Help Fill 100 Backpacks

On Friday, October 2, the seventh-grade class will assemble 100 backpacks filled with school supplies for students from families with limited financial resources as part of Moraga Community Service Day. We invite our Saklan community to help by donating new school supplies beginning the week of September 21.

We are especially looking for:

  • Pencils, erasers, and sharpeners
  • Zippered pencil pouches
  • Lined paper
  • Composition and spiral notebooks
  • Colored pencils and glue sticks
  • Blunt-tip scissors
  • Reusable water bottles
  • Student backpacks

Collection bins will be available in the breezeway.

Every donation will help our students put compassion into action and support members of our wider community.

Learn more about Moraga Community Service Day.

#SaklanCompassion

The Best Parts of Me

The Owlets recently engaged in an activity that gave each child an opportunity to celebrate who they are and share what makes them unique.

The class read the sweet and encouraging book I Like Myself, which celebrates being proud of who you are and reminds children that the things that make each person different are also what make them special.

After reading the book together, Victoria invited each Owlet to think about their favorite parts of themselves. Each child shared their ideas in their own words while Victoria captured their responses with a photo and a quote.

From favorite things about themselves to the qualities they are proud of, each response is a wonderful glimpse into how our youngest students see themselves.

The finished portraits are now proudly displayed in the Owlet classroom, creating a joyful reminder that every child has something special to share.

Through this activity, Owlets are practicing self-awareness, confidence, and using their voices to express what makes them unique. And, of course, they’re learning an important lesson along the way: there is something wonderful about being exactly who you are.

#SaklanDiversity #SaklanCommunity

Bringing Gas Laws to Life

Saklan’s eighth graders have started the school year immersed in matter and gas laws, using hands-on labs to connect scientific theory to real-world phenomena.

Students have floated boats to explore Archimedes’ Principle, inflated Bernoulli balloons to investigate lift and low pressure, built hydraulic arms to understand Pascal’s Law, and used bell jars to explore air pressure and Boyle’s Law. They even launched hot air balloons to observe thermal expansion, Charles’ Law, and Bernoulli’s Principle in action.

These engaging experiments spark curiosity and help students connect classroom concepts to the world around them. Through each lab, students ask questions, make observations, and discover how scientific principles come to life.

It’s an exciting start to their eighth-grade science journey!

#SaklanHandsOn

Lines + Shapes = FUN!

Saklan’s Kindergarten through second-grade artists are off to a creative start! In art class, students began the year by sharing about two foundational elements of art: line and shape.

Going on a Line Adventure

Students discovered that lines can have personalities of their own. Some can be calm and straight, while others are bouncy and wiggly, wild and zig-zaggy, thick or thin, curvy or directional. Through experimentation, students explored how different kinds of lines can create different feelings and effects.

Playing With Shapes

Next, students turned their attention to shape. After reviewing basic geometric shapes, they began combining them in new ways to create compound shapes, pictures, patterns, and imaginative compositions.

Through these early explorations, students are discovering that lines and shapes are the building blocks of art. With just a few simple elements, they can create something entirely new. And there are endless possibilities for where their creativity can take them!

#SaklanCreative

Parent Ed: ADHD Is Awesome

Parenting a child with ADHD can be exhausting, frustrating, and unexpectedly joyful — sometimes all before breakfast.

The forgotten assignments. The emotional whiplash. The intense focus on exactly the wrong thing at exactly the wrong time. Families living with ADHD know that the same brain that creates real challenges can also bring creativity, humor, energy, and a distinctive way of seeing the world.

In this lively and refreshingly honest talk, viral creators and New York Times bestselling authors Kim and Penn Holderness share what they have learned from living, parenting and working with ADHD. Both diagnosed with ADHD, they bring firsthand experience, plenty of hard-earned perspective and the humor that has made The Holderness Family a favorite of millions.

Drawing from their book “ADHD Is Awesome,” Kim and Penn will unpack what is actually happening inside the ADHD brain, why common parenting approaches can backfire, and how families can work with ADHD instead of constantly fighting it. This is not about pretending ADHD is easy. It is about understanding the hard parts, dropping the shame, and recognizing the strengths that too often go unseen.

You’ll learn:

  • Why the ADHD brain struggles to choose what deserves attention
  • How to reduce conflict around routines, schoolwork, and everyday responsibilities
  • Ways to support emotional regulation without shaming or escalating
  • How to recognize and nurture the creativity, energy, and strengths of an ADHD mind
  • What parents can do when the strategies that “should” work simply don’t

Come for the tried-and-true strategies and stay for the stories. Reserve your free spot using code SAKSCHL for the live Zoom Talk and get access to the recording to watch anytime.

#SaklanParentEd #SaklanPA

Head’s Corner: Lighthouse Parenting

This blog was inspired by Russell Shaw’s Atlantic essay, “Lighthouse Parents Have More Confident Kids.” Shaw’s description of the lighthouse parent—a steady adult who offers guidance and support without trying to control every part of a child’s journey—gave me a useful way to think about the work we do with children at Saklan.

Parenting did not become a commonly used verb until around 1970.

Before that, people were simply parents.

Since then, parenting has become something we study, measure, and constantly try to improve. There are books, podcasts, experts, courses, apps, and endless advice about how to raise children well.

Developmental psychologist Alison Gopnik suggests that instead of seeing children as people with whom we are in relationship, we can begin to see them as projects whose outcomes we are responsible for producing.

She describes the difference as being like the difference between a carpenter and a gardener.

I do not think she is far off.

Along the way, we have developed all sorts of labels for parents: helicopter parents, snowplow parents, tiger parents, free-range parents, concierge parents, and more. 

But the image that best reflects the kind of parenting we try to encourage at Saklan is the lighthouse parent.

