News – Page 8 – Acalanes Parents Club

Sports

March 10, 2025

Ticket sales for the 2025 Booster Bash are LIVE! Remember to text the friends you huddled with in the cold while cheering on our Dons athletes so you all buy tickets to the Booster event of the year – April 26 at the Circle G Ranch! https://acalanesboosters.ejoinme.org/PurchaseTickets

*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:

Softball
Monday, Mar 10 Pinole Valley HS at 4:30pm. Varsity away and JV home.
Thursday, Mar 13 Mt. Diablo HS at 4pm. Varsity away and JV home.

Boys golf
Monday, Mar 10 Miramonte HS at Contra Costa CC 3pm.
Thursday, Mar 13 Northgate HS at Boundary Oak GC 3:30pm.
Friday, Mar 14 JV v. Redwood Christian HS at Rossmoor GC 3:30pm.

Girls lacrosse
Tuesday, Mar 11 host University HS. JV at 5:30pm and Varsity at 7pm.
Friday, Mar 14 at Northgate HS. JV at 5:30pm and Varsity at 7pm.

Swimming
Tuesday, Mar 11 host Northgate HS at 3:30pm.
Saturday, Mar 15 at Mission Viejo Invitational.

Boys tennis
Tuesday, Mar 11 Campolindo HS at 3:30pm. Varsity away and JV home.
Thursday, Mar 13 Miramonte HS at 3:30pm. Varsity home and JV away.

Boys volleyball
Tuesday, Mar 11 at Northgate HS. JV at 5pm and Varsity at 6:30pm.
Thursday, Mar 13 host Pittsburg HS. JV at 5pm and Varsity at 6:30pm.

Boys lacrosse
Tuesday, Mar 11 at San Ramon Valley HS. JV at 5:30pm and Varsity at 7pm.
Friday, Mar 14 host Washington, Fremont HS. JV at 5:30pm and Varsity at 7pm.

Track & field
Wednesday, Mar 12 at Clayton Valley Charter HS at 3:30pm.
Saturday, Mar 15 Eddie Hart Invitational at Pittsburg HS.

Stunt
Wednesday, Mar 12 at Las Lomas HS at 8pm.
Friday, Mar 14 College Park HS at Concord HS at 5pm.

Beach volleyball
Wednesday, Mar 12 and Thursday, Mar 13 Campolindo HS at Moraga Commons at 4pm.

Baseball
Saturday, Mar 15 Bishop O’Dowd HS at 11am. Varsity home and JV away.
Saturday, Mar 15 frosh at Castro Valley HS at 10am and 1pm.

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

General Administration Announcements

March 2, 2025

We are still looking for parents, alumni, and community members to join us for our highly anticipated Career Fair on Wednesday, Mar 12 at 10am. This is an important event for our students to learn more about career options. We’d love to have you join us! Please contact Debbie Levy at dlevy@auhsdschools.org if you are available.

Our AP students need YOUR help!
We are searching for parents to help with proctoring AP exams from May 5 – May 23. Exams start everyday at either 8am or 12pm. Students know to show up 30 minutes prior to start time for check in. Proctors for morning exams are needed starting at 7:15am and afternoon exams starting at 11:15am. Exams can range from 2-4 hours – please plan to stay for the longest amount of time possible. Restriction: Parents are NOT allowed to proctor an exam that their own child is taking.

If you are interested in learning more about proctoring AP exams, please contact the Acalanes Testing Coordinator, Jamielle McDonald at jmcdonald@auhsdschools.org

STATE TESTING IS COMING!
CAASPP testing will begin on Monday, Mar10 and all juniors will take the English, math, and science tests over the three weeks prior to spring break.

To prepare and fire up our students, Principal Shawn is visiting all junior classes to talk about the importance of this test. Our school has outstanding achievement, and these test scores are critical as a public measurement of our students’ progress. Assessments are part of the state-mandated accountability system and are presented to the public via the California School Dashboard. When all students try their best on CAASPP, AUHSD schools will be able to present accurate academic performance data. Students will also receive their score reports, which are included in their academic file. CAASPP scores are also used at colleges for course placement.

We greatly appreciate our parents and community’s encouragement of our students to do their absolute best, participate, and show up for our school in taking these tests seriously. Don’t stress, but please do your best!

APC in Action

March 2, 2025

DON’T MISS THE COLOR RUN!
Acalanes High School is having its Annual Color Run on Sunday, Mar 16 at 9 am. This is a super fun 1 or 2 mile run around the Acalanes campus with stations of different colored powders scattered throughout the course.

