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Campus Culture Committee
Acalanes Parent Club – Campus Culture Committee (CCC) Update
As we continue the 2025-2026 school year, the Campus Culture Committee (CCC) is focusing on building a stronger parent support system for all student groups on campus. We are also working closely with staff on issues that impact our students.
We recognize that supporting our students starts with supporting parents — which is why part of our mission is to ensure parents feel cared for through mental health and wellness support. This year, we launched a 3-Part Wellness Workshop Series which began in September and continues with Part 2 during our November in-person meeting.
October Days to Remember- All October: LGBTQ History Month
- All October: Filipino American History Month
- Oct 13: Indigenous Peoples’ Day
- Oct 20: Diwali
Join Us Monthly! (In-Person & Virtual Meetings)
Meeting Schedule | 6:00-7:30pm- Oct 20 – Virtual
- Nov 17 – In-Person (Part 2 of the Wellness Workshop Series)
- Dec – No Meeting
- Jan 12 – Virtual
- Feb 9 – In-Person
- Mar 16 – Virtual
- Apr 20 – In-Person (Last Meeting)
- May – No Meeting
If you’d like to get involved, please email us at diversityandinclusion@acalanesparentsclub.com. All are welcome!
💙 Reminder: Acalanes is a No Hate Zone
If your student experiences hate or bias, please encourage them to use the Bias Incident Reporting Tool (BIRT) available on the AHS website.
Submit a BIRT Report Here » -
Student Activities
PEEK AT THE WEEK:
Wednesday @ Academy: Special Education training
Wednesday @ lunch: Staff/Student Pickleball + Unified Soccer
Thursday @ 3:30pm: BIG 10 – Girls Tennis
Thursday @ 6:30pm: BIG 10 – Girls Volleyball (Pink Out!)
Friday @ Academy: Finance Club speaker in room 314
Friday @ lunch: Staff/Student pickleball
Friday @ 7:00pm: Friday Night Lights against Campolindo. Wear BLUE!
Wednesday during Academy our special education staff is offering a training for students to learn more about disabilities, communication strategies when working with our ESC students, and to provide a space to ask questions. ACA Buddies & Unified Partners will be in attendance but all students are welcome.
Homecoming skits & a Homecoming recap video are online. Links can be found in the Daily Don & on ahs_dons. Relive the awesome week!
NEXT WEEK:
Fall Play (Wednesday, Oct 22-Saturday, Oct 25)
Pink Dons Shirts
They will arrive this coming week and I will email once they arrive so your student can stop by room 314 and pick up!
Spiritwear
If you ordered spiritwear via Gryco over the summer, please have your student stop by room 314 to pick up.Looking to stay informed? Follow us on Instagram for the latest on student activities and class happenings.
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College & Career
Juniors and Seniors: Davidson College is offering free Virtual workshops to support students with navigating the college search and application journey. You don’t need to be applying to Davidson to join.
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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
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION: Counselors plan to spend the month of October writing letters of recommendation for all of the Early Decision and Early Action deadlines for Seniors! Please make sure your student has completed the student survey, parents have completed the parent survey, and the student has sent their counselor a resume if they want a letter of recommendation from their counselor. Students need to request teacher letters on Maia Learning, and match their Maia account with their Common App account.
QUARTER 1 HAS COME AND GONE: Quarter grades will be available by Friday, Oct 17, or Monday, Oct 20. These grades will be used to determine continued eligibility for fall sports. -
Sports
*The game schedule 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 golf
Tuesday, Oct 14 Las Lomas HS at Contra Costa CC at 3:30pm.
Wednesday, Oct 15 Antioch Invitational at Lone Tree GC.
Girls tennis
Tuesday, Oct 14 Campolindo HS at 4:00pm. Varsity away, JV home.
Thursday, Oct 16 Las Lomas HS at 4:00pm. Varsity home, JV away.
Girls water polo
Tuesday, Oct 14 at San Ramon Valley HS. JV at 4:00pm and varsity at 5:00pm.
Wednesday, Oct 15 hosts Northgate HS. JV at 4:00pm and Varsity at 5:00pm.
