Silver Oak Elementary School's STEAM Lab opened in March 2017. It was the first dedicated STEAM lab in Evergreen School District. "We want children to have 21st century skills in science, technology, engineering, art and math. Our STEAM Lab offers our kindergarten through 6th grade students fun, exciting, hands-on ways to explore these subjects. The projects they will work on will strengthen students' abilities to be creative and flexible problem-solvers," explains Silver Oak Principal Howie Greenfield.

Our lab offers students in all grades the ability to learn introductory STEAM concepts and activities that are age and grade appropriate.

With Silver Oak PTO donations and Measure M monies, the STEAM Lab is colorfully outfitted, wired for the latest technology, and equipped with materials and tools so students can take advantage of a space that promotes working on group projects. The lab has a laser cutter and 3D printer and cardboard and wood building tools including glue guns, cardboard cutters, and drills. Various software and hardware kits are used in teaching technology lessons aligned to Next Gen science standards.

Lead Volunteer Needed for This Program
Please email silveroakstemprograms@gmail.com if you're interested in bringing this program back to Silver Oak!

Science Olympiad is nationwide competition where students compete in topics including earth science, biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering. Science Olympiad is designed to increase a student’s interest in STEM fields and provide recognition for outstanding achievement in team events. We're excited to host the Bay Area Elementary Regional Science Olympiad Tournament for 2025. Below is the information for this current academic year's competition.

List of Events:

• Entomology: Students will be asked to identify insects and selected immature insects by order and family, answer questions about insects, and use or construct a dichotomous key

• Metric Mastery: Teams estimate and measure properties of objects including mass, area, volume, distance, and time

• Mousetrap Car: Teams design, build, and test a vehicle that uses a single mousetrap as its sole means of propulsion to reach a target point as accurately as possible

• Pasta Tower: Using only the materials given, build the tallest tower that can support an unknown mass in a cup

• Solar System: Teams will demonstrate understanding and knowledge of planet formation and structures in our solar system

• Teamwork: The whole team participates in a team science and activity relay race

• Write It Do It: One participant will write a description of an object and how to build it. The other participant will attempt to construct the object from this description.

At Silver Oak, we are introducing a rigorous 5 weeks after school program, from March May, Fridays from 2:15-3:45pm, that will help team/s to work on their project and be ready to compete in the tournament. This program requires additional preparation time on weekends. 

Bay Area Elementary Tournament Competition will be in May!

Parents commitment is required to ensure all members of the team attend all the sessions and preparation meetings.

Silver Oak's Math Olympiad Team

A team of about 35 Silver Oak Math Olympiad students meet weekly to learn different problem solving techniques and practice solving non-typical math problems. The Math Olympiad contest consists of 5 exams held once a month from November to March. Exams cover advanced math problems and have the same paper for 4th, 5th and 6th graders. For more details, please contact Silver Oak parent volunteers at silveroakmoems@gmail.com.

• Registration will OPEN on September 21, 2025 and close as soon as capacity is reached or by Tuesday September 30, 2025
• Registration cost: $50 for PTO Pledge Members | $75 for Non PTO Pledge Members. Cost covers expenses for the entire year of instruction. This fee is not refundable. Please ensure only one parent registers. 
• Classes will BEGIN on Friday, October 3, 2025 from 7:00a.m.–7:55a.m. at Silver Oak. Room numbers will be shared after registration is closed. 
• Duration – From October 3, 2025 to March 20, 2026. Classes will be held every Friday morning from 7:00a.m.–7:55a.m.
• Max capacity is 35 students. Please register your student in the Waitlist if Max capacity is reached
• Volunteers are needed to coach. Please click here if you’re interested in volunteering 

Only students who are willing to regularly attend the in–person classes and commit to participate in all 5 contests should register for this program.

Math Olympiad Test Dates: No make-ups allowed. Final Test dates.

Contest 1 : November 14, 2025
Contest 2 : December 12, 2025
Contest 3 : January 23, 2026
Contest 4 : February 13, 2026
Contest 5 : March 13, 2026

For information about the Math Olympiad program, Click Here.

