Weekly News & Announcements

Co-Presidents’ Message

We hope the first few weeks of school have gone well for your students and they have adjusted back to the school calendar schedule. Most students (and parents) are likely looking forward to the long Labor Day weekend!

Parent feedback from Back to School Night was tremendously positive. The classroom visits with teachers are always a highlight and we appreciate the shout-out many teachers gave to Acalanes Parents Club and LPIE for our support. We are always looking for ways to improve upon BTSN and the parent meetings that follow the classroom visits.  Please reach out to us if you have any input you’d like to share. 

Thank you Acalanes parents for helping APC meet its 2019-20 Fundraising Campaign goal! We could not provide the services and programs that we do without your support. A special thank you to our VP of Fundraising Veronique Kuhner for overseeing our fundraising. 

We hope you’ll consider joining us at the upcoming APC Volunteer Campus Clean-Up Work Party on Sunday, September 14. We are excited about some clean-up projects that we hope will be completed that day if we can rally enough volunteers.

Enjoy the long weekend!

APC Campus Clean-Up Work Party

Sunday, September 15, 1-4pm, Acalanes Main Quad

Join us for a community clean-up at Acalanes! This is a great way for parents, students and community members to help make Acalanes shine and connect with others who care about our campus.  It’s also a perfect way for your student to earn volunteer hours for the Acalanes Volunteer Service Awards Program. Come for an hour or stay the entire time. Drinks and snacks will be provided. Please RSVP to volunteer@acalanesparentsclub.com.

Double your APC Donation… 

...at no additional cost to you!

Click here to find out if your company participates in a Corporate Matching Program.  

Many national and Bay Area based companies have employee programs which will match educational institution donations.  Applying is typically very simple and just takes a few minutes. Please use the link above to see if this is available through your company.

If you have any questions, please contact Katharine Wallace.

Calling All Dons!

Now’s your chance to Show Up for the Freshman! 

Come cheer the football team at their FIRST home game & enjoy sweet and savory treats at their Fundraiser!  Organic Coup & Hawaiian Ice to Go will be between the gyms  from 3pm - 3rd Quarter. So bring your spirit and your appetite and of course…

GO DONS! 

The Homecoming 2019 theme is Battle of the Bands!

 The Homecoming 2019 theme is Battle of the Bands! Homecoming takes place September 22-28. Subthemes are:

Freshmen: Beatles
Sophomores: AC/DC
Juniors: Beach Boys
Seniors: Queen

If students are interested in participating in the class skit, please reach out to the class officers or stop by room 314. The schedule for Homecoming will be posted soon but save the date for:

Sept 22 is Hallway Decorating from 10-3
Sept 28 is the Homecoming dance from 7-10

Tickets will be sold on the Web Store and at lunch. If students want to bring a guest, contracts will be in room 314 beginning Tuesday. Want to chaperone the dance? We would be so grateful. Email Katherine Walton

2019-2020 APC Grant Program Applications are Open!

Acalanes Parents Club will continue its APC Grant Program this year with a focus on ideas that will enhance the educational and campus experience of AHS students in new and innovative ways. Teachers, students and parents are welcome to submit a grant proposal. Contact APC Grants Coordinator Laura White to receive the application submission guidelines. Email completed applications to Laura White or deliver to the APC box in the office.

APC Grant Application Download
APC Grant Criteria Download

Grant applications are due by noon on Friday, September 27. 

Calling all Dons! Musical Auditions.

Beginning this year, all students are welcome to participate in the school musical! There will be an informational meeting in the Drama Room during Academy on October 18. Information about auditions sign ups as well as rehearsal information will be communicated at this meeting. 

Auditions will be November 4 and 5 from 3:30-5:30 in the PAC with Call Backs during Academy on November 6 and 8 in the PAC.

Junior Class of 2021 Update

Wishing everyone a great 3-day weekend!  We are still in need of help for both the Homecoming football game as well as our home game against Campolindo. Please consider volunteering with us in the Snack Shack!

Sept 27 Homecoming Football Game Concessions: sign up here
Oct 18 Home Football Game vs. Campolindo: sign up here

The Lafayette Art & Wine Festival provides the Class of 2021 a chance to earn $1000!  Grab some friends, work a 2 hour shift selling event tickets and then enjoy the Art & Wine Festival on Saturday, September 21.  Sign up here.  

