Weekly News & Announcements

Wellness Center

Get Connected
If you have questions about Wellness, please email us at AHS Wellness coordinator .
To refer a student to Wellness, please use this form: AHSWellnessReferral
Please remember that all Wellness Center services are confidential and completely voluntary.
Follow us on Instagram @acalaneswellness  to find out more about what we're doing to support Acalanes students. There is also additional information about our program on the Acalanes High School website.

We look forward to supporting our students throughout another great school year.

Performing & Visual Arts

Something wickedly wonderful just wrapped at Acalanes! Congratulations to the DramaDons on a fantastic run of Macbeth. Huge kudos to the cast, crew, directors, and everyone behind the scenes who brought Shakespeare’s classic to the stage. Bravo to all!

Dons show up! The Acalanes Pep Band will be performing at our final home football game on Friday, Nov. 6. Go Dons!

Save the Date! Let’s pack the house! Mark your calendars for the Acalanes Jazz Concert on Wednesday, Nov. 18! Join us for a magnificent evening of jazz featuring a stellar lineup of musicians from Acalanes, Campolindo High School and Stanley Middle School! Gather your friends and family for a fantastic evening of jazz that will showcase the talented musicians from our community schools!

LPIE

Today's Education, Every Year: The LPIE Annual Giving Campaign


 
The Annual Giving Campaign is LPIE’s engine for today. Every year, gifts from families like yours directly fund people and programs across all six Lafayette public schools:
 
•   Credentialed art, music, and science instruction
•   Wellness and counseling support
•   Expanded advanced placement and elective courses
•   Technology and classroom resources
•   Supplies in every department
•   Academic intervention for students who need it
 
Here’s the key thing: this funding is spent the same year it’s given. It renews every summer because the needs renew every summer. That’s not a flaw — it’s the design. The Annual Giving Campaign goes wherever today’s students need it most, in the year they need it. And it reaches everyone: 100% of students in Lafayette’s public schools benefit from LPIE-funded people and programs each year.
💙🧡Support Your School — Donate Today 🧡💙

 
Today's Education, Every Year: The LPIE Endowment


 
Think of the LPIE Endowment as an orchard, not a harvest. When someone gives to the Endowment, that gift is planted permanently. The fund is invested and grows. When distributions begin, only a small portion will be paid out each year, so the original gifts keep working, year after year.
 
It’s the same model great universities use, and it does something the annual campaign can’t: it creates a permanent, self-sustaining source of support that doesn’t depend on any single year’s fundraising — or on Sacramento.
 
The annual campaign answers the question “what do our students need this year?” The Endowment answers a bigger one. It was built to create new opportunities — new programs, new possibilities, and investments our schools couldn’t otherwise reach — and to keep creating them for students who haven't started kindergarten yet. That was the vision of the foundational families who established it: today, tomorrow, and beyond.
 
Thanks to visionary early donors, as of September 2026, the Endowment has grown to over $15 million — and it is still building toward the point where it begins making annual distributions to our schools. Every gift moves that day closer.
 
☕️Join Us at Our Monthly Coffee Talk☕️
Friday, Nov 6, 9:00-10:30am, Lafayette Public House

We're Hiring at LPIE!
 
LPIE is hiring for two part-time positions, and we're looking for enthusiastic, organized, community-minded individuals who are passionate about supporting our Lafayette public schools.
 
Events and Development Manager (20–30 hours/week)
This position will work closely with our amazing volunteer board and committees to lead and support LPIE's fundraising events, auctions, business partnerships, and donor engagement efforts. We're looking for someone who loves bringing people together, building relationships, and collaborating with volunteers to create successful events and fundraising opportunities that support our schools.
 
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE EVENTS AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGER JOBDESCRIPTION
 
Programs and Operations Coordinator (26–32 hours/week)
This position will help keep LPIE running smoothly, supporting our educational programs, day-to-day operations, and communications, including newsletters, social media, and our website. We're looking for someone who is organized, detail-oriented, creative, and enjoys working with a wonderful community of volunteers.
 
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PROGRAMS AND OPERATIONS COORDINATOR JOBDESCRIPTION
 
Both positions are based in Lafayette and offer the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in our local schools.
 
