Month: September 2021

Morning Drop Off

This year, we have some new morning drop-off procedures. Along the curb directly in front of Saklan, we have a Preschool Parking Zone for Preschool and Pre-K parents to park and walk their children up to the classrooms, as well as a Drop-off Zone for Kindergarten – 8th grade parents to quickly drop off their children. For parents of Kindergarten – 8th grade students that would like to walk their children up to the front gate, we ask that you park in the Holy Trinity Church parking lot, next to Saklan.

For further explanation of the new morning procedures, please check out the video below, which was previously shared during the ECE and Lower School Back to School Nights.

Thank you for your help in keeping our students safe during morning drop off.

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Class Agreements

The first few weeks of school are all about developing new routines and building relationships with teachers and classmates. During this time, each class works together to create a class agreement (also know as class rules). As part of the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching, the agreements are created collaboratively between students and teachers, focusing on what all members of the classroom community can do to help create a calm, orderly and safe environment for learning.

The agreements are phrased in the positive, offering clear expectations of behavior and how students can live up to those expectations. By including students in the process of creating the agreements, the students are engaged in their learning, feel a sense of belonging and safe in school, and view the rules in a positive light.

View some of this year’s class agreements below.

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Identity Circles

In humanities class, the Middle School students have been creating identity circles. These circles allow the students to convey aspects of their identity that they might not otherwise get a chance to share with their classmates. The circles also allow the students to see identity traits they share with others. In addition to the personal identity circles, the middle schoolers are also creating class identity circles to post in the language arts/humanities classroom. The goal of the whole class posters is for all middle school students to see the identities of peers in other grades, who they may not have class with on a daily basis. 

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Hopscotch Tournament

The Back-to-School Hopscotch Tournament is back!

After a year hiatus, the annual hopscotch tournament will begin in the middle of September and continue as a single-elimination tournament in the weeks following, until there is a champion. The competition is open to Saklan students in 1st– 8th grades and faculty. Those interested in joining the tournament should tell Mr. Crabtree they want to participate.

The game of hopscotch dates back to at least the 17th century, and different variations are played worldwide. For our tournament, we will use a nine-square layout and players are encouraged to make their own markers. Two players will “duel.” Both markers are placed on the first square, and the players rock, paper, scissors to determine who goes first. A player must hop over the marked square and complete the pattern without touching a line. When they return they must retrieve their marker without losing balance and clear the opponents marker. Once back to the beginning, the player tosses the marker to the next square and repeats the sequence. If a player makes a mistake or misses the toss, they lose the turn and it is the opponent’s turn to complete the layout. The first player to complete nine tosses and retrievals wins.

Hopscotch is a fun game that all ages can play against each other. The skills come down to an accurate toss of the marker, agility hopping on the squares, and balance and flexibility in retrieving a marker. The activity seems simple, but is deceptively hard.

Get your markers ready and start hopping!