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General Administration Announcements
ACALANES HIGH SCHOOL HOSTS SONG FOR CHARLIE
What Students Need to Know About Fentanyl to Protect Themselves and Others
Wednesday, March 13, 2024 | Academy
Acalanes Performing Arts Center (PAC)
Song For Charlie joined us this past fall for a presentation to our current juniors and seniors. Because of its impact, we are partnering with Song For Charlie again to provide this valuable opportunity to our sophomore students.
All Sophomores will join Song For Charlie, HSD Staff, and the Acalanes Administration as they present What Students Need to Know About Fentanyl to Protect Themselves and Others. This is an opportunity for our students to come together to learn the facts about fentanyl and take empowered action to protect themselves and their loved ones.
This presentation will be given to all Sophomores during Academy on Wednesday, March 13th. All school support will be available to answer questions and provide support. This includes our HSD staff, counselors, wellness center, and administration.
PARENTS, WE NEED YOU!
Acalanes Parents/Guardians, here is where you can play an important part in the incredible things happening at Acalanes!- Job Fair: If your business hires high school students (or you know someone who does) please reach out to Katherine Walton to be part of the Job Fair on Wednesday, Mar 20. We can help you recruit some incredible employees!
- Creative Arts and Design Career Academy: Parents, alumni, and community members are invited to talk with students about their career experiences/pathways in the creative arts and design fields. Please email Debbie Levy for more info about this event on Wednesday, Apr 10 at 10am.
- Trade Fair: The College & Career Center is hosting a Trade Fair for Roofing, Electrical, Plumbing, Linesman, Cosmetology, Automotive, and more during lunch on Apr 24. We are looking for more organizations to be represented so please email Debbie Levy with any suggestions.
STATE TESTING IS HERE!
CAASPP testing begins tomorrow, Monday, Mar 11. All juniors will take the math, English, and science tests over the three weeks prior to spring break.
We greatly appreciate our parents and community's encouragement of our students to do their absolute best, participate, and show up for our school in taking these tests seriously. Don't stress, but please do your best!
Our school has outstanding achievement, and these test scores are critical as a public measurement of our students' progress. Students will also receive their score reports, which are included in their academic file. CAASPP scores are also used by colleges for course placement. -
APC in Action
ACALANES SERVICE AWARDS DEADLINE APPROACHING: Friday, Apr 19
Thanks to APC, the Acalanes and Presidential Service Awards have gone digital. New this year, APC funded the Helper Helper app where students can find and record volunteer hours and earn a community service award. To qualify, all hours must be entered AND validated by the student’s supervisor by Thursday, Apr 19, 2024 so please encourage your students to get their hours entered now!!
Since April, over 250 students have created Helper Helper accounts and logged over 6,900 volunteer service hours and we’re hoping that number will keep increasing!
Students who volunteer at least 30 hours by Thursday, Apr 19, 2024, will get an Acalanes Service Award so please encourage your students to get those hours entered as that deadline is quickly approaching!
DON'T MISS THE COLOR RUN!
Acalanes is having its Annual Color Run on Sunday, Mar 24 at 9 am. This is a super fun 1 or 2-mile run around the Acalanes campus with stations of different colored powders scattered throughout the course.
This event is inspired by the traditions of Holi, the Hindu Festival of Color. Holi celebrates the arrival of spring and its beautiful harvests and colors with festivals involving colored powder.
The Color Run is a community wide event and we want to encourage you to run or walk! You can purchase your registration on Go Fan which includes a t-shirt, gift from Zoonie's and snacks at the end of the race.
This is a great event for all ages so please encourage others to come as well! Hope to see you there!
SPRING CAMPUS CLEAN UP: Sunday, Apr 14, 11am - 2pm
Help us make our campus shine! Earn volunteer service hours, connect with your Acalanes community, and share in our Dons pride! All are welcome. Students can sign up on the Helper Helper app (click HERE for instructions) and adults can volunteer through the Sign Up Genius. Thanks for your help and GO DONS! -
Acalanes Community Always (ACA)
DONS SHOWED UP FOR THE PRINCESS PROJECT DRESS DRIVE!
We collected 183 very nice prom dresses which will go to very deserving young ladies. The Huskins family is delivering them on Saturday on behalf of Acalanes, with a lot of pride and appreciation for our awesome ACA community! Thank you ACA for always SHOWING UP!
BOOK DRIVE FOR THE LAFAYETTE LIBRARY
The Community Outreach and Improvement Program is hosting a drive for the Friends of the Lafayette Library and Learning Center from Mar 4-15!
