From the Activities Director

PEEK AT THE WEEK:
Wednesday @ Academy: Special Education training
Wednesday @ lunch: Staff/Student Pickleball + Unified Soccer
Thursday @ 3:30pm: BIG 10 – Girls Tennis
Thursday @ 6:30pm: BIG 10 – Girls Volleyball (Pink Out!)
Friday @ Academy: Finance Club speaker in room 314
Friday @ lunch: Staff/Student pickleball
Friday @ 7:00pm: Friday Night Lights against Campolindo. Wear BLUE!

Wednesday during Academy our special education staff is offering a training for students to learn more about disabilities, communication strategies when working with our ESC students, and to provide a space to ask questions. ACA Buddies & Unified Partners will be in attendance but all students are welcome.

Homecoming skits & a Homecoming recap video are online. Links can be found in the Daily Don & on ahs_dons. Relive the awesome week!

NEXT WEEK:
Fall Play (Wednesday, Oct 22-Saturday, Oct 25)

Pink Dons Shirts
They will arrive this coming week and I will email once they arrive so your student can stop by room 314 and pick up!

Spiritwear
If you ordered spiritwear via Gryco over the summer, please have your student stop by room 314 to pick up.

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

Now that was a Homecoming to remember! From the hallways to the lunchtime activities to dodgeball & volleyball to the skits, and of course, last night’s celebration at HOCO Night Out, there were lots of memories & Acalanes spirit to be had. I am so proud of our Acalanes community for what we created together and the donations we provided to the Food Bank. Our skits this year involved 510 students – pretty incredible! Proud to be a Don!

There are some people that have to be acknowledged for their weeks and weeks of work to make Homecoming come to life. Our campus would be VERY different without these incredible parent volunteers & student leaders. A GIANT thank you to:
-Our class parent liaisons for their guidance, support, creativity, love, & hard work alongside the class officers particularly with hallway decorating. Y’all are an incredible bunch!
– Our 17 class officers for their tireless work in the evening, on the weekends, and just about every lunchtime for the past month making hallways come to life & skits as amazing as they were.
-Our 6 ASB Officers who planned & executed all of homecoming week aside from hallway decorating & skits. I am very grateful & proud of you.

Look for the recording of skits on YouTube this week. The link to view will be in the Daily Don.

Now, let’s peek into October.
Monday, Oct 6 from 9:30-11:30am: Make-up Picture Day
Tuesday, Oct 7 at 7:30am: Equity Council in room 314
Wednesday, Oct 8 at 7:30pm: Flag Football takes on Las Lomas. A HUGE game for our girls team. Come out!
Thursday, Oct 9 at 6:30pm: BIG 10 Event: Pops Concert. Football, Cheer & Blue Crew will be there to support. Join us!
Friday, Oct 10 at Academy: LatinX potluck in room 314 (Sign up for Walton’s Academy)
Sunday, Oct 12: Car Show at Acalanes

Spiritwear
If you ordered spiritwear via Gryco over the summer, please have your student stop by room 314 to pick up.

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

HOMECOMING 2025: ACALANES GOES TO THE MOVIES


Homecoming officially begins today & we are ready to have the best week yet! There are so many ways for students to be involved in the week – please talk to your student about the various activities!

Before we jump into the week’s activities, just a reminder that our canned food drive is underway and the competition is heating up. There are 2 ways to donate:

• In person at the flag pole from 8:00-8:30am.
• Online directly to the Contra Costa Food Bank: 
  • Seniors         
  • Juniors        
  • Sophs          
  • Frosh

TODAY is HALLWAY DECORATING from 10:00am-3:00pm. Your student can show up anytime & help their class transform the halls. You should come to our community walkthrough from 5:00-6:00pm and witness the magic! It is truly incredible what our students create.

MONDAY:
Dress-up: Let’s go to the movies: wear pajamas!
Lunch activity: Staff vs. student dodgeball – a not to miss event!
TUESDAY:
Dress-up: Minions (yellow top, blue bottoms/overalls)
Lunch activity: Carnival in the Frosh quad
WEDNESDAY:
Dress-up: Jerseys
Lunch: Innertube waterpolo
7:00pm: Student vs. Student dodgeball
Consistently named as a student favorite, send your student to play or watch. They MUST bring their student ID if they wish to play.
THURSDAY:
Dress-up: Men in black (white shirt, black bottoms, sunglasses)
Lunch: Cake Walk on the blacktop
6:30pm: Girls Volleyball vs. College Park
Wear your “Everyone Watches Women’s Sports” BLUE t-shirt (or blue) & let’s pack the gym!
FRIDAY:
Dress-up: Class shirts or colors (9: white, 10: blue, 11: grey, 12: black)
Academy: HOCO Rally & Class Skits (watch the hudl cam thanks to Boosters!)
Lunch: Plunge-palooza in the pool
5:30pm: Pre-Friday Night Lights tailgate
7:00pm: Friday Night Lights & halftime show

Come out to watch cheer, pep band, and football while enjoying activities at halftime including class skits! At halftime, there will be a powder toss in the student section. The color powder easily washes out of most fabrics, skin, and hair using only soap and water, but we still recommend students leave those fancy shoes and clothes at home.

