Danny Meyer owns and runs a group of New York City restaurants, most famously Union Square Café and Gramercy Tavern; his new book is called Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business. It came to my attention via another recommendation I have, Head Butler, at www.headbutler.com . Check it out; the head butler serves up suggestions daily to enrich your cultural life, from music to literature to movies. Sign up for the daily email; it is terrific.

As the Head Butler writes, Setting the Table is “a business book that should be read --- like: today! --- by anyone whose livelihood involves face-to-face encounters with customers.” Restaurants are not about the food, really; they are about the people, and how you are made to feel. Service is something that happens “to you;” hospitality is when something happens “for you.”

Meyer’s goals include making a restaurant earn a “shared ownership” with its customers. At times in the book he almost seems obsessive in his desire to know more about his customers. He tracks customers closely via their reservations, and gets daily reports on where, when, with whom, and what they are eating; Santa Clause has nothing on Danny Meyer. (He calls all this data by the innocent designation of “dots;” I will leave it to others to determine if his “dot collecting” conforms to generally accepted principles of privacy or not.) But his purpose is thereby to “know” each customer, and make each feel known, recognized, connected. And when they do, they share an ownership of a restaurant, and will take pride in referring it to friends: Come to “my” special place, they will say.

Hospitality demands both skill and warmth; the emotional warmth, at the end of the day, actually counts for a bit more than the technical skill (51%, by his reckoning). Meyer’s commitment to excellence strikes one as all-consuming, and indeed it nearly did consume him; stress struck him with Bells Palsy in the first months after opening his first restaurant. Perhaps the best chapter in the book depicts his coming to grips with a way to seek excellence without succumbing to compulsive perfectionism: “The Road to Success is Paved with Mistakes Well Handled.” Mistakes, by his reckoning, are truly opportunities to “write a great last chapter.” He calls his staff not servers but “surfers.” “Waves are like mistakes. If you choose to [surf]; there’s no point in wasting energy trying to tame the ocean of its waves. The degree to which you ride it with better form than the next guy is how you improve and distinguish yourself.” He adds to this his “Five A’s for effectively addressing mistakes: Awareness, Acknowledgement, Apology, Action, Additional Generosity.” I feel confident I am in good company when I share with you that I believe this is an area of growth and opportunity for me, and that I appreciate and admire Meyers here most of all.

Resolving to become ever more “hospitable,” and recommending to you the book Setting the Table and the website HeadButler.com, I wish you all a Happy New Year.

Jonathan E. Martin
Head of School

Jonathan E. Martin
Head of School

student scoop

Saklan Kindergarten:

key learning in a creative world

by Amy Burnett, Kindergarten Teacher

Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” That change begins in kindergarten as it is a child’s introduction into formal schooling. Kindergarten then becomes this magical place of transformation wherein they acquire essentially all of the building blocks upon which their education is constructed.

Kindergarten is a balancing act of both academic and social proportions. The social aspects of kindergarten are of paramount importance throughout the year and especially in the beginning months. Children are afforded the time to discover new interests through centers where they learn to share and socialize. They are given the freedom to make choices for themselves so they have a very tangible stake in their own learning and in their own classroom. These open-ended centers serve as springboards of creativity wherein every child is able to be successful at their own individual level. This success leads then to autonomy as well as problem-solving skills, which are so key to future academic success.

The academic aspects of kindergarten run the gamut from reading readiness to math, science, and social studies. Reading readiness in kindergarten hinges on an axis comprised of both phonics and whole language instruction. Through the Open Court Reading Program (which is used in grades K-4) sounds are learned and then manipulated through both phonemic sound and word games. At the same time the children are getting a firm base in phonics they are also learning about word identification through story, context, grammar rules, and straight memorization of sight words. The adoption of this reading program in kindergarten has seen a tremendously successful continuation into first grade because they are so well prepared and really ready to read. In kindergarten children write every day. Handwriting is taught formally with penmanship and proper letter formation being of the utmost importance. Students write and dictate stories daily. Emphasis rests heavily on the creative aspects of writing in kindergarten with the children being encouraged to create stories on topics of their own choosing and with words they sound out and spell on their own. In kindergarten what is so very important is the process that is being taught and the employment of the imagination that entails. Math is taught through the use of manipulatives as well as by the Sadlier Oxford Math Program (which is also used throughout the elementary school). In kindergarten the students learn a vast array of mathematical skills including number recognition and formation, counting both in sequential numerical order and by 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s to 100, about shapes, spatial relationships, and simple addition and subtraction- just to name a few.

