Education Spotlight 2016

Forming Young Men and Women in Faith,
Intellect, and Character

JSerra is an independent Roman Catholic high school that encourages students to pursue personal and professional excellence in life. Guided by the teachings of the Catholic Church, JSerra works in partnership with committed parents and inspirational teachers to form the faith, intellect, and character of its young men and women with a Christ-centered, sacrament-based learning environment.

CORE VALUES
JSerra strives to form students who are:

Academic Achievers demonstrating a higher order of thinking skills; solving problems creatively and analytically; utilizing the appropriate technology to support learning.

Lifelong Learners who manage and direct their own learning; value and pursue postsecondary education; establish personal priorities and achievable goals; develop an appreciation of varying world views.

Responsible Christian Citizens who demonstrate knowledge of the Catholic Church; perform Christian service in their community; practice respect of self, others, and community.

Collaborative Workers who use effective leadership and interpersonal skills to foster, develop, and maintain relationships within a diverse setting.

CAMPUS LIFE
Founded in 2003, JSerra has established itself within South Orange County as an exceptional academic institution. Each year at JSerra, new clubs are formed, athletic teams become stronger, and dedicated staff and faculty look for new ways to innovate the learning process.

JSerra also offers dynamic and highly successful magnet programs in arts, business, engineering, law, and medicine. These programs help prepare students for further study and professional careers in their respective areas of interest.

Through these programs and more, JSerra students are formed in faith, intellect, and character. Come learn more about joining the JSerra family at the January 14th Open House event from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

JSerra Catholic High School
26351 Junipero Serra Road
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
949.493.9307 • www.JSerra.org

Nurture with care. Teach with creativity. Embrace life. Treasure faith. These are the guiding principles that shape St. Anne School in Laguna Niguel.

St. Anne School awakens a passion for learning in students with stimulating, engaging, and rigorous academics. It is an intimate learning environment with ideal student/teacher ratios, where each student receives personal attention. The school uses the latest, proven teaching methods, curricula, and technology—combining techniques that make learning fun with a sweeping range of academic studies. St. Anne School students become curious, confident, and well–prepared for a life of learning and leadership.

St. Anne School sparks each student’s imagination and interests with a diverse offering of enriching activities. At St. Anne School, students develop their talents through a wealth of extracurricular and scholastic activities. They can play sports, learn new skills, and travel to fascinating places. They can even put their imaginations to work solving actual world problems. There’s something to engage every inquisitive mind both in and outside the classroom. St. Anne believes children who explore their interests are more comfortable with themselves and the world around them. Children who are well-rounded become adults who are well-informed. Ultimately they are more successful in life. For St. Anne School, that’s the purpose of education.

Founded in 1992, St. Anne School is a National Blue Ribbon School and is accredited by the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA), the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and the National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). St. Anne School offers 2, 3, and 5 day preschool options, full day kindergarten, and extended daycare.

St. Anne School is currently accepting applications for the 2016-2017 school year.

Join them for their Preschool – 8th Grade Admissions Open House on Thursday, January 14, 2016, at 9:00 a.m.

For a private tour and to learn more about St. Anne School, please contact:
Lil Ray Reed, Kindergarten – 8th Grade Office of Admission
949.276.6753, LRay@st-anne.org

LuAnn Wilson, Preschool Admission
949.276.6783, LWilson@st-anne.org

St. Anne School
32451 Bear Brand Road
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
www.st-anne.org

Kids learn differently. For some – no matter how hard they try – the traditional classroom is not a place where they thrive. Halstrom Academy recognized this 30 years ago when it pioneered the one teacher to one student teaching model. Since then, Halstrom has helped more than 16,000 students achieve their educational, personal and professional aspirations.

For Halstrom Academy Junior Connor Perkins, the traditional school model of six classes a day, five days a week, became both stressful and limiting, and caused him to struggle academically. By the time he was done with his school work, he had little time left for family, sports, and other interests. In searching for small class sizes in high school, Connor’s family discovered Halstrom. Since enrolling as an eighth grader, he has found he can have the lifestyle he wants and excel in school.

According to Connor’s mother, “Everything is so efficient at Halstrom. Connor used to miss sports practices and time with family because of the heavy homework burden at his former school. Now he can have the lifestyle he wants and still experience academic growth.”

Social studies and science are Connor’s favorite subjects, though with the 1:1 education at Halstrom, he says he enjoys all of his classes. He also finds the social setting much less daunting and has been able to make many friends at Halstrom.

