SNACK TIME pumpkins--not just for carving

Native to North America, pumpkins have a long history as part of American tradition. They are often transformed into scary faces, but there are other options than simply carving a decorative jack-o-lantern.

Pumpkins can be boiled, baked, steamed, or roasted. Seasoned with spices and a bit of butter, they make a tasty and nutritious side dish. Add canned or cooked pumpkin to a protein smoothie for great color and flavor.

Save the seeds! Separate pumpkin seeds from pulp, rinse and spread the seeds on cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes or until seeds are dry. Add to trail mix or eat as a stand alone snack. Yum!

Besides the infamous pie, pumpkin is a versatile, nutritious vegetable that can be added for moisture or flavor to make bread, muffins, cookies, soup, cheesecake, muffins, cupcakes, ravioli, pudding... the list is endless.

Photo from Microsoft Office online photo gallery

Contributed by Leslie, Nutrition Management Services

FRIDAY FOLDER october 12

Highlights From This Week
Anaheim Hills Supports Breast Cancer Research
Denim Day was a wonderful success at the Anaheim Hills campus this week. Fourth grade teacher, Marci Schafer, and sixth grade parent, Kristin Davtyan, coordinated the philanthropic effort that raised over $2,500 to support breast cancer research. Way to go students, teachers and parents!

Upcoming events and reminders:
Red Ribbon Week
Fairmont will be recognizing Red Ribbon Week on Monday, October 15th - Friday, October 19th.  Red Ribbon Week is an opportunity for parents and teachers to emphasize the importance of healthy lifestyles and strong character. Refer to your campus e-newsletter for specific activities for Red Ribbon Week.

Conference Month
October is conference month at Fairmont. We invite you to take advantage of this important opportunity to meet with your child's teacher. There will be no school for students on Friday, Oct. 19th due to conferences.

9th Annual College Fair at Fairmont Prep  
Mark your calendars! The 9th Annual College Fair at Fairmont Prep is coming up on Tuesday, October 16. Representatives from over 60 colleges and universities will be on campus to talk with parents and students about their schools. It's never too early to start thinking about college and learning more about the college admissions process. Don't miss out on this excellent opportunity! While you're on campus, you can also stop by Fairmont Prep's Community Open House to tour the campus and learn more about the school. Click here to learn more and RSVP.

Weekly E-Newsletters 
Anaheim Hills Campus
Historic Anaheim Campus
North Tustin Campus


October Lunch Menus 
Anaheim Hills Preschool-1st Grade
Anaheim Hills 2nd-8th Grade
Historic Anaheim Campus Preschool
Historic Anaheim Campus Kindergarten 
Historic Anaheim Campus 1st-8th Grade
North Tustin Preschool-Kindergarten
North Tustin 1st-8th Grade

Contributed by Danyelle, Fairmont Private Schools

FAIRMONT FIVE pumpkin patch picks

Fall is finally here. Time for flannel, hot cider, and a visit to the pumpkin patch. Kick off the holiday season with a trip to one of Orange County's top-rated pumpkin-picking destinations. Make it an adventure for the whole family and don't forget to bring your camera!

1. Tanaka Farms is conveniently located in Irvine and offers a U-Pick Pumpkin Patch open daily through October 31st from 9am-6pm. Admission, parking and corn maze are free. In addition to a vast selection of pumpkins, there are U-Pick vegetables, wagon rides, and a petting zoo. On the weekends enjoy the Fall Harvest with food, games, ATV rides and more. 
2. Irvine Park Railroad offers the ultimate pumpkin patch experience--complete with train rides, hay rides, tractor races, face painting, panning for gold, a child-friendly haunted house, great food, and more. Irvine Park Railroad is open 7 days a week from September 17-October 31 from 10am-5pm on weekdays and 10am-6pm on weekends. Admission is free.  Parking is $3 on weekdays and $5 on weekends.
3. Johnson Brothers is also centrally located in Irvine and includes many free activities including barnyard animals, an Indian Village with authentic tipis, do-it-yourself face painting and much more. There are also pony rides and a bounce house. Admission is free and the pumpkin patch is open every day until Halloween from 9am-9pm.
4. Pumpkinpalooza at Zoomar's Petting Zoo  in San Juan Capistrano offers pumpkins, petting and pony rides, plus lots more for the admissions price of $7 (kids) and $8 (adults). It is open daily from 9am-5pm. Visit Zoomar's Facebook page for more details about this year's event and consider taking the train to San Juan for an added adventure. 
5. Big Horse Corn Maze in Temecula boasts the largest corn maze in Southern California, which just may make it worth the drive. Also unique are its piglet and ducky races, hay wagon rides, corn cannon, and pumpkin bowling! The maze is open weekdays from 1pm-5pm and weekends from 10am-4pm. Some activities are only available on weekends, so make sure to check the website for details.

Photo from Microsoft Office photo gallery

Contributed by Darcy, Fairmont Private Schools

HOW TO get a jump start on college

It's never too early to start thinking about college, especially with college admissions becoming more and more competitive. You can help your child get ahead by planning for and talking about college in the elementary years, and College Fairs are a great place to start. These events attract representatives from a variety of colleges nation wide. The reps set up a booth and talk with parents and students about their schools. Attending a College Fair will give your child the opportunity to see a variety of schools and start getting excited about college and give you the chance to gain an understanding of the college admissions and financial aid processes.

Fairmont is hosting our 9th Annual College Fair on Tuesday, October 16 from 6:00pm-7:30pm, and we encourage all Fairmont students and their families to take advantage of this opportunity to gain a competitive edge in college admissions. You'll have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with college admission representatives from a number of leading colleges and universities in California and around the world.

