• General Announcements

    November 30, 2025

    Acalanes High School Seeks Qualified Instructional Assistants!
    Our high school is looking for caring, energetic people to join our team as Special Education Instructional Assistants—and we’d love your help spreading the word! This is a great opportunity for anyone who enjoys working with young people and wants to make a direct impact in our classrooms. Instructional Assistants work closely with teachers to support students with special learning needs, helping them grow academically, socially, and emotionally in an inclusive school environment. We especially want to reach out to local alumni who may be back in the area after college and are looking for meaningful, hands-on experience before their next career or graduate program—this is a wonderful way to give back to your community and gain valuable skills in education, psychology, or human services. If you or someone you know would be a great fit, we’d love to hear from you! Apply here!

  • APC in Action

    November 30, 2025

    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.

  • APC Membership & Fundraising

    November 30, 2025

    Donation Receipt for Tax Filing and Corporate Match

    Hello APC Members— During the week of November 3rd,  you should have received a letter noting your donation to APC for the 2025-2026 school year. This letter is meant to support your tax filing as well as any corporate matching opportunities that your employer provides. Please check your inbox in the coming days/weeks for emails from treasurer@acalanesparentsclub.com and file the document for your records.
     
    If you have any questions, please reach out to Jennifer Ruhl.

  • Acalanes Community Always (ACA)

    November 30, 2025

    Acalanes Food Drive
    Please join us in making a positive impact on the lives of those facing food insecurity. Food donations will go to local families in our community. Collection bins are in front of the attendance office. We are collecting specific items in order to offer grab-n-go meals.
    Items we are collecting:

    • Canned chicken
    • Canned mixed vegetables & canned corn
    • Dried rice
    • Canned cream of chicken soup
    • Canned white beans
    • Chicken broth
    • Chili seasoning
    • Instant mashed potatoes
    • Dried stuffing mix
    • Shelf-stable milk
    • Cereal

    If other items are brought, we will make those available. Ultimately, anything not used will be donated to our local food banks.

  • Campus Culture Committee

    November 30, 2025

    Acalanes Parent Club – Campus Culture Committee (CCC) Update
    As we continue the 2025–2026 school year, the Campus Culture Committee (CCC) is focused on building a stronger parent support system for all student groups on campus. We’re also working closely with staff on issues that impact our students.

    We recognize that supporting our students starts with supporting parents, which is why part of our mission is to ensure parents feel cared for through mental health and wellness support. This year, we launched a 3-Part Wellness Workshop Series, which began in September and continues this month with Part 2.

     Join Us - APC Campus Culture Committee (CCC) Meeting 
    Monday, November 17 | 6:00pm
    Acalanes Library
    Please join the Acalanes Campus Culture Committee for the second session in our 3-part “Wellness for Parents” series. This session will focus on strategies to support our own wellness and the wellness of our students. As we move closer to the end of the semester—with finals, senior applications, and holiday stress—this is an important time to come together as a community to share ideas, resources, and encouragement.

    Your participation helps strengthen our collective efforts to foster balance, resilience, and care across the Acalanes community.

    Join Us Monthly! (In-Person & Virtual Meetings)
    Meeting Schedule | 6:00–7:30pm

    • Dec – No Meeting
    • Jan 12 – Virtual
    • Feb 9 – In-Person
    • Mar 16 – Virtual
    • Apr 20 – In-Person (Final Meeting)
    • May – No Meeting
    If you’d like to get involved or learn more, please email us at
    diversityandinclusion@acalanesparentsclub.com — All are welcome!

    Reminder: Acalanes is a No Hate Zone
    If your student experiences hate or bias, please encourage them to use the Bias Incident Reporting Tool (BIRT) available on the AHS website.
    Submit a BIRT Report Here »

  • Student Activities

    November 30, 2025

    Welcome back—three weeks to go!

    ADOPT-A-FAMILY:  Thank you!

    This year we are supporting 64 families in our community—thank you! If you are supporting an individual or a family, you should have received information prior to the break. If you have any questions, please reach out to Anna Motes at (annakmotes@gmail.com) and Katherine Walton at (kwalton@auhsdschools.org)!

    Gift drop off will be Friday, Dec 12, from 7:30-8:30am in front of the small gym. 

    Volunteer Opportunity: Dec 13 from 10:00am-2:30pm. Sign up through this Google form to help feed the needy in San Francisco at Glide Memorial Church. Log your hours onto Helper-Helper. See you there, Dons!

    Shop joyfully while giving generously! We are back in the holiday season and this is a perfect time to raise funds for our beloved Acalanes! Minted is offering parents 20% off our purchases AND is giving 10% of the net sales back to our fabulous school! Please use promo code FUNDRAISEACALANES upon checkout to support the Dons! 

    This week we have:

    • Senior Dodgeball- every day at lunch!

    • Dons are Stronger Together- Opt in academy (Dec 3 & Dec 5) to learn more about the Be There Certificate

    • Choral Winter Concert- Dec 4 @ 7:00pm

    • ACA Buddies Holiday Party- Dec 5 @ academy

    FINALS SUPPORT

    Look for information in the Daily Don about finals support and resources!

  • College & Career

    November 30, 2025

    Don’t Miss Out on the Out of State College Fair on Dec 3 from 6:30-8:30pm in the Library
    Come join us and visit with over 20 admission reps from out of state schools (many more affordable than you think!). This is a great way to get your students excited about different types of colleges and all they have to offer. All grade levels and parents welcome; register here and hope to see you there!
     
    Upcoming Acalanes Student Alumni Panel:
    The College and Career Center is organizing a recent Acalanes Student Alumni Panel during Academy (10:10-11:05am) on Wednesday, Jan 7, 2026. Do you know of a recent alumnus who will be in town on this day and would be willing to share what they wish they had known before college, what they are happy they did, and other tips for juniors and seniors? If so, please let Debbie Levy, dlevy@auhsdschools.org, know.
     
    Country Spotlights of the Week: Canada and the Netherlands (taught in English)
    To apply to a university in Canada, you must first choose a program and a school, gather required documents such as academic transcripts and letters of recommendation, and then submit an online application, which may be through a provincial portal or directly on the university's website. https://www.educanada.ca/study-plan-etudes/before-avant/steps-etapes.aspx?lang=eng
     
    On MaiaLearning, please look at the Canadian Country Guide under the Resources tab for more information.
     
    In addition, the Netherlands is a great place to study in English at a university abroad. Here is a link to register for an upcoming webinar on Dec 2 to learn more: https://www.dutchuniconsortium.nl/calendar/duc-webinar-for-the-americas-region/. Plus, on MaiaLearning, there is the Netherlands Country Guide for more information.
     
    Districtwide Trades Fair

  • Counseling

    November 30, 2025

    Counselor assignments are by student last name:
    A-F Anne Schonauer  
    G-Ka Erika Vasquez on campus MWTh
    Ke-Re Marissa Meadows 
    Rh-Z Susan Martin

    The Semester is Almost Over! Only two weeks of school then finals week!  This is the time to have your students check with their teachers—do they have any outstanding work they can still turn in for credit? Get missing assignments in ASAP! 
     
    Final Exam Week and Final Grades Finals take place Tuesday, Dec 16 through Friday, Dec 19, with Periods 0 & 4 on Tuesday, 1 & 2 on Wednesday, 3 & 7 on Thursday and 6 & 5 on Friday.  Final semester grades will be available on Monday, Jan 12.