Category: Head’s Corner

Dear Saklan Community,

As part of our Parent Speaker series, this morning Cherilyn addressed the much discussed issue of students and the use of social media in her talk, “Get Smart With Social Media.” This workshop is the third in a three part series and follows two previous workshops, one with 4-6 graders and one with 7-8 graders.

Cherilyn started her presentation by telling us that for teenagers social media, “is a scoreboard for a real time, 24/7 popularity competition.” She shared a wealth of information and data from many recent studies on social media use, as well as data that emerged from her workshops with our Saklan students. For example, the average 13 year old checks in with social media sites 100 times a day and is in some way connected online for 9 hours per day. In one study it was discovered that 90% of 4-8 graders surveyed have phones or tablets in their rooms and 33% indicated that they are regularly online after midnight on school nights. This goes up to 60% on weekends. In an indication of how unaware parents are of what their children are doing, it was found that only 11% of the parents in the study believed this happens on school nights and 38% on weekends.

Data from our own students showed that 40% of our 4-6 graders had YouTube channels, 48% were on Instagram, and 30% were on Music.ly. In her workshop with our 7-8 graders, only 21% indicated that their social media activity was monitored by parents.

Some of the big ideas that emerged from Cherilyn’s presentation were that stress caused by online activity was very much the same as that of real life experiences and it increased through the teen years. In order to effectively navigate their futures, students need to learn how to interact with others online in safe and mindful ways. Beyond monitoring their online activities, parents should engage with their children in ongoing dialog about the realities of using social media.

A big thank you to Kim Parks for organizing this important and engaging workshop.

Have a good weekend!

Peter

Dear Saklan Community,

One of the important presentations at Flag this morning was the message of gratitude given by the faculty and staff to our wonderful parent community for this week’s Teacher Appreciation Week. This is always one of the best weeks of the school year and we have been astounded, amazed and pampered with the wonderful meals and gifts organized by our parents. We are delighted by the new baking ovens that we can use for our school and extra-curricular programs, and feel truly appreciated with the many touching and personal messages that have sprung up on the campus walls and windows. We are thankful for the wonderful community that supports our efforts and inspires us to do our best in our work at Saklan. A special thank you to the Tai family for offering the food truck on Wednesday, which was one of the highlights of the week.

This week, I was officially informed by the National Geographic Society that Vickie Obenchain has been recognized as a Nat Geo Certified Educator. Certified Educators are committed to teaching their students about the world and how it works, empowering them to succeed, and make it a better place. This award comes at a perfect time as we have just had an outstanding Earth Day program, organized by Vickie, which saw our Family Groups engage in a series of activities to raise awareness about our planet. This included a visit by the Marine Science Institute that gave our students very close encounters with a series of sea animals. The next time you come on campus please look at the vertical garden of native succulent plants made out of recycled materials. It is on the wall by the middle school lunch area. Also have a look at the Family Group Sustainability posters which are on the entrance way bulletin board. We are fortunate to have Vickie as our Science teacher and applaud her work and latest accomplishment.

Next week, our students in Grades 4-8 will be taking the ERBs. This stands for the Educational Records Bureau Comprehensive Testing Program. This school-wide assessment program has been used at Saklan for many years and is a widely used tool in independent schools for looking at individual and school-wide achievement. While the test gives some measure of the educational program at Saklan, it is important to know that we do not teach to the test. Nor does the test assess many of the skills that we feel important in our program, like creativity, leadership or collaboration, to name just a few. The best preparation for this week of testing for our Grade 4-8 students is to make sure that they get plenty of rest, exercise, eat healthy meals, and get to school on time.

A big thank you to the entire Saklan community!

Have a good weekend!

Peter

Dear Saklan Community,

Did you know that this Sunday is the official World Book Day? The date of April 23 is  symbolic for world literature and it is on this date in 1616 that Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors, such as Maurice Druon, Haldor K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla, and Manuel Mejía Vallejo. It was a natural choice for UNESCO’s General Conference held in Paris in 1995 to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity. With this in mind, UNESCO created the World Book and Copyright Day. For more information on this go to: http://www.un.org/en/events/bookday/

At Saklan we naturally celebrate books and reading every day, and many of our students actually become authors during the school year. We also love having professional authors visit our campus and every year we introduce our students to a number of celebrated writers from our area and beyond. This coming Friday, our PreK through 2^nd graders will meet author Frans Vischer who worked for the Walt Disney Company on such films as The Princess and The Frog and Who Framed Roger Rabbit.  He is the author and illustrator of Fuddles and Fuddles and Puddles.