For questions regarding Math Olympiad at Silver Oak, email:  silveroakmoems@gmail.com.

Math Olympiad Recognition Page

Congratulations to all of the students who participated!

Silver Oak PTO extends a heartfelt congratulations to all of the students who participated in the 2025-2026 Math Olympiad. Your hard work, enthusiasm, and commitment to problem-solving are truly commendable!

Silver Oak Elementary School received a TEAM AWARD PLAQUE for being in the TOP 10%!

The MOEM awards were distributed as described below:

Here are the Top 20%

Congratulations to Vihaan O. and Ishaan I., who each earned a Highest Individual Score award with an impressive score of 24 and 23, respectively, out of 25!

Thank You for Making STEAM Night a Spooktacular Event!

What an unforgettable STEAM Night we had on Thursday, October 16! The energy and excitement were truly contagious as our students explored, created, and discovered the wonders of science, technology, engineering, art, and math. None of this would have been possible without the amazing support of so many people.

A Special Thank You to Our Teen Volunteers from STEMConnect group!
We want to extend our sincerest gratitude to our STEMConnect teen volunteers who were the backbone of the event. Their enthusiasm and leadership in running the different stations inspired our younger students and made each activity a fun and engaging learning experience. STEMConnect teens dedication made a huge difference. They are all phenomenal role models! 

Their efforts helped everything run smoothly, from setting up the exhibits to guiding families and cleaning up. From robotic demonstrations, programming , to making binary code bracelets, complex topics were simplified and made interesting to our children. In the process of building 3D structures with Gumdrops, building a tower with index cards, children explored architectural concepts hands-on. Children had fun and did learning simultaneously by hearing heartbeats and drawing rainbows. As balloons zoomed, the question of ‘why’ got triggered in young minds. Importance of handwashing was emphasized thru UV light/glowgerm solution on how germs still stick around if proper hygiene isn’t followed. Bird beaks were understood by a hands-on activity. Secret message was written on yellow paper to be revealed when written with another substance. Concept of Acids and Bases were practically shown. Math jitters vanished as the concepts were explained doing Math Art with string and graph! Ancient techniques of Origami, paper cutting into patterns and weaving a spider web just showed on how art is an integral part of STEAM learning! 

STEMCONNECT appreciates any feedback you may have!
Please click here to provide your comments, concerns or appreciation!

To all the parents who donated their time, resources, and energy, thank you!

Thank you, Mai Tran for helping with all the setup and also patiently help grow rainbows with young students! Sirisha for helping weave spider webs with yarn and helping with setup along with Shelly! Tezaswi Raja & family for conducting the Acid/Base demonstrations and fascinating young kids with the Menthos/Coke demonstration!

Silver Oak PTO is deeply grateful for the family who sponsored the station of making individual Light Sabers for all our students! We are so grateful for your generosity and commitment to our school community. Thank you Cara Hayes & family along with Sandra Champagne for the incredible experience! Kids had a blast all while learning about properties of light! It was fantastic!

A huge shout-out to Mrs. Pakel for her unwavering support at our Spooktacular STEAM Night. Mrs. Pakel’s presence at the event made it even more special for our students and families. Her leadership and commitment to PTO sponsored events are truly commendable!

Thank you to all our families for attending STEAM Night!

Silver Oak PTO appreciates your continued support of our programs! We hope you and your children had a fantastic time exploring all the activities.

If you're interested in helping out at next year's STEAM Night or other STEAM programs, contact silveroakstemprograms@gmail.com.

Activities at STEAM Night 10/16:

To see photos from last year's event Click Here.

2025 - 2026 Math Kangaroo Preparation Classes are Available!

Math Kangaroo preparation classes are now available for registration. Thanks to parent volunteers for their willingness to teach our students, these classes will be offered on Friday afternoons after school for a small nominal fee.

Please remember to complete registration on Math Kangaroo website. Math Kangaroo Prep classes registration is offered only to students registered for the 2026 Math Kangaroo exam. 

Contact silveroakmathkangaroo@gmail.com for any questions.

About Math Kangaroo
Math Kangaroo is a popular international math competition for students in 1st through 12th grade. It promotes math among students worldwide and encourages students to master mathematical knowledge.

