Weekly News & Announcements

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)

Important Dates

• • Sep 15-Oct 15 National Hispanic Heritage Month
  • LGBTQ History Month
  • Filipino American History Month
  • Oct 10 LatinX Heritage Month Speaker: Anthony Rodriguez Yao
  • Oct 10 World Mental Health Day
  • Oct 11-12 Yom Kippur
  • Oct 14 Indigenous Peoples’ Day
  • Oct 31 Diwali

  Latinos Unidos has a few more fun activities for students for the remainder of Hispanic Heritage month. Please check out our IG and the Daily Don to find dates and times.
  
  LatinX Heritage Month Speaker: Anthony Rodriguez Yao. On Oct 10 at 5:30pm in the library, we are excited to welcome Anthony Rodriguez Yao as our featured speaker for LatinX Heritage Month. Anthony is an immigration attorney who will share his story and shed light on his experiences. There will also be an opportunity for questions, so come prepared! We look forward to seeing you there!
  
  
  Oct 10 is World Mental Health Day. The overall objective of this day is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health.The day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.
  
  Oct 11 at sundown to Oct 12, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. It is traditional to fast for the day to reflect on the year and end the holiday with a break fast meal after sun down. Students may be in services all day, fasting and spending the holidays with family. Please extend them grace during these days.

If you would like to get involved please email us at diversityandinclusion@acalanesparentsclub.com. All are welcome.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

Student Activities

Don’t miss the Homecoming recap video produced by Val Grossi and the tech team in leadership. It details out what an amazing week HOCO 2024 was!
 
The annual Acalanes Fall Blood Drive is Oct 30. You can make appointments through the Red Cross website (link to page). You must create an account and find the Acalanes Blood Drive on the Find a Drive page. Our goal is to have 46 donors. If you have any questions please reach out to Ms. Walton or marshall.stirling27@auhsdschools.org.
 
Breaking Down the Walls From Oct 22 - 24 all 10th and 11th grade students will participate in Breaking Down The Walls. The Breaking Down the Walls program is a unique opportunity for students and staff to connect, share their stories, and realize…

"It's hard to hate someone whose story you know."
Thanks to APC funding, this program creates a safe environment for students to build empathy and understanding through a "play, trust, learn" model. By first helping students laugh together, they start to trust one another and eventually want to learn from those outside their regular friend group. The assembly, training, and workshops leave everyone with the realization that we are truly BETTER TOGETHER! 

Breaking Down the Walls strengthens social and emotional learning (SEL), specifically building social awareness and relationship skills vital to student growth and success. 

• Meaningful connections and positive relationships
  • Bring students together and provide dedicated time for them to connect and build relationships. 
• Empathy and Understanding
  • Allow students to share their stories, hear their peers' stories, and learn they are better together. 
• Thriving Campus Culture
  • Create an inclusive culture where students say, "I belong here; I am safe here; I can learn and grow here." 

Here is a 4-minute video from the organization with testimonials from students. Students will be participating during one of the three days, assigned by last name. Look for more specific information next week. 

October is PINK for breast cancer awareness! Get your Dons pink shirt to wear at the various Pink Out games including football on Oct 11 vs. Miramonte. Only a few left! 

LatinX Heritage Month Speaker: Anthony Rodriguez Yao. On Oct 10, 2024, at 5:30pm in the library, we are excited to welcome Anthony Rodriguez Yao as our featured speaker for LatinX Heritage Month. Anthony is an immigration attorney who will share his story and shed light on his experiences. There will also be an opportunity for questions, so come prepared! We look forward to seeing you there! 

Starting to think about holiday cards and gifts? Shop at Minted. Not only do you get 20% off, Acalanes gets 15% of all sales when you use the code FUNDRAISEACALANES.

The Community Outreach and Improvement Program is hosting a drive for the Lamorinda branch of the American Association of University Women from Sep 30 to Oct 11. Please donate your gently used sneakers to the bins outside the front office! The donations fund scholarships for women in our community! Please check out their website for more donation options and information. 

If you ordered spiritwear from the Gryco webstore and haven't picked it up, please email Katherine Walton and she can leave it in the attendance office for you. 

2024-2025 Clubs
Looking to connect your student to a passion? Here are 77 unique clubs on campus, from Archery Club to the Red Cross Club. 
 

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!
 