College Rep Visits A reminder for your Juniors: the following colleges will have Reps on campus and interested students should sign up on Naviance 

Sept 3 University of the Pacific
Sept 3 Savannah College of Art & Design
Sept 4 Vanderbilt
Sept 6 University of Pittsburgh
Sept 6 Johns Hopkins

and

Sept 9 PSAT (sign up via AHS webstore)

Important Dates For anyone who missed them at our BTSN Junior Class Meeting here they are:

Sept 21 & 22 Lafayette Art & Wine Festival
Sept 22 Homecoming Hallway Decorating - volunteers needed
Sept 27 Homecoming Football Game - volunteers needed
Sept 28 Homecoming Dance
Oct 18 Home Football Game vs Campo - volunteers needed
Nov 7 Junior Class Parent Meeting from College & Career Center

Senior Class of 2020 Update

Sept 5 Senior Parent Night.  Come to the PAC at 7pm this Thursday.  AHS School Counselor Anne Schonauer and AHS College & Career counselor Wendy Reicher will present information about college applications, timelines, letters of rec and much more. There will be a preview of all upcoming Senior only events this year.  And you will have an opportunity to purchase tickets for Grad Night too. You don’t want to miss this!

Sept 6 Senior Panoramic Picture.  Senior students will be taking an all class panoramic picture this Friday.  You may purchase a copy of this commemorative photo here.

Grad Night.  The 2020 graduating seniors are invited to come aboard a Commodore Cruise on the Bay.  This fun, safe and stress free celebration is a wonderful way for your Senior to celebrate graduation with their classmates. The evening includes catered food, entertainment, security and round trip transportation from Acalanes.  See the Yacht here.  Tickets are $200 per student (scholarships available); price increases on November 30.  You may purchase a ticket here.

Freshman Class of 2023 Update

Hope you’re all enjoying the long weekend! We have lots of opportunities for you to get involved in the coming weeks, so please check out the below. And a few words about: 

Clubs   We had lots of questions about this topic at BTSN.  Please know that there are no active clubs running at this time. Every club restarts at the beginning of each school year.  Applications are due September 4 and approved clubs will be notified shortly after.  Club Day will be September 13 during Academy.

School Loop  Teachers and staff often use School Loop to communicate vital information to parents, so if you haven’t registered yet, please do so here!

Football Concessions   As we mentioned at BTSN, there are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved and help out the Freshman class. Your time and effort will pay big dividends as these are all fundraisers that contribute toward important events down the road. Shifts are easy and FUN!  

Sept 5 Food Trucks: No concession sign ups but check out the info above and come support your class!

Sept 27      Homecoming Football Game Concessions:   sign up here
Oct 18        Home Football Game vs. Campolindo:        sign up here
Nov 1         Home Football Game vs. Alhambra:            sign up here

Sept 10 Freshman Parent Social at Metro (6:30-8pm). 

Let’s all gather and get to know one another!

Sign up on the Web Store

Sophomore Class 2022 Update

There is a lot going on in the coming weeks, with many opportunities to get involved, especially as we get closer to Homecoming. Speaking of which, if you haven’t already heard, this year’s Homecoming theme is Battle of the Bands and the class of 2022 has AC/DC. The kids are working hard on plans for their skit as well as hallway decorations. Decorating will take place on Sunday, September 22.  We’d love to have some parent help at this so please sign up here if you’re able to assist.

We’re also working football concessions during the following games - click on the date to sign up if you’re able to help: 

September 13 

September 27 (Homecoming!) 

October 18 (Campolindo) 

Our class is also responsible for helping with this year’s Art & Wine Festival. We will receive a portion of the money raised. We need some help at the ticket booths on Saturday, September 21 so please consider signing up here. 

Lastly, please make sure you’ve marked your calendar for our September 10 Dine Out with Chipotle. All proceeds from this will come back to our class.

School Nurse

I wanted to share a few resources on upcoming programs online that I think are pertinent for many students and families:

Sept 17, 5-6:30pm Mindfulness and ADHD

Sept 25, 7pm Recognizing and Managing Teen Anxiety

If you go to these programs, please let me know what you think!

Wellness Center

While it may not be the first stress-reducing strategy to come to mind, connecting with others is easily one of the most effective and available. This is one of the reasons why students set their devices aside when they’re in the center and believe it or not, they’re happy they did. Time and time again, we see students who are overwhelmed connect with us and then turn around and connect with a peer in need. It feels good to talk it out; to learn that many of our experiences are universal; and to both give and receive words of compassion. Next time you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, do a scan of your emotions and notice where you feel them in your body. After you connect with a compassionate listener who you can count on to be supportive, scan again with close attention to your experience. If you can identify the feeling of a lowered stress response, share that with your kids and see if together, you can create a new habit!  (CS 8/29)