The Math Kangaroo exam is usually held in March each year. Silver Oak School volunteers coordinate the logistics to have the MK exam conducted at the school. There is a nominal registration fee payable to MK directly to participate in this exam.

The format of this test is as follows:

• 75 Minute multiple choice test
• 24 Questions for students in grades 1 to 4
• 30 Questions for students in grades 5 to 12

Benefits:

• Students learn mathematics, improve their math scores, and develop enthusiasm for math and logic reasoning.
• School receives a small gift - toy, and postcards for ALL participants before the competition that are distributed on the day of the test after the exam has been written. This year there will be NO MK T-Shirts.
• The school receives medals, ribbons, awards, and certificates for winners after the competition that are given out at the Silver Oak Year End Math Awards Ceremony. 

Registration: Click here or the button below to register. Upon registration confirmation, a Math Kangaroo code will be provided along with instructions to register on the Math Kangaroo website.

Time Frame:
The registration fee is $18 per student ( Sep 15 – Dec 31)
The late registration fee is $35 per student ( Jan 1- Feb 1)
 
Exam Date: March 19, 2026 from 3:00 - 4:15 PM at Silver Oak School
 
Eligibility: Silver Oak Students in Grades 1 – 6
 
Cost: TBD per student payable directly to Math Kangaroo once the pre-registration with Silver Oak is completed. The registration form will open in October 2025
 
Max capacity: 90 students

Optional classes conducted by Parent Volunteers for children in grades 1- 6 can happen at Silver Oak. Parents please reach out to the MK Team at silveroakmathkangaroo@gmail.com to volunteer. 

There are 3 grade groups in Math Kangaroo exams for Grades 1 - 6:

• 1st group - Grade 1 & 2
• 2nd group - Grade 3 & 4
• 3rd group - Grade 5 & 6

Math Kangaroo Recognition Page 2026

Silver Oak PTO would like to thank all the students who participated in the Math Kangaroo 2026 this year. We are proud of your dedication towards the study of Mathematics. Congratulations to all the winners and participants!

Here are the key statistics:

• Over 60,500 students in the United States from all participating states.
• 72 students from Silver Oak Elementary School finished in the National Top 98 Ranks
• 30 ranked nationally in the Top 51-98 ranks
• 14 ranked nationally in the Top 41-50 ranks
• 9 ranked nationally in the Top 31-40 ranks
• 11 ranked nationally in the Top 21-30 ranks
• 8 ranked nationally in the Top 20 ranks

The details of the Top 30 rank holders is listed below. Congratulations to all the Silver Oak winners who made it to the Top 30 in the Nation!

The Primary Programmers class, led by parent volunteer Jeff Harrell, concluded on Tuesday, May 28, 2026.

Since March 17, the class met every Tuesday morning from 7:15 a.m. to 8:05 a.m. Throughout the term, each student developed their own game, and on the final day, they presented their creations to their parents.

The Silver Oak PTO sincerely appreciates Jeff Harrell’s time, dedication, and patience in providing such an engaging learning experience for our students.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Course Description

Primary Programmers is open for 4th, 5th & 6th grade students where students will learn basic programming concepts using a standard programming language, Scratch.

Scratch is the world’s largest coding community for children and a coding language with a simple visual interface that allows young people to create digital stories, games, and animations. Scratch promotes computational thinking and problem solving skills; creative teaching and learning; self-expression and collaboration; and equity in computing.

(estimated: max 25 students)

Dates & Times

Primary Programmers  - Tuesdays from March 17 – May 26 from 7:15 a.m. to 8:05 a.m.

Every week except school holidays. The room information will be provided before classes begin.
 

Check Back Later for Registration Details for the

2026 - 2027 School Year

Registration: Students may be registered online on a first-come, first-served basis until capacity is reached. If your student misses registration, or a desired class is full, please send an email to silveroakstemprograms@gmail.com with the student's name, grade, teacher, to get on the waiting list.

Grades:  Open to Silver Oak 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students

Fees: Suggested donation $20 per student (members pricing) $25 (non member pricing)