General Announcements

We have your students covered as they prepare to finish the semester strong! Please be sure to visit our APC website for even more information on all events planned to support our students through finals.
 
FROSH FINALS INFORMATIONAL MEETING
Wednesday, Dec 10, during lunch in the library
Come hear from teachers in English, Math, World History, Living Earth and World Language about best practices to prepare for finals. They will not only share information on finals but best ways to study as well. Finals goodie bags will be given to the first 200 frosh thanks to APC!
 
 EXAM JAM
Wednesday, Dec 10, from 3:00-5:00pm in the library
Kick start your finals studying and preparation during Exam Jam. We will have teachers from each department, along with peer tutors, to support and answer questions. It is a great opportunity to finish up study guides, begin to study while enjoying delicious snacks, and enjoy a quiet environment. Exam Jam is open to all students.
 
CANINE STRESS BUSTERS
Thursday, Dec 11, during lunch in the front quad
Come hug it out with your favorite four-legged friends. Therapy dogs will be on campus to provide smiles and tail wags to help reduce stress and provide a general sense of connection to our students.

WELLNESS WINTER WORKSHOP
Wednesday, Dec 10, and Friday, Dec 12, during academy
Our Wellness in the Winter session is a space to gather together and practice coping skills to thrive during finals and a long break with family. Sign up for this academy.
 
And don’t forget to encourage your student to take advantage of these additional resources:

• Peer Tutoring during every academy, lunch, 7th period, and every day for 1 hour after the final school bell.
• The Wellness Center is open for students to drop in Monday through Friday from 8:00am-4:00pm (with teacher approval during class hours).
• Acalanes library is open from 7:30am-5:00pm daily. However, during finals week, the library hours will be modified: 
  • Tuesday, 12/16, 7:30-3:00 pm
  • Wednesday, 12/17, 7:30-3:00 pm
  • Thursday, 12/18, 7:30-1:00 pm
  • Friday, 12/19, 7:30-1:00 pm

Check out our Finals Prep Webpage for more information and resources!

Staff Appreciation Opportunity!
Calling all bakers for one of our favorite Acalanes traditions!  The APC Staff Appreciation Holiday Cookie Exchange is on Friday, Dec 12.  Sign up here to contribute to this fun event for our staff!
 
Please Contact Stacey Hastings or Dominique Mikelson with any questions.
 
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 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, Dec 17 – Friday, Dec 19). Sign up for shifts here.

Still not sure what to do? Reach out with any questions: reganscovic@gmail.com, we’ll help point you in the right direction. Thank you in advance for your support,

November APC Dons Dialogue
Thank you to all who attended our Dons Dialogue on Friday, Nov 21. This month’s topics included a Counseling Update,Course Registration Process & Resources, AP Programming and Debunking AP Myths, Activities Update and Q&A with Principal Shawn & APC. If you were not able to attend, slides and video from the discussion are available.
 
Staff Appreciation Opportunity!
Calling all bakers for one of our favorite Acalanes traditions!  The APC Staff Appreciation Holiday Cookie Exchange is on Friday, Dec 12.  Sign up here to contribute to this fun event for our staff!
 
Please Contact Stacey Hastings or Dominique Mikelson with any questions.
 
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 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, Dec 17 – Friday, Dec 19) sign up for shifts here.

Still not sure what to do? Reach out with any questions: reganscovic@gmail.com, we’ll help point you in the right direction.

Get your holiday gifts!
Looking for the perfect holiday gift? Look no further than some new Acalanes Spiritwear! Orders close Nov 16 and will be in hand Dec 16 for pick-up. Proceeds benefit the classes of ‘26, ‘27, ‘28 & 29! Order here!
 
Peer Tutoring — Walk-Ins Welcome
If your student needs help from a peer tutor but the Academy session is full, students can still come to room 107. Peer tutoring accommodates “walk-ins” and we will find a way to get your student the help they need.

Staff Appreciation Grateful Lunch
Our Acalanes teachers and staff were treated to a “Grateful Lunch” hosted by APC! We’re so appreciative of all the families who contributed to our Fall Staff Appreciation Lunch, and we’re especially grateful for our wonderful Staff Appreciation Co-Chairs, Stacey Hastings and Dominique Mickelson, for organizing such an amazing spread!


Get your holiday gifts!
Looking for the perfect holiday gift? Look no further than some new Acalanes Spiritwear! Orders close Nov 16 and will be in hand Dec 16 for pick-up. Proceeds benefit the classes of ‘26, ‘27, ‘28 & 29! Order here!
 
Peer Tutoring — Walk-Ins Welcome
If your student needs help from a peer tutor but the Academy session is full, students can still come to room 107. Peer tutoring accommodates “walk-ins” and we will find a way to get your student the help they need.

APC Grants Have Been Awarded – Fall ‘25
A heartfelt thank you to all the teachers, students, and staff who submitted proposals for an APC Fall Grant. These grants are made possible through the generous donations of our Acalanes parents—we are truly grateful for your continued support! We are pleased to announce the following grants have been awarded this fall:

• Acalanes Leadership – Tri-Valley Leadership Conference (TVLC):
  Leadership students will once again represent Acalanes at the annual Tri-Valley Leadership Conference, where student leaders from fifteen Bay Area high schools come together to learn, exchange ideas, and celebrate their shared commitment to leadership and community.
• World Language – Peña Pachamama Cultural Experience:
  An evening field trip to Peña Pachamama in San Francisco offers Spanish students a vibrant cultural experience featuring South American food, live music, and dance, providing a meaningful cultural enrichment opportunity during Hispanic Heritage Month.
• STEM-inist Club:
  The Acalanes STEM-inist Club is working to expand its efforts to inspire and empower young women in science, technology, engineering, and math. APC will help fund a speaker series featuring women in underrepresented industries, volunteering at the AAUW Girls in STEM Conference, and field trips to explore college and career pathways in STEM.
• Writing Support Pilot Program:
  A new pilot program in our Social Studies classes will introduce Class Companion, an AI-based writing feedback tool designed to help freshmen and sophomores strengthen their writing skills.

