The Lion King KIDS

For 30 years, The Lion King has been a cultural linchpin. Music and lyrics by Tim Rice and Elton John placed the movie firmly in our collective consciousness. The movie is accessible, and the story loosely based on The Epic of Sundiata-The Lion King of Mali, is well known and loved by Western audiences unfamiliar with African culture and stories. Then when The Lion King came to Broadway in 1997, the designers brought new elements from the story. Costumes, set pieces, makeup, and props all were inspired by elements of African folklore. What is more, The Lion King was one of Broadway’s first shows to openly advocate for conscious casting, and more songs were introduced.

Saklan’s production of The Lion King KIDS attempted to honor the Broadway tradition of the show. Our students’ goal was never to “pretend to be animals” or to hide their humanity, but rather to highlight how connected we, as humans, are to the animals that are portrayed. Their headdresses, designed by the students themselves in art class, took inspiration from real African masks and textures, and the choreography brought in the element of circles over and over again, reminding us that we are all a part of the circle of life, along with every animal on the savanna. Through their performance, our students claimed their place in this world as protectors of that circle of life. They spent hours learning lines, music, and choreography, but also discovered elements of the languages of Xhosa, Zulu, and Swahili. They know about the range of lions in Africa, and what role buzzards serve in the circle of life. They know that hyenas are social and deeply misunderstood, and so much more. They took that knowledge and used it to become advocates for the apex predator of the African grasslands, the African Lion.

Saklan students are remarkable because they care about more than themselves. This show was a vehicle to move forward their environmental advocacy, and their determination to do their best shows through in everything they do.

Thank you to everyone who donated cardboard, made masks, gathered costume pieces, painted faces, joined us for the performance, laughed and applauded.

Special thanks to:

  • Our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students for their courage, creativity and dedication to bring this show to life, to advocate for other people and animals, and for sharing their work with our community.
  • Lauren Haberly for her work with the actors on their masks and headdresses.
  • Javier Yacarini for his work on the set, and always saying “No problem!”
  • Joy Kim, Daisy Colby, Erin Moorhead and Toshie Baba for their ambition and creativity in creating and assembling Rhinos and Elephants.
  • John Miazga for carrying heavy things.
  • Astro Camacho and Jack Zippin for the gorgeous Elephant skeletons.
  • Every middle school student who painted, glued, and carried props.
  • And especially, Grace Chaffey for the vision, organization, confidence, patience, and inspiration she showed in directing the students to bring this wonderful story to life.

Admissions Update

Dear Saklan Community,

It is a busy time of year in the admissions office, but I write to you with immense gratitude, tremendous hope, and some updates. Many of you have been asking questions about admissions, re-enrollment, financial assistance, etc., and so I wanted to clarify our process and what the next month looks like.

January marks a winding down of admissions activity, as our application deadline for new students is Friday, January 27th. 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 20th is our deadline for current families to apply for Indexed Tuition/Financial Aid. It is important for families to adhere to this deadline so that our Committee can process the paperwork in time for re-enrollment. 

On Wednesday, February 1st, current families will receive an offer to re-enroll for the 2023-24 school year. Signed contracts are due by Thursday, February 16th. Please understand that we can only guarantee your child’s spot if we have your contract and deposit 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,

Melissa 🙂

January SEL Focus: Self-disciplined

Saklan’s social-emotional learning emphasis for January is self-discipline. Throughout the month, all Saklan students will be learning what that means and practicing strategies for how to slow down and check-in with their bodies. On Thursday, 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 self-discipline. We value these opportunities to help our students understand and integrate new SEL concepts each month.

#SaklanSEL

Irresistible Auction Items

Irresistible auction items make for a great auction! A huge THANK YOU to the following organizations and families for their in-kind donations received in support of Saklan’s Auction Fiesta:

Saklan’s Auction Committee is looking to acquire more irresistible auction items for our upcoming Auction Fiesta! Here are a few specific things we are looking for:

  • Vacation Homes – Do you have or know someone with a vacation property, timeshare or other access to destination properties? 
  • Event Tickets – Do you have season passes for the Giants, A’s, Warriors, theatre, symphony, or live music venues?
  • Adventure Experiences – Hot Air Ballooning, Horseback Riding, and Cooking Classes are always popular items. 
  • Wine – Do you belong to a winery and have a few extra bottles of your favorite Cab you would be willing to part with for a good cause?
  • Gift Cards – Your unused gift cards can enhance a basket of themed goods.
  • Parent Socials – Are you willing to host a dinner or party at your house?

Please let us know if you have any other ideas for amazing auction items. As our mission says, think creatively! Click here to complete the online donor form, or email ewilliamson@saklan.org to share your ideas with the committee!

#SaklanAuction

Winter Enrichment Classes

The winter session of enrichment classes will begin the week of January 23rd. Many exciting classes are being offered this session, including Beginner Scratch Coding, Creative Writing, Beginner Chess and the Lower School Math Club! The complete class listing can be found below, with class descriptions here.

If you are interested in signing your child up for one of the above classes, please use the button below!

Register for Enrichment Classes

Some of the classes have limited space available, so don’t delay in completing your registration.

