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Parent’s Club Pro-Tip
Did you know . . . you can customize your preferences for how you want to receive communications from the Acalanes Administration and AUHSD?
Parents can now set preferences in ParentSquare to receive emails instantly or via email digest at the end of the day. You can also elect to turn off the new text alert option if you prefer.
Follow these ParentSquare Instructions to customize your notifications.
Bonus tip, there is a mobile app too! Download the ParentSquare App (iOS App - AppleStore or Android App - Google Play Store).
All LafSD schools also use ParentSquare so you will see messages for all your students in one place. -
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)
AUHSD has the privilege of hosting Arshay Cooper on Monday, Sept 19. Cooper’s memoir, “A Most Beautiful Thing”, describes growing up with the stresses of gang violence, drugs and poverty, but how an unexpected encounter with a rowing coach turned out to be a life changing experience. Mr. Cooper will dive into his life story, what it took to be part of the first all black high school rowing crew in a historically privileged white male sport and how he developed into the person he is today. The event will be student moderated.
Don't just take our word for it, parent Dan Meade has this to say about Arshay’s appearance in 2020:“I really enjoyed Arshay’s book and presentation to the Acalanes community. His experience growing up as a young man, and his perspective on overcoming adversity, were inspiring to students and parents alike. Arshay is a great communicator and a worthy role model!”
Also coming up are events and activities celebrating Latine Heritage month. Mark your calendars for a community potluck the evening of Thursday, Oct 6 and a special guest on Wednesday, Oct 12.
Please see the Student Activities section below for more details on all of these events.
Stay current: Add us to your Instagram at @acalanesdei
Questions, comments or thoughts to share? Contact us -
Student Activities
A Community Night with Arshay Cooper: Monday, Sept 19 at 6:30pm in the Acalanes PAC. Join us for this can’t miss event: An Interactive Chat with Arshay Cooper. His book, “A Most Beautiful Thing,” is a true story of a group of young men growing up on Chicago's West side who transform their lives when they form the first all-black high-school rowing team in the nation. The film adaptation of the book is star-studded and streaming now on Peacock and Amazon Prime. It is narrated by Rapper Common; and executive produced by Common and NBA stars Grant Hill and Dwayne Wade, along with Grammy-winning producer 9th Wonder.
During the chat, Mr. Cooper will share about his life, trauma, experience as a rower, film career, and more. The evening will be conversational in nature, facilitated by a panel of district student leaders in a Q&A format. Please join us!
Homecoming 2022: U.S. Cities Begins in 14 Days!
Homecoming is always one of the most talked about weeks at Acalanes. The camaraderie amongst classes, the friendly competition, the hallways, STUDENT DODGEBALL, class skits and the culminating NIGHT OUT! I can feel the excitement building on campus! Dates to note:- Sunday, Sept 25 from 10am-3pm: Hallway Decorating (students can drop in anytime to help-there is a job for everyone!)
- Wednesday, Sept 28 at 7:30pm: A student favorite: Student Dodgeball (students can come to play or just watch)
- Saturday, Oct 1 from 7-10pm: HOCO: A Night Out in our stadium. It is an event for your student not to miss with so many different activities! We do need parent chaperones for the evening so please consider signing up. Tickets are on sale via Go Fan. If students want to bring a guest, they must fill out a guest contract and return by Sept 25. Contracts are on the door of room 314.
As part of Homecoming, we also host a community canned food drive. It begins Monday, Sept 19 and donation bins will be by the flagpole each morning. Please consider donating cans or money. All donations go directly to the Contra Costa Food Bank. The record is 22,000 cans in 2019- as a community, can we beat it?
For an up-to-date look at all the plans with detailed information, check out the 2022 HOCOOverview!
Clubs
Our clubs are up and running! We have 60 recognized clubs this year and all will hold their first meetings this week or next. Encourage your young person to check one or two out. If I can be of support or assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Equity Events
Latine Heritage Month kicks off Sept 15 through Oct 15. We have several events planned throughout the month to celebrate and educate and two are open to our community:- Thursday, Oct 6: Community Potluck-sign up to bring a dish!
- Wednesday, Oct 12 at 6:30pm via zoom: Doris Anahi Munoz
Class Shirts
If your student did not get their pre-ordered class shirt, please have them stop by room 314 to pick it up.
