The Martian Project

The entry event into the newest fifth grade project was an engaging watch-party featuring Ridley Scott/20th Century FOX studios’ The Martian.  Students’ interest was peaked when Mark Watley (Matt Damon) was left for dead on Mars after his suit was breached in a storm and he awoke to realize he had survived, but perhaps not for long. With a food supply of about 9 months, but four years before a rescue mission arrives, Mark has to put his botany skills to the test if he is to survive.  Munching potato chips, students watched Mark cultivate one dozen potatoes NASA had sent with them for Thanksgiving dinner (which NASA actually does for the ISS Astronauts), and create a water cycle to help his crop grow.  

In this unit, students will call on their prior learning of hydrology and the water cycle, as well as the planets and solar system, as they design and create their own ecosystems that cycle hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide, to germinate and grow an edible plant for at least 35 Sols (and they’ll do the math to figure out how many Earth days that is).  Along the way, students will learn about food chains, food webs, producers, consumers, decomposers, photosynthesis, the carbon/oxygen cycle, and a total system collapse, in seven milestone lessons. Math, language arts, scientific illustration and history/social studies are all threaded through the project, alongside games such as the “food chain game” which students enjoyed playing last week.

And the Winner is…

Receiving over 60% of the votes, Peace, Love, Saklan will be the theme of the 2024 auction! Thank you to everyone who participated in the selection process.

The Saklan faculty and staff are very excited, and we hope you are too! Peace, Love, Saklan pairs well with our focus on belonging, is a nod to the sixty-nine years that Saklan has been a school, and ties in nicely with this year’s concert theme of Love.

Volunteers Needed

We are in need of volunteers to help make this year’s auction successful. We have roles big and small, including:

  • Picking up Items from Donors
  • Auction Items Acquisitions
  • Creating Event Decor
  • Designing a Logo for the Event
  • Event Set Up
  • Communications

We would love your help; click on the button below to volunteer!

Auction Volunteer Opportunities

Save the Date!

Please save the date to celebrate our great school and community with our Peace, Love, Saklan auction on Friday, April 26th at The Garden in Walnut Creek. Book your babysitter now for this adults-only event; you don’t want to miss it!

Picture Day Next Tuesday

Roots & Shoots Photography will be taking individual and class portraits of Saklan students next Tuesday, January 23rd. These pictures will be used in the yearbook and are available for purchase.

Pictures will be taken outside on the play yard during the school day. Please note that 1st – 8th grade students need to be dressed in uniform for the pictures.

For students who are absent on picture day, a make up day will be held on Tuesday, February 27th.

Portrait Ordering Process

Portraits will be available to order online approximately 4 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 your home (a $7.25 shipping fee will apply). There will be no school package drop off.

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

A Positive Approach to Kids & Their Social Media Lives

Over the past week, I grappled with writing this Head’s Corner piece. I aimed to spotlight the topic of this morning’s parent coffee,“The Social Institute – Helping Your Child Positively Navigate Media and Technology, and Maintaining Healthy Self-esteem,” but encountered challenges in articulating my thoughts.

Approximately 75% of our discussions regarding social media lean towards the negative aspects—concerns about time wastage, the pervasive FOMO factor, mindless scrolling, and the inundation of advertisements by algorithms.

When we bring children into these discussions, the negativity seems to multiply exponentially. Social media is linked to increased high-risk behaviors, depression, self-esteem issues, and the promotion of bullying.

While all the aforementioned concerns hold truth, dwelling solely on them proves counterproductive. It overlooks the reality that social media is an integral part of our children’s lives, and its presence is enduring.

So, how can we guide them through this digital landscape? If you attended this morning’s coffee session, you likely have an answer. Employ a positive and constructive approach that resonates with children. This is precisely why The Saklan School is collaborating with The Social Institute—to redefine the narrative in navigating our digital world.

We acknowledge that solely emphasizing the negatives, imposing restrictions, and dictating what children should avoid online is ineffective. Instead, our focus should shift towards amplifying the positives, offering education, and empowering students. By coaching them to comprehend their digital world, we equip them with the knowledge needed to make informed and positive choices.

The partnership between The Saklan School and The Social Institute reflects our commitment to reshaping the conversation surrounding digital engagement. By focusing on the positives, providing education, and empowering students to understand their digital environment, we strive to foster a generation capable of making informed and responsible choices in this ever-evolving landscape.

Want to know more?  

Got to https://thesocialinstitute.com/parent-toolkit/ and use the access code 280cEADD98258B

Machines & Inventions

In December, the first graders learned about simple machines. The class discussed what work is (the transfer of energy from one object to another in order to make the second object move in a certain direction) and what makes work easier and harder. Then they learned about the six simple machines by participating in a series of hands-on activities.

