Month: September 2023

Awesome and Terrifying Moments

Auditions are both awesome and terrifying. As a young actor (and an adult actor too!) I can remember my whole body being tied up in knots and awash in emotions I couldn’t name in the days and weeks leading up to an audition. 

What finally helped me was the technique I learned, not just singing technique, but the practice of continuously putting myself in situations that were both awesome and terrifying.  Never being a kid who experienced a lot of inner peace, this practice of scaring myself and recovering was like lifting weights; it never got easier, I just got stronger.

Every student at Saklan in 3rd grade and older will audition at least once this school year. Together, we do the hard thing, and realize that even if everything doesn’t go exactly the way we wanted, we are still okay, and there are still many good things that can come from it. We talk about flexibility and open mindset, and even how to deal with disappointment in a healthy way. The students who have been through this process help the younger ones, and as they progress through grades, we can clearly see that this practice pays dividends in coping strategies and developing courage.  

This week, as the cast list comes out for our first production of the year, Frozen KIDS, congratulate our 3rd-5th grade students on the audition process as well as their roles, and take time to remember the awesome and terrifying moments in your life that helped shape you. 

Warmly,

Grace

#Saklancourageous

Helpers in Our Community

Inspired by the book Circles All Around Us by Brad Montague, the Owlet class will spend time this fall learning about different types of communities. Starting with a small circle for each child, then expanding into larger circles of family, school, and neighborhood, the children will learn what it means to be a part of a community. The goal is for the Owlets to answer the driving question: “How can we be helpers in our communities?”

The Preschoolers began their unit by examining the smallest circle of community: their self. At circle time, Philippa read the book The Skin You Live In by Michael J. Tyler. The Owlets learned that all people are different shades and all the colors are beautiful. For self portraits, each Owlet looked through skin toned crayons and found a shade that matched; everyone found the perfect color! Then they looked at a mirror to see what color their hair and eyes are. The Owlets practiced drawing the different shapes of their faces and holding crayons with a pincer grip. Next, the students were offered some loose materials to portray their clothes and hair, including buttons, yarn, feathers, ribbon, and pom-poms. They all turned out so unique and beautiful!

Guest Experts Needed

To supplement this project-based learning unit, the Owlet teachers are currently looking for guest experts to visit their classroom and talk about their roles in their community. Additionally, other classes are currently in need of experts who work in city planning, architecture, and chefs/ kitchen staff or meal services. If you would like to visit as a guest expert, or have a suggestion of a member of the greater community to reach out to, please email Linda Lathrop, Saklan’s Project and Inclusion Specialist, at llathrop@saklan.org

Special New Friends

Last Friday morning there was much excitement on campus as our Preschool – 5th grade students met some special new friends – their learning buddies! Learning buddies are a purposeful way to encourage cross-grade friendships, help students develop a sense of responsibility and practice mentorship, and make learning fun!

During the first meeting, the buddies took time to get to know each other and did some reading together. The older buddies marvelously modeled good reading behaviors by reading with expression and fluency for their younger buddies. Some of the older buddies were also honored to listen to their younger buddies read too.

Once a month the buddies will get together to spend time reading, learning and playing together. The buddy program is not only fun for the students, but helps to build empathy and community on campus.

#SaklanBuddies #SaklanCommunity

Sea Life & Early Humans

On Tuesday the sixth grade went on a combined science and humanities field experience to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.  

For science the students explored the aquarium to search for sea life with unique and unusual characteristics. They saw many organisms like the Pacific Lumpsucker fish with a poor swimming ability that has a suction cup bottom to help him in wavy environments and the Flamboyant cuttlefish that walks along the sandy bottom of the pacific and has highly toxic flesh.

As part of their unit on early humans, students explored the Human Odyssey exhibit where they got to see fossil models of early human skulls, read about important evolutionary milestones, and use an interactive map of human migration as part of field research for their unit on early humans. 

#SaklanFieldExperience

Fall Festival Fun

The Saklan School’s Parent Association is hosting a Fall Festival on Sunday, October 1st from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., and all Saklan families are invited!

Join us for face painting, photo booth, fall crafts and tons of fun! There will also be food trucks, lawn games, a whipped cream pie challenge, and a Fall Food Showcase (more on the Food Showcase below).

Love to Cook?

Do your kiddos love to cook and create? If so, we would love for them to participate in the Fall Food Showcase! Bring a fall-inspired homemade treat or snack to the Fall Festival; savory, sweet, and creative dishes are all welcome and will be put out to share. Each participant gets a raffle ticket to a prize!

Please remember No Nuts! Please no temperature controlled dishes, as there will not be electricity at the table.

Please sign up ahead of time using the button below! 

Sign Up for the Fall Food Showcase

Alumni Helpers

We’re looking for a few alumni volunteers to paint faces during the Fall Festival. Face paint, glitter, brushes, stencils, and other supplies are all provided. No experience needed! If you are interested in helping please email the PA at pa@saklan.org.

#SaklanFallFestival #SaklanCommunity

Head’s Corner: Survey Says…

At Saklan, we Maslow in order to Bloom. 