ASB Stickers/Shirts
Thank you to the 900 families who purchased ASB stickers this year. We really appreciate your support! Three reminders:- The sticker should be on the top of the ID card. If it is not, the student can take their ID card to the main attendance office to have it punched.
- The sticker provides discounts to local businesses for students so don’t forget to take advantage!
- If your student didn’t get the black spirit shirt at Dons Day, please have them go to room 314 to pick up one.
As always, if there is anything we can do for you or your student, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are here to connect students with activities and interests.
Katherine Walton, Leadership Teacher -
College & Career
SENIORS
Essay Workshops: Essay writing will continue for all Levy academy sessions.
College Visits This Week in the CCC Office Sign up on the Naviance home page or email to register. Have your students speak with their teachers to get permission. Follow the CCC instagram @ahs_college_career for timing each week.- Monday, Sept 12: Puget Sound
- Tuesday, Sept 13: Macalester, Univ. of Toronto, Northern Arizona, Seattle Univ., Knox, Colgate, Wash. Univ. St. Louis
- Tuesday, Sept 13: HBCU College Fair- Carpools & Bus Trip to Deer Valley
- Wednesday, Sept 14: Univ. of San Francisco, Hamilton College, Lesley Univ., Franklin & Marshall, Pitzer, Univ. of New Hampshire
- Thursday, Sept 15: Binghamton Univ. Oregon State, Merrimack
- Friday, Sept. 16: George Washington Univ., University of Connecticut
College Application Support Your student can click here to make an appointment to work on essays or get help with the entire process.
JUNIORS
Practice SAT and ACT Exams Click here to register your student for free online practice tests on Saturday, Sept 17 and Saturday, Sept 24 from 9am-1pm with Revolution Prep.
Volunteer Opportunity Encourage your child to check out these great places to give back!
SOPHOMORES/FROSH
Volunteer Opportunity This is also a good site to search for teen volunteer work.
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 Christine Todd
Ku-Rog Marissa Meadows
Roh-Z Susan Martin
Schedule Changes
Counselors will still process requests to drop classes through the end of the first quarter, Friday, Oct 7.
Individual Senior Appointments
Beginning this week, counselors will be meeting individually with Seniors to discuss post-high school plans. For those applying to 4-year colleges, we will be walking through the process of requesting required documents for their applications.
CSF applications are open!
The deadline to apply is Sept 30. CSF is the only honor society at Acalanes. Students need to apply each semester. Application forms are available in the counseling office or on the website. Read the form for more details about membership requirements. Seniors who qualify are recognized with gold stoles to wear at graduation. -
School Nurse
COVID: Please call in your student’s absence to the Attendance Recorder and continue to follow the district’s Covid guidance. The school is not notifying teachers, so students should access Canvas as much as possible and stay in contact with their teachers to communicate their remote progress in their classes.
One Pill Can Kill
Please see my website for more information on medications, health issues, forms, etc.
Nutrition Tips: 1. Take your kid(s) to the grocery store with you and have them pick out healthy snacks and foods (especially fruits and vegetables). They’ll be more invested in their food choices when they get to help choose! 2. Have an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits available for them (apples, bananas, celery, carrots, salad ingredients).
Book Recommendation: Atomic Habits: I’m still reading it but it has a great framework for designing effective strategies for change based on cultivating qualities vs. just achieving goals. Wonderful way to engage in family discussions and practice.
Dvora Citron, RN, MS
dcitron@auhsdschools.org
925-280-2970 x7128
Acalanes School Nurse Google Site
IG: acalanesschoolnurse -
Wellness Center
September is suicide awareness and prevention month. Although this is an extremely difficult topic to discuss with your student, it is also extremely necessary to do so.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 10 to 34 and it can touch any community at any time. It is important to know the warning signs and what to do if you suspect that your child or someone else that you care about is suicidal. Parents looking for resources to educate themselves on the statistics, warning signs and preventative measures surrounding teen suicide can find them here.
In the hope of making suicide prevention more accessible than ever, 988 is a new national emergency phone number that will immediately connect callers to professional crisis support personnel.
Kiara Thomas- Wellness Intake Specialist -
LPIE
September Sweepstakes: Thanks to three generous community members, you will automatically be entered for a chance to win amazing prizes when you donate to LPIE’s Annual Giving Campaign through Friday, Sept 23.
