-
Parent Education
ICYMI, here is a recording of the Parent Ed event hosted by Miramonte with Justine Fonte (passcode: Miramonte1!). Justine spoke about the impact of the pornography industry on the sexual health of our students in this digital age and how we can help promote sex-positivity, healthy body image, and healthy relationships with our teens.
Tuesday, Sept 28 at 7pm Ron Lieber Talks - For those with teens who have aspirations to attend college, there is a free online talk about paying for college by Ron Lieber, award-winning writer/editor of the New York Times’ “Your Money” column. He will also provide another free online talk on how to teach teens about money on Thursday, Sept 30th at 7pm.
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and although it’s a sensitive and challenging topic to discuss with your teens, it’s critical. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from February 21–March 20, 2021, suspected suicide attempt emergency visits were 50.6% higher among girls aged 12–17 years than during the same period in 2019; among boys aged 12–17 years, suspected suicide attempt emergency visits increased 3.7%. Feel free to use our collated resources for more information including videos on how to talk to teens about suicide and self-harm, information on depression, crisis hotline numbers, etc. Don’t forget to use our own Wellness Center , Nurse, and Counselors as resources.
Feel free to reach out and connect with us with ideas for future topics, shareable resources, or thoughts at parented@acalanesparentsclub.com. -
Student Activities
Homecoming 2021 - Let the Games Begin - THIS WEEK!!!!
Homecoming is such a special time for our community at Acalanes. It is a week-long opportunity for classes to bond along with one another AND also build memories with different grade levels. Please encourage your student to opt in to one or more events! The students have been working incredibly hard to put this week together and spent hours outside of class time. We are looking forward to the week ahead!
See the calendar below along with the entire calendar of events and descriptions for the week.
Today from 10am-3pm Hallway Decorating
Students can show up any time and help their class transform their hallway. It is a social opportunity and it is incredible to see what the students create!
Canned Food Drive continues through Friday (class competition)
Let’s support the Contra Costa Food Bank as a way to give back during Homecoming. Students can donate cans or money ($1= 3 cans) in the morning by the flagpole or at lunch. In 2019, we donated 22,000 cans to the Food Bank.
Wednesday, Sept 29 from 7:30-9pm Student Dodgeball
A student favorite - dodgeball! Classes will compete against one another to see who takes student dodgeball in 2021. Students can come to watch or play. Two rules: To play, students must bring their student ID and all students must wear a mask.
Friday, Oct 1 During Academy Homecoming Rally on the football field. A community favorite! The skits are ready to rock along with a few surprises! It is our first rally as an ACA Community in two years - so so so special! Skits will be on YouTube following the weekend.
Friday, Oct 1 Homecoming Tailgate, Game, and Halftime Show
We have some fun plans for our Homecoming football game. Each class will perform one skit number, students will do a powder toss, and HOCO winners will be announced by Lafayette Mayor Susan Candell. Wear white to support ACA!
Saturday, Oct 2 from 7-10pm A Night Out: Homecoming Event
Encourage your student to join for an evening full of games, arcade games, mini golf, silent disco, DJ and dancing, food, tarot card reader, air brush tattoos, and a ferris wheel! Tickets are on sale via gofan. $25 with ASB; $55 without ASB. Students should plan on wearing comfortable shoes, bringing money for food (tacos are $2) and a mask if they want to dance.
Homecoming Event Chaperones THANK YOU!
We have 30 parent chaperones for Saturday evening and couldn’t do it without each one. Thank you, thank you!
Sept 15 through Oct 15 Latine Heritage Month
Why celebrate Latine Heritage Month at Acalanes? As a school, we are dedicated to making all of our students feel welcome, safe, and appreciated, for we are all unique individuals. Our purpose with this month is to educate students and celebrate the different cultures in Latin Heritage.
Calendar of Events
There are many events for both students and our community:- Monday, Sept 27 through Friday, Oct 1 Latine Door Decorating
- Friday, Sept 24 Equity Council during Walton’s Academy in room 314
- Monday, Oct 4 through Friday, Oct 8 Latine Heritage Scavenger Hunt in all hallways
- Wednesday, Oct 6 from 5:30-7:30pm Latine Potluck in the front quad. All are welcome and invited to sign up to bring a dish!
- Thursday, Oct 14 at Lunch Guest Speaker Alberto Ledesma in room 314 (will be over Zoom). All are welcome!
2021-2022 Clubs.
Clubs are continuing to meet and it is one of the BEST ways for students to get connected at Acalanes. Club meeting times and contact information are in the spreadsheet.
As always, I am here to support you and your students. If there is anything I can do, please don’t hesitate to reach out via e-mail.
