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General Announcements
Acalanes Back to School Night (BTSN) is this Thursday, Aug 28 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 5:30pm 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! Print and fold like a book.
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APC in Action
Fall 2025 Grants Application Now Available!
Calling all teachers, parents, and students in the Acalanes community! Acalanes Parents Club is looking to award grants that will enhance and enrich the educational experience of AHS students in new and innovative ways. Teachers, staff and students are encouraged to submit ideas for meaningful programs and educational equipment. Applications are due by Friday, Sept 19.
Click here to read more and access the application!
Community Service
Anyone wishing to set up a Helper Helper account to log their community service hours should be using their personal email address. If you’d like to set up an account, please email from your personal email account to: communityservice@acalanesparentsclub.com and include your personal email, name, birthdate and graduation year.
If you have an existing account linked to your school email, please be patient as we work through a solution to change this. Any communication to the above email address should come from your personal email address.
Please Consider Volunteering!
If you are looking for fun, easy ways to support our Dons, APC has a wide variety of events throughout the calendar year. The snack shack during football games, community support at the Lafayette Food & Wine Fest and ResRun, passing out snacks during finals weeks, and new volunteer events geared for Dons Dads only are just a few of the APC volunteer opportunities. Please check out our full list and sign up today - and don’t forget to invite your friends to join you!
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. -
Acalanes Community Always (ACA)
ACA Student Discounts!
As part of your student’s ASB card purchase, your student can get discounts or freebies at some favorite local business, such as- Diablo Foods
- Johnny’s Donuts
- Local Kitchens
- Sideboard
- And more!
Your student just needs to show their ASB card at checkout. See the full list of discounts here! There is still time to purchase the ASB card in the Acalanes Webstore, this money drives student activities at Acalanes.
A Few Important Dates! -
APC Membership & Fundraising
Acalanes Parents Club has committed $219,000 to Acalanes this school year, which will provide vital services for our entire AHS community. As of today, we have yet to reach that goal and we need your help!
We are tremendously grateful for your support, which funds the following programs for all Acalanes students and staff:
*Peer Tutoring *College & Career Services *Campus Enhancements
*Grants Program *Staff & Teacher Development *Parent Ed
*Communications *Volunteer Opportunities *and more...
If you haven’t had a chance to donate, please consider doing so here. The suggested amount is $450 per student, but any amount is needed and greatly appreciated.
Another important source of funds is making your donations go twice as far with Corporate Matching. Please check if your company has a matching program and, if so, contact corpmatch@acalanesparentsclub.
com for further information. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
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Parents Club Pro-Tip
Yield at the "Shark's Teeth" for Dons
Last fall, the city installed a raised crosswalk by the school entrance to improve safety. Please give pedestrians space by stopping at the "Shark's Teeth". These triangles indicate where vehicles (autos and bikes) must stop when there are pedestrians crossing. Please also pass this tip on to any Dons who are new to driving. Thanks for your help in keeping our students safe! -
Acalanes Community Always (ACA)
ACA Student Discounts!
As part of your student’s ASB card purchase, your student can get discounts or freebies at some favorite local business, such as- Diablo Foods
- Johnny’s Donuts
- Local Kitchens
- Sideboard
- And more!
Your student just needs to show their ASB card at checkout. See the full list of discounts here! There is still time to purchase the ASB card in the Acalanes Webstore, this money drives student activities at Acalanes.
A Few Important Dates! -
Campus Culture Committee
August Important Date:
August 26 – Women’s Equality Day
The Acalanes campus is a place of inclusivity and welcome for all. As we begin a new school year, the Community & Climate Committee invites students, parents, and staff to take small steps to help others feel a sense of belonging.
Student Challenge: Encourage your student to say “hello” to three students they’ve never met before. Ask them how it felt to connect with new peers—and imagine how meaningful it would be if someone welcomed you as you walked into work one morning.
Parent Challenge: Lead by example! At your next Acalanes event, say “hello” to two new parents and share your experience with us on social media.
