The Dorris-Eaton School

🐌✨ A magical morning with author Dashka Slater!

As part of our Young Authors' Program, our TK–2nd grade students gathered on the San Ramon campus for an unforgettable assembly with acclaimed children's author Dashka Slater ().

Dressed in cozy pajamas and a nightcap to match her newest release, "Good Night, Escargot" (the fifth book in the beloved Escargot series - illustrated by Sydney Hanson ), Ms. Slater brought the story to life with delightful character voices — including a charming French accent that had our students giggling from start to finish.

But the fun didn't stop at story time. She also led a "very scientific snail identification" lesson, teaching our young scientists some surprising facts — like how snails experience the world through their tentacles! And in one of the morning's most inspiring moments, she shared stories she wrote when she was about the same age as the children in the room — a wonderful reminder that great authors start young, and that every child's story matter. ✍️

The hands shot up, the questions poured in, and the imaginations ran wild. Thank you, Dashka Slater, for sharing your stories and your time with our young readers and writers!

🎨✍️ Celebrating Our Young Voices for Peace! 🕊️

We're proud to share that several of our middle school students were recognized by the Mt. Diablo Peace and Justice Center in their annual art and writing contest. This year's theme asked students to reflect on a powerful question: "What does working for a peaceful and just world mean to you?"

Their thoughtful, heartfelt responses remind us why this work matters. Congratulations to all of our honorees! 👏

✍️ Creative Writing
🥇 1st Place — Anya (Gr. 8), "Again and Again"
🥉 3rd Place — Veer (Gr. 7), "Palm of Peace"
🏅 Honorable Mention — Zelin (Gr. 8), "Half the World"
🏅 Honorable Mention — Samir (Gr. 7), "If Not Us, Then Who?"

📝 Essay
🥈 2nd Place — Dom (Gr. 8), "What a Peaceful and Just World Means to Me"
🏅 Honorable Mention — Kevin (Gr. 8), "What Does Working for a Peaceful and Just World Mean to Me"
🏅 Honorable Mention — Elton (Gr. 7), "What a Peaceful World Means to Me"
🏅 Honorable Mention — Avi (Gr. 7), "A Little Bit of Good"

🎨 Art
🏅 Honorable Mention — Penny (Gr. 6), "Fushimi Inari" — pictured proudly with her beautiful watercolor of the iconic torii gates! 🌸

Thank you, Dorris-Eaton students — your words and art are exactly the kind of imagination the world needs. Keep dreaming, keep creating, and keep working toward a kinder world. 💛

Our 7th and 8th grade debaters competed in their fifth and final tournament of the season at Fallon Middle School — joining 156 debaters and 55 teams from nine schools. They ranked 2nd place overall to close out the year strong! 🏆

At the conclusion of each academic year, one student receives the coveted Golden Gavel Award, recognizing the top speaker average score across all five tournaments of the 2025-2026 debate season. We're proud to share that the recipient is one of our eighth-grade graduates:

🥇 Golden Gavel Award: Zelin

What a way to cap off an incredible run — congratulations, Zelin!

Eight Dorris-Eaton debaters finished among the tournament's top 25 speakers:
Top Speaker Awards
2nd Place: Nathan
4th Place: Veer
9th Place: Adela
15th Place: Oliver
16th Place: Ellen
18th Place: Samir
19th Place: Katelyn
25th Place: Zoya

And two undefeated teams (4–0!) placed in the top five:

Top Team Awards
🥇 1st Place: Nathan, Katelyn & Adela
✨ 5th Place: Elise, Zelin & Effie

But beyond the trophies, what stood out all season was the way our debaters showed up for each other — discussing evidence and strategy, lifting teammates through tough rounds, and never giving up. That's .

A heartfelt thank you to our coaches and staff for their guidance and preparation all year long, and to the parents and alumni who volunteered as judges and supported the team every step of the way. Congratulations to every Dorris-Eaton debater on a memorable season — we couldn't be prouder! 👏

What a joyful way to celebrate an amazing school year! ☀️🎶🏃‍♀️🧺

Our preschoolers came together for a day full of end-of-year celebrations. Students started the morning on the playground with a Field Day full of fun stations including face painting, crazy hair, bubbles, tattoos, and water tables. Later in the day, families joined us for a picnic lunch and musical performance by our music teacher, Mr. George.

