Fall 2025 – 2026 School Photos Next Week
Attention current 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students! We will take fall 2025 – 2026 school photos next week on Wednesday, May 21 and Thursday, May 22 in students’ PE 9, HSD/Ethnic Studies and US History classes. These photos will be taken now as we do not do school photos during Dons Day. Please note: If students are absent next week, we will have make-up photos available during the first week of school in the fall.
Finals Schedule: May 27 – 30
Parents, please take note of the spring finals schedule. Monday, May 26 is a non school day for Memorial Day. The finals schedule begins on Tuesday, May 27. A great way to help support our students during finals is to help out with Finals Fuel (see below).
General Administration Announcements
APC in Action
Acalanes teachers and staff enjoyed a fabulous lunch hosted by APC last week!
We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the families who contributed salads, desserts, and beverages, and to our amazing Staff Appreciation Co-Chairs, Dominique Mickelson and Stacey Hastings, for organizing such an incredible meal for our teachers and staff. We are so grateful for all of you and your help in making the lunch a success!
AHS AND PRESIDENTIAL SERVICE AWARDS CELEBRATION – MAY 21
Congratulations to those students who have been awarded AHS and Presidential Service Awards! Acalanes students volunteered a total of 16,580 community service hours this past year for over 480 different organizations! We thank your students for making a difference to those individuals and organizations in need in our community and we hope they’ll continue their community service in the future.
Please note that all community service award recipients have been notified via email. If your student has received a service award, please remind them to come to the front quad at lunchtime on Wednesday, May 21 to pick up their service award certificate and enjoy a celebratory treat!
FINALS FUEL – VOLUNTEERS & SNACKS
Finals are just around the corner…..and that means FINALS FUEL is back! During finals week, APC provides snacks for the students during brunch period. You can help refuel and recharge our Dons in several ways:
- Purchase snacks prior to finals week and deliver to a private residence near AHS
- Purchase snacks from the Amazon wish list and items will be sent directly to a residence for transport to AHS
- Donate money and we’ll shop for you: Venmo @Stephanie-Asadorian (any amount is welcome and appreciated)
- Volunteer to hand out snacks on campus (Wednesday, May 28 – Friday, May 30)
Sign up here for shifts and food drop off: SignUpGenius and Amazon Wish List.
Please reach out with any questions: reganscovic@gmail.com or stephquinn@hotmail.com.
Thank you in advance for your support!
APC Membership & Fundraising
PERSONALLY ENGRAVED BRICKS ON THE DONS LEGACY WALL!
These engraved bricks make a great graduation gift for your Acalanes senior, or a lasting end of the year gift for your students, family, or favorite Acalanes teacher or staff member. The Dons Legacy Wall is located in front of the front office, and there is no better way to leave a lasting tribute than with a personally engraved brick! Your $300 donation covers the cost of your personally engraved brick while also supporting the Acalanes Parents Club. Purchase your brick here through the Acalanes web store.
Any questions? Please contact the Legacy Brick Coordinator Leanne Zimmerman at leanne.zimm@gmail.com.
Congratulations to the Class of 2025!!!
Acalanes Community Always (ACA)
Recording of Supporting Your Teen Through Grief and Loss. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our community partners—Hospice of the East Bay and the Contra Costa Crisis Center—for joining us for last Thursday’s webinar, and to Las Lomas Wellness Coordinator Amelia Whalen for organizing and moderating the event. If you missed it, you can watch the webinar Supporting Your Teen Through Grief & Loss here.
County Connection is launching Youth Ride Free, a pilot that will allow anyone 18 and under to ride their buses for free from Jun 1 – Jul 3. No IDs or applications are required.
As a test pilot program this summer, their goal is to enhance mobility on public buses and provide access to vital resources within the area like parks, shopping centers, and job opportunities for young riders. Please help to get the word out to students about Youth Ride Free by sharing news and information about the program. Attached are flyers (English and Spanish) for use or you can look at their webpage for more information.
Sign up NOW for the Lafayette Res Run for Education!
Early bird registration is NOW open for the 2025 Lafayette Res Run for Education but only through June 30! Race day is Sunday, Oct 19. Register here for the 5k, 10k, 2 mile or Reservoir Challenge. As a result of last year’s race, the beneficiary amount awarded to the schools in 2024 totaled $37,497.95! Sign up today and support OUR school!
