Campus Clean-Up now Saturday, Apr 30 from 11am to 2pm
This is a new date for the Acalanes Spring Campus Clean Up! Please join for this great opportunity to connect as a community and show that we are ACA Strong, all while beautifying our campus! Everyone is welcome – students, parents, teachers, staff, and community members. Click here to sign up. Email Denise Cain with questions or for more information.
Thank you to the 2022 Nominating Committee for your hard work and dedication to filling our APC Executive Board positions. We are proud to announce our slate of nominees for the 2022-2023 school year. The formal vote by the general Parents Club membership will take place at the Friday, May 13 Dons Dialogue and APC General Meeting.
2022-2023 Parents Club Executive Board Nominees
President: Veronique Kuhner
VP Communications: Michele Colaco
VP Community Partners: Natasha Acuna
VP Fundraising: Lori MacLeod
VP Services: Raina Foster
VP Special Projects: Kelly Daggs
Co-Head Liaison & ACA Liaisons: Jen Dodge and Heidi Hambidge
Secretary: Nicole Long
Treasurer: Katharine Wallace
Assistant Treasurer: Eng Young
Auditor: Nina Ruebner
Past President/Parliamentarian: Kristen Labrosse
APC in Action
APC Membership & Fundraising
Buy a Brick, Leave a Legacy! There’s no better way to honor a Don than with a customized 2022 Legacy Brick on our Dons Legacy Wall. Prominently displayed in the Main Quad, our Dons Legacy Wall provides families a lasting way to recognize their special student, teacher, coach, team, performance group, club, and more. Purchase your brick through the Acalanes Web Store for $250. Contact Legacy Brick Coordinator Leanne Zimmerman with any questions.
Acalanes Community Always (ACA)
Mark your calendar for the AHS Senior Car Rally! Friday, May 20 at 5pm, Downtown Lafayette
Come one, come all! This community-wide celebration is a great way to cheer on Acalanes seniors and their families. Spectators will line Mt. Diablo Blvd. from Oakwood to the Lafayette Library. Groups (AHS teams, clubs, etc) can reserve an area on the route to watch the Car Rally together by emailing Car Rally Co-Chair Linda Choi. It’s a great night to stay and dine in Lafayette!
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)
Congratulations go to Alyssa Nakken! A coach for the San Francisco Giants, she made history last week becoming the first woman to take an on-field role in a Major League Baseball game.
The city of Oakland is helping to fund a $28 million grass-roots effort to help residents of East Oakland mitigate climate problems. With the help of Planting Justice, a nonprofit focusing on economic justice, local residents have started by planting fruit trees in the Sobrante Park neighborhood.
This month, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Deaf West Theater opened a “radical” and “extraordinary” new production of Beethoven’s Fidelio at Walt Disney Concert Hall conceived for both hearing and deaf opera goers.
Facts corner: A study published recently in the journal Proceedings of the NationalAcademy of Sciences offers new genomic evidence that the Muwekma Ohlone tribe’s presence in the Bay Area dates back 2,000 years or more.
Parent Education
How many of you have been wondering about your teen’s well-being given the losses we have had in our communities recently? How many of you are anxious and fearful that the same could happen to your child? This is a natural thing to be feeling; you are not alone.
If you have questions about how to help your teen with grieving and loss, here is a resource from the Center for Loss and another from the Center for Loss and Bereavement. If you are looking for specific language or tips on how to talk with your teen about their loss, consider this resource from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Make sure you validate your teen’s feelings and not dismiss them- this can be difficult to do especially when you feel sad yourself, but it demonstrates empathy.
Contrary to popular belief, talking about suicide with your teens and the reasons why people end their lives does not increase the likelihood that your teen will want to die by suicide. It can open the door for your teen to talk to you about their thoughts and obtain help. People with suicidal thoughts can suffer a range of emotions: sadness, despair, neglect, and anger. Some people who think of suicide may not display any signs. Some potential risk factors may include a break up, struggling with depression or stressful life events, perceived rejection and lack of affirming spaces (e.g. in the LGBTQ+ population), the presence of lethal means in the house, etc. Some possible warning signs for suicide:
- Talking about death and/or suicide in a casual way
- Saying they wish they hadn’t been born
- Asking about death or how to commit violent acts
- Talking about leaving or going away
- Saying they won’t need things soon
- Not wanting to be around people anymore
- Seeming sad and remote instead of happy and social
- Becoming more angry or edgy
- Losing interest in hobbies or events
- Having trouble focusing
- Showing changes in normal routine, such as sleeping, eating, or grooming
- Acting out in harmful ways, such as drinking, using drugs, or hurting themselves
- Getting in trouble with the law
If you would like more resources on how to talk with your teen about your concerns, an authentic and caring conversation is usually enough. Here is a document from Kidshealth. If you would like to talk with other parents and guardians or need more support, ParentsAnonymous has online parenting support groups as well as a Parent and Youth Helpline: 855-427-2736. An additional resource for teens is from the JED Foundation and their Mental Health Resource Center. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is: 1-800-273-8255 or text GO to 741741 to speak to a crisis counselor 24/7.
Final thought: please do not forget to take care of yourselves. Just like on airplanes, make sure you put on your face mask first before you put the mask on your child. Taking care of yourself IS taking care of your kids as your kids will need you as their homebase and touchpoint. 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 WellnessCenter.