From morning laughter on the playground to singing and dancing together at the family picnic, it was a beautiful reminder of the friendships, growth, and memories made throughout the year.

Thank you to our incredible teachers, families, and students for making this school year so special. We are so proud of our little learners and can’t wait to see what adventures await them next! ❤️

Sixth grade Honors Pre-Algebra students took their math outside the classroom for a hands-on measurement investigation called "How Big Is That Banner?"

Working in small groups, they built inclinometers from simple materials and used them to measure angles of elevation and calculate what banner dimensions would fit the school's front entrance. Applying both trigonometric ratios and proportional reasoning, they tackled the problem using two methods — then compared their results to identify sources of measurement error.

The project wrapped up with a slideshow presentation in which students explained their methodology, walked through their trig calculations, and connected their work to real-world fields like architecture, construction, and surveying.

👁️ Protecting our children's vision starts with small daily habits.

Dr. Maria Liu, Professor of Optometry & Vision Science at UC Berkeley, presented a seminar on children's eye health in the digital age.

Here are some key takeaways we learned:

☀️ Go outside during breaks — even 5 minutes of looking at distant objects helps. Leave the phone inside.
⏱️ Take a break every 30–45 min of focused screen or reading time.
🌙 Avoid screens 30–60 min before bed.
🚗 Avoid reading in the car — it's especially hard on young eyes.
📺 Bigger screens are easier on the eyes. Airplane seatback screens are among the worst.
👓 If your child wears glasses, keep them on. Contact lens wearers need regular checkups and good hygiene.
🥕 Carrots improving your vision is a myth — no single food will protect your child's eyesight. A balanced diet overall is what matters.

Myopia in children is rising fast, and earlier onset means greater lifetime risk. Awareness and simple daily habits make a real difference. 💙

Clipboards in hand, eyes wide open — our Kindergartners took their science skills outside the classroom and into the Gardens at Heather Farms.

They spotted pollinators in action, discovered caterpillars up close, and yes, one very brave explorer had a ladybug land right on his hand. Lunch in the fresh air and time on the playground rounded out a day full of wonder.

Some lessons are best learned in the sunshine.

We are proud of our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students who recently competed in the AMC 10 — a prestigious national mathematics competition open to students in 10th grade and below.

Our middle school students challenged themselves by taking the AMC 10A and/or AMC 10B exams, tackling 25 college-prep-level math problems in 75 minutes — competing among approximately 31,000 AMC 10A and 25,000+ AMC 10B students.

Here are the results:
AMC 10A
• Lucy (grade 7) - School Winner | Certificate of Achievement & Distinction | Top 10% Nationally | AIME Qualifier
• Frederick (grade 6) - 2nd Place | Top 25% Nationally
• Lauren (grade 6) - 3rd Place | Top 25% Nationally

AMC 10B
• Lucy (grade 7) - School Winner | Certificate of Achievement | Top 10% Nationally
• Lauren (grade 6) - 2nd Place | Top 25% Nationally
• Alyssa (grade 7) - 3rd Place | Top 25% Nationally

Qualifying for the AIME (American Invitational Mathematics Examination) is a remarkable achievement — only the top students nationally earn that distinction. Congratulations, Lucy!

Congratulations to ALL of our AMC participants (Adela, Aiden, Alyssa, Ciana, Frederick, Gavin, Julia, Katelyn, Lauren, Lucy, Michael, Nathan, Veer, William) for taking on this challenge!

🌊 "Wonders of Water" came to life in 3rd grade!

Students explored density by creating their own liquid towers — carefully layering honey, maple syrup, colored water, and olive oil into glass jars. The goal? Watch the science speak for itself in the form of visible, distinct layers.

But first — they had to hypothesize. Which liquid is densest? Where will a penny land? A ping pong ball? A paperclip? After observing and recording their results, students reflected on whether their predictions were correct — and why.