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Sports
Save the Date for a fun night celebrating Sports at Acalanes!
*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 water polo
Wednesday, Nov 13 NCS Semifinal.
Saturday, Nov 16 NCS Championship.
Girls water polo
Wednesday, Nov 13 NCS Semifinal.
Saturday, Nov 16 NCS Championship.
Football
Friday, Nov 15 or Saturday, Nov 16 NCS Quarterfinal.
Girls basketball
Saturday, Nov 16 Pinole Valley Jamboree.You may view the full 2024-2025 Athletic Schedule by clicking HERE.
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Parent Education
Virtual Parent Education Night: Song for Charlie- Fentanyl Awareness
Thursday, Nov 7 from 6:30-9pm
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APC in Action
APC Fall Grants Have Been Awarded - Fall ‘24
Thank you to the teachers, students, and staff who submitted proposals for an APC Fall Grant. APC Grants are funded through parents annual donations - so THANK YOU parents! We are pleased to announce the following grants have been awarded so far this fall:
- The ACA Garden Club will refresh its winter garden with fresh organic soil, winter vegetable seed starts, and new gardening tools.
- A newly formed Culinary Passport Club will provide food tastings and cultural events where they offer a sampling of cuisines they are focused on that month.
- The school nurse’s office will get 3 new nursing beds. First time in over 20 years!
- The CTE department will receive materials to build 2 oversized Adirondack chairs that will be painted ACA blue and placed on campus. Will make for great photo ops!
Parent Volunteer Opportunity at Lunch
We are still looking for help to oversee the student lunch line in the cafeteria on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the school week. This is an easy and fun way to volunteer on campus and a great opportunity to help with a friend! Volunteer shifts are less than an hour and there are lots of dates to choose from. You can sign up here. Please check-in at the front office when you arrive for your volunteer shift. Thank you for your support!
Thank you to Naomi and Jenny for stepping up first to help!
Don Parents Show Up!
Student Volunteer Community Service Awards
The 2024-25 Student Volunteer Program has kicked off for the Acalanes and President’s Service Awards so please make sure your student is logging those hours! It’s a great opportunity for students to give back AND be recognized for their service. You can read more about the awards here and email us at communityservice@acalanesparentsclub.com with any questions.
Follow Acalanes Parents Club on Instagram. Please reach out to APC here with any questions. -
Acalanes Community Always (ACA)
Book Drive
The Acalanes Class of 2025 National Charity League is collecting new and gently used books for ages toddler through early high school students. The books will be donated and utilized as part of their "Sweet Dreams" senior class project supporting Hope Solutions. Hope Solutions provides emergency support for unhoused individuals and families in Contra Costa County. Beginning Tuesday, Nov 5, through Friday, Nov 22, donations can be dropped off outside of the Acalanes main office in an orange bin labeled "Hope Solutions Book Drive." Feel free to email lucy.thomas25@auhsdschools.org if you have any questions.
AHS Garden Update
The garden club has been meeting weekly on Monday's during lunch. We have planted seeds for our winter garden and have our next work party scheduled for TODAY, Sunday Nov 3 from 10am - 2pm (or until we finish, which is often earlier). We will be pulling out our summer garden, adding the rest of our soil to the beds, and planting our winter vegetables! We can use all help, especially if you can bring a wheelbarrow or shovel. Please come help if you can!
We also received a small APC grant to buy new tools and supplies for planting our winter vegetables and are grateful for the support. And we are lucky that Meghan Thompson-Payne is on board to help with garden projects going forward. She wants to organize a small group of like minded parents to support the work of the garden club and the garden spaces at AHS.
Please reach out if you have any questions: Lori (LTewksbury@auhsdschools.org) and Cathy (CChallacombe@auhsdschools.org)
Thanks again for your support! -
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)
Important November Dates
- National Native American History Month
- Nov 11 Veterans Day
- Nov 13-19 Transgender Awareness Week
- Nov 20 Transgender Day of Remembrance
- Nov 28 Thanksgiving
- Nov 29 Native American Heritage Day
Election day falls in just a few days and we understand that this is a time in our community that may bring up different emotions. Teachers and staff have been gathering to be sure they are holding safe spaces for our kids to have conversations and ask questions about all that is swirling around them. We ask all families to do this as well. Please find the time to center yourself before engaging in emotional conversations. We are our kids’ first role models and as such we hope to put forth a sense of calm and strength. If you need help with this please reach out to our DEIB committee at diversityandinclusion@
acalanesparentsclub.com.
