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Friday, Jan 17: Dons Dialogue
Join us as we kick off 2020 with our first Dons Dialogue of the year. Topics include 2020-2021 course selection process, department updates from English, Social Science and World Language, and results from the English Language Arts Smarter Balance Assessment. As always, parking will be reserved and refreshments will be served. See you there.
From 8:45-10am in the Collaboration Center.
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**NEW** Acalanes Testing Center (ATC) funded by Acalanes Parents Club
A new resource is available on campus. Students may utilize the Acalanes Testing Center, located in the Peer Tutoring Office, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7:30-8:30am to take missed tests from excused absences or finish an incomplete test. Students may ask their teacher whether or not the ATC is an option for their testing since teachers must pre-approve utilization of the resource. The center provides a valuable alternative to using the Academy period for test taking.
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Thursday, Jan 30: 2020-2021 Course Preview and Open House for Students and Parents
The night is a valuable resource for current Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors who are mapping out their future courses, as well as an excellent way for incoming 9th grade students to experience all that Acalanes has to offer. It's also a great way to connect with fellow Acalanes parents. Mark your calendars to attend and stay tuned for details.
The schedule is as follows:
- 5:45pm Principal's Welcome for incoming 8th grade families.
- 6:15pm Acalanes Parents Club reception (we'll have refreshments!) in the quad adjacent to Large Gym.
- 6:30-8:00pm Course Preview
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Last Chance to Order Yearbooks!
January 17 is the last day to order yearbooks for the 2019-2020 school year. Go to the AHS web store (under Student Supplies) to place your order now!
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Sports
Here’s an easy way to support our Junior AND Sophomore AHS classes while cheering on our Dons: head to a Girls or Boys Varsity Basketball game and purchase a snack! Thanks to these classes, home basketball games for Girls (Juniors) and home league games for Boys (Sophomores) will feature light concessions where all sales go back to Juniors and Sophomores to help fund their Grad Nights. Head to the gym on Tuesday and Friday this week to watch the Lady Dons and buy a snack to support your AHS Juniors. Everybody wins!
Don’t forget to look at AHS’s January’s Dons Show Up calendar! You’ll find a link to the calendar on the home page of Acalanes High School’s website.
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Wellness Center
With the start of the second semester, we’ve introduced several new policies to support student well-being and engagement in classes as well as developing new support programming by Wellness staff to broaden our reach. The Wellness Center will focus on short-term therapy, meaning 3-5 visits unless there are extenuating circumstances. During each day we will have one period set aside for same-day or same-week appointments. We will also be closed for the first 10 minutes of every period so that students are accounted for during roll call. Students who are in crisis may still go to the counseling office should they have an immediate need. As always, students may be referred by parents, teachers, or peers via this link: wellness referral. We continue to enjoy supporting all the Dons we’ve met so far and look forward to getting to know even more this semester.
Allen Choi, Wellness Coordinator (ext. 7150)
Casey Sasner, Intake Specialist (ext. 7136) -
Week of 1/13 Update
Tuesday, Jan 28 “How to Pay for College” Presentation from 6:30-7:30pm in the AHS Library All grade level parents welcome! Come hear Tim Lenahan, CPA, discuss affording college including 529 Plans, loans, grants and scholarships. Sign up here.
Job Opportunities
- Lifeguard Paid training/certification, starting pay @ $16/hr. 510-544-2154. www.ebparks.org
- Swim Instructor Sherman Swim School, starting pay @ $13/hr. Email: sherman243@comcast.net. www.shermanswim.com
Saturday, Jan 25 DVC Spring Welcome Day for Seniors Register here. Explore campus, meet instructors, attend workshops. Includes FREE lunch too!
Volunteer Opportunity: Exploring New Horizons, Camp Counselor Do you like nature and working with kids? Be a hero to local 5th graders! Applications open for soph/juniors. Dates are April 6-10 or April 13-17. See flyer for more details.
Scholarship Opportunity Scholarships are posted on the board in the CCC so stop by and check for new information. Students with a minimum of a 3.3 GPA and maximum EFC (Estimated Family Contribution) of $20,000 can apply for the Rossmoor Scholarship, a $3,000 award. Applications due by Feb 4. Info available on the Rossmoor Scholarship Foundation Home Page.
Seniors Please update Naviance as you continue to hear results from your college applications. Stop by the CCC to share your successes and add a marble to the jar for each accepted application. When you have committed to your school, you can also make a flag for our board!
Juniors Sign up for academy to learn how to research colleges and start personal assessments. You must attend one academy before setting up a 1:1 appointment. Please stop by the CCC with any questions.
Feel free to contact me with questions!
Wendy Reicher wreicher@auhsdschools.org
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Seniors and Mid-year Transcripts
For all Common Application colleges, our Registrar, Ms. Finn, will automatically send mid-year transcripts by Friday, Jan 24. There is no need to request transcripts in Naviance or pay on the web store. For any non-Common Application schools that require a mid-year transcript, please notify Ms. Finn in the counseling office via email or in person. Thank you!
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Course sign-ups for 2020-2021
We start talking about course sign-ups for next year very soon, with several events planned for students and parents:
- Thursday, Jan 16 Frosh/Soph Parent Night (see class sections above),
- Last two weeks of January Counselors will be in classrooms making presentations to students
- Thursday, Jan 30 AHS Course Preview & Open House for parents and students. See General Announcement section above.
- Early February Students will have a short individual appointment with their counselor to finalize course selections
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Counseling
Diablo Valley College spring semester starts Jan 27. Interested high school students can register for classes starting Jan 14. Students need a concurrent enrollment form signed by their counselor before registering.
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Stay tuned…
Stay tuned for more fantastic topics from the APC Speaker Series as we kick off the New Year. As always, if you have questions or suggestions on content you would like to see more of at Acalanes, please contact: Kelly Daggs, VP Community Partners
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Co-Presidents’ Message
Welcome to the last week of the first semester! We know your kids have spent the past several days preparing for final exams and we want to thank our APC Finals Fuel team, Carey Starn and Nicole Carberry, along with lots of parent help, for providing healthy snacks for students throughout the week. Don’t forget to remind your students to take advantage of our Wellness Center and Peer Tutoring resources as needed.
We want to express our gratitude to our entire APC Board, sub-committees and Class Liaisons for all their dedication to the many Dons programs and events on campus this first semester. We wish everyone a restful holiday break and hope that you all enjoy the festivities and traditions of the season. A reminder that the first day of second semester is Tuesday, January 7.
Dawn Brightbill & Sarah Cusumano
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Finals Week Schedule
Below is the final’s schedule for next week. Additionally, check out the Student Activities section to stay informed about all the valuable resources and thoughtful events available to students this week and next.
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