Admissions personnel from over 60 colleges and universities will be available to answer questions related to academic programs, extra-curricular activities, student life, tuition and financial aid. Representatives from our College Counseling Center will also be on hand to answer questions and provide their insights on the college admissions process, in addition to a financial aid specialist who will share best practices.

Click here to view the full list of attending colleges and to RSVP. 

Contributed by Alyssa, Fairmont Private Schools 

FRIDAY FOLDER october 5

Rainbow hair rules at the 2012 Anaheim Hills Campus Fall Festival.

October is Conference Month at Fairmont

Wondering how your child is doing so far this school year? You don't have long to wait to find out. October is parent/teacher conference month at Fairmont and we are delighted to have this one-on-one opportunity to meet with you. At Fairmont, we believe a strong parent-teacher partnership is essential to your child's success. Conferences are one way we strengthen this connection. What can you expect from your parent-teacher conference?  It varies by teacher and grade level, but you can count on hearing details about your child's academic progress including areas where he or she is excelling and areas where he or she may need some extra help. Please feel free to take advantage of this opportunity to ask questions and share any concerns or insights you may have regarding your child's education.  Although meetings are scheduled throughout the month, Friday, October 19 is Fairmont's official Conference Day and there will be NO SCHOOL for students on this day.

9th Annual College Fair at Fairmont Prep  
Mark your calendars! The 9th Annual College Fair at Fairmont Prep is coming up on Tuesday, October 16. Representatives from over 60 colleges and universities will be on campus to talk with parents and students about their schools. It's never too early to start thinking about college and learning more about the college admissions process. Don't miss out on this excellent opportunity! While you're on campus, you can also stop by Fairmont Prep's Community Open House to tour the campus and learn more about the school. Click here to learn more and RSVP.

Weekly E-Newsletters 

Anaheim Hills Campus

Historic Anaheim Campus

North Tustin Campus

October Lunch Menus 

Anaheim Hills Preschool-1st Grade

Anaheim Hills 2nd-8th Grade

Historic Anaheim Campus Preschool

Historic Anaheim Campus Kindergarten 

Historic Anaheim Campus 1st-8th Grade

North Tustin Preschool-Kindergarten

North Tustin 1st-8th Grade

Contributed by Danyelle, Fairmont Private Schools

HOW TO maximize your parent/teacher conference

Few things make a parent beam with pride more than a glowing review from a teacher. We love to hear that our children are bright, hard-working and responsible, and, chances are, that's just what you'll hear at your upcoming parent/teacher conference. Keep in mind that it is also a valuable opportunity to dig a little deeper and find out areas where your child may need support.

In order to make the most of this experience, it helps to do your homework. Think ahead about any concerns you may have and be prepared to share them with your child's teacher in an open and non-threatening way. Share important details about your child that the teacher may not know and that could help maximize your child's success in the classroom. Take advantage of the teacher's unique perspective to get a well-rounded picture of how your child is doing socially and emotionally as well as academically.

Let these tips from Scholastic be your guide and you'll be on your way to a productive parent teacher conference.

Before the Teacher Conference 

Start preparing early. Don't wait until the night before to get organized. Create a folder at the beginning of the year in which you store test scores, big homework assignments, and your notes (about things your child has told you or any other topics you want to address).

Talk to your child. Ask how he or she's doing in class, what's going on during lunchtime, recess, and when he or she goes to special classes like music or gym.

During the Teacher Conference
Arrive early. With only a few precious minutes to spend, you don't want to be late. It will shorten your time with your child's teacher and affect her day's entire schedule.

Enter with the right attitude. The goal of both the teacher and the parent should be the success of the student, but sometimes parents have a hard time discussing tough issues. Rather than put the teacher on the defensive, arrive with a compliment to start the conference off on the right foot. ("My son is really enjoying the unit on space" or "We had a great time on the field trip.") Then address any concerns in a respectful way.

Find out the communication protocol. Don't let this be the only time you talk to your child's teacher. Ask how he or she likes to communicate, whether it's by e-mail, notes passed through a folder, or phone calls.

After the Teacher Conference
Follow up. If the teacher brings something to your attention that needs to be addressed with your child, take steps to put the plan in motion, whether it's helping with organizational skills, getting extra help, or addressing a social issue.

Update your child. Start with the positive things his or her teacher had to say, then fill him or her in on any concerns you and the teacher discussed. Explain how you can all work together to ensure your child has a successful year.

Photo from whattoexpect.com article on building parent/teacher relationships

Contributed by Danyelle

BULLETIN BOARD october tricks and treats

Who says the Southland doesn’t experience fall color! This month, we enjoy a vibrant entree into fall with inspirational images plucked at the peak of harvest perfection.  We love Crate and Barrel’s Marimekko Kumina Orange tablecloth setting a modern but none-the-less festive tone for October.  There are so many cute Halloween crafts out there, but for starters check out Family Fun’s recycled milk jug lanterns and Favecrafts Halloween wreath—the best decorations are the ones you and your kids make together!  Enlist your children's help in outfitting gingerbread men and women with skeletal "costumes" or take a short cut to seasonal sweets by ordering decadent Halloween caramel apples from Williams Sonoma.  And October just wouldn’t be the same without a glowing jack o’ lantern—learn how to carve pumpkin masterpieces at Roger's Gardens' Pumpkin Carving Seminar on Oct. 13 from 9-11am.

Contributed by Danyelle