A to Z: in support of the student athlete

In the pursuit of academic success, children sometimes need a break from the classroom and an opportunity to release pent-up energy. While academic success is no small feat, students who participate in at least one extracurricular physical activity are proven to reap more benefits than those who do not exercise regularly.

Engaging in sports activities each week helps improve students’ focus on school work, as well as help them lead happier, healthier lives. Here are four reasons why students should be involved in structured, after-school physical activities.

1. Academic Performance - Studies show that students involved in athletic programs maintain a higher GPA and achieve higher test scores. SPARKpe.org provides a list of recent studies proving the correlation between academic success and physical fitness.
2. Fitness Habits - Sports help students develop coordination and teaches them how to care for their bodies through proper stretching and the development of fundamental mechanics. Participating in athletics at an early age instills physical fitness habits that carry over into adulthood, helping to avoid health problems.
3. Mental and Emotional Benefits - Athletics have great physical benefits, but also help children to improve mentally and emotionally. While the body exercises, the brain releases endorphines. From a biological standpoint alone, students who are physically active are happier and have a constructive outlet through which to relieve stress.
4. Development of Specific Skills - Through athletics, students are able to accumulate a whole host of skills and abilities. Leadership, teamwork, confidence, and self-reliance are the big character focuses. Critical thinking is developed on the playing field as athletes need to quickly solve problems created by their opponents. Time management, a skill necessary in adulthood, is also brought into play as children learn to balance their time between schoolwork, sports, and family life.

Even if your child is not interested in team sports, there are plenty of less intense, solitary options. Activities such as swimming, gymnastics, track, martial arts, yoga, and golf provide physical benefits and allow students to engage in an extracurricular activity where they can advance at their own pace.

For more student athlete information, as well as great drills and exercises, visit the Fairmont Pinterest board Student Athletes!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by Popsugar

FRIDAY FOLDER: may 29

Highlights of the Week

Studying since February for their competition on May 2nd, the Anaheim Hills 6th Grade Pentathlon Team was thrilled to learn that they had placed 1st overall in the 2015 6th Grade Orange County Pentathlon! The team also earned 2nd place in the Super Quiz Relay and amassed 30 individual medals in all subjects including science, history, math, and literature!

Congratulations to the North Tustin MVP athletes Sofia R. (Soccer), Karishma R. (Volleyball), Nadia A. (Basketball), James K. (Golf), Ryan H. (Basketball), and Andrew L. (Football & Soccer)!

Historic Anaheim students close the 2014-2015 performing arts season with concerts featuring songs such as "Shake it Off," "Ode to Joy," "Shoo Fly," and the Pink Panther theme.

Weekly Newsletters

Anaheim Hills Campus

North Tustin Campus

Historic Anaheim Campus

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

CHALK TALK: the many benefits of music in early education

Music fosters creative thought and much more!

Fairmont’s early childhood education programs offer a sensory rich environment for heightening a child’s senses, which is essential for providing the foundation of a well-rounded education. Music plays a major role in this effort by helping our young learners grow in many areas of personal and academic development. 

Whether listening to Beethoven, banging on drums or dancing to a song, music helps students gain confidence for learning and trying new things. At the same time, they exercise their language, vocal, and fine motor skills. When singing folk songs or dancing to famous jazz tunes, children have the opportunity to explore the richness of American culture and its history. 

Besides nurturing creativity, confidence, and a better understanding of history, musical activities such as sing-a-longs help children feel they are members of a community.  Hands-on music participation and appreciation incorporates lessons in math, reading, and writing.  For example, learning how to keep a steady beat, rhythm, and melody involves engaging mathematical concepts such as sequencing, counting, and patterning. 

The whole family can engage in music appreciation in the home, car, and at concert venues. Fairmont’s Music Department Chair Adela Stella encourages parents and grandparents to take children to see summer concerts in the park to experience the excitement of live performances.

Contributed by Doug Fleischli, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by KinderMusik

FRIDAY FOLDER may 22

Highlights of the week:

Junior High Drama "Beauty and the Beast"

The final 2015 Junior High Drama Production was magnificent! Our talented students masterfully danced and sang. It was wonderful to see 

them perform for their peers and parents.

Summertime
 

Exciting Surf's up themed adventure at the Fairmont Summer Camp is fast approaching. Have you reserved your spot yet? Enroll today to avoid the mid-summer wipeout!


