Weekly News & Announcements

Campus Culture Committee

Upcoming Important Dates:

• May is Asian/Pacific Heritage month
• May is Mental Health Awareness Month
• May is Jewish American Heritage Month
• Campus Culture Committee Meeting  - be on the lookout for the final meeting this year

May is Jewish Heritage Month. During this month, hundreds of organizations and Americans of all backgrounds join together to discover, explore, and celebrate the vibrant and varied American Jewish experience from the dawn of our nation to the present day. You can learn so much by visiting the Jewish American Heritage website and checking out AUHSDs site here.

Please get your ALL ARE WELCOME HERE T-shirts! For just $20 you can support the Campus Culture Committee of APC while wearing a stylish black T that lets everyone know what the Dons are all about. Or you can reach out here for payment information and how to get your shirt. Available in M and L only at this time.

If you’d like to help with any celebrations or join in our cultural discussions, please contact the Campus Culture Committee here and 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.

College & Career

Seniors should log into MaiaLearning and fill out their 2025 senior exit survey on their dashboard. This is important, as it’s the only way our registrar knows where to send your student’s final transcripts.
 
The “Rising Senior” Parent Meeting is Tuesday, May 6, from 6:30-7:30pm in the library.
Debbie Levy will lead this evening to discuss a brief overview of the 2026 admissions landscape. The focus will be on how to support your students with the college admissions process, as well as a brief introduction to our new college planning tool- Maia Learning. In addition, there will be tips for the summer, preparation advice for the fall, details about a summer essay writing workshop, and upcoming College 101 advice.
 
Juniors/Sophomores: Davis Women in Business's Spring High School Outreach Program is just a few weeks away and interested students can find more information and register here.

Counseling

Counselor assignments are by student last name:
A-F Anne Schonauer  
G-Ka Erika Vasquez on campus MWTh
Ke-Re Marissa Meadows 
Rh-Z Susan Martin
 
Seniors and graduation: Counselors are monitoring seniors in danger of not graduating - letters will be sent home and meetings will be scheduled. 
 
Summer school: If your student has a D/F grade to make up, they can enroll in AUHSD Summer School.  Las Lomas High School will be hosting summer school this year, and will run from Jun 9 to Jul 10. Students must attend summer school twice a week, but they can work through the class on the online platform any time during the week and potentially finish before Jul 10. 

School Nurse

School gets even busier over this last month, and many students feel overwhelmed and also get ill. You can support your students’ health and well-being by modeling healthy habits. Another helpful strategy (though not intuitive in our fast-paced culture) is to assist them in scheduling rest breaks to pace themselves. This will help them practice being grounded and help prevent overwhelm.
 
Please reach out to me for any support your students or family might need. You can access the medical forms page on my website HERE.

My office hours are:
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and some* Thursdays
Tuesdays & Thursdays:  8am - 3:50pm
Wednesdays:  7:30am - 3:20pm

Dvora Citron, RN, MS
dcitron@auhsdschools.org, 925-280-2970 x7128
IG: acalanesschoolnurse, ​School Nurse Website

Wellness Center

This Tuesday, Acalanes Union High School District will be hosting a parent education night on supporting your student through grief and loss. This webinar will be held on Zoom from 6:30-7:30pm and you can access it through the link in this flyer. Hospice of the East Bay and Contra Costa Crisis Center will be available to provide information, resources, and answer questions about this invaluable topic. Please join us to learn more about the grief process and how it affects teens.

Performing & Visual Arts

Spring Choral Concert 2025
Join us for an evening of choral music at the Spring Choral Concert presented by the Acalanes Choir and Choral Student Groups.

• When:  Friday, May 16 at 7pm
• Where: AHS Performing Arts Center
• Admission Price: Free ($10 donation suggested)

Jazz Cafe Returns
This year’s final performances of the exceptional Acalanes Jazz Ensemble and Acalanes Jazz Combo will be at the Jazz Cafe at Stanley Middle School. Our Instrumental Dons are role models for the three Stanley jazz bands who will also perform.

• When: Friday, May 16 at 6pm
• Where: Multi-Use Room, Stanley Middle School
• Admission Price: Free

Congratulations to Amazing Students of SpongeBob Squarepants!
Acalanes Performing Arts Boosters is very proud of the