Category: General

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

Smiles, Songs, and Spooky Fun

What a fun and festive Halloween day we had at Saklan! From the moment students arrived on campus, excitement was in the air. The morning kicked off with our beloved Costume Parade, a joyful tradition that brought the entire Saklan community together. It was wonderful to see so many smiles, creative costumes, and parents cheering from the sidelines!

While the day was filled with laughter and fun, it was also infused with compassion and connection; two hallmarks of the Saklan spirit.

For our Kindergarteners, first graders, and 8th-grade choir members, the morning brought a visit to Moraga Royale, where they performed Halloween-themed songs for the residents. Their performance was met with warm applause and smiles all around!

Later in the day, our Middle School Student Council hosted a spooky celebration for Preschool through 8th-grade students, complete with Halloween story readings and trips through a haunted house they had designed themselves.

The afternoon concluded with classroom parties featuring food, games, and laughter.

A huge thank you to all our amazing families who helped make the day so memorable. Your time, creativity, and enthusiasm make events like this so special for our students, and remind us all what a strong, joyful community Saklan truly is.

#SaklanConnectedCommunity

Why I Give: Partnering with Saklan to Shape the Future

There is no greater investment of your time, treasure, and energy than your children. My children are fortunate enough to get a world-class education that is delivered with compassion and love. Saklan recognizes who my children are as individuals and rises to the challenge of meeting them in their learning environment. Both of my sons have thrived at Saklan and are gaining the resilience, compassion, and creativity it takes to lead in the world. Saklan is changing the way learning occurs, and I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to help take part in this. I wholeheartedly believe in the mission of thinking creatively, acting compassionately, and living courageously, and I wish to partner with all the educators at Saklan to bring this mission to the world. Please join us in thinking about donating your time, treasure, and talent to such a worthy cause. 

Join Etienne Lacrampe and family in supporting Saklan by making an AGF gift today!

Kind & Courteous Students

At Saklan, social-emotional learning (SEL) is an important part of helping students grow not only as learners, but also as compassionate, connected members of their community. Each month, we focus on a different SEL theme that helps students build empathy, self-awareness, and respect for others.

This month’s theme of kind and courteous invites students to reflect on the small, everyday actions that make a big difference in creating a positive school culture.

Through classroom discussions, role-playing, and real-life practice, students will explore what it truly means to be kind and courteous—both in words and in actions. By making kindness a daily habit, Saklan students continue to strengthen the sense of belonging and respect that makes our community so special.

#SaklanSEL #SaklanCommunity #EducatingtheWholeChild

Why I Give: A Parent’s Perspective on Saklan’s Impact

I give my time and money because I can see the direct impact my support has on the school and on all three of my daughters, who have attended. I also give because I want Saklan to thrive and for more children to experience the curiosity-driven, hands-on learning environment that makes it so special. I see how the resources are invested in my kids each day, from continuing to strengthen project-based learning to retaining our amazing teachers or building a more intentional playground!

Specifically, when resources are put toward project-based learning, students are able to get out into the community more often, allowing them to engage in meaningful ways. I’ve seen the long-term impact firsthand. One of my daughters recently completed a middle school project using knowledge she first gained in third grade. That kind of retention is the direct result of Saklan’s hands-on, inquiry-driven approach. She didn’t just memorize facts about the indigenous people of our area—she truly understood the history and significance of their culture.

Most importantly, all of my kids love school and love learning. That is perhaps the most impactful gift Saklan could ever give them.

Join Erin Moorhead and family in supporting Saklan by making an AGF gift today!

SaklanGiving #SaklanCommunity

Grandfriends’ Day 2025

Saklan’s Grandfriends’ Day is on Friday, November 21, 2025, from 8:45 to 10:30 a.m.

Please share information with 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, as we would love for them to join us!

RSVP For Grandfriends’ Day Here!

#SaklanCommunity

A Joyful Start to Saklan’s AGF

Tuesday, October 21st, marked Saklan’s fifth annual Orange Envelope Day! Kicking off our Annual Giving Fund (AGF) with school spirit and enthusiasm, students and parents dropped their orange donation envelopes in the orange box and rang the cowbell to mark the occasion. With student cheerleaders, an orange sky dancer, music, and plenty of smiles, the morning was filled with joy and community pride.

We’re thrilled to share that Orange Envelope Day 2025 brought in 51 gifts and participation from 42% of Saklan families—a fantastic start to our giving season.

We are so grateful to all who have already contributed to this year’s AGF. Together, we’re well on our way to reaching our goals of $230,000 raised and 100% family participation.

If you haven’t yet had the chance, please join us! Help us reach 100% participation by making a gift that is meaningful to you and your family. Gifts can be made online or by returning your donor form from the AGF mailing to the Saklan Office.

Thank you for believing in Saklan!

#SaklanAGF #SaklanCommunity

Head’s Corner: Foundations Built With Care

I recently reread Kim Brooks’ New York Times piece, “We Have Ruined Childhood.” While the piece pointed out all the things in society that make childhood seem like an internship for adulthood, it left me optimistic. Optimistic, because it reminded me why what we do at Saklan matters so much. In a world that’s forgotten what kids really need—connection, curiosity, play—we get to build something different every day. We get to show what childhood should look like.

What stood out most to me in Brooks’ article was her point that kids today have fewer chances to practice the social-emotional skills that make us human—to start friendships, navigate conflict, solve problems, or just be with others without adults steering the moment. Working with Denise Pope from Challenge Success (an organization Saklan has partnered with), Brooks highlights a simple but powerful truth: kids need family time, strong relationships, independence, and agency.

This is where Saklan matters.

We’ve made a conscious choice to prioritize what research tells us children actually need. How to communicate. How to handle disappointment. How to work through disagreement. How to persist when things get hard. We deliberately create time and space for students to develop those vital human skills. These aren’t add-ons to our curriculum. They’re at the heart of what we do.

And here’s what’s remarkable: this approach doesn’t just create happier, healthier kids (though it absolutely does that). It also leads to stronger academics. Counterintuitive? Maybe. But the research bears it out. Time and again, studies show that when children have space to play, to create, to connect with others, and to develop social-emotional skills, their academic performance improves. They become more engaged learners. They develop genuine curiosity. They build resilience.

This doesn’t mean we’re perfect or that we’ve solved every challenge facing modern childhood. But it does mean we’re intentional. We understand that school should be a place where children learn to be fully human—intellectually curious, emotionally resilient, socially connected, and creative. Childhood isn’t a race to adulthood. It’s a foundation to be built with care.

Warmly, 

David