All Saklan students are invited to showcase their creativity by designing a cover for this year’s yearbook. All covers are asked to incorporate the theme of 70 Years of Saklan, have a vertical orientation, and include the text “The Saklan School 2024-2025.”
If you have any questions about the Yearbook Cover Contest, please email Lauren at lhaberly@saklan.org.
#SaklanCreative
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
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!
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
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
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
Saklan’s 24-25 Annual Giving Fund (AGF) officially begins next Thursday, October 24th with Orange Envelope Day! All Saklan families are invited to join us in celebrating Orange Envelope Day by dropping off the orange envelope and donor form that was mailed to you in the orange box in front of Saklan.
Thank you to those who have already made a gift. Below are important things to know about Saklan’s AGF.
What is the AGF?
The Annual Giving Fund is Saklan’s yearly fundraising drive that raises money to support the amazing people and programs that make Saklan special.
Why do we have it?
Saklan relies on the generous support of the community to create such a vibrant place for children to learn and develop. AGF gifts support things such as science lab equipment, professional development for faculty and staff, tuition assistance, field experiences and guest experts.
Is there a Goal?
This year, our goal as a school is to have 100% of families participate and raise $200,000. Join us by making a gift that is personally meaningful to you. For some families that may be $20, while for others that may be $20,000.
How can I make a gift?
You can make an AGF gift via the following methods:
Have questions about Saklan’s AGF? Feel free to reach out to Cristen at development@saklan.org.
Thank you for your support of Saklan.
All Saklan students are invited to wear orange on Thursday to celebrate Orange Envelope Day! First – eighth graders wearing orange do not need to be in uniform.
#SaklanCommunity #SaklanAGF
On Thursday, October 31st Saklan will celebrate Halloween! The day will begin with a Halloween Costume Parade at 8:35 a.m. The parade route will lead the students out the Admissions door, through the parking lot, and down the fire lane to the Saklan Sports Court for singing, dancing, and another look at all the costumes. For safety reasons, the parking lot will be closed. Families are invited to join us; cheering, clapping, and taking photos are highly encouraged!
All Saklan students are welcome to wear their costumes to school on Halloween. Costumes need to be appropriate for a school and all grade levels, Preschool – 8th grade. No toy weapons, no gore, and no culturally, ethnically, or racially insensitive costumes. If you have any questions, please contact David.
If your child’s costume isn’t comfortable for all-day wear, please send them with a change of clothes for later in the day – no uniforms necessary. Please send your child to school with a normal pair of shoes for outdoor play.
#SaklanCommunity #SaklanCreative
This year’s Student Council election reminded us all that democracy is alive and well here at Saklan. Nineteen Middle School students submitted their candidacies for six Student Council offices, and the race was on! Voting took place on October 4th at the end of a vigorous and exciting campaign.
Earning a seat as a Student Council officer involves more than simply winning the popular vote. Each candidate had to submit a Letter of Intent, make a campaign poster, sit for an interview conducted by Jennifer Lettieri and Kim Parks, and share slogans and stickers with the Lower School students during lunch recess.
The culmination of their campaign was their speech at CLAS before balloting took place in grades 1 through 8. Candidates were awarded points for timeliness and quality when carrying out each of these tasks, and the candidates with the most points were the winners.
Lower School Student Council representatives were selected by their classmates and respective homeroom teachers in grades 1-5.
Congratulations to our 2024-2025 Student Council members!
Middle School Officers
Lower School Representatives
#SaklanCourage #SaklanLeadership
Rob Hood, or Coach as the students call him, is Saklan’s Head of Sports and Wellness. He can often be seen sharing high-fives with students and staff as he walks through campus towards the sports court. Reflecting on the first few weeks of school, Rob shared his approach to fitness, health and wellness.
At the start of our first unit, Fitness & Health, the 6th–8th graders took charge of creating a vision board that explored what Physical Education means, as well as the key components of fitness, health, and wellness. Together, we brainstormed ideas, with students identifying how different aspects of well-being connect to each component. This collaborative effort allowed us to design a holistic vision of wellness. I later shared this learning with the lower school students.
Following our vision board activity, we approached some of the P.E. components with a week of fitness testing. Students had the option to participate in a few exercises to test strength, muscular and cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility, assess their current fitness state, and set goals for the future. In addition to longer-term goals, I ask students to assess themselves daily to encourage more mindfulness and reflection related to their overall health and well-being.
In my physical education classes, students are encouraged to be safe and respectful, demonstrate good sportsmanship, and resolve conflicts constructively, as shown in the community agreements below.
In our first few weeks, we’ve started exploring Physical Education as more than just playing games. It’s an approach to improving our health—physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially—while also helping students build essential life skills for healthy and happy lifestyles.
FRIDAY BLOG 
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