Category: General

On Thursday, February 9th, join Saklan’s Head of School, David O’Connell, along with members of the Saklan faculty and community, for this year’s State of the School presentation. During the presentation we will share updates on the interim strategic framework and the school’s financial health, as well as stories from throughout the school year that provide insight into everyday life on campus.

The presentation will be recorded and shared with the community, for those that are unable to attend.

#SaklanCommunity

Calling all Saklan Alums and Alumni Families! Please save the date for an Alumni Reunion to be held this summer on the afternoon of Saturday, June 17th at Saklan. We are excited to welcome our past students and their families back to campus! Look for more information about the event to be shared in the coming months.

Can’t wait until June to catch up with fellow alumni and their families? Join the Saklan School Alumni Facebook Page to start connecting today!

#SaklanAlumni

The Saklan Family Groups participated in the Saklan Family Cup, a soccer tournament modeled after the World Cup. The games took place during lunches starting in mid-November and concluded this week. The intention of the soccer tournament was to provide more opportunities for the family groups to interact with each other and develop camaraderie and group cohesion. 

The games were friendly, well played, and very exciting.  Way to go Saklan!

#SaklanFamilyGroups

We are excitedly preparing a Wine Ring Toss for this year’s Auction Fiesta on March 11th, and we would love your help! Please consider donating a favorite bottle or two (valued at $20 or more) to this year’s wine collection.

Please drop your wine donations off at the auction table in the mornings, or bring them to the Saklan Office.

Thank you for your support!

Last week, the Owlets read Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Jim Aylesworth while practicing the letter Gg. The Owlets played a game where they sorted pictures from the story by size, helping them practice early math skills. The class also read Go Dog Go by P.D. Eastman and The Night Gardener by Terri and Eric Fan. The Owlets love trying to spot their letter of the week with their eyes, and listening for words that begin with the letter!

This week the Owlets have been practicing the letter Hh. They read A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle, about a hermit crab with a plain white shell who found other sea creatures to help improve his home. Then the Owlets got to collage on a hermit crab shell shape, making each one unique! 

There are several exciting activities happening at Saklan in the coming month, including some rescheduled activities. See below for events not to be missed!

CLAS & Parent Coffee

The Kindergarten, 7th and 8th grade student presentations originally panned for today’s CLAS will now happen at the next CLAS on January 27th.

Following CLAS the PA will host Darryl Holcomb, the region’s expert law enforcement officer working to keep kids safe on line, for a discussion on Keeping Kids Safe on Social Media. He will share tips on parent control apps and insights into the bigger picture of kids and social media. Grab a cup of coffee and meet us in the Pavilion to hear from Darryl.

Movie Night

All members of the Saklan community are invited to join the PA on Sunday, February 5th from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. in the Founders Auditorium at the Orinda Community Center for a movie night!

Popcorn and water will be provided for all attendees. Feel free to bring snacks, blankets, chairs, beanbags, pillows, or other items to get cozy (limited folding chair seating will be available). Stay tuned, the movie for the event will be announced soon!

Picture Day Rescheduled

Saklan’s Picture Day will now be on Tuesday, February 21st. The date changed to accommodate the photographer, who is no longer available on the original January date. More information about picture day will be shared at the beginning of February.

Auction Meeting

This year’s auction will look very different from Saklan’s past auctions. This year’s event will really focus on community-building. To learn more about this year’s event and help plan the details, join the Auction Committee on Wednesday, January 18th at 9:00 a.m. for an Auction Meeting on Zoom.

Dear Saklan Community,

It is a busy time of year in the admissions office, but I write to you with immense gratitude, tremendous hope, and some updates. Many of you have been asking questions about admissions, re-enrollment, financial assistance, etc., and so I wanted to clarify our process and what the next month looks like.

January marks a winding down of admissions activity, as our application deadline for new students is Friday, January 27th. 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 20th is our deadline for current families to apply for Indexed Tuition/Financial Aid. It is important for families to adhere to this deadline so that our Committee can process the paperwork in time for re-enrollment. 

On Wednesday, February 1st, current families will receive an offer to re-enroll for the 2023-24 school year. Signed contracts are due by Thursday, February 16th. Please understand that we can only guarantee your child’s spot if we have your contract and deposit 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,

Melissa 🙂

Saklan’s social-emotional learning emphasis for January is self-discipline. Throughout the month, all Saklan students will be learning what that means and practicing strategies for how to slow down and check-in with their bodies. On Thursday, January 26th, the first – eighth graders will meet with their family groups and take part in cross-grade level discussions and activities to gain an even greater understanding of self-discipline. We value these opportunities to help our students understand and integrate new SEL concepts each month.

#SaklanSEL

Irresistible auction items make for a great auction! A huge THANK YOU to the following organizations and families for their in-kind donations received in support of Saklan’s Auction Fiesta:

• Bay Area Discovery Museum
• Cal Athletics
• The Deguzman Family
• Gott’s Roadside
• Happy Masks
• The Jensen Family
• Let’s Roam
• The Lo Family
• Mighty Pilates Studio in Lafayette
• The Moorhead Family
• Roots & Shoots Photography
• Schumacher Photography
• Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
• The Taylor Family
• The Walt Disney Family Museum
• The Williamson Family

Saklan’s Auction Committee is looking to acquire more irresistible auction items for our upcoming Auction Fiesta! Here are a few specific things we are looking for:

• Vacation Homes – Do you have or know someone with a vacation property, timeshare or other access to destination properties? 

• Event Tickets – Do you have season passes for the Giants, A’s, Warriors, theatre, symphony, or live music venues?

• Adventure Experiences – Hot Air Ballooning, Horseback Riding, and Cooking Classes are always popular items. 

• Wine – Do you belong to a winery and have a few extra bottles of your favorite Cab you would be willing to part with for a good cause?

• Gift Cards – Your unused gift cards can enhance a basket of themed goods.

• Parent Socials – Are you willing to host a dinner or party at your house?

Please let us know if you have any other ideas for amazing auction items. As our mission says, think creatively! Click here to complete the online donor form, or email ewilliamson@saklan.org to share your ideas with the committee!

#SaklanAuction

The winter session of enrichment classes will begin the week of January 23rd. Many exciting classes are being offered this session, including Beginner Scratch Coding, Creative Writing, Beginner Chess and the Lower School Math Club! The complete class listing can be found below, with class descriptions here.

If you are interested in signing your child up for one of the above classes, please use the button below!

Some of the classes have limited space available, so don’t delay in completing your registration.

#SaklanHandsOn