Weekly News & Announcements

Legislative News

Something exciting arrived in the mail this week—your Measure T ballot!
Measure T provides locally-controlled funding to maintain our high-quality high school instruction and retain our excellent local teachers. It requires a steep two-thirds support rate AND is on the ballot during an off-year. All this means that every vote counts in this special election!
 
Turning out the parent vote is critical to our campaign’s strategy to win and protect our local high schools. You can help us today by filling out your ballot early!
 
Return your ballot in three simple steps:

1. Find your ballot, it should be arriving this week
2. Vote YES on T to protect quality local high schools
3. Sign your ballot’s return envelope and mail it back today — no postage required. You can also turn it in at a local ballot drop box.

For more information about voting and drop box locations, please click here. Reminder, ballots are due by Tuesday, May 6! Early parent voting is essential to our campaign’s success!
 
We are still looking for volunteers! Please consider sharing some of your time by helping us get the vote out!  And, if you would like a lawn sign, click here!

General Administration Announcements

OUR AP STUDENTS NEED YOUR HELP!
We are searching for parents to help with Proctoring AP Exams two weeks of May. Exam dates are from May 5 - May 16. Exams start everyday at either 8am or 12pm. Students know to show up 30 minutes prior to start time for check in. Proctors for morning exams would be needed starting at 7:15am and afternoon exams starting at 11:15am. Exams can range from 2-6 hours, please plan to stay for the longest amount of time possible. Restrictions: Parents, you are NOT allowed to proctor an exam that your own child is taking.
 
We especially need help on these dates/times:

• Morning and noon exams on Wednesday, May 7
• Noon exams on Tuesday, May 13
• Morning exam of Wednesday, May 14
• Morning and noon exams on Thursday, May 15
• Noon exams on Friday, May 16

You can volunteer your time or receive pay.
 
If you are interested in learning more about proctoring AP exams, please contact the Acalanes Testing Coordinator, Jamielle McDonald at jmcdonald@auhsdschools.org

APC in Action

APC DONS DIALOGUE - Friday, Apr 18 at 8:45am in the Collaboration Center
Join us for our second-to-last Dons Dialogue of this school year. Come for the coffee and treats and stay for the discussion. Our April Dons Dialogue agenda includes;

• ACA Serves 
• End of year activities (including all senior events)
• Managing stress during the busy end of year 
• ASB structure and focus
• plus an open Q&A with Principal Shawn.

We hope to see you there!

If you missed our high energy March Dons Dialogue, please see links below for the video and slides. We had a great discussion led by Assistant Principals, Andrea Powers and Jeanne Johnson.
March Dons Dialogue Slides
March Dons Dialogue Video
 
2025-2026 ACALANES PARENTS CLUB BOARD SLATE
We are proud to announce our slate of nominees for the 2025-26 APC Board of Directors. A big thank you to this year’s Nominating Committee for their time and dedication in placing these amazing volunteers. The APC general membership will vote to approve the slate at the spring general meeting, immediately preceding Dons Dialogue on Friday, May 16 at 8:45am.
If you have any questions, please contact APC Parliamentarian, Sarah Cusumano.
 
2024-2025 Parents Club Board Nominees
Presidents: Jocelyn Birrell
VP Special Projects: Jennie Dobies
VP Communications: Kendra Uffelman
VP Community Partners: Lynna McPhatter-Harris
VP Fundraising: Jen Ruhl
VP Services: Ali Krick
Co-Head Liaisons: Sarah Cusumano & Amy Lewis
Secretary: Kimberly Grover
Treasurer: Rick Phillips
Assistant Treasurer: Sierra Culbertson
Auditor: Courtney Griffin
Past President/Parliamentarian: Michele Colaco & Andrea Hilsabeck
 

ACA SERVICE AWARDS DEADLINE: This Friday, April 18
Your student should check that their hours have been approved!!
If your student is working towards an AHS or Presidential Service Award, make sure their volunteer hours are entered and validated in Helper Helper by their supervisor by Friday, Apr 18!
 