One of Connor’s proudest achievements was becoming an Eagle Scout. According to Connor, the rank of Eagle Scout would have been impossible to obtain without 1:1 instruction and flexible class scheduling at Halstrom.

Halstrom academy
26440 La Alameda, Suite 150
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
866.537.1083
www.Halstrom4U.com

Our Lady of Fatima Parish School is a 21st Century learning community founded in 1965 that has educated students in South Orange County for nearly 50 years. Nestled among the rolling hills of San Clemente with a view of the Pacific, the school is fully accredited and staffed by an outstanding team of credentialed, nurturing, and dedicated professionals. The campus offers a welcoming learning environment for all students that is centered on the value of “family.” OLF is a dynamic, technology-driven institution of learning that prides itself on academic rigor and high student expectations that “empower today’s children to promote tomorrow’s leaders.” The school’s strong community service program ensures that OLF students value their faith-filled Catholic education.

OLF’s students are committed learners who demonstrate excellence in academic expectations, technology acquisition, and service to their community. With a cross-curricular and cross-cultural approach to instruction, OLF offers each student differentiated opportunities to explore, investigate, and demonstrate understanding by means of a hands-on approach to learning that includes integrated technology. By complementing the academic rigor with the offering of innovative electives, the OLF faith-filled student gains a love for life-long learning, becomes an effective communicator and a globally responsible citizen. Students have received local and regional awards from various competitions such as the OC Science Fair, Chapman University Holocaust Art, Writing, Poetry, and Film Contest, Jr. High Academic Decathlon, Catholic Math League, OC Catholic Charities Contest, and the OC Young Author’s Faire.

OLF’s Early Education Center has been enhanced by the addition of a transitional kindergarten; the first year of a two-year academic kindergarten program that is specifically designed to give four-year-olds and young fives the “gift of time” to develop socially, emotionally, and cognitively.

OUR LADY OF FATIMA PARISH SCHOOL
105 N. La Esperanza, San Clemente, CA 92672
949.492.7320 • www.olfschool.net

Studies have shown that children attending preschool generally do significantly better academically, developmentally and socially in the long-term compared to children who do not enroll in a preschool. However, the simple fact of attending preschool does not guarantee any immediate or life-long benefits. The quality of a preschool is the critical factor.

Marina View Preschool in Laguna Niguel was established over 16 years ago and in December 2012 had a change of ownership due to the previous owner’s retirement. The school is now owned and directed by Reshma Morey, a mother of two young boys and an educator with over 14 years of teaching experience. The school cares for children ages 12 months to six years and provides a healthy balance of academics and a developmental program. The school offers an Infant, Toddler, Preschool, Junior K and K program. The school’s philosophy is to provide a strong, child-centered learning environment that educates the whole child: intellectually, socially, emotionally, and physically. Marina View’s vision is to create a love of learning in children that lasts a lifetime.

Since taking over the school, Mrs. Morey has made a number of improvements including developing a rigorous academic curriculum that exceeds the California Core Standards in the Junior K and K classes, including formal Spanish instruction in all Pre-K classes, and implementing a customized app for parents to receive updates and alerts on the daily and weekly activities at the school. Mrs. Morey has also embarked on creating a sense of community amongst the parents by having more events at the school such as the annual “Fun Run,” Open House, Halloween Parade, Winter Holiday Recital, Father’s Day and Mother’s Day celebrations, Kindergarten Science Fair, and “Masters of Art” Show. There are a number of additional events scheduled for 2016!

Over the years, Marina View has built an impeccable reputation by having an effective and proven school curriculum and an attractive and safe school facility. The school provides a developmentally appropriate curriculum taught by long-tenured, degreed, and credentialed teachers and offers an introduction to Spanish in all classes, Learning Centers focused on math, art, reading, and science, and Enrichment classes in Gymnastics, Soccer, and Spanish.

If you are considering a preschool for your child, Marina View Preschool should definitely be on your list.

Please call (949) 249-8687 to schedule a tour today or just stop by to visit the facility at your convenience.

MARINA VIEW PRESCHOOL
25301 Sweet Meadow Lane
Laguna Niguel
949.249.8687
www.MarinaViewPreschool.com

Always learning, The Parish School graduates are confident and compassionate young men and women who will make a difference.