Speaker Series: Join this fall for a speaker series of respected college admissions leaders. Sign up here for the first talk on Oct 8.
 
Senior Scholarships: Digital Marketing Scholarship application due Dec 1 and Stand up to Distracted Driving Scholarship application due Nov 13.

Counseling

Counselor assignments are by student last name:
A-F Anne Schonauer  
G-Ka Erika Vasquez
Ke-Re Marissa Meadows 
Rh-Z Susan Martin

CLASS SCHEDULES Students can still drop a class this week! Students can drop a first or last class of the day for an Off Campus, or they can drop a class and add a TA that period until Friday, Oct 11. After this date, any class dropped will receive an automatic F grade. 
 
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION Counselors are finishing up seeing seniors individually to discuss post high-school plans. October is the month we spend writing letters for Early Decision/Action deadlines - each counselor has over 40 letters to write during October! Please have your student see us right away if they need a letter of rec!
 
GRADES AND ELIGIBILITY The first quarter of the year ends on Friday! Continued athletic eligibility will be determined from these grades next week for all fall sports - students must have a 2.0 GPA and be passing five classes.
 
JUNIOR 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! 

School Nurse

Here I go talking about healthy food again…
There are two things I want to highlight:

1. Let’s go over what I talked about last week:  What is true about almost all the students that come into my office not feeling well is that they haven’t eaten breakfast. Most kids say they don’t have time and/or are not hungry in the morning. I always start out by asking them what they’d be WILLING to eat. Our students really need to start their day with “fuel in their tank” for optimal learning (and to feel well). How did your conversation go with your student about EATING BREAKFAST? What breakfast ideas did you come up with together?
2. OK, stay with me here…Remember how I talked about the nutritional conference I recently attended? One of the greatest presentations was from an ophthalmologist speaking how important optimal nutrition is for visual health. How can you support optimal nutrition for your kids? To begin with, provide an abundance of green leafy vegetables, other vegetables and fruits at meals and for snacks. That’s a good starting point. A next step can be to have your student participate in choosing healthy foods for the household (take them with you to the supermarket, or better yet to a farmer’s market!). You can challenge them to pick out three different COLOR fruits and three different COLOR vegetables. This doctor also said evidence shows that kids who play outside for 2 hours a day have a lower incidence of vision issues. Makes sense but now here’s your reason!

Please, let me know if you have questions or need support.

​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

Wellness Center

Join us on Tuesday, Oct 8 for a districtwide parent education event regarding the fentanyl crisis and its impact on teens. There will be a screening of a documentary from the nonprofit organization Song for Charlie followed by a question and answer panel. Panelists will include Outreach Coordinator from Song for Charlie Laura Didier, LLHS Principal Heather Thorner, LLHS Wellness Coordinator Amelia Whalen, and other community experts. The event will take place on from 6:30-8pm in the Las Lomas High School Theater. All parents within AUHSD and parents from partner districts are welcome to attend.
 
Please use this link if you are interested in attending. RSVP is not required but is helpful for our planning.

Legislative News

AUHSD Governing Board - Candidate Forum
Las Trampas Creek Council of PTA's is co-sponsoring the candidate forum for the Acalanes Union High School Districts.
Thursday, Oct 17
6:30-9pm
Walnut Creek Library - Oak View room

Performing & Visual Arts

LPIE

LPIE's 4th Annual Poker Tournament — Last Call!
This is not only a fun night out but also a fundraiser for our schools! Don’t miss your chance to play, win a great prize, and support our students (and your parent volunteers who put this together) all at once! Grab your seat at the table and go all in for our kids!

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:

Girls volleyball
Tuesday, Oct 8 at Benicia HS. Frosh at 4:30pm, JV at 5:30pm, Varsity at 6:30pm.
Thursday, Oct 10 host Northgate HS. Frosh at 4:30pm, JV at 5:30pm, Varsity at 6:30pm.
Saturday, Oct 12 Sonoma Valley JV Tournament.
 
Girls tennis
Tuesday, Oct 8 Miramonte HS at 4pm. Varsity is away and JV is home.
Thursday, Oct 10 Campolindo HS at 4pm. Varsity is away and JV is home.
 
Boys water polo
Wednesday, Oct 9 host Miramonte HS. JV at 4pm and Varsity at 5pm.
Thursday, Oct 10 host Berkeley HS. JV at 6pm and Varsity at 7pm.
Friday, Oct 11 and Saturday Oct 12 Jet Blast JV Tournament.
 
