Category: General

A Star-Studded Thank You

We’re tipping our berets and feathered headbands to everyone who helped make Saklan’s Starlight Gala & Auction a true Golden Age triumph! From a swanky evening under the stars to spirited bidding in the online auction, from unforgettable student experiences to generous support of our Fund-a-Need—you made the night shine brighter than the silver screen.

Thanks to our dazzling community, we raised over $155,000 for our beloved school.

A special round of applause to Emily Williamson, whose tireless efforts brought this magical evening to life, and to our incredible auction volunteers: Neela Campbell, Ani Golovko, Shana Hammers, Gina Altman, Katia Senff, Etienne Lacrampe, Brian Lovrin, Meredith Avant, and Shay Sager for their help in curating such a fun and memorable event.

Bravo to Elise Ho and Eric Fong for helping set the stage, from place cards to photobooth prep, and to Yvonne Lin for the fabulous signage, witty touches, and creative spark.

We are deeply grateful to Brian Lovrin, David O’Connell, and Erin Moorhead for producing the Fund-a-Need video, and to Dianne Hurvitz, Kim Parks, Coach Rob, Linda Lathrop, Ms. O, and the choir for lending their voices to the story.

A heartfelt thank you to our talented alumni—James Rokas for the smooth cocktail hour tunes and Levi Kim for his inspiring words during the Fund-a-Need.

And to our generous families: thank you for donating auction items and wine, sponsoring the event, underwriting teacher tickets, and helping bring it all together. It truly was a team effort worthy of the spotlight.

Your generosity was nothing short of star-studded; the kind that would make Hollywood proud.

Art Show Date Change

The Saklan School is delighted to share that our Annual Art Show will once again be held off campus at the Moraga Art Gallery.

To secure this wonderful gallery space, the show has been moved back by one week. It will now open on Friday, May 1, with a special reception from 3:00–5:00 p.m.

More details on the Art Show will be shared after Spring Break. We look forward to celebrating the creativity and talent of our students in this beautiful community setting and hope you will join us for this inspiring event!

Redwood Grove Update

We are excited to share an update on the Redwood Grove Treehouse construction. After two weeks of work, the first phase of the Redwood Grove is now complete, and it is already inspiring to see this vision begin to take shape. The new space already hints at what this area will become for our students: a place for exploration, play, imagination, and connection.

The second phase of the project, including the planting of additional redwood trees, will happen this summer.

We are deeply grateful to everyone whose support helped make this first stage possible, and we look forward to sharing more as the project continues.

Join us for Spring Follies

All Saklan families are invited to our Spring Follies Talent Show next Friday, March 27, at 1:30 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church (right next door to Saklan).

This fan-favorite event features students from Kindergarten through 8th grade taking the stage to share their amazing talents with our community.

We hope to see you there for an afternoon of creativity, courage, and fun!

Online Auction is Open

Saklan’s Starlight Gala Online Auction is open! Items open for bidding include front row seats for upcoming Saklan productions, free dress passes, items from the greater community, fun experiences with Saklan teachers and families, student art, and more! Some experiences are available for a flat fee to a limited number of people, so be sure to secure your spot today.

The online auction is open to the greater community, so if you know of others who would be interested in the items, feel free to share the link with them!

All proceeds from the auction support the unique programs offered at Saklan, including: field experiences, guest experts, Project Based Learning, family groups, and professional development opportunities for our amazing teachers. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Bidding in the online auction will continue through Tuesday, March 24th, at 9:00 p.m. As we like to say, bid early and bid often!

View the Online Auction

Live Auction Proxy Bidding

In the online auction, you will see that the first six items (shown below) are Live Auction items, meaning they will be sold during the Starlight Gala on Saturday.

If you are interested in bidding on these items but can’t make the gala, reach out to Emily at ewilliamson@saklan.org by Saturday at 2:00 p.m. to set up a proxy bid.

Why You Should Attend Saklan’s Starlight Gala & Auction

We are very excited for Saklan’s Starlight Gala & Auction, and hope you will join us on Saturday, March 21st, from 6:00 – 11:00 PM at Lafayette Park Hotel. This swanky, adults-only event will feature a cocktail reception, photo booth, seated dinner, live auction, paddle raise, live music, dancing, and loads of fun!

Wondering why you should attend?

To support a great cause! Proceeds from the auction support the unique programs offered at Saklan, including: field experiences, guest experts, Project Based Learning, family groups, and professional development opportunities for our amazing teachers.

To hang out with old friends and make new ones! Many Saklan parents, teachers and staff members will be in attendance. This is an opportunity to get to know fellow parents and Saklan teachers better.

