FRiday Note - FEbRuary-5-2010

Head's Corner

Dear Saklan Parents:

As I mentioned in the scholarship announcement, there were several details that the teachers and I needed to finalize.  We met on Wednesday to address those details and answer questions that emerged as you progressed though the process.  Below I have clarified some points, answered questions, and provided some additional information about the Academic Merit Scholarship Program.  Reminder: the Head’s Scholarship and Betty Hague Scholarship are need-based and do not have an application process, as such.  Additional information about those scholarships is available in the office.

Academic Merit Scholarships

Extended Deadline:  The application deadline has been extended to April 2nd, 2010.  The extension keeps Saklan congruent and in compliance with EBISA schools’ calendars, allows new and current students the same competitive advantage, provides additional time for interviews and faculty deliberation, and gives parents and students who had questions, time to complete the process.

Timeline-Schedule:

• Application Due Date:           Friday, April 2nd, 2010
• Interviews/Deliberation:        Monday, April 12th-Friday, April 23rd, 2010
• Notification:                            Monday, April 26th, 2010

Recommendations:  Current Saklan teachers are not eligible to write recommendations for applicants.  If a Saklan teacher wrote a reference, he or she would be required to excuse themselves from the deliberations.  We felt it more important that teachers be allowed to participate in the deliberations and advocate for all students.

Deliberations:  Teachers who teach grades 4-8 will be involved in the decision process.  This, of course, includes specialist and co-curricular teachers.

Interviews:  Students will be interviewed by one or two teachers, not the entire faculty.

Student Essay:  The person with whom you would want to have dinner must be or have been alive.  No fictional characters, although that was a GREAT question.

Application Form:  I will be revising the application form to include the information delineated above.  You can use either form.

Next Year:  We will move the timeline and requisite dates to correspond with the re-enrollment and enrollment processes.

Thank you for your understanding and patience as we hammered out the final details.  Should additional questions arise, please feel free to call or stop by the office.

David A. Hague
Head of School

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THANK YOU TO THE HAGUE FAMILY 

I am sure the entire Saklan community joins me in expressing our deep gratitude to Dave Hague and his family for their extraordinary generosity in establishing a scholarship in honor of Dave’s mother, Mrs. Betty Hague.  Mrs. Hague has long been a strong supporter of education and her benevolence has aided many children over the years. Through their gift to Saklan, Mrs. Hague and her family will assist a deserving student take advantage of the outstanding educational opportunities that we offer.  A quality education benefits a child exponentially.  What a wonderful legacy!  Thank you so much. 

Eliza Kirkpatrick
Chair, Board of Trustees

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Auction Update

Dear Saklan Families:

Have you “Caught the Wave” to our Auction website, yet?  Surf on in for donation ideas, volunteer opportunities, and all the “inside” info about our upcoming Auction and Party on March 27...Just 49 days away!

• Congratulations to Meridian from our first grade class for winning this week’s California Connection Game! Wanna play? Swim over to our Auction blog to learn more.
• Big thanks to all Saklan Dreamers who have entered our California Dreaming Drawing Contest. Entries are due today. Contest winners will be announced at Flag on February 19.
• Auction Invitations will be in the mail next Thursday! If you want to share the fun with friends or relatives, please send us their contact information, so we can invite them personally to join us.
• Last, but not least, please keep those donations coming!

Thank you so much!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend and enjoy that California Sunshine!

Warmest regards,

Kate Dey & Carol Goldman

California Dreaming Auction Chairs

For more up to date information please check our Auction blog at http://saklan.org/auction/

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The 2009-2010 Annual Giving Fund

We Are All In This Together: Goal: $130,000 Our Annual Giving fund is our top annual fundraising priority because it helps close the gap between tuition and the increasing cost of school operations. It provides essential flexibility and maximum benefit in directing resources to the areas of greatest need, such as teacher salaries. With your generous support, we are able to retain talented faculty, support language, art and music programs and fund needed facility improvements as well as our financial aid program. We invite you to help sustain our wonderful school through your generous support of our Annual Giving Fund each year. All gifts, large and small, directly benefit current students. You donation is put to immediate use on campus for your child today! Thank you for your support of Saklan. Kate Dey Annual Giving Fund Chair

We are ALL in this Together!

