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Fairmont Anaheim Hills Hockey Extraordinaire Dreams of NHL
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Rudy is currently in Buffalo, New York, this weekend for The Cup North American Championship 2018. |
"In Southern California, I'm the best, yes."
Sixth grader Rudy A. has spent his entire life on the ice. At 1 1/2 years old, he tried on his first pair of ice skates. By 2, he was on the ice learning how to figure skate, biding his time until he turned 5 years old, the age at which he could join a hockey team.
"My grandpa, he played hockey, and I used to come to the games," Rudy shared. "I liked it a lot, so I was little, and I picked up a hockey stick, and I would just run around the house playing hockey."
His early training proves to be paying off. Rudy's three years of figure skating lessons better prepared him for when he was finally eligible to join a hockey team.
"He started as a player," Rudy's mom, Elena, said. "They were really happy to have him [on defense] because he skated well enough, but he always dreamed about being a goalie, so [after two years] he was like, 'I have to try.'"
Elena and Rudy decided he would try out the goalie position for a year to see if he liked it and then make a decision if he wanted to return to a player position or remain a goalie. The answer was clear.
"I like being a goalie," Rudy said, before diplomatically adding, "I like being a player
--- you know, it's fun to score goals, but [as a goalie], you're really like a big part of the team. [The team] really depends on you, and you always have to be ready, no matter what."
Now in junior high, Rudy's come a long way
--- literally and figuratively
--- since he first began playing.
Read the full story.
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Junior High Spelling Bee
Congratulations to the 11 students who competed in the Junior High Spelling Bee on Tuesday morning! If you see these students, please offer them congratulations.
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1st place ---
Neel K.
2nd place --- Arya M.
3rd place --- Alexandra M.
Finalists
Nicholas D.
Jake H.
Vishaal K.
Kareem R.
Karina S.
Felix T.
Arjun V.
Xinyi X.
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Save the Date!
Mark your calendars for our Open House on Friday, February 2, 2018!
On the day of Open House, our Book Fair will also begin, summer programs will kick off the 2018 theme, and the Fairmont Parent Association will host its annual silent auction for parking spaces, reserved seats for music programs, "A Day with Your Teacher" prizes, a week of summer camp, "Director of the Day" opportunities, and many other wonderful auction baskets. You don't want to miss out!
It's Time to Personalize Your Child's Yearbook!
You can now add your child's name and grade to his or her yearbook, and then you will be able to sort through past yearbooks more quickly when you spend hours taking a trip down memory lane!
This is a great way to personalize your student's yearbook
--- not only will his or her name be on the cover, but you can also add up to four icons that hold special significance from this school year. Your child can choose a basketball, a football, a volleyball, ballet shoes, a music symbol, an icon for drama, and so many other wonderful options!
Please complete
this personalization form, and return it with payment (checks made payable to FPS) to the front office or to Vicky Mantell
by Friday, January 28, 2018.
New Year, New Uniform Vendor
--- Lands' End
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First grader Logan H. sports the new Lands' End sweater!
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With the new year, we have a new uniform vendor: Lands' End. Lands' End is a nationwide company known for its strong customer service and durable fabrics, and you will find an efficient ordering process.
Students will still be able to wear their current uniform pieces through the 2017 --- 18 and 2018 --- 19 school years. Please view our ordering guidelines for all preschool through 8th grade campuses.
The daily and required formal uniform items have not changed, and you can complete all of your uniform ordering online. You can also visit South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, where there's a Lands' End inside the Sears store. The associates there can help you with sizing information, and you can place your preferred school order online via the store kiosk. And for the first time, families of preschool and pre-kindergarten children will find optional uniform items!
Parents of students in 1st through 4th grades are invited to join us next Friday, January 19, at 9:00 am in the library. Our parent feedback meetings are round-table discussions with no set agendas. We seek your
feedback --- by grade-level span --- each month of the school year.
