Wellness Center

AUHSD Wellness will be hosting a monthly Zoom parent education series on numerous topics surrounding mental health and wellness in your student. The goal of these education opportunities is to help parents feel equipped in supporting their child to the best of their ability. This flyer outlines topics, dates and times, as well as links for registration. We hope to see you there!

Follow us on Instagram @acalaneswellness to keep up with what's going on with the AHS Wellness Center and all of our parent and student opportunities.

Performing Arts

Mark your October calendar for the widely popular Acalanes Pops Concert! Directors Lauren Gibson and Meredith Hawkins will lead their talented students in performing beloved music from various soundtracks. Don't miss this fun-filled evening!

Date:  Wednesday, October 19, 2022
Time:  7:00-8:30pm
Location:  AHS Performing Arts Center
Music Groups:  Acalanes Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Orchestra and Choir
Admission:  Free ($5 donation suggested for adults)
Click here for full flyer

The Acalanes DramaDons are proud to present Rumors, by Neil Simon
In this laugh out loud comedy, four couples arrive at the 10th anniversary celebration party for New York's deputy mayor and his wife, only to find the mayor wounded in bed and the wife missing.
 
Rumors runs Oct 26, 27, 28, and 29 in the Acalanes Little Theater. All shows start at 7pm and doors open at 6:30pm.
 
Tickets are $7.00 for students and $14.00 for general admission and can be purchased at ahsperformingarts.org.

LPIE

LPIE is excited to announce the return of its 3rd Annual READ-A-THON from Nov 1 - Nov 15. This event is geared towards fostering a love of reading and simultaneously raising money to benefit education in our Lafayette public schools. Students can pick up a flyer in the Acalanes library for more information. There will be prizes for top readers. In addition, there will be raffle prizes for students who read 40 minutes or more per day and who sign up by the due date with at least one donation. More information and sign-up here.

Questions? Please contact Andrea Hilsabeck or Michele Colaco
www.lpie.org, Follow us on Instagram 

Sports

This week’s can’t miss events!
 
Girls Golf
Monday, Oct 17 DAL Championships at Contra Costa CC.
 
Girls Volleyball
Tuesday, Oct 18 at Las Lomas HS. Frosh at 4pm, JV at 5pm and Varsity at 6:30pm.
Thursday, Oct 20 host Miramonte HS. Frosh at 4pm, JV at 5pm and Varsity at 6:30pm.
 
Girls Tennis
Tuesday, Oct 18 Miramonte HS at 4pm. Varsity is home and JV is away.
 
Boys Water Polo
Wednesday, Oct 19 at Miramonte HS. JV at 4pm and Varsity at 5pm.
Friday, Oct 21 and Saturday, Oct 22 Bellarmine Varsity Invitational.
 
Girls Water Polo
Wednesday, Oct 19 at Miramonte HS. Varsity at 6pm and JV at 7pm.
 
Cross Country
Wednesday, Oct 19 DAL Center Meet at Newhall Park at 3:30pm.
 
Football
Friday, Oct 14 at Benicia HS. JV at 4:30pm, varsity at 7pm.

View fall sport schedules on the Acalanes High School website here.
 
If you have any questions, please contact Randy Takahashi at rtakahashi@auhsdschools.org or Haley Walsh at hwalsh@auhsdschools.org.

General Administration 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.

APC in Action

Friday, Oct 7 was a Snack Attack Day for the Acalanes Staff!

Thank you to our Staff Appreciation team, Jennifer McCarthy and Kendra Uffelman, 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.

Follow Acalanes Parents Club on Instagram. Contact APC here with any questions.

APC Membership & Fundraising

Support Acalanes by shopping Amazon! Did you know that Amazon Prime Early Access Sale is this week on Tuesday, Oct 11 & Wednesday, Oct 12?  You can support Acalanes every time you shop at Amazon! Simply click on this link to designate Acalanes Parents Club as your charity of choice! Then every time you shop at Smile.Amazon.com, you're supporting Acalanes!
 
Lafayette Res Run for Education – How Sweet!
Show your community spirit, and support Acalanes (Go Dons!) - sign up for the Lafayette Res Run for Education on Sunday, Oct 23. 15% of Acalanes designated registrations + donations go back to Acalanes Parents Club. Every registration counts! Be sure to select Acalanes when you register!
 
Need a sweet reason to register? The first 100 students from each school get a voucher for 1/4 lb of bulk candy from Zoonie's Candy Shop!
 
In 2021, the Lafayette Res Run for Education donated a record $42,568.75 to our local public schools. Learn more and register TODAY.

Parents Club Pro-Tip

ATTENDANCE Q&A - PART 2
What does my student do if they are marked absent by their teacher and it is an error?
Have the student come into the attendance office to get a teacher correction form.
 
Do I need to excuse my student if they already have an early dismissal for sports?
No. Early sports dismissals are included in the Daily Don (email and/or text) sent from the office each morning.
 
If my student returns with a medical/dental note, do I still need to call the attendance line?
Yes, the absence still needs to be verified by a parent. Please call the 24-hour attendance line at 925-280-3973.

Acalanes Community Always (ACA)

Campus Clean Up - Saturday Nov 5, 11am-2pm
It’s time for our Fall Campus Clean Up! Earn service hours, connect with our Acalanes community, and share in Dons’ pride. Students, parents, teachers, and community welcome. Click here to sign up. Questions? Email denisecain4@icloud.com

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)

Proud to welcome our Latine Heritage Month Speaker! Singer, record executive & advocate Doris Anahi Munoz will join us in conversation on Wednesday, Oct 12 at 6:30. She is a powerful voice, writing her own story and lifting young people on their own journeys. Disney will be releasing her documentary, Mija, soon.
 
According to the New York Times, a music career is a risky bet. Our guest speaker, Doris Anahi Munoz, didn’t let that intimidate her. Leveraging her experience at Sony Music and Columbia Records, at 23 years old Munoz started her own management company with the distinct purpose of creating opportunities for emerging Latinx indie artists. In her personal life, Munoz, a first-generation Angelina, felt the weight of securing a life for her own family in the US. In response, Munoz formed an advocacy group that amplifies the voice of immigrant communities through the power of music, solidarity and the arts. 
 
Join us for this special evening when Doris will tell us in her own words about the pressures of success, how she ended up pursuing her own singing career and why she stays committed to diversifying the music industry and offering arts mentorship for BIPOC youth.  Sign up here. Event open to students, parents, teachers, staff and wider Acalanes community.
 
Read more about Doris in Rolling Stone and listen to her music. Have something to contribute or a question? Contact us. Co-sponsored by Acalanes Student Government and Acalanes Parents Club.