This Week’s Hybrid School Schedule
Welcome back! Students return to the now-familiar Hybrid School Schedule.

Free Breakfast and Lunch Cafe Meals
Free breakfast and lunch meals are available during school days to all AUHSD students. These meals are “grab and go” in order to minimize lines. Meals include an entree, fruit, and milk. To ensure accurate meal counts, student IDs are scanned at meal pick-up. These free meals are courtesy of a USDA waiver. No a la carte food items will be offered at this time. Please direct any questions about this program here.

AUHSD COVID and Antibody Testing
Take advantage of AUHSD weekly testing services scheduled each Monday at one of the district’s high school campuses. Watch your email for weekly reminders and a link to make your appointment. 

Reminder: Required Health Screening
All students and all school visitors are required to complete a COVID-19 screening every day they come to school. Health screenings should be completed in the morning prior to arriving on campus. AHS recommends that students use the cell/mobile set up as it allows for a daily text reminder. Email registration is also available. 

• Pro tip: Students should screen shot their “all clear” page and use it as their home screen. This “all clear” page is required to enter campus, but the page disappears from the website after logging off.

Additional Resources

• Refer to the District website for your student’s specific schedule as determined by their Cohort.
• Visit this District webpage for the latest details regarding hybrid instruction including student schedules, FAQs, and more. 
• View the AUHSD COVID-19 Dashboard for data regarding positive cases and exposure.
• View Contra Costa County tier metrics here.

APC Grants Awarded!
We are pleased to announce that five 2021 APC Spring Grants have been awarded – these projects encourage self-regulation and wellness, celebrate school community spirit, improve our campus experience, and drive thoughtful conversations around diversity and equity. Specifically, the grants were awarded in these areas: 

• A guest speaker for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May 
• Wellness tools for each classroom to promote self regulation concerning anxiety and stress
• Signage to celebrate ACA and return to campus for in-person 
• User-friendly bulletin boards across campus to encourage easier communication from clubs, class events, and school-wide happenings 
• Refresh of our Senior Deck (a special spot on campus to celebrate all graduating seniors) to accompany the beautiful new mural that was a gift from the graduating class of 2020

Peer Tutoring: In Person and Remote
AHS Peer Tutors are ready to help their classmates in all academic subjects! The schedule for this free service is as follows:

• Mondays: all remote anytime from 10am to 3:35pm
• Tuesdays through Fridays: from 11:30am to 12:35pm and 2:05-3:20pm
  • These sessions have tutors in-person in the Peer Tutoring Room (6), as well as remote tutors. Students can stop by during the times listed below, or sign onto Zoom via the links sent on Mondays, or posted on TeachMore.

Our tutors are excited to “see” you again!

Thank you ACA Spring Campus Volunteers!
Over 60 students, parents, and community members showed up to clean up campus prior to spring break. A special thank you to event coordinator Denise Cain for ALL her work in making it such a successful event. The painting, weeding, trash pick-up, and more made a HUGE difference on campus. THANKS AGAIN!

Thursday, April 22, 3:30-5pm “Dog Days are Over” – Celebrate the last 25 Days of ACA
Our last ACA Day drive-through will be all about our ACA dogs! Get your students ready to dress up your family dog in their best Don’s blue. There will be a series of awards and treats given out to dogs who join the drive-through and we’ll be posting pictures on our social channels. Start thinking of costumes for your pooch. More details to come regarding the 25 Days of ACA celebrating each day until the end of the school year. Let’s finish the year ACA Strong! 

Questions, comments, or feedback, email aca@acalanesparentsclub.com.

Attendance Procedures for All Students
Here’s a refresher about attendance processes for students and parents:

• Students attending in person:
  • If your student is arriving late to campus or leaving early, they MUST come to the Attendance Office to sign in and/or sign out.  
  • Parents/guardians need to call the 24-hour attendance line at 925-280-3973 regarding any student absence, including all day absences, late arrivals or early departures.

• Students attending remotely:
  • Parents/guardians need to call the 24-hour attendance line at 925-280-3973 regarding any student absence, including all day absences, late arrivals or early departures.

A copy of AHS Attendance Procedures can be found online here.

