General Announcements

Unique Opportunity for Parents to Engage with Staff and Administration!
We need 15 parent volunteers to participate in a focus group with Acalanes Staff on Friday, Oct 21 from 7:30-8:30am. Acalanes High School is currently in the process of renewing our accreditation with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). As part of this important process, we are completing an extensive self-study of our school programs to identify strengths and areas for improvement. We are looking for 15 parents to join our 5 focus groups to provide feedback as we analyze the 5 WASC Criteria.
Please complete this survey if you’d like to participate on Oct 21.

Breaking Down the Walls is back!
This week, all 10th and 11th grade students will participate in Breaking Down the Walls (BDTW). The BDTW creates a safe environment for students to build empathy and understanding through a “play, trust, learn” model. By first helping students laugh together, they start to trust one another and eventually want to learn from those outside their regular friend group. The assembly, training, and workshops leave everyone with the realization we are truly BETTER TOGETHER!
 
Students will participate during one of the three days, assigned by the last name:

• Wednesday, Oct 12:  Last Names A-G
• Thursday, Oct 13:  Last Names H-Pa
• Friday, Oct 14:  Last Names Pe-Z

BDTW will begin at 8:30am in the Big Gym and run until the end of the school day. Lunch will be provided. All teachers know that our 10th and 11th grade students are participating in this vital school program and have modified their curriculum accordingly.
 
We are fortunate to bring this powerful programming to our students. Thank you, Acalanes Parents Club for your support in making this happen. Click here to read Principal Shawn’s10/3 email for more information.
 
AHS Garden Restoration Group
Acalanes staff, students, and community members have recently joined forces to clean up and revitalize the Acalanes gardens between the 400 and 500 wings. Plans include keeping the large garden space near the 503 area to grow food for students, staff, and the Food Bank. We have informally started calling this space “the farm.”

Click here to read more about the AHS Garden Restoration Group, their plans, and how you can help. Currently, they are in need of brown cardboard to act as weed suppression. If you have any, please bring them to room 201. There is also a Garden Wish List of items needed plus two clean up days already planned for November. All are welcome to join! Learn more here.

On Friday, all students participated in the first of four ACA Equity Days planned for this school year. The theme for this first discussion was Mental Health and Self Care. If you would like to have a follow up conversation with your students please review the emailfrom 9/15 with suggested discussion topics.
 
AUHSD is hiring Instructional Assistants for the classrooms. The District is looking to parents for help in filling these important positions. Please review the Sept 8 email fromAmy McNamara, Assistant Superintendent, for more information on open positions, qualifications and the competitive pay and benefits.

AUHSD is hiring Instructional Assistants for the classrooms. The District is looking to parents for help in filling these important positions. Please review the Sept 8 email fromAmy McNamara, Assistant Superintendent, for more information on open positions, qualifications and the competitive pay and benefits.

There are a couple changes for the food services program this school year. Students are still eligible to receive two free meals a day, but please note important changes outlined below.

Fast Five for Food

1. ALL students must have their ID card when picking up food in the cafeteria.  Quick Tip: Students can have a picture of their ID card on their phone!
2. The cafeteria will have three choices for food options: breakfast, brunch and lunch.
3. Students will choose from two of the three food options a day – breakfast, brunch or lunch. For example, a student can pick up breakfast and brunch, but will then have to pay for lunch.
4. Students can purchase a third meal option or a la cart items by loading money on their ID cards through our Titan system. 
5. No cash accepted!

There are a couple changes for the food services program this school year. Students are still eligible to receive two free meals a day, but please note important changes outlined below.

Fast Five for Food

1. ALL students must have their ID card when picking up food in the cafeteria.  Quick Tip: Students can have a picture of their ID card on their phone!
2. The cafeteria will have three choices for food options: breakfast, brunch and lunch.
3. Students will choose from two of the three food options a day – breakfast, brunch or lunch. For example, a student can pick up breakfast and brunch, but will then have to pay for lunch.
4. Students can purchase a third meal option or a la cart items by loading money on their ID cards through our Titan system. 
5. No cash accepted!

ALL Chromebooks and textbooks need to be returned ASAP. If you missed last week’s opportunities, please bring any outstanding items to the Acalanes Main Office Tuesday, May 31 through Friday, June 3 between the hours of 9am to 3pm.

A few housekeeping items for the end of the year:

Finals Schedule
There was an error in our Student Planner with the Finals Week Schedule. Please access the current Finals Schedule by clicking here.
 
Books
Please turn in any remaining books.
 
Devices
Acalanes will collect all school-owned chromebooks, chargers, and other devices. The last chance to drop these items off is this week, from 12:30 to 1:30pm on the following days:

• 12th grade – Monday, May 23
• 11th grade – Tuesday, May 24
• 10th grade – Wednesday, May 25
• 9th grade – Thursday, May 26

On Friday, May 27 the library will be open from 8am to 4pm in case a student misses their assigned day for any reason.

A few housekeeping items for the end of the year:
 
Finals Schedule – There was an error in our Student Planner with the Finals Week Schedule. Please access the current Finals Schedule by clicking here.
 
Books – If your student has any books they are not currently using, please have them turn them in. They do not need to wait until the end of the year! 
 
Devices – Acalanes will collect all school-owned chromebooks, chargers, and other devices. These electronics can be returned to the library anytime Monday, May 16 through Friday, May 20.
 
Should your student(s) want to keep their device, etc. to study for finals, the last chance to drop these items off is during Finals week, from 12:30 to 1:30pm on the following days:

• 12th grade – Monday, May 23
• 11th grade – Tuesday, May 24
• 10th grade – Wednesday, May 25
• 9th grade – Thursday, May 26

On Friday, May 27 the library will be open from 8am to 4pm in case a student misses their assigned day for any reason.

A few housekeeping items for the end of the year:
 
Finals Schedule
There was an error in our Student Planner with the Finals Week Schedule. Please access the current Finals Schedule by clicking here.
 
Books
If your student has any books they are not currently using, please have them turn them in. They do not need to wait until the end of the year! 
 
Devices
Acalanes will collect all school-owned chromebooks, chargers, and other devices. These electronics can be returned to the library anytime during the week before Finals (May 16-20).
 
Should your student(s) want to keep their device, etc. to study for finals, the last chance to drop these items off is during Finals week, from 12:30 – 1:30pm on the following days:
12th grade – Monday 5/23
11th grade – Tuesday 5/24
10th grade – Wednesday 5/25
9th grade – Thursday 5/26
 
On Friday 5/27, the library will be open all day (8:00am – 4:00pm) in case a student misses their assigned day for any reason.

Parents of juniors and seniors! CAASPP testing continues through this week. We have enjoyed excellent participation in testing thus far and appreciate the continued support from our Acalanes families.

Juniors will finish the ELA portion of the testing by this Wednesday. After that, both Juniors and Seniors will begin the Science testing, CAST, on Thursday Apr 21. All Juniors AND Seniors will take this portion of the test.

• Most students will take the CAST in their science class, but some students may have to change rooms/locations for testing.
• If your student is NOT enrolled in a science class, they will be assigned to either a 6th period or 7th period cohort to complete the testing.

Room assignments will be posted on the front of the counseling office as well as sent to your student’s Gmail inbox. 
 
Parents of Seniors- testing requires either a school-issued Chromebook or, if using one’s own laptop, the installation of a designated, secure browser. Please have your student look for posters around campus explaining how to download a secure browser, if needed. All students need to come to the test prepared with the appropriate technology! Again, this testing is mandatory and the goal is to get every student to complete the testing. Once again, thank you for your support!