Weekly News & Announcements

6th Man Jersey

Order deadline extended to gather a few more last minute orders! Order a personalized 6th Man jersey by Wednesday October 16th to wear to any athletic event including basketball! Jerseys can be customized with last name and graduation year on the back. Check them out-they are awesome! Jerseys take 4-5 weeks in production.

DONS SHOW UP in October

In an effort to better communicate with students and the community on the big events each month, we have created a Dons Show Up in October calendar (on the Acalanes home page). This week come out to the pool on Wednesday beginning at 4 pm to watch girls and boys water polo. Pep band will be present! It is a big night for our water polo community. 

On Friday, October 18 there is a meeting during academy for any student interested in auditioning for the musical. Check out the Performing and Visual Arts section below for details.

Lamorinda Tackles Cancer on October 18

Come out to the home football game wearing lavender (universal color for cancer) and support our community as we do our part to tackle cancer. Together with Campolindo, we will have a tailgate before the game, and posters that people can decorate honoring someone who has had cancer (these will be hung around the stadium). Acalanes & Campo have teamed up to design a long sleeve shirt with “Lamorinda Tackles Cancer.” It is on sale at lunch for $20.

College & Career

Oct 15 AUHSD Military Career Night @ AHS Gym 6:30p-8p
Oct 19 PSAT (registration now closed)
Oct 23 SAT/ACT Info Night @ AHS 6:30p-7:30p
Oct 28 SFSU Tour

SFSU Campus Tour for Seniors The College & Career Center (CCC) is offering a tour of SFSU for Seniors on Monday, October 28, 7:30am - 2:00pm. To register, print out a permission slip from the website and return it by Friday, October 21 along with a check (to pay for bus) for $10 made payable to “Acalanes High School".  We are partnering with Campolindo High School so space is limited.  

College Rep Visits Coming This Week
Oct 15    James Madison University, NYU, Penn State, Trinity College, Bucknell, Brandeis University
Oct 16    Muhlenberg College, Marymount Manhattan College, Fordham University, U of Strathclyde, Seattle University
Oct 17    Providence College, St. Lawrence University, Dickinson College, University College Dublin, University of Montana, UCSB
Oct 18     University of Hawaii, USF, Knox College, Cal Lutheran University, Maryville University

For times and sign up visit Naviance.  These visits are for junior and senior students.  Please pick up passes before school, during brunch or lunch.  Make sure to sign in during the visit to clear the attendance office.

AP Exam Registration

New reg process & timing this year!  AP Exam Registration is open now through Nov. 1.  Beginning this year, students register in two places, on CollegeBoard.org (with a “Join Code” from AP Teacher)  and on the Acalanes Web Store. Detailed information, including step by step instructions, is available on the Web Store and will be discussed in AP Classes. Please contact Hannah Welling, Testing Coordinator in the Counseling Office if you have questions or concerns. 

First quarter progress reports

The end of the first quarter was Oct. 11.  Grades will be updated in School Loop by Wednesday Oct. 16.  Progress reports are only mailed if no parent is registered in School Loop. 

Make Vaping History: Students and Parents Learn About Risks of Vaping and Tobacco Use

APC Parent Education Speaker Series event presents along with AUHSD:

Make Vaping History: Students and Parents Learn About Risks of Vaping and Tobacco Use
Tuesday, October 29 from 7:00 to 8:30pm
Acalanes High School Performing Arts Center

Learn up-to-date information on e-cigarette/vape pen products, adolescent use rates, impact on young people, prevention strategies, how to support current users, and more.  Register for the event here.

Healthy Tech for Teens, Managing Social Media

Acalanes Unified High School District (AUHSD) is sponsoring the following event for parents. Sign up below and mark your calendar to attend.

Healthy Tech for Teens, Managing Social Media
Wednesday, October 23 from 7:00 – 8:30pm
Campolindo High School

Learn more and register to attend here.

Drama Dons In Action! The LARAMIE PROJECT

October 23-26 at 7pm in the Acalanes Little Theater 

Don’t miss the DramaDons production of The Laramie Project, the true story of Matthew Shephard who was savagely beaten and left to die in Laramie, Wyoming.  Shephard’s name quickly became a grim rallying cry for those speaking out against hate crimes committed against gays. The Laramie Project explores the depths to which humanity can sink and the heights of compassion of which we are capable.  A more detailed synopsis of the play as well as information on tickets can be found here. 

Click here to watch a short PSA video produced by AHS Leadership about about the play.

Ready to be onstage?!

Beginning this year, all students are welcome to participate in the school musical! There will be an informational meeting in the Drama Room during Academy on October 18. Information about audition sign ups as well as rehearsal information will be communicated at this meeting.

Thank you LPIE business partners!

A BIG thank you to LPIE business partners for supplying the swag for the LPIE spinning wheel at the 2019 Lafayette Art & Wine Festival: Martin Homes, Cobain Orthodontics, Julie Del Santo and Tina Frechman from the Dudum Real Estate Group, Dana Green from the Dana Green Team, and the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce.

Be sure to stop by the LPIE booth—generously sponsored by Lewis Asset Management—after the Reservoir Run on Sunday, October 20, to learn more about LPIE and to decorate pumpkins. 

If you own or work at a local business and would like to learn more about LPIE, we are proud to host the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce Mixer on Wednesday, October 23 from 5:30-7pm. Please contact us with any questions at office@lpie.org or 925-299-1644 or if you would like to know more about our LPIE Business Program for parents and local businesses.

With gratitude,

Laura-Kate Rurka & Rachel Berkowitz
Acalanes LPIE School Chairs

Co-Associate Principals’ Messsage

Hello Dons Families,

Welcome to October! We have enjoyed the first few months of school with your students.  September was busy with our Club Fair, blood drive, motivational speaker Mike Smith, athletic events, and Homecoming.  

Our Homecoming Week, “Battle of the Bands”, was packed with spirited events including Unified Soccer, hallway decorations, student dodgeball, lunchtime activities, a rally, tailgate, and Friday night football.  The Homecoming community service activity this year was to collect cans and food donations for the Contra Costa Food Bank. We are blown away with the outpouring of support with a donation of over 23,000 items this year!  Thank you to our Leadership class, Mrs. Walton, our parent liaisons, and volunteers for your encouragement and involvement in making this a memorable Homecoming for all Dons. Dons show up!

Be sure to check out our Acalanes website for our calendar of upcoming events and important dates.  Good luck to all of you on 2nd quarter.

Your Associate Principals,

Andrea Powers and Mike Plant

Dons Show up at Homecoming!

Talk about a week of our Dons Showing Up for each other!  Homecoming hallway decorating, skits, games and activities all take a ton of work. Our Dons could not have done it without their classmates. Check out Blueprint’s amazing video re-cap of last week’s homecoming festivities. Thanks to student Oliver Lane for capturing the excitement across campus.