Prizes include:- 2 tickets to see the Giants play their final home game of the season with access to the Cloud Club, as well as dinner and drinks
- 2 tickets to see the Jagged Little Pill musical at the Golden Gate Theater in San Francisco and
- 2 tickets to see Olaf and friends live on stage in Disney’s Frozen the Musical at the Orpheum Theater in San Francisco
Everyone who has previously donated since July 1 will also automatically be entered. The fine print: Winners will be chosen randomly on Saturday, Sept 24 and notified by phone. There is no purchase or contribution necessary to enter. Making a contribution or purchase of any kind will not increase your chances of winning. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Read full sweepstakes rules and donate here!
Michele Colaco and Andrea Hilsabeck, Acalanes LPIE School Chairs
www.lpie.org
Follow us on Instagram -
Sports
This week’s can’t miss events!
Girls golf
Monday, Sept 12 Miramonte HS at Contra Costa CC at 3:30pm.
Girls tennis
Tuesday, Sept 13 College Park HS at 4pm. Varsity is away and JV is home.
Thursday, Sept 15 Campolindo HS at 4pm. Varsity is home and JV is away.
Girls water polo
Wednesday, Sept 14 host Sacred Heart Prep HS. JV at 5pm and Varsity at 6pm.
Saturday, Sept 17 host Santa Cruz HS 9am and Soquel HS at 3pm.
Football
Friday, Sep 16 host Redwood HS. JV at 4:30pm and Varsity at 7pm.
Boys water polo
Friday, Sept 16 and Saturday Sept 17 St. Francis Invitational.
Cross country
Saturday, Sept 17 Farmer Invitational at Hayward HS.
Special Event
Monday, Sept 26 Next College Student Athlete (NCSA) presentation in the PAC at 7pm. NCSA provides recruiting services for high school athletes. Included in their package is searching for colleges, contacting college coaches and assisting in the application process. There is no charge for this event.
The fall sport schedules will be found on the Acalanes High School website by clicking here.
If you have any questions, please contact Randy Takahashi at rtakahashi@auhsdschools.org or Haley Walsh at hwalsh@auhsdschools.org. -
APC in Action
Volunteer and Get Involved! School is back in full swing and so are the supporting activities that make Acalanes a welcoming and wonderful place for our students. Several organizations rely on parent volunteers to assist in achieving their missions, including APC. Please complete this form to let us know how you’re interested in helping this year. It's your opportunity to get involved and connected at Acalanes, and we’d love to see you out there!
APC Fall Grant Application Window is Now Open! 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 before Friday, Sept 16 to Nicole Sanders or delivered to the APC Box in the front office.
Follow Acalanes Parents Club on Instagram. Contact APC here with any questions. -
APC Membership & Fundraising
All APC Members should have received an email last week with information on how to access the online directory. If you have any questions, or have trouble accessing the directory, please contact our Communications Team.
Any APC Members that were not able to pick up a printed directory at BTSN can stop by the Acalanes Main Office between Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm to pick up a printed directory with addendum.
If you would like to have a directory and/or access to our online directory and have yet to become a Parent Club Member, you can do so here. While the suggested donation is $300/family, any donation amount makes you a member and is much appreciated!
If you have questions about your APC Membership please contact our VP Fundraising, Lori MacLeod. -
Parent’s Club Pro-Tip
Did you know . . . you can customize your preferences for how you want to receive communications from the Acalanes Administration and AUHSD?
Parents can now set preferences in ParentSquare to receive emails instantly or via email digest at the end of the day. You can also elect to turn off the new text alert option if you prefer.
Follow these ParentSquare Instructions to customize your notifications.
Bonus tip, there is a mobile app too! Download the ParentSquare App (iOS App - AppleStore or Android App - Google Play Store).
All LafSD schools also use ParentSquare so you will see messages for all your students in one place. -
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)
Volunteer opportunities for Acalanes DEI - get involved! We are looking for new people to join our efforts and get in on the highly relevant work of DEI. Email us! We have a spot for everybody and the time commitment is low.
Arshay Cooper is coming back! And this time he joins us in person. The three hundred (yes - 300!) of you who turned out for his 2020 speaking engagement know what a special night this will be when Arshay joins us on Monday, Sept 19 from 6:30-7:30pm. Block off your calendar now! Additional details on this event are included in the Student Activities section below.
Questions, comments or thoughts to share? Contact us.
We are social: Follow us on Instagram: @acalanesdei
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