Acalanes High School Seeks Qualified Instructional Assistants!
Our high school is looking for caring, energetic people to join our team as Special Education Instructional Assistants—and we’d love your help spreading the word! This is a great opportunity for anyone who enjoys working with young people and wants to make a direct impact in our classrooms. Instructional Assistants work closely with teachers to support students with special learning needs, helping them grow academically, socially, and emotionally in an inclusive school environment. We especially want to reach out to local alumni who may be back in the area after college and are looking for meaningful, hands-on experience before their next career or graduate program—this is a wonderful way to give back to your community and gain valuable skills in education, psychology, or human services. If you or someone you know would be a great fit, we’d love to hear from you! Apply here!
General Announcements
APC in Action
Staff Appreciation Opportunity!
Calling all bakers for one of our favorite Acalanes traditions! The APC Staff Appreciation Holiday Cookie Exchange is on Friday, Dec 12. Sign up here to contribute to this fun event for our staff!
Please Contact Stacey Hastings or Dominique Mikelson with any questions.
Finals Fuel – Volunteers & Snacks
Finals are just around the corner…..and that means FINALS FUEL is back! During finals week the APC provides snacks for the students during brunch period. We need your help to refuel and recharge our Dons, here are three ways to help:
- Purchase snacks from the Amazon Wish list here. Items will be sent from Amazon directly to a residence for transport to AHS, no need to deliver anything.
- Don’t want to purchase via Amazon? No problem! Sign up to purchase snacks yourself from the SignUpGenius here and you deliver to a private residence in Lafayette.
- Volunteer to hand out snacks on campus (Wednesday, Dec 17 – Friday, Dec 19). Sign up for shifts here.
Still not sure what to do? Reach out with any questions: reganscovic@gmail.com, we’ll help point you in the right direction. Thank you in advance for your support,
Acalanes Community Always (ACA)
Donation Drive for Grateful Gatherings
We are collecting new or like new kitchen items for Grateful Gatherings, a nonprofit that helps furnish homes for families transitioning out of homelessness or crisis. Collection bins will be in front of the main office all day from Dec 8 through Dec 19. If you have any questions, please email Molly Aldrich at molly.aldrich26@auhsdschools.org
Campus Culture Committee
Acalanes Parent Club – Campus Culture Committee (CCC) Update
As we continue the 2025–2026 school year, the Campus Culture Committee (CCC) is focused on building a stronger parent support system for all student groups on campus. We’re also working closely with staff on issues that impact our students.
🌟 December Days of Recognition & Celebration
- Dec 8 – Bodhi Day
- Dec 10 – Human Rights Day
- Dec 14–22 – Hanukkah
- Dec 25 – Christmas
- Dec 26–Jan 1 – Kwanzaa
Bodhi Day
A Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day Gautama Buddha (Shakyamuni) attained enlightenment—known as bodhi in Sanskrit and Pali.
Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African American culture held Dec 26–Jan 1, culminating in a communal feast called Karamu. Created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa draws inspiration from African harvest festival traditions across various regions. (Learn more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwanzaa)
🥟 Dumpling Fundraiser Update
What a beautiful gathering! Seeing the hall filled with people ready to take action and make dumplings brought us such joy. Thank you for being part of our delicious adventure.
At a time when there is so much fracture and division, it warms our hearts to see what can happen when we come together with purpose. More than 130 people attended, and together we enjoyed over 1,000 freshly cooked dumplings. We also folded more than 1,000 dumplings to take home!
Thanks to your generosity, we collected 75 lbs of food for local food banks and—drumroll please 👏🏼👏🏾👏🏻—raised over $10,000 for White Pony Express!
A special thank you to our generous sponsors—China Moon, Diablo Foods, Nin Tang Realty, Honey Homes, Comprehensive Wellness, Moraga iKind Project, Lafayette United Methodist Church, Dome Construction, Bachan Sauce Company, and Sugoi Brewing—for covering supplies and hosting needs so that all donations could go directly to fighting food insecurity.
Join Us Monthly! (In-Person & Virtual Meetings)
Meeting Schedule | 6:00–7:30pm
- Dec – No Meeting
- Jan 12 – Virtual
- Feb 9 – In-Person
- Mar 16 – Virtual
- Apr 20 – In-Person (Final Meeting)
- May – No Meeting
The month of December is a time when many celebrate a variety of traditions and enjoy time with family, friends, and community. If you have information about a celebration you take part in and would like our committee to share, please let us know!
If you’d like to get involved or learn more, please email us at
diversityandinclusion@acalanesparentsclub.com — All are welcome!
Reminder: Acalanes is a No Hate Zone
If your student experiences hate or bias, please encourage them to use the Bias IncidentReporting Tool (BIRT) available on the AHS website.
