News – Page 25 – Acalanes Parents Club

Counseling

November 3, 2024

Counselor assignments are by student last name:
A-F Anne Schonauer
G-Ka Erika Vasquez
Ke-Re Marissa Meadows
Rh-Z Susan Martin

JUNIOR PARENT NIGHT: Please come to the Library on Wednesday, Nov 13 from 6:30-7:30pm to hear from Debbie Levy, College and Career Center Advisor, and Susan Martin, Counselor, about all things juniors should be thinking about as they research and prepare to apply to college next fall!

WINTER SPORTS START SOON: Students planning on earning Athletic PE credit for their winter sport should pick up a contract (requires a parent, coach and student signature), return it by the deadline (late Nov) and take some timesheets to start documenting hours from the start of the winter sports season. All forms can be found in the Counseling Office.

School Nurse

November 3, 2024

Happy November!
This is a reminder to consider getting flu and covid shots if your family members are due. Timing is a personal issue, but if you get it done now, you’ll be covered for the upcoming school breaks!

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

Performing & Visual Arts

November 3, 2024

Acalanes Performing Arts Boosters is incredibly proud of the over 50 students who worked together over the last three months to produce the DramaDons fall production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The performance was delightful, enchanting, and wonderfully comedic. The talents of every member of the team, Stagecraft students, production crew, and cast shone bright under the gorgeous moonlit set. Bravo, DramaDons!

Save the date for the Fall Jazz Concert, featuring the Acalanes Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Combos, Stanley Messengers and special guest, The Kyle Athayde Band. This event will take place on Wednesday, Nov 20 at 7pm in the Performing Arts Center.

LPIE

November 3, 2024

Saturday, Nov 9 from 10am – 3pm
Support small businesses that support our schools!
Special fall promotions from local retailers and restaurants!
As you shop and dine during this holiday season, we encourage you to support the wonderful restaurants and retailers who generously donate to LPIE in support of our schools. It’s a great opportunity to discover unique items and taste all that Lafayette has to offer – all while giving back to the community and showing appreciation for the local businesses that support our students.

7th Annual LPIE SPRING GALA
Saturday, March 22nd, 2025 – The Palace Hotel, San Francisco

We need your help to make this biggest fundraiser of the year a huge success! The online, silent, and live auctions fund essential programs—music, art, STEM education, libraries, electives, AP classes, teachers, technology, and more.

And this is where YOU come in! Do you have something special to offer, like a vacation home, sports tickets, an exclusive experience, or something unique? Or maybe you’ve got a brilliant idea for an auction item? We’d LOVE to hear from you! Email us at office@lpie.org or fill out this form to share your donation. You can also support our schools by purchasing a raffle ticket here!

Art Around Town
The Art Around Town program, sponsored by LPIE, is a unique opportunity to celebrate and showcase the artistic talents of students. This month, artwork from Stanley Middle School and Happy Valley Elementary is on display at Whole Foods, bringing vibrant pieces into the community. The exhibit features a variety of inspired projects, such as Value Landscapes, Trees of Dots, Line Rugs, Pumpkins, Crystals, and Carlos Santana Album Covers, each crafted with credentialed art teachers. Inspired by renowned artists like Peruvian artist Lizeth Prieto, Árbol de la Vida creator Veronica Castillo, Kandinsky, and contemporary artist Elouise Renouf, these artworks are a testament to the impact of arts education.

Thanks to the community-driven support of LPIE, we are able to fund art programs across all grade levels, creating a platform for students to develop their creativity while exploring new techniques. Be sure to stop by Whole Foods to enjoy these inspiring pieces, and keep an eye out in December for additional artwork from Happy Valley, Stanley, and Burton Valley, which will be showcased at Whole Foods and Town Hall.

Sports

November 3, 2024

*The game schedule below reflects dates and times as of last Friday. Games may change for several reasons, including weather. If you have questions or comments, please contact Acalanes Sports Boosters.

This week’s can’t miss events:

This week’s can’t miss events:
Girls golf
Monday, Nov 4 NCS Championship at Tilden Park GC.

