General Announcements

FROSH CONNECT
Frosh Connect is happening Thursday, Sep 21 and Friday, Sep 22 in Living Earth classes. New Crew leaders will lead 45 minute small group sessions where they talk about the start of the year, provide Canvas tips and answer questions, and then talk about the various involvement opportunities on campus. All Frosh will attend during their Living Earth class. This is the first of four Frosh Connect sessions planned for the year with relevant content to help guide the freshmen class through their first year at Acalanes.

PICTURE DAY ORDERS & MAKEUPS
Picture retakes and make-ups will be this Wednesday, Sep 20 from 7:45-11:30am in the PAC Lobby. To order school photos visit Studio One Photos. The online code is your student’s ID number.

PEER TUTORING PRESENTS:  NOTE-TAKING 101
Peer Tutoring is here to help set your student up for academic success! Encourage your student to come to Peer Tutoring on Wednesday, Sep 20 at lunch to learn basic note-taking strategies and how to use those notes to study effectively. The seminar is designed for Frosh students, but all are welcome! Space is limited to the first 40 students and pizza will be served!
 
Peer Tutoring is 100% funded by your generous donations to APC. Thank you for your ongoing support! It’s the only way we can continue to serve our students.
 
DONS DIALOGUE & APC GENERAL MEETING
Please join us on Friday, Sep 22 at 8:30am in the Collaboration Center for our September Dons Dialogue. We will start with a brief APC General Meeting including a review and vote on the 2023-24 APC budget. Our Dons Dialogue with Principal Shawn will immediately follow.

APC will provide coffee and treats. All parents/caregivers welcome.
 
APC FALL GRANT APPLICATION WINDOW IS NOW OPEN!
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.  The deadline isFriday, Oct 6! Completed proposals and questions can be submitted to Nicole Sanders or delivered to the APC Box in the front office

Follow the Acalanes Parents Club on Instagram to keep up to date on what’s happening at Acalanes and reminders for important dates.

Please reach out to APC here with any questions.

CLUB DAY HAD CAMPUS ROCKING

Thank you to all the students and staff who participated in Club Day on Friday. Did you know there are 72 approved clubs at Acalanes!! Be sure to ask your student what clubs interest them. And encourage your student to join in, it’s never too late to get involved.PICTURE DAY ORDERS AND MAKE-UPS

SENIOR PARENT NIGHT SLIDES AVAILABLE

Wow, Senior Parent Night was well attended! Lots of great information from Debbie Levy and College & Career Services.

Please check out the Senior Parent Night Slides if you missed the presentation or you are ready to access links for even more information.

*APC is proud to fund College & Career Services at Acalanes! 

DONS DIALOGUE & APC GENERAL MEETING – Save the Date
Please join us Friday, Sep 22 at 8:30am in the Collaboration Center for our September Dons Dialogue. We will start at 8:30am with a brief APC General Meeting including a review and vote on the 2023-24 APC budget. Our Dons Dialogue with Principal Shawn will immediately follow. APC will provide coffee and treats. All parents/caregivers welcome. 
 
ACALANES COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS
Welcome back Dons! The 2023-24 volunteer program year is in full swing for the Acalanes and President’s Service Awards 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. THREE IMPORTANT CHANGES to note this year: 

1. We’ve transitioned to an app-based system, called Helper Helper, for reporting and validating hours. (That means no more paper forms and no more waiting until the end of the year to submit your hours. Yay!) 
2. The Acalanes Service Award now requires a minimum of 30 hours to qualify (back to the pre-COVID original hours requirement).
3. We have NEW instruction guidelines on what hours qualify as community service hours, which hopefully resolves a lot of past questions. 

Please check out the Volunteer Service Opportunities page for instructions on how to get started in the app and to view the new instructions and guidelines. All applications are due by Friday, Apr 19, 2024 so please make sure your students are logging those hours in the Helper Helper app now!  Email communityservice@acalanesparentsclub.com with any questions.
 
And if your child hasn’t picked up their AHS or Presidential Service Award from last year, please have them do so at the Counseling Office as soon as possible.

Follow the Acalanes Parents Club on Instagram to keep up to date on what’s happening at Acalanes and reminders for important dates.

Please reach out to APC here with any questions.

PICTURE DAY ORDERS AND MAKE-UPS

To order school photos visit Studio One Photos. Online Code = Your student’s ID number.
Picture retake and make-ups will be Wednesday, Sep 20 from 7:45am-11:30am in the PAC Lobby.

ACALANES COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS
 
Welcome back Dons! The 2023-24 volunteer program year is in full swing for the Acalanes and President’s Service Awards 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. THREE IMPORTANT CHANGES to note this year: 

• We’ve transitioned to an app-based system, called Helper Helper, for reporting and validating hours. (That means no more paper forms and no more waiting until the end of the year to submit your hours. Yay!) 
• The Acalanes Service Award now requires a minimum of 30 hours to qualify (back to the pre-COVID original hours requirement).
• We have NEW instruction guidelines on what hours qualify as community service hours, which hopefully resolves a lot of past questions. 