Katherine Walton, Student Activities Director -
Wellness Center
September is Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month. Over the past week, Leadership students have successfully facilitated events that encourage students to look out for one another as well as remind students that they are not alone when life gets tough. From sharing struggles and triumphs, to providing crisis support resources, to encouraging the making of friendship bracelets for a stranger, Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month has allowed students the opportunity to reach out to one another in an integral way. A major goal of the Wellness Center is to ensure that students know that they are supported not only by school staff, but by their peers as well.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 10 to 34, more than AIDS, lung disease, birth defects, flu, and cancer combined. Suicide is not inevitable for anyone. By starting the conversation, offering support, and directing help to those who need it, we can prevent suicides and save lives. Learn the warning signs and risk factors HERE and if your student shows signs of suicidal thoughts or behaviors, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK(8255). Sources: suicidepreventionlifeline.org; ndbh.com. -
College & Career
SENIORS
- College Visits in the CCC (have your student come by for a pass before school)
Monday: Westmont, Northwestern, Michigan State, Connecticut College, Azusa Pacific, St. John’s University, Harvey Mudd, University of Washington
Tuesday: University of Portland, Washington University in St. Louis, TCU, Rensselear Polytechnic, University of Chicago, Pitzer, Holy Names
Wednesday: Scripps, Chapman, Stonehill College, Johns Hopkins, Southeastern, Franklin and Marshall College
Thursday: Seattle University, Ohio State, University of Redlands, Beloit, University of the Pacific, Colorado State
Friday: University of Victoria, USC, University of Rochester, Muhlenberg College, St. Olaf College, Case Western Reserve- ACADEMY - This is a great time to get application support. Encourage your child to sign up for Levy’s Academy on Wednesday and Friday!
- Virtual visits are upcoming. These are engaging too!
JUNIORS
- Sept 28 and Oct 3 Join a College Visit - Check out these interesting virtual visits. I recommend the LIVE sessions, so your students can engage and ask specific questions related to their interests. There are hundreds of colleges to choose from at these virtual fairs!
SOPHOMORES / FRESHMEN
- Volunteer and Work in the Community - Click here for some ideas to get you started. Students are always welcome to come by or email for other ideas. In the winter, students can work on resumes in the CCC.
Resources:
-
Counseling
Counselor assignments are by last name.
A - Dr Anne Schonauer
Du-Kr Christine Todd
Ku-Rog Marissa Meadows
Roh-Z Susan Martin
Counselor Appointments
Counselors are finishing up senior meetings this week and plan to start checking in with all 9th graders in October. If any students need to see their counselor for any reason, they can stop by anytime! If our door is open, come on in! If it’s closed, leave us a note or send us an email.
Thursday, Sept 30 CSF Applications Due
The California Scholarship Federation (CSF) application period is now open! Juniors and seniors, especially, should apply. You can download a form here or pick up a blank one in the counseling office. Turn in completed forms to the counseling office and pay dues on the webstore by September 30. CSF is an honor society to recognize students with high academic achievement. Please read the application for more information.
Friday, Oct 8 Last Day to Drop a Class
Students can still drop classes from their schedule through the end of the first quarter with no penalty. After that deadline, students will receive an automatic F on the transcript for that class. Come see your counselor before Oct 8 to drop a class!
Ordering Official Transcripts for College Applications
Please go here for step by step instructions if you or your student needs to order transcripts to be sent to colleges. Official transcripts are sent electronically in most cases, so physical addresses are not necessary. -
School Nurse
DO NOTHING for health!- Do you let your car idle while waiting for your student? Consider THIS.
- Try practicing “non-doing” with your family to reap the benefits of calming down our nervous system. Try this sample practice.
- Need more masks? Many students are arriving at school without a mask. Please make sure to have a generous supply of clean masks at home for your students. Everyone wears a mask indoors (outdoors optional with social distancing) and is encouraged to practice good hand hygiene.
- Any student that has illness symptoms should stay home until they have been symptom-free for at least 24 hours.
- If your student has a medical condition and/or needs medication available at school, please go to this link on my webpage to get the appropriate forms. All forms need to be filled out completely and signed by both the parents and the physician. Please bring any/all unexpired medication in its original bottle directly to me so that I can review the required medical documentation at that time.
- If there are any updates to your student’s vaccination record, please send me a copy. If your student is missing any required immunizations, they may not be able to be at school until those are complete. Please get in touch with me as soon as possible.
-
LPIE
SUPPORT LPIE & ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN!
See the Golden State Warriors battle the Los Angeles Lakers in a pre-season game at the Chase Center. A generous community member is giving away two tickets for the game on Oct 12 at 7:30pm.
