News & Announcements

A Nobel Peace Prize winner, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist minister and activist known for his leadership in the 1960’s civil rights movement. He was inspired by his Christian beliefs and by Gandhi to combat racial inequality through nonviolent resistance. Join other families around the Bay to celebrate his important contributions on Monday at one of the  7 Bay Area Celebrations for MLK Jr. Day!

Facts Corner:
Your student might notice something different when they check the change in their pocket in the next few weeks! Writer, poet, and speaker Maya Angelou is the first Black woman to appear on a quarter. Her likeness on the coin is the first of a series honoring prominent women and their contributions to American history.

The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence- Denis Waitley
 
This week! Thursday, Jan 20 at 6:30-8:00 pm via Zoom, The Well-Balanced Student Presentation with Laura Easley and Douglas Tsoi (Challenge Success) hosted by Acalanes Parent Ed. When we are too focused on grades and performance, we deny our children the time and energy they need to tackle the demanding work of growing up. Learn how you can establish a healthier home environment for your school-aged child, reduce their academic stress and increase resilience, creativity, and well-being. This talk is especially timely given all of the challenges our teens have had to face. Some AUHSD staff will also be present for questions at the end. Register here.
 
CANCELED Monday, Jan 24 at 6:30 pm Safe Driving Awareness Class in the Miramonte High School Theater. This has been canceled until further notice.
 
Finally, if your teen is struggling with academics or feeling down or frustrated about school, don’t forget to connect with our Counselors, our Nurse, and our Wellness Center. Feel free to reach out and connect with us with ideas for future topics, shareable resources, or thoughts at parented@acalanesparentsclub.com.

We had a great club day this past Friday & clubs are underway for 2nd semester. Anyone can still join a club and now is the perfect time to do so! Check out our 2021-2022 clubs(clubs highlighted in green are new as of this semester!)
 
Wednesday, Jan 19 at lunch in between the gyms – The environmental board is hosting tote bag making to promote sustainability and the elimination of plastic bags.
 
Spiritwear is still available on the Acalanes webstore and available for purchase. You can purchase here and once purchased, you will receive an email with directions for pick-up.
 
Student Government applications for the 2022-2023 school year will be available Monday, January 24 for all students including incoming 9th graders. Student Government/Leadership is a wonderful opportunity to serve campus & community while building “soft skills” that will be used in the future. Stay tuned for all the information!
 
Save the Date:
February is Black History Month and
Saturday, Apr 30 Junior & Senior Prom at Lake Chalet in Oakland
 
Katherine Walton, Student Activities Director
 
Katherine Walton, Student Activities Director

Seniors

• Contra Costa County Historical Society Scholarship This essayscholarship may intrigue your student.
• Rossmoor Scholarship Foundation- If your family has financial need and your child has been actively involved in community service, please check out this generous $2,500 scholarship!
• American Association of University Women- (AAUW) $2,000 Scholarships. Tell senior women!

Juniors

• Tuesday, Feb 1 from 6 to 7pm Acalanes Bookclub Meeting will be on Zoom.Join other Junior parents to discuss Who Gets in and Why by Jeffrey Selingo.
• College Timeline– Check out these informative tips!
• New Job Posting- Vepublic in Walnut Creek is hiring fashion lovers! Commissions and bonuses available too.

Sophomores/Freshmen

• College Timeline- There is plenty of time to enjoy high school exploration! Here are fun ideas and a timeline by one of my favorite resources- The College Essay Guy.
• Resume Development- Have your child reach out to work on creating a resume!
• Volunteer  Here are some volunteer options to get you started. Check out the newforms for tracking volunteer service hours for recognized service awards.

Resources:

• CCC Website

Counselor assignments are by last name.
A-Dr Anne Schonauer 
Du-Kr Christine Todd 
Ku-Rog Marissa Meadows 
Roh-Z Susan Martin
 
Semester Grades
First semester grades are now available on Aeries and all students’ report cards were mailed home. Athletic eligibility will be determined this week by Friday, Jan 14. 

Second Semester Class Changes
Counselors are changing some student schedules through Tuesday, Jan 18. Have your student see their counselor if they wish to discuss a class change.
 
Course Selection for the 2022-2023 School Year
Counselors will visit 9th,10th, and 11th grade classrooms from Thursday, Jan 13 through Friday, Jan 21 to talk about the course selection process for next school year. Please keep an eye out for a course selection sheet coming home with your student! 
 
Frosh/Soph Parent Night
Come hear Counselors Christine Todd and Marissa Meadows review the course selection process for current 9th and 10th graders on Wednesday, Jan 19 at 6pm. Register here in advance for this webinar.

Happy 2022 Acalanes! What a busy start! Thank you to Acalanes families for reporting COVID+ cases to us (especially Attendance), keeping your students home when they are ill, making sure they have well-fitting masks that they wear correctly. It’s traditional to start off the new year with resolutions for good health but it’s possible the current COVID surge has already thrown a wrench in your plans and you know someone close who had covid or even yourself. It’s still important for us to set an intention to maximize our health practices- healthy eating, optimal sleep, exercise, calming meditation and yoga practices and connection.

COVID VACCINE – Most students are now eligible to get boosters – PLEASE DO!!!   Despite the burden of COVID virus, our community is working hard to stay healthy and the high vaccination rate and observance of health department guidelines makes a significant difference and helps keep students in school learning. If  you haven’t yet, please submit your students’ COVID vaccine records. 

COVID isolation, quarantines and test kits: The current guidelines for return to school after COVID illness require a negative COVID test (if returning before 10 days). School sites do NOT have more test kits to distribute. Please see Principal Shawn’s COVID FAQ’s and Dr. Nickerson’s COVID Update for more details.  More updates are on the way…stay tuned!