Why August 26 Matters
Women’s Equality Day commemorates the 1920 adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment, which granted women the right to vote and affirmed the importance of equal participation in democracy.
Together, small actions make our Acalanes community stronger, more welcoming, and more connected.
Interested in joining the Community & Climate Committee? Email us at:
diversityandinclusion@acalanesparentsclub.com -
College & Career
SENIOR PARENT NIGHT- NOTE THE DATE CHANGE to Thursday, Sept 11 at 6:30pm
Please join Counselor Anne Schonauer and College and Career Center Advisor Debbie Levy in the library on Thursday, Sept 11 from 6:30-7:30pm to discuss post-high school planning, details regarding letters of recommendation, sending transcripts, college visits, and more!
SENIORS: Here are the college visits for this week. Students must sign up on MaiaLearning under events in order to attend. They must also communicate with teachers in advance and pick up a pass from the College and Career Center.
All Families 9-12: Unlock the Secrets to College Financial Aid: 2025–2026 Edition
Join us for this must-attend webinar hosted by College Aid Pro designed to help your family confidently navigate the college financial aid process. They'll break down what you really need to know to avoid costly mistakes and make the most of every opportunity. Can’t attend live? Register anyway and they'll send you the recording!
What you’ll learn:- Why filling out the FAFSA matters—even if you think you won’t qualify.
- How to uncover financial aid opportunities you didn’t know existed.
- Where to find scholarships —regardless of income.
- FAFSA dos and don’ts, plus key updates for 2025–2026.
- What business owners and homeowners need to know.
- Special considerations for divorced or separated families.
Sept 25, 2025, 7pm PT
Register here: https://pages.collegeaidpro.com/fin-aid-101-ca-hs-partners-r egistration-9.25.25
Don’t leave money on the table—register now and take the first step toward a smarter college plan!
Our friends at Revolution Prep are offering our students a FREE PSAT and SAT practice exam. Please see details below:- PSAT Practice Exam: Saturday, Sept 6 | 9:00am – 12:00pm PT* | Online
- SAT Practice Exam: Saturday, Sept 20 | 9:00am – 12:00pm PT* | Online
Register here for exams and other educational webinars: Acalanes High School registration landing page
Navigating the Critical Changes in Admissions Testing School: Thursday, Sept 11, 2025 | 7:00pm PT
PSAT, Now What?: Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025 | 6:00pm PT
College Planning Case Study: Thursday, Nov 13, 2025 | 6:00pm PT -
Counseling
Counselor assignments are by student last name:
A-F Anne Schonauer
G-Ka Erika Vasquez on campus MWTh
Ke-Re Marissa Meadows
Rh-Z Susan Martin
SCHEDULE CHANGE REQUESTS: All schedule change requests will be reviewed on a case by case basis and approved by the principal only. The schedule change request form is posted on the AHS website and QR codes are in the Counseling Office. Students may submit requests to change their schedule via the form. If a schedule change is approved, the student’s name will appear on a list on the Counseling Office window. We will only be adding new classes during the first 10 days of school. Students may drop classes through the end of the first quarter, October 10.
CLASS VISITS: Counselors will start visiting grade level classrooms next week. We will visit English 4, English 3 and Chemistry classes. We will also visit the Frosh Academy on Friday. All 10-12th graders will get an updated copy of their transcript, and we will review grade-level specific information, such as PSAT/SAT and AP testing signup information, as well as college information for 11th and 12th graders. -
Wellness Center
Welcome back Acalanes High School! The Wellness team is looking forward to supporting your AHS students for the 2025-2026 school year. We will have 4 master’s level support counselors joining our team this year to provide confidential mental health counseling services to students. We will be closed Aug 27-29 for intern orientation and training and they are expected to start on campus during the first week of September. If you are concerned about your student, or their peers, feel free to use this link to submit a Wellness referral at any point during the year. Feel free to stop by during Back to School Night on Aug 28 to meet the team and check out our space!
Social Media
