Weekly News & Announcements

Co-Presidents’ Message

The first APC Dons Dialogue Webinar was held this past Friday with almost 100 participants. Principal Bell shared some valuable information and the AHS admin team was on hand to answer questions live throughout the forum. If you were unable to attend, click here for a forum video. Feedback was tremendously positive and the next Dons Dialogue has been scheduled for Friday, May 8. More details to follow.

We have received parent inquiries regarding how to give back to members of our community who may be struggling as a result of Covid19. This week’s Community Can’t be Canceled Campaign focuses on how to do so with a few options below:

• AUHSD’s Food Bank Drive Acalanes will have donation bins to support the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Counties placed at the front of the Main Quad where urgently needed donations of canned and dry goods can be dropped off. Monetary donations can be made here.
• Lafayette Community Foundation’s (LCF) COVID-19 Community Matching Campaign LCF has joined the Community Can't be Canceled effort with a commitment to increase grants to local nonprofits addressing immediate community needs. Now through April 30, LCF will match up to $25K. You can learn more and donate here.

Be sure to check out new and ongoing distance learning programming in the Wellness Center and College & Career Center below. There are numerous options for both students and parents to engage. This week’s highlight:

• Wendy’s C&CC Weekly Parent Check-In Informal forum with Acalanes College & Career Advisor Wendy Reicher will provide parents a chance to ask any questions via zoom meeting related to the college admissions process, volunteer and internship opportunities, Naviance training, summer program options and more.

We hope your families remain safe and healthy.
Dawn Brightbill and Sarah Cusumano

AUHSD Food Drive Better When Joined Together!

Acalanes has partnered with Campolindo, Miramonte and Los Lomas to support our neighbors in need. Starting Monday, April 20, Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Counties will place bins at all AUHSD campuses to collect canned food and nonperishable items. Please follow county Shelter in Place guidelines should you choose to contribute. They are also in urgent need of monetary donations which you can do online here. 

General Announcements

• More Students Needed for Zoom Babysitting. We could use a few more students (or parents!) to help babysit our teachers’ little Dons so we don’t have to turn parent teachers away. Encourage your student to earn volunteer hours and make a young kid’s day! Sign up here.
• Student Video Library Students can also make 15 to 60-minute videos highlighting any skill they’d like to share with little Dons. Visit our APC web page to learn more. Let’s do this!

Due Friday, May 1: AHS & President’s Volunteer Service Awards Applications

The goal of the program is to recognize students for their efforts in giving back. Get ideas on how you can give back during Shelter in Place and see our AHS program qualification changes here including a reduction of required hours from 30 hours to 20 hours.

Learn more about these efforts and more:

• Subscribe to Blueprint online so you can keep up with all the current news and views from our student community. They’ve been busy.
• If you’re not already following Acalanes leadership on Instagram @ahs_dons, now is the time. Their creative content reminds us why it’s good to be a Don.
• Check out the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce’s website for more information on how you can support local businesses and restaurants. They are one of the key community partners collaborating on this campaign.

General Announcements

We invite everyone to write letters to seniors wishing them well as they get ready to graduate. See the Seniors section for details on how you can participate.

Sports

All incoming freshmen (current 8th graders) are invited to attend the webinar which will provide an overview of how new students can get involved at Acalanes. Incoming students will have a chance to connect with coaches from all fall, winter and spring sports, and learn about campus clubs and more. A letter from Principal Bell to incoming freshmen with details will go out next week. 

Monday, May 4 Blueprint Launches Next Issue

Visit acalanesblueprint.com to access Blueprint’s latest issue via PDF. Enjoy well researched stories with a local angle thanks to Acalanes’ talented student journalists. Additionally, Blueprint will launch a new literary magazine, The Azure, on May 8 featuring entries from Project LPIE and our school community.

Distance Learning Student Communications

Families: please remind your student to check both School Loop and their AUHSD gmail accounts for communications from their teachers. Teachers are finding that students who only look at the assignments portion of School Loop may be missing out on critical information.

Peer Tutoring is Up and Running

For students interested in peer tutoring, email program coordinators Mrs. Taylor and Mrs. McCosker outlining the academic need. Students will be connected with the appropriate tutor(s); tutors will communicate directly with the student to set up a time to collaborate. Tutors will confirm their work with Mrs. Taylor and Mrs. McCosker, and provide proof of work to teachers as needed. Peer Tutoring is funded 100% by Acalanes Parents Club.

Wellness Center

Be sure to check out the Wellness section below for all the real-time, online programming to support and connect students to Wellness Staff and peers during distance learning. And help get the word out by following @acalaneswellness on Instagram.

Food Service – For All Students!

Two school sites in our District, Las Lomas High School and Campolindo High School, will be providing food to all community members Monday through Friday from 11am to 1pm.  Meals can be picked up at the cafeteria windows. 

Wellness Center

This week we joined 8,000 educators and mental health professionals on the California Wellness Together webinar sponsored by the state’s Department of Education. We engaged in learning around practices, policies and programs to inform and strengthen student supports. It was gratifying to realize that many of the plans we put in place in advance of the training had all the right ideas. Some of the most important things we can do for all students is to listen, encourage, reassure, and normalize their experience. We continue to reach out to students to refine our offering in terms of theme, content, and timing. We’re analyzing the results of our school-wide survey and will be switching up the time of day of our offerings so that more students are available. We’re grateful to the many Dons who showed up for Wellness by attending a session and by filling out the survey. We humbly share with you a comment from one of the many students who’ve reached out to say they appreciate us: “I think what you are doing has so much potential for impacting many teens’ lives in a positive way. I just felt happier after our zoom.” Whenever we get to connect with students, we just feel happier too. We’ll continue to have Tuesday-Friday offerings this week and students can check loopmail for details. (CS 4/17 @5:16pm)