Friday, March 30

FRIDAY FOLDER march 30


Highlights From This Week
Upcoming Events 
Chalk Talk: How to Parent Your Kids (Without Losing Your Mind)
Tuesday April 3, 2012, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Fairmont Edgewood Campus

If you've ever dreamed of being a better parent or educator, this is the event for you! Learn how to make the most of your parent/child/school relationship from acclaimed speaker, Scott Peebles, M.A., MFCC, H.B. Scott was one of the youngest licensed Marriage, Family & Child Counselors in California, and he has been deemed one of the most exciting and entertaining parenting speakers in the country. Scott calls his method "Slightly Off the Wall Parenting." We think you'll call it amazing! All Fairmont parents, faculty and friends are welcome! 
Click here to RSVP

Fairmont Parent Survey 
You should have received an email last week with the annual Fairmont Parent Survey. Your feedback is valuable and we appreciate you taking the time to provide it to us. When you take the survey, you will be eligible to win $1,000.00 off tuition discount good for the 2012-2013 school year. One winner will be drawn from each campus and all survey participants will be eligible. 


Anaheim Hills Teacher Featured on The Teaching Channel
We're proud to announce that one of our Fairmont teachers, Heather Lopez was featured on The Teaching Channel! This channel is a membership-based website and content provider created just for teachers by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In the video, Mrs. Lopez shows how to teach a C-V-C Phonemics lesson to Kindergartners. This footage will air live on PBS sometime next fall. Congratulations Mrs. Lopez! 

Mable Students Know How To Debate! 

On Sunday, March 25, Mable students Nick P., Grace B., Tarek S., Gurveer S., Adnan L., Alexis D., Jonathan L., Justin C., and Bryan D. competed in a debate competition held at Serra Catholic School in Rancho Santa Margarita.  

Students competed in teams of three and debated 5 different topics. The topics were: Eating Meat is Unethical, The United States Should Make English the Official Language, Tax Increases are Good For America, and States Should Allow Cell Phone Use in Prison. The competition also included an impromptu debate round. Mable won 11 out of their 15 debates which placed them 2nd in Percentage of Overall Wins. Eighth grader Nick P. placed in the top 25 speakers. Grace B. just missed breaking into the top 25.  The team of Nick P., Grace B., and Tarek S. placed seventh and the team of Gurveer S., Adnan I., and Alexis D. placed eighth. 

Good Luck Pentathletes 
We want to extend a big "GOOD LUCK" to our Junior High Pentathletes who will be competing in the Academic Pentathlon on Saturday, March 31, at Bolsa Grande High School! Look for results in next week's Friday Folder. 

Weekly E-Newsletters 

April Lunch Menus 

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

Wednesday, March 28

THE FAIRMONT FIVE sites to keep you smarter than your kids

I shouldn't pretend to keep up with Fairmont students! ;) But here are five websites with free content that keep learning alive for parents. Much of the content on sites like Khan Academy is appropriate for younger students as well, and can be useful to parents who like to plan educational enrichment exercises for their kids during the weekends or our upcoming spring break.
  1. TED Ed --Illustrated videos that pair extraordinary educators with talented animators.
  2. YouTube EDU --Videos of academic lectures, speeches, How-To's, etc.
  3. Khan Academy --Educational videos about almost everything combined with practice exercises.
  4. iTunes U --Entire courses from colleges and universities like Stanford, Yale, and MIT along with several other K-12 and higher ed institutions.
  5. Fast Company's 30 Second MBA --Business tips from C-Level execs from every industry neatly packaged in 30-second clips--who doesn't have time for that?
Photo from iTunes U

Contributed by Courtney, 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 

Monday, March 26

SNACK TIME spring into national nutrition month


March is National Nutrition Month, a time to be aware of how our daily food choices can impact health.  This year's theme is "Get Your Plate in Shape," reminding everyone to be more mindful of the foods we eat. 

"Get Your Plate in Shape" Goals:
Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
Make half your grains whole grains.
Choose lean proteins.
Choose low fat or fat free dairy products (or fortified soy milk)

“Getting your plate in shape” is a visual tool that replaces interpreting numbers on a label. The idea is to increase servings from vegetables, fruits and whole grains providing a plate that is high in nutrition density. Here are some ways to implement this program and improve your family's nutrition. 

Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
“Getting your plate into shape” automatically contributes color from fruits and vegetables. These colors represent the presence of key compounds known as phytochemicals, that work in incredible ways to protect the body from disease.

Color Counts...
  • Green (contains indoles). Try raw or cooked broccoli, sugar snap peas also make a great snack food. Brussel sprouts, green cabbage, green beans, spinach, kale and bok choy are also green choices.
  • Orange (contain carotenoids). Add carrots or carrot juice, mango slices, tangerines or sweet potatoes to meals.
  • Red (high in lycopene). Increase tomatoes, tomato sauce, red pepper, watermelon, or pink grapefruit.
  • Red/Purple (rich in anthocyanins). Examples include blueberries, red apples, grapes, strawberries, cherries, and eggplant. 

