim Post Contest 

Daryuish, a Mable 5th grader, won the City of Anaheim's National Preparedness Month Poster Contest! His poster correlated with the contest theme "prepare your neighborhood for an emergency." Click here to see his poster! 

Edgewood Student Achievements 

Many congratulations are in order at the Edgewood campus! The debate team competed in the Pegasus Scramble, and our students took home 8 of the top 25 speaker awards, including the first place Golden Gavel winner Sophie E. On Saturday October 22, Sara A. arrived in 15th place out of 147 girls in all seven grades at the Mt. Sac Cross Country Invitational. And our Junior High Football team, lead by Coach Powell will be heading to the playoffs on Tuesday, November 1! 

Field Trips & Campus Activities 

This week was jam packed with fun field trips and activities for all of our campuses. Citron took a trip to Tanaka Farms and went pumpkin picking. Anaheim Hills hosted its very own pumpkin patch on campus and celebrated its fall athletes with a school-wide Pep Rally! Check the campus newsletters below for more details and great photos. 

Weekly E-Newsletters 
Anaheim Hills Campus 
Citron Campus 
Edgewood Campus 
Mable Campus 

November Lunch Menus 

AH Preschool-1st Grade

AH 2nd-8th Grade

Citron

Edgewood Preschool-Kindergarten

Edgewood 1st-8th Grade 

Mable 

Contributed by Alyssa