I am also happy to report that we have four authors lined up for our three-day Book Fair which runs from May 17-19. The authors are Mitali Perkins (Rickshaw Girl and Tiger Boy), Lily Williams (If Sharks Disappeared), Lisa Bakos (Wrong Side of the Bed and Too Many Moose) and Penny Warner who writes the popular middle grade mystery series, The Code Busters Club.  Every year, our Book Fair gets better and better and this year looks to be stellar!

Have a great weekend with a good book!

Peter

Dear Saklan Community,

As I write this week’s blog, our 4th grade class is in Coloma on their annual overnight field trip to study the Gold Rush, and the 5th graders are in Marin Headlands on their three-day overnight field trip. These are the last two of overnight field trips in the calendar this year; which also saw our 6th graders spend a week in Yosemite, our 7 graders travel to Hawaii, and our 8th graders study US Government in Washington DC. All of these exciting educational experiences are made possible through the support of our wonderful parent community through donations and direct participation.

Today is officially Good Friday, which precedes the Easter, and I wish all of our families that celebrate this holiday a Happy Easter. In the spirit of creativity, which clearly runs strong at Saklan, and in connection with our goal of promoting happiness, our Hoot Owl students are celebrating the little known, but definitely engaging and enchanting, International Moment of Laughter Day. This day, which falls on April 14, is an unofficial holiday created by humorologist Izzy Gesell, who encourages people to forget the stresses of daily life, and give into the healing and relaxing power of laughter. Medical studies have shown that laughing reduces stress, increases blood flow, and lowers blood sugar levels. Some studies have found that people who laugh just before going to bed are much more likely to sleep better than those who did not. In addition to its health benefits, laughter also has social advantages. People who are jovial tend to be quickly accepted in social groups and have an easier time making friends. Laughter is a way to spread joy and happiness, and bring cheer in the lives of other people.

Our Hoot Owl students and families clearly had many moments of laughter this morning, which is a fitting way to prepare for a happy weekend. Thanks to Mrs. C and Miss Joy for coming up with this creative idea!

Have a great weekend,

Peter

Dear Saklan Community,

I would like to start by thanking all of the wonderful grandparents and special friends that came out this morning for our annual event celebrating this important aspect of our community. The day was truly enjoyable and our students were thrilled to show off their campus, teachers and classmates, and engage in a fun activity with their guests.

This is the time of the year when our 8^th graders find out which high school they will attend in August. Finding the right high school is important and the middle school faculty at Saklan has worked hard over the past months helping our graduates make the right choice to match their skills, interests and goals. I am pleased to announce that this year’s graduates were accepted to the following list of high schools:

• The College Preparatory School
  
• The Athenian School
  
• Monte Vista High School
• Campolindo High School
• Bentley School
  
• Las Lomas High School
• Orinda Academy
• Head-Royce School
  
• Benicia High School
• Concord High School
• Northgate High School

This is very much in line with the pattern of high school attendance for Saklan graduates over the past 10 years. Of the independent schools, the top destinations are Bentley, Athenian, College Prep, and Head-Royce. An important fact to note is that over 90% of our 8^th graders got into their high school of choice.

We now go into our Spring Break, which I hope will be restful and re-energizing. Upon our return, we will have less than two months of school left, and in this time, we have a number of big activities planned at Saklan. These include the Middle School Musical, the Spring Arts Festival, Book Fair, Family Fun Night, Graduation, and a number of interesting field trips.

Have a great Spring Break!

Peter

Dear Saklan Community,

Our Annual Concert at the Lesher Center for the Arts is truly one of the most exciting events of the school year. Yesterday, a big audience of about 570 parents, relatives, friends, staff, and students were treated to a program that was fun, engaging and instructive. I would like to highly commend our music teacher, Mrs. Grace Chaffey, for another outstanding Annual Concert at the Lesher Center. I would also like to commend Mr. Isaac Narell, whose work with the 4th and 5th graders was superlative. A big thank you to the band which featured Saklan’s own Mr. Sam Prestianni, Mr. Isaac Narell, Ms. Ashley Jennings, Mr. Javier Yacarini, and alumnus James Rokas. The theme of our concert was “Rise Up – Motown, Funk and Soul.” This show was the culmination of a year-long educational exploration of music that has shaped popular culture and left us a rich legacy of tunes that have stood the test of time over the decades. I am certain that the theater full of parents, relatives, and friends were as impressed as I was by the unique talent, energy, and joy that our Saklan students can pack into one show!