Campus Culture Committee
Upcoming Important Dates:
- May is Asian/Pacific Heritage month
- May is Mental Health Awareness Month
- May is Jewish American Heritage Month
- Campus Culture Committee Meeting -May 19 –
- Invites were emailed but if you are not already on our mailing list, please contact us at diversityandinclusion@acalanesparentsclub.com
- June celebrates Pride, Juneteenth and the Summer Solstice.
June celebrates PRIDE and there are several resources to dig into on the AUHSD DEIB website including PFLAG. We have a local chapter in our own community and if you are in need of support, allyship or just a sense of belonging you can find them here. Our school also has a QSA club and AUHSD recognizes June as LGBTQIA+ Pride month in our district.
Juneteenth, officially Juneteenth National Independence Day, is a federal holiday celebrated annually on Jun 19 to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States. Early celebrations date back to 1866, at first involving church-centered community gatherings in Texas. They spread across the South among newly freed African American slaves and their descendants and became more commercialized in the 1920s and 1930s, often centering on a food festival. Participants in the Great Migration brought these celebrations to the rest of the country.
As we approach the end of the year we want to remind parents that inclusivity and belonging begin at home, and we hope your summer will be full of fun times with family and friends. Our community has worked hard to highlight different cultures, religions and genders throughout the school year and APC is grateful for their efforts and those of AUHSD.
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date with what the students are doing to celebrate all of these wonderful cultures and special dates.
Student Activities
THIS WEEK is SENIOR WEEK & SPIRIT WEEK!
- MONDAY: Tropical shirts; a carnival at lunch in the pumpkin patch
- TUESDAY: Camo; senior athletic recognition, senior car painting and a study session after school in the library
- WEDNESDAY: Flip flops; innertube waterpolo at lunch
- THURSDAY: Country vs. country club; therapy dogs at lunch
- FRIDAY: Red, white & blue; end of year rally during academy. We are bringing the summer energy through a USA theme for our final rally. We will have multiple live performances, 4 v 4 basketball, a surprise senior showing & our end of year video. Cannot wait to spend time together in community!
Acalanes Senior Rally in the Park!
We’re thrilled to introduce a brand new tradition for the Acalanes Class of 2025- the inaugural Acalanes Senior Rally in the Park! On Thursday, May 22nd from 3-4:30pm in Lafayette Plaza, across the street from Sideboard in downtown Lafayette, all seniors and their families will gather to celebrate this amazing class in the heart of downtown. We invite our Acalanes community to drive by with cheers and horns, and/or stop by to high-five a senior and take a picture. There will be live music by Acalanes Junior Everett Shore and his band Andromeda, games, and a whole lot of Dons spirit as we gather to mark this exciting milestone. It’s a new way to celebrate, connect, and make lasting memories for our seniors before graduation day.
We need volunteers: Please sign up here to help with decorating/event set-up.
Parking: We strongly encourage carpooling to this event! Parking is available at city metered spots along Mt. Diablo Boulevard and La Fiesta Square and nearby residential streets. After 3:30pm, the blacktop at Lafayette Elementary School will also be open for additional parking. Access via School Street between Moraga Road and First Street.
Important note! Parking in the Safeway/Plaza Center lot is not recommended. This lot is privately owned and is known to tow vehicles quickly if someone parks and leaves the premises.
Summer webstore is now open! Place your orders now through August.
DATES NEXT YEAR:
- Aug 11 at 12pm: Frosh orientation
- Sep 28-Oct 4: Homecoming 2025
- Apr 25, 2026: Junior & Senior prom
A year full of programming & memorable moments is not possible without the larger community support. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything you have done to make the 2024-2025 school year positive for our young people. From the little asks to the larger asks, thank you thank you thank you. -K. Walton
Looking to stay informed? Follow us on Instagram for the latest on student activities and class happenings.
Katherine Walton, Activities Director
College & Career
Seniors should log into MaiaLearning and fill out their 2025 senior exit survey on their dashboard. This is important, as it’s the only way our registrar knows where to send your student’s final transcripts.
School Nurse
Happy Sunday! Although the weekend is almost done, there is still time to encourage your students to get organized for finals week. Instead of asking them if they’re ready, studying enough, prepared, etc., offer to sit down with them and help them create a timeline for the next two weeks (last week of classes and finals week). It’s a great opportunity to reflect on the importance of building in self-care and using pacing as a strategy for staying balanced.
