Author: The Saklan School Friday Blog

The Saklan School is a private Pre-K through 8 school located in Moraga, CA. Our mission is to think creatively, act compassionately, and live courageously.

Halloween Fun

On Thursday morning, the Saklan students were very excited to don their Halloween costumes and participate in our annual Costume Parade! The parade route took the students out the admissions door, through the front parking lot, and back to the sports court. The students and teachers waved to the onlookers, as families cheered and took pictures along the route.

Once on the sports court, Rob called each class up to show off their creative costumes and dance moves, and then Dianne led some Halloween songs!

Later in the day, the kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd graders walked over to Moraga Royale where they performed Halloween-inspired songs for the residents. The students were met with applause and cheering from the crowd!

In the afternoon, the middle school students hosted lower school students for some trick-or-treating and invited them to go through the haunted house!

A big thank you to all the families who participated in the day’s events. From cheering on the students in the costume parade to providing snacks and decorations for class parties, your involvement is greatly appreciated.

#SaklanCommunity

See You Tomorrow

We are so excited for our Taste of Traditions Dance and Potluck tomorrow, Saturday, November 2nd! The event will be held from 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. on the Saklan Sports Court. It is sure to be fun for all ages!

Attendees are invited to bring a dish to share that reflects a family favorite or traditional dish shared in your family. Whether you’re able to bring a dish or not, your presence is what truly matters. The most important ingredient at this event is YOU, and we can’t wait to come together!

If you’d like to bring a dish to share, please sign up using this Sign Up Genius.

We hope to see you tomorrow for this fun and festive event!

#SaklanCommunity #SaklanPA

Dia de los Muertos

This past week, the Owlets and Hoot Owls learned about Dia de los Muertos, a celebratory tradition to welcome the spirits of loved ones who have passed. Zuly shared that her family celebrates by building an ofrenda or altar. She puts pictures of her loved ones who passed away on the ofrenda and also some of their favorite things to remember them.

To tie in with their learning about Farmers’ Markets, Zuly shared with the Hoot Owls that the markets in Mexico are filled with a lot of different mini figurines that kids use to make their altars for school during this time of year. She also shared that the markets are filled with marigold flowers, papel picado, sugar skulls, and pan de muerto. She brought in some pan de muerto to share with the class, and most of them thought it was delicious!

The Owlets and Hoot Owls used watercolors to color paper and make their own papel picado and used markers to color skulls. Additionally, the Owlets helped make a marigold chain and the Hoot Owls made sugar skulls!

To celebrate their learning, they put up an altar in the breezeway using all the materials they created!

Check out their altar when you join us for Taste of Traditions this weekend or on Monday morning!

Gelatin Printing

Middle school artists are currently stretching their reflection skills through learning the artform of “gelli-printing.” Gelatin printing is a form of printmaking that uses a flexible, reusable surface to create layered, textured images. Although the process is quite simple when practiced, the many variables of printmaking, such as applying the appropriate amount of ink, rolling it smoothly without creating lines or drying out the ink, and holding and rubbing the print long enough (but not too long), can be challenging to master. To help with this process, students keep a daily log in which they set a goal and then reflect on and record their progress. Each time they set a goal, they review practices to help them achieve it during that class period. 

As part of the unit, students are experimenting with various materials and techniques. For example, students use stencils to mask out areas and found materials, such as leaves, fabric, and string, to create layered textures.

For their final product, students will write a process statement for a single print of their choice. Soon, they will continue the unit by learning a reductive form of printmaking: linoleum block printing. 

#SaklanCreative

The Festival of Lights

The Hoot Owls, kindergartners, and 1st graders welcomed guest experts and Saklan parents Molly and Manju to learn about Diwali, the festival of lights. Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs around the world, lasts for five days, and is celebrated on a new moon, when the nights are the darkest, in October or November. The students read the book Shubh Diwali! by Citra Soundar to better understand the festival.

The Hoot Owls learned that people who are celebrating like to light up diyas, little oil lamps, to bring light and help dispel darkness. The students had a great time making their own diyas using bright colors and gems!

#SaklanGuestExperts #SaklanDiversity

Sweatshirts & Long-Sleeve Shirts

As part of the 70th Anniversary Spirit Wear, Saklan is excited to offer sweatshirts and long-sleeve shirts! The order deadline for these items is November 15th. Items will arrive at Saklan the first week of December.

Zip-up sweatshirts, hoodies, crew neck sweatshirts, and long-sleeve t-shirts in various colors and sizes are available. To see the entire long-sleeved spirit wear collection, click here!

#SaklanSpirit

Head’s Corner: The Importance of Risk

Think back to your favorite childhood play memory. Where were you? What were you doing? Was there an adult supervising you?

This past weekend, I took my daughter to the Adventure Playground in Berkeley. For those of you who have not been there, the best way to describe it would be a playground built by kids and made out of items found in a scrapheap. It is also a playground in constant transition; kids are given saws, hammers, nails and paint in order to “make improvements” to current structures. Adults are around, keeping an eye out, but are also encouraged to keep suggestions and advice to themselves. To my adult eyes, the place looked like a liability lawyer’s dream. To my daughter, it was the best playground ever, splinter and all. To Marioni Brussoni, the author of Why Children Need Risk, Fear and Excitement in Play it likely strikes an ideal balance between risk and a safety net. As she puts it, “Children should be kept as safe as necessary, not as safe as possible.”

