News – Page 33 – Acalanes Parents Club

APC in Action

September 16, 2024

DONS DIALOGUE & APC GENERAL MEETING
Please join us on Friday, Sep 20 at 8:45am in the Collaboration Center for our September Dons Dialogue. We will start with a brief APC General Meeting including a review and vote on the 2023-24 APC budget. Our Dons Dialogue with Principal Shawn will immediately follow.

Dons Dialogue Agenda, Sep 20:

ACA Serves
Academy with Purpose
AUHSD Board Candidates Forum
Student Activities
Q&A with Principal Shawn

APC will provide coffee and treats. All parents/caregivers welcome. We hope to see you there!

Fall 2024 Grants Application Now Available!
Calling all teachers, parents and students in the Acalanes community! Acalanes Parents Club is looking to award grants that will enhance and enrich the educational experience of AHS students in new and innovative ways. Teachers, staff and students are encouraged to submit ideas for meaningful programs and educational equipment.
Applications are due by Friday, Sep 27. Click here to read more!

APC Membership & Fundraising

September 16, 2024

You can still donate to Acalanes Parents Club! Your donation goes directly to AHS and supports important programs that greatly benefit all Acalanes students and staff. These programs include:

Peer Tutoring
College & Career Services
Campus Enhancements
Parent Education
Staff & Teacher Development
Communications
Grant Programs
Volunteer Opportunities
And more . . .

If you haven’t had a chance to donate, please consider doing so here. The suggested amount is $350 but any amount is welcome and greatly appreciated.

Every donor receives a new APC tote! If you didn’t have a chance to pick yours up at Back to School Night, please reach out to cdaughters@yahoo.com. All APC members will also receive access to the online AHS student/family directory in the next few weeks.

Another important source of funding is making your donations go twice as far with corporate matching. Please check if your company has a matching program and reach out to corpmatch@acalanesparentsclub.org if so.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Parents Club Pro-Tip

September 16, 2024

DONS SHOW UP! Encourage your student to show up and participate in all the fun planned for homecoming week. There are so many different ways to get involved and it’s a great opportunity to make new friends or spend time with old friends. Go Dons!

Acalanes Community Always (ACA)

September 16, 2024

Summer Japan Trip
Acalanes staff are taking students on a trip to Japan this summer. Students from any grade and any of the four high schools can attend! The only requirement is an interest in travel! This trip has a little bit of everything — ancient/historical sites, awe-inspiring locations, amazing food, and a once-in-a-lifetime bonding experience with your Lamorinda peers. Send your student on the trip of a lifetime where they become a global citizen who values travel and exploration.

For anyone interested in going on the trip to Japan this summer, please follow this link to preview the trip and to register: June 2025 – Japan.
And check out our Instagram page to see photos from the last two summers! acalanes_travels

If you have any questions please reach out to Erin Barth or Tina Gullberg. This is not a school-sponsored trip.

Lafayette Reservoir Run
Registration is NOW OPEN for the Lafayette Res Run for Education!

Run/walk downtown Lafayette in the 2-mile fun run/walk or 5k, or strive for your best 10k time, which includes going around the Lafayette Reservoir on race day, Sunday, Oct 20. There is also a virtual option around the paved trail of the reservoir from Oct 12-19.
Lafayette’s public schools are beneficiaries of this event, with 15% percent of each registration going back to Acalanes – so be sure to choose Acalanes during the registration process!

The first 100 students to register from each school will receive a voucher at packet pickup for 1/4 lb of bulk candy from Zoonie’s Candy Shop! Yes, even high school students!
The school who increases their number of runners most compared to last year will receive an additional $500 beneficiary check!

Let’s go Dons!

Parent Education

September 16, 2024

Thriving, Engaged and Well-Balanced Students

Acalanes Adult Education provides comprehensive educational opportunities for adults aged eighteen and above. Situated at the Del Valle Education Center, adult learners have the privilege of enrolling in diverse courses, including Apple classes, Microsoft Excel, Creative Writing, English Language Learning (ESL), CPR Certification, Yoga, Money Management, History, Dreams and Nightmares, Estate Planning, Art, Crafting, Sewing, Fabric Collage, Crochet, World Languages (French, Italian, Russian, and Spanish) and many more. For further information, please visit auhsd.org/adulted. Additionally, you may access the Fall 2024 Course Catalog. To register online, visit https://tinyurl.com/AAEFall24Registration.

SEED High School Presents: Understanding and Supporting Teen Behavior with Peter J. Alter: A Guide for Parents. Tuesday, Sep 24 at 7pm in the Acalanes High School Library. This workshop provides an in-depth exploration of behavioral challenges faced by teenagers with disabilities, utilizing the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Tailored for parents, and caregivers, the session focuses on practical strategies for understanding, assessing, and addressing various behavioral issues within this demographic. Click here to register!

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)

September 15, 2024

Important September Dates

Sep 16 6-7pm: DEIB Committee meeting
Sep 15-Oct 15: National Hispanic Heritage Month
Sep 19: Latinx Potluck (before the Campo/ACA volleyball game)
Sep 27: National Native American Day
Sep 30: Black Student Union (BSU) Summit

Our next APC DEIB Committee Meeting is Monday, Sep 16 in the Collaboration Center from 6-7pm. If you would like to get involved please email us at diversityandinclusion@acalanesparentsclub.com. There are ways to help both big and small, on campus or from the comfort of your own couch.
The students in the Latinos Unidos Club invite us to help celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month at a potluck prior to the girls VB game against Campo this Thursday, September 19th. If you are able to prepare a dish please sign up here . The club is also asking for help in door decorations to celebrate the contributions of the Hispanic culture in America. Please sign up here to support our students.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

Student Activities

September 15, 2024

Homecoming 2024 begins today!!! There are multiple ways for students to get involved! This homecoming overview document has all the information on the week including dress-ups and lunchtime activities – see below for evening opportunities! Let’s make it a great week for our campus community!