In its fourth week of LPIE’s “It’s Up to All of Us” video series, parents Yukie Fujimoto and Peter Marchetti share why they value the depth and breadth of classes available to our children. LPIE funds 15 electives at Acalanes that provide expanded learning opportunities so that your student can discover and explore different interests. 

49% of Acalanes parents have donated this year. Every gift is matched dollar-for-dollar in March. Will you take advantage of the matching gift and donate today? It’s up to all of us. 

Laura-Kate Rurka & Jennifer Palmer
Acalanes LPIE School Chairs

www.lpie.org

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The DEI committee invites you to Celebrate Diversity throughout the month of April! Our country and our world is filled with a rainbow of races, religions, and stories…some of which we understand and some we don’t. This month alone we celebrate our Arab-American history, Scottish-American history, Jews celebrate Passover this week (do you know what a seder is?), Christians celebrate Easter next (do you know where the word Easter comes from?), Muslims celebrate Ramadan (do you know what Eid al-Fitr is?), we recognize Autism Awareness month, and we focus on National Child Abuse Prevention month. 

Try to take the time to involve yourself in culture, religion, and language that you don’t usually hear about in your daily life. Get creative with food, watch a documentary or movie that you might know nothing about, listen to music you haven’t heard, hug your children and help them learn to not judge “otherness.” This is our work as people of this Earth. Did we mention that it’s Earth Month too?!

Volunteer opportunities for Acalanes DEI – get involved!
We are looking for new people to join our efforts and get in on the highly relevant work of DEI. Email us! If you believe in the need for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and enjoy writing, are a social media wizard or interested in web content creation, come join us! 

Buy a Brick, Leave a Legacy!
There’s no better way to honor a Don than with a customized 2021 Legacy Brick on our Dons Legacy Wall. Prominently displayed in the Main Quad, our Dons Legacy Wall provides families a lasting way to recognize their special student, teacher, coach, team, performance group, club, and more. Purchase your brick through the Acalanes Web Store for $200 until May 15; after that, the price increases to $250. Questions? Contact Legacy Brick Coordinator Melissa Arends.

If you have any questions, please contact VP Fundraising Kelly Daggs.

Here we go! Let’s make the most of April & May together-we are ACA Strong!

April 25-30 Homecoming Week 2021 Let’s enter the DECADES together! 

• Class of 2021 – The 1980’s
• Class of 2022 – The 1990’s
• Class of 2023 – The 1970’s
• Class of 2024 – The 2000’s

There will be many ways for students to get involved in Homecoming Week, both virtually and on campus. Look out for the calendar of events next week. But in the meantime, get excited for two long-standing Acalanes traditions & mark your calendars:

• Sunday, April 25th Hallway Decorating

Students will sign up to work shifts to decorate their class hallway. It is transformational, and our students have fun and do a wonderful job.

• Thursday, April 29th (evening) Live-streamed Virtual Rally

An event for the whole family! Complete with class skits, live performances by incredible students, and more. 

Encourage your student to participate! Let’s do the decades, Acalanes! 

Join the fun & buy an ACA Parent/Sibling Strong Shirt. This is a grey version of the student/staff ACA Strong shirt. You can purchase now via the Acalanes webstore for $10 and pick up from Acalanes after you receive your confirmation email. 

Monday, April 5 Acalanes Leadership Applications Available
Is your 8th grader interested in joining student government at Acalanes? Applications will be available electronically on the Acalanes home page or by emailing Katherine Walton beginning tomorrow and are due April 16th. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out to Katherine Walton.

Sunday, April 18 Deadline To Order Frosh Spirit Packs!
Know an 8th grader? Frosh spirit packs are a great promotion gift and kick off to a career at Acalanes! Each pack is $53 and features a hooded sweatshirt, car magnet & cinch backpack. Proceeds go to the Class of 2025. Order deadline is April 18 and packs will be delivered to your house beginning May 7. Order here.

Monday, April 26 (morning) District Diversity Summit
Know a student who is interested in equity work or already engaged in it? On April 26th the district will host the district diversity summit which is a chance to hear a keynote speaker and connect with other student leaders. Email Katherine Walton if interested in attending.

2020-2021 Clubs
Club meetings continue. Check out our 49 clubs! Clubs continue to be one of the best ways for students to connect as we enter quarter 4. 

If I can ever do anything to help you or your student, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Katherine Walton, Student Activities Director