Brussoni writes, that like all mammals, children are wired for risky play, as it provides opportunities to develop physically and cognitively and face new and unusual challenges. It helps them overcome fears, enhances creativity, and scratches the itch of curiosity. Often, though, our own fears and modern societal expectations get in the way of a child’s opportunity to learn. Since the 1970’s children have seen a significant decline in unstructured free time and outdoor play.  Too often kids’ experiences are curated, and supervised. While independent playtime, freedom, and opportunity for adventure have dropped, screen time has increased.  

As parents and educators, we must strike a balance between safety and individual growth.  Allowing children to experience risk and fear, does not mean parents are neglecting their duty of care; but in fact, fulfilling a crucial part of it. We are giving them the tools they need to navigate life’s uncertainties with resilience and creativity.

Oh, and one of my favorite childhood memories. Ten-year-old me, during winter in Michigan, trying to cross an iced-over creek with my friends.  I clearly remember the sound of cracking ice, trying to scurry to safety, plunging in the cold water, and the freezing walk home. 

Warmly, 

David

P.S.  If you have time, the linked article is worth a read.

P.P.S. If you attended this morning’s SEL session, you can access the slide deck here.

Orange Envelope Thank You

Thursday, October 24th, marked Saklan’s fourth annual Orange Envelope Day! Kicking off our Annual Giving Fund (AGF) with lots of enthusiasm, students and parents dropped their orange donation envelopes in the orange box and rang the cowbell to mark the occasion. The envelopes, along with the orange sky dancer, brought lots of joy and attention to drop off and pick up!

Thank you for helping to make it historic. Orange Envelope Day 2024 yielded 48 gifts and participation from 44% of our families- our best Orange Envelope Day to date! Go Saklan!

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in Orange Envelope Day! It speaks volumes about our community that families are willing to contribute a meaningful gift to the AGF. Each gift supports our commitment to hands-on, Project Based Learning and fostering a sense of belonging and connection with every student. Moreover, it strengthens the bond of shared common values between all of us.

Thank you for believing in Saklan to partner with you in your child’s educational journey. Thank you to those who have already shown their support for the AGF. We are a little over halfway to our goals of raising $200,000 and reaching 100% participation.

Help us reach 100% participation by making a gift that is meaningful to you and your family today. Gifts can be made online or by completing the donor form that was included in your AGF mailing and returning it to the Saklan Office.

#SaklanAGF

Music Electives

As we shared in last week’s blog, middle school students move from a general music education program to an elective program. In addition to choir, students can also choose to participate in instrumental ensemble or music production class.

Instrumental Ensemble

Ensemble musicians start each Tuesday with sight-reading, sharpening their ability to interpret music on the spot. On Thursdays, they listen to and analyze diverse music examples to broaden their musical understanding. The Ensemble also meets every other Friday for small group sectionals, where students focus on specific parts of their repertoire and work on music production projects.

Currently, they are practicing three pieces: The Blue Rock, C-Jam Blues (which explores jazz improvisation), and Twist and Shout. Occasionally, they add variety by playing together with boom whackers and drums, making rehearsals fun and dynamic. This routine helps students build technical skills, collaboration, and creativity in their ensemble playing.

Music Production Class

We began the year in music production class with students becoming familiar with the Soundtrap software, an online platform that allows them to create and edit music collaboratively. With Soundtrap, students can record and mix tracks using a wide variety of built-in instruments, loops, and effects and import their own sounds. Soundtrap also has collaborative tools that allow multiple users to work on the same project simultaneously, much like a Google Doc for music production. It is an excellent starting point for beginners in music production.

Their first few projects include a 3-track composition, a project with a recording of their own voice or instrument, and a challenge of creating digital music to accompany a silent video. Through these hands-on experiences, they learn the technical aspects of music production, such as track layering, sound balancing, and editing effects, while developing their creative expression. In addition to these technical skills, students have been focusing on giving and receiving feedback productively and collaboratively. This process sharpens their musical abilities and fosters communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.

Bats & Camouflauge

As part of their Nocturnal Animal Project, the Owlets enjoyed learning about bats! After a special visit from Ms. O, our amazing science teacher, the Owlets dove into their first “representations” project of the year. This activity gives the students the freedom to express themselves in creative ways, making something that stands out as their favorite part of what they learned. From toilet paper rolls to aluminum foil and clay, the classroom’s “useful junk” drawers were full of possibilities!

After reading Log Life, a fun book about animal habitats, the Owlets discovered that bats live in all sorts of places—even right here in Moraga! Since there aren’t any caves nearby, the Owlets got curious about where our local bats might hang out. Ms. O shared that many bats here make their homes in old houses or even attics! But to keep them from settling inside, people put up bat boxes instead. These wooden shelters are placed on trees, and guess what? The Owlets made their very own bat boxes for the trees in their classroom using cardboard and thin cardstock strips!

As the Owlets dive deeper into learning, they’re also expanding their vocabulary—one word they’ve been exploring is “camouflage,” a super cool tool that bats (and other animals) use to blend in with their surroundings! This helps the animals hide from predators or sneak up on their prey. The Owlets had a blast with Victoria searching for spots in the classroom to hide their bats, doing their best to match the colors around them!

#SaklanProject