Category: General

Creating Together: Saklan Families Bring SpongeBob to Life

Last Saturday, our campus was buzzing with paintbrushes, cardboard, creativity, and a whole lot of teamwork. Over the weekend, students, families, and staff gathered for a Lower School Musical Work Day, transforming our school into a lively workshop filled with color, imagination, and community spirit.

From the moment volunteers arrived, the campus came alive with purpose. Laughter mixed with the sounds of cutting, painting, measuring, and building as teams worked together on the many props and set pieces that will bring Bikini Bottom to life onstage. Giant jellyfish, coral reefs, vibrant backdrops, and whimsical underwater details began taking shape as everyone, kids and grown-ups alike, rolled up their sleeves and dove into the fun.

What made the day truly special wasn’t just the art we created, but the connections we strengthened. Parents and students collaborated side-by-side, sharing ideas, solving problems, and celebrating each finished piece. Older students supported younger ones, families made new friends, and the room glowed with the feeling of creating something meaningful together. Events like this remind us that the heart of the Saklan community lies in our willingness to show up, contribute, and lift one another up.

Thank you to everyone who gave their time, talent, and energy last weekend. Your support makes all the difference, and we are so grateful.

#SaklanCommunity #SaklanCreative

Save the Date for Movie Night

Saklan’s Parent Association invites you to our annual Movie Night on Sunday, January 25th, from 3:00–5:00 p.m. in the Founders Auditorium at the Orinda Community Center.

Popcorn and water will be provided, and folding chairs will be set up. Families are encouraged to bring a cozy blanket and a favorite stuffie for kids who want to relax on the floor. Feel free to bring additional nut-free snacks and water bottles as well.

We hope to see you there for a fun and cozy community evening!

#SaklanCommunity #SaklanPA

Extraordinary Support

Thank you, Saklan, for your extraordinary support of this year’s Annual Giving Fund (AGF) campaign.

Our goals this year are to raise $230,000 and reach 100% participation from our Saklan community. To date, we have raised over $224,000 with 89% participation—a record for this point in the year! The chart below shows each class’s progress toward our 100% participation goal.

The outpouring of generosity from our community is truly humbling. Your support directly strengthens our ability to inspire students to think creatively, act compassionately, and live courageously.

If you haven’t yet made your AGF gift, it’s not too late! You can donate in any of the following ways:

  • DONATE ONLINE through our secure site; or
  • Write your check made out to The Saklan School with “Annual Giving Fund” written on the Memo line and deliver it to our office.

If you would like to discuss your gift further, please contact Emily at ewilliamson@saklan.org.

On behalf of all of us at The Saklan School, thank you for your incredible support. Your generosity makes a meaningful difference in the lives of our students every day.

#SaklanCompassionate #SaklanAGF

Student Council Spreads Holiday Cheer to Local Seniors

In this week’s Student Council meeting, the officers and reps in grades 1-8 wrote holiday greeting cards to the nearby senior citizen residents of Moraga Royale. They had voted unanimously in their previous meeting to spend one entire meeting sharing their holiday cheer with other community members.

The students colored in and decorated paper cards using templates or drew their own cards. Each card included colorful winter- and holiday-themed images and a warm greeting, such as these:

Dear Neighbors,
We hope you have a wonderful holiday season.

Darcy, a 5th grader

Dear Neighbors,
Happy Holidays! I hope your holiday season is filled with smiles and cheer.

Aliya and your friends at The Saklan School

The holiday vibe was cheerful in the Humanities Room while the students chatted with one another over lunch while decorating and writing their cards.

Happy Holidays from Saklan Student Council!

#SaklanCompassion #SaklanStudentLeadership

Yearbook Cover Time!

All Saklan students are invited to show their creativity by designing a cover for this year’s yearbook. All covers are asked to incorporate the theme of Among the Redwoods, have a vertical orientation, and include the text “The Saklan School 2025-2026.”

If you have any questions about the Yearbook Cover Contest, please email Lauren at lhaberly@saklan.org.

#SaklanCreative

Kind & Courteous Fun in Family Groups

This week, Saklan students gathered in their Family Groups for a joyful, laughter-filled Thanksgiving-themed SEL activity focused on kindness, cooperation, and creativity. With two tasks to complete before the big group sharing time, each Family Group worked together to celebrate our November SEL theme: Kind & Courteous.

Creating a Rhyming Poem

The first task was a poetic one! Students were given six words—Kind, Courteous, Turkey, Stuffing, Grateful, and Saklan—and worked together to craft an eight-line, rhyming holiday poem.

Groups brainstormed opening lines, found creative rhyming pairs, and practiced reading their poems aloud. Once the writing was complete, the fun continued as students came up with movements, gestures, or a mini-skit to bring their words to life. Whether performed as a group or with one reader and several actors, each poem became a cheerful expression of teamwork and holiday spirit.

