Category: General

Sixth grade math students are exploring probability. They recently investigated the role that the number of trials plays in the relationship between experimental and theoretical probability.

Mr. Zippin started the lesson by telling the sixth graders that he would be spinning a mystery spinner. He asked, “What do you need to know to figure out what the mystery spinner looks like?”

They answered that they would need to know what colors were on the spinner and the size of each sector. Instead of answering, Mr. Zippin spun the spinner once and announced “Green!” and asked “Do you think you have enough information to draw the spinner now?” The consensus was no, unless the spinner was all green.

Mr. Zippin then spun the spinner 5 more times and had the students keep track of the results. They then drew what they thought the spinner looked like after 6 spins. He spun the spinner 6 more times and again stopped. The students discussed with their teams what the spinner looked like and then drew the spinner based on the new information they received.

As a class, the sixth graders discussed when they thought they would have enough information to draw an exact spinner. There was a large range of opinions from 24 to 100. Mr. Zippin spun the spinner 36 more times for a total of 48 and had the students draw their final predictions of the spinner.

Then, the class looked at the spinner Mr. Zippin had spun and the teams discussed which of their predicted spinners was closest to the actual spinner. They noticed how the actual occurrences of each color compared to their theoretical predictions. As they spun the spinner more times, the experimental outcomes got closer to the theoretical probability. Take a look at the included pictures and see if you can guess what the Mystery Spinner looked like!

#HandsOnMath

All 4th – 8th graders who are interested in playing basketball are encouraged to join the Basketball Club which will meet on the Sports Court from 3:00 – 3:30 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning next week.

The Basketball Club will participate in 2 games to be held in February:

• Tuesday, February 13th  against the Contra Costa Jewish Day School Grizzlies on the Saklan Sports Court at 4 p.m.
• Tuesday, February 20th at Contra Costa Jewish Day School at 4 p.m.

Students who want to play in the games are asked to attend as many Basketball Club meetings as possible.

Reach out to Mr. Crabtree with any questions you have.

#SaklanWellRounded

Receiving over 60% of the votes, Peace, Love, Saklan will be the theme of the 2024 auction! Thank you to everyone who participated in the selection process.

The Saklan faculty and staff are very excited, and we hope you are too! Peace, Love, Saklan pairs well with our focus on belonging, is a nod to the sixty-nine years that Saklan has been a school, and ties in nicely with this year’s concert theme of Love.

Volunteers Needed

We are in need of volunteers to help make this year’s auction successful. We have roles big and small, including:

• Picking up Items from Donors
• Auction Items Acquisitions
• Creating Event Decor
• Designing a Logo for the Event
• Event Set Up
• Communications

We would love your help; click on the button below to volunteer!

Save the Date!

Please save the date to celebrate our great school and community with our Peace, Love, Saklan auction on Friday, April 26th at The Garden in Walnut Creek. Book your babysitter now for this adults-only event; you don’t want to miss it!

Roots & Shoots Photography will be taking individual and class portraits of Saklan students next Tuesday, January 23rd. These pictures will be used in the yearbook and are available for purchase.

Pictures will be taken outside on the play yard during the school day. Please note that 1st – 8th grade students need to be dressed in uniform for the pictures.

For students who are absent on picture day, a make up day will be held on Tuesday, February 27th.

Portrait Ordering Process

Portraits will be available to order online approximately 4 weeks AFTER picture day. Complimentary proofs will be provided for every student, so you can decide whether you would like to order them. If you do order, all portrait packages will be shipped directly to your home (a $7.25 shipping fee will apply). There will be no school package drop off.

Questions? Please contact Roots & Shoot directly at grow@roots-shoots.com. They will be happy to assist you!

Dear Saklan Community,

Happy 2024! Seeing the kids return from Winter Break always brings a sense of joy and optimism for the year ahead. 🙂 

January marks a winding down of admissions activity, as our application deadline for new students is Friday, January 26th. Thank you for continuing to share wonderful information about our school and our program to the broader community. Most of the inquiries I receive come from friends of yours with whom you have shared your positive experiences. I feel your support and your partnership.

Friday, January 26th is also our deadline for families to apply for Tuition Assistance.This year we have moved to Clarity, a new and more efficient application provider. We are confident that this will improve your application experience.

On Thursday, February 1st, current families will receive an offer to re-enroll for the 2024-25 school year. Signed contracts are due by Thursday, February 15th. Please understand that we can only guarantee your child’s spot if we have your signed contract by the deadline. 

Your children are the heartbeat of our school. Thank you for your support, your cooperation, your trust, and your presence. 

In gratitude,

Mel 🙂

The winter session of enrichment classes will begin the week of January
22nd. Many exciting classes are being offered this session, including
Lego Brick Building, Basketball, Soccer, Chess and The Intuitive Writing Project!

Class descriptions and registration are available on the Saklan Enrichment Webpage.

#SaklanWellRounded

Saklan’s 2024 Auction will be held on Friday, April 26th. This year’s event will be at The Garden in Walnut Creek, but we need your help to determine the theme.

The Auction Committee brainstormed several possibilities, and narrowed them down to three choices:

• 1920s
• Peace, Love, Saklan
• James Bond

Voting will close on Thursday, January 11th.

Don’t forget to save the date for this adults-only event! Saklan’s Annual Auction is a fun, community-building event where parents, grandparents, alumni, friends, faculty and staff come together in celebration of our wonderful school.

Proceeds from the auction are invested directly back into your children’s educational experiences, in and out of their classrooms.

Fol·ly /ˈfälē/ noun – A lack of good sense; foolishness

It appears to me that our annual Fall Follies is somewhat mischaracterized by its name, for it is anything but folly. In reality, the entire production fully embodies our mission to Think Creatively, Act Compassionately, and Live Courageously.

Creativity radiated through many of the acts, from Elise, Airlie, and Cassy’s restaurant comedy skit to the Hula Hooping of Cam and Adora. The execution of Aliya, Rebecca, Haley and Kylie’s dad jokes was not just creative, but spot on.

Compassion was on display by the audience as students summoned their courage to perform. It wasn’t just compassion, but there was an energy of encouragement, a tangible sense of “you can do this.” Performers encouraged, supported, and uplifted their fellow cast members. One of my favorite parts of the show (besides my daughters) was when Eli momentarily froze in his “How to Draw a Crocodile” act. Not only was the audience supportively patient, but I could hear students gently whisper, “Go, Eli.” That moment embodied so much of what Saklan is about.

And then there’s the courage. Stepping onto the stage in front of 250 people, spanning from peers to parents and grandparents, is no small feat.  All of the acts were displays of courage and bravery and deserve a shout out. 

While it’s unlikely that we’ll consider renaming our Fall Follies, it’s clear that the event is the antithesis of folly.

#SaklanCreativity #SaklanCompassion #SaklanCourage