A to Z the secret sauce of summer camp

It’s no secret that children benefit in many ways from participating in summer camp programs. They develop leadership and teamwork skills, develop friendships, and explore new interests. But what is the "secret sauce" of summer camp? What makes camp such a rewarding and memorable experience?

At Fairmont, we value simple moments, such as a camper beaming with pride after learning how to tie his/her shoes for the first time with the help of a counselor. We look forward to the looks of amazement when campers discover something new in science and the sounds of laughter and excitement that fills the bus on the way to our Friday field trips.  These moments are magical and memory-making for children.

We also appreciate this Top 5 list of the "Unique Powers of Camp" compiled by educator/author Michael Brandwein. He explains how summer camp provides these benefits: 

1. Camp leads the way in using the best methods to help children learn and grow. For almost 150 years, camps have been the leader in using the number one secret to teaching: children learn most from doing. 
2. Camp communities remove the typical pressures from school and support children in a positive atmosphere that cherishes effort and persistence. One fast way to explain the incredible power of camping is in two words: "no grades." 
3. Camp offers distinctive value in preparing children for future success. Camp creates communities where kids make daily decisions about activities and learn how to get along with others. 
4. Camp offers an unequaled variety of opportunities to develop well-rounded children. Camps cut like a laser through the negative expectations and beliefs that can stick to children and hold them back. 
5. Camp combats youth isolation by offering positive and accepting communities. Camp is all about belonging to a group that respects and values each member. 

What makes camp special for you? While that definition might be slightly different for each person, the "superpower" of summer camp is undeniable. Visit Fairmont Summer Programs today to learn more about the exciting opportunities that await your child!

Contributed by Doug Fleischli, Fairmont Private Schools

FRIDAY FOLDER may 8

Highlights of the week:

Courtnie B. shows off her award-winning art.

 Fairmont Artists Color the World
Throughout the year, Mrs. Gormin's art students enter their work in various art contests. Students either receive awards or the opportunity to have their work displayed around the county. We are proud of our young artists! 
Click the link below to see the artwork for winning posters by our outstanding young artists:
City of Anaheim Water Conservation Poster Contest Website
Out of a total of 24 awards, Fairmont Historic Anaheim Campus won 11 awards!


Fairmont Summer Programs: Now Enrolling! 

Surf's Up at Fairmont Summer Programs so get ready for an "epic" learning adventure! 

Fairmont’s ACA-accredited camp, our renowned summer school, and a comprehensive line-up of enrichment courses provide dozens of options for customizing a summer experience that suits your child’s needs and your family’s schedule. Whether it's building confidence in academic subjects at summer school or strengthening social skills at camp, your child will come away from summer at Fairmont feeling smart, self-assured and ready to rock a new school year. Enroll Now!







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

 

BOOK REPORT: five summer must-reads for young adults

During the school year, students perpetually read and analyze a variety of texts. Summer provides a great opportunity for students to deviate from the required reading list and engage in books of their own choosing. To establish a love of reading, students should be encouraged to explore their own literary tastes and preferences. Check out these renowned bestsellers for summer reading inspiration!

Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

Lewis Carroll’s adventure story, riddled with nonsense and confusion, begins with a young girl’s daydream of tumbling down a rabbit hole into a magical land of talking animals, wild tea parties, and disproportionate limbs. Alice tries to make sense of  Wonderland and the characters she meets, but the more she tries to solve their riddles, the more frustrated she becomes. Alice in Wonderland captures the essence of growing up and the confusion young people face while transitioning from childhood to adulthood.

The Aviary, Kathleen O’Dell

The Aviary follows a Victorian girl named Clara who has been cloistered away in a crumbling mansion. Clara soon discovers that there’s more than meets the eye to the mansion and the pet birds living in the aviary outside her window. When a new neighbor moves in across the street, Clara becomes intrigued with life outside and begins investigating the strange  happenings around the mansion.

The Invisible Man, H.G. Wells

Written by a student of science, The Invisible Man delights budding science fiction readers with scenes of great chases, escapes, and trickery only capable by an invisible man. An overarching theme of isolation follows the character of Griffin as he creates an invisibility elixir and becomes forever concealed. However, Griffin soon discovers that life as an invisible person is not as simple as it appears. Disasters ensue, leaving the invisible man on the run, isolating himself even further.  

Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls

The classic tale of boy and boy’s best friend, Where the Red Fern Grows reveals the resilience and determination of one young man as he achieves his dream of raising competitive coonhounds in the Ozark Mountains. Meshed with triumph and heartbreak, Billy’s adventures with his young pups display the friendship and grit of which young people are capable.

The Princess Bride, William Goldman

What do you get when you mix a beautiful princess, a friendly giant, a penniless farmhand, and a revenge-driven swashbuckler? Adventure and intrigue are the result, making The Princess Bride an excellent novel for any fantasy reader. The story follows two lovers, Buttercup and Westley, who are separated by fate but brought back together with the aid of several heroic, and sometimes comedic, characters. Sword fighting, castle-storming, true love, magic, and more; William Goldman’s epic adventure contains something for everyone.

