All Saklan students are invited to show their creativity by designing a cover for this year’s yearbook. All covers are asked to incorporate the theme of Among the Redwoods, have a vertical orientation, and include the text “The Saklan School 2025-2026.”
If you have any questions about the Yearbook Cover Contest, please email Lauren at lhaberly@saklan.org.
#SaklanCreative
This week, Saklan students gathered in their Family Groups for a joyful, laughter-filled Thanksgiving-themed SEL activity focused on kindness, cooperation, and creativity. With two tasks to complete before the big group sharing time, each Family Group worked together to celebrate our November SEL theme: Kind & Courteous.
The first task was a poetic one! Students were given six words—Kind, Courteous, Turkey, Stuffing, Grateful, and Saklan—and worked together to craft an eight-line, rhyming holiday poem.
Groups brainstormed opening lines, found creative rhyming pairs, and practiced reading their poems aloud. Once the writing was complete, the fun continued as students came up with movements, gestures, or a mini-skit to bring their words to life. Whether performed as a group or with one reader and several actors, each poem became a cheerful expression of teamwork and holiday spirit.
The second task invited students to transform one group member into a Thanksgiving-inspired character—using only newspaper and masking tape! Creativity soared as students twisted, folded, layered, and shaped newspaper into costumes representing:
With laughter and collaboration, each group designed a costume that matched their chosen character or food item, showcasing not only imagination but also teamwork and courtesy in action.
All Family Groups gathered on the sports court for the culminating celebration. Costumed characters stayed hidden behind the art room while groups circled the court. One by one, each group introduced their character, who stepped forward for the big reveal. Afterward, students performed their holiday poem for teachers and peers—earning smiles, applause, and plenty of festive cheer.
This activity beautifully blended creativity, community, and our monthly SEL focus. Students practiced kindness, cooperation, and communication while having a whole lot of fun. A perfect kickoff to the season of gratitude!
#SaklanSEL
In chemistry, eighth graders explored the periodic table of elements, often described as the ultimate map of matter. They learned to read the table like scientists—discovering how atomic numbers and atomic masses reveal information about each element’s structure, bonding potential, and the shared properties within each column. With each lesson, students grew more confident in understanding how the periodic table organizes and explains the world around us.
One question that sparked lively curiosity was: “How can an element have a negative boiling point?” To find out, students conducted a hands-on Dry Ice lab. Wearing goggles and gloves, they observed how this compound sublimates, changing directly from a solid to a gas at room temperature. They watched Dry Ice “boil” on the counter, producing dense vapor clouds, and experimented with how everyday objects reacted to the extreme cold. From squealing pennies to bubbling vapors, the lab brought to life the concept of boiling points and how temperature affects different substances on Earth.
To deepen their understanding, each student selected an element to research in depth. They created Bohr models, uncovered the discovery stories behind their elements, and explored everyday uses—from technology and medicine to construction and art. To showcase their creativity and knowledge, students designed custom T-shirts celebrating their chosen element. The results were as stylish as they were scientific!
#SaklanHandsOn
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!
#SaklanCommunity
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:
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
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
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
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!
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
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
FRIDAY BLOG 
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