SATURDAY:
Make sure your student has purchased a ticket to HOCO Night Out! Last year we had 1135 students attend & we expect the same this year. There is something for everyone at the event. The event takes place in both gyms & in between the gyms. The dancing is outdoors on concrete so plan shoe attire accordingly. Most students go with their group of friends – no dates needed!
Attire for HOCO NIGHT OUT: khakis, collared shirts, and dresses. Students should come as they feel comfortable!

If you have any questions regarding ANYTHING Homecoming, don’t hesitate to reach out to Katherine Walton.

October is BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
Buy your 2025 Pink Out shirt for the month of October including the Volleyball games on Oct 9 & Oct 16 (vs. Campolindo). Let’s deck the gym out in PINK! $10 from every shirt sale will be donated to Fight for the Cure. The deadline to order is Oct 2.

HOMECOMING 2025: ACALANES GOES TO THE MOVIES

We are just 7 days away from HOCO 2025 and want to make sure that you (and your student) know the various ways to get involved in the week!

1. Don’t miss taking a few minutes to read the comprehensive HOCO Overview document.
2. Make sure you have purchased the HOCO 2025 T-shirt. Orders close tonight!
3. Our annual canned food drive begins tomorrow! There are 2 ways to donate:
   1. Online directly to the Contra Costa Food Bank
      1. Seniors
      2. Juniors
      3. Sophs
      4. Frosh
   2. In person at Acalanes – food or money
      1. Everyday at the flag pole from 8:05-8:30am
4. Three community events throughout the week:
   1. The community walkthrough of our homecoming hallways next Sunday, Sept 28, from 5:00-6:00pm. The hallways are incredible!
   2. The girls volleyball game on Thursday, Oct 2 at 6:30pm. Let’s pack the gym!
   3. Friday Night Lights on Friday, Oct 3, at 7:00pm. Let’s pack the stadium!
5. Make sure your student has purchased a ticket to HOCO Night Out! Last year we had 1135 students attend & we expect the same this year. There is something for everyone at the event.
6. Lastly, there are daily dress-ups, daily lunchtime activities, the HOCO rally with class skits, and student dodgeball on Wednesday, Oct 1, at 7:30pm (a not to miss night!)

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

LatinX Heritage Month kicks off tomorrow and runs through Oct 15th! Latinos Unidos has some fun plans throughout the month. Events begin this week:
Staff and students are making door decs to celebrate LatinX Culture and they can be seen beginning today for the kick-off of LatinX Heritage Month.
On Wednesday, Sept 17, at lunch in room 408, Latinos Unidos is hosting a club meeting and invites all to attend to learn more about Latinos Unidos and the events planned for the month.

HOMECOMING 2025: ACALANES GOES TO THE MOVIES

Sept 28-Oct 4
It is hard to believe but Homecoming is just around the corner (14 days to be exact!) and the excitement is building on campus. Skit practices are in full force, hallway decorating parties are happening, and the week’s events are confirmed. This is a great week to purchase your student’s HOCO Night Out ticket!

Don’t miss taking a few minutes to read the HOCO Overview document. It has EVERYTHING you need to get informed about one of the best weeks at Acalanes.

Homecoming Blue Crew shirts-on sale NOW! Deadline to order is Sept 21.

HOCO NIGHT OUT: Oct 4 from 7:00-9:30pm

Tickets for HOCO Night Out are now on sale via Go Fan. HOCO Night Out has something for everyone-games, golf simulator, food truck, airbrush tattoo, caricaturist, blackjack/poker, and of course, a DJ. If your student would like to bring a guest who does not attend Acalanes, here is the guest pass (due by Oct 1).

We need Chaperones for HOCO Night Out. We are looking for 10 more chaperones for HOCO Night Out on Oct 4. With over 1100 students attending HOCO Night Out, we need caregivers to ensure a safe and fun night for all. Sign up today!
 
If your student did not pick up their class shirt, please encourage them to stop by room 314 ASAP.

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

Homecoming: Acalanes goes to the movies! Sept 28-Oct 4
It is hard to believe but Homecoming is just around the corner (21 days to be exact!) and the excitement is building. Skit practices have begun, hallway decorating parties are happening, the week is beginning to take shape, and HOCO Night Out tickets are on sale this week. For a full overview of the week, check out the HOCO Overview.