Congratulations to all of our Fall 2025 APC Grant recipients for their creativity, innovation, and dedication to enriching the Acalanes student experience!

October APC Dons Dialogue
Thank you to all who attended our Dons Dialogue on Friday, Oct 17. This month’s topics included AI @ Acalanes, Student Activities Report and Q&A w/ Acalanes Admin & AP. If you were not able to attend, slides from the discussion are available here.

Thank you to our APC Hospitality Co-Chairs, Mia Heglie and Monica Stassi, for providing the welcoming coffee and treats! The next Dons Dialogue will be on Friday, Nov 21.  Click here for the full schedule of upcoming Dons Dialogues.

Staff Appreciation Luncheon – Nov 3
The Acalanes Parents Club is celebrating our amazing teachers and staff with our Annual Staff Holiday Lunch on Monday, Nov 3!  We would love your help and are looking for volunteers to help make this lunch extra special.  Please sign up HERE to bring a lunch item if you are able to contribute.  We are so grateful for your support!

APC Sends a Heartfelt Thank You to Katherine Walton!
A big thank you to Katherine Walton and the Leadership students for organizing an incredible Homecoming week! This year’s celebration was one for the books! Close to half of the student body participated in HOCO skits, over 1,100 students attended the dance, and together we raised $23,260 and filled up the entire student store with nonperishable items for the Contra Costa Food Bank. What an amazing community effort!

Katherine’s passion, dedication, and school spirit help make Acalanes such an enthusiastic, inclusive, and connected community. We’re so grateful for all she does to make Acalanes a special place for our students!

 
Thank you to our amazing custodians!
National Custodian Appreciation Day was on October 2, and we had a lot to celebrate! We celebrated our incredible Custodial Team with some Dons swag and tasty treats!  We want to say a huge THANK YOU to our wonderful custodians for ALL they do to support our students and school!  We are so grateful!!
 
And a big thank you to Stacey Hastings and Jocelyn Birrell for making this day a special one!


FRIDAY, OCT 10 WAS A SNACK ATTACK DAY FOR THE ACALANES STAFF!
Thank you to our Staff Appreciation team, Dominique Mickelson and Stacey Hastings, for creating this yummy snack bar for all our Acalanes Staff. Your generous donations to APC allow us to make sure the staff know how much we appreciate all they do to support our students.

 
DONS DIALOGUE – FRIDAY AT 8:45AM
Please join us on Friday, Oct 17, at 8:45am in the Collaboration Center for our October Dons Dialogue. APC will provide coffee and treats. All parents/caregivers welcome.

Community Service Update
Good news! Helper Helper is now approved to work with your school email addresses. Any existing accounts will stay with the current email address on your account, so there is no need to change anything. If you do not have an existing Helper Helper account already, you can email the below email address with your name, personal email, birthdate, and graduation year, and we can set one up for you. Please make sure that you are logging your volunteer hours within 30 days of the event. Also, as a reminder, there will no longer be the Presidential Volunteer Service Award. You can still complete your 30+ hours of community service for Acalanes, and will receive an Acalanes Service Award in May, and you may still log 300+ hours during your 4 years at Acalanes for the Excellence in Community Service Award. Those completing that will receive a cord to wear at graduation. Please reach out to communityservice@acalanesparentsclub.com with any questions.

Stay Connected:  Follow the Acalanes Parents Club on Instagram to keep up to date on what’s happening at Acalanes and reminders for important dates. Please reach out to APC here with any questions.

Community Service Update
Good news! Helper Helper is now approved to work with your school email addresses. Any existing accounts will stay with the current email address on your account, so there is no need to change anything. If you do not have an existing Helper Helper account already, you can email the below email address with your name, personal email, birthdate, and graduation year, and we can set one up for you. Please make sure that you are logging your volunteer hours within 30 days of the event. Also, as a reminder, there will no longer be the Presidential Volunteer Service Award. You can still complete your 30+ hours of community service for Acalanes, and will receive an Acalanes Service Award in May, and you may still log 300+ hours during your 4 years at Acalanes for the Excellence in Community Service Award. Those completing that will receive a cord to wear at graduation. Please reach out to communityservice@acalanesparentsclub.com with any questions.
 
Preparing for a Teen Driver – Free Parent Information Night
We know that the process of teaching your teen how to drive and earn their license can feel daunting. That’s why we are excited to offer an informative presentation by driving experts and Greenlight Simulation founders. Their team will lay out the steps to acquire a license and provide some foundational tips on how to approach behind-the-wheel driver training with your teen. *Flyer to follow.

• What: Parent Pit Stop – A Guide To Getting Your Teen Behind The Wheel
• When: Tuesday, Oct 7, 6:30-8:00pm
• Where: Acalanes High School Library

We hope you can join us, space is limited so please be sure to RSVP here.

Stay Connected:  Follow the Acalanes Parents Club on Instagram to keep up to date on what’s happening at Acalanes and reminders for important dates. Please reach out to APC here with any questions.