My teenager is in this “my family doesn’t love me” phase. To flip the script I’ve been hugging and kissing his head. Sulking? I hug and kiss him. Groan, glare, eye roll, I hug and kiss him. And every time, regardless of how irritated he is, he smiles. I think it’s working. – Clint Edwards
Wednesday, Mar 23 at 6:30 pm in the Miramonte High School Theater Miramonte Parent Ed will host Start Smart, an interactive safe driving class for teens. Attending students will receive a certificate from CHP (California Highway Patrol) to present to their insurance company. Details and registration here.
Thursday, Mar 24 from 6:30 to 7:30pm in the Acalanes Library, Acalanes Parent Ed will host CynthiaMuchnick, M.A., author, speaker, educational consultant, and parent on Alternatives to College and College Prep. As a former Assistant Director of Admissions for the Illinois Institute of Technology and the University of Chicago, she has extensive experience screening and reviewing thousands of college applications. Most recently, she has authored several books including The Parent Compass: Navigating your Teens Wellness and Academic Journey in Today’s Competitive World and countless articles including Alternatives to College: Exploring Other Routes. Cindy will be speaking in person and available to sign purchased books afterwards.
Finally, if your teen is struggling with academics or feeling down or frustrated about school, don’t forget to connect with our Counselors, our Nurse, and our Wellness Center. Feel free to reach out and connect with us with ideas for future topics, shareable resources, or thoughts at parented@acalanesparentsclub.com.
Parent Education
APC in Action
We continue to support our cafeteria staff every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during lunch. We have a small core of parent volunteers who have been “regulars” and we can not thank them enough. Much gratitude goes to Jessica Langevin, Trisha Sanyal, David Melfi & Maria Nicolacakis for stepping up and helping out! We can always use more hands so sign up here if you can spare a lunchtime or two.
APC Spring Grant Applications due this Friday, Mar 4 – We invite all AHS teachers, staff, students, and parents to submit a grant application for programming, materials or projects that enhance the educational experience for our school community; all ideas are welcome. Click here for criteria and application. Completed proposals and questions can be submitted to Catherine Habas or delivered to the APC Box in the front office.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)
Tuesday, Mar 1 from 6 to 8pm at St. Mary’s College. It’s not too late to catch the Black MentalHealth Series. Dr. Lynna McPhatter-Harris, Director of Student DEI at Acalanes Union High School District, and Dr. Carnetta Porter, Staff Therapist at Saint Mary’s Counseling and Psychological Services talk about how Black lives matter at a predominantly white institution. Join in person or via Zoom, must pre-register at link above.
As part of their More Than a Month celebration, San Francisco Public Library is hosting free film screenings and literary events from now through the month of March, including Black inventors and Silicon Valley’s Black innovators.
Facts corner: Did you know there was a Black Film Archive? Created last year by Maya S. Cade, it’s a living register of Black films from 1915 to 1979 that has been called “the definitive history of Black cinema.” This month the site highlights films from the 1920s through the 1970s.
Parent Education
The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice- Peggy O’Mara
Tomorrow, Monday, Feb 28 at 6:30pm in the Miramonte Library. Miramonte Parent Ed will be hosting a talk on Achievement Pressure: What is it doing to our Kids? Speaker is Bryan Clark, PsyD. Masks will be required.
Wednesday, Mar 23 at 6:30 pm at the Miramonte Theater. Miramonte Parent Ed will also be hosting Start Smart, an interactive safe driving class for teens. Attending students will receive a certificate from CHP (California Highway Patrol) to present to their insurance company.
Thursday, Mar 24 Acalanes Parent Ed will be hosting Cynthia Muchnick, M.A., author, speaker, and educational consultant on Alternatives to College and College Prep. Cindy will be speaking in person and available to sign purchased books afterwards. More details soon!
Finally, if your teen is struggling with academics or feeling down or frustrated about school, don’t forget to connect with our Counselors, our Nurse, and our Wellness Center. Feel free to reach out and connect with us with ideas for future topics, shareable resources, or thoughts at parented@acalanesparentsclub.com.
APC in Action
The APC Nominating Committee is in full swing and planning for the 2022-2023 school year! Below is a list of positions we need to fill in the Acalanes Parents Club. Being a part of this amazing, thoughtfully run organization is rewarding and an opportunity to help the school, teachers, staff, and students in a variety of ways. Come join the team! If you have any questions, please contact Nominating Committee Lead Angela Ketcham or anyone from our 2022 Nominating Committee: Sherry Quinn, Kristen Labrosse, Maria Nicolacakis, Jennifer Palmer, Katharine Wallace, Daniele Upp and Catherine Habas.
Open positions:
President Elect
VP Fundraising
Assistant Treasurer
Secretary
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Liaison
Co-Hospitality Chairs
Grants Coordinator
Volunteer Coordinator
Legislative Representative
Co-Parent Ed. Coordinator
Student Awards Coordinator
Stanley Liaison
APC Spring Grants: Submissions are Open! Applications due Friday, Mar 4 All ideas are welcome. Acalanes Parents Club is pleased to invite all AHS teachers, staff, students, and parents to submit a grant application for programming, materials or projects that enhance the educational experience for our school community. Click here for criteria and application. Completed proposals and questions can be submitted by emailing APC Grants Coordinator Catherine Habas. Proposals can also be delivered to the APC box in the front office.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)
We’re about Black History all month long!