Please donate gently used books, DVDs, puzzles, and games to the bins outside the Acalanes front office!
Donations help fund programs and other parts of the Lafayette Library and Learning Center! Please check out our website for more information and donation options. Thank you in advance!
SEED HIGH SCHOOL FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE: Where our special needs high schoolers hang out with their typical peers.
Upcoming regular meeting dates:- Thursday, Mar 21: 5-6:30pm
- Thursday, Apr 18: 5-6:30pm
- Thursday, May 16: 5-6:30pm
Volunteers and participants should RSVP here (volunteers get 2-hour community service validation per session).
To receive SEED High School updates, sign up to the High School newsletter here. -
Parent Education
POWERFUL COMMUNITY EDUCATION EVENT TUESDAY, MAR 19
Students, parents and community members are encouraged to attend “Paralyzed to Powerful” with Robert Paylor on Tuesday, Mar 19 at 7pm. This event will take place in the Acalanes Performing Arts Center (PAC) and while the event is free, we ask that you RSVP so we can plan accordingly.
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Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)
Upcoming Important Dates:
- Women’s History Month (March)
- Disability Awareness Month (March)
- Gender Equality Month (March)
- Mar 11 Ramadan Begins
- Mar 19 Nowruz - Persian New Year
- Feb 14 - Mar 28 Lent
- Mar 25 Holi Celebrated
- Mar 31 Easter and Trans Day of Visibility
Did you know Women’s History Month began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California?? It began as a week surrounding International Women’s Day (Mar 8 this year) to “celebrate the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America” (President Jimmy Carter). Find out more here.
One special woman to highlight this week is Tammy Duckworth. She is a disabled female combat veteran who is now a Senator from Illinois. Duckworth is the first Thai American woman elected to Congress, the first person born in Thailand elected to Congress, the first woman with a disability elected to Congress, the first female double amputee in the Senate, and the first senator to give birth while in office. She is the second Asian American woman to serve in the Senate, after Mazie Hirono.
The month of Ramadan begins at sunset on Mar 11. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (sawm), prayer, reflection, and community. A commemoration of Muhammad's first revelation, the annual observance of Ramadan is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam and lasts twenty-nine to thirty days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next.Please check out the new AUHSD DEIB website for many great resources and events! And follow us on Instagram and Facebook
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Student Activities
TODAY, 130 student players and 20 student coaches will play in the Annual POWERpuff Tournament beginning at 3pm in the Acalanes stadium. Come out and watch! It will run until 7:30pm.
Join us on Tuesday, Mar 12 at 6:30pm in the library for our Feminism and Black Student Union collaboration speaker event! Listen to Regan Bradley-Brown talk about her experience and work as a Supervising Attorney at Children's East Bay Law Office since 2019.
Brown Bag Lunch Day is on Sunday, Mar 17 at 12pm when volunteers will distribute packed lunch to the homeless in San Francisco. If your student is interested, they can drop off their permission form by Friday, Mar 15 in room 314. Students can click here to sign up and/or for more information! We will send permission forms to volunteers who signed up through email or they can pick one up in 314.
Acalanes's Annual Talent Show is happening Thursday, Apr 18 and hosts and acts are needed! If your student is interested in being a senior host or performing at the event, please encourage them to fill out the following forms below by Wednesday, Mar 27!
Acts: https://forms.gle/62tZWkLhE5tYQDAKA
Senior hosts: https://forms.gle/5M6A3cvysTWDynEG7
Tree Planting Event
This month, Acalanes is hosting a sapling planting event. We are working with Tree-Plenish, a non-profit organization that works with high schools to help offset the amount of paper used during the school year by planting saplings. You can get more information and purchase your own sapling by clicking here. The deadline to purchase is Thursday, Mar 14 - each tree is the low price of $5, with a variety to choose from. Your contributions will go towards helping plant more trees to make communities greener.
The Special Olympics is just around the corner. Acalanes is hosting this all day event on Friday, Apr 19 and volunteer sign-ups are available in room 314 if your student would like to help. A permission form also needs to be completed. Some of the volunteer opportunities include working as a torch runner, working at the ribbon station, handing out signs, helping with the parade, and helping with events such as the turbo-jav, the standing long jump, and much more. Adults are also welcome to help as parking monitors and you can sign up here if you’re interested.
We still have 2028 frosh spirit packs available for purchase. Spirit packs feature a limited edition 2028 hoodie, string backpack and lanyard. The last day to order these is Thursday, Apr 18 and items will be available for pick-up beginning Wednesday, May 1. All proceeds benefit the class of 2028.Looking to stay informed? Follow us on Instagram for the latest on student activities and class happenings.