To check supervisor validation of volunteer hours:

• Log into Helper Helper → “My Commitments” → “Past” → click an entry.
• If it says “Your attendance is pending approval”, their supervisor hasn’t validated it. Make sure your student follows up with their supervisor (and make sure the supervisor checks their spam folder for an email from Helper Helper).

To check final APC approval of volunteer hours:
Once validated, we review the hours to confirm they meet our guidelines. If approved, your student will see a blue star next to the entry under "Past Commitments.” If validated but not approved within a few days, please have your student check their AUHSD email (and spam) for an email from us. We likely have questions about their service. If we don’t hear back from them, their hours may be rejected.
Need help with your Helper Helper account, have questions about what qualifies as community service, or need info on additional requirements for a Presidential Service Award? Visit our volunteer website or email communityservice@acalanesparentsclub.com.

Acalanes Community Always (ACA)

PARENT ED EVENT:
"Coping with Family Transitions:  When Your Child Leaves Home"
Our community is hosting an event on Wednesday, April 30 from 6:30-8pm with Joseph Ianora, a licensed therapist and former principal.  This workshop will be primarily for parents of seniors who will be experiencing a transition at the end of the school year. The goal is to help parents navigate the changes that occur in the family unit. All are welcome!
 
Date: Wednesday, April 30
Time: 6:30-8pm
Location: Acalanes Library


Welcome Class of 2029
Acalanes Athletics & Activities Night
May 1, 2025 | Acalanes Front Quad | 5-6pm
 
It’s time for incoming Acalanes freshmen & families to connect! Students/families can check out the following during this evening on May 1:

• Student Clubs: Acalanes has over 90 student clubs. Club leaders will be at tables and happy to share information. Some of the clubs present will be ACA Buddies, Children's Hospital, Feminist Club, Finance Club, Jewish Student Union, Black Student Union, Queer Straight Alliance, Latinos Unidos, Asian American Student Union, SAGE Club and many more!
• Athletics:  Acalanes is home to twenty-five competitive sports teams. Tables will be set up around the quad alphabetically.
• Athletic Directors and Clearance Information: Athletic Directors Randy Takahashi and Haley Walsh will be available to meet and share more about mandatory athletic clearance for next year.
• Parent Volunteer Opportunities: Acalanes parents play a vital role in supporting and enriching our school activities and events! Thank you in advance for donating your time. More information can be found at our partner tables and Acalanes support organizations at the entrance:
  • Acalanes Athletic Boosters
  • Acalanes Parents Club
  • Acalanes Performing Arts Boosters
  • Lafayette Partners in Education
• Acalanes SWAG: Pick up your pre-ordered Acalanes frosh spirit pack and/or purchase some new Acalanes gear! In addition, ALL incoming class of 2029 students can pick up a special goodie bag.

LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY (LLS) FUNDRAISER

The Acalanes Community Outreach and Improvement Club is hosting a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) through Wednesday, Apr 30. LLS’s mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families by funding research and much more! Please donate as any and every donation makes a difference! Please check and see if your company has a matching gift program when donating to double your impact! Thank you!

Campus Culture Committee

Upcoming Important Dates:

• April is Autism Acceptance Month
• April is Arab American Heritage Month
• 4/12-20 - Passover
• 4/20 - Easter
• 4/21 - Campus Culture Committee Meeting 6pm
• 4/23 - Holocaust Remembrance Day

The eight-day Jewish holiday of Passover is celebrated in the early spring, from the 15th through the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Nissan, April 12 - 20, 2025. Passover (Pesach) commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. Pesach is observed by avoiding leaven, and highlighted by the Seder meals that include four cups of wine, eating matzah and bitter herbs, and retelling the story of the Exodus.
Easter, also called Pascha or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD, It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus, preceded by Lent (or Great Lent), a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and penance.