Visit the Fairmont Pinterest board Literary Genius for more young adult reading recommendations!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Images by Wikipedia, Goodreads, The Collector's Library

HOW TO: manage sibling rivalry

Sibling rivalry: it’s as old as time itself. Competitive attitudes between siblings is natural. As a parent, dealing with children who are constantly challenging each other can be a taxing battle. Extinguish rivalry fires around your house with these helpful tips!

1. Do not show favoritism toward your children - While the child who is on the receiving end of his or her sibling’s aggression may be your favorite at the moment, do not show partiality. This will only intensify the siblings’ desire to fight for your attention.
2. Refrain from talking to one child about the other - An extension of tip number one, parents should never discuss a child’s poor choices with the opposing sibling. This will only fuel the fire and provide a poor example of how to fight fair.
3. Be inclusive of older children - After the novelty of a new baby wears off, and you devote more time to a smaller child, your older children may feel as though they have fallen down the family pecking order. Encourage your older child to participate in making small decisions regarding the younger child (e.g. allow them to pick out a food item or outfit while shopping for the baby).
4. Actively listen to your children’s struggles - Allowing them to individually express their problems shows that you care and respect what they have to say. This will encourage your children to become good communicators and result in a peaceful household. The dueling siblings will ultimately learn to handle disagreements in a less aggressive manner.
5. Keep both children accountable - Steer clear from determining a winner and loser of each battle. Remember the saying “it takes two to tango,” and arrange a fair punishment for all parties involved regardless of who “started it.”

For more tips on how to manage sibling rivalries:

15 Ways to Manage Sibling Rivalry

Siblings at War in Your Home?

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by ALPI

FRIDAY FOLDER may 1

Highlights of the week:

Junior High Pentathlon Teams are Big Winners at OCDE Academic Pentathlon

In late March, eighteen Historic Anaheim 7th and 8th graders competed in the Orange County Department of Education's Academic Pentathlon at Bolsa Grande High School. Both our 7th and 8th grade teams did very well. The 7th grade team captured 2nd place in Super Quiz and 1st place in Overall Team while the 8th grade team achieved 1st place in both Super Quiz and Overall Team. In addition, Historic Anaheim students won over 85 individual medals and many students finished with scores in the top 10 in all of Orange County! We are so proud of our pentathletes!

8th Grade Pentathlon Team

Reid B. (1st Place overall score in Orange County)

Ariana C. (1st Place overall score in Orange County)  

Lauren J.(4th place overall score in Orange County)

Daryuish K. (2nd place overall score in Orange County)

Kyle K. (2nd place overall score in Orange County)

Ethan P.

Emaad R.

Autumn R.

Jennifer Z.

7th Grade Pentathlon Team

Megan A.(8th place overall score in Orange County)

Daniel G.

Darin K.

Jake P.(4th place overall score in Orange County)

Milan R.(5th place overall score in Orange County)

Kathy R.

Gaby T. (2nd place overall score in Orange County)

Julia T. (1st overall score in Orange County

Alexisse Y. (7th place overall score in Orange County)

 

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

FAIRMONT FIVE: planning a kid-friendly vacation

One of the rites of spring is figuring out this summer’s family vacation. Planning can be as simple as loading up the car for a fun road trip, or as complicated as making airline and hotel arrangements around busy schedules for a trip across the country or overseas. Either way, we have provided some tips to make your next vacation extra-memorable for your children.

1.       Avoid over-planning and focus a little more on being flexible—Arranging a tight travel schedule might squeeze out unexpected pleasures such as visiting a country fair, shopping at a farmers market, or attending a concert in the park. Block out a couple of days to be spontaneous and experience life as a local.

2.       Involve your child in the vacation planning process—While mapping out the itinerary, discuss possible places of interest with your child. Encourage them to practice geography skills and test their knowledge of history as they research potential sites to visit. Math skills can be exercised while determining the distance and the time it will take to drive to a particular destination.

3.       Follow the 15-minute rule—For every one hour on the road, plan 15 minutes to stop and get out of the car. If pulling over every hour is not practical, drive three hours and take a driving break for half an hour. This offers opportunities to stretch the legs and fully appreciate scenic spots along the journey.

4.       Take a break from the screen—Provide alternative traveling activities for children to prevent them from being completely glued to their smartphones and iPads. Encourage them to pay close attention to points of interests during the drive. Have them create a photographic journal of the different sights along the trip. Bring books, puzzles, and word games to occupy their minds while on the road. When visiting relatives, ask your child to put on a reporter’s cap and interview grandparents, aunts, and uncles. This will open the door to some great storytelling and provide the child with fascinating insights related to their family’s heritage.

5.       Don’t leave healthy habits home alone—Be sure to bring a bag of snacks for the road that includes nuts, carrots, string cheese, fruit, and crackers. Sometimes vacations bring out the desire to indulge in junk food that is not common fare in the home. Keeping candy consumption to a minimum will prevent kids from getting too “sugared up” in the back seat.

By the end of vacation,  your child will have a detailed journal of wonderful memories, stories, and discoveries.

Please note If you are planning for your child to join the adventure at Fairmont's Summer Programs, enroll by April 30th to save 10% on summer camp and school. 

Contributed by Doug Fleischli, Fairmont Private Schools

Image credit: fueld