Dear Saklan Families,
Saying farewell to our graduates and other students at the end of the school year is always bittersweet, and gives me pause to reflect on the year. As I shared at graduation, there are several groups of people that made this year possible, and I would like to take a moment to share my appreciation.
The first is our parents. Without your support the year would not have been possible. You have partnered with us as we have helped your children navigate the ups and downs of the school year. You supported us as we continued to adjust to all things COVID: masking, not masking, quarantining, testing, etc. You believed in us when we decided that taking students to Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Westminster Woods, the Marin Headlands, and Coloma was a good idea.
Parents, thank you.
I also want to thank our teachers; the people on the front line. And while I am not fond of that metaphor, these days it feels accurate.
Teachers, last year, you came back to teach in the middle of a pandemic, you dealt with masking, distancing, plastic shields, testing, etc. This year you navigated a second pandemic of sorts, one of mental health- as we all now understand the toll the pandemic has put on our children as well as ourselves.
And you showed up to give students the learning experience they deserve. From hands-on learning to a trip to the Moraga Gardens or Hawaii, from fantastic project presentations at CLAS to the musicals, whole-school concert, in-person art show- the list goes on. Thank you.
As educators we often wonder if we honestly deliver on our promise to help students think creatively, act compassionately and live courageously. But as I listened to the graduate speeches on Monday night, the evidence unfolded in front of me. Not in numbers, but in their words. Those 8th grade student speeches were a body of evidence that are an indicator of who the students have become, and the work our teachers do. As Milo said in his speech Monday night, “words matter.”
And while our students’ words are a graceful reflection of who they are, they are also a tribute to those who show up everyday to make a difference. Their words were so powerful that I want to share some of them.
Everything at Saklan was educational but also fun at the same time. I was very worried whether or not the Saklan community would accept me. I discovered that being yourself makes talking to people much easier. I found that the students at Saklan made it so much easier to be yourself and discover yourself. Everyone at Saklan is all different, but no one lets their differences get in the way of being friends.
Anessa
If you truly believe in your cause and truly believe that what you are doing is right, nobody can tell you otherwise. Remember the only person that can bring you down is you, so do the best you possibly can and always be yourself. The only way to achieve true happiness is by being yourself, not by being someone else.
Milo
I would like to thank all my friends for always supporting me and being there for me when I need it most. I know that if I cry there will always be someone there to check in and help out. Even if they give you an awkward high-five they are still trying to help. And that’s what Saklan is about.
Zoe
There is no other school where children are encouraged to be their true and best selves while surrounded by incredible love and support; no other school where teachers hop in so eagerly to help you mend problems, whether big or small, to make you feel seen and heard; no other school can you find teachers who fully believe in you and will do whatever they can to help you soar; no other school that becomes another home in which you can seek refuge; no other school that can better nourish a child’s sprout and ignite that curiosity into passion.
Ryan
The graduate’s speeches were spoken from the heart, but little did they know how much they nurtured our souls. Thank you, Class of 2022.
Thank you, again, for helping us all make it through another challenging year. Our community moves forward to planning for the 2022-23 school year with much strength, unity, humility, and hope.
I wish you all an incredible and rejuvenating summer.
With appreciation,
David
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