Christa McAuliffe School

💙 Happy Father’s Day to all the incredible Dads & Father figures 💙

At McAuliffe, we celebrate fathers in special ways. 💙 Across the grades, students spend time creating meaningful gifts, poems, songs, performances, and little moments filled with love and appreciation for their amazing dads. 🩵

Our kindergarteners celebrated Father’s Day through a special McA tradition that left every dad smiling with pride. 💞

They practiced, rehearsed, learned songs, wrote, crafted, baked, and poured their hearts into every detail. ❤️

They set together with their dads — eye to eye, heart to heart. They handed them poem they wrote about them, they read, they laughed, they sang, they danced, they even acted out a story together… and laughed some more. 😄🥹

Some of the deepest learning can happen through connection, community, and gratitude.✨💗

———

Christa McAuliffe School
📍 Public TK–8 CUSD school • Saratoga
Progressive Education. Joyful, rigorous learning since 1971.
🔗 mcauliffe.cusdk8.org

🎓 Graduation Reflections: From Our Incredible 8th Graders ❤️

Each 8th grader had just 90 seconds to somehow capture their years at McAuliffe.

Their reflections were authentic, funny, heartfelt, and a powerful reminder of the incredible young people they have become. One of those moments where you find yourself thinking, “Wow, look at these kids.” 🤍

This one is about belonging in a community, building confidence, resilience, and finding your voice ✨

❤️ “McAuliffe has felt like a second home to me.”

🧡 “A community where I can learn and grow without feeling judged.”

💛 “I came here in Kindergarten shy and afraid. I didn’t even know how to speak English. Now, in 8th grade, I’m a much more confident and passionate version of myself.”

💚 “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

🩵 “If McAuliffe taught me anything, it’s that I can do hard things.”

How lucky are we to have been part of their journey.💜

—-

Christa McAuliffe School
📍 Public TK–8 CUSD school • Saratoga
Progressive Education. Joyful, rigorous learning since 1971.
📅 Next Open Enrollment window: stay tuned
🔗 mcauliffe.cusdk8.org

🎓 Once Little Jaguars, Now Incredible Young People✨
❤️ We’ll Miss Them So Much ❤️

This Friday, our school community came together to celebrate, cheer on, and admire our 8th graders as they prepare for their next adventure in high school.

There was laughter, music, proud tears, and so much love as students shared speeches they had written themselves and performed 3 songs they had chosen and prepared as a class together with our incredible Music Teacher, Kevin. Every student had a part to play — singing or playing an instrument — creating a performance that reflected the friendship, courage, and community they built over the years. They opened with the song - “You can Count on me” 🩵

Looking around the audience, it was impossible not to feel what makes this TK–8 community so special. Younger students cheered them on, families across grades celebrated them, and alumni returned to share in this meaningful milestone.

Some of these students have been Jaguars for most of their childhood. Others joined our community later along the way. No matter when they arrived, each one has left their mark on our school, helped shape our community, and become an important part of the McAuliffe story.

These are young people we have watched grow, learn, stumble, persevere, discover who they are, and find their own unique path.

We are so proud of who they have become, and so excited to see who they become next. Once a Jaguar, always a Jaguar. 💙💚

Congratulations, Class of 2026. We will miss you so much, and we can’t wait to see all the wonderful things ahead of you. ❤️

Christa McAuliffe School
📍 Public TK–8 CUSD school • Saratoga
Progressive Education. Joyful, rigorous learning since 1971.
📅 Open Enrollment: June 8th.
🔗 mcauliffe.cusdk8.org

💛 Parents Appreciation Lunch 🩵
One of our beautiful McAuliffe traditions!

Every year, our staff cooks and hosts a homemade appreciation lunch for our parent community, a heartfelt way of saying we’re grateful for you. ❤️

From homemade dishes lovingly prepared by staff, to handmade signs and heartfelt messages made by students across all grades, to older students helping set up 🙌🏼 it is truly a community effort, made for our community.

Our parents are an important part of our promise to our kids: a meaningful learning environment within a supportive village, where children are challenged, feel they belong, build confidence, and have the space to thrive as learners and humans.

This lunch is one small reflection of the partnership, care, and village that surrounds our kids.

To our incredible parents — thank you. We couldn’t do it without you. 💙💚

—
📅 Next Open Enrollment: June 8, 2026 — with some openings still available for this coming year!

Christa McAuliffe School
📍 Public TK–8 CUSD school • Saratoga
Progressive Education. Joyful, rigorous learning since 1971.
🔗 mcauliffe.cusdk8.org

Our One-of-a-Kind Art Show 🎨✨

One of McAuliffe’s all-time favorite traditions is our annual Art Show.

Once a year, our school transforms into a real art gallery — filled with creativity, imagination, and personality.

Every class showcases unique projects they’ve worked on throughout the year. No two pieces are alike. Each child brings their own ideas, expression, perspective, and artistic style into their work 💛

Our whole community comes together to walk the halls, admire the creativity, and celebrate the individuality of every child.

A huge thank-you to our incredible parent volunteers, who lead art in every classroom and make all of this possible ❣️

—
Christa McAuliffe School
📍 Public TK–8 CUSD school • Saratoga
Progressive Education • Joyful, rigorous learning since 1971
📅 Next Open Enrollment: June 8th, 2026

“A local middle school teacher shared that McAuliffe students stand out in how easily they pick up Geometry. They’ve clearly built a deep conceptual understanding of math.
It’s clear that at McAuliffe, the focus is on truly understanding, not just chasing grades.”

— McAuliffe 7th Grade Alumni Parent 💙

What does that look like at McAuliffe?

📊 Strong academics: 97th percentile nationally (NWEA), most 8th graders take Algebra before high school.

🧑‍🎓McAuliffe is an assigned Lynbrook feeder (a high-performing high school)
Our progressive model prepares students not only to love learning — but also to succeed in rigorous academic environments afterward.

🌱 Whole-child growth - Beginning in 4th grade, students lead their own conferences, building:
• Leadership skills
• Self-reflection and self-awareness
• Ownership of their learning
• Goal setting and follow-through
• Self-advocacy and communication
• Collaboration, teamwork, and partnership

These are the kinds of skills we consistently hear alumni families mention long after graduation.

At McAuliffe, we believe academic rigor and whole-child development are not opposites — they strengthen each other.

And our students continue to show that when kids feel engaged, supported, and connected to their learning, they can both love school and thrive academically.

———-
Christa McAuliffe School
📍 Public TK–8 CUSD school • Saratoga
Progressive Education • Joyful, rigorous learning since 1971

📅 Next Tour: May 18th • 9:00–11:30