Friday, Oct 17 and Saturday, Oct 18 Varsity in NorCal Invitational at Soquel HS.
Boys water polo
Wednesday, Oct 15 hosts Northgate HS. Varsity at 6:00pm and JV at 7:00pm.
Friday, Oct 17 at American HS. Varsity 5:00pm and JV at 6:00pm.
Flag football
Wednesday, Oct 15 host Berean Christian HS at 7:30pm.
Thursday, Oct 16 JV at Dougherty Valley HS at 4:30pm.
Girls volleyball
Thursday, Oct 16 hosts Campolindo HS. Freshmen 4:30pm, JV 5:30pm, Varsity 6:30pm.
Tackle football
Thursday, Oct 16 Freshman at Campolindo HS at 5:00pm.
Friday, Oct 17 hosts Campolindo HS. JV at 4:30pm and Varsity at 7:00pm.
Cross country
Saturday, Oct 18 Mariner Invitational at Redwood HS.You may view the full 2024-2025 Athletic Schedule by clicking HERE.
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APC in Action
Community Service Update
Good news! Helper Helper is now approved to work with your school email addresses. Any existing accounts will stay with the current email address on your account, so there is no need to change anything. If you do not have an existing Helper Helper account already, you can email the below email address with your name, personal email, birthdate, and graduation year, and we can set one up for you. Please make sure that you are logging your volunteer hours within 30 days of the event. Also, as a reminder, there will no longer be the Presidential Volunteer Service Award. You can still complete your 30+ hours of community service for Acalanes, and will receive an Acalanes Service Award in May, and you may still log 300+ hours during your 4 years at Acalanes for the Excellence in Community Service Award. Those completing that will receive a cord to wear at graduation. Please reach out to communityservice@acalanesparentsclub.com with any questions.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.
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APC Membership & Fundraising
All APC members should have received an email with a link to the Acalanes 2025-2026 Online Family Directory! If you donated to the APC and did not receive the email, please contact our Communications Team at vpcommunications@acalanesparentsclub.com.
It is not too late to donate here. With a donation of any amount, you will receive the directory, and you can also get an Acalanes tote bag. If you have any questions, or if you have donated and would like a tote bag, please contact Jen Ruhl. -
Parents Club Pro-Tip
ATTENDANCE Q&A - PART 2
What does my student do if they are marked absent by their teacher and it is an error?
Have the student come into the attendance office to get a teacher correction form.
Do I need to excuse my student if they already have an early dismissal for sports?
No. Early sports dismissals are included in the Daily Don (email and/or text) sent from the office each morning.
If my student returns with a medical/dental note, do I still need to call the attendance line?
Yes, the absence still needs to be verified by a parent. Please call the 24-hour attendance line at 925-280-3973.
For more detailed information, visit the District website attendance reporting. -
Acalanes Community Always (ACA)
Lafayette Reservoir Run
Registration is NOW OPEN for the Lafayette Res Run for Education! 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 19. There is also a virtual option around the paved trail of the reservoir from Oct 12-19.
Thank you for supporting our schools!
Travel to Southern Spain with Señora Holland from AHS and Señora Frank from MHS
Travel Dates: June 1-June 13, 2026
Enjoy a Spanish speaking immersion program to southern Spain with two Spanish teachers from AUHSD. You will be guided by the best program with an itinerary that has been designed for you by your Spanish teachers. See the beautiful and historical sites of Southern Spain, participate in fun activities at lovely beaches, and partake in a language school in the city of Granada. The trip is full of enriching cultural experiences that you will cherish for a lifetime. Please reach out to Señora Holland or Señora Frank if you have any questions. Attached are photos from our past trip and a poster for sign ups. Muchas GraciasAcalanes Wrestling Fundraiser
Join Acalanes High School Wrestling Team and Diablo View Rotary for, “A Night of Texas Hold ‘Em – Main Event Poker Tournament”.
Your $100.00 entry fee will get you tournament chips, a catered dinner, and a night of poker fun. Beer and wine will be available for sale at the event. Cash equivalent prizes will go to the top 8 finishers. All proceeds will benefit the Diablo View Rotary Foundation and Acalanes High School Wrestling Programs.
