News & Announcements

Student Activities

Welcome (back) to the 2026-2027 school year! We are excited for a lot of amazing moments, spirit & events this school year.
 
ASB Stickers
Please consider supporting student activities at Acalanes by purchasing an ASB sticker. They can be purchased on the webstore. Thank you in advance for your support of student programming.
 
ASB stickers cost $115 and support all student activities at Acalanes, support athletics ($30 of every card sale goes directly to athletics), and help to pay for AHS’s finance tech’s salary. It also provides students discounts/free entry to the following:
 
-Home athletic events (Except playoffs). This year we have 5 home football games (totaling $30 without ASB).
-Free or discounted tickets to dances (For Homecoming, you will save at least $25 with ASB)
-Free Acalanes t-shirt at Dons Day (worth $15)
-Discounts at 12 local businesses when you show your ASB sticker on your ID card. 2026-2027 Businesses are:

  • Millie’s American Kitchen – Free coffee with a minimum purchase of $35
  • Johnny’s Donuts – One regular donut w/ the purchase of a dozen regular donuts or 1 donut hole w/ purchase of 1 donut
  • Pizza Antica – 15% off an order
  • Sideboard – Free non-alcoholic beverage w/ purchase of an entree
  • Tutu’s – One complimentary non alcoholic beverage with the purchase of one entree. (Dine in only, not valid on to-go orders or purchases in the market)
  • Local Kitchens – Class Fundraisers
  • Vitality Bowls – $1 off
  • Pinkies Nail Salon – 10% off
  • Fabletics – 20% off @ broadway plaza location
  • 360 Burrito – 10% off
  • Oasis Cafe – 10% off
  • Diablo Foods – 20% off a lunch with sandwich purchase

Week of Welcome
As we welcome our community back to the new school year, we have a full week of programming!
 
TOMORROW:
7:30-11:30am          Dons Day
11:00am                  ESC Orientation
11:30am                  Transfer Orientation (meet at the flag pole)
12:00-1:30pm          Frosh Orientation (meet at the PAC)
 
Tuesday (periods 1-7)
Lunch: ASB + Spirit Commissioners handing out popsicles
 
Wednesday (periods 1-7)
Lunch: Root beer floats in all the quads
 
Thursday (periods 1-3, 7)
Lunch: Week of welcome Carnival + 9th grade non Stanley lunch
 
Friday (periods 4, academy, 5, 6)
Academy: Welcome Back Rally (9, 11 wear blue; 10, 12 wear white)
Lunch: Otter pops in the frosh quad
7:00-8:30pm: Frosh social
 
Sunday: Senior BBQ + Car Painting 4:00-6:00pm
 
HOCO Theme Voting
Homecoming is just around the corner (Sep. 20-26) and voting for the theme is happening this week. Encourage your student to vote!
 
Student Clubs
Is your student interested in starting a club on campus? Club applications will be available later this week. In order to start a club, students must:

  1. Fill out the application via a google form
  2. Confirm a club advisor (must be a teacher)
  3. Have at least 4 students confirmed

Clubs must meet regularly and follow requirements of a school club.
 
If you ever have any questions about student activities, you are always welcome to reach out to Katherine Walton, activities director. We are happy to help!
 
Go Dons! 💙
Looking to stay informed? Follow us on Instagram for the latest on student activities and class happenings.

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College & Career

Give your student a Free PSAT, SAT or Digital ACT practice run with Revolution Prep.
Exam Details
SAT Practice Exam
Saturday, Aug 29 – 9:00am -12:00pm | Proctored online via Zoom
 
Digital ACT Practice Exam
Saturday, Sept 12 –9:00am -12:30pm | Proctored online via Zoom
 
SAT Practice Exam
Saturday, Sept 19 – 9:00am -12:00pm | Proctored online via Zoom
 
Register for the live practice exam & book your score review: www.revolutionprep.com/partners/acalaneshighschool/

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Counseling

Counselor assignments are by student last name:
A-F               Anne Schonauer
G-Hul           Erika Vasquez on campus Tues/Fri
Hum-Pla       Marissa Meadows
Ple-Z            Susan Martin

Please note new Counselor Alpha Breakdown above – Erika Vasquez will be split 40% at Acalanes and 60% at Las Lomas High School this year. She will be on the AHS campus Tuesdays and Fridays, but will be available by email Monday through Friday.
 
Schedule Change Requests – Students may request schedule changes throughout the first ten days of school.  The Change Request Form will be posted on the AHS website home page at the end of the first day of school, Tuesday, Aug 11. We will only look at teacher change requests if the student has already had that teacher for a full year previously. We will give priority to requests based on date of request, grade level of student, and whether the change is required for graduation. All changes are made on a space-available basis only. Do not ask teachers if you can add their class – they are not aware of the changes/requests being made. Please fill out the online form and wait to see your name on the daily list posted in front of the Counseling Office. Once you see your name, you may come in and pick up your new schedule.
 
Grade Level Classroom Visits – Counselors will be visiting grade levels in classrooms starting on Thursday, Aug 20 and continuing through Wednesday, Sept 2. 
 
Senior Appointments –  Counselors will be calling in all 12th graders to discuss post-high school plans starting in early September. We will look at Maia Learning, discuss deadlines, documents needed for applications, and answer questions.