Throughout the lower elementary school we teach through interactive and interdisciplinary “themed” units. What that means is as we are learning about butterflies, for example, we are not only learning about the scientific stages of butterflies but also reading and writing stories about them, learning about symmetry in math, talking about where they live and how they migrate, as well as drawing and painting them and many many more things. In teaching in this way you fortify information retention because it weaves a story interactively through the right and left hemispheres of their brains. In kindergarten we call this weaving our “net”. We weave our nets of information, we learn, and we have so much fun doing it.

It is so absolutely true what Hodding Carter says, “There are two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One is roots; the other, wings.” This is what is happening in kindergarten. They are given the academic roots and the social wings to be able to successfully and triumphantly navigate their school careers. What more could you ask for than that?

auction corner

Dear Saklan Families,
DREAM BIG…THE WORLD AWAITS!

The Auction Committee has been DREAMING BIG for months and we are so excited about our 2007 Annual Auction. We have some BIG changes this year too….an online auction, an international wine tasting, an unforgettable auctioneer and a terrific live band for dancing. The “Party” will be at Round Hill Country Club again this year. Round Hill is such a gorgeous facility, the food is absolutely delicious and the service is tops….it’s a perfect venue for our elegant evening together.

Do you know how important the auction is for our school? The annual giving campaign and the auction are Saklan’s only major fundraisers. Together they contribute about 12% of the school’s gross revenue. As a non-profit, Saklan operates on a very lean and closely-balanced budget. Can you believe our tuitions don’t cover it all? Not even close! The other independent schools to which we compare ourselves, in nearly every case, have both larger average class sizes and higher tuitions, sometimes significantly in one or both cases.  We do not have an endowment to draw upon, nor do we have any outside funding sources.   We are dependent upon the extra funds raised from Annual Giving and the Auction to be able to fill in the gap and continue to support the excellent education being provided to our children. The parents at Saklan have traditionally been incredible givers….and, at Saklan, we have fun with our giving! Our 2007 Auction is all about FUN. This year, we want to have more time socializing at our evening event, so we are taking many of our donations to an Online Auction. For 10 days in March, we will have the online auction available for your bidding. This is a great opportunity to broaden our audience, as well. You can invite your friends and family to visit our online site and bid on anything they want. Imagine sitting at home in your sweats, pj’s or favorite comfy clothes, perusing at your leisure an incredible array of goods and services. You will be able to check the status of your bid throughout the week and make sure you are the high bidder in the end. The biggest winner is Saklan Valley School!

In addition to the online auction, we will still have a smaller Silent Auction at Round Hill on March 24th. This will include all of the wonderful class baskets and beautiful hand-made art projects done by the kids, as well as anything you just have to see and touch (like jewelry, clothing, art etc…). And, of course, we will have our Live Auction, which will include all of the priceless items and opportunities like parties, trips and the coveted personal parking space.

Now, regarding DONATIONS…..you knew that was coming, right? At Saklan we ask for 100% parent participation in the auction donations. It’s because of your generosity that our auction is always so successful. So THANK YOU (in advance) for your contributions. This year, we want you to DREAM BIG when considering your donations. In January I’ll be giving you all sorts of ideas, but in the meantime, please be thinking about what you enjoy…..tickets to sporting events and theater, hosting a party, vacation homes (I wish I had one to donate!), babysitting services, spa treatments, etc. and donate that. How about donating those holiday gifts you planned on returning?

Consider, too, your personal contacts, business or friends, and what they might offer. We want you to think outside of the box….for example, this week I asked a local clothing designer for a donation (Mycra Pac makes fashionable coats for Nordstrom and high-end boutiques around the country) They gave me a gorgeous raincoat off their rack. Then I asked if we could get a tour as well. So, they donated a “Behind the Seams” Tour with a Fashion Designer. Ten students will tour the design department and learn all about the process of designing a garment, choosing fabrics, manufacturing and shipping to customers. Priceless! And that’s just the beginning! Just wait until you see all of the fabulous items and opportunities in store. Please think about your career and expertise and what you can offer this year.