This year, parents and students are invited to walk through the Junior High Science Fair on Thursday, January 18, and check out the different projects created by our 7th and 8th grade students. We will also have an award ceremony for the science fair winners on this day. Viewing of the projects will begin at 5:30 pm, and awards will take place at 6:00 pm. All 7th and 8th grade families should plan to attend.
There will be no school on Monday, January 15, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Table Hockey with Dr. Rafferty
Please plan to join Dr. Rafferty to play his favorite game on Saturday, January 20, from 9:00 am until 11:00 am! He will offer you a tremendous amount of tips to help you perfect your skills before the big Stiga Table Hockey Tournament the following weekend on Saturday, January 27. We hope to see you at this exciting competition! You can find all of the information for the tournament below.
Annual Table Hockey Tournament
On Saturday, January 27, Dr. Rafferty will host a very special annual table hockey tournament in our Fairmont Anaheim Hills Campus multipurpose room. All ages (7 and up) and all skill levels (beginners, too) are welcome and encouraged to play. Trophies are awarded to the top three players in each of the six different skill-level groups. All players compete at their skill levels as the tournament progresses.
A brand new Stiga table hockey game will be given away in a raffle to one of our tournament players! For the past three years, many of our Fairmont students have played in this tournament and thoroughly enjoyed it!
Advanced registration is required. Please see Dr. Rafferty or send him an email if you and/or your children are interested in playing in this year's tournament. The deadline to register to play is Wednesday, January 24.
For more specific information, visit the tournament web page.
Also, please take a look at the following two promotional videos:
United States Stiga Shootout (5:38)
United States Stiga Shootout Promo (0:56)
With more than 400 current and former players, the Southern California Stiga Table Hockey League (SCSTHL) is the largest table hockey club in the entire Western Hemisphere. Everyone who plays in a table hockey tournament receives a ranking from the International Table Hockey Federation (ITHF).
Many of the top "junior" players (younger than 18 years old) are from Fairmont Private Schools and from the other schools where Dr. Rafferty has served as campus director. The Top 18 junior players in the U.S. are from Southern California. In fact, 80 of the 87 junior table hockey players in the U.S. are from the SCSTHL.
Seven of the top 10 female table hockey players in the U.S. are from the SCSTHL. Of the 42 currently ranked female players in the U.S., 31 are from the SCSTHL.
Right now, there are 11,783 active table hockey players from countries all around the world who are ranked by the ITHF. Currently, the No. 1-ranked player in the world is Maxim Borisov from St. Petersburg, Russia. Borisov will turn 23 in 2018.
The reporting period for second-trimester progress report cards ends on Friday, January 12, and progress reports will be available online on Friday, January 19.
Junior High Parent and Student Information Night
Parents of current 5th grade students AND their 5th grade students are cordially invited to attend our Junior High Parent and Student Information Night on Tuesday, January 23, starting at 6:00 pm in the multipurpose room.
At this event, you will learn everything you'd ever want to know about junior high at the Fairmont Anaheim Hills Campus: from lockers, to classes, schedules, expectations, dances, field trips, elective classes, extracurricular activities, athletic teams, debate, robotics, drama productions, Academic Pentathlon --- you name it. Plus, you will have the opportunity to get the answers to any and every question you may have about grades 6, 7, and 8 in our Anaheim Hills junior high.
Moms and dads, you'll be in the multipurpose room. Our current 5th grade students will be escorted to the junior high area with Mr. Arias and Ms. Lin and student leaders from junior high.
Shop at Our Spirit Store!
Don't forget that you can sport your Fairmont swag around town by purchasing apparel and accessories at our
spirit wear store! There are a variety of items available to choose from, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, water bottles, and canvas totes.
As a reminder, 15 percent of your purchase of spirit wear items will be given back to the Fairmont Parent Association to help fund the many exciting activities planned in the annual FPA calendar. We hope you will take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to share your Fairmont Pride by purchasing spirit wear.
Fairmont Prep vs. Avalon High School Basketball Game
Don't forget to tune in at 1:30 pm next week as our Huskies take on Avalon on the basketball court at Fairmont Prep!
