Campus Culture Committee
Acalanes Parent Club – Campus Culture Committee (CCC) Update
Upcoming Important Dates
- Jan 27 – International Holocaust Remembrance Day
CCC Meeting Summary – January 12, 2026
The Acalanes Campus Culture Committee met on Jan 12, 2026, to hear updates focused on student wellness, equity and inclusion, and leadership-supported activities across campus and the broader Lafayette community. The meeting highlighted strong collaboration among staff, students, and community partners, with a shared commitment to fostering belonging and student well-being.
Wellness Update – Mr. Patrick Turner
Mr. Turner shared highlights of recent and ongoing wellness initiatives supporting students before, during, and after school breaks. Prior to Thanksgiving and Winter Break, wellness workshops were held to help students manage transitions and maintain mental health during unstructured time. Resources were provided addressing isolation, food scarcity, and coping strategies, including a Friendsgiving event to foster connection.
Following the return from break, staff observed many students experiencing fatigue during the first week back, particularly by third period. In response, the wellness team emphasizes organizational skills, regular check-ins, and peer-to-peer wellness support. Efforts are underway to integrate a wellness lens into peer tutoring and student leadership spaces.
Additional initiatives include:
- Academy programming on Wednesdays focused on healthy relationships and social skills
- Friday study halls
- A “No Phones in Wellness” policy
- Classroom-based wellness support in partnership with school counselors
- Collaboration with College and Career staff, including participation on career pathway panels for students
Lafayette DEIB Update – Mr. Steve Poling
Mr. Poling provided an overview of the City of Lafayette’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) work. Having assumed leadership of the initiative over the past year, he shared that the city’s DEIB mission centers on education, awareness, and community building through inclusive, community-driven events.
Planning is underway for a public-facing spring event designed to bring together students, families, and community members of all ages, with the goal of breaking down existing age silos. The event will celebrate student leadership and equity work and include speakers, food, and entertainment. Mr. Poling will meet with the Equity Council to gather student input on how to make the event engaging and meaningful.
Save the Date: Apr 11, 2026 (food trucks and entertainment planned).
Leadership Support Update – Mrs. Katherine Walton
Mrs. Walton shared a wide range of upcoming student leadership and inclusion-focused activities:
- A month-long calendar of events for Black Excellence Month, led by BSU and the Equity Board
- BSU Dance: “Feel the Glow” (Neon-themed), held the last Friday of February
- Latinos Unidos & Filipino Club Potluck (date pending)
- QSA Districtwide Movie Night hosted at Acalanes (date pending)
- ACA Buddies program supporting special education students, with strong participation (averaging 50 students per event)
- Unified Basketball beginning in February
- Special Olympics on Apr 19, including a barbecue by Meat Team
- Schoolwide Academy on Jan 21: “Dons Are Stronger Together,” led by student leaders and focused on kindness and inclusion
- Middle School Leadership Conference hosted at Acalanes later this week, welcoming 215 eighth-grade students from five middle schools, including an equity-focused workshop
- Strategic outreach to elementary schools, including a Jan 26 welcome event at Lafayette Elementary with music and bubbles
Next CCC Meeting
Friday, Feb 27 | 6:00pm
In-Person at AHS (before the BSU-sponsored dance)
BSU Sponsored Dance: “Feel the Glow” ✨
It’s that time of year again for the AUHSD District-Wide BSU Dance! This year’s event will be hosted by the Acalanes Black Student Union (BSU) in partnership with AHS Leadership.
Friday, Feb 27
7:00–9:00pm
Big Gym
Theme: FEEL THE GLOW (students encouraged to wear neon)
What to Expect
- Black-light dancing with an amazing DJ
- Food, activities, prizes, face paint, glow sticks
- Space to hang out and celebrate with friends
Tickets: $10 via your school’s GoFan website
Help Make the Dance a Success!
This event happens at little to no cost for the school, and we rely on family support to make it special. Please consider donating food, funds, or your time.
Sign-Up Here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0C4AAFAF2EA3FE3-61648485-auhsd#/
This international Memorial Day commemorates the victims of the Holocaust, during which one-third of the Jewish population, along with countless members of other marginalized groups, were murdered by Nazi Germany between 1933 and 1945.
Join Us Monthly!
CCC Meeting Schedule | 6:00–7:30pm
- Feb 27 – In Person (6-7PM)
- Mar 16 – Virtual
- Apr 20 – In-Person (Final Meeting)
- May – No Meeting
diversityandinclusion@acalanesparentsclub.com — All are welcome!
Reminder: Acalanes is a No Hate Zone
If your student experiences hate or bias, please encourage them to use the Bias IncidentReporting Tool (BIRT) available on the AHS website.
Submit a BIRT Report Here »
You Are Influential to Your Children and Your Community – Stand Up to Hate
In addition to producing events that help us connect, learn and grow, the DEI committee is also here to support parents. As we head into United Against Hate Week across Lamorinda, it feels like a good time to take a pause from our regular style of communication and acknowledge that the work is heavy and sometimes slow to yield results. We encourage you to keep going and to reach out if you need support. Try to approach equity work in a way that brings results, such as opening up a discussion with your kid(s). Our parent community is making a difference and our work is valuable.
Hate crimes occur right out in the open. Over the last few years, violent Anti-Asian hate crimes have been on the rise here and nationwide. Last month, Ye issued strong anti-seminitic statements that were intended to be divisive and harmful. These are just a few examples of hate speech and hate crimes taking place in our nation. In order to effectively fight structural racism and discrimination we have to have purposeful conversations with our communities and with our children. Did your family talk about what Ye said or discuss increased assaults on Asian Americans in our area? Perhaps your family talked about how those behaviors circulated on social media and maybe even how it showed up in your daily lives?
While often difficult to corral your kid for another “important” discussion (yep, we get the teen eye rolls, too) we feel it is vital that you make time to talk about discrimination and acts of hate this week. An easy way to open up a conversation might be to simply ask if your student knows that the City of Lafayette observes a United Against Hate Week. You don’t need to supply all the content – it isn’t a lecture, just start the discussion. Our kids are intelligent and thoughtful. You can be honest that you find these conversations challenging, deep, difficult, confusing, frustrating and fill in the blank. It is tough but ok to be in discomfort for a few minutes. Those sticky, tricky moments are where people may find the most growth.
We encourage you to keep building community and celebrating our individuality. Our diversity is one of our greatest strengths.
About Campus Cultural Committee
The APC is committed to working with our Acalanes parent and student community as well as our staff and our school and district administration to promote a positive school climate at Acalanes that encourages a culture of inclusivity and belonging for all. It is not enough to denounce acts of racism, we must also work to challenge ourselves and our students to be anti-racist every day. The scope of this committee will encompass the full spectrum of diversity including gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, and mental and physical ability.
OUR VISION
Our vision is a positive school climate in which all members of our school community feel welcome regardless of their differences and in which students feel empowered to enter the world as engaged and active global citizens.
OUR MISSION
We are dedicated to identifying, implementing, and supporting a strategic approach to building an empowered school community that celebrates diversity and actively opposes discrimination of race, gender, class, religion, sexual orientation, or any other aspect of one’s identity.
OUR GOALS
- Create a safe and healing space for our school community to communicate with one another within the scope of DEI (social issues, identity, current events, school culture)
- Facilitate parent educational opportunities for DEI
- Support and promote cultural events organized by Acalanes and its students
- Partner with Acalanes and District Administration to support and advance school and district efforts