Girls volleyball
Wednesday, Nov 6 NCS Semifinal at 7pm.
Saturday, Nov 9 NCS Championship at 7pm.

Boys water polo
Wednesday, Nov 6 NCS First Round Playoff.
Saturday, Nov 9 NCS Quarterfinal.

Girls water polo
Saturday, Nov 9 NCS Semifinal.

Football
Friday, Nov 8 host Las Lomas HS. JV at 4:30pm and Varsity at 7pm.

Cross country
Saturday, Nov 9 DAL Championship at Hidden Valley Park at 1pm.

You may view the full 2024-2025 Athletic Schedule by clicking HERE.

APC in Action

October 27, 2024

Staff Appreciation Luncheon
APC is showing our teachers and staff how much we appreciate them with a Thanksgiving themed staff lunch on Monday, Nov 4. Please sign up HERE to bring an item if you are able to contribute. We are so grateful for your support!

October APC Dons Dialogue – Watch the Video or View the Slides!
Thank you to all who attended our Dons Dialogue on Friday, Oct 18. It was a packed house! This month’s topics included Peer Tutoring, Breaking Down the Walls, student safety expectations, a student activities report, and Q&A with Principal Shawn. If you were not able to attend, you can review the slides and video from the discussion. And thank you to our APC Hospitality Co-Chairs, Mia Heglie and Monica Stassi, for providing the welcoming coffee and treats! The next Dons Dialogue will be on Friday, Dec 13. Click here for the full schedule of upcoming Dons Dialogues.

Parent Volunteers Opportunity at Lunch
We have an incredible new volunteer opportunity! We are looking for help to oversee the student lunch line in the cafeteria on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the school week. This is an easy and fun way to volunteer on campus and a great opportunity to help with a friend! Volunteer shifts are less than an hour and there are lots of dates to choose from. You can sign up here. Please check-in at the front office when you arrive for your volunteer shift. Thank you for your support!

Student Volunteer Community Service Awards
The 2024-25 Student Volunteer Program has kicked off for the Acalanes and President’s Service Awards so please make sure your student is logging those hours! It’s a great opportunity for students to give back AND be recognized for their service. You can read more about the awards here and email us at communityservice@acalanesparentsclub.com with any questions.

Follow Acalanes Parents Club on Instagram. Please reach out to APC here with any questions.

Parents Club Pro-Tip

October 27, 2024

STUDENTS SHOULD CHECK OUT THE CAFETERIA!
Did you know that Acalanes offers free breakfast, brunch and lunch for all students? Our amazing cafeteria staff prepares a variety of tasty baked goods and meals from scratch every day, making it easy for our students to stay fueled for success. As a reminder, Acalanes is a closed campus, so students are not allowed to leave during lunch. Encourage your students to take full advantage of the free meals on campus – or take a few extra minutes to pack a lunch in the morning.

If you’d like to see the cafeteria in action, please sign up here to come help out at lunch. We have a fun new volunteer opportunity available on Mon, Wed and Fri at lunch. Sign up here.

Acalanes Community Always (ACA)

October 27, 2024

AHS Garden Update
The garden club has been meeting weekly on Monday’s during lunch. We have planted seeds for our winter garden and have our next work party scheduled for Sunday Nov 3 from 10am – 2pm (or until we finish, which is often earlier). We will be pulling out our summer garden, adding the rest of our soil to the beds, and planting our winter vegetables! We can use all help, especially if you can bring a wheelbarrow or shovel. Please take a moment to sign up here if you can come help.

We also received a small APC grant to buy new tools and supplies for planting our winter vegetables and are grateful for the support. And we are lucky that Meghan Thompson-Payne is on board to help with garden projects going forward. She wants to organize a small group of like minded parents to support the work of the garden club and the garden spaces at AHS.

Finally, this past Friday we enjoyed a “harvest party” lunch. While the food did not come directly from the garden (most of our harvest was actually during the summer), it was nice to share food and enjoy each other’s company.

Please reach out if you have any questions: Lori (LTewksbury@auhsdschools.org) and Cathy (CChallacombe@auhsdschools.org)

Thanks again for your support!