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Lunch Menus
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Counselor's Corner: Is Your Child Addicted to Technology?
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As we begin 2018, many of us create New Year's resolutions as a way of promoting healthier lifestyles. Resolutions usually fall under the categories of losing weight, getting in shape, or having a more positive outlook on life. Some of us may wish to examine how technology encompasses too much valuable time in our lives and resolve to make healthier choices around social media usage for ourselves and our children.
At Fairmont, we often talk to our students about finding a balance between educational commitments and playtime. Students work hard at school, so during their "down time" many gravitate toward idle time on their tablets or smartphones. Social media and gaming are huge parts of our preteens' and teens' lives, and parents can struggle with setting standards for their children when it comes to time focused on technology.
It can be challenging for parents to know when technology is beneficial and when it starts to become an out-of-control addiction. Tweens and teens connect with friends through social media sites all of the time, and they feel cut off and deprived when devices are taken away. Parents need to acknowledge that computer activity is a problem when it interferes with family time and other important activities. Students feel bad about their behavior when they are sneaking phone use, and schoolwork may start to suffer as technology time becomes habitual and excessive. In one study, 43 percent of teens polled claimed they wish they were not so addicted to their phones.
Below are some tips to establish healthy screen time habits for your entire family for the new year:
- Set limits, and lead by example. No phones at the dinner table. Allow for a little more screen time on the weekends.
- Co-view and co-play: Engage with your child by playing an online game with him or her. Ask your child about the games he or she likes. You may enjoy them, too! Have an open mind, and make an effort to understand what is important to your child.
- Treat technology as a tool, not only a treat. There are valuable reasons to use the internet. Weave that into "fun time" online.
You may uncover signs of addiction to gaming and the internet if your child:
- Lies about time spent online
- Uses gaming as an escape from problems or obligations
- Finds social media has a negative impact on other areas of his or her life
- Spends multiple hours every day online
Parents can seek out help at school through Fairmont counselors if they have concerns about online addiction. For most of us, though, technology and the internet can be easily balanced with home activities and used to enhance modern day life for your child and your entire family!
Have a happy new year! Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions at (714) 999-5055, ext. 1456.
Jill Thomas, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Fairmont Private Schools Counselor
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Fairmont Prep Debate Earns Another Tournament of Champions Bid
Last weekend, your Fairmont Prep debate team competed at the 2018 Hugh Downs School of Human Communication Invitational, hosted by Arizona State University. Fifteen Fairmont Prep students competed in this octofinal bid tournament, which awards bids to the year-end Tournament of Champions to the top 16 teams.
Traditionally, tournaments that distribute bids to teams that advance to octofinals boast the stiffest competition in the country, and Arizona fit the bill. Some of the best teams in the country were in attendance, including Fairmont Prep. Overall, 191 Public Forum teams from all across the nation competed at the varsity level.
Starting off with news from Novice Public Forum, Fairmont Prep freshman Rylen Patel's partner fell ill before the start of competition. Patel forged ahead, debating teams of two by himself, and earned a record of four wins and two losses. He then advanced to elimination rounds, in which he made it to the top 16 teams before being defeated. Overall, he ended up in 12th place in a field of 56 teams in his first ever travel tournament.
Our Varsity Public Forum team also delivered solid performances. The team of Gurveer Singh and Adnan Ismail advanced to triple octofinals before being eliminated in a close 2-1 decision, placing 63rd overall in the competition. After weeks of hard work and diligence, juniors Scott Hong and Kyle Kishimoto advanced to octofinals and secured themselves their first gold bid to the Tournament of Champions! After a fierce octofinal debate, with an audience of dozens, Hong and Kishimoto lost in octos on a 2-1 decision, securing themselves 14th place overall. This is each student's first gold bid to the Tournament of Champions and the fifth gold bid overall for Fairmont Prep this year.
This was a great start to the second semester! Nice work, Huskies!
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VIDEO CORNER
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"What Does It Feel Like? --- The Fairmont College Promise"
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