Have a great weekend!

Peter

Dear Saklan Community,

Last Friday marked the end of our second trimester and report cards are being put in the mail today. You will also receive an email today inviting you to sign up for our Parent-Teacher Conferences which are held on March 23 & 24. This year, we will be doing all of conference sign ups online using SignUp Genius. This is a great time to get an update on your child’s academic progress as we move towards the end of the year.

One of the important themes that we have been working on at Saklan has been generosity. This has clearly been embraced by our community at the Saklan Annual Auction, An Evening in Old Hollywood. This was not only a fun event but produced impressive earnings which will help us keep on track with our programs, and give us a tremendous boost in further developing our STEM program. A big thank you to Katy DeBasa, Tony Edwardson, all of the volunteers that worked on the auction, and all of the parents that donated and supported the auction, for a memorable evening. Our Fund-a-Need project was well supported, and we managed to raise over $50,000. As a result, this summer we will be able to renovate our Science Lab and purchase new equipments and materials to enhance STEM at Saklan.

Two exciting dates are on the calendar for March. Our annual concert at the Lesher Center for the Arts is scheduled for March 16th, and Grandparents and Special Friends Day is on March 31st. I look forward to big crowds on these important and fun events.

Have a great weekend,

Peter

Dear Saklan Parents,

Today, we had our fourth Family Group session of the year. This past month the theme has been Honesty and our students spent some time thinking, discussing, and reflecting on how this is an important topic. Many of you must have seen the cartoon where the student blames the family dog for not doing their homework. In one of the activities called “Oh! What A Tangled Web We Weave,” we used this classic age-old excuse to show what happens when you lie. In a role-play activity, a student gave false answers to a series of questions starting with “Why didn’t you get your homework done for today?” This was answered with a lie, such as “The dog ate my homework.” A follow-up question, such as “How did the dog get your homework?” took the lie to a deeper level. As the questions and lies continued, the idea of a tangled web of dishonesty emerged.

The Family Groups also watched a video on Honesty, and as a bi-product of the discussions, created a poster on reasons why one should always be honest. This will be on display in the notice board in the school entrance.

Tomorrow, March 4 is our Annual Auction and I hope that you will be there to celebrate an outstanding year, have fun, and support our students. STEM, which stands for the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, is the focus of our fund-a-need.  The project includes a redesign and upgrade of the entire Science classroom to foster greater collaboration, exploration, and allow for STEM related activities. The project also calls for the purchase of new technology and equipment, such as a digital microscope, 3D printer, robotics and coding resources, and tablets to name a few. This is a project that will impact all the students at Saklan and we hope for your support in achieving our goals.

Have a great weekend,

Peter

Dear Saklan Parents,

At Flag this morning, our eighth graders presented their Legacy Baskets, which will be auctioned off next Saturday night. I was very impressed by the amount of effort, thought and creativity that went into each basket. It was also interesting to see how each basket reflected the character and interests of each graduate. Our eighth grade students have been a remarkable group this year and have been outstanding role models to our younger students. One can truly see what a group of dynamic individuals we will soon be sending on to a variety of high schools in the upcoming school year.

The qualities, attitudes and leadership skills that our eighth graders show embody our school mission, and the ultimate goals of our Middle School program. The Middle School is a unique time of change, and at Saklan, we recognize that each student has their own learning style which is why we focus on each student’s individual needs. Our teachers use creative approaches in teaching so that each student discovers how to learn effectively. Through our small classes, distinctive teacher-student relationships, and genuine concern for each student, we emphasize social emotional growth, academic excellence through critical thinking, and commitment to community through leadership and extra-curricular opportunities.

Ultimately, Middle School is a time for personal discovery and learning how to become a positive member of the community. Our students are provided with opportunities to learn who they are, what makes them stand out, and most importantly, who they want to become. Each day is purposely blended with academic challenges and personal growth encounters to keep the teachers motivated, and the students focused on reaching their personal best. All of this is supported by our small class size which, like in our Lower School, allows teachers to go above and beyond academic excellence, and foster the confidence and habits of mind that will assure success in later studies.

Next Saturday, March 4 is our annual Auction and I hope that you will be there to celebrate an outstanding year, have fun and support our students. STEM is the focus of our fund-a-need and I will write more about that next week. I would also like to recommend an outstanding STEM event being offered at St. Mary’s College for our Middle School girls on March 18^th.

Have a great weekend,

Peter