Think of a lighthouse as a steady presence. It offers light, direction, and warning when rocks lie ahead. But it does not pursue the boat, take the wheel, or eliminate the waves.

That is something I fail at regularly.

When my daughter Finn struggles, my instinct is often to fix the problem. A few months ago, I saw a student who was visibly upset and sitting alone. I went over to help. I asked questions about what was wrong and what I could do.

It was not helping. In fact, the tears increased.

Finn was nearby and came over to whisper in my ear, “Daddy, talking does not help. You always do that.” 

She was right.

Sometimes the most helpful thing we can do is not offer a solution immediately. Sometimes (most times?) our children need us to listen, acknowledge what is hard, and give them room to find their way through the experience.

When I am at my best, I ask: “Do you want to be heard, to be hugged, or to be helped?”

That question communicates I hear you, I am here for you, I believe you can handle this.

That does not mean we leave children on their own. Lighthouse parenting is not passive parenting. Lighthouses still warn us about danger. They provide guidance and boundaries. They shine a light when the way forward is unclear.

But they do not calm the waves or move the rocks- nor should they.

At Saklan, we believe children are capable. We believe mistakes are part of learning. We believe clear boundaries express care. And we believe that struggle is healthy.

We cannot make the water perfectly calm for our children. Nor should we want to. Children need opportunities to face challenges, take risks, recover from mistakes, repair relationships, and discover that they are more capable than they realized.

Our work is to provide the steady light they need to find their way.

Warmly, 

David 

Calling all Guest Experts

Authenticity takes center stage in Saklan projects. Students work with experts to make connections between the classroom content and authentic applications for our coursework in the world outside of school. This means we are frequently connecting with guest experts like you to support the student inquiry process! 

Each year we look forward to connecting with new experts to enrich and deepen our project curriculum. Complete the Google form linked below to join our Saklan expert resource list. We will be in touch if there is a PBL unit where your areas of expertise can support student learning. 

Guest Expert Volunteer Form

Have additional questions? Email Linda Lathrop, our Project Curriculum Instructional Coach, at llathrop@saklan.org. 

#SaklanGuestExperts #SaklanProjectWork

Little Moments, Big Confidence

One of the goals of Saklan’s Early Childhood program is to help children build confidence and independence throughout their day. At age three, children are developmentally ready to begin taking on small responsibilities, and everyday routines provide meaningful opportunities to practice these emerging skills.

In the Owlet and Hoot Owl classrooms, teachers encourage children to take responsibility for their belongings and participate in their daily routines. This might look like carrying their own backpacks, putting their belongings away in their cubbies, or getting their lunches out independently.

Teachers also encourage children to practice other everyday skills, such as putting on and taking off their jackets, putting their shoes back on, and placing their lunchboxes inside their backpacks.

These may seem like small tasks, and sometimes it can feel easier or faster for an adult to do them. But for young children, these moments are important opportunities to learn.

Building Skills Through Everyday Routines

As children practice these routines, they are developing much more than independence. They are building:

  • Confidence as they experience the satisfaction of accomplishing something on their own
  • Responsibility as they learn to care for their belongings
  • Problem-solving skills as they figure out how to complete a task
  • Coordination and fine-motor skills through everyday movements and routines
  • Perseverance as they keep trying when something feels challenging

Most importantly, children begin to develop a growing sense of “I can do it!”

That feeling of capability is powerful. When children are given the time, encouragement, and space to try things for themselves, they begin to see themselves as capable and confident learners.

At Saklan, we know that meaningful learning happens in both the big moments and the small ones. Sometimes, putting a lunchbox in a backpack is more than just putting away a lunchbox; it’s a chance for a child to practice independence, solve a problem, and discover that they are capable of doing something all on their own.

What Is Democracy?

What is the meaning of the word “democracy”?

That was the question Saklan’s eighth graders explored as they launched their 2026 Midterm Elections study. Before diving into the details of elections and the political process, students first took a step back to consider the meaning of one of the central ideas behind them: democracy.

To begin, the class read and discussed a series of quotes about democracy. Students considered different perspectives, shared their interpretations, and began thinking about what ideas and values are at the heart of a democratic society.

Defining Democracy Through Words and Images

Next, students were invited to contribute to a classroom display by choosing one of two creative responses.

They could create a sketch in response to the question, “What image or symbol might we use to represent democracy?” Or, they could write their own definition of democracy.

The different responses allowed students to explore the concept from both visual and written perspectives. What symbols represent democracy? What values are essential to it? What does democracy look like in practice?

Finally, the class came together for a group brainstorm. Students shared their ideas and identified the concepts they felt were most important to include in a collective definition of democracy.

Their ideas were brought together into a final list that is on display in the Saklan Library, creating a student-generated definition that will serve as a starting point for their continued exploration throughout the elections unit.

By beginning with a question rather than a predetermined definition, our eighth graders are learning that understanding democracy requires more than memorizing a word. It requires asking questions, considering different perspectives, listening to others, and thinking critically about the ideas that shape our communities and our world.

The Sun Has Arrived!

The Sun, Saklan’s annual magazine, has officially arrived! Filled with stories, photos, and reflections from the past school year, The Sun celebrates the people, learning, and experiences that make the Saklan community so special. It’s a chance to look back at the many ways our students think creatively, act compassionately, and live courageously throughout the year.

Current Saklan families, if you haven’t already received your family’s copy, please check your child’s Friday Folder or backpack, as it is coming home today.

Alumni Families and Grandparents: We would love to send you a copy of our magazine. Please email Emily at ewilliamson@saklan.org to share your address with us, and we will drop one in the mail for you!

We hope you’ll take some time to flip through the pages, revisit some favorite moments, and celebrate all that our students and community accomplished together.

Happy reading!