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Wellness Center

Welcome back! The Acalanes Wellness Center is open and ready to support students throughout the school year. Our Wellness Center provides a welcoming, confidential space where students can receive emotional support, connect with resources, or simply take a moment to regroup during the school day.

If you are ever concerned about your child or one of their peers, we encourage you to submit a Wellness Referral. Our team will follow up with each referred student within one week.

Please remember that all Wellness Center services are confidential and completely voluntary.
We look forward to supporting our students throughout another great school year.

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Performing & Visual Arts

The Acalanes Jazz Ensemble will be performing at Back to School night! Stop by the quad to show your support for our fantastic musicians!


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LPIE

Welcome to the 2026–27 school year! As we kick off a new year, we invite you to join us at our upcoming events to connect with friends, build community, and support our students. We hope to see you there!

Friday, Aug 14 | 5:00–6:00pm | Western Flyer Brewing
New Family Welcome

New to the Lafayette School District or Acalanes? Join us to meet fellow new families, hear from our district superintendents, and get to know the LPIE team. We can’t wait to welcome you!
Friday, Aug 14 | 6:00pm | Western Flyer Brewing
Back to LPIE

Celebrate the first week of school with friends, food, and fun! This free, adults-only event is open to everyone. Enjoy a hosted bar and light appetizers from 6:00–7:00pm as we kick off another great year together.
Friday, Aug 21 | 6:00pm


6th Annual Poker Tournament

Don’t wait — this event sells out every year! Gather your friends, reserve your seats, and join us for an unforgettable evening of poker, great food, drinks, and community — all in support of Lafayette schools.
Purchase your tickets today at LPIE.org

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Sports

Hey Acalanes – It’s Time to Back Your Dons!
Now’s the time to grab your Acalanes Sports Booster Membership and support the athletes who make our community proud. With 4 membership levels, you’ll enjoy complimentary passes to home league games, exclusive merch perks, and the unbeatable feeling of backing all 27 sports that make Acalanes shine.
Did you know 74% of students play a sport, but funding doesn’t come from the district? Our incredible athletic programs rely entirely on parents, the community, and sponsors like YOU.
Join us:

Every membership makes a difference. Every athlete feels it.
Support your Don — and all the Dons.
We’re 100% grateful.
___________________________
Fall Sports Night at Acalanes!
Thursday, Aug 13 | It all  starts at 6:15pm
Parents — don’t miss this exciting kickoff to the season! Whether you’re new to Acalanes athletics or a seasoned sideline pro, this night sets you and your athlete up for success.
Get the inside scoop on what’s ahead from big wins to big support  and how you can be part of it.
6:15–6:55pm | DonsWear Pop-Up + Booster Memberships 
Gear up for game days with fresh DonsWear and secure your Sports Booster Membership: packed with perks like game passes, exclusive merch, and serious Don pride.
7:00pm | All-Parent Meeting + Fall Sports Breakouts

Join us in the PAC for a brief all-sports parent meeting, followed by your team-specific fall sports meeting. Meet your coaches, connect with other parents, and get prepped for a DONtastic season! 
___________________________
*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 SportsBoosters.
 
This week’s can’t miss events:

Boys Water Polo
Friday, Aug 14 Varsity hosts Berkeley HS scrimmage at 4:00pm
Saturday, Aug 15 Varsity Alumni Game at 4:00pm
 
Girls Water Polo
Saturday, Aug 15 Varsity Alumni Game at 3:00pm
 
Girls Volleyball
Saturday, Aug 15 Varsity Campolindo Jamboree

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General Announcements

Finals Schedule: May 26 – 29
Parents, please take note of the spring finals schedule. Monday, May 25 is a non school day for Memorial Day. The finals schedule begins on Tuesday, May 26. A great way to help support our students during finals is to help out with Finals Fuel (see below).

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APC in Action

Finals Fuel – Volunteers & Snacks
Finals are just around the corner…..and that means FINALS FUEL is back! During finals week, the APC provides snacks for the students during brunch period. We need your help to refuel and recharge our Dons. Here are three ways to help:

  1. Purchase snacks from the Amazon Wish list found here. Items will be sent from Amazon directly to a residence for transport to AHS, no need to deliver anything.
  2. Don’t want to purchase via Amazon? No problem! Sign up to purchase snacks yourself from the SignUpGenius here, and you deliver to a private residence in Lafayette.
  3. Volunteer to hand out snacks on campus (Wednesday-Friday). Sign up for shifts here.

Still not sure what to do? Reach out to Regan with any questions: reganscovic@gmail.com.
Thank you in advance for your help!

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Wellness Center

Our team had the privilege of serving 295 unique students with over 2400 visits to the Wellness Center this year! We couldn’t do this without the support of LPIE, our community partners and the broader Acalanes parent community. We want to wish everyone a restful summer break and best of luck to your class of 2026 graduates! If you are interested in any summer resources for wellness, including crisis support, community counseling, and connection, you can find them here. Be sure to spend some quality time with your AHS students this summer and encourage them to get 8 to 10 hours of sleep on a regular basis.
See you soon for the 2026-2027 school year!

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