Submit a BIRT Report Here »
Student Activities
Welcome back—two weeks to go!
ADOPT-A-FAMILY: Thank you!
This year we are supporting 64 families in our community—thank you! If you are supporting an individual or a family, please plan to drop off your wrapped & labeled gifts on Friday between 7:30-8:15am in front of the small gym. We deliver all of the gifts after school on Friday.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Anna Motes at (annakmotes@gmail.com) and Katherine Walton at (kwalton@auhsdschools.org)!
Volunteer Opportunity: Dec 13 from 10:00am-2:30pm. Sign up through this Google formto help feed the needy in San Francisco at Glide Memorial Church. Log your hours onto Helper-Helper. See you there, Dons!
Shop joyfully while giving generously! We are back in the holiday season and this is a perfect time to raise funds for our beloved Acalanes! Minted is offering parents 20% off our purchases AND is giving 10% of the net sales back to our fabulous school! Please use promo code FUNDRAISEACALANES upon checkout to support the Dons!
This week we have lots of fun holiday programming:
- Monday: Come make delicious smelling cinnamon envelopes in room 314 @ lunch
- Wednesday:
- Frosh Finals Info meeting @ lunch in the library
- Academy: Gingerbread making competition (Walton)
- Lunch: Movie & snacks in room 314 @ lunch
- 3:00-5:00pm: Exam Jam in the library
- Thursday:
- Lunch: Sophomore cookie decorating & JoyBound Dogs (Front Quad)
- 6:30pm: Instrumental Winter Concert
- Friday:
- 7:30-8:15am: Adopt-a-family gift drop-off
- Lunch: Cookie Decorating in room 314
College & Career
Upcoming Acalanes Student Alumni Panel:
The College and Career Center is organizing a recent Acalanes Student Alumni Panel during Academy (10:10-11:05am) on Wednesday, Jan 7, 2026. Do you know of a recent alumnus who will be in town on this day and would be willing to share what they wish they had known before college, what they are happy they did, and other tips for juniors and seniors? If so, please let Debbie Levy, dlevy@auhsdschools.org, know. 
Districtwide Trades Fair
Counseling
Counselor assignments are by student last name:
A-F Anne Schonauer
G-Ka Erika Vasquez on campus MWTh
Ke-Re Marissa Meadows
Rh-Z Susan Martin
The Semester is Almost Over! This is the time to have your students check with their teachers—do they have any outstanding work they can still turn in for credit? Get missing assignments in ASAP!
Final Exam Week and Final Grades Finals take place Tuesday, Dec 16 through Friday, Dec 19, with Periods 0 & 4 on Tuesday, 1 & 2 on Wednesday, 3 & 7 on Thursday and 6 & 5 on Friday. Final semester grades will be available on Monday, Jan 12.
Mid-Year Reports for Colleges Counselors will send Mid-Year Reports to all Common Application schools once grades have been finalized and transcripts have been updated – most likely around Jan 15.
Wellness Center
As we approach first semester finals, the Acalanes Wellness team is pleased to offer opportunities for students to relax and prepare themselves for both finals and winter break.
During Academy on Dec 10, Wellness will host one of our most well loved academies where we analyze movie clips for positive mental health traits. We are also expecting a visit from therapy dogs and their handlers from Joybound! On Dec 12, Wellness will host an academy discussing coping and study skills to lessen academic stress. If your student is interested in participating in either of these activities, encourage them to sign up for “Wellness Center” academy in the Teachmore app. If your student is unable to attend or looking for a quick and easy coping strategy they can use today, practice these skills with them!
Listen to Music- Put on your favorite song, but pretend you’re listening to it for the first time. Focus on the melody and lyrics (if there are any). Does the song give you chills or create any other physical sensations? Pay attention to the parts that stand out most to you.
Describe a Common Task- Think of an activity you do often or can do very well, such as making coffee, locking up your office, or tuning a guitar. Go through the process step-by-step, as if you’re giving someone else instructions on how to do it.
Deep breathing- Inhale slowly through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth. You can also try “square breathing,” where you inhale for a count, hold for a count, exhale for a count, and hold for a count.
Performing & Visual Arts
Instrumental Winter Concert
Please join us to support Acalanes Instrumental Music at our Winter Concert on Thursday, Dec 11, at 6:30pm in the Performing Arts Center. The concert will feature works by an illustrious lineup of composers including JS Bach, Verdi, Shimoda, Saint Saenz and more! Please join us to support our talented musicians!
We will be live streaming the event at: https://youtube.com/live/thCHZLDi5RE
SMC Choir Concert featuring the Acalanes Choir
The Acalanes Choir will also be performing at the Saint Mary’s College Choir’s “Making Spirits Bright” Concert on Saturday, Dec 6, at 4:00pm in the St Mary’s College Chapel, Moraga.