Newspaper Costume Creations

The second task invited students to transform one group member into a Thanksgiving-inspired character—using only newspaper and masking tape! Creativity soared as students twisted, folded, layered, and shaped newspaper into costumes representing:

  • A turkey
  • Corn
  • A pile of leaves
  • A scarecrow

With laughter and collaboration, each group designed a costume that matched their chosen character or food item, showcasing not only imagination but also teamwork and courtesy in action.

The Grand Reveal

All Family Groups gathered on the sports court for the culminating celebration. Costumed characters stayed hidden behind the art room while groups circled the court. One by one, each group introduced their character, who stepped forward for the big reveal. Afterward, students performed their holiday poem for teachers and peers—earning smiles, applause, and plenty of festive cheer.

This activity beautifully blended creativity, community, and our monthly SEL focus. Students practiced kindness, cooperation, and communication while having a whole lot of fun. A perfect kickoff to the season of gratitude!

#SaklanSEL

Exploring the Elements

In chemistry, eighth graders explored the periodic table of elements, often described as the ultimate map of matter. They learned to read the table like scientists—discovering how atomic numbers and atomic masses reveal information about each element’s structure, bonding potential, and the shared properties within each column. With each lesson, students grew more confident in understanding how the periodic table organizes and explains the world around us.

One question that sparked lively curiosity was: “How can an element have a negative boiling point?” To find out, students conducted a hands-on Dry Ice lab. Wearing goggles and gloves, they observed how this compound sublimates, changing directly from a solid to a gas at room temperature. They watched Dry Ice “boil” on the counter, producing dense vapor clouds, and experimented with how everyday objects reacted to the extreme cold. From squealing pennies to bubbling vapors, the lab brought to life the concept of boiling points and how temperature affects different substances on Earth.

To deepen their understanding, each student selected an element to research in depth. They created Bohr models, uncovered the discovery stories behind their elements, and explored everyday uses—from technology and medicine to construction and art. To showcase their creativity and knowledge, students designed custom T-shirts celebrating their chosen element. The results were as stylish as they were scientific!

#SaklanHandsOn

Grandfriends’ Day – RSVP Today!

Saklan is excited to host Grandfriends’ Day on Friday, November 21st, from 8:45 to 10:30 a.m. We have an exciting morning lined up for grandfriends, including student presentations, time in classrooms, a photo booth, and other fun activities for students and grandfriends to work on together!

Please remind your grandparents and special friends (a friend or family member that your child looks up to and/or has a grandparent-like relationship with) about this event, so they join us! 

If your child doesn’t have a grandfriend who can attend, please don’t worry. All students will be included in the activities and be paired up to experience a morning of cross-generational fun!

RSVP for Grandfriends’ Day!

#SaklanCommunity

The Book Fair Is Almost Here!

The Saklan Librarians are excited to share their love of books with our families at the annual Book Fair next week! This beloved event is a wonderful opportunity for students and parents to discover new stories, support a passion for reading, and help grow our school’s book collection.

Book Fair Hours:

  • Thursday: 2:00–4:00 PM
  • Friday: 8:00–11:30 AM (closed during CLAS, approximately 9:00–9:40 AM)
  • Friday: 2:00–4:00 PM

The Book Fair will be held in the parking lot, with a move into the Library if it rains.

We look forward to seeing you there and celebrating the joy of reading!

#SaklanCommunity

Why I Give: Investing in a Community That Invests in Children

I chose Saklan because it offers a different kind of education. One that helps students understand subjects deeply and reach their own conclusions. In a world where this generation has information and misinformation at their fingertips, it’s crucial they learn how to think, not what to think—and to show up with the courage to do the right thing.

Saklan is also where my son is seen, not as a test score or a kid to mold, but as himself. Here he’s encouraged to think independently, follow his own developmental timeline, and nurture his genuine love of learning. I don’t take that for granted. I know it isn’t true everywhere.

I give to Saklan my most limited resource: my time. To me, community isn’t an extra; it’s formative. I want my son to see that showing up matters, that relationships shape the places we care about, and that being part of something means taking responsibility for it. You don’t just show up—you help build the places you belong. That looks like reading to a class, organizing a potluck, cheering at CLAS, lending a skill to a project, or helping a new family find their footing. It’s introducing yourself at drop-off, showing up when someone needs a hand, and caring about others’ well-being.

I also give financially to Saklan because I want it to endure. Like many independent schools, Saklan operates with a gap between what tuition covers and what it actually costs to sustain small classes, rich programming, and support the teachers who pour so much into all the kids. Each year, I make a contribution that’s meaningful for our family. I see it as investing in the future of a community that invests in our children.

Join Ani and her family in supporting Saklan’s Annual Giving Fund.

#SaklanGiving #SaklanCommunity