Month: March 2026

A Musical Collaboration

It isn’t often that a class of middle school students gets to compose music for which second graders write lyrics, but that is exactly what our music teacher, Dianne, facilitated in her recent PBL unit. Many of you even witnessed the culminating moment of that collaboration at our all-school concert at the Lesher Center this past month! 

Guided by the concert theme of belonging and music content standards, Dianne developed the driving question, “How do we, as composers, express ‘belonging’ in song?” 

Middle school percussion students began by watching videos of composers. They discussed the process of composing a piece of music by themselves and as part of a collaborative team. With that wisdom in mind, they began to brainstorm ideas for appropriate instrumentation and dynamics to effectively communicate the concert theme of belonging. After experimentation and various rounds of sharing, feedback, and revision, they decided on disparate stormy sounds to start using tom drums and a brush along a cymbal. Student musicians then wanted the song to move to a cohesive driving beat highlighted by bright-sounding instruments such as djembe and bongos.

Both their music track and a chart of the song were then passed along to the second graders, who had been identifying words and phrases to express belonging. While listening to the middle school students’ track, they arranged their words and phrases on the chart while discussing the elements of song structure. Together, they built an intro, verses, and a chorus that further explored and communicated belonging. 

Both the music and lyrics explored the journey of not feeling connected to others before coming together musically and with lyrics that reinforced the theme. See the complete lyrics below!

As a teacher, Dianne’s real excitement came from watching the students support one another.

“The beauty of collaborating in composition is that middle school and lower school students got a chance to hear each other’s voices and ideas. The middle school musicians created a backdrop to lift up lower school voices while the second graders got a window into middle school music classes, which will hopefully inspire them in their musical endeavors.” 

This particular Project Based Learning unit is a beautiful example of what can happen when we blend high-quality project unit design with our Saklan values of thinking creatively, acting compassionately, and living courageously. Indeed, both groups of students needed to employ all three of these mindsets to complete this work together.

#SaklanPBL

A Vision Takes Root

This weekend, an exciting new chapter begins at Saklan.

Construction on the first phase of the Redwood Grove Treehouse, made possible through the generous support of our community at last year’s auction, officially starts on Saturday. Two of the three elevated decks will be installed during this initial phase, with the more complex and intrusive work scheduled for June. To ensure safety, the area surrounding the redwoods will be carefully fenced, and the majority of heavier construction will take place over the weekend.

But the Redwood Grove was never just about building platforms in trees.

It has always been about creating a space where imagination expands, where confidence grows, and where children stretch themselves—physically, socially, and creatively—within the safety of community. It is designed to be a place of collaboration and storytelling, of challenge and belonging. A place where students test their balance, their bravery, and their ideas.

In many ways, the Grove is a living extension of how Saklan teaches: experiential, relational, and rooted in curiosity (pun very much intended). It reflects our commitment to learning that is hands-on, heart-centered, and deeply connected to the natural world.

And the momentum doesn’t stop there.

Installation of our new Early Childhood play structure—also made possible through generous community support—will begin in late May. The pieces arrived on campus earlier this year, offering a tangible reminder that our youngest learners will soon have a space intentionally designed for exploration, coordination, imagination, and joyful risk-taking.

These projects represent more than new equipment. They represent environments where children climb, balance, create, problem-solve, and connect. Spaces where resilience is built alongside friendships. Where confidence grows branch by branch.

Because of this shared vision, what once existed only as drawings and dreams is now becoming reality.

We look forward to sharing photos of the Grove as it rises—and to watching the countless moments of growth that will unfold within it for years to come.

#SaklanCommunity

Perseverance in Action

Last Friday, Saklan’s February Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) focus on perseverance came to life in a memorable way for students in third, fourth, and fifth grade.

Students gathered in mixed-grade groups of five for a silent puzzle challenge that quickly proved to be about much more than fitting shapes together. Each student began with three puzzle pieces, and together their group needed to complete five square puzzles. There was just one twist: students had to trade pieces without speaking. While they were allowed to offer a piece if they noticed someone needed it, they could not ask for one themselves.

At first, the rules prompted puzzled looks and raised eyebrows. One student even asked, “Wait… we can’t talk at all?” before the challenge began. Soon, however, the pavilion filled with intense focus, expressive gestures, and quiet determination. Without words, students leaned in, carefully studied one another’s progress, and began noticing—really noticing—what their teammates needed.

Gradually, the groups found their rhythm. Students passed pieces across the table, pointed gently to openings, and patiently waited for the right moment to help a teammate. When the final squares clicked into place, the groups celebrated in their own silent way, pumping their arms and grinning with pride.

The activity was more than a puzzle-solving exercise. It was a powerful opportunity for cross-age collaboration and social-emotional growth. Students practiced perseverance as they worked through frustration and uncertainty. They also strengthened empathy and social awareness by learning to observe others closely and respond thoughtfully.

During reflection afterward, many students shared how challenging it was to wait patiently and trust their teammates. Teachers helped connect the experience to friendship and community, encouraging students to look beyond their own needs and pay attention to those around them.

It was a meaningful reminder that perseverance often involves patience, teamwork, and the willingness to support others.

#SaklanSEL #SaklanCommunity

March SEL Focus: Practicing Accountability

This month, all Saklan students are practicing how to be more accountable.

Being accountable means taking responsibility for one’s actions, choices, and commitments. It involves recognizing how our behavior affects others, following through on responsibilities, and learning from mistakes when things do not go as planned. For students, practicing accountability can look like owning up to a misunderstanding with a classmate, completing work on time, or contributing positively to the classroom and school community.

Throughout the month, teachers will guide students in conversations and activities that explore what accountability looks like in everyday situations. Students will reflect on how their decisions impact others and consider ways they can show responsibility and integrity both inside and outside the classroom.

A special opportunity to deepen this conversation will take place on March 24, when Kindergarten-8th graders gather with their Family Groups to discuss accountability, share examples from their own experiences, and think about how they can support one another in making responsible choices.

By practicing accountability, students learn that their actions matter—and that being part of a community means showing care, honesty, and responsibility toward others.

We look forward to seeing how our students continue to grow as thoughtful and accountable members of the Saklan community throughout the month of March and beyond.

#SaklanSEL

Parent Ed on Tuesday

Saklan is excited to share an opportunity for our community to hear from neuroscientist Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, whose recent congressional testimony has sparked a national conversation about how technology is affecting the way children learn.

On Tuesday, March 10, at 12:00 p.m., Dr. Horvath will present a live, interactive talk titled “The EdTech Wake-Up Call: Rethinking Digital Learning for Kids.” Drawing on the research behind his bestselling book The Digital Delusion, he will explore how excessive technology use can impact children’s attention, memory, and learning.

During the session, Dr. Horvath will share clear, evidence-based insights along with practical strategies that parents and educators can use to support deeper, more meaningful learning both at school and at home.

Reserve your spot here for the live interactive talk using promo code SAKSCHL to attend for free (a $10 value). Registration also includes access to the recording, so you can watch the presentation at your convenience if you are unable to attend live.

We hope you will take advantage of this timely and thought-provoking conversation.

#SaklanParentEd