News – Page 60 – Acalanes Parents Club

Helpful Resources for Course Selection

January 21, 2024

Course selections for the 2024-2025 school year are due the week of Feb 5! Acalanes has a wealth of resources available to assist you and your students with this process.

IN-HOUSE COURSE PREVIEW
This month, we will inform all of our rising 9th, 10th and 11th grade students of the courses and choices they have to make to register for classes for the next school year at our In-House Course Preview Program. 9th through 11th graders will be required to attend one academy program in the PAC. During the program, teachers will share the elective course options available to that grade level for next year:

Wednesday, Jan 17 – All current 9th graders (“rising sophs”)
Friday, Jan 19 – all current 10th graders (“rising juniors”)
Wednesday, Jan 24 – all current 11th graders (“rising seniors”)

Students will attend regular academy when their grade is not participating in their In-House Course Preview presentation.
We encourage parents and students to refer to the slideshows for this program by clicking here when discussing academic planning and choosing your courses for next year.

COURSE PREVIEW & OPEN HOUSE – for students and parents on Thursday, Feb 1 from 5:30-8pm:

5:30pm | Acalanes Parents Club Hosted Reception
5:45pm | Incoming 9th Grade Family Meeting
6:15 – 8pm | Drop-In Opportunities
6:30 – 7pm | Break-Out Session 1
7:05 – 7pm | Break-Out Session 2
7:35 – 8pm | Break-Out Session 3*
* Any student considering taking 2+ Honors or AP classes must attend the mandatory session offered during Session 3 at Course Preview & Open House or during Academy on Friday, Feb 2.

This night is a valuable resource for current frosh, sophomores and juniors who are mapping out their future courses, as well as an excellent way for incoming 9th grade students to experience all that Acalanes has to offer. It’s also a great way to connect with fellow Acalanes parents.

APC in Action

January 21, 2024

WANT TO GET MORE INVOLVED?
APC is looking for parents/guardians who want to make a difference and enhance our students’ high school experience. There is no better way than joining the APC Board. From big roles to smaller event driven jobs, the 2024-25 APC Board slate is opening soon. Click here to learn more about all the APC roles and how you can help AHS next year. If interested, please email past-president and Parliamentarian , Veronique Kuhner.

DONS DIALOGUE – Listen to the Recording!
Don’t miss the recording or slides from our most recent Dons Dialogue on Friday, Jan 19. It was standing room only for the parents who were lucky to hear an valuable overview of:

Course Registration Timeline and Process (Martin)
HSD/Ethnic Studies (Walton)
AP African American Studies (Munoz & Morlan)
AP Psychology (Jazayeri)
Data Science & Statistics (Gilson)
Instrumental Music & Beginning Band (Cordoba)
Student Report (Acuña)

Be sure to listen to the recording here or view the slides here! We promise that you will be happy you did!
The next Dons Dialogue will be Friday, Feb 23 at 8:45am.

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

Acalanes Community Always (ACA)

January 21, 2024

AHS GARDEN UPDATE
Please refer to the email sent Friday , Jan 19 for more details on what’s going on in the garden! A quick glance at the updated workday schedule:

Sunday Jan 18 10am – 2pm

add gravel to the meditation garden
install the rest of the hardware cloth into the beds in the farm
replace soil back into the beds after the hardware cloth is installed
weed

Sunday Feb 25 10am – 2pm

add new soil to the refurbished/taller beds (there will be a lot of soil)
weed

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to LTewksbury @auhsdschools .org.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)

January 21, 2024

Upcoming Important Dates:

Jan 25: Mahayana New Year
Jan 27: International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Mahayana New Year is celebrated this year on Thursday, Jan 25 by Buddhists around the world. The term Mahayana encompasses Buddhist ideologies and philosophies. Mahayana is one of the two main branches of Buddhism and is mostly practiced in Northeast Asia — China, Japan, Tibet, Taiwan, Mongolia, and Korea. Each region has its own customs and traditions for practicing Mahayana Buddhism. You can learn more about it here.

The International Holocaust Remembrance Day, or the International Day in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, is on Saturday, Jan 27 and commemorates the victims of the Holocaust, which resulted in the genocide of one third of the Jewish people, along with countless members of other minorities, by Nazi Germany between 1933 and 1945. Jan 27 was chosen to commemorate the date when the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated by the Red Army in 1945. Many countries have instituted their own Holocaust memorial days on the same day, while others, such as Israel’s Yom HaShoah, are observed at other times of the year. There is more information available here.

As we approach February, we are supporting our students in celebrating Black Excellence month. They have requested parent assistance in decorating and informing Acalanes students and families about the many contributions of Black Americans in our world. If you would like to help please reach out to us at diversityandinclusion @acalanesparentsclub .com.

And follow us on Instagram and Facebook!

Parent Education

January 21, 2024

GOVERNMENT BENEFITS FOR 18+ STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Parent Ed presented by Public Benefits Consultant, Jim Huyck
Learn about SSI, SSDI, IHSS, SLS, MediCal, MediCare, Regional Center Benefits
Tuesday, Jan 30 at 7pm in the Acalanes Library

SEED HIGH SCHOOL FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE
Where our special needs high schoolers hang out with their typical peers.
Upcoming regular meeting dates:

Thursday, Jan 18: 5-6:30pm
Thursday, Feb 15: 5-6:30pm

Volunteers and participants should RSVP here (volunteers get 2-hour community service validation per session).
To receive SEED High School updates, sign up to the High School newsletter here.