Go with whole grains.
Whole grains such as wheat, rye, rice, barley, quinoa and oatmeal are found in bread, cereal, rice, crackers, and pretzels. Whole grains are high in fiber, B-vitamins, chromium and zinc. Substitute whole grain rice for white rice, Try whole grain crackers. Snack on whole grain popcorn!

“Get Your Plate in Shape” Homework:
Monday: Try for fruits and vegetables with natural green colors (lettuce, green beans, broccoli).
Tuesday: Try for fruits and vegetables with natural red/purple colors (blueberries, red apples).
Wednesday: Try for fruits and vegetables with natural yellow/orange colors (corn, nectarines, peaches).
Thursday: Try for foods with natural white green colors (cabbage, onions, celery pears, lettuce).
Friday: Try a whole grain cereal or rice!

Celebrate National Nutrition Month with whole grains and a colorful plate!

For more information about National Nutrition Month and ideas, check the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website at http://www.eatright.org/nnm/

Contributed by Leslie K. Kay-Getzinger, MS, RD, Regional Dietitian for Nutrition Management Services

(Image from ChooseMyPlate.org)

Friday, March 23

FRIDAY FOLDER march 23


Highlights From This Week
Upcoming Events 
Chalk Talk: How to Parent Your Kids (Without Losing Your Mind)
Tuesday April 3, 2012, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Fairmont Edgewood Campus

If you've ever dreamed of being a better parent or educator, this is the event for you! Learn how to make the most of your parent/child/school relationship from acclaimed speaker, Scott Peebles, M.A., MFCC, H.B. Scott was one of the youngest licensed Marriage, Family & Child Counselors in California, and he has been deemed one of the most exciting and entertaining parenting speakers in the country. Scott calls his method "Slightly Off the Wall Parenting." We think you'll call it amazing! All Fairmont parents, faculty and friends are welcome! 
Click here to RSVP

Homestay Program Info Session 
Wednesday, March 28, 6:30pm-8:30pm 
Fairmont Anaheim Hills Campus TEC Lab 

The Fairmont Homestay Program is looking for Fairmont Families to host an international student for our short-term, long term, and summer programs at our Mable, Anaheim Hills, and Preparatory Campuses. Fairmont has a variety of student programs ranging from two weeks to an entire academic year allowing any family the opportunity to participate in this rewarding experience. Families will also receive financial compensation for their participation.    
Click Here to RSVP 

Mable ExploraVision Winners Receive Awards 
On Thursday, March 22, two representatives from Toshiba visited the Mable campus to recognize the ExploraVision team who was just named one of 24 Regional Winners in the country. The ExploraVision Competition is the largest K-12 science and technology competition in the world. Only 24 teams were selected out of 5,000 total entries for this special recognition. Now the Mable team will go on to the national level and have the opportunity to win a trip to Washington D.C. and savings bonds. We are wishing them all the best! 

Fairmont Parent Survey 
You should have received an email this week with the annual Fairmont Parent Survey. Your feedback is valuable and we appreciate you taking the time to provide it to us. When you take the survey, you will be eligible to win $1,000.00 off tuition discount good for the 2012-2013 school year. One winner will be drawn from each campus and all survey participants will be eligible. 

Weekly E-Newsletters 

March Lunch Menus 

Contributed by Alyssa, Fairmont Private Schools 

Thursday, March 22

CHALK TALK how to keep your kids safe online


On Wednesday, February 29 we hosted a Chalk Talk at our Mable Campus on the topic of Online Safety. We welcomed expert Monique Nelson, the Chief Operating Officer at Web Wise Kids to present to our families. Web Wise Kids is a Southern California based non-profit with the mission of teaching kids, parents and the community the value of making safe and wise choices in a technologically evolving world. The organization does this by creating and distributing interactive content through the same media that kids and adults use on a daily basis. 

Monique has years of experience speaking on this topic, and she approached our audience with nonchalance and humor (much appreciated after a long day). She touched on some great points that we wanted to share here on our blog... 
  • Age 11 is when kids really begin using the computer and when parents need to become cognoscente of online behavior 
  • Kids are making the trends online, so there is a definite need for parents and teachers to understand those trends 
  • What happens online stays online, and more people than just your immediate social network see your posts (friend of the friend of the friend rule) 
  • Teens feel safer online than in real life; being online gives them a sense of anonymity that often results in them sharing very personal information 
  • Parents should know the "Net Lingo." For example, PIR means "parents in room," POS means "parent over shoulder." Visit netlingo.com for more acronym definitions. 
  • Photos taken on cell phones are automatically geo-tagged, and child predators sometimes use those tags to find children. Be sure to disable location services for photos on your cell phone. 
  • When creating household internet safety rules, involve the children in making the rules and be consistent in enforcement. 
Visit www.webwisekids.org for more parent tips and resources. 

(Image from AssociaLiving.com)

Contributed by Alyssa, Fairmont Private Schools