The first graders learned about levers and balanced a lever on a fulcrum. They had an egg drop challenge and learned that an incline plane made it easier and safer to move a load. They made a paper helicopter and learned how a screw works. The class made funny faces with apples and sticks, and discovered that the sticks in the shape of a wedge made it easier to split the apple skin apart. They had a bubble race and learned how a wheel and axle makes work easier. Lastly, the class completed a “going up” activity, where they used a string as a pulley so they didn’t have to lift the object with their hands.

The first graders had a great time learning about simple machines through these hands-on, fun experiments.  To take their learning a step further, each student created and built their own invention using their knowledge of simple machines. The inventions will be on display in the 1st grade classroom on Thursday, January 18th at 8:40 during their Invention Show. All Saklan community members are invited to stop by and check out the creative inventions the first graders designed!

#SaklanHandsOn

Bookworm Book Recommendations

What are kids reading these days? Lots of great books!

In the Bookworms Learning by Doing (LBD) class, middle school students talked about the books they were reading and then enjoyed extended quiet time to read on the beanbags in the Humanities Room. The students then each wrote a recommendation about one book they enjoyed reading.

The book recommendations are on display in the Middle School Library. You are invited to stop by and read them–and to check out a book or two from the growing middle school library.

Thank you to our great librarians, Joy and Meredith, for displaying the middle school recommendations.

Read On!

Summer@Saklan 2024

A summer of creative exploration awaits your child this summer during Summer@Saklan! This year, Saklan’s summer camp will focus on art and science, offering children the chance to have fun and learn while creating art masterpieces, engaging in exciting in science experiments, playing fun games, meeting special guests, and more!

Session Dates & Hours

This summer, camp will run in one-week sessions from June 17th – August 2nd.

  • June 17th to 21st – Session 1
  • June 24th to 28th – Session 2
  • July 1st to 3rd – Session 3
  • July 8th to 12th – Session 4
  • July 15th to 19th -Session 5
  • July 22nd to 26th – Session 6
  • July 29th to Aug 2nd – Session 7

The camp day will begin with drop off from 8:15 – 8:30 a.m. and run until 2:30 p.m. Extended Day will be available until 4:30 p.m.

Ages of Campers

Students entering Preschool through 3rd Grade in the Fall are invited to join us for Summer@Saklan. Students will be divided into two age groups again this summer:

  • Mini Campers: Age 3 – Entering Kindergarten
  • Explorers: Entering 1st – 3rd Grade

Additional Information

Additional information on Summer@Saklan can be found on the summer webpage.

Please note, registration will open in early February. If you are interested in being notified when registration is open, please complete this form!

#Summer@Saklan

Joy & Optimism for the Year Ahead

Dear Saklan Community,

Happy 2024! Seeing the kids return from Winter Break always brings a sense of joy and optimism for the year ahead. 🙂 

January marks a winding down of admissions activity, as our application deadline for new students is Friday, January 26th. Thank you for continuing to share wonderful information about our school and our program to the broader community. Most of the inquiries I receive come from friends of yours with whom you have shared your positive experiences. I feel your support and your partnership.

Friday, January 26th is also our deadline for families to apply for Tuition Assistance.This year we have moved to Clarity, a new and more efficient application provider. We are confident that this will improve your application experience.

On Thursday, February 1st, current families will receive an offer to re-enroll for the 2024-25 school year. Signed contracts are due by Thursday, February 15th. Please understand that we can only guarantee your child’s spot if we have your signed contract by the deadline. 

Your children are the heartbeat of our school. Thank you for your support, your cooperation, your trust, and your presence. 

In gratitude,

Mel 🙂

Respectful Students

Saklan’s social-emotional learning emphasis for January is to be respectful. Throughout the month, all Saklan students will be learning what it means to be respectful and practicing strategies for showing respect both at school and at home.

On Friday, January 26th, the first – eighth graders will meet with their family groups and take part in cross-grade level discussions and activities to gain an even greater understanding of respect. We value these opportunities to help our students understand and integrate new SEL concepts each month. Thank you to our 8th graders for leading these opportunities for the 1st – 7th graders, and to our SEL coordinators Vickie Obenchain and Lisa Rokas for organizing such a unique program for our students.

#SaklanSEL

Parent Coffee Next Friday

Navigating the Complex Intersection of Well-Being, Social Media & Technology

The Saklan School has launched a partnership with The Social Institute (TSI), a national leader in curriculum designed to equip students to navigate the complex intersection of well-being, social media, and technology. 

Join us on Friday, January 12, after CLAS for Coffee and a Parent Presentation by Kim Parks about The Social Institute and How To Help Your Child(ren) Navigate The Complex Intersection of Well-Being, Social Media, and Technology in Positive, High-Character Ways.

At a time when students spend many hours a day on digital devices, and cyberbullying and reputation-damaging posts run rampant, TSI equips students to make positive, healthy, and high-character choices that fuel their health, happiness, and future success. Saklan is adopting TSI’s comprehensive program, called #WinAtSocial, which promotes character, empathy, teamwork, critical thinking, and other essential life skills. Join us for the Parent Coffee to learn more!

#SaklanParentEducation