Weekly News & Announcements

APC in Action

Acalanes Community Always (ACA)

Hi Acalanes Parents! In response to the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, the Acalanes Community Outreach Board has teamed up with World Central Kitchen to provide meals for those affected. To donate to help feed those in need, cash and check donations will be collected in jars throughout classrooms. You can also donate by clickinghere. All donations will be collected through Friday, Mar 17. If you want more information about the earthquakes click here.

Parent Ed

Snowballs or Avalanches: Which ones are more dangerous?
The answer: Both can be!

“As parents and guardians, it’s important to watch for both avalanches and snowballs for ourselves as well in our teens' lives, as certain times in their lives may be more risky.  Transitions or significant life events/traumas are a known factor that plays into depression and increases suicide risk for children and teens.”

Please read an important message here from Dr. Yanni Rho, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. Included is what to watch for in our teens, tips for checking in with our teens and important resources to support teens and parents.
 
UPCOMING AUHSD WELLNESS PARENT EDUCATION

Fentanyl, Narcan & Other Important Drug Updates
with Addiction Specialist Dr. Allyson Mayo, Medical Director of Comprehensive Wellness Dr. Rebecca Parish, and CHS Wellness Coordinator Jenna Wrobel

When: Tuesday, Mar 14 at 6:30pm
Where: Campolindo Library

Supporting Students with Anxiety 
with Acalanes Wellness Center Coordinator, Patrick Turner, MA, PPS, APCC

When: Tuesday, Mar 21 from 6-7:30pm
Where: On Zoom - Register Here
 
Click here to review the full AUHSD Wellness Parent Education Series for 2023. Recordings of past Wellness Parent Ed events can be viewed on the AUHSD website here. Topics include Depression & Anxiety, The Fentanyl Epidemic, Connecting with Your Teen and more.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)

It’s Women’s History Month and our Thank Her feature is taking off. We had a couple of parents write in about women they admired…keep the suggestions coming! Send in the name and a short description of a woman change-maker you admire. Local tie-ins are always appreciated!
 
Thank Her: Two authors, Judy Blume and Amy Tan, have had a profound impact on the lives of our peers. Judy Blume’s rich collection of novels make adolescents - including many female youth of the 80s - feel seen. Her ability to portray teenage issues with frankness and humor made her relatable reads extraordinarily popular. The New York Times writes that many of Blume’s books are now being turned into films. 
 
Oakland native, Amy Tan, had a breakout hit with The Joy Luck Club in 1989. Her novels, short stories, and essays are filled with intimate details about growing up as a first generation American and about what it is like to be both separate and a part of Chinese culture. Fun facts- Tan started out as a successful business writer and her novel, The Bonesetter’s Daughter, is also an opera!
 
Upcoming Event: Lift Your Voice with Angela Harrelson, TOMORROW, Mar 13 at 7pm, Town Hall Theater
Angela is the aunt of George Floyd and has written Lift Your Voice about how her nephew’s murder changed the world. Tickets to this special event are available at townhalltheater.com.
 
Stay in Touch: Click here to join the DEI mailing list or share feedback.

Student Activities

Women’s Excellence Month
Check out the calendar of events! Students have planned a full month of great activities, including:

• Movie Night in the library Tuesday, Mar 14 at 6pm
• Club events throughout the month of March to celebrate and educate

A Look at Acalanes and the History of the Don
In response to an ongoing conversation regarding our mascot in our school community, the Associated Student Body and a representative student group have reflected on our Acalanes mascot. This week, during academy, student facilitators will be leading educational presentations about our mascot and its history. Following the presentations, there will be two open student forums to hear student opinions and voices. We will also present to parent groups throughout the month of April and release a survey to  students, alumni, and parents to gather feedback and opinions in order to inform our next steps, if any. Student government looks forward to the opportunity to hear from our constituents in the coming weeks.
 
Acalanes Job Fair - this Wednesday during lunch
Check out the list of confirmed employers for our Acalanes Job Fair. Remind your student to get ready, get prepared and seek out employment opportunities!
 
Acalanes is hosting a clothing drive with Youth Homes, a non-profit that provides services to underserved youth in the Bay Area. The drive continues through Wednesday, Mar 15 and you/your student can drop new or used clothes in the collection bins by the front office.
 
The Acalanes Community Outreach Board is holding a fundraiser for Turkey and Syria in response to the earthquakes that those countries have recently faced. There are jars throughout classrooms for cash and checks and we have an online donation pagewhere people can donate. For more information about the earthquakes, check out this World Vision website.
 
Might your student be interested in supporting the Legally Blonde production on Mar 22-25? They can sign up here to bring pink-themed food for the Legally Blonde tailgate on Mar 22 at 6pm. Instructions are in the SignUpGenius!
 
Acalanes will host the Special Olympics on Friday, Apr 21. It is a wonderful event attended by schools throughout the county. We need about 100 student volunteers- if your student is interested in helping, please encourage them to come to room 314 to get a permission form and sign up for a volunteer slot. Parents- we also need your help at the Special Olympics - please sign up to volunteer HERE!
 