This event is inspired by the traditions of Holi, the Hindu Festival of Color. Holi celebrates the arrival of spring and its beautiful harvests and colors with festivals involving colored powder.

The Color Run is a community wide event and we want to encourage you to run or walk! You can purchase your registration on Go Fan which includes a t-shirt, raffle and more!.

We encourage people of all ages to come run! Hope to see you there!

Acalanes Student Community Service Awards: Deadline Friday, Apr 18
The Acalanes community service awards program year is in full swing so please make sure your students are logging those hours! It’s a great opportunity for students to give back AND be recognized for their service. Students who volunteer at least 30 qualifying hours by Apr 18 will get an Acalanes Service Award and there is an opportunity to receive a Presidential Service Award with additional levels of service hours. For more information on how to create a Helper Helper account, what qualifies as community service, and the additional requirements for a Presidential Service Award, please check out our volunteer website or email communityservice@acalanesparentsclub.com with any questions. Please remember that your student’s hours must be entered AND validated by their supervisor by the deadline.

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

Acalanes Community Always (ACA)

March 2, 2025

Summer 2026 Travel
Does your student love to travel? Consider a trip to Spain and Morocco! Sign ups are already happening for summer 2026. Sign up by Apr 1 and receive a $400 discount. Set up a direct debit plan to avoid putting down a deposit and lock in a low monthly payment. Students from any grade and any of the four district 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 Europe NEXT summer (2026), please click here to preview the trip and to register.

And check out our Instagram page to see photos from the last two summers!

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

Campus Culture Committee

March 2, 2025

Upcoming Important Dates:

Women’s History Month (March)
Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (March)
Gender Equality Month (March)
Feb 28 – Mar 29 Ramadan
Mar 5 – Apr 17 Ash Wednesday and Lent
Mar 14 Holi Celebrated
Mar 16 Annual ACA Color Run/Holi Celebration! Go Dons! Register
Mar 20 Nowruz- Persian New Year
Mar 31 Trans Day of Visibility

Please join us as we celebrate the many religious holidays and festivals in our world this month. Along with that, we will spotlight some amazing women and celebrate those with developmental disabilities. If you have someone or something you would like to highlight please let us know here.

Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and marks the first day of Lent, the six weeks of penitence before Easter.

Do you use Facetime or Zoom? Thank prolific inventor Marian Croak, owner of 200+ U.S. patents. Croak was one of the first two Black women to be inducted to the Inventors Hall of Fame. She is best known for developing Voice Over Internet Protocols (VoIP), technology that converts your voice into a digital signal. Among her inventions is the text-to-donate function which has helped to raise millions of dollars for disaster-relief efforts.

ALL ARE WELCOME HERE t-shirts are for sale! For just $20 you can support the Campus Culture Committee of APC while wearing a stylish black tee that lets everyone know what the Dons are all about. Reach out here for payment information and how to get your shirt. Available in M and L only at this time.

If you’d like to help with any celebrations or join in our cultural discussions, please contact the Campus Culture Committee here and 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

March 2, 2025

SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK:

Monday @ lunch: Championship 3 v 3 staff/student basketball + Legally Blonde watch party to celebrate Women’s History month
Tuesday @ lunch: Intramural Flag Football informational meeting in rm 314
Wednesday @ lunch: Legally Blonde watch party to celebrate Women’s History month
Thursday @ lunch: Frosh Carnival
Friday academy: Enviro council on changing weather & water
Friday @ lunch: Legally Blonde watch party to celebrate Women’s History month

UPCOMING:

Color Run + Holi celebration: Mar 16 at 9am
- Get your ticket on Go FAN today!
- A wonderful community event
Talent Show: Mar 18 at 7pm
- A not to miss event for our community!
Junior & Senior Prom: Apr 19
- Get your ticket on Go Fan now before prices go up on Mar 28
- Bus assignments start Mar 26 at lunch
Special Olympics @ Acalanes: Apr 25
- Volunteer opportunities are now open in room 314!
Intramural girls flag football sign-ups: tournament play is Apr 27
- Informational meeting this Tuesday at lunch in room 314

On Mar 7 during Academy, students are invited to room 314 to listen to a presentation on the changing weather and water on our planet. Students will be educated on how the environment has changed and what that will cause in the future. The purpose of the event is to show students what is going on around us, as well as ways to help fix it.

Join us on Mar 16 for Acalanes’ annual Color Run, a vibrant Hindu holiday Holi celebration sponsored by local businesses! The event features student speeches about Holi, an exciting raffle, and a 1 or 2 mile run through our campus course where participants will be showered with colorful powder, and plenty of snacks. This fun-filled day is a chance to celebrate culture, community, and school spirit while supporting the classes of 2026 & 2027. Tell your family and friends, spread the word, and make this our biggest Color Run! Go Dons! Register today!