Graduation Gift Idea: A first aid kit for college. Get creative about what you put in it, including those little messages that you used to put in your kids’ lunch boxes…
Need ideas? Ask me!
Please reach out to me for any support your students or family might need. You can access the medical forms page on my website HERE.
My office hours are:
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and some* Thursdays
Tuesdays & Thursdays: 8am – 3:50pm
Wednesdays: 7:30am – 3:20pm
Dvora Citron, RN, MS
dcitron@auhsdschools.org, 925-280-2970 x7128
IG: acalanesschoolnurse, School Nurse Website
Performing & Visual Arts
Acalanes & Campo Jazz Ensembles Benefit Concert at Yoshi’s on Monday, May 19, 8pm
Support the Acalanes & Campo Jazz Ensembles at this benefit concert at Yoshi’s in Oakland. The Acalanes Jazz Ensemble includes a 2025 California All-State Jazz Band student member and the Ensemble and Combo have won multiple group awards this year. You won’t want to miss this show! All proceeds from the performance benefit the jazz programs at the schools. Tickets available here.
Acapalooza 2025!
Get ready for Acapalooza – the Acalanes Chamber Music Collage Concert – which brings our talented student musicians together for a relaxed evening of music. Featured ensembles include Brassworks, Trio Con Fuoco, Acastix, and other popular bands performing works by Cole Porter, Bizet, Bach and more. Whether you’re a chamber music fan or just looking to enjoy a unique night out, come join us for an unforgettable performance!
- When: Thursday, May 22 at 6:30pm
- Where: AHS Performing Arts Center
- Admission Price: Free ($10 donation suggested)
Thank You to Our Graduating Performing Arts Booster Board Members!
We are grateful for your dedication and service in support of the program’s students and director-teachers. Your support elevated the extracurricular performances and helped our performers thrive in these culminating experiences.
- Andrea Christie
- Anita Embleton
- Paul Joseph
- Ingrid Koo
- Ed Koo
- Sharon Mieloch-Garcia
- Emily Rennie
- Eng Young
- Rashmi Vrajmohan
Join Acalanes Performing Arts Boosters!
Performing Arts Boosters is a parent group that promotes and advocates for high quality performing arts education at Acalanes. There are open positions in the Instrumental Music subgroup as well as in the umbrella Boosters organization.
- Performing Arts Boosters
- Member-at-Large
- Treasurer 26-27 shadow role (QuickBooks)
- Web Admin 26-27 shadow role (Wix & Google Workspace)
- Instrumental Music
- Concert Attire Coordinator
- Carpool Coordinator
- Stanley Liaison
- Publicity & Communications Coordinator
- Programs & Posters Coordinator
- House Manager
Please reach out if you have questions or are interested in joining us! info@ahsperformingarts.org or instrumental-co-vp@ahsperformingarts.org
LPIE
Local Support is Essential to Our Schools
This year, more than half of our families came together to support the critical role local funding plays in our schools. We are deeply grateful to the 55% of families who contributed to LPIE. Your generosity made a meaningful impact at your child’s school, and that’s something to be proud of. We are deeply grateful to every family who contributed to LPIE this year. Your generosity made a meaningful difference at your child’s school, and that’s something to be proud of.
To show our appreciation, we will recognize our donors on the LPIE website and in the June issue of Lamorinda Weekly. In July, we’ll share our Annual Report, highlighting the many ways your support has helped maintain the excellence of our schools.
Our schools rely on community support year after year. To those who gave this year — thank you. We hope you’ll continue to stand with us by supporting the 2025–26 Annual Giving Campaign.
Until then, we wish you and your family a safe, joyful, and restful summer!
Thank You to Our Remarkable Fundraising Volunteers
A heartfelt thank you to this incredible team of volunteers who embraced the challenge of raising $4.7 million for Lafayette’s public schools for the 2024–25 school year. Through your dedication, collaboration, and unwavering commitment, you successfully reached — and surpassed — this ambitious goal. We are truly grateful for the time, energy, and talents you so generously shared to benefit our students and schools. Your efforts make a lasting impact, and our community is stronger because of you. Thank you!