Last Spring, we ran two surveys. The first was a Belonging Survey we did with students (grades 2-8), parents, and teachers. The second survey was given to the parent community, asking them to reflect on their family’s overall Saklan experience.

The surveys provided valuable insights into our strengths and areas of potential growth. The findings consistently highlighted that fostering a strong sense of belonging is at the core of our identity and valued by our community. Of everything to digest, though, one of my biggest takeaways was how well we  “Maslow in order to Bloom .” 

Any first-year education student is familiar with Bloom’s Taxonomy. His hierarchy applies to learning, moving from the most basic recall level and progressing to synthesizing and creating.

While the lower levels of the hierarchy are foundational, it is the upper levels where we want to take students. It is where learning is most exciting and why Saklan focuses on deep and meaningful project work.  It also happens much more deeply if students feel they are in a safe place to make mistakes and feel connected to others.

Hence, the importance of Abraham Maslow and his Hierarchy of Needs. In short, Maslow emphasized how vital our basic needs are. Maslow believed that mental well-being starts with ensuring food, shelter, and safety. Once those are secure, feeling love and belonging become the foundation for reaching our full potential. 

That foundation of belonging is an accelerant to rich and meaningful learning. In other words, you can’t Bloom until you Maslow. This is the core of who we are at Saklan and why we do what we do.

#HeadsCorner

Welcoming Signs

In the art room, students in grades one, two, three and five, have been using their art skills to help make Saklan more a welcoming, inclusive place. 

After reading Alexandra Penfold’s book All are Welcome Here, students reflected on times when they have and haven’t felt welcome at school. They then worked in teams to brainstorm words and phrases that would make everyone at Saklan feel like they belong. Each team collaborated to paint and assemble their positive messages into decorative signs.

 Next time you are in the school breezeway or lower school area, keep your eyes open for their brightly colored words of wisdom! 

#SaklanCompassionate #SaklanCommunity

Thanks to You

Thanks to the generous gifts made by Saklan families, grandparents, staff and alums to the Annual Giving Fund and Auction, Saklan has been able to make numerous facilities upgrades, expand our curricular offerings, and provide a more collaborative environment for our students. To get a better idea of what the funds from each fundraising campaign support and how you can get involved, please read below.

Annual Giving Fund

Each fall Saklan conducts an Annual Giving Fund (AGF) campaign, which supports all of the things that make Saklan the incredible school that it is, including: personal attention from dedicated teachers; an engaging, hands-on curriculum; arts, music, Spanish, STEM, and physical education at all grade levels. 

Funds raised from last year’s AGF campaign were also used to purchase a new Saklan Van, allowing for a greater number of field experiences throughout the year. Additionally, AGF funds helped fund some of the campus upgrades over the summer, including the new turf by the main entrance. Thank you to all our donors for making these items possible!

Saklan will kick-off the 23-24 AGF on Tuesday, October 24th with Orange Envelope Day. Stay tuned for more info!

Saklan’s Auction

Saklan’s auction is an adults-only, community building event that features a silent auction, games, food, drinks, a live auction, and tons of fun! Proceeds from the event are invested directly into your children’s educational experiences. Saklan parents, alumni, friends, faculty and staff are invited to come together in celebration of our wonderful school community on April 26, 2024. 

Funds raised during last year’s auction provided for:

  • New collaborative furniture in the 5th grade classroom and in the outdoor learning space behind the 1st – 4th grade classrooms
  • An all-weather library book return station
  • An indoor vertical garden in the science lab
  • Media arts literacy equipment and programming
  • A water refill station on the PS – K play yard
  • 3 Saklan teachers to attend the Broadway Teachers Workshop

Thank you to our generous donors for helping us transform our campus and provide greater opportunities for our students.

Auction Meeting

The first Auction Meeting of the year is next Friday, September 15th following CLAS. Meet us in the Pavilion to help plan this year’s event.

Want to help with the event but can’t make the meeting? Email Emily at ewilliamson@saklan.org and let her know. 

Thank you for your support of The Saklan School.

Lunch & Life Lessons

Every fourth Thursday, the middle school students and teachers participate in a much-beloved tradition here at Saklan when they venture off campus and enjoy lunch from one of the local Moraga restaurants or stores. The students love the opportunity to pick their lunch for day, parents love not having to pack a lunch, and the teachers enjoy the many social and emotional perks that the trips offer to the middle schoolers. These lunches allow students to bond with peers and teachers in ways often not seen on campus, allow them to showcase their decision making and negotiation abilities when they decide with their buddy which establishment to get food from, and give them practice in budgeting as they determine which items to purchase with the money they have.

While Off-campus Lunch is a great perk for students it also holds many life lessons. For this reason, students and teachers alike look forward to Off-campus Lunch days!

#SaklanCommunity

The Well-Balanced Student

In a high-stakes, high-pressure culture, parent and school expectations may have unintentional negative effects on students. Join us for our first parent education event of the year on Thursday, September 28th, to learn how to prioritize our kids’ well-being so that they thrive in school and beyond. In this workshop, Challenge Success will share practical strategies for families who want to raise well-balanced kids.  

RSVP today to receive the Zoom link!

This event is open to all Saklan families and the greater Bay Area community. Feel free to share the event info with your friends and family!