Of course, we also LOVE cash donations to help underwrite our expenses, so if that works best for you, go for it. As I said, we need all of the parents to participate in the donation process in whatever way they can.

Do you have your 2007 calendar yet? Here are three important dates we want you to write in pen!

February 28th DONATIONS Deadline We need donations in early this year so we have time to write the descriptions and upload them to our online website. This year we will be holding a raffle at the Friday flag on March 2nd. You will receive a raffle ticket for each donation you give or solicit from a local business. You won’t want to miss out! More details on that soon.

March 9th to 19th ONLINE Auction Keep your schedule open so you have time to bid! We will have an easy link to the auction site via our Saklan website.

March 24th LIVE Auction, Silent Auction, Wine Tasting, Dinner and Dancing Don’t miss this special evening…it is sure to be one of the highlights of the year.

This year we want EVERYONE to come to the evening auction. You are encouraged to invite friends and relatives…the more the merrier! We promise it will be an unforgettable evening. Yes, it’s all about the kids…but auction night is for the grown ups! Don’t spend money on a new gown or tuxedo…save your dollars for the bidding. Come in cocktail/semi-formal attire…whatever makes you comfortable…just don’t wear the pj’s you wore for the online auction! You can get donation forms and more auction information on our website. And if you have any questions, please call any of us….

We are Dreaming BIG,
Kathy Franklin
Vicki Filter
Michelle Thimesch

board corner

Dear Saklan Parents and Community Members:
In keeping with our goal of providing regular information to our community about the health of our school, we are happy to once again make the school’s annual independently audited financial statement for your review. To access the audit online, visit saklan.org/audit.pdf.

We are proud of our continued success in strengthening our school’s financial position and to invest in the school’s infrastructure. We have successfully made the transition from the significant difficulties we faced only 5 years ago to a position of financial sustainability today through prudent and balanced efforts to manage cash, invest in the future and grow enrollment. A few highlights from the annual audit include the following:

> As you can see in the Table I below, the school’s net asset position, the not-for-profit equivalent of net equity in a commercial enterprise, has improved dramatically since 2004. This means our school is stronger and more sustainable than it has been in many years.

Table I: Total Net Assets (‘equity’ in the business)

2004 - > $70 K Up $20 K over 2003 2005 - > $286 K Up $216K over 2004 2006 - > $466 K Up $180K up over 2005

> Deferred tuition (as you can see in Table II) reflects the amount of revenue booked on June 30 for the upcoming year. Its growth shows growing strength in enrollment each year – and the continuing commitment of families to Saklan. Our goal is to have each year’s June 30 bookings reflect full enrollment for the following year.

Table: II: Deferred Tuition and Fees

2004 -> $1,237 K Up 43% from 2003 2005 -> $1,797 K Up 42% over 2004 2006 -> $1,869 K Up 4% over 2005

> In Table III, we highlight our growing liquidity by looking at our ratio of current assets to current liabilities. This growth increases our ability to be flexible in meeting changing requirements and conditions going forward, and to respond easily to unexpected challenges. Our goal is to reach parity over time.

Table III: Current Ratio

2004 - > .73 2005 - > .88 2006 - > .91

> In Table IV, we show how we continue to invest in the school’s infrastructure even as we have significantly strengthened our financial position. Our goal is to invest enough each year to make notable and tangible improvements to our plant

Table IV: Investments in Plant and Equipment

Audit 2004 -> $51 K Audit 2005 -> $134 K Audit 2006 -> $152 K

Saklan takes pride in its sound financial management practices.  These efforts are led by the Board and its Finance Committee, and managed with care and diligence by Head of School Jonathan Martin and Business Manager Mary Johnson.  We are pleased with the progress we have made, and to share this year’s audit with you.  In sum, the state of the school’s finances is good.  And we are doing our best to keep it that way for future generations of students. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to direct inquiries to Jonathan Martin.

John Macauley on behalf of

Your Board of Trustees,

Diane Wilcox, Chair
Annie Barendregt, Vice-Chair
Paul Felton
Stephanie Brandt
Kate Dey
Jennifer Griessel
Marc Gordon
John Macauley
Betsy Hill
Lisa Rokas
Marcela Salem
Bill Vaughn
Joan Jump
Ruth Bailey
Jonathan Martin, Head of School