FRIDAY BLOG

Dear Saklan Community,

This past week has been one of the best weeks of school this year for all faculty and staff. All week long, we have been thrilled and pampered by the wonderful messages of appreciation, meals and gifts organized by our parents. All of the faculty and staff feel gratitude and thankful for the wonderful community that supports our efforts and inspires us to do our best in our work at Saklan.

On the theme of Teacher Appreciation Week, I would like to share with you a video clip by poet Taylor Mali titled, “What Teachers Make.” I shared this a few years ago but it is still relevant and very much sums up the complexity, passion and importance that the job of teaching entails. Please enjoy and share.

Next Friday, on May 11th, we will be holding our Saklan Arts Festival from 3:00-7:00PM. Please come and be astounded by the wealth of creativity that has come from our student body during their Art program this year. On the same evening, we will have our Family Fun Night with a movie and BBQ which makes this an event not to be missed.

Next Wednesday, May 9th, all students in Grades 3-5 are invited to participate in the annual Rotary Field Day. This event involves all schools in Moraga and is a fun event for our students. The event takes place starting at 3:30PM at the Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School. Mr. Crabtree and I will accompany our students, and everyone is invited to come out and cheer for the Saklan team.

Have a great weekend!

Peter

Dear Saklan Community,

We recently received a letter from an organization called Guide Dogs for the Blind thanking our 2nd graders for a donation of $343.00. This is a community service project that our 2nd grade class has been doing for many years. The money, raised through a bake sale, was used to buy and train a guide dog that would be given to a blind person. Congratulations to Mrs. Schofield and our 2nd graders for making a difference.

Community service is an important aspect of the educational program at Saklan and is an essential part preparing our students to take responsibility as open-minded, principled citizens in the local and global community. Moreover, it teaches students about people of all backgrounds, about issues and problems in our society, and promotes compassion and understanding. All of our middle school students engage in some form of community service. Activities range from coaching younger children baseball and taekwondo, helping animals at ARF, bagging food at the Alameda County Food Bank, or building backdrops and sets for school musicals and concerts.

Some classes, like the 2nd grade, do additional projects, which range from 4th grade doing book drives to 3rd and 6th grades helping with EBMUD to weed out non-native plants. Larger school-wide projects have included participating in the Monument Crisis Center Food Drive, helping at the Moraga Garden Farm, and last year raising funds to donate to the Moraga All-Access Playground Project.

This year, our 7th graders are participating in the World Citizen Essay Contest sponsored by the World Affairs Council. The goal is to promote discussion among students about the ways that individuals can effect positive change in the global community. This is great way for our students to learn about the 17 United Nations Development Goals and think about ways to address the global challenges that they will be facing in the future. I am happy to hear that this project will be presented at Flag next Friday morning. I encourage all parents to come out for Flag on May 4th and hear what our students have written about before the world contest winners are announced on May 10th.

Have a good weekend,

Peter