2022-2023 Clubs
It is not too late to join a club! Encourage your student to check one or two out. You can view all clubs here.
 
Gratitude Grams
Want to show appreciation to friends, family and staff? Buy a gratitude gram on the webstore filled with fun toys and snacks. Embrace the attitude of gratitude!
 
Looking to stay informed? Follow us on instagram for the latest on student activities and class happenings.
 
Katherine Walton, Leadership Teacher

College & Career

SENIORS
 
District Wide DVC Zoom: Mercy Pono from DVC will be holding a DVC zoom presentation on Apr 12 at 6:30pm. Click here to join. 
 
JUNIORS
 
Junior Parent Night: Please join the College and Career Team on Wednesday, Apr 12 from 6:30-7:30pm in the library for a Rising Senior Night to provide parents with the details of the post-high school planning process.
 
Parent Naviance Training: The College and Career team will host a Naviance training session on Monday, Apr 24 from 6:30-7:30pm in the library to help parents learn how to navigate the college process with their students. Please bring a laptop and your child’s google password to login properly.
 
1:1 appointments: If you’d like your child to start exploring career interests and begin looking at Naviance, please have them schedule an appointment here.
 
SOPHOMORES/FROSH
 
Interested in Business? Economics for Leaders (EFL) Program is a selective summer program that teaches student leaders how to integrate economics into the process of decision-making in an interactive learning environment.
 
Volunteer Ideas: Have your student come by the CCC so I can learn about their interests. Check out this website for ideas too! It’s best to set a search filter for teens.
 
Please visit our College & Career Counseling website any time for additional information and support.  

Counseling

Counselor assignments are by last name:
A-Em Anne Schonauer  
En-Kr Christine Todd / Christina Castillo-Gallardo during Spring 2023
Ku-Rog Marissa Meadows 
Roh-Z Susan Martin
 
Welcome to 4th quarter! Quarter report cards should be available on Aeries Parent Square on Friday, Mar 17. Athletic eligibility will be reviewed also at this time. 
 
Summer School Information: The summerschool website is up and running! Please use the link to get information about summer school offerings/dates. It will be at AHS this year! Please have your student see their counselor to sign up, get forms, and figure out which classes to take.
 
Geometry for Advancement: AUHSD does offer one course for advancement in summer - Geometry. This is an accelerated class designed for strong Algebra students (who have an A test average) to accelerate in math. Students may be placed in Algebra 2 or Algebra 2 Advanced upon completion of this class. Please have your student see their counselor for more information. This class also requires a teacher recommendation.
 
Course Selection Changes: Please have your students bring in their completed course selection forms if they haven’t already. If your student wants to make any changes to their class requests for next year, please have them see their counselor to discuss. 

School Nurse

While it’s still raining…
You can take this yoga class in your house!               
 
Substance use prevention:
What is vaping?
 
Drowsy Driving Prevention Week
 
This week’s recipe:  Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

Dvora Citron, RN, MS
dcitron@auhsdschools.org
925-280-2970 x7128
IG: acalanesschoolnurse

Wellness Center

AUHSD Wellness Presents an In-Person Parent Education Event: Please join Addiction Specialist Dr. Allyson Mayo, Medical Director of Comprehensive Wellness Dr. Rebecca Parish, and CHS Wellness Coordinator Jenna Wrobel for a presentation detailing what parents and guardians need to know about fentanyl, Narcan, and other important drug updates. This will take place on Tuesday, Mar 13 at 6:30pm in the Campolindo Library.

 
Substance use continues to be an issue that adolescents are navigating within our AHS community. It’s important that our entire community is diligent in educating our students around the effects of various substances. Specifically, it is important that we continue to educate our students around smart and safe decision making and how the decisions we make today have the potential to impact our future. Whether or not you think that your student may be using substances, there is no better time than now to start having these conversations. Creating a dialogue is extremely effective in building trust with your AHS student vs. them feeling like they’re getting a lecture. The goal is to foster a space in which your student might feel more comfortable discussing these sensitive topics.
 
Kiara Thomas- Wellness Intake Specialist

Performing Arts

SPRING MUSICAL! Legally Blonde
Wednesday, Mar 22 through Saturday, Mar 25 - 7pm

The Acalanes Performing Arts Boosters proudly presents this year’s Spring Musical: Legally Blonde. Venture with the Acalanes performers to Harvard as Elle Woods (played by Lux Downing Griggs), a sorority girl who enrolls at Harvard Law School to win back her ex-boyfriend Warner (played by Sean McNeil). With the support of her vivacious sorority sisters, she serves as a lawyer in a murder trial and, in the process, meets her pensive and charming boyfriend, Emmett Forrest (played by Cameron Zener). Prices: Adults/General: $25, Students/Seniors: $16

PURCHASE TICKETS:
https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/72096