We ask that families encourage their students to learn about the various holidays and celebrations so they can support their peers during times of fasting and/or dietary changes such as the absence of leavened breads during Passover or fasting in Lent.
Please join us on Monday, April 21, in the collaboration center to discuss our plans for next year and support of students as we come to the end of this school year.

ALL ARE WELCOME HERE t-shirts are for sale! For just $20 you can support the Campus Culture Committee of APC while wearing a stylish black tee that lets everyone know what the Dons are all about. Reach out here for payment information and how to get your shirt. Available in M and L only at this time.

If you’d like to help with any celebrations or join in our cultural discussions, please contact the Campus Culture Committee here and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date with what the students are doing to celebrate all of these wonderful cultures and special dates.

Student Activities

Schedule for the week:
Monday @ lunch: Kick-off spring flag football practice + Student Makers Market + Voter registration drive
Tuesday @ 7 PM: SPRING 10 event-Boys Volleyball vs. Campolindo
Friday @ lunch: Flag football safety + rules meeting + ACA Buddies
Friday at 3:30 PM: SPRING 10: Boys baseball vs. SRV
Saturday @ 5 PM: Junior & Senior Prom (see below for final information)
 

Principal’s ACA Blue Heart Award
Each year, Principal Shawn will recognize a handful of  students in each grade who emulate the spirit of Acalanes Community Always (ACA) outside the classroom. Nominations will be solicited by adults, along with student peer-to-peer nominations. All nominations should be made through a google form. Award criteria includes one or more of the following:

The nomination form is open until Apr 15.
 
Cultural Fair Wednesday Apr 23!
The cultural fair is a unique event and opportunity to celebrate diverse cultures. This is the time to share traditions and educate our community through interactive displays. Students will be able to experience amazing performances, enjoy food and activities. We want to highlight authentic cultural experiences while fostering appreciation and learning. The fair is on Wednesday, Apr 23 in the Chris Huber gym during academy.
 
If your student would like to represent a culture and share its traditions, they can sign up now! Booths are on a first come first serve basis and if your student would like to collaborate on a booth with a friend, that is also welcome!
 
Acalanes is holding a $15 tickets fundraiser with the SF Giants this season! Make sure to use code: AcaHigSch25 . Our student night is on Friday, April 25th @7:15 pm. Grab some tickets with your friends and come watch the game with us!
 
Looking to stay informed? Follow us on Instagram for the latest on student activities and class happenings.

 
Katherine Walton, Activities Director

College & Career

Seniors should log into MaiaLearning and fill out their 2025 senior exit survey on their dashboard. This is important, as it’s the only way our registrar knows where to send your student’s final transcripts.
 
Juniors can access college planning support at the following academy sessions (Levy academy):

• Apr 16 Common App Essay Workshop
• Apr 23 UC tips for writing your PIQs ( Personal Insight Questions)
• Apr 30 Filling out your activity list for UCs and the Common App         

Free Practice Tests: Interested in having your student take a free online practice SAT or ACT? Sign up here for either exam on Apr 26 at 9am with our testing partner, Revolution Prep.

School Nurse

Does your student have allergies? We can’t dispense allergy medication at School unless you have medication administration set up for your student.  You’ll need THIS FORM signed by doctor and parent (even for OTC meds), and you need to bring the medication to our office. 
 
Calling all teens ages 11–22 with food allergies! Register for FARE's Teen Talk. In the spirit of April Fools, this month’s theme is Food Allergy LOL. We will discuss all things awkward, annoying, and embarrassing about food allergies. Fun and laughter are guaranteed!
 