Student Activities
An Aca Leader is a role model that shows leadership and plays a big role throughout our school community. Each week, one student who stands out is chosen to be our week’s Aca Leader. This week we are proud to have chosen Liv Hoppe, a sophomore on Varsity Swim. Our Aca Leader has made such an impact on their team and represents what an Aca Leader is!
Thursday, Apr 28 from 6 to 7pm in the Front Quad is our Cultural Fair. There will be vendors and many tables showcasing different cultures and their foods. Please join us for this fun event and head to the Drama Dons spring play right after!
Thank you for your enthusiasm & support for student activities. Katherine Walton, the Student Activities Director, is out on maternity leave. For any student activity questions, please contact Kat Bautista.
College & Career
Seniors
- DVC Done-in-one-Day Registration Rocks May 7. Get everything done for DVC by registering for this event.
- Acalanes Performing Arts Booster Scholarship will award one $1,000 scholarship to a Senior who participates in either Choral Music, Drama or Instrumental Music with an intent to major or minor in performing arts at a two or four-year college, university, or performing arts school. Applications are available now and must be submitted by Sunday, May 1. Click here for the scholarship instructions and application.
Juniors
- Parent Night in the Library Wednesday, Apr 27 from 6 to 7pm. Come and meet Debbie Levy in person to learn Naviance tips/list making strategies, and ideas for summer activities.
- Practice ACT and SAT exams – Click here to register for online practice tests on Saturday, Apr 30 with Revolution Prep
- Community College Summer Classes Open: Enrollment for summer courses at California Community Colleges has begun. You can likely take them asynchronously at many schools. If you’d like to explore a subject you are passionate about, click here.
Sophomores/Freshmen
- Teen Volunteer Jobs – Here is a great website with teen volunteer opportunities.
Resources:
Counseling
Counselor assignments are by last name.
A-Dr Anne Schonauer
Du-Kr Christine Todd
Ku-Rog Marissa Meadows
Roh-Z Susan Martin
Summer School Applications Available
If your student has D or F grades currently or from past semesters and they want to make them up, they can enroll in our SummerSchool program. F grades in required classes need to be made up, D grades can be made up to stay 4-year college-eligible. Please have your student see their counselor to sign up.
Geometry for Advancement – Summer School
If your 9th grader is doing well in Algebra 1 and wants to advance in math, we offer a summer Geometry class that enables students to enroll at the Algebra 2 level in 10th grade. Please contact your counselor for more information.
Junior Meetings
Counselors presented to juniors in their USH classes this past and provided information about post-high school planning and Naviance. Counselors are calling in juniors individually to review graduation requirements and discuss summer/fall plans regarding college application prep. Students interested in 4-year colleges are encouraged to also make an individual appointment with Debbie Levy, the College and Career Advisor.
School Nurse
Parenting Teens in Uncertain Times Monday, April 25 to Wednesday, May 4. This is a 10-day free summit for parents, caregivers and anyone who wants to create a better future for our teens.
April is Alcohol Responsibility Month. To be quite honest, I rarely see much attention paid to Under-age Drinking these days. This is an important topic to discuss regularly with our adolescents and we need to remember that it is dangerous to normalize any unhealthy behavior. Please see resources at responsibility.org for more information.
COVID-19 Information:
- New Masking Mandate – As of Saturday, Mar 12, the state masking mandate has transitioned from “required” to “strongly recommended”. While masks will no longer be required, “masks remain one of the most effective and simplest safety mitigation layers to prevent transmission of COVID-19 infections” (CDPH). Masks will still be available to those who need or want one. Students who return after Day 5 of Covid infection must mask through Day 10.
- Remain Alert to COVID symptoms, continue to report COVID+ cases to us (especially Attendance) and keep your students home when they are ill.
- 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). Please see Principal Shawn’s COVID FAQ’s for more details. We continue to update policy based on the County Health Department guidance.
Please be in touch with me to discuss any medical, health, or wellness concerns.
Stay healthy and be well,
Dvora Citron, RN, MS
dcitron@auhsdschools.org
925-280-2970 x7128
Acalanes School Nurse Google Site
IG: acalanesschoolnurse
Performing Arts
The Acalanes Drama Dons are proud to present Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare nightly from Tuesday, April 26 through Friday, April 29 in the Acalanes Little Theater. All shows start at 7pm and doors open at 6:30pm. Purchase tickets here.
The APAB Board is seeking New Board Members. Are you interested in volunteering for a role that can make a difference in Acalanes’ performing arts? Acalanes Performing ArtsBoosters (APAB) is looking to fill open roles for next year. This is a great opportunity to get involved and connected to our performing arts community!
Open 2022-23 APAB roles:
- President
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Publicity & Communications
In addition, Instrumental Music has the following board openings for the coming year (must have a student enrolled in Instrumental Music):
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Reception Committee
Please contact Paulie Proffett or Mary Beth Towery for more information.
Acalanes Performing Arts Booster Scholarship
APAB will award one $1,000 scholarship to a Senior in the Acalanes Class of 2022 who participates in either Choral Music, Drama or Instrumental Music with an intent to major or minor in a performing arts at a two or four-year college, university, or performing arts school. Applications are available now and must be submitted by May 1. Click here for the scholarship instructions and application.