On Aug 3, 1990, President of the United States George H.W. Bush declared the month of November as Native American Heritage Month.This commemorative month aims to provide a platform for Native people in the United States of America to share their culture, traditions, music, crafts, dance, and ways and concepts of life. This gives Native people the opportunity to express to their community, including city, county and state officials, their concerns and solutions for building bridges of understanding and friendship in their local area.
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 of events this week:
- Tuesday at lunch: Bouquet making
- Wednesday academy: Enviro council on deforestation
- Wednesday at 5pm: Open mic night at Sideboard
- Thursday ALL DAY: Local Kitchens fundraiser
- Friday academy: New Crew leader training
- Friday lunch: ACA Buddies & Class Cup Basketball
- Friday Night Lights: Acalanes vs. Las Lomas
Looking for the perfect holiday gift? Our winter webstore is open for just a short period of time - get your Acalanes gear now! Orders due by this Thursday, Nov 7 and will be available in December.
Open Mic Night at Sideboard this Wednesday evening!
Open mic night is back!! Students can showcase their talent and sign up via the link in the Daily Don. Mark your calendar to enjoy a meal out and student talent - Nov 6 from 5-7pm.
Enviro events this week!
Tuesday at lunch there is bouquet making in room 314.
Wednesday during academy there is an enviro council on deforestation.
Adopt-A-Family
As the holiday season approaches, the Acalanes Community Outreach board is kicking off Adopt-A-Family. If you have a desire to make a difference in our community, we encourage you to sign up! If you would like to adopt an individual along with their wishlist of gifts to buy, please sign up here. If you wish to adopt a family, please fill out the google form. All wrapped gifts will be collected on Dec 13 in the morning at the front of the school. As this date approaches, we will be in touch with more details! If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to Hetty Lofting or Katherine Walton!
On Dec 7, we are going to GLIDE Memorial Church in San Francisco to serve food to those in need from 10:10am to 1:30pm and will be meeting at Bart. Encourage your student to sign up HERE and receive 3 community service hours. We will be in touch regarding permission forms.
Starting to think about holiday cards and gifts? Shop at Minted and not only do YOU get 20% off, Acalanes gets 15% of all sales. Use the code FUNDRAISEACALANES.Looking to stay informed? Follow us on Instagram for the latest on student activities and class happenings.
Katherine Walton, Activities Director -
College & Career
Seniors: Please come by the College and Career Center during 6th, 7th, academy, lunch and/or brunch to work on your Cal State, Common, and UC applications. Tips and strategies provided during all sessions. MaiaLearning tutorials are also provided at each visit. Great tips here!
College Visits: Thursday, Nov 7, 10:30am Montana State and 12:55pm Sacred Heart University
Senior Scholarships: November is National Scholarship Month. Check out these opportunities! -
Counseling
Counselor assignments are by student last name:
A-F Anne Schonauer
G-Ka Erika Vasquez
Ke-Re Marissa Meadows
Rh-Z Susan MartinJUNIOR PARENT NIGHT: Please come to the Library on Wednesday, Nov 13 from 6:30-7:30pm to hear from Debbie Levy, College and Career Center Advisor, and Susan Martin, Counselor, about all things juniors should be thinking about as they research and prepare to apply to college next fall!
WINTER SPORTS START SOON: Students planning on earning Athletic PE credit for their winter sport should pick up a contract (requires a parent, coach and student signature), return it by the deadline (late Nov) and take some timesheets to start documenting hours from the start of the winter sports season. All forms can be found in the Counseling Office. -
School Nurse
Happy November!
This is a reminder to consider getting flu and covid shots if your family members are due. Timing is a personal issue, but if you get it done now, you’ll be covered for the upcoming school breaks!AHS School Nurse Calendar
See my website for more information.Always Your School Nurse,
Dvora Citron, RN, MS
dcitron@auhsdschools.org, 925-280-2970 x7128
IG: acalanesschoolnurse, School Nurse Website -
Performing & Visual Arts
Acalanes Performing Arts Boosters is incredibly proud of the over 50 students who worked together over the last three months to produce the DramaDons fall production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The performance was delightful, enchanting, and wonderfully comedic. The talents of every member of the team, Stagecraft students, production crew, and cast shone bright under the gorgeous moonlit set. Bravo, DramaDons!
Save the date for the Fall Jazz Concert, featuring the Acalanes Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Combos, Stanley Messengers and special guest, The Kyle Athayde Band. This event will take place on Wednesday, Nov 20 at 7pm in the Performing Arts Center.