“Teen talks provide comfort and make life experiences less scary. I like hearing other people’s stories and how they deal with their food allergies.
—Teen Talk Participant”
 
 We are in the “home stretch” and have less than 2 months of school left (what???). No worries, there is still time to support your student with healthy habits so they can finish up the semester with good health AND good grades.
It always helps to ground ourselves in the “pillars” of optimal health”:

• Sleep
  • 8-10 hours of quality sleep
  • TIP: keep digital devices out of bedroom or at least away from bed
• Nutrition
  • FIBER: include AS MANY whole foods high in fiber as possible
  • TIP: Instead of processed foods, look for health alternative choices
• Physical Activity
  • Encourage your student to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity at least 5 days per week
  • TIP: Go on walks together
• Avoid smoking, alcohol and substance use
  • Talk to your students about strategies to avoid
  • TIP: Model healthy behavior
• Stress Management
  • Find something fun away from the “work” of being productive
  • TIP: Try a new “shared” experience like doing a craft together, pulling out a board game, or having a “joke-sharing break”
• Social Connection
  • Family dinner (or some regular time where your household members gather, ideally to eat together)
  • TIP: Even silent time together can foster connection (personal share: when my kids were teens, I’d “drag” them out for a walk. Sometimes they’d talk and sometimes not. But we were spending time together and I was there if they needed me).

I’d love to hear about your experiences–please let me know! 

My office hours are:
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and some* Thursdays
Tuesdays & Thursdays:  8am - 3:50pm
Wednesdays:  7:30am - 3:20pm

Dvora Citron, RN, MS
dcitron@auhsdschools.org, 925-280-2970 x7128
IG: acalanesschoolnurse, ​School Nurse Website

Wellness Center

SENIOR WEEK IN THE WELLNESS CENTER
From April 20 through May 2, the Acalanes Wellness Center will be hosting our first ever Senior Week! Going from high school to the real world can be scary, but we’ve got our seniors covered. For this week, the Wellness Center will offer a variety of programming and resources geared toward seniors transitioning from high school to their next stage in life. Some of the topics that we will be covering include self-care, CA state resources, consent and healthy relationships, and harm reduction. No matter which path your AHS student takes after high school, learning more about these topics can better prepare them for life as a young adult. Stay tuned for a schedule of events in next week’s newsletter!

Performing & Visual Arts

The SpongeBob Musical! Apr 24-26, 7pm & Apr 27, 2pm in the AHS PAC
When Bikini Bottom faces disaster, SpongeBob and friends must band together to save their home—through friendship, courage, and epic songs! A must-see for all ages! Tickets on sale NOW at ahsperformingarts.org



Acalanes Symphonic Orchestra Goes for the Gold in Chicago!
Performing Arts Boosters congratulates the Acalanes Symphonic Orchestra for achieving a Gold award at the Chicago International Music Festival. The Symphonic Orchestra is composed of 50 musicians from the Wind Ensemble, String Orchestra, and Symphonic Ensemble classes. Students attended master classes and performed at the stunning Chicago Symphony Hall. They also went to the Chicago Opera to see La Boheme, and toured the city.
 

 
Join Acalanes Performing Arts Boosters!
Performing Arts Boosters is a parent group that promotes and advocates for high quality performing arts education at Acalanes. There are open positions in the Instrumental Music subgroup as well as in the umbrella Boosters organization.

• Performing Arts Boosters
  • Member-at-Large
  • Treasurer 26-27 shadow role (QuickBooks)
  • Web Admin 26-27 shadow role (Wix & Google Workspace)
• Instrumental Music
  • Concert Attire Coordinator
  • Carpool Coordinator
  • Stanley Liaison
  • Publicity & Communications Coordinator
  • Programs & Posters Coordinator
  • House Manager

Please reach out if you have questions or are interested in joining us! info@ahsperformingarts.org or instrumental-co-vp@ahsperformingarts.org

LPIE

Thank You for Making the 12th Annual Project LPIE a Success!
 
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the incredible students who submitted a total of 120 projects across 15 categories in this year’s Project LPIE. Your creativity, dedication, and hard work truly inspired us all. A special thank you to our judges, who generously volunteered their time and expertise to give meaningful feedback to all participants. And of course, we extend our sincere appreciation to Project LPIE Co-Chairs Jocelyn Werner & Lori MacLeod for leading us through the 12th year of this competition! Without you, this simply would not have been possible.
 