To bid on fantastic auction items! This year’s live auction is full of must-have items, including:

  • Tour of Lucasfilm/ILM with Darla Lovrin
  • Head of School for a Day
  • Morro Bay Getaway
  • Steph Curry’s Shoes
  • Read Poster
  • Movie Night for Your Class

To dress up and have an adults-only night out! Dust off your little black dress, slip into a flapper dress, top off your look with fedoras or spats, or cocktail attire from the decade of your choice, and join us for a night of fun! Signature cocktails, jazzy tunes, and a massive game of rock, paper, scissors await!

Ticket sales close today, so don’t delay – get your tickets now!

Check out the pictures below from last year’s auction to get an idea of the fun to be had!

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

Fifth Grade Leads Redwood Grove Restoration Project

The culmination of fifth grade’s Redwood Grove Project Based Learning unit was a powerful example of student leadership in action. After weeks of studying forest ecosystems and soil health, students led a shared effort to show their beloved redwood grove some love, restoring natural forest-like conditions to support the trees’ long-term health.

The culmination began with a purposeful walk to Outdoor Supply Hardware, where garden staff offered just the expert advice students needed. Rather than “feeding” the trees, they learned that the grove required a return to natural conditions. Mulch would help retain moisture and encourage the healthy decomposition of fallen leaves, needles, and twigs. With this knowledge, students selected shredded redwood mulch, leaf scoops, and rakes, tools that will allow fallen leaf litter to be returned to the grove year-round.

Back on campus, students worked collaboratively and followed their team contracts to prepare for service day. They drafted a formal purchase request, created hearts and ribbons with messages of appreciation, designed and hung posters, unloaded supplies, and set up tables and chairs. Every detail was thoughtfully planned and entirely student-led.

On the morning of the restoration, they were ready. Students shared their research, explained their decisions for the grove, and confidently guided family members through the work they had prepared: loosening compacted sand, carefully spreading mulch, and protecting exposed roots in one section of the grove.

As the first section wrapped up, students received a surprise gift: Dawn Redwood seeds. If successfully grown, one may eventually stand in the new redwood playground, becoming a living learning legacy for future students.

The work didn’t stop there. During recess, fifth graders invited younger students to help restore the next section of the grove, modeling leadership and stewardship. Even steady rain at lunchtime could not dampen their momentum. Paths were raked, clear “go” and “no-go” zones were established, and by the end of the day, the transformation of the grove was visible.

This project was more than a lesson in ecology. It was a lesson in agency. When students are trusted to lead meaningful work, motivation and engagement flourish.

#SaklanPBL

The Ed Tech Wake-Up Call: Rethinking Digital Learning for Kids

With Jared Cooney Horvath, Ph.D., educator and author

Tuesday, March 10, 2026
noon–1 p.m. PT
Live Q&A webinar streamed on Zoom

Educational technology has rapidly reshaped classrooms, but is all this screen-based instruction actually helping our kids learn? In this live ParentEd Talk, neuroscientist and “The Digital Delusion” author Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath joins ParentMap and Saklan to challenge EdTech’s biggest promises and examine what the data truly shows. He will explain how excessive technology use can undermine kids’ learning and attention, and share clear, practical ways parents and educators can restore meaningful learning at school and at home. 

You’ll leave with:

  • A simple understanding of the neuroscience behind how kids learn — and how EdTech-based learning can fall short.
  • Eye-opening data on the impacts of EdTech and how parents and educators can encourage schools to strike a healthier balance with technology.
  • Practical strategies you can use at home to boost your child’s learning. 

Reserve your spot here for the live interactive talk using promo code SAKSCHL to attend for free (a $10 value) — and get access to the recording to watch anytime.

#SaklanParentEd

A Night to Remember at the Lesher Center

What a joy it was to gather together at the Lesher Center last Thursday and watch our students shine on stage!

Thank you to our families for navigating the logistics of the day and showing up in such strong support of our students. Your presence made the evening even more meaningful.

To our students: bravo! Your creativity, courage, and heart were on full display as you sang and played for a packed audience. We are so proud of you for taking the stage with such confidence.

Thank you to our incredible faculty and staff for the countless behind-the-scenes efforts, from schedule flexibility to rehearsals and encouragement. Your dedication ensures our students feel prepared and supported.

A special thank you to Victoria for guiding our Owlet and Hoot Owl students. Their joy, courage, and love of music truly lit up the stage!

Thank you to Lauren and Linda for the stunning backdrop created with our second and third graders—your PBL work continues to elevate student voice and creativity.

Thank you to Javi, Lauren, Vickie, Rob, and Hector for managing all the back-stage logistics and keeping everything running smoothly.

Thank you to Shay, Mylesa, Linda, and Emily for managing the front-of-house logistics.

And finally, heartfelt gratitude to Dianne for leading the concert with such passion and purpose. Your dedication to bringing music to life at Saklan helped make the evening unforgettable.

What a beautiful celebration of talent, teamwork, and belonging!

#Saklan Creative #SaklanArts