Parent Education

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.

ATTENDANCE Q&A – PART 2
What does my student do if they are marked absent by their teacher and it is an error?
Have the student come into the attendance office to get a teacher correction form.
 
Do I need to excuse my student if they already have an early dismissal for sports?
No. Early sports dismissals are included in the Daily Don (email and/or text) sent from the office each morning.
 
If my student returns with a medical/dental note, do I still need to call the attendance line?
Yes, the absence still needs to be verified by a parent. Please call the 24-hour attendance line at 925-280-3973.

Song for Charlie – Educational Presentation about the Dangers of Fentanyl
This is a district wide Parent Education Night on fentanyl awareness. Join us on Oct 8 from 6:30-8pm at Los Lomas High School Theatre to view a documentary produced by the nonprofit organization Song for Charlie followed by a Q & A panel.

GRADING WINDOWS AND REMINDERS
Parents/guardians should have received an email last week from Parent Square with a Progress Report for your student(s). Note, the Progress Report shows just a snapshot of the grading status on Friday, Sep 20 and may already show something different in Canvas now.
 
1st Semester Grading Window:

• Q1 Progress Report: Sep 20
• Q1 Ends: Oct 11
• Q2 Progress Report: Nov 8
• Semester 1 Ends: Dec 20

The best way to support our students academically is not necessarily through these report cards but more so by being an “Observer” in Canvas and encouraging and assisting our students with self-advocacy.
 
The Acalanes educational philosophy reinforces the learning over the points. When reviewing Canvas with your students please help your students keep this in mind.
 
If you have questions about grading or resources for students please attend our next Dons Dialogue (Oct 18) for open discussion on topics like this and more.

MEET OUR OFFICE ATTENDANCE TEAM!
 
Tina Gullberg, Attendance & Health Clerk
Tina joined the Acalanes office team six years ago. She moved to the Bay Area from Utah nine years ago with her husband, Trig, their son, Ethan, and daughter, Eliza. Ethan graduated from Acalanes in 2021 and Eliza is now a senior at Acalanes.
 
Anisa Stanton, Attendance Clerk
Anisa is new to Acalanes and just joined the team this summer. She’s lived in the Bay Area her whole life and started dancing at the age of 3! She did many productions, including the Nutcracker, and loved seeing the joy in her community! She started working in the school district in January 2020 with transition students at Del Valle as an instructional aide. She worked at Miramonte briefly in the Wellness Center and at Campolindo for the last 3 years in the Special Education program. She’s greatly enjoyed working with students and focusing on getting her BA in psychology as well. Be sure to stop by and give Anisa a warm Acalanes welcome!
 
ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES Q&A
 
How do I report absences or late arrivals?
Parents/Guardians need to report absences, late arrivals or early dismissals to the 24-hour attendance line (925-980-3973) or send an email to ahsattendance@auhsdschools.org. Absences not excused after 24 hours will become cuts.
 
How do I excuse my student for an appointment or early release during the day?
Please report any early releases as soon as possible so the office can have your student’s pass ready to go. Call the 24-hour attendance line and leave a message or send an email. The messages are checked frequently. But if your student needs to leave right away, please call the office directly at 925-280-3970 ext. 7126. If your student does not know about the appointment please let us know so we can make arrangements to have the student sent to the office.
 
How does my student sign out once I have called the attendance line/sent an email?
Your student needs to come to the attendance office before the class they are leaving early from to pick up an off-campus pass. This is their ticket to get out of class. Once they have their pass they can leave class at the designated time, come back to the attendance office to scan the QR code and sign out. If they return the same day, they will return to the attendance office to sign in and pick up a re-admit slip. Signing in/out from the office is mandatory for safety reasons.
 
Can tardies be excused? Yes, with a medical or dental note and a student sign in. Otherwise, parents cannot excuse tardiness.
 
For more detailed information, visit the District website attendance reporting.

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!

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!

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!

ACADEMY WITH A PURPOSE
Our students attend academy on Wednesday and Friday mornings from 10:10-11:05am. Students use TeachMore (an online platform) to select where they would like to go for academy or teachers can also tag a student to attend their academy for test make-ups or targeted support.
 
Ask your student(s) where they are going for academy each week and encourage them to make a good selection. These periods are a great time to get homework completed, work on group projects or participate in enrichment activities. Peer Tutoring is always a valuable option during the academy periods as well.

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.