Category: General

Do you like to draw?

If so, we have a great Spring Break activity for you! You can design the cover for the Concert program!

Past designs have looked like:

RULES

1. All designs should have the following words: 

“Let Me Fly”

Music That Gives Hope

 April 20th, 2022 at 4:30 PM

2. Designs should be in full color, and done on an 8 ½ x 11 piece of white paper (long ways).

3. Designs are due on April 13th at 3:00 PM (You can turn them in early!)

4. 2 winners will be chosen; one from Lower School and one from Middle   School. Turn entries into Mrs. Chaffey, Ms. Lauren, or in the office. (Make sure you write your name on the back!)

5. Winners will receive 2 free dress passes and every person who submits an entry will receive 1 free dress pass

6. HAVE FUN AND BE CREATIVE!

#SaklanCreative

Spring has sprung and with that has come the time to plan ahead for the rest of the school year. In looking at the calendar, we have had to rearrange some events to align with the changes in our field experiences. Our 8th graders are currently in Puerto Rico participating in a service-learning opportunity, so we moved the CLAS originally scheduled for today to NEXT Friday, April 1st. 

As the 7th graders will be in Hawaii for a science and culture field experience the week of April 25th, we have moved the events of that week in order to include them and the teachers who will be with them. Unfortunately, Grandparents and Special Friends Day has been canceled altogether. With all the COVID-19 uncertainty, it seemed irresponsible to expect grandparents to travel to Saklan this year; we look forward to planning a robust return for 2023!

The Art Show has been rescheduled for Thursday, May 12th from 2pm – 5pm, and the Book Fair has been moved to May 11th – 13th as well.

Below is a sneak peek at next year’s important calendar dates for your planning purposes. A more detailed calendar will be shared over the summer.

2022-2023 IMPORTANT CALENDAR DATES

Aug 22    Back to School Social   

Aug 24    First Day of School 

Aug 25    Transportation Service Begins

Sept 5        Labor Day (NO SCHOOL)

Oct 10        Fall Holiday (NO SCHOOL)

Oct 20 & 21      Parent Teacher Conferences (NOON DISMISSAL)

Oct 31        Halloween Celebration (2PM DISMISSAL)

Nov 1        Professional Development Day (NO SCHOOL)

Nov 11    Veteran’s Day (NO SCHOOL)

Nov 21 – 25      Thanksgiving Break (NO SCHOOL)

Dec 16    Lower School Musical (NOON DISMISSAL, NO EXTENDED DAY)

Dec 19 – 30     Winter Break (NO SCHOOL)

Jan 2        New Year’s Day (observed) – (NO SCHOOL)

Jan 3        Professional Development Day (NO SCHOOL)

Jan 16        MLK Jr. Day (NO SCHOOL)

Feb 17 – 20      President’s Day Weekend (NO SCHOOL)

Mar 23 & 24  Parent Teacher Conferences (NOON DISMISSAL)

Mar 31     Cesar Chavez Day (NO SCHOOL)

April 3 – 7      Spring Break (NO SCHOOL)

May 1 – 5    Teacher Appreciation Week

May 5        Teacher Appreciation Day (NO SCHOOL)

May 29    Memorial Day (NO SCHOOL)

June 7        Last Day of School/8th Grade Graduation (NOON DISMISSAL)

We are beyond excited to formally announce the return of Saklan’s Annual School Concert on Wednesday, April 20th! It has been three years since our last concert, and although the venue will be different this year, we are so excited to bring back all the joy that comes with performing live for the people who love our students the most. 

This year, the students will be performing outdoors at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, next door to Saklan. Every Saklan student participates in this fun and energetic event, and every grade performs multiple times.

Day of Concert 

Wednesday, April 20th will be a noon dismissal day for all students. Extended Day will be available until 3:30pm, but it is recommended that students go home earlier to have some down time before the concert if possible. Students are asked to report back to Saklan at 4pm, dressed and ready to perform. The show is scheduled to begin at 4:30pm and will end no later than 6pm. 

Rehearsal and Performance Schedule

Please make every effort to ensure that your student is at school on Monday, April 18th, Tuesday, April 19th, and Wednesday, April 20th so they can take part in our all-student rehearsals.

Attire

All students are asked to come to the concert in their “Sunday best” version of all black clothing, with an accessory of pink. Ballet flats, Toms, Converse All-Star, Keds, and dress shoes are all welcome and encouraged; shoes should fit and be clean. Please, no high heels, UGGS, rain boots or hats. Click here for examples of some outfits that are appropriate, and feel free to talk to other Saklan parents who have been through the concert before, or email me!

