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Sports
Athletic Clearances Use this down time to fill out athletic clearance paperwork for your student athlete. Forms can be found here. Fill them out with your pediatrician, then email Randy Takahashi for further instruction.
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Co-Presidents’ Weekly Message
Week one...Check! Now that students have the first week under their belt and have had a chance to learn Canvas and get acquainted with their Virtual Academy Cohort teachers and peers, they are ready to move on to the next step of meeting the rest of their teachers and diving into classwork! Tomorrow, students will check in live with each teacher, then begin following the regular distance learning schedule on Tuesday (with the addition of a cohort meeting on Wednesday morning). The regular distance learning schedule can be found here. We had a great first Dons Dialogue last Friday with Principal Bell. As always, he gave our parents valuable information about distance learning, our Wellness Center, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts. He also answered several parent questions. If you didn’t get a chance to watch it live, click here for the recorded version. And mark your calendar for next month’s Dons Dialogue on September 18. This week, we have two great events for our parent community. APC’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion committee is hosting its first Forum on Race on Tuesday, August 18th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Please see their section below for more information. On Thursday, August 20th the school is hosting the 2020-2021 Virtual Back to School Night. Watch your email for more information about that evening. We’re off to a great start and have lots to look forward to this week! Acalanes Community Always, Kristen Labrosse & Angela Ketcham -
APC in Action
Mark your calendar and join us for the following important events: Tuesday, Aug 18 at 6:30pm A Forum on Race Join our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion team for a virtual discussion on Race. See details and registration information below. ICYMI: Dons Dialogue Recording Click here to catch the recording of Friday’s Dons Dialogue with topics including Distance Learning, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Wellness. -
General Announcements
Acalanes Attendance Procedures All absences, including full school day, late zoom arrivals and early zoom departures need to be called in at 925-280-3973. Remember, it is the responsibility of parents to call the message recorder for each and every student absence including dental and medical appointments. All absences not cleared within 48-hours are turned into cuts. For your convenience, the AHS message recorder is available 24-hours a day. Please bookmark and refer to the AHS website for detailed instructions and additional information. Textbook Return & Pickup At last count we have over 1000 unreturned textbooks and novels out from last year. Our fellow Dons need these books! Please find those materials and drop them anytime outside the AHS Library. For students missing textbooks for the current year, please visit campus this week, Tuesday through Friday from 2-4pm in the Library, to collect outstanding materials. Thursday, Aug 20 Virtual Back to School Night Watch your email this week for agenda details and instructions on how to participate. -
Acalanes Community Always (ACA)
It’s been great to see Acalanes Community Always spirit on display throughout the first week of school! Seniors woke up to decorated front doors on the first day of school thanks to class liaisons who made door decorating kits for senior families. If you haven’t seen the awesome video highlighting childhood photos of hundreds of seniors, it may help you get into the Back to School spirit. Next week, sophomores will experience ACA spirit thanks to their liaisons who have planned an awesome Sophomore Scavenger Hunt that will take them to local hot spots. Finally, be on the lookout for “ASB Spirit Card Welcome Here” blue decals at your favorite Lafayette businesses. Students with ASB cards will get discounts or free gifts when they show their cards. Want to join the fun? Email Dawn Brightbill & Sarah Cusumano at aca@acalanesparentslclub.com to get involved. -
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)
Tuesday, Aug 18 from 6:30-8:30pm Forum on Race We are proud to feature Dr. Lori Watson, a Racial Equity and Social Justice Consultant who is partnering with the Acalanes School District on these issues. We hope you’ll take part in this virtual discussion and learn about the vision, mission and goals of the DEI committee while participating in Q&A. Advance registration required. Tuesday, September 22 at 6:30pm Teacher-moderated Book Club: How To Be An Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi The book, a NYTimes Bestseller, brings a "groundbreaking" approach to understanding and uprooting racism and inequality in our society -- and in ourselves. Copies are available at Orinda Books, and a portion of each sale will be donated to the Center for Antiracism Research. Stay tuned for registration and participation details. Check back with us again next week as we launch a 21-week challenge to engage each other on racial equity and bias with various podcasts, videos and articles. -
Sports
Acalanes Sports Camps The athletic department is conducting sports camps on campus as recently reported in Blueprint, Acalanes’ student newspaper. These camps are operating by state, county and district guidelines. Email Randy Takahashi for more information.
Athletic Clearances Use this down time to fill out athletic clearance paperwork for your student athlete. Forms can be found here. Fill them out with your pediatrician, then email Randy Takahashi for further instruction. -
LPIE
The 2020/21 Annual Giving Campaign – In School or at Home
This year's Annual Giving Campaign is off to a strong start and we would like to extend a sincere and heartfelt THANK YOU to our incredibly generous parent community.
Did you know that $900,000 of the Acalanes High School budget is funded by LPIE this year? These are essential dollars put to work every day during distance learning. Click here for more information about how LPIE supports every student and to make your donation today.
Laura-Kate Rurka & Jennifer Palmer
Acalanes LPIE School Chairs
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Legislative News
For up-to-date reliable information on school funding and the steps that are being taken to support our schools during this pandemic, www.edsource.org is a great resource. Here’s a selection of recent items:
- California Legislature approves state budget; here are the highlights for education funding
- COMMENTARY: Budget deferrals today could force schools into a $23 billion hole next year
- Some teachers unions, districts at odds over live distance learning instruction
- Education and the coronavirus crisis: What’s the latest?
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Performing & Visual Arts
If you have a passion for the arts, join us today! APAB has the following Board openings:- VP Choral (must have student in Choral to hold this role)
- APAB Secretary
- APAB Publicity Chair
- APAB Parliamentarian
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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)
Be sure to join us for the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Forum on Race Tuesday, Aug 18 at 6:30pm. Visit the DEI section for details. Be sure to check back each week for more Parent Education events coming soon. -
School Nurse
I encourage all families to continue submitting all medical forms for the school year, including medication forms and immunization updates. All forms are posted on my Google Site (link below).
Please get in touch with me with any questions, concerns, and/or requests. I look forward to being in touch and connected!
Dvora Citron, RN, MS
Acalanes School Nurse Google Site
Social Media