For more information or to enroll, please visit www.FairmontSummerPrograms.com


 
For more exciting updates from our campuses check the weekly newsletters below:

Weekly Newsletters:

Anaheim Hills Campus 

Historic Anaheim Campus 

North Tustin Campus 

May Lunch Menus:

Anaheim Hills (2nd - 8th Grade)

Anaheim Hills (Pre K - 1st Grade)

Historic Anaheim Preschool

Historic Anaheim Campus (JK - K)
Historic Anaheim Campus (1st - 8th)
North Tustin Campus 

Contributed by Neha, Fairmont Private Schools

A to Z: encouraging digital citizenship in your child

Young adults represent the majority of today’s digital citizens. Students are encouraged to be good digital citizens by maintaining a positive online environment when using technology. While teaching children to use good manners in the physical world is important, it is becoming more and more prudent for those manners to apply in the digital world. With the rapid advancement of technology, teaching children the importance of digital social skills and leaving behind a positive digital footprint ensures a better online world and protected reputations. 

Technology is a wonderful learning tool, but it can also lead to some unhealthy paths if a student does not know how to navigate away from the sludge of  inappropriate comments and harmful content. Closely monitoring children ensures that they’re viewing and contributing to positive content. Parents that allow their children to operate their own social media accounts should advise that virtually everything posted to the internet can never be completely removed. Posting media creates a digital footprint which allows an individual’s internet activities to be loosely followed. A good rule of thumb for students is to post only what you’d like your parents to see; anything questionable in content, harmful to others, and potentially damaging to your online reputation should be avoided.

As children engage in more social media, and inherit more digital responsibility, it’s critical that they understand that everyone can see anything posted by anyone. This means that college admissions advisors and future employers, to name a few, are privy to the digital footprints left by all applicants. Promoting oneself in a positive manner will never harm one’s chances of getting that dream job or admissions letter.   

Social media and internet browsing are a large part of American life. Helping children to be aware of their digital footprint, teaching them to respect other users, and to protect themselves while using the internet fosters a responsible citizen in both the physical and digital world.

For more ideas about raising responsible digital citizens, visit Fairmont’s Pinterest board 21st Century Learning!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by Roofing Brand

CHALK TALK: helping young children be aware of the purpose of advertising

As with television and the internet, young children may innocently embrace advertisements on kid-friendly apps, such as the recently launched YouTube Kids app, as a resource of viable, unbiased information. While adults and older children have a better understanding of the intention of advertising, children eight years and younger are particularly susceptible to the persuasion of ads sharing the screen with educational content and kid-appropriate entertainment.

Children advocacy groups express concerns about the negative influences of advertisements on these age-appropriate apps. They worry that the ads, specifically those targeting vulnerable young children, contribute to reinforcing children’s fixation on soft drinks, junk food, and other unhealthy habits. The issue matches concerns raised in a report published in 2004 by the American Psychological Association entitled “Television Advertising Leads to Unhealthy Habits in Children.”

Dr. Rebecca Osborne, Technology Enhanced Curriculum Specialist for Fairmont Private Schools, encourages parents to monitor what their children are watching and to be vigilant about the kind of advertising that accompanies the programs.  Parents may want to consider streaming programming such as Netflix or Amazon Prime, which do not include ads, as an alternative to broadcast television or ad-supported apps.

When children watch ad-supported programming, parents can help their children identify the difference between a regular show and an advertisement. Parents can point out how the characters are different, the changes in volume or pacing, and how the content of the program and advertisement does not match.  Since this type of distinguishing will not develop until children are around 5-6 years old, parental guidance is essential for helping them see the differences.

Lastly, parents can help their children think critically about the information they are presented. This skill will develop over time, but parents can encourage children to evaluate statements by simply asking "What do you think about that?" or "Do you agree with what they are saying?"

Children have a natural curiosity, and parents should foster this type of thinking in their children to help them identify advertisements and avoid being unduly persuaded by them.

Contributed by Doug Fleischli, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by sheknows

FRIDAY FOLDER may 15

Highlights of the week:

5th Grade and Junior High Instrumental Program

 

Our Anaheim Hills final concert demonstrated how students have grown musically over the course of the school year. The performance was truly excellent! 

It was wonderful to listen to our 5th graders who have been working so hard to hone their musical skills. The performance of our junior high musicians reflected their advanced experience, skills, and confidence. 

For more exciting updates from our campuses check the weekly newsletters below:

Weekly Newsletters:

Anaheim Hills Campus 

Historic Anaheim Campus 

North Tustin Campus 

May Lunch Menus:

Anaheim Hills (2nd - 8th Grade)

Anaheim Hills (Pre K - 1st Grade)

Historic Anaheim Preschool

Historic Anaheim Campus (JK - K)
Historic Anaheim Campus (1st - 8th)
North Tustin Campus 

Contributed by Neha, Fairmont Private Schools