Archived Posts

We hope the first week was positive for your students. Like the entire Dons community, we have much to learn about new technologies and procedures. We’ve been busy connecting with students who’ve reached out, as well as developing content for upcoming events. We are planning brief visits to virtual classrooms that will take place over the next month. We’ll introduce ourselves, wellness services and how to access them, and emphasize the need for students to prioritize their mental health. You can find our referral form here. And in the spirit of supporting the new habits and attitudes we must cultivate for distance learning, here is a video on neuroplasticity (our brain’s innate capacity to reorganize itself based on experience.) Our theme for this semester is “Try It On with Wellness” — we hope you’ll join us in trying on new ways of doing things and new ways of living. 

Allen Choi, Wellness Coordinator
Casey Sasner, Intake Specialist

For updates and advice, follow Wellness on Social Media: Instagram @acalaneswellness

Wellness is excited to get back to work in support of all of the Dons! We are training, planning, and anticipating needs. The most important thing that students and parents should know is that they can access the referral for services here. In the first few weeks we will be pushing into classrooms to connect. We are planning a variety of offerings that will proactively support mental health. Parent education workshops are in development and coming soon. Social-emotional learning student modules will be developed. Happy start of the school year! Please follow us on Instagram.

Allen Choi, Wellness Coordinator
Casey Sasner, Intake Specialist

Follow Wellness on Social Media: Instagram @acalaneswellness

Thanks to your APC donations in the fall, and despite COVID-19, Acalanes Parents Club is pleased to fund the following spring grants totaling almost $10,000:

• Funding to help support the Performing Arts project to update the PAC lighting system 
• A new podium for student and parent events on campus
• Funding towards a refresh of the Main Quad 
• Additional funding for a new water station

Thanks to your APC donations in the fall, and despite COVID-19, Acalanes Parents Club is pleased to fund the following spring grants totaling almost $10,000:

• Funding to help support the Performing Arts project to update the PAC lighting system 
• A new podium for student and parent events on campus
• Funding towards a refresh of the Main Quad 
• Additional funding for a new water station

Special thanks to our Grants Coordinator Laura White for doing such a fantastic job managing the grants process this school year. 

We’re having many rewarding interactions with students right now that are interesting for two reasons. Firstly, we notice how productive it is for them to name their challenges right now. Whether it’s procrastination or motivation or fear over uncertainty, they feel better just by voicing it and having the news met with understanding (versus judgment or advice). “That makes sense because this is hard!” is the best response you can offer. The second interesting thing is that by being curious and asking follow up questions we find that they have many answers to the challenges presented by the shelter-in-place. What is in short supply for them right now is self-kindness.

Finally, we must share The Importance of Safe Gun Storage During the COVID-19 Pandemic. If you have them in your home, make sure firearms are locked, unloaded, and stored separately from ammunition.

Be sure to check out the Wellness section below for all the real-time, online programming to support and connect students to Wellness Staff and peers during distance learning. And help get the word out by following @acalaneswellness on Instagram.

This week we joined 8,000 educators and mental health professionals on the California Wellness Together webinar sponsored by the state’s Department of Education. We engaged in learning around practices, policies and programs to inform and strengthen student supports. It was gratifying to realize that many of the plans we put in place in advance of the training had all the right ideas. Some of the most important things we can do for all students is to listen, encourage, reassure, and normalize their experience. We continue to reach out to students to refine our offering in terms of theme, content, and timing. We’re analyzing the results of our school-wide survey and will be switching up the time of day of our offerings so that more students are available. We’re grateful to the many Dons who showed up for Wellness by attending a session and by filling out the survey. We humbly share with you a comment from one of the many students who’ve reached out to say they appreciate us: “I think what you are doing has so much potential for impacting many teens’ lives in a positive way. I just felt happier after our zoom.” Whenever we get to connect with students, we just feel happier too. We’ll continue to have Tuesday-Friday offerings this week and students can check loopmail for details. (CS 4/17 @5:16pm)

Be sure to check out the Wellness section below for all the real-time, online programming to support and connect students to Wellness Staff and peers during distance learning. And help get the word out by following @acalaneswellness on Instagram.

We are providing real-time, online programming to support and connect students to Wellness Staff and peers but we need your help to get the word out. Students can access the Zoom programs by checking their School loop mail or news. We’re helping the students by creating space for them to process the experiences and emotions that come with this difficult transition.  Our weekly programs will evolve to meet student needs and interests. They take place at noon each day as follows:

• Tuesday: Tea with Wellness
• Wednesday: Journaling through the Pandemic
• Thursday: Quarantine Cooking
• Friday: “Friday Focus” Mindfulness practices to manage stress

Parents can find important resources on Wellbeing and Mental Health here at the district website. You can continue to reach us during school hours at acalaneswellness@auhsdschools.org.  (CS @5:30 4/10)

Wellness will launch a virtual center this week with daily programming for students to connect with Wellness Staff and to engage in activities designed to help them navigate the pandemic from a strength-building perspective. Students will receive invitations to sign up for the programs via school loop. This week will be a soft-launch and the model will evolve as we learn more about students’ needs at this time. Please follow us on Instagram @acalaneswellness.