#SaklanHandsOn

The Power of a Single Individual

On September 20th, 2017, Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico with 155 mph winds and 40 inches of rainfall. The small community of Villa Del Rio was impacted like much of the island; houses blown off foundations, roofs torn off, down trees making roads impassable, and no running water or electricity for months. For Villa Del Rio, the worst thing may have been the isolation. For eight months, no one from the U.S. or Puerto Rican Government showed up to help. The community of Villa Del Rio was on its own. That meant rebuilding houses, fixing power lines, clearing roads, and sourcing clean water. It meant putting the community’s needs before the individual’s. 

There are so many things that we want our 8th graders to take away from their service learning field experience in Puerto Rico. The confidence from succeeding in an environment well outside their comfort zone. The reward of doing hard manual work shoulder-to-shoulder with those rebuilding their lives. The understanding that even in a community that has lost so much, generosity, kindness, and warmth are still a key part of the social fabric. 

But the stories from people like Angel created the most significant moments.

Angel and his wife Maria were one of the founders of Villa Del Rio. He and his family had homesteaded in a tent for years until the Puerto Rican government issued land deeds. As a carpenter, he built his house from the ground up and raised his family. On September 20th, 2017, Hurricane Maria ripped the roof off his house and drenched his family’s possessions.

After the hurricane, Angel and his family lived under a flimsy blue tarp that covered what was once a beautifully crafted wooden roof. While Angel could have chosen to repair his roof after the storm, he saw others in his community that had greater need. Over the next four years, Angel used his carpentry skills to help his neighbors pick themselves up and rebuild while still sleeping under a leaky tarp roof. It was only when GlobalWorks insisted that the next project be his home that the tarp was replaced with a concrete roof. 

To work alongside people as selfless as Angel was transformational. It was a masterclass in the power of gratitude, love, and putting others first. Most of all, though, it was a life lesson in the power of a single individual to make the world a better place. 

With gratitude,

David

If you’d like to learn more about our students’ experience from their perspective, click here.

#HeadsCorner #SaklanFieldExperience

Holiday Cards

In honor of Giving Tuesday, all Saklan students participated in a project to spread joy within the Moraga community. Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement that aims to unleash the power of people to transform their communities and the world, and to build a world where generosity is part of everyday life. Using their creative talents our Preschool – 8th grade students crafted holiday greeting cards for our neighbors at Moraga Royale, a senior living community just around the corner from Saklan.  

The cards the students made reflected great effort and care, and they were very happily received by our neighbors!

#SaklanCompassionate #SaklanCreative

Winter Weather

Brrrr! With the weather getting so cold and icy in the mornings, the Owlets have been very interested in winter weather. Taking their lead from the students’ interest, the teachers read Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by Kenard Pak and No Two Alike by Keith Baker, aloud to the class. The Owlets learned that snowflakes are unique, which means they are all different, just like people! The students made snowflakes using different mediums: pipe cleaners and beads which they hung on their classroom tree, and white crayon and watercolor to make resistance paintings.

The Owlets have been practicing their creative storytelling. They read The Gingerbread Man, and then each Owlet collaged their own gingerbread person and made up a story about them. They also made melted snowmen art and told stories about how their snowman melted. The students were proud to have their art, and the stories they represent, hung up in their classroom!

#SaklanCreative

Seeking Auction Swag

Saklan’s Auction Committee is looking to acquire irresistible auction items for our upcoming Auction Fiesta! Here are a few specific things we are looking for:

  • Vacation homes – Do you have or know someone with a vacation property, timeshare or other access to destination properties? 
  • Event Tickets – Do you have season passes for the Giants, A’s, Warriors, theatre, symphony, or live music venues?
  • Adventure Experiences – Hot Air Ballooning, Horseback Riding, and Cooking Classes are always popular items. 
  • Wine – Do you belong to a winery and have a few extra bottles of your favorite Cab you would be willing to part with for a good cause?
  • Gift Cards – Your unused gift cards can enhance a basket of themed goods.
  • Parent Socials – Are you willing to host a dinner or party at your house?

Please let us know if you have any other ideas for amazing auction items. As our mission says, think creatively! Click here to download the complete the donor form online, or email ewilliamson@saklan.org to give the committee the 411!

Volunteers Needed! 

Saklan is looking for volunteers to help us procure great auction items and plan the event! We have roles big and small, including reaching out to potential donors (generally via email to local businesses you love to visit!), helping with decor, and setting up for the auction. Click here to see available volunteer positions. 

Want to help with the event but don’t see a role that suites you? Email Emily at ewilliamson@saklan.org and let her know. 

#SaklanAuction

Food Drive Success

Thank you to everyone who contributed to our food drive in support of Monument Crisis Center. Together as a community we were able to supply a holiday meals to 15 families in need. Additionally, many more cans of soups and veggies are being donated to help others as well.

Special thanks to the Student Council for sorting and counting all the donated items.

A big thank you to the all students who helped decorate the boxes and to those who helped pack and load the boxes.

Thank you to the PA for their help with this project, especially to Erin Moorhead and Amy Perkins for providing the boxes to pack the items in, and to Lolo O’Keefe for delivering the boxes to Monument Crisis Center.

#SaklanCompassionate