A TO Z benefits of summer camp

Spring is in the air...which means summer isn't far off! As the days get longer and warmer, kids can't help but anticipate the carefree months of summer ahead. For you, the summer anticipation includes planning what the kids will do with their time--summer school, summer day camp, sleep-away camp, swimming lessons, vacation? 

As we remember from our childhoods, summer is a special time for kids, a time for self-discovery and making memories. Summer camp provides a unique, enriching environment for this experience, and the benefits of participating in a quality summer camp stretch far beyond the memories. 

According to the American Camp Association, a 100-year-old organization of camp professionals committed to preserving, promoting and improving the camp experience, summer camp helps children build personal competencies reflected in the four "C's" of the camp community: compassion, contribution, commitment, and character. 

Camp counselors provide children with a network of caring adults to look up to, and an organized camp program creates a safe environment for discovery and exploration. 

The ACA lists the following benefits and anticipated outcomes of the camp experience:

Social Skills Development

• Leadership 
• Communication 
• Participation 

Self-Respect and Character Building 

• Responsibility 
• Resourcefulness
• Resilience 

Community Living/Service Skills 

• Caring 
• Fairness 
• Citizenship
• Trustworthiness 

Developing these key life skills and character traits at a young age gives children an advantage as they grow and mature. 

Fairmont is proud to offer a Summer Program that is accredited by the American Camp Association. This summer we're hitting the road for a cross-country trip across the USA.  It's going to be  wild ride of fun and learning!  Find out more and enroll by visiting our summer programs website or check out our Pinterest board for the inspiration behind this year's Roadtrip USA theme.

Contributed by Danyelle, Fairmont Private Schools 

BULLETIN BOARD somewhere over the rainbow

It's March, and we can hardly contain our enthusiasm because spring is nearly here!  We may get a few more showers, but there are sure to be rainbows too--and who knows what lies beyond the rainbow?!  We hope you enjoy these colorful reminders to have fun with your kids and encourage them to exercise their imaginations every chance they get!

Rainbow word art | Melted crayon art tutorial | Origami gems craft | Leprechaun hats | Rainbow headband fascinator

Contributed by Danyelle, Fairmont Private Schools

FRIDAY FOLDER february 28

Fourth Graders Visit Honda Center for First Flight Field Trip

The Honda Center is home to the Anaheim Ducks, and on February 25, 2014, it became the home of the First Flight Field Trip. Over 15,000 students and teachers attended this free one-day event as they explored the math and science of hockey inside the ice arena. The event combined learning from hands-on exhibits and displays, workbook activities, and best of all, the students were taught live and in-person by hockey's experts--the Anaheim Ducks players and coaches! Fairmont's fourth graders across all campuses learned about water molecules, states of matter, friction, temperature, heat transfer, and more!

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Anaheim Hills Campus

Historic Anaheim Campus

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February Lunch Menus

Anaheim Hills Menu - 2nd-8th Grade

Anaheim Hills Menu - P-1st Grade

Historic Anaheim Menu - 1st-8th Grade

Historic Anaheim Menu - Kindergarten

Historic Anaheim Preschool Menu

North Tustin Menu - 1st-8th Grade

North Tustin Menu - P-K

Contributed by Valerie, Fairmont Private Schools

SNACK TIME juicing 101 (for kids)

Juicing is often promoted as healthy and nutritious, as a way to detox the body or lose weight. But recommending juicing for children requires a closer look at what juicing is and what it may offer.

A juicing machine extracts the juice from whole fruits or vegetables. The processing results in a liquid beverage containing health-promoting properties such as vitamins and phytochemicals (including flavonoids), but eliminating most of the pulp or fiber. Dietary fiber is associated with many, many health benefits, such as lowered risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity and gastrointestinal diseases to name a few. 

Juicing is an opportunity to engage children in the process of selecting ingredients, adding them to the food processor or juicer and watching them transform into a liquid. Popular juice options combine colorful veggies such as kale, carrots, berries, and maybe bits of ginger for spice. Apples offer sweetness without overpowering the beverage.

If kids are picky eaters, juicing may be an option to help them meet daily recommendations for vegetables and fruits. Remember that juicing is concentrated and consuming too much or too quickly might lead to gastrointestinal problems. For example, you can easily drink the juices of 3 apples, but would find it difficult to sit down and actually eat three apples because of the fiber content.

Juice should be consumed right away or refrigerated to avoid the growth of harmful bacteria. Exposure of the drink to air causes oxidation and loss of nutritional value, especially vitamin C.

Overall, juicing may offer variety and can be part of a healthy diet when used in moderation and a little common sense.