Our annual canned food drive is in full swing and our goal is 40,000 cans to the Contra Costa Food Bank. Students can donate cans or money in person before school or via online links:
Class of 2028
Class of 2027
Class of 2026
Class of 2025

Here a few highlights to make sure are in the calendar:

Hallway decorating TODAY from 10am – 3pm: Students decorate with their grade and transform our halls. We have a HOCO Showcase for the community from 5-6pm so plan to stop by and see the magic!

Wednesday: Student dodgeball at 7:30pm: A beloved student tradition and a very fun night. Make sure your student has their ID card. They can play or watch!

Thursday at 5pm: Joint Latinx potluck with Campo & Acalanes before the girls volleyball game. Make a dish or just come and join! Stick around and cheer on our girls volleyball game as they take on Campo.

Friday at 5:30pm: Pre-game tailgate prior to the Acalanes-College Park football game, along with a halftime show and powder toss. Please encourage your student to wear white along with clothing they don’t mind getting powder on.

Saturday is our HOCO Night Out from 7-9:30pm: It is a campus wide event (1,100+ attended last year) and is a beloved night not to miss. Tickets are on sale via GoFan and are:
$30 with ASB
$55 without ASB
$75 for an outside guest
Outside guests need to fill out and return a guest contract by WEDNESDAY to the main office. The night features arcade games, game truck, casino, food trucks, photo booths, caricaturist, magician, henna, tarot card reader & DJ plus dance floor. There is something for everyone!

In order to ensure that HOCO Night Out is safe for all, we need parent chaperones. Please consider volunteering as we expect over 1100 students that evening. We are in need of 5 more adults.

2024-2025 Clubs
Club meetings will begin this week after an awesome club day last week! Here are our 77 unique clubs on campus, from Archery Club to the Red Cross Club.

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

Katherine Walton, Activities Director

College & Career

September 15, 2024

Seniors: Please come by the College and Career Center during 6th, 7th, academy, lunch and/or brunch to work on your common application and UC application. Tips and strategies provided during all sessions. MaiaLearning tutorials are also provided at each visit. Great tips here!

PRACTICE SAT/PSAT/ACT: Our testing partner, Revolution Prep, is offering a free SAT practice test on Sep 21. Click here to learn more and register.

Frosh students can join a free webinar led by Revolution Prep on 3 Essential Skills Your Student Needs to Kickstart their School Year on Sep 24 at 5pm.

Counseling

September 15, 2024

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

The CSF application period is open! CSF (California Scholarship Federation) is an honor society. Current 11th and 12th graders are encouraged to apply. A complete CSF application has 2 parts – an application form and a payment on the webstore. Turn in forms to the counseling office. The deadline is Sep 30 for both the form and the payment! Students use the grades they earned in spring 2024 to fill out the form this month. Students who are members for at least 4 semesters, including during senior year, will get special stole to wear at graduation. Read the FAQ on the application form and contact Ms. Schonauer for any clarification.

CLASS SCHEDULES Students can now only drop a class, they can’t add any new classes. Students can drop a first or last class of the day for an Off Campus, or they can drop a class and add a TA that period. The deadline to drop a class is the end of the first quarter, Friday, Oct 11. After this date, any class dropped will receive an automatic F grade.

INDIVIDUAL SENIOR APPOINTMENTS Counselors will start seeing seniors individually starting this week. During these appointments, we will look at Maia Learning, talk about schools and deadlines, discuss documents needed, and come up with a to-do list for you/your student, if necessary.

FIRST PROGRESS REPORTS Progress reports should be available in Aeries this week, reflecting grades from the start of school through Sep 13. The next grading period will be the end of first quarter, Oct. 11. Continued athletic eligibility will be determined from these grades for fall sports.

Performing & Visual Arts

September 15, 2024

Are you ready to make a difference in the lives of our talented Acalanes musicians? We’re seeking donations of gently-used concert attire to ensure that every student can look their best for upcoming performances.
Our current inventory of loaner attire is running low, so if you have any of the following items that your student has outgrown or no longer wears, please consider donating them to our Instrumental Music Concert Attire Closet (website):

Black concert dress (from the past 4-5 years)
Black tuxedos/suits
Black jackets
Black dress pants, black skirts (below knee)
White, black, french blue button-down dress shirts
White, black, french blue sleeved blouses
Black ties (bow or regular)
Black dress shoes

Your generosity helps to ensure that every musician has the opportunity to shine on stage! Please bring the clothes to the AHS music/band room. If you have any questions, please contact Andrea Christie or info@ahsperformingarts.org.

Acalanes Performing Arts Boosters Update
Please come to the Art & Wine Festival on Saturday, Sep 21 to hear the Acalanes Choir perform at 1:30 on the Community Stage. And return on Sunday, Sep 22 to catch the Acalanes Jazz Trio at 11:30 on the Premier Pavilion Stage! These are must-see performances by our incredibly talented musicians and choralists.

News & Announcements

APC in Action

APC Membership & Fundraising

Parents Club Pro-Tip

Acalanes Community Always (ACA)

Parent Education

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)

Student Activities

College & Career

Counseling

Performing & Visual Arts

Acalanes Parents Club

About Us

Support Organizations

Social Media

Performing & Visual Arts