Campus Culture Committee
💙 Acalanes Parent Club – Campus Culture Committee (CCC) Update
May 2026
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🌟 Campus Culture Committee Highlights
The Campus Culture Committee is wrapping up a meaningful and impactful 2025–2026 school year. While there are no additional meetings scheduled for the remainder of the year, we are proud to reflect on the connection, care, and community that have defined our work together.
On April 24, the APC Campus Culture Committee hosted its inaugural Wellness and Restoration Event—a special opportunity for members of our school community to pause, recharge, and connect. Participants experienced a calming sound bath, shared a meal, and enjoyed moments of laughter and reflection together.
We extend our gratitude to Patrick Turner (AHS Wellness Coordinator), Paul Chopra (AUHSD Board Member), and Neku Pogue (AHS Associate Principal) for joining us and supporting this space of restoration. A heartfelt thank you as well to Beverly Jane for leading the sound bath and hosting us at the beautiful Big Magic Village Barn.
At our final meeting of the 2025–2026 school year, we also began planning for the year ahead. Highlights for 2026–2027 include:
- Quarterly Meetings (August, November, February, May)
- Department updates
- Board reports
- Volunteer sign-ups
- May Meeting: Special team-building activity
- Monthly Engagement Opportunities Between Meetings:
- Volunteering at school events such as Back-to-School Night
- Hosting lunches for student clubs
- Donating supplies for events like Homecoming
🌟 May Days of Recognition & Celebration
- May is Asian/Pacific Heritage month
- May is Mental Health Awareness Month
- May is Jewish American Heritage Month
- May 5 - Cinco de Mayo
May offers meaningful opportunities to honor culture, identity, and well-being:
- Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month
 A time to reflect on and celebrate the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders across fields such as science, arts, business, and government. - Jewish Heritage Month
 Celebrates the achievements and cultural contributions of Jewish Americans in areas including law, medicine, politics, philanthropy, and the arts. - Mental Health Awareness Month
Observed since 1949, this month focuses on reducing stigma, increasing awareness, and promoting support for mental health. The 2026 theme centers on community and well-being. Look out for Wellness Center events designed to support students during AP testing and finals. You can also participate by wearing green, sharing stories, and accessing resources from NAMI or SAMHSA.
đź“… Join Us Monthly! (In-Person & Virtual Meetings)
 Meeting Schedule | 6:00–7:30pm
- May – No Meeting
✨ April Reflections
Acalanes Cultural Fair
On Apr 24, Acalanes hosted another vibrant and successful Cultural Fair during academy. Students engaged in cultural performances and interactive experiences that deepened understanding and appreciation for the diverse backgrounds represented within the school community. The event was a powerful reminder of the importance of inclusion, representation, and shared learning.
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đź’š Wellness Center Reminder
If you are ever concerned about your student or one of their peers, please submit a Wellness Referral.
- Our team follows up within one week
- All services are confidential and voluntary
If your student experiences or witnesses bias or hate, please encourage them to report it using the  Bias Incident Reporting Tool (BIRT) available on the AHS website.
 Submit a BIRT Report Here »
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🤝 Stay Connected
We welcome all families to get involved!
📧 diversityandinclusion@acalanesparentsclub.com
We look forward to continuing this important work together in the 2026–2027 school
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
