Important Attendance Reminder
If a student is leaving early during the day for any reason, it is their responsibility to pick up their “off campus pass” from the main office (after a parent has called). They can pick it up in the morning, during brunch/lunch or between periods. It must be picked up before they attend the class they are leaving early from.
General Administration 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 13. Sign up here to contribute to this fun event for our staff!
Contact Stacey Hastings or Dominique Mickelson with any questions.
FINALS FUEL for EXAM WEEK – Get Involved
Finals are just around the corner…..and that means FINALS FUEL is back! During finals week, we provide snacks for the students during brunch period. You can help refuel and recharge our Dons in several ways:
- Purchase snacks prior to finals week and deliver to a residence near AHS
- Purchase snacks from our Amazon wish list and items will be sent directly to a residence for transport to AHS
- Donate money and we’ll shop for you: Venmo @Stephanie-Asadorian (any amount is welcome and appreciated)
- Volunteer to hand out snacks on campus Wednesday, Dec 18 – Friday, Dec 20
Please click on the SignUpGenius and/or Amazon Wish List to help.
Contact Regan Scovic and Stephanie Asadorian with any questions. Thank you in advance for your support!
Follow Acalanes Parents Club on Instagram. Please reach out to APC here with any questions.
APC Membership & Fundraising
APC Fundraiser at Local Kitchens
There will be an APC fundraiser at Local Kitchens all day on Dec 5 Please enter the coupon code APC24 when ordering online or in store, and the Acalanes Parents Club will receive 25% of your order. Support APC while enjoying a delicious and easy lunch or dinner!.
Parents Club Pro-Tip
Yield at the “Shark’s Teeth” for Dons
This fall, the city installed a raised crosswalk by the school entrance to improve safety. Please give pedestrians space by stopping at the “Shark’s Teeth”. These triangles indicate where vehicles (autos and bikes) must stop when there are pedestrians crossing. Please also pass this tip on to any Dons who are new to driving.
Thanks for your help in keeping our students safe!
Acalanes Community Always (ACA)
Attention High School Students Interested in Travel
Erin Barth, Tina Gullberg, and ACIS are hosting a trip to Japan from Jun 8-16! Any Lamorinda high school student is welcome to join.
Some of the sites and activities you will experience are:
- Tokyo Tour with Guide
- Meiji Shrine
- Lake Ashi Boat Ride
- Hakone Komagatake Ropeway
- Mount Fuji Kawaguchiko 5th Station
- Toyota Motor Company Kaikan Museum
- Atsuta Jingu Shrine
- Kiyomizu-dera Temple
- Japanese Tea Ceremony
- Kinkakuji Temple
- Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
- Nara Park
- Todaiji Temple
- Osaka Castle
- CupNoodles Museum Osaka Ikeda
The deadline to sign up is rapidly approaching, so be sure to take advantage of this incredible opportunity! Please click here for more information and to sign up.
Calling all AHS and Miramonte students who have completed Spanish 3 (or higher): Spanish Immersion Trip to Spain: Jun 7-19, 2025*
Facilitated by Edu-Culture Immersion and led by AHS Spanish teacher Señora Holland and Miramonte High School teacher Señora Frank
- See link for flyer
- Contact Maya Ramdihal at Edu-Culture Immersion Study Abroad Programs for more information: maya@educulture.com (reference Acalanes-Miramonte trip to Spain) or see QR code on flyer
*Please note that this is a private tour and not affiliated with AUHSD
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)
Important December Dates
- Dec 3 International Day of Persons with Disabilities
- Dec 8 Bodhi Day
- Dec 10 Human Rights Day
- Dec 25 Christmas
- Dec 25-Jan 2 Hanukkah
- Dec 26- Jan 8 Kwanzaa
The annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons was proclaimed in 1992 by United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3. It aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
Bodhi Day is the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that Gautama Buddha (Shakyamuni) is said to have attained enlightenment, also known as bodhi in Sanskrit and Pali.
The month of December is a time set aside by many to celebrate a variety of traditions and enjoy time with family, friends and community. If you have some information you feel is important for our committee to share about a celebration you partake in, please let us know.
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date with what the students are doing to celebrate all of these wonderful cultures and special dates.
To be more involved please reach out to our DEIB committee at diversityandinclusion@
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date with what the students are doing to celebrate all of these wonderful cultures and special dates.
Student Activities
We hope you had a great Thanksgiving break. It is hard to believe we are down to the last three weeks of the semester! There are lots of fun and meaningful activities planned during the next couple weeks – we hope your students opt in when they can!
Schedule of events this week:
- Mon-Fri at lunch: Senior dodgeball
- Wednesday @ academy: Blanket making for the Bay Area Rescue Mission
- Wednesday @ lunch: ACA Buddies
- Thursday at 7pm: Instrumental Winter Concert
- Friday @ lunch: Frosh cookie decorating in room 314
- Saturday from 10am-2pm: Students serve lunch at Glide Memorial in SF
The Acalanes Leadership Enviro Board is collecting gently used items to promote sustainability. From Dec 2-13, please donate clothes, shoes, accessories (such as jewelry, handbags, scarves, and belts), bedding, books, CDs, DVDs, pots, pans, kitchen items, kids’ toys, games, and stuffed animals in good condition. Donations can be dropped off in the bins located outside the main office and in the front quad. We aim to promote reusing items and diverting materials from landfills, giving them a second life to reduce waste. If you have any questions email estelle.block26@auhsdschools.
Acalanes shows up for Adopt-A-Family!
We have an amazing community – together, we are supporting 70 families this holiday season. THANK YOU!
If you adopted an individual or family, look out for information this week in your email regarding drop-off of gifts. All drop off needs to happen Friday, Dec 13 in front of the school as we take everything to the organization that afternoon. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to Hetty Lofting or Katherine Walton!
ACA Serves: Blanket Making
On Dec 4 there will be a winter blanket making academy in room 314. There will be hot cocoa and other snacks to bring the winter vibes. We will make no-sew blankets and then donate them to the Bay Area Rescue Mission, which will use them in their homeless shelters. Your student can sign up with this form – we hope to see them there!
Ordering holiday cards and gifts? Shop at Minted and not only do YOU get 20% off, Acalanes gets 15% of all sales. Use the code FUNDRAISEACALANES. All money raised goes to off setting the cost of prom tickets.
Looking to stay informed? Follow us on Instagram for the latest on student activities and class happenings.
Katherine Walton, Activities Director
College & Career
Senior Scholarship: Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship (deadline Jan 30)
Counseling
Counselor assignments are by student last name:
A-F Anne Schonauer
G-Ka Erika Vasquez
Ke-Re Marissa Meadows
Rh-Z Susan Martin
INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WITH 9TH GRADERS Counselors are finishing up their individual meetings with 9th graders this week. Wishing everyone the best of luck with final exams! Here is the finals schedule.
School Nurse
Thanksgiving break is an opportunity to spend time with your family and take advantage of doing activities (or not!) that our regular busy schedules don’t always allow for. We all need to reset and have down time. I hope you all enjoyed the break together and enjoyed some simple activities together such as afternoon tea or game night.
I hope you liked the pumpkin pie oatmeal recipe I shared and had a wonderful week with your loved ones. Stay healthy!
AHS School Nurse Calendar
See my website for more information.
Always Your School Nurse,
Dvora Citron, RN, MS
dcitron@auhsdschools.org, 925-280-2970 x7128
IG: acalanesschoolnurse, School Nurse Website