Interested in applying? We'd love to hear from you! Please send a resume and cover letter to danielle@lpie.org.

And even if these opportunities aren't right for you, we'd be so grateful if you could share them with friends, neighbors, and anyone in your network who might be interested.

Sports

Acalanes Boosters is also looking for 3 nurses and/or doctors to volunteer their time at our Winter Sports Parents' Meeting on November 10 from 5:30-7 PM to help out with the TB screening that parents need to complete as part of their volunteer driving requirement. If you are able to help out, please reach out to Linda Choi at lchoi_tulip@yahoo.com. 

*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 tennis
Monday, Oct. 26 DAL Singles Championship preliminaries at Northgate HS at 10:00am.
Tuesday, Oct. 27 DAL Singles Championships at Acalanes HS at 3:00pm.
Thursday, Oct. 29 DAL Doubles Championship preliminaries at Miramonte HS at 4:00pm.
Friday, Oct. 30 DAL Doubles Championships at Miramonte HS at 4:00pm.
 
Girls golf
Monday, Oct. 25 NCS division 2 championship at Tilden Park GC.
 
Girls volleyball
Wednesday, Oct. 28 NCS Playoffs, first round.
Saturday, Oct. 31 NCS Quarterfinal.
 
Flag football
Wednesday, Oct. 28 NCS Playoffs, first round.
Saturday, Oct. 31 NCS Quarterfinal.
 
Cross country
Wednesday, Oct. 28 DAL Center Meet at Hidden Valley Park at 3:30pm.
 
Tackle football
Thursday, Oct. 29 Freshmen host Campolindo HS at 5:00pm.
Friday, Oct. 30 at Campolindo HS.  JV at 4:30pm and Varsity at 7:00pm.
 
Girls water polo
Thursday, Oct. 29 DAL Semifinal at Acalanes HS.
Saturday, Oct. 31 DAL Championship at Campolindo HS at 12:00pm.

APC in Action

Staff Appreciation Luncheon in November
 
The Acalanes Parents Club is celebrating our amazing staff with our annual Grateful Lunch on Monday, Nov. 2.  We would love your help and are looking for volunteers to help make this lunch extra special!  Please sign up HERE to bring a lunch item if you are able to contribute.  We really appreciate all of your support!

Parents Club Pro-Tip

Does your student love to travel? Are they interested in traveling with peers? Erin Field and Tina Gullberg take students in Lamorinda on international trips every summer. This year we are going to Italy, Austria, and the Czech Republic! I know that many of you travel frequently, but trips like this allow students to become more independent and make lasting memories with their friends.

Any student at Acalanes (or any of the other schools in our district) is invited to join us! They do not need to be in my class or have ever had Ms. Field as a teacher. All are welcome on this trip!

We are having one final meeting about the trip. It will be at Sideboard on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 6:30pm. The deadline for registration is Sunday, Nov.15. We already have some registered! Please RSVP for the meeting using this link: https://webapp.acis.com/trips/recruiting-meeting/MjAyN3wxNjA1NHw5MDM=
 
And here is the link to view the trip itinerary: https://acis.com/tripsite-trip-overview/?key=MjAyN3wxNjA1NA==
 
You can also check out our Instagram page to see past trips: @ACIS_Lafayette TravelClub
 
Thank you! **This is not a school-sponsored trip.

Summer Spanish Language Immersion Trip
This summer Spanish teachers from our district are again offering an incredible opportunity to travel abroad for a Spanish language immersion trip.  This has been such a fabulous experience for our students and they have built memories and lasting friendships, along with greatly improving their communicative skills in Spanish.  The link below has more information and you can contact the company ECI directly.  We will also hold an information session meeting on Tuesday, October 20th at 5:30pm in Room 408.  Hope to see you there. https://educulture.com/programs/southern-spain-group-immersion2027/ 

Community Service - Helper Helper
If students would like to set up a Helper Helper account to log their service hours, please email from their personal email account to communityservice@acalanesparentsclub.comand include their personal email, name, birthdate, and graduation year.

