FRIDAY BLOG

This week I had a most interesting conversation with the instructor of our enrichment chess activity. This is run by the Berkeley Chess School and they work with many schools in the Bay Area. The instructor, Victor, wanted to express to me how much he enjoyed working with the Saklan students and confided in me that of the many schools he has worked in, Saklan is one of only three or four that he would consider sending his own children to. He is getting married this summer and hopes to have a family soon. He went away with a school brochure and a promise to meet again in a couple of years.

The last few days have been very quiet with our eighth graders off in Washington for their annual trip to study the nation’s government and experience the feel and flavors of the capital city. A big thank you to Mr. Prestianni and Miss Parks, who have been running this trip over the years and give so much of their time and energy to make this happen for our students.

Overnight, multi-day field trips like this one, are a part of what makes the Saklan academic program so rich and engaging. Allowing our students to have hands-on and real-life experiences is a way that we broaden their understanding of the topics they study. We believe that these experiences are part of the curriculum, not add-ons, and as such, we build the cost of field trips right into the tuition. This is different from many other schools where overnight field trips are an additional expense. At Saklan everyone participates and field trips are part of the learning fabric. Other trips scheduled this year include the Grade 7 trip to Hawaii, the Grade 5 trip to the Marin Headlands, and the Grade 4 trip to Coloma. Throughout the school, overnight and local field trips enhance the learning experience of our students. The teachers at Saklan are to be commended for the extra effort it takes to make it all possible.

Lately, I have seen a variety of activities that have engaged some students or whole classes in community service or community support projects. Two students from Grade 6 (Isabel Darby and Abby Ruppert) promoted a collection of candy and tooth brushes for soldiers stationed abroad through Operation Gratitude. The Saklan Student Council is sponsoring a Holiday Toy Drive to benefit children who live in the Iron Triangle in Richmond, California. Our Grade 3 class did the Trick-or-Treat program for UNICEF and donated $180, and this morning the 3rd graders gave a presentation on activities they plan to do to make a difference. These included such things as bringing toys to a children’s hospital, sending goodies to soldiers, and even planting trees in Tilden Park to combat deforestation.

Another community based program that the Lower School classes will be supporting in the new year is the Lamorinda All-Access Playground Project benefiting all children of all abilities. This project is being promoted by the Moraga Rotary Club and supported by many Moraga community organizations and schools. This new playground will be built at Moraga Commons, a park that Saklan students are very familiar with. To support this project the Lower School classes will hold three bake sales in the new year and donate the earnings to the project. Look for more details in future blogs.

Have a great weekend!

Peter

Dear Saklan Community,

There was no lack of excitement for the 60 parents, students and staff that attended the annual The Saklan School Night at the Oracle Arena to watch the Golden State Warriors play the Atlanta Hawks. The evening started with 15 Saklan students going on the court with the players as their anthem buddies. The basketball game itself was very exciting with the score being very close for most of the game and ended with the Warriors winning by a few points. This is the fourth year that a Saklan group has had a great experience at the Oracle Arena and helped the team to victory. We all hope for another great season for the Warriors.

As of today, we have two weeks of school left before the winter break and the end of 2016.  These will be a busy time at Saklan with a couple of important events on the calendar. Next week, our 8^th grade students will spend a week in Washington, D.C. with Mr. Prestianni and Ms. Parks for their yearly field trip to study US government. On Friday, December 16^th our Grades 3-5 students will put on the musical “Seussical KIDS” at the Willow Spring Church. This will start at 10:30AM and is open to the entire community. I highly recommend that you come out to see our very talented students, who will certainly send us off to the holidays with good cheer.

We will start the new year with another event that I would like you to consider attending. In collaboration with the Parent Association, and on the occasion of the first Friday Parent Coffee, we will hold a round table discussion on “Envisioning the Future of Saklan.”  As we look ahead to envision the long-term future of the school, a number of core questions and areas for deep exploration and clarity have emerged. These include, but will certainly not be limited to, such questions as:

What is the optimal size of The Saklan School?

What academic and enrichment programs will be relevant and meaningful in the future?

How might the campus support the size and program Saklan wants to offer in the future?

This event will take place on Friday, January 6^th, starting right after Flag at the Willow Spring Church and will be led by Saklan Board of Trustees member Robert Miller and myself. I look forward to starting the new year with a meaningful and engaging discussion with you about the future of our school.

Have a good weekend,

Peter