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LPIE
Saturday, Nov 9 from 10am - 3pm
Support small businesses that support our schools!
Special fall promotions from local retailers and restaurants!
As you shop and dine during this holiday season, we encourage you to support the wonderful restaurants and retailers who generously donate to LPIE in support of our schools. It's a great opportunity to discover unique items and taste all that Lafayette has to offer - all while giving back to the community and showing appreciation for the local businesses that support our students.
7th Annual LPIE SPRING GALA
Saturday, March 22nd, 2025 - The Palace Hotel, San Francisco
We need your help to make this biggest fundraiser of the year a huge success! The online, silent, and live auctions fund essential programs—music, art, STEM education, libraries, electives, AP classes, teachers, technology, and more.
And this is where YOU come in! Do you have something special to offer, like a vacation home, sports tickets, an exclusive experience, or something unique? Or maybe you’ve got a brilliant idea for an auction item? We’d LOVE to hear from you! Email us at office@lpie.org or fill out this form to share your donation. You can also support our schools by purchasing a raffle ticket here!
Art Around Town
The Art Around Town program, sponsored by LPIE, is a unique opportunity to celebrate and showcase the artistic talents of students. This month, artwork from Stanley Middle School and Happy Valley Elementary is on display at Whole Foods, bringing vibrant pieces into the community. The exhibit features a variety of inspired projects, such as Value Landscapes, Trees of Dots, Line Rugs, Pumpkins, Crystals, and Carlos Santana Album Covers, each crafted with credentialed art teachers. Inspired by renowned artists like Peruvian artist Lizeth Prieto, Árbol de la Vida creator Veronica Castillo, Kandinsky, and contemporary artist Elouise Renouf, these artworks are a testament to the impact of arts education.
Thanks to the community-driven support of LPIE, we are able to fund art programs across all grade levels, creating a platform for students to develop their creativity while exploring new techniques. Be sure to stop by Whole Foods to enjoy these inspiring pieces, and keep an eye out in December for additional artwork from Happy Valley, Stanley, and Burton Valley, which will be showcased at Whole Foods and Town Hall.
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Sports
*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:This week’s can’t miss events:
Girls golf
Monday, Nov 4 NCS Championship at Tilden Park GC.
Girls volleyball
Wednesday, Nov 6 NCS Semifinal at 7pm.
Saturday, Nov 9 NCS Championship at 7pm.
Boys water polo
Wednesday, Nov 6 NCS First Round Playoff.
Saturday, Nov 9 NCS Quarterfinal.
Girls water polo
Saturday, Nov 9 NCS Semifinal.
Football
Friday, Nov 8 host Las Lomas HS. JV at 4:30pm and Varsity at 7pm.
Cross country
Saturday, Nov 9 DAL Championship at Hidden Valley Park at 1pm.You may view the full 2024-2025 Athletic Schedule by clicking HERE.
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APC in Action
Staff Appreciation Luncheon
APC is showing our teachers and staff how much we appreciate them with a Thanksgiving themed staff lunch on Monday, Nov 4. Please sign up HERE to bring an item if you are able to contribute. We are so grateful for your support!
October APC Dons Dialogue - Watch the Video or View the Slides!
Thank you to all who attended our Dons Dialogue on Friday, Oct 18. It was a packed house! This month's topics included Peer Tutoring, Breaking Down the Walls, student safety expectations, a student activities report, and Q&A with Principal Shawn. If you were not able to attend, you can review the slides and video from the discussion. And thank you to our APC Hospitality Co-Chairs, Mia Heglie and Monica Stassi, for providing the welcoming coffee and treats! The next Dons Dialogue will be on Friday, Dec 13. Click here for the full schedule of upcoming Dons Dialogues.
Parent Volunteers Opportunity at Lunch
We have an incredible new volunteer opportunity! We are looking for help to oversee the student lunch line in the cafeteria on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the school week. This is an easy and fun way to volunteer on campus and a great opportunity to help with a friend! Volunteer shifts are less than an hour and there are lots of dates to choose from. You can sign up here. Please check-in at the front office when you arrive for your volunteer shift. Thank you for your support!
Student Volunteer Community Service Awards
The 2024-25 Student Volunteer Program has kicked off for the Acalanes and President’s Service Awards so please make sure your student is logging those hours! It’s a great opportunity for students to give back AND be recognized for their service. You can read more about the awards here and email us at communityservice@acalanesparentsclub.com with any questions.
Follow Acalanes Parents Club on Instagram. Please reach out to APC here with any questions.
Social Media