Volunteer Opportunities 
Recurring volunteer roles require the new District process for volunteer validation (e.g. driving for field trips, sporting events, etc).  Standalone volunteer opportunities (e.g. Football, Snack Shack) on campus do not require the new/latest rigorous training required by the district this year. 
Click HERE to access the AUHSD volunteer portal.
Click HERE to explore volunteer opportunities. 

Campus Culture Committee

💙 Acalanes Parent Club – Campus Culture Committee (CCC)-October 2026 Update
October 2026 Update | Building Community & Moving Into Action!
Thank you to everyone who attended our first Campus Culture Committee (CCC) meeting in September! It was wonderful to connect with parents and caregivers, share ideas, and begin planning ways to support our students, staff, and school community throughout the year.

 
🍂 You're Invited! FRIENDSGIVING with Principal Colin Malcolm
📅 Thursday, Nov. 19
 ⏰ 5:30–7:00pm
 📍 Location: To Be Announced
Please join us for a special CCC FRIENDSGIVING Social with Principal Colin Malcolm!

 
💚 Parent Wellness Workshop & Spring CCC Updates
📅 Monday, Dec. 14
 ⏰ 6:00–7:30pm
 💻 Virtual Meeting

 
🏫 A Note About Participation in School Events
During our September CCC meeting, questions were raised regarding participation by community members in school-based activities and events intended for parents and guardians.
We encourage families to review the Acalanes Parent Club bylaws, which provide guidance regarding participation and membership. Please refer to the attached bylaws for the relevant language.

 
📅 Upcoming CCC Events at a Glance

• October – December: CCC Volunteer Opportunities – SignUpGenius Open
• November 19 | 5:30–7:00pm: FRIENDSGIVING Social with Principal Colin Malcolm – Location TBD
• December 14 | 6:00–7:30pm: Parent Wellness Workshop & Spring CCC Updates – Virtual
• January 11 | 6:30–7:30pm: CCC Meeting – Virtual
• May | Date TBD: CCC Year-End Retreat – In Person

📅 October Dates & Observances
October – LGBTQ+ History Month
LGBTQ+ History Month is observed throughout October and provides an opportunity to learn about and recognize the history, achievements, experiences, and civil rights movements of LGBTQ+ people.
October – Filipino American History Month
Filipino American History Month is celebrated throughout October and recognizes the history, culture, experiences, and contributions of Filipino Americans to the United States.

 💚 Wellness Center Reminder
As we move further into the school year, we want to remind families that the Acalanes Wellness Center is here to support our students.

 💙 Stay Connected & Get Involved
Our CCC continues to work alongside students, staff, families, and school leadership to help create an Acalanes community where all students and families feel seen, heard, valued, supported, and that they belong.

 
Reminder: Acalanes is a No Hate Zone
Acalanes is committed to maintaining a campus where every student feels safe, respected, welcomed, and valued.
If your student experiences or witnesses bias or hate, please encourage them to report it using the  Bias Incident Reporting Tool (BIRT) available on the AHS website.
   Submit a BIRT Report Here »
Reporting incidents helps our school respond to concerns and continue working together to create a culture of safety and belonging for everyone.

Student Activities

Peek at the week:
Monday @ lunch: Squishy making in room 314
Wednesday @ lunch: Class Cup-Reverse talent show
Wed-Sat: Macbeth
Friday @ academy: Pumpkin carving in room 314
Friday @ lunch: ACA Buddies + Junior Mummy Wrapping
 
GRAB YOUR TICKET: Macbeth runs October 21-24 and you can buy your ticket here.
 
Head over to room 314 for stress ball making at lunch on Monday, Oct. 19! Make your own  slime squishy and eat pizza in a comfortable autumn atmosphere. This is a great opportunity to hangout with your friends, do a fun activity, and meet the Wellness Center staff!
 
Pick up your spiritwear! The summer webstore spiritwear is finally here! Have your student stop by room 314 or email Ms. Walton and she can leave it in attendance. Thanks for your patience!
 
Acalanes Fall Blood Drive- Wednesday, Oct. 27
Our fall blood drive is almost here and we are looking for 31 more donors. Please consider signing up to donate. You can sign up here.
 
Watch the HOCO Rally here!!!!

Looking to stay informed? Follow us on Instagram for the latest on student activities and class happenings.