Please check out https://www.acalanes.k12.ca.us/Page/2652 for instructions on how to get started in the app and to view the new instructions and guidelines. All applications are due by Friday, Apr 19, 2024 so please make sure your students are logging those hours in the Helper Helper app now!  Email communityservice@acalanesparentsclub.com with any questions.

And if your child hasn’t picked up their AHS or Presidential Service Award from last year, please have them do so at the Counseling Office as soon as possible.

Follow the Acalanes Parents Club on Instagram to keep up to date on what’s  happening at Acalanes, plus get timely reminders for important dates.

Acalanes Back to School Night (BTSN) is this Thursday, Aug 31 from 5:15-8pm!

Please plan to join at 5:15pm in the front quad for a Parent and Staff Reception hosted by the Acalanes Parents Club (APC).  Principal Shawn will share some remarks around 5:30 and classroom visits start at 6pm.

As mentioned above, this evening is for us, the parents/caregivers, to experience what our students experience each and every school day – you don’t want to miss it!

Important Reminder: be sure to print the BTSN Program here and write down your student’s schedule and room numbers so you know where to go!

August APC Dons Dialogue – View the Slides!
Thank you to all who attended our first Dons Dialogue of the school year on Friday, Aug 25. We had a packed room. This month’s topics included attendance reminders, academy review, counseling and wellness updates, athletic PE and a student activities report. If you were not able to attend, here are the slides from the discussion. 

Thank you to our APC Hospitality Co-Chairs, Mia Heglie and Monica Stassi, for providing the welcoming coffee and treats!

Peer Tutoring is Now Open!

 
The program is located in Room 107 under the supervision of Co-Directors, Kristen Labrosse and Angela Ketcham. Students are welcome to drop-in to receive help from junior and senior student tutors in almost any AHS academic subject, or just come in to do homework, read or study.
 
Hours this week: Lunch, 7th period, and every day 1 hour after the last school bell rings.
Academy sessions start this Friday, Sep 1. For Academy only, students need to sign-up in advance using TeachMore. Space is limited.
 

Join us for the Dons Dialogue Friday, Aug 25 at 8:45am:  Acalanes Parents Club is pleased to invite you to our first Dons Dialogue of the 2023-2024 school year! Dons Dialogues are the best way to find out what’s going on at Acalanes! 

These monthly forums provide parents with the opportunity to hear directly from Principal Eric Shawn and other AHS faculty regarding academics, student activities, department information, hot topics on campus, plus open Q&A. APC will provide coffee and treats. All parents/caregivers welcome.
 

Peer Tutoring is Now Open! Peer Tutoring aims to better the educational, social and emotional well-being of all Acalanes High School students and support them in developing the skills necessary to succeed in academics and life post high school.

The program opens tomorrow (Monday, Aug 21) in Room 107 under the supervision of Co-Directors, Kristen Labrosse and Angela Ketcham. Students are welcome to drop-in to receive help from junior and senior student tutors in almost any AHS academic subject, or just come in to do homework, read or study.

Hours week of Aug 21: Lunch, 7th period, and every day 1 hour after the last school bell rings. Academy sessions start September 1!

Thank you, Acalanes Parents Club! Peer Tutoring is 100% funded by APC. We could not operate without your donations to this valuable organization.
 
Volunteer Opportunities: In case you missed it in the registration process, please complete this volunteer form so we know what you’re interested in helping with this year. There are plenty of parent volunteer opportunities, starting with Homecoming this fall!

Stay Connected:  Follow the Acalanes Parents Club on Instagram to keep up to date on what’s happening at Acalanes and reminders for important dates. Please reach out to APC here with any questions.

Important reminders from APC to help make back to school time a success.

• Dons Day is tomorrow, Monday, Aug 14 from 7:30-11:30am! Please complete your annual online registration in Aeries before coming to Dons Day. As a part of registration, please visit the Acalanes Web Store and check out how to support all Acalanes partners such as APC. You can also purchase yearbooks, class activity funds, ASB card, apparel and more!
• If you are a 9th or 10th grade family and still need residency verification, please come to the collaboration center starting at 7:30am. Please bring all of the necessary proof of residency documentation listed here. We recommend bringing copies to expedite the process.
• Frosh orientation will be held from 12-1:30pm and meets in the Performing Arts Center (PAC).
• New parent orientation meets in the Library from 12-1pm.
• Transfer students are invited to meet near the flagpole at 11:30am for an orientation and tour.
• In addition to Dons Day, Chromebooks will be available for pick up on the first day of school. Students may use their own devices if preferred.
• Please remember there is an adjusted bell schedule for the first week of school.

Volunteer opportunities: In case you missed it in the registration process, please complete this volunteerform so we know what you’re interested in helping with this year. There are plenty of parent volunteer opportunities, starting with Homecoming this fall!

Please reach out to APC here with any questions