Faithful to Catholic values, The Parish School at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church sustains an evolving schoolwide learning environment that inspires each learner to achieve his or her God-given potential inside and outside the classroom.

Benefit: She Is Always Learning.
She digs out a rock during her class’s nature walk, her dirtied fingers deciphering textures to determine its geological origins. She collaborates with a classmate to code a game in Scratch, their story coming to life in scripts and pixels. She raises her hand as the priest asks about the Gospel reading. Her heart beats faster – she knows the answer. No matter where or what or when, she is always learning at The Parish School.

Benefit: He Discovers His Faith.
Though his shoes don’t quite touch the floor when he sits in the pew, he thinks deeply about God. Does God know his name? Is God watching him at this very moment? He finds himself doing things and not doing things because of God. More and more, something or Someone seems to be guiding his decisions. It is transformative. He is discovering his faith.

Benefit: She Speaks Her Mind.
At first she is scared to talk in class. But her teacher gently coaxes her. By lower school, her voice doesn’t tremble anymore. Her upper school teachers encourage her to ask big questions. Classmates sometimes challenge her ideas, and she defends them. She listens to other learners too, adopting bits of their new thinking even as she adapts her own. Confident yet open-minded, candid yet thoughtful, she is speaking her mind.

Benefit: He Is Resilient.
His engineering experiment doesn’t work. For a moment, he is embarrassed. His fists clench, but he catches himself. He sits and thinks. He soon gets back to work, disassembling and reassembling pieces of his machine. When he’s ready again, he releases the ball bearing. Eureka! He is so giddy he could dance. Led by expert educators who embrace classroom mistakes as real learning, he is becoming a resilient young man.

Benefit: She Gets Involved.
She has the worst balance on the Surf Team but is first to the beach for practice. She struggles with the F chord but plays her dad’s old Fender until her strumming hand aches. She runs for Student Government. She wins. While she is not the tallest or the most talented or that learner who others naturally follow, she refuses to be a bystander in school or life. She is going to be involved.

The Parish School St. Edward the Confessor Catholic church
33866 Calle La Primavera
Dana Point, CA 92629
949.496.1241
www.stedschool.org

St. John’s is an independent Episcopal school in Rancho Santa Margarita offering a dynamic educational program for children from eight weeks of age through 8th grade. Students are encouraged to develop independence, practice self-confidence, and think creatively. St. John’s combines a challenging academic environment with values of service and compassion to uniquely prepare students for higher education and for life outside the classroom.

Now in its second full year, St. John’s science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) initiative presents an innovative and engaging method of learning, teaching students through project-based learning to evaluate concepts to address real world problems in inventive ways. STEAM ignites curiosity and encourages discovery to develop life-long learners.

Academic Achievement
St. John’s academic program is distinguished by low student to teacher ratios and a personal, individualized educational experience. Each Elementary and Early Childhood classroom enjoys the support of a dedicated instructional aide. This classroom structure lends itself well to flexible and engaging small group instruction, especially in Mathematics and Language Arts, ensuring a personal and highly individualized educational experience daily.

Balanced Curriculum
The School’s philosophy focuses on the development of the whole child providing a program that is broad and inclusive. The core curriculum is supplemented by a wide variety of enrichment classes, including music, science, athletics, and world languages, all taught by subject-area specialists. Each enrichment provides students with additional opportunities for self-expression and success.

Focus on Character
The School’s faculty and staff understand the importance of providing students with a nurturing environment, one where they can feel safe and appreciated. A strong sense of school community is a vital aspect of St. John’s. Students learn the value of social responsibility within the greater community. The values of integrity, responsibility, tolerance, and respect are reinforced through character education, community outreach, and individual service and are modeled by the adults on campus.

St. John’s Episcopal School
30382 Via Con Dios
Rancho Santa Margarita
949.858.5144 • www.StJohns-ES.org

Santa Margarita Catholic High School offers a well-rounded, college-preparatory education developing students who are people of faith, skilled lifelong learners, healthy individuals and involved citizens of our world.

Santa Margarita’s academic tracks are tailored to meet the needs of varied learners. The school offers 18 AP courses, an Interdisciplinary program catering to hands-on learners and the school’s Auxiliary Studies Program that provides students with specialized learning needs the opportunity to reach their full potential. Santa Margarita also has the distinction of being the only Catholic high school in the county to offer the rigorous International Baccalaureate program. Preparing our students for college and beyond, the school’s One-to-One Tablet PC program puts a tablet in the hands of every student and teacher providing an immersive educational experience.