Image credit: fitlife.tv

Submitted by Leslie Kay-Getzinger, MS RD

Regional Dietitian for Nutrition Management Services Company

BOOK REPORT my friend flicka

One of the first books I fell in love with as a child was My Friend Flicka by Mary O'Hara. I have always loved animals and checked out reference type books about animals from the library. One day my mom encouraged me to try an animal novel. My mom grew up with horses so she probably had read My Friend Flicka before. We checked it out at the library and I just devoured it. 

My Friend Flicka is the story of Ken McLaughlin--a dreamer who lives on his family's ranch in Wyoming. His seemingly lazy ways anger his practical father.  Nothing seems to put Ken's feet on the ground until the day he sees Flicka, a filly owned by his family that comes from a bloodline of un-tamable horses. Ken is finally given the chance to tame Flicka and keep her. 

Over the course of a summer, Ken and Flicka develop a bond that teach Ken responsibility and gives him the respect of his father. It's a very touching and rewarding story that would appeal to both boys and girls.

And while we're on the subject of childhood classics, here are a few others I would recommend:

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Old Yeller by Fred Gipson

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

Image credit: Pinterest

Contributed by Darcy, Fairmont Private Schools

FRIDAY FOLDER February 21

Highlight of the Week:

Historic Anaheim Debate Team Scores Big at OCDL Tournament  

On Saturday, February 8th, the Historic Anaheim Campus hosted an Orange County Debate League tournament. Over 75 debaters from six schools participated in this event, including Historic Anaheim, which had 15 debate students compete. Amongst those 15 that competed from HAC, were Raj S., Bikrum S., and Gurveer S. who are seen in the picture above showing off their awards.  Congratulations to our debate students who placed 3rd in overall wins and congratulations to Gurveer S. for winning the Overall Speaker Award and being awarded the Golden Gavel.

Technology at Fairmont

Fairmont Technology Team will be holding a series of parent informational sessions regarding the junior high roll out of iPads in the 2014-2015 school year. Please plan to attend your next campus FPA meeting for more information. If you are unable to attend, campus dedicated webinars will be held to provide the information discussed at the on-campus sessions (dates and times to follow on these specific sessions). You may also learn more by visiting the PrepTEC website (http://www.fpapreptec.com) and clicking on the link:

Junior High 1:1 TEC program.

Weekly Newsletters

Anaheim Hills Campus

Historic Anaheim Campus

North Tustin Campus

February Lunch Menus

Anaheim Hills Menu - 2nd-8th Grade

Anaheim Hills Menu - P-1st Grade

Historic Anaheim Menu - 1st-8th Grade

Historic Anaheim Menu - Kindergarten

Historic Anaheim Preschool Menu

North Tustin Menu - 1st-8th Grade

North Tustin Menu - P-K

Contributed by Valerie, Fairmont Private Schools

FAIRMONT FIVE top parenting tips from teachers

Here at Fairmont, we believe our teachers are superheroes!  And when it comes to super powers, our early childhood educators have some of the coolest skills. Our ECE teachers can predict meltdowns and stop temper tantrums with a single bound.  They seem to bring out the best in children without yelling or resorting to bad behavior themselves.  Just how do they do it?  
Here are a few of their secrets for handling some of parents’ toughest challenges:

1. Solving separation anxiety--Begin each day with a positive outlook.  Take time to talk about the day before you leave for school. Try asking your child simple questions about their daily routine.  “When you are at recess what is your favorite thing to do?”  “I noticed your classroom has some great toys.  What will you play with today?”  Children develop confidence and security by following a routine.  When it is time to leave your child, always say good bye. Give them a hug and send them on their way. Do not linger or keep coming back--this sends the message that something is wrong.  Don’t panic if your child starts to cry.  Have confidence in your child's teacher.  Once a youngster has mastered a daily routine, he or she will be confident and content at school.
2. Positive parenting--I have seen time and time again that children respond better to praise than punishment.  When parents and teachers keep things positive, they see better results.  Children want to feel that pat on the back even more than a reward.  Keep everything positive!
3. Using age to your advantage--"Age Advantage" is using a child's age as a motivation.  For example, "When you are four you will be able to do X.”  “When you are five you can do X."  Also, it can work the other way around, for example: "Now that you are four you no longer need X,” or "Five year-olds don't do X."
4. Mood matters--We have learned through teaching, as well as through parenting, that children will feed off your mood. If you are calm, they are more apt to be calm as well.
5. You're in charge--Being a parent is wonderful, but it comes with responsibility.  Parents are responsible for making decisions for their children. Children need guidance on what is in their best interest. Children are not capable of making those choices.  Parents need to teach that there are consequences for good and bad behavior. Acknowledge when a child makes the right choice and have appropriate consequences when poor choices are consistently made. One hundred percent consistency is imperative and possible. This is where “mean what you say and say what you mean” comes into effect.

Image from photobucket
Contributed by Danyelle, Fairmont Private Schools