Katherine Walton, Activities Director -
College & Career
CAREER ACADEMY & TRADE FAIR!
The Acalanes College and Career Center will host a Creative Arts and Design Career academy at 10am on Wednesday, Apr 10. One of our committed speakers is Joel Flory, the co-founder of VSCO. We would like to invite other interested parents, alumni, and community members to share their career pathways in graphic design, film/screenwriting, animation, sculpture, painting, fashion, photography, graphic design, etc. with our students. If you would like to be a presenter or know someone who would be a good fit, please email Debbie Levy and provide your name, industry, and phone number. We will follow up with all contacts.
In addition, we are hosting a Trade Fair during lunch on Wednesday, Apr 24 and are looking for more organizations to be represented. Please email Debbie Levy with any suggestions for us and we will follow up.
SENIORS:
Water Polo Scholarship: The Lafayette Water Polo Foundation is accepting applications for seniors who play water polo.
The Matt Lynn Memorial Scholarship is now available. It will be awarded to college-bound seniors from Acalanes who have participated in a high school varsity sport(s) and who intend to continue playing a varsity or club sport in college.
Diablo Valley Assistance League is offering a $6000 need-based scholarship for students attending a 4 year university and $4000 for those going to community college.
JUNIORS, SOPHOMORES, FROSH:
SAT/ACT Free Practice Exams: Practice ACT and digital SAT exams are available with Revolution Prep. Click here to register. The ACT practice exam is on Saturday, Apr 20 from 9am - 1pm. The SAT practice exam is on Saturday, Apr 20 from 9am - 12pm.
Google Doodle Scholarship: This is a creative scholarship opportunity to create a google doodle and win $50k.
Camp Venture is a business leadership program sponsored by the Rotary Club and runs from June 19-23. You can email dlevy@auhsdschools.org for submission details.
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Please visit our College & Career Counseling website any time for additional information and support.The Acalanes College and Career Center will host a Creative Arts and Design Career academy at 10am on Wednesday, Apr 10. One of our committed speakers is Joel Flory, the co-founder of VSCO. We would like to invite other interested parents, alumni, and community members to share their career experiences/pathways in graphic design, film/screenwriting, animation, sculpture, painting, fashion, photography, graphic design, etc. with our students. If you would like to be a presenter or know someone who would be a good fit, please email Debbie Levy, dlevy@auhsdschools.org and provide your name, industry, and phone number. We will follow up with all contacts.
In addition, we are hosting a Trade Fair during lunch on Wednesday, Apr 24 and we are looking for more organizations to be represented. Please email Debbie Levy, dlevy@auhsdschools.org with any suggestions for us and we will follow up.
SENIORS:
The Matt Lynn Memorial Scholarship is now available. It will be awarded to college-bound seniors from Acalanes who have participated in a high school varsity sport(s) and who intend to continue playing a varsity or club sport in college. Student athletes who expect to receive an athletic scholarship from a NCAA Division I school are not eligible for this award. The award will be $2500 - $3000.
The Bose Lamont Scholarship is available for $1500. To apply, your student needs a 3.0+ GPA and the essay question is “how have you been brave”? Email dlevy@auhsdschools.org for submission details.
JUNIORS, SOPHOMORES, FROSH:
SAT/ACT Free Practice Exams: Practice ACT and digital SAT exams are available with Revolution Prep. Click here to register. The ACT practice exam is on Saturday, Apr 20 from 9am - 1pm. The SAT practice exam is on Saturday, Apr 20 from 9am - 12pm.
Google Doodle Scholarship: This is a creative scholarship opportunity to create a google doodle and win $50k.
Camp Venture is a business leadership program sponsored by the Rotary Club and runs from June 19-23. You can email dlevy@auhsdschools.org for submission details.
Please visit our College & Career Counseling website any time for additional information and support. -
Counseling
Counselor assignments are by last name:
A-Em Anne Schonauer
En-Kr Erika Vasquez
Ku-Rog Marissa Meadows
Roh-Z Susan MartinCourse Selection for 2024-2025 School Year
Students may still ask to change their course requests for next school year. Counselors are keeping a wish list of student requests and will fill these requests as we are able.
3rd Quarter Ends on Friday, Mar 15
This is the last week of Q3! Friday, Mar 15 is the drop deadline as well - if students want to drop a class, they may do so until that date. After that, any drop will be an automatic F on the transcript. This deadline is also the cut off for continued athletic eligibility for all spring sports. Students need a 2.0 average or higher to remain eligible for their sports. 3rd quarter grades will be used for this purpose.
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