Does your student have a small business? Would they be interested in selling used items? Do they want to make money? Then they should fill out this form for the Acalanes Makers Market in April (tentatively Apr 15) to show interest! This is a wonderful opportunity for clubs to fundraise and small businesses to expand their business.

The Enviro board is holding a prom dress drive this year through Mar 29. There will be two locations with bins where people can drop off prom dresses and accessories: the Lafayette Community Center and in front of the Acalanes attendance office. The dresses will go to the San Francisco Princess Project which distributes the prom dresses to people who need them.

Support the Garden Club and buy Acalanes grown succulents! Plants are purchased through the Acalanes webstore for $5.25. Once purchased you will receive an email with pick up instructions. Thanks for your support!

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

Katherine Walton, Activities Director

Counseling

March 2, 2025

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

8th Grade Appointments Counselors will be meeting with current 8th graders during the month of March to discuss transition to high school.

3rd Quarter ends on Mar 14 There are two weeks left in the third quarter of the school year! Continued eligibility for spring sports will be determined by the quarter grades the week of Mar 17.

School Nurse

March 2, 2025

Adolescents need between 8-10 hours of sleep per night. This supports optimal health, wellness, and academic success! I’ve included a few “sleep hygiene” tips below. Please let me know if I can give you information/support.

Tips for Better Teen Sleep

Set a Consistent Bedtime: Aim for a regular sleep-wake schedule.
- Parents: Help your student create a schedule that works for them.
Limit Screen Time: Switch off devices 30 minutes before bed.
- Parents: Offer to talk with your student about where they can recharge their devices overnight that is not within reach from their bed.
Watch Caffeine & Late-Night Snacks: Both can disrupt deep sleep.
- Parents: Schedule family dinner time to be finished by 7 pm so students can go to sleep by 10 pm. It’s ideal to have 3 hours between finishing dinner and going to sleep.
Create a Relaxing Wind-Down: Try reading, journaling, or light stretching before bed.
- Parents: Does your student have a yoga mat, Kindle and/or journal? What a nice way to encourage them to have down time.
Optimize the Bedroom: Keep it cool, dark, and quiet for solid rest.
- Parents: Help your student design a sleep-promoting room.

(some information borrowed from @thebraindocs)

Please reach out to me for any support your students or family might need.

My office hours are:
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and some* Thursdays
Tuesdays & Thursdays: 8am – 3:50pm
Wednesdays: 7:30am – 3:20pm

Always Your School Nurse,
Dvora Citron, RN, MS
dcitron @auhsdschools .org, 925-280-2970 x7128
IG: acalanesschoolnurse, School Nurse Website

Wellness Center

March 2, 2025

Did you know there is a difference between regular listening and active listening? Active listening differs from passive listening in the fact that you are intentionally going out of your way to show the speaker that they are being heard. Mastering the art of active listening can greatly improve all of your relationships, especially your relationship with your student. Instead of listening to your child intending to respond, try to listen to your child intending to understand what, exactly, they are trying to convey. Here are a few tips that might help you improve your active listening skills:

Face the speaker and make eye contact while they are speaking.
Pay attention to body language as well as verbal language.
Listen without interrupting, judging or jumping to conclusions.
Ask questions if you need clarification.
Reflect back what is being said so the speaker knows you are understanding.
Stay focused and don’t multitask.
Don’t insert your opinions or solutions unless asked.

Most people, including your child, just want to be heard and supported. Taking the time to practice active listening and employ your skills with your student not only models good listening behaviors but supports the idea that you are a safe and trustworthy person for them to confide in.

Performing & Visual Arts

March 2, 2025

Announcing the Acalanes Performing Arts Boosters 2024-25 Senior Scholarship!
Seniors currently enrolled in an Acalanes performing arts class (Choral, Drama or Instrumental) are eligible to apply for this $1,000 scholarship. Additional requirements are:

Must have been enrolled in an Acalanes performing arts class for two or more years
Must have a minimum 3.0 GPA
Must have an intent to major or minor in a performing arts program (e.g., Theatre Tech, Drama, Musicology, Music Education, Performance, Composition, etc.) in a community college, 4-year college, university or performing arts school or conservatory.

Download the application at AHSPerformingArts.org. Applications are due Monday Mar 24.

News & Announcements

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General Administration Announcements

APC in Action

Acalanes Community Always (ACA)

Campus Culture Committee

Student Activities

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School Nurse

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Performing & Visual Arts

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Performing & Visual Arts