• Acalanes Community Always (ACA)

    December 8, 2024

    Attention High School Students Interested in Travel
    Erin Barth, Tina Gullberg, and ACIS are hosting a trip to Japan from Jun 8-16! Any Lamorinda high school student is welcome to join.

    Some of the sites and activities you will experience are:

    • Tokyo Tour with Guide
    • Meiji Shrine
    • Lake Ashi Boat Ride
    • Hakone Komagatake Ropeway
    • Mount Fuji Kawaguchiko 5th Station
    • Toyota Motor Company Kaikan Museum
    • Atsuta Jingu Shrine
    • Kiyomizu-dera Temple
    • Japanese Tea Ceremony
    • Kinkakuji Temple
    • Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
    • Nara Park
    • Todaiji Temple
    • Osaka Castle
    • CupNoodles Museum Osaka Ikeda

    The deadline to sign up is rapidly approaching, so be sure to take advantage of this incredible opportunity! Please click here for more information and to sign up.
     
    Calling all AHS and Miramonte students who have completed Spanish 3 (or higher): Spanish Immersion Trip to Spain: Jun 7-19, 2025*
    Facilitated by Edu-Culture Immersion and led by AHS Spanish teacher Señora Holland and Miramonte High School teacher Señora Frank

    • See link for flyer
    • Contact Maya Ramdihal at Edu-Culture Immersion Study Abroad Programs for more information: maya@educulture.com (reference Acalanes-Miramonte trip to Spain) or see QR code on flyer

    *Please note that this is a private tour and not affiliated with AUHSD

  • Campus Culture Committee

    December 8, 2024

    Important December Dates

    • Dec 10              Human Rights Day
    • Dec 21              Winter Solstice
    • Dec 25              Christmas
    • Dec 25-Jan 2    Hanukkah
    • Dec 26-Jan 8   Kwanzaa

    Human Rights Day (HRD) is celebrated annually around the world on Dec 10 every year. The date was chosen to honor the United Nations General Assembly's adoption and proclamation, on Dec 10 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the first global enunciation of human rights and one of the first major achievements of the new United Nations. Because the UDHR holds the world record as the most translated document (except for the Bible), organizations around the globe use the day to focus on helping people everywhere learn about their rights.

    The month of December is a time set aside by many to celebrate a variety of traditions and enjoy time with family, friends and community. If you have some information you feel is important for our committee to share about a celebration you partake in, please let us know.

    Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date with what the students are doing to celebrate all of these wonderful cultures and special dates.

  • Student Activities

    December 8, 2024

    FINALS PREP WEEK
    Frosh Finals Informational Meeting: Please encourage ALL 9th graders to come to the frosh finals info meeting on Tuesday at lunch in the library. Teachers from math, English, living earth, social science and world language will be there to talk about finals & finals preparation.
     
    Exam Jam: Wednesday from 3-5pm in the library
    Students can kick start their studying while getting support from teachers and peer tutors.


     Adopt-A-Family
    It is delivery week! Please drop off your wrapped (and labeled) gifts in front of the small gym this Friday either between 7:15-8:15am or 10:15-10:45am. Check your email for further instructions. We rent a U-Haul and take all the gifts to the organization Friday afternoon. Our community is amazing - thank you for all your support of this program!
     
    Volunteer Opportunity
    Consider volunteering at the Lamorinda Care Collective. It is a pop-up kindness experiment, dedicated to meeting unmet needs of families and non-profits and they are looking for volunteers throughout the next few weeks. You and/or your student can sign up here.
     
    Donate
    The Acalanes Leadership Enviro Board is collecting gently used items to promote sustainability. Through Friday, Dec 13, please donate clothes, shoes, accessories (such as jewelry, handbags, scarves, and belts), bedding, books, CDs, DVDs, pots, pans, kitchen items, kids’ toys, games, and stuffed animals in good condition. Donations can be dropped off in the bins located outside the main office and in the front quad. We aim to promote reusing items and diverting materials from landfills, giving them a second life to reduce waste. If you have any questions email estelle.block26@auhsdschools.org.
     
    RecycleSmart 5 R’s Truck Art Contest
    Your student can create an art piece that highlights the 5 R’s (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot) to help raise awareness and encourage everyone to prevent and reduce waste, compost, organize and sort the three material streams (recycling, organic and trash) properly. Three winners will be chosen and the pieces will be on the Republic Services trucks throughout the Contra Costa community for one year. Eligible participants are from 3rd to 12th grade and submissions must be in before Jan 12. Visit the RecycleSmart website for more details.
     
    Ordering holiday cards and gifts? Shop at Minted and not only do YOU get 20% off, Acalanes gets 15% of all sales. Use the code FUNDRAISEACALANES. We’ve raised over $700 so far and all money raised goes to off setting the cost of prom tickets.

    Looking to stay informed? Follow us on Instagram for the latest on student activities and class happenings.
     
    Katherine Walton, Activities Director

  • College & Career

    December 8, 2024

    Senior Scholarships
    Outstanding musician scholarship with a disability (deadline Jan 8)
    AAUW scholarship for a female senior with significant community service
     
    Frosh/Sophomores: Parents, please join us for our 9th and 10th Grade Parent Night on Thursday, Jan 16 from 6:30-7:30pm in the library. We will cover essential information on course selection, graduation/4 year college requirements, and provide a brief overview of course offerings. We will also introduce our College and Career Center and highlight the resources available to support your student’s academic and career planning. Looking forward to seeing all of you.

  • Counseling

    December 8, 2024

    Counselor assignments are by student last name:
    A-F Anne Schonauer  
    G-Ka Erika Vasquez
    Ke-Re Marissa Meadows 
    Rh-Z Susan Martin

    Wishing everyone the best of luck with final exams! Here is the finals schedule.

    Final semester grades will be available on Friday, Jan 10. Transcripts will be updated, and mid-year reports for Common Application schools will be sent for seniors’ college applications. 

  • Wellness Center

    December 8, 2024

    The Wellness Center will be hosting two workshops this week to support students in this final stretch before winter break. These Wellness in the Winter sessions are a space to gather together and practice coping skills to thrive during finals and a long break with family. Students can sign up for these during academy on Wednesday, Dec 11 and Friday, Dec 13.

  • Performing & Visual Arts

    December 8, 2024

    Choral Winter Concert
    Please join us in celebrating the season at the Acalanes Choir Winter Concert  featuring the Harmonix, Octet and more!
    When: Thursday, Dec 12, 7pm
    Where: AHS Performing Arts Center


     






    Acalanes Performing Arts Boosters would like to give a big shout out to the Acalanes musicians who were selected for the California All State Jazz Band and California Honor Orchestra. The All State review panel selects only one jazz piano player from the entire state and APAB is very proud of Nathan Joseph for his accomplishment. Nathan is a talented multi-instrumentalist and will perform with the All State Jazz Band in Sacramento in January. Props also go to violist Miela Hsu and cellist Nathan Feng for earning seats in the California Honor Orchestra and for representing the Acalanes Union High School District at a performance in Santa Monica next month.