To everyone who attended our Student Showcase & Awards Reception last week, thank you for coming! We were proud to showcase every piece submitted to Project LPIE and to take the opportunity to celebrate the talent and community spirit that make Project LPIE such a meaningful experience each year. We hope you will join us again next year!

Sports

Ticket sales for the 2025 Booster Bash are LIVE! Remember to text the friends you huddled with in the cold while cheering on our Dons athletes so you all buy tickets to the Booster event of the year - April 26 at the Circle G Ranch! https://acalanesboosters.ejoinme.org/PurchaseTickets

*The game schedule below reflects dates and times as of last Friday. Games may change for several reasons, including weather. If you have questions or comments, please contact Acalanes Sports Boosters.

This week’s can’t miss events:
Boys golf
Monday, April 14 Varsity v. Campolindo HS at Contra Costa CC 3:30 pm.
Friday, April 18 JV v. Las Lomas HS at Moraga CC 3:30 pm.
 
Boys volleyball
Tuesday, April 15 hosts Campolindo HS.  JV at 5:00 pm and Varsity at 6:30 pm.
Thursday, April 17 hosts Clayton Valley Charter HS.  JV at 5:00 pm and Varsity at 6:30 pm.
 
Boys tennis
Tuesday, April 15 Varsity hosts Clayton Valley Charter HS at 3:30 pm.
Thursday, April 17 Campolindo HS at 3:30 pm.  Varsity is home and JV is away.
 
Boys lacrosse
Tuesday, April 15 hosts San Marin HS.  JV at 5:30 pm and Varsity at 7:00 pm.
Thursday, April 17 hosts Piedmont HS.  JV at 5:30 pm and Varsity at 7:00 pm.
Friday, April 18 at College Park HS.  JV at 5:30 pm and Varsity at 7:00 pm.
 
Girls lacrosse
Tuesday, April 15 at Piedmont HS.  JV at 5:30 pm and Varsity at 7:00 pm.
Friday, April 18 hosts Northgate HS.  JV at 5:30 pm and Varsity at 7:00 pm.
Saturday, April 19 Frosh-soph v. Campolindo HS, and Ygnacio Valley HS at Campolindo HS at 9:00 am.
 
Softball
Tuesday, April 15 College Park HS at 4:30 pm.  Varsity away and JV home.
Thursday, April 17 Hercules HS at 4:30 pm.  Varsity is away and JV is home.
 
Track & field
Wednesday, April 16 hosts Northgate HS at 3:30 pm.
 
Swimming
Wednesday, April 16 hosts Clayton Valley Charter HS and El Cerrito HS at 4:00 pm.
 
Stunt
Wednesday, April 16 Concord HS at Clayton Valley Charter HS at 6:00 pm.
Friday, April 18 Alhambra HS at College Park HS at 7:00 pm.
 
Baseball
Friday, April 18 San Ramon Valley HS at 4:00 pm.  Varsity home and JV away.
Saturday, April 19 Petaluma HS at 4:00 pm.  Varsity away and JV home.
Saturday, April 19 Freshmen host Campolindo HS at 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm.

You may view the full 2024-2025 Athletic Schedule by clicking HERE.

Legislative News

Something exciting arrived in the mail this week—your Measure T ballot!
Measure T provides locally-controlled funding to maintain our high-quality high school instruction and retain our excellent local teachers. It requires a steep two-thirds support rate AND is on the ballot during an off-year. All this means that every vote counts in this special election!
 
Turning out the parent vote is critical to our campaign’s strategy to win and protect our local high schools. You can help us today by filling out your ballot early!
 
Return your ballot in three simple steps:

1. Find your ballot, it should be arriving this week
2. Vote YES on T to protect quality local high schools
3. Sign your ballot’s return envelope and mail it back today — no postage required. You can also turn it in at a local ballot drop box.

For more information about voting and drop box locations, please click here. Reminder, ballots are due by Tuesday, May 6! Early parent voting is essential to our campaign’s success!
 
We are still looking for volunteers! Please consider sharing some of your time by helping us get the vote out!  And, if you would like a lawn sign, click here!