Your contribution to the LPIE Annual Giving Campaign (one gift - as generous as possible!) made between September 20th-October 5th by 3pm will enter you for a chance to win. (The winner will be chosen at random on October 5 and notified by phone. No purchase or contribution necessary to enter to win. Making a contribution or purchase of any kind will not increase your chances of winning. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Read full sweepstakes rules here.)
Here is your chance to cheer on the Warriors, see the new Chase Center, and support Lafayette schools. Let’s go Lafayette and let’s go Dubs!
Jennifer Palmer and Michele Colaco
Acalanes LPIE School Chairs
www.lpie.org
Follow us on Instagram -
Sports
This week’s can’t miss events:
Girls golf
Monday, Sept 27 v. Las Lomas HS at Contra Costa CC at 3:30pm.
Wednesday, Sept 29 v. Northgate HS at Boundary Oak CC at 3:30pm.
Girls volleyball
Tuesday, Sept 28 at Alhambra HS. Freshmen at 4pm, JV at 5pm and Varsity at 6:30pm.
Thursday, Sept 30 at Campolindo HS. Freshmen at 4pm, JV at 5pm and Varsity at 6:30pm.
Girls tennis
Tuesday, Sept 28 v. Las Lomas HS at 3:30pm. Varsity is home and JV is away.
Thursday, Sept 30 v. Campolindo HS at 3:30pm. Varsity is away and JV is home.
Girls water polo
Wednesday, Sept 29 at Campolindo HS. JV at 4pm and Varsity at 5pm.
Saturday, Oct 2 v. Sacred Heart Prep HS. JV at 12pm and Varsity at 2pm. V. Soquel HS. JV at 1pm and Varsity at 2pm. All games at Soquel HS.
Boys water polo
Wednesday, Sept 29 at Campolindo HS. Varsity at 6pm and JV at 7pm.
Cross country
Wednesday, Sept 29 in DAL Center. Meet at Hidden Valley Park at 3:30pm.
Football
Friday, Oct 1 host Castlemont HS. JV at 4:30pm and Varsity at 7pm.
Here are the Fall sports schedules (subject to change): -
What APC does on Campus
- AHS Specific Enhancements such as Campus Clean-Up events, spirit banners in the parking lot, and new tents for outdoor activities.
- Grant-Funded Projects to enrich the campus and enhance the student experience. Past examples have included water filtration systems, classroom supplies, and new furniture for common spaces.
- APC Volunteers who devote countless hours working on both big and small projects throughout the school year.
-
Things to Know this Week
- URGENT NEED... More Lunchtime Volunteers Needed ASAP! Free Lunch, specifically, free pizza lunch, has caused chaos and crowding during lunch and our staff needs our help. We are now asking for four parent volunteers, five days a week, to help pass out lunches and provide crowd control so that our Administration can focus on other campus issues. Please sign up here if you are able to work from 12:30-1:30pm any day of the week. Questions? Contact Caroline Volk cvolk@auhsdschools.org or Rebecca Ward rward@auhsdschools.org.
- AND... CORRECTION Regarding Lunchtime Volunteers - Already signed up to volunteer during lunch? We had a technical issue with our SignUpGenius and unfortunately, all existing sign ups were lost. PLEASE sign back in here and add your name back in. Thank you, and we are so sorry for the inconvenience!
- Attendance Procedures - Please remember that students must sign in and out in the Attendance Office when coming/leaving campus or when late to school for any reason. For the complete list of procedures, please refer to this document.
- Substitute Teachers Needed - Ever thought about being a substitute teacher? Flexible schedule, great academic environment, and earning potential! If so, now’s your chance. Acalanes Union High School District is in need of substitute teachers for all four high schools. Criteria and requirements have changed so if interested, please call (925) 280-3900 x6623 to inquire further.
- Submit Your Student’s Vaccination Status - If your student is vaccinated, you can submit proof of their COVID-19 vaccination here. Vaccinated students are not subject to quarantine if they are asymptomatic and determined to be a close contact to a COVID-19 positive individual. If you do not have a Google account, which is required to submit the documents electronically, you may use your student’s school email address.
-
APC Membership
2021-22 Donations to APC
We hope you see the value that Acalanes Parents Club brings to our campus. We are grateful for your donations this school year. If you haven’t had a chance to donate, you can do so here. And to make your donation go even further, don’t forget to check if your company has a corporate matching program by visiting Double The Donation. Thank you for being a part of the APC community! We couldn’t do it without you!
Kelly Daggs, VP Fundraising and Corporate Match
Social Media