HOCO Night Out- Oct 4 from 7-9:30pm
We need Chaperones for HOCO Night Out. We are looking for 30 chaperones for HOCO Night Out on Oct 4. With over 1100 students attending HOCO Night Out, we need caregivers to ensure a safe and fun night for all. Sign up today!

Tickets for HOCO Night Out go on sale this week via Go Fan. HOCO Night Out has something for everyone— games, golf simulator, food truck, airbrush tattoo, caricaturist, blackjack/poker and of course, a DJ. If your student would like to bring a guest who does not attend Acalanes, look in the Daily Don for the guest pass.

Clubs at Acalanes
We had a great club day this past Friday. If your student would like to follow up with any clubs or they missed club day for any reason, here are our 82 clubs this year.

Volunteer Service Opportunity
Sign up to create motivational cards that spread hope, joy, and magic to hospitalized children across America! Join us on Sept 10 in Room 314 during Academy (sign up for Walton’s academy— first 45 appointments) to make a difference. The cards will be sent to Cards for Hospitalized Kids, a non-profit organization that distributes them to children every month. Plus, you can earn a volunteer hour on Helper Helper if you attend!

Class Shirt Pick-up will be at lunch on Wednesday, Sept 10, in the respective quads. Please encourage your student to grab their class shirt.

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

What a great start to the school year; such good energy on campus!

Peek @ the week:

Monday
Happy Labor Day

Wednesday
Lunch: Class Cup Basketball in the big gym

Thursday
Lunch: Resource fair in the frosh quad

Friday
Academy: Fall Club Day
Lunch: Girls Waterpolo HOME game
6:15 PM: Tailgate prior to Friday Night Lights.
Theme: Jerseys

Homecoming: Acalanes goes to the movies! Sept 28-Oct 4

Homecoming work parties have begun! 10th & 12th will be at Acalanes (314) today from 1-4pm and 11th is at the Schaffer’s house from 11am-1pm. All are invited!

If your student wants to participate in skits but hasn’t filled out the google form, now is the time! Skit practices begin at lunch this week!
9th: Frosh Skit sign up
10th: Sophomore Skit sign up and Partner Skit form
11th: Junior Skit sign up,  Partner Skit form, and  Hallway deco interest
12th: Senior Skit sign up

Club Day is Friday during Academy and all students are encouraged to cruise through the front quad and check out the 85+ clubs we have at Acalanes. Look in the Daily Don for the full spreadsheet of clubs and preview them before Friday.

Class Shirt Pick-up will be at lunch on Wednesday, Sept 10th.

If you have yet to purchase your ASB Sticker, NOW is the time! Thank you for supporting student activities at Acalanes. We are still about $6K down in sales.
ASB cards cost $115 and are available for purchase on the webstore. ASB cards support all student activities at Acalanes, support athletics (25% of every card sale goes directly to athletics) and helps to pay for AHS’s finance tech’s salary and get students discounts/free entry to the following:
-Home athletic events (Except playoffs). This year we have 6 home football games (totaling $35 without ASB).
-Free or discounted tickets to dances (For Homecoming, you will save $25 with ASB)
-Free Acalanes t-shirt at Dons Day (worth $15). If you didn’t get your black dice shirt, stop by room 314.
-Discounts at 12 local businesses when you show your ASB sticker on your ID card.

What a great start to the school year; such good energy on campus!

Peek @ the week:

Monday
Lunch: 9th grade non-stanley lunch + canvas tutorial in room 415

Tuesday
Lunch: Volunteer service opportunities + Helper Helper info meeting in room 314

Wednesday
Lunch: Club Info meeting in room 314

Thursday
Lunch: Resource fair in the frosh quad

Friday
Academy: Frosh Connect
Lunch: Open Field Day + ACA Buddies
7 PM: Frosh social
9th grade photos

Monday 8/25
Lunch: HOCO info meetings for each class

If you have yet to purchase your ASB Sticker, NOW is the time!
ASB cards cost $115 and are available for purchase on the webstore. ASB cards support all student activities at Acalanes, support athletics (25% of every card sale goes directly to athletics) and helps to pay for AHS’s finance tech’s salary and get students discounts/free entry to the following:
-Home athletic events (Except playoffs). This year we have 6 home football games (totaling $35 without ASB).
-Free or discounted tickets to dances (For Homecoming, you will save $25 with ASB)
-Free Acalanes t-shirt at Dons Day (worth $15). If you didn’t get your black dice shirt, stop by room 314.
-Discounts at 12 local businesses when you show your ASB sticker on your ID card.