Make sure you always have your proof of vaccination– Try this site- https://myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov/ iPhone users- you can now put your vaccinationrecord in your Apple Health app (and Apple Wallet).

This week’s recipe- Red Lentil Cacciatore. Serve with a salad and/or side vegetable, and a whole grain or healthy starch vegetable (my husband made a killer vegan mashed potatoes). We doubled the recipe and had a little for leftovers.

Please be in touch with me to discuss any medical, health, or wellness concerns.

Dvora Citron, RN, MS
dcitron@auhsdschools.org
925-280-2970 x7128
Acalanes School Nurse Google Site
IG:  acalanesschoolnurse

SNOW FUN IN TAHOE SWEEPSTAKES! ​Enjoy a Winter Wonderland Weekend in Lake Tahoe! A generous community member is giving away a home in Northstar for the weekend of February 18 through February 21, 2022.
 
We are halfway through the school year and there is still time to donate to help support YOUR child’s education and help YOUR CLASS be the first to hit 100% participation!

ClickHere to make your pledge or gift today and be entered into our “Snow Fun in Tahoe” sweepstakes. Your contribution to the LPIE Annual Giving Campaign made between January 11 through February 1 (by 3pm) will enter you for a chance to win. A sincere thank you to the more than 54% of families who have generously contributed to the Annual Giving Campaign to date! Stay safe and healthy in the new year! 
 
Jennifer Palmer and Michele Colaco, Acalanes LPIE School Chairs
www.lpie.org, Follow us on Instagram

With COVID cases back on the rise, there is no better time to quit a smoking or vaping habit than today. The lungs are at the forefront of your immune system. Inhaling irritants such as smoke and vapor can cause an even stronger immune response if exposed to COVID. Researchers at Johns Hopkins have found that not only are people that smoke and vape five to seven times more likely to test positive for COVID, but they are also more likely to develop serious complications if infected. Secondhand smoke from cigarettes and, even more so, vaping poses an increased risk for anyone that may inhale infected droplets in the air. If you or your student has a smoking or vaping habit, check with your healthcare professional to discuss cessation options. Quitting smoking is not only beneficial to wellbeing during the Coronavirus pandemic but to long term health as well. (source: Coronavirus: Smoking, Vaping, Wildfire Smoke and Air Pollution | Johns Hopkins Medicine)

Saturday, Mar 19 at Contra Costa Country Club, 2022 Luck of the Dons Booster Bash. The leprechauns made us do it! The Booster Bash is back! Come shake your shamrock at the Bash, which will include dinner, dancing, and other festive activities. May the Luck of the Dons be with you! Boosters support EVERY SINGLE ATHLETE AND TEAM at Acalanes, and the Bash is our largest FUNdraiser of the year. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, Jan 18th at 10am, and will sell out. Click for more information.

Girls basketball
Tuesday, Jan 18 host Campolindo HS. JV at 5:30 pm and Varsity at 7pm.
Thursday, Jan 20 host Alhambra HS. JV at 5:30 pm and Varsity at 7pm.

Boys basketball
Tuesday, Jan 18 at Campolindo HS. Freshmen at 4pm, JV at 5:30 pm and Varsity at 7pm.
Thursday, Jan 20 at College Park HS. Freshmen at 4pm, JV at 5:30 pm and Varsity at 7pm.

Boys soccer
Tuesday, Jan 18 at Clayton Valley Charter HS. JV at 5pm and Varsity at 7pm.
Thursday, Jan 20 host Archie Williams HS. JV at 3:30 pm and Varsity at 5:30 pm.
Saturday, Jan 22 host San Ramon Valley HS. Freshmen at 12pm, JV at 2pm and Varsity at 4pm.

Girls soccer
Tuesday, Jan 18 at Berean Christian HS at 3:30 pm.
Thursday, Jan 20 host Mt. Diablo HS 7pm.
Friday, Jan 21 host Campolindo HS. Freshman at 3:30pm, JV at 5pm and Varsity at 7pm.

Wrestling
Wednesday, Jan 19 host Las Lomas HS at 5pm.
Saturday, Jan 22 San Ramon Valley Invitational.

Click here for the full Winter Sports Schedule (subject to change)

Hot Lunch Help
We continue to support our Cafe Staff this semester on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. We need 4 parents from 12:45 to 1:15 pm to help serve lunch and provide line management so that our staff & administration can focus where needed. Please sign up here if you are able to lend a hand.

Nominating Committee Volunteers NEEDED!
APC Nominating Committee needs your help! We are looking for volunteers to join the 2022 Nominating Committee to help fill our 2022-2023 APC Board. This role has a small time commitment with large importance. The committee will begin this month. To volunteer, please contact Angela Ketcham, APC Parliamentarian at Angela‘s email or 925-286-9907. We look forward to working with you! We can’t do it without you!

AHS Volunteer Service Awards Reminder: Encourage your student to participate!
It’s not too late for students to give back to their community now and be recognized for their efforts by applying for the AHS Volunteer Service Award this spring. Details regarding the program and related forms can be accessed here. Students should log their hours on the application forms as they volunteer. To learn more about the program or where they can volunteer, students can drop by the College & Career Center or contact APC program liaison Amy Norstad.
 
A big thank you to Katharine Wallace, Jennifer Dodge, Meredith Meade, Maria Nicolacakis, Helen Liu, Marie Mlynek, Dianne Linares, Tori Heffelfinger, Julie Schmit, and Sarah Strickland who sprang into action at a moment’s notice on Monday to hand-out over 1,000 Covid tests to students in the cold rain. We appreciate your help to make our campus safer!