Performing & Visual Arts

January 21, 2024

The Acalanes Choir will be performing at the Lafayette Schools Concert with all of the elementary schools and Stanley on Thursday, Jan 25 at Stanley Middle School at 7pm. We’re really looking forward to singing with all of the kids. It’s always a very special and sweet performance. We hope to see you there!

Student Activities

January 21, 2024

Lunchtime Rally on Friday, Jan 26 in the Chris Huber Gym!
YOU (our community!) are invited to attend a lunchtime rally celebrating our very successful fall sports teams who went into playoffs and won (flag football, cross country, football) and to also welcome our winter sports athletes. The rally will feature sideline cheer, along with our jazz band. Want to feel the positive energy of Acalanes High School? See you at the lunchtime rally!

Student Government (leadership) 2024-2025
Applications for the leadership program will be available beginning tomorrow. There is a place for everyone in leadership and the program drives student activities at Acalanes. There will be an informational meeting during lunch on Thursday, Jan 25 in room 314. If your student is even slightly interested, please encourage them to attend. Applications are due Tuesday, Feb 6. Any questions, please contact Katherine Walton .

Acalanes Spiritwear Available for Purchase!
Looking for Acalanes gear? Our spring webstore is now open featuring new sweatshirts, shirts, sweatpants and a lanyard. The spring webstore closes on Monday, Feb 26 and items will be available for pick-up in late March. All proceeds benefit the classes of 2025, 2026 and 2027.

We also have 2028 frosh spirit packs available for purchase. Spirit packs feature a limited edition 2028 hoodie, string backpack and lanyard. The last day to order these is Thursday, Apr 18 and items will be available for pick-up beginning May 1. All proceeds benefit the class of 2028.

The Community Outreach and Improvement Program is hosting a drive for White Pony Express from Jan 22 – Feb 2! Please donate pantry/canned goods to the bins outside the front office and check out our website for more information and donation options! Thank you!

Environmental Council: Household Plastics discussion on Wednesday Jan 24 during academy in room 314 with guest speaker Laura Wehrley. We will be talking about the history of plastics, why they are dangerous for the environment, and ways to reduce your usage of plastics. There will be snacks.

There is a Dress Drive happening from Jan 22 to Mar 1. Bring any kind/type of dress (all will be accepted) to AHS (outside the front office) or to the Lafayette Community Center. Donations will be going to the Princess Project in San Francisco.

Is your student looking for a BLUE CREW shirt and didn’t get one? Have them stop by room 314 with $2 to get their shirt!

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

Katherine Walton, Activities Director

College & Career

January 21, 2024

Seniors:

Community College Support: Send your student to discuss community college opportunities and majors. DVC will be visiting on Wednesday, Feb 7 for an admissions presentation during academy in the library.
Scholarship: Calling senior women with a 3.5+ GPA interested in a local community service scholarship through AAUW – the American Association of University Women. Deadline for application is Wednesday, Feb 14.
Blackhawk Scholarship Fund: Senior women can apply here for a scholarship.

Frosh, Sophomores, Juniors:

Military Academy: Interested in learning more about the 4 military branches? Have your student sign up for Levy or Takahashi academy on Wednesday, Feb 21 in Mr. Takahashi’s classroom. Representatives from all the branches will be on campus to discuss opportunities to serve our country.

Please visit our College & Career Counseling website any time for additional information and support.

Counseling

January 21, 2024

Counselor assignments are by last name:
A-Em Anne Schonauer
En-Kr Erika Vasquez
Ku-Rog Marissa Meadows
Roh-Z Susan Martin

Course selection for the 2024-2025 school year is happening! Counselors will be visiting classes to go over the course selection process and to hand out forms:

11th grade US History classes on Tuesday, Jan 23 and Wednesday, Jan 24
9th grade PE classes will be visited on Thursday, Jan 25 and Friday, Jan 26
10th grade English classes will be visited on Tuesday, Jan 30 and Wednesday, Jan 31

Course Preview/Open House Night is Thursday, Feb 1. Please come with your students to see what they are doing in their current classes and check out potential classes for next year!

Individual counseling appointments with all 9th, 10th and 11th graders to discuss and collect their course requests will happen the week of Feb 5 – 9.

LPIE

January 21, 2024

PROJECT LPIE
Don’t miss your last chance to participate in ProjectLPIE! Open to all Acalanes High School students, this competition is an annual event that showcases students’ project-based learning. With 15 categories in a variety of disciplines, the contest is open to any AHS student. Submissions are due THIS Tuesday, Jan 23. Awards will be given in every category and announced at our in-person awards ceremony in February. Click here to register today!

READ-A-THON
LPIE’s 4th Annual Read-a-thon starts tomorrow, Monday, Jan 22. Students who read 40 minutes or more per day during the LPIE Read-a-thon, and collect at least one donation, will be entered for a chance to win exciting prizes. Click here to set-up your PledgeStar page today and get ready to read!

Jocelyn Werner and Jaime Roder, Acalanes LPIE School Chairs
www .lpie .org, Follow us on Instagram

News & Announcements

Helpful Resources for Course Selection

APC in Action

Acalanes Community Always (ACA)

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)

Parent Education

Performing & Visual Arts

Student Activities

College & Career

Counseling

LPIE

Acalanes Parents Club

About Us

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LPIE