Class Shirts & Spiritwear – deadline to order is today!
Didn’t get a chance to order your class shirt yet? You still have a chance via the webstore by tomorrow at 11:59 PM.
Looking for new Acalanes gear? Check out our summer webstore open only until tomorrow, Monday, Aug 18. All proceeds benefit the Classes of ‘26, ‘27, ‘28 & ‘29!. Items will be available for pick-up in September.

New Club Applications
Want to start a club? The time is NOW! Club apps are now available and are due August 25th. If you did spring re-up, you DO NOT need to fill this out.
There is a mandatory info meeting Wednesday, August 20th in room 314 at lunch. Each club needs 1 representative to attend.
Clubs are so important on the Acalanes campus! The work you do within your club is so important and we want to support that. Please fill out this google form in its entirety by 8/25. Fall Club Day is September 5th during academy

Homecoming
Homecoming runs Sunday, Sep 28- Saturday, Oct 4. Informational meetings for ALL grades will  be Monday, Aug 25 at lunch and important skit & hallway decorating information will be shared. Homecoming at Acalanes is magical-encourage your student to get involved!

Staying in touch with student activities
Our goal at Acalanes is that every student is connected to at least one adult and one activity outside of school. If I can support you in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach out! There are multiple ways in which we push information out to both students and parents:

• Monday morning announcements
• Daily Bulletin
• APC Newsletter
• On campus publicity: posters, weekly flush, bulletin boards, canvas & more
• Instagram (@ahs_dons)

Let’s have a great year, Acalanes!

Katherine Walton

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

Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year! We are ready to have an incredible year together and look forward to all of the amazing things to come.

Peek @ the week:

WB Rally attire:
Grades 9/10/11: Wear BLUE
Grade 12: Wear WHITE

ASB Stickers
ASB cards cost $115 and are available for purchase on the webstore. ASB cards support all student activities at Acalanes, support athletics (25% of every card sale goes directly to athletics) and helps to pay for AHS’s finance tech’s salary and get students discounts/free entry to the following:
-Home athletic events (Except playoffs). This year we have 6 home football games (totaling $35 without ASB).
-Free or discounted tickets to dances (For Homecoming, you will save $25 with ASB)
-Free Acalanes t-shirt at Dons Day (worth $10)
-Discounts at 10 local businesses when you show your ASB sticker on your ID card.

Class Shirts & Spiritwear
Didn’t get a chance to order your class shirt yet? You still have a chance via the webstore. Deadline to order is August 18th and class shirts will arrive mid September.
Looking for new Acalanes gear? Check out our summer webstore open now through Monday, Aug 18. All proceeds benefit the Classes of ‘26, ‘27, ‘28 & ‘29! The last day to purchase is Monday, Aug 18. Items will be available for pick-up in September.

Clubs
Clubs are one of the best ways to get connected to Acalanes and provide a wonderful opportunity for students to socialize, pursue a passion, network, & learn.
Clubs are all student led with a teacher as the advisor. Most clubs meet during lunch! We encourage you to join one or several.
Fall Club registration will run Aug 14-27. Look for the club application in the Daily Don. To start a club, you need 4 things:
1. 4 students and a teacher advisor
2. A Constitution
3. A completed club application
4. A budget or budget waiver
 We completed spring club re-up for returning clubs and have 37 approved clubs. Check them out!

Homecoming
Voting for the 2025 Homecoming theme will run this week-Monday through 2pm on Thursday! The winning theme will be revealed at Friday’s rally. Homecoming runs Sunday, Sep 28- Saturday, Oct 4. Informational meetings for ALL grades will  be Monday, Aug 25 at lunch and important skit & hallway decorating information will be shared. Homecoming at Acalanes is magical-encourage your student to get involved!

Staying in touch with student activities
Our goal at Acalanes is that every student is connected to at least one adult and one activity outside of school. If I can support you in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach out! There are multiple ways in which we push information out to both students and parents:
Monday morning announcements
Daily Bulletin
APC Newsletter
On campus publicity: posters, weekly flush, bulletin boards, canvas & more

Instagram (@ahs_dons)

Let’s have a great year, Acalanes!
Katherine Walton

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

A year full of programming and memorable moments is not possible without the larger community support. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything you have done to make the 2024-2025 school year positive for our young people. From the little asks to the larger asks, thank you thank you thank you. – K. Walton
 
Summer webstore is open! Place your orders now through August.
 
DATES NEXT YEAR:

• Aug 11 at 12pm: Frosh orientation
• Sep 28-Oct 4: Homecoming 2025
• Apr 25, 2026: Junior & Senior prom

Looking to stay informed? Follow us on Instagram for the latest on student activities and class happenings.
 
Katherine Walton, Activities Director