Sign up soon. You can direct questions to pokernight@diabloviewrotary.org.
We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, Oct 11, 2025.
Date: Saturday, Oct 11, 2025
Time: 5:00pm – Doors Open; 6:00-10:00pm – Game Action
Location: Creekside Commons Main Hall – 1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette, CA 94549
Price: $100.00 per player
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Campus Culture Committee
As we continue the 2025-2026 school year, the Campus Culture Committee (CCC) is focusing on building a stronger parent support system for all student groups on campus. We are also working closely with staff on issues that impact our students.
We recognize that supporting our students starts with supporting parents — which is why part of our mission is to ensure parents feel cared for through mental health and wellness support. This year, we launched a 3-Part Wellness Workshop Series which began in September and continues with Part 2 during our November in-person meeting.
October Days to Remember- All October: LGBTQ History Month
- All October: Filipino American History Month
- Oct 10: World Mental Health Day
- Oct 13: Indigenous Peoples’ Day
- Oct 20: Diwali
World Mental Health Day – Oct 10
The goal of World Mental Health Day is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health. It’s an opportunity for everyone working in this space to highlight their efforts and advocate for making mental health care a reality for all.
Join Us Monthly! (In-Person & Virtual Meetings)
Meeting Schedule | 6:00-7:30 PM- Oct 20 – Virtual
- Nov 17 – In-Person (Part 2 of the Wellness Workshop Series)
- Dec – No Meeting
- Jan 12 – Virtual
- Feb 9 – In-Person
- Mar 16 – Virtual
- Apr 20 – In-Person (Last Meeting)
- May – No Meeting
If you’d like to get involved, please email us at diversityandinclusion@acalanesparentsclub.com. All are welcome!
💙 Reminder: Acalanes is a No Hate Zone
If your student experiences hate or bias, please encourage them to use the Bias Incident Reporting Tool (BIRT) available on the AHS website.
Submit a BIRT Report Here » -
Student Activities
Now that was a Homecoming to remember! From the hallways to the lunchtime activities to dodgeball & volleyball to the skits, and of course, last night’s celebration at HOCO Night Out, there were lots of memories & Acalanes spirit to be had. I am so proud of our Acalanes community for what we created together and the donations we provided to the Food Bank. Our skits this year involved 510 students – pretty incredible! Proud to be a Don!
There are some people that have to be acknowledged for their weeks and weeks of work to make Homecoming come to life. Our campus would be VERY different without these incredible parent volunteers & student leaders. A GIANT thank you to:
-Our class parent liaisons for their guidance, support, creativity, love, & hard work alongside the class officers particularly with hallway decorating. Y’all are an incredible bunch!
- Our 17 class officers for their tireless work in the evening, on the weekends, and just about every lunchtime for the past month making hallways come to life & skits as amazing as they were.
-Our 6 ASB Officers who planned & executed all of homecoming week aside from hallway decorating & skits. I am very grateful & proud of you.
Look for the recording of skits on YouTube this week. The link to view will be in the Daily Don.
Now, let’s peek into October.
Monday, Oct 6 from 9:30-11:30am: Make-up Picture Day
Tuesday, Oct 7 at 7:30am: Equity Council in room 314
Wednesday, Oct 8 at 7:30pm: Flag Football takes on Las Lomas. A HUGE game for our girls team. Come out!
Thursday, Oct 9 at 6:30pm: BIG 10 Event: Pops Concert. Football, Cheer & Blue Crew will be there to support. Join us!
Friday, Oct 10 at Academy: LatinX potluck in room 314 (Sign up for Walton’s Academy)
Sunday, Oct 12: Car Show at Acalanes
Spiritwear
If you ordered spiritwear via Gryco over the summer, please have your student stop by room 314 to pick up.
Looking to stay informed? Follow us on Instagram for the latest on student activities and class happenings. -
College & Career
Juniors and Seniors: Davidson College is offering free Virtual workshops to support students with navigating the college search and application journey. You don’t need to be applying to Davidson to join. 
Social Media