Please feel free to put together an outfit that fits well and speaks to your child’s personality. However, use appropriate discretion in choosing clothes (please no midriff showing), and remember that your child will be on stage in front of almost 500 people. 

We are so excited to bring our concert back to Saklan, and are overjoyed to welcome you for this event. 

“Educating the mind but not the heart is no education at all.”

Edutopia

At Saklan, the education we provide integrates social-emotional learning into everything that we teach and learn. Kim Parks outlined the details of Saklan’s SEL program during last Friday’s PA Parent Coffee. The slides she shared during the presentation are below for your perusal.

In the COVID Age, students are feeling increasingly more anxious, upset, and depressed because there is so much out of their control. However, by prioritizing social-emotional learning into each school day, this helps students understand their feelings, have strategies to regulate their emotions, and have a safe place to go every day with caring teachers that pay attention. Over the past three years, Saklan has adopted a learning approach called Responsive Classroom in the hopes that all our teachers will use similar clear and positive language, as well as developmentally-appropriate teaching that students find interesting and engaging.

#SaklanSEL

Saklan students and teachers had fun showing their school spirit during some fun dress days this week. On Tuesday, students dressed in tropical-themed clothing to celebrate Tropical Tuesday!

Wednesday led to all kinds of interesting outfits, as we enjoyed Wacky Wednesday!

On Thursday it was hard to tell if we were on the Saklan play yard or a movie set as the students donned apparel to showcase their favorite character or superhero!

On Friday the community showed school spirit by wearing clothing with Saklan and other school logos and colors on it.

Thank you to everyone who joined in the spirit week fun!

#SaklanSpirit

Join the Saklan Student Council in showing your school spirit next week, February 22 – 25th. All students and teachers are invited to dress up for the following spirit days:

Tuesday, February 22: Tropical Tuesday – Dress in tropical-themed clothing.

Wednesday, February 23: Wacky Wednesday – Dress up in odd or unusual clothing like mismatched or inside-out shirts, socks, shoes, pants, etc.

Thursday, February 24: Favorite Character/Superhero Day – Dress like your favorite character or superhero, or make up your own superhero. We all are awesome in our own ways!

Friday, February 25: School Spirit Day – Dress in Saklan school colors or attire that promotes a favorite high school or college.

Students who choose not to participate in the spirit week themes need to wear their uniforms.

#SaklanSpirit

Roots & Shoots Photography will be taking individual and class portraits of Saklan students next Tuesday, February 15th. Pictures will be taken during the school day, outside on the play yard, and students need to wear their uniforms. These pictures will be used in the yearbook and will be available for purchase.

If your child misses picture day, Roots & Shoots will be back on campus on Friday, February 25th for makeup pictures. Makeup day will only be for absentee students due to yearbook time constraints. 

Portrait Ordering Process

Roots & Shoots has implemented a new ordering process. Ordering will be fully online, and will take place approximately 2 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 families’ homes ($5.25 shipping fee will apply). 

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

The sixth graders recently wrapped up a study of watercolors in art class. For their final project, students had a choice of four different assignments, all of which centered around the artwork of a key artist. The projects also showcased different watercolor techniques and skills, such as color mixing, stretching their imaginations, science integration, and self-reflection. Student projects included: painted terrariums featuring plants, animals, and imaginary organisms; free-flowing, imaginative creatures decorated with intricate pen patterns; precise, angular geometric masterpieces; and much more.

Save the date for Saklan’s Annual Art Festival on April 28th to check out these and many other works of art!

#SaklanCreative

Roots & Shoots Photography will be taking individual and class portraits of Saklan students on Tuesday, February 15th. These pictures will be used in the yearbook and are available for purchase.

Pictures will be taken during the school day, outside on the play yard. Roots & Shoots staff will follow all CDC guidelines, including social distancing when possible, wearing masks and washing/sanitizing hands, in order to make the picture taking process as safe as possible

Portrait Ordering Process

Roots & Shoots has implemented a new ordering process. Ordering will be fully online, and will take place approximately 2 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 families’ homes ($5.25 shipping fee will apply). 

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

Join Saklan’s Student Council in participating in a winter clothing drive organized by the local non-profit, Hip Hop for Change. The drive benefits unsheltered families and individuals in our neighboring communities. New or gently used outerwear (coats, jackets, raincoats, sweatshirts), as well as new socks, underwear, sleeping bags and 4+person tents will be accepted through February 3rd. If you would like to participate, please place your donation in a sealed bag and drop it off in the donation bin by the main office.

Please wash used clothes in high heat and seal all clothing items in bags. A member of the Saklan Community will deliver the donated items to the Hip Hop For Change drop-off site.

#SaklanCompassion