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)

October 27, 2024

Important October/Early November Dates

LGBTQ History Month
Filipino American History Month
Oct 31 – Nov 1 Diwali
Nov 1 All Saints Day
Nov 1-2 Day of the Dead (el Dia de Muertos or el Dia de los Muertos)

Many clubs on campus hold events at lunch or afters chool to celebrate their heritage. We ask all parents to remind your kids to join in on this fun and learn about cultures outside of their own. While it may seem nerve wracking, please know that the clubs have asked for more involvement school wide!

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated in other Indian religions. It symbolizes the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance”. Diwali is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar months of Ashvin (according to the amanta tradition) and Kartika – between mid-Sept and mid-Nov. The celebrations generally last five or six days.

All Saints’ Day in the Christian church commemorates all the saints of the church, both known and unknown, who have attained heaven. It is celebrated on Nov 1 in the Western churches and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in the Eastern churches. In Roman Catholicism, the feast is usually a holy day of obligation. It is part of the three-day triduum dedicated to remembering the dead, beginning with Halloween (Oct 31) and followed by All Saints’ Day (Nov 1) and All Souls’ Day (Nov 2).

The Day of the Dead (Spanish: el Día de Muertos or el Día de los Muertos) is a holiday traditionally celebrated on Nov 1 and 2, though other days, such as Oct 31 or Nov 6, may be included depending on the locality. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and remember friends and family members who have died.

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

October 27, 2024

Thank you to APC for funding Breaking Down the Walls this past week. Our community is better as a result and the opportunity to spend time together, get to know one another and know that we are not alone is powerful. As one student said,

“I learned that our community has many stories and we have all been through things despite the stereotypes that we may have about one another. BDTW was about acceptance and courage, stepping outside our comfort zone and building a better sense of community.”

Looking for the perfect holiday gift? Our winter webstore is open for just a short period of time – get your Acalanes gear now! Orders due by Nov 7 and will be available in December.

HALLO-WEEK
Encourage your student to kick off Halloweek by coming to Trunk or Treat on Monday, Oct 28 at lunch on the blacktop! “Trick-or-Treat” for candy and other treats at decorated cars, enter a raffle for a Halloween gift basket, and play tons of fun games!

On Wednesday, Oct 30 during academy, students are invited to room 314 for a fun and educational pumpkin carving activity. Students will carve pumpkins that you can put on your porch as a festive decoration. The purpose of the event is to teach students about reducing waste by using all parts of the pumpkin while also bringing the community together. Encourage your student to join the event to make a jack-o-lantern and enjoy some roasted pumpkin seeds! They can RSVP here to participate.

Chillin’ with Charlie is coming up on Friday, Nov 1 and will be filled with fun and lots of food. We will be watching Charlie Brown Thanksgiving with popcorn, candy, pizza and drinks. It will be in room 314 during lunch and we hope to see your student there!!

Students can also celebrate Halloween by coming to Staff Student Trivia on Friday Nov 1 at lunch in the big gym! Students can compete with another student and a teacher! If they aren’t playing, they can show up and watch their favorite teachers compete against each other in Halloween themed trivia!

Open Mic Night at Sideboard
Open mic night is back!! Students can showcase their talent and sign up via the link in the Daily Don. Mark your calendar to enjoy a meal out and student talent – Nov 6 from 5-7pm.

The annual Acalanes Fall Blood Drive is in two days (Oct 30) and we still need 3 more sign-ups to reach our goal. Anyone who donates blood will receive a $10 gift card. You can make appointments through the Red Cross website (link to page). You must create an account and find the Acalanes Blood Drive on the Find a Drive page. If you have any questions please reach out to Ms. Walton (kwalton@auhsdschools.org).

Starting to think about 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.

Looking to stay informed? Follow us on Instagram for the latest on student activities and class happenings.

Katherine Walton, Activities Director

News & Announcements

Counseling

School Nurse

Performing & Visual Arts

LPIE

Sports

APC in Action

Parents Club Pro-Tip

Acalanes Community Always (ACA)

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)

Student Activities

Acalanes Parents Club

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