Journalist and author Michele Norris started TheRace Card Project in 2010, inviting people to write down their thoughts about race in only 6 words. So far, more than 500,000 personal narratives have been collected worldwide. Many of these essays contain feelings and difficult truths rarely expressed publicly. In 2013, the Race Card Project was awarded the prestigious Peabody Award. What would you write?
Always wanted to try a Master Class? Now’s your chance! All month, the online educator is offering a free three-part class, Black History, Freedom & Black Love. Master Class has also teamed up with Amazon and IMDb TV to ensure the series is widely available. Hosts include distinguished author Cornel West and Angela Davis, Professor Emerita at UCSC.
How much do you know about Black culture? Do you like Blues, Hip-hop, Soul, or Funk? Test your knowledge about iconic moments in Black music history by taking this quiz.
Facts corner: In Canada, this year’s theme for Black History Month is “February and Forever: Celebrating Black History today and every day,” recognizing the daily contributions that Black Canadians make to Canada. One such achievement was the 2022 Olympic gold medal won by Jordan Pierre–Gilles in the 5000 men’s speed skating relay.
Parent Education
Parents say they want kids to be caring, but pay more attention to achievement. Ironically, kids raised to be kind are more successful in school and work (and happier too). We shouldn’t just ask kids what they accomplished. We should also ask who they helped-and who helped them. -Adam Grant
Monday, Feb 28 at 6:30pm in the Miramonte Library. Miramonte Parent Ed will be hosting a talk on Achievement Pressure: What is it doing to our Kids. Speaker is Bryan Clark, PsyD. Masks will be required.
Wednesday, Mar 23 at 6:30 pm at the Miramonte Theater. Miramonte Parent Ed will also be hosting Start Smart, an interactive safe driving class for teens. Attending students will receive a certificate from CHP (California Highway Patrol) to present to their insurance company.
Thursday, Mar 24 Acalanes Parent Ed will be hosting Cynthia Muchnick, M.A., author, speaker, and educational consultant on Alternatives to College and College Prep. Cindy will be speaking in person and available to sign purchased books afterwards. More details soon!
Finally, if your teen is struggling with academics or feeling down or frustrated about school, don’t forget to connect with our Counselors, our Nurse, and our Wellness Center. Feel free to reach out and connect with us with ideas for future topics, shareable resources, or thoughts at parented@acalanesparentsclub.com.
APC in Action
The APC Nominating Committee is in full swing and planning for the 2022-2023 school year! Below is a list of positions we need to fill in the Acalanes Parents Club. Being a part of this amazing, thoughtfully run organization is rewarding and an opportunity to help the school, teachers, staff, and students in a variety of ways. Come join the team! If you have any questions, please contact Nominating Committee Lead Angela Ketcham or anyone from our 2022 Nominating Committee: Sherry Quinn, Kristen Labrosse, Maria Nicolacakis, Jennifer Palmer, Katharine Wallace, Danielle Upp and Catherine Habas.
Open positions:
President Elect
VP Fundraising
Assistant Treasurer
Secretary
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Liaison
Co-Hospitality Chairs
Grants Coordinator
Volunteer Coordinator
Legislative Representative
Co-Parent Ed. Coordinator
Student Awards Coordinator
Stanley Liaison
APC Spring Grants: Submissions are Open! Applications due Friday, Mar 4 All ideas are welcome. Acalanes Parents Club is pleased to invite all AHS teachers, staff, students, and parents to submit a grant application for programming, materials or projects that enhance the educational experience for our school community. Click here for criteria and application. Completed proposals and questions can be submitted by emailing APC GrantsCoordinator Catherine Habas. Proposals can also be delivered to the APC box in the front office.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)
It’s Black History Month and the 2022 Winter Olympics! Let’s celebrate the twelve trailblazingBlack athletes who have made history at the Olympics over the years. From speed skating to skiing, these outstanding athletes have earned many firsts.
Riveted: The History of Jeans follows America’s past, “from the iconic garment’s roots in slavery to the Wild West, youth culture, hippies, high fashion and hip-hop.” Watch it on KQED this month!
Interested in theater and the story of Frederick Douglass? The Marsh will send you a free one-hour, two-act play starring actor Darryl Van Leer, who portrays events of Douglass’s life with the notorious slave master Edward Covey, as well as his thrilling and suspenseful train ride to freedom.
Facts corner: African American lawyer Pauli Murray applied to be a Supreme Court justice in 1971, under President Nixon. Although she was denied, Justice Thurgood Marshall used a summary Murray wrote on racism and state law as the foundation of the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education.
Parent Education
Teach your kids that love is their end game; that mistakes can be lessons; that the hardest of those lessons will teach them about boundaries and self-respect. Those loud voices can bring change. That taking up space is important. That it’s okay to be unlike anyone else. That in the end, acting with love brings more love, for themselves and for others. -Parents Magazine
How to help our teens be good citizens online: Here is a resource/study on digital citizenship education that may help provide you more insight and guidance on how to support your teens.
If you missed the Challenge Success talk on a Healthy Approach to College Admissions, you have another opportunity! They will be presenting again Friday, March 4th at 4pm online for $10. Register here! Here is an article on how to support your teens through this process. And for your students, here is an article on how to avoid the college “prestige” trap as well as an article on misconceptions on college choice and success in life.
Finally, if your teen is struggling with academics or feeling down or frustrated about school, don’t forget to connect with our Counselors, our Nurse, and our Wellness Center. Feel free to reach out and connect with us with ideas for future topics, shareable resources, or thoughts at parented@acalanesparentsclub.com.