Faith development and extracurricular activities are an integral part of a Santa Margarita education. All-school masses, campus ministry fellowship gatherings, retreats and daily prayer provide students with the opportunity to grow in their relationship with God and one another. Home of the Eagles, the school’s competitive athletic program, emphasizes character building. A thriving, award-winning arts program includes more than 60 visual and performing art courses. With more than 70 campus clubs and activities, students are encouraged to explore their passions.

Santa Margarita’s 42-acre campus is nestled against the picturesque Saddleback Valley Mountains. The recently modernized library media center provides a collaborative learning environment or quiet place to study. Fall 2011 marked the opening of the Academic Services Center housing ten “smart classrooms” equipped with innovative technology; a 3,700 square-foot Digital Media Studio, home to the student news show “Eagle TV”; and counseling and academic offices. SMCHS also recently opened the Eagle Athletic Center which features a first-class 5,822 square-foot weight room. The school’s aquatics center opened in 2007 complete with an Olympic-sized pool.

Enrollment: 1,755

Financial Assistance: One in five students receives tuition assistance

Bus Service: Serving North and South Orange County

Religious Leadership: Campus chaplain and proud partner with the Sisters of the Sacred Heart

Santa Margarita Catholic High School
22062 Antonio Parkway
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
949.766.6080 • www.smhs.org

CALL TODAY
to Schedule a Tour:
(949) 234-1385

Mission Basilica School honors Saint Serra’s mission of preparing every student for a life of leadership rooted in Catholic values. The beautiful campus, uniquely located in the historic Mission San Juan Capistrano campus, has a student body of 260 in grades Pre-K to 8th. Mission Basilica School is a WCEA/ WASC accredited, National Blue Ribbon School, staffed with highly skilled and credentialed teachers. Mission Basilica School continues to foster Faith Formation and Academic Excellence through its highly acclaimed programs.

Faith

• Strong Catholic Identity
• Christ-centered learning environment
• Weekly Mass in Mission Basilica
• Ongoing Christian Service
• Spiritual Retreats

Academics

• Pre-K and TK Programs
• Accredited by the Western Catholic Educational Association
• National Blue Ribbon School
• Rigorous Academic Curriculum aligned to State Standards
• High Test Scores on High School Placement Exams
• Student-centered classrooms with small group instruction
• 1-to-1 iPad Program
• Technology and Science Labs
• Fitness, Sports and Health Education
• Rich Fine Arts Program
• Spanish Language Program
• After School Clubs and Extracurricular Programs
• Extended Day Care

Mission Basilica School
31641 El Camino Real
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
949.234.1385 x2
www.MissionBasilicaSchool.org

In 1987, Elite Educational Institute began with one tutoring center in Rowland Heights, California. From those humble beginnings, Elite has expanded to over 45 locations worldwide, and has helped thousands of students realize their dreams. Elite seeks not only to offer preparation for college, but also learning for life.

When students first arrive at Elite, they will be offered a diagnostic test in the academic area or grade level of their choice. This is followed by a conference with one the institute’s counselors to review the test, their academic history, and their goals. All of these steps are taken to ensure that parents and students select the right program.

Elite features three primary areas of educational programming:

Test Preparation.
The institute offers preparation classes in the SAT (new version out March 5, 2016), ACT, SAT Subject and AP exams. Students receive an education that emphasizes foundational content, strategies, and robust practice.

Academic Enrichment.
Elite provides 1:1 and small group (3:1) tutoring at its facility. Its goal is not only to help students do well on exams, but also to truly grasp the content that they are being taught at their local schools. The Institute wants to help shore up any weaknesses and shape students’ study habits for all their classes.

In addition, the school offers supplemental courses, Speech and Debate and English (Reading & Writing Workshop) to develop a student’s communication skills, critical thinking prowess, and essay writing abilities.

College Admissions Consulting.
From discovering majors and careers and selecting the right colleges, to writing essays and finalizing each application, counselors help students navigate their way through the maze of the college admissions landscape.

Students can receive comprehensive help for their entire application process or just come in for 1 to 2 sessions to work on their college essays.

Whether your student is in elementary, middle or high school, or needs help for 1 month or 1 year, is struggling or advanced, Elite will come alongside you to chart and navigate the best course for your child.

Elite educational institute
25282 McIntyre St.
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
949.916.0355
www.ElitePrep.com