Girls water polo
Wednesday, Oct 9 host Miramonte HS. Varsity at 6pm and JV at 7pm.
Saturday Oct 12 host Clovis North HS and Leland HS.
 
Flag football
Wednesday, Oct 9 Berean Christian HS at 2:30pm, Clayton Valley Charter HS at 3:45pm at Berean Christian HS.
 
Football
Thursday, Oct 10 Freshmen at Miramonte HS at 6pm.
Friday, Oct 11 host Miramonte HS. JV at 4:30pm, Varsity at 7pm.
 
Cross country
Saturday, Oct 12 Crystal Springs Invitational.

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

APC in Action

APC SENDS A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO KATHERINE WALTON!
Let’s hear it for Katherine Walton and the Leadership students for organizing an incredible Homecoming week! Did you hear, all together over ⅓ of the student body participated in HOCO skits, almost 1,200 students attended the HOCO dance, and we donated more than 64,000 cans to the Contra Costa Food Bank, wow!
 
Our amazing Walton works hard all year long to build an enthusiastic and inclusive Acalanes community. Her passion, dedication and school spirit sets the tone on campus. Acalanes is such a special place thanks to Katherine Walton!


 
FALL 2024 GRANT APPLICATION - DEADLINE EXTENDED!
The APC Fall Grant application window is open for one more week! We invite all AHS teachers, staff, students, and parents to submit a grant application for programming, materials or projects that enhance the educational experience for our school community; all ideas are welcome. Click here for criteria and application. Completed proposals and questions can be submitted by Friday, Oct 4 to Nicole Sanders, APC Grants Coordinator, or delivered to the APC Box in the front office.
 
Follow Acalanes Parents Club on Instagram. Contact APC here with any questions.

Parents Club Pro-Tip

GRADING WINDOWS AND REMINDERS
Parents/guardians should have received an email last week from Parent Square with a Progress Report for your student(s). Note, the Progress Report shows just a snapshot of the grading status on Friday, Sep 20 and may already show something different in Canvas now.
 
1st Semester Grading Window:

• Q1 Progress Report: Sep 20
• Q1 Ends: Oct 11
• Q2 Progress Report: Nov 8
• Semester 1 Ends: Dec 20

The best way to support our students academically is not necessarily through these report cards but more so by being an "Observer" in Canvas and encouraging and assisting our students with self-advocacy.
 
The Acalanes educational philosophy reinforces the learning over the points. When reviewing Canvas with your students please help your students keep this in mind.
 
If you have questions about grading or resources for students please attend our next Dons Dialogue (Oct 18) for open discussion on topics like this and more.

Acalanes Community Always (ACA)

LAFAYETTE RESERVOIR RUN: Sunday, Oct 20
The Race Before the Race Continues - Register NOW
Lafayette's public schools are beneficiaries of this event, with 15% percent of each registration going back to Acalanes - so be sure to choose Acalanes during the registration process! The school who most increases their number of runners compared to last year will receive an additional $500 beneficiary check! (We’ve got this Dons!)
 
Run/walk downtown Lafayette in the 2-mile fun run/walk or 5k, or strive for your best 10k time, which includes going around the Lafayette Reservoir on race day, Sunday, Oct 20. There is also a virtual option around the paved trail of the reservoir from Oct 12-19.
Thank you for supporting our schools!
 



ACALANES HIGH SCHOOL SEEKS PARENT REPS FOR SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL
Acalanes is searching for 4-5 parents to join the Acalanes School Advisory Council. This year we hope to have representation from all four grade levels, and parents of students from a variety of interests and backgrounds. The Acalanes High School School Advisory Council meets five times a year to provide a forum for staff, students, and parents to discuss progress and provide feedback on the school site plans like the AHS Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA), the school safety plan, and progress on issues of equity and access. Please click here and fill out the form to indicate your interest in participating in the Acalanes School Advisory Council.
 

SHOE DRIVE FOR WOMEN’S SCHOLARSHIPS
The Community Outreach and Improvement Program is hosting a shoe drive for the Lamorinda branch of the American Association of University Women from Monday, Sept 30 to Friday, Oct 11. Please donate your gently used sneakers to the bins outside the front office. The donations fund scholarships for women in our community! Please check out our website for more donation options and information about us: https://sites.google.com/view/coip-ahs/home!