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PA News Update

This article includes information about the following items:

1. 2/19 PA Meeting: Read and Discuss!
2. School Ski Trip March 12-14 at the Granlibakken Resort and Alpine Meadows in North Lake Tahoe

1) Our scheduled 2/19 PA Meeting will be an open discussion about the book, "Free-Range Kids, Giving Our Kids The Freedom We Had Without Going Nuts With Worry" by Lenore Skenazy.

In preparation for the meeting, you may find 4 copies of the book in the front office, compliments of the PA. If you do borrow a copy, please be sure to read it and return it promptly so that others may have an opportunity to read it too. You may also pick up a copy through Amazon.com. Be sure to use your escrip link!

2) A big thank you to Saklan Parent, Brian Evans, who has planned an awesome School Ski Trip for March 12 - 14 at Granlibakken Resort and Alpine Meadows in North Lake Tahoe.

You may visit the site: http://www.granlibakken.com/ for more information about the location, which has its own ski hill and is close to Alpine Meadows, off Highway 89.

Lodging:

Brian has reserved 15 rooms (for up to 40 guests) at the Granlibakken Resort with the following discounted prices:

• Standard room at $149 per night (sleeps up to 2--two twins 1 king)
• Executive Lodge Bedroom at $186 per night (sleeps up to 2--two doubles 1 king)
• Studio Unit with Fireplace and Kitchen at $252 per night (sleeps up to 2--2 twins or queen murphy)
• Suite or 1 Bedroom Townhouse with Fireplace and Kitchen at $360 per night (sleeps up to 4--2-4 beds w/2 baths)

Please note: Full Buffet Breakfast is included in room rates and Children 7 years old and under are only $25 per night total.

Alpine Meadows Discounted Group Rates:

• Adult (23-64) is $55 per lift ticket
• Young Adult (13-22) is $40 per lift ticket
• Child (5-12) is $10 per lift ticket

Please note: We have discounts on Ski School as well so please let us know if you are interested and we'll get you the rates!

If you are interested in joining other Saklan Families on this great ski outing, please RSVP by Feb 18 to ensure prices/room rates to Hillary Conlon at hcinteriors@yahoo.com. Please note, March 11 and 12 are Parent Conference days so if you plan on attending the ski trip, please schedule your Parent Conferences for Thursday or early Friday morning (depending on when you plan on joining the group).

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ADMISSIONS

2010-11 Early Re-Enrollment contracts have been mailed. Your contract clearly outlines the Payment Plan options that are available to you and is includes the 2010-11 Early Re-enrollment tuition rate. Contracts are due, signed and with a $1,500 deposit by February 26. Contracts received after the Feb. 26 deadline will be voided with the early re-enrollment rate, and the new 2010-11 tuition rate will apply. If you have any questions, please contact Debbie Parish atdparish@saklan.org

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GRANDPARENTS' DAY

Grandparents' Day 2010 is just around the corner - Wednesday, March 17th - and we are in the midst of planning a wonderful day of activities. We can't wait to share the details with you, but first we need your help to make this day a special treat for everyone! We would like to encourage all students to invite someone special to share this experience with them; a Grandparent, relative, neighbor, babysitter, family friend, or even yourself.

Here's what you can do to help:

1. Go into RenWeb ParentsWeb and review/edit/update your grandparent information. You will find this under Web Forms, Family Demographics.
2. If you would like to invite a special friend to share this day with your child/ren, please reply to Emoke Veres with their name, address and relation to the student.

You can email Emoke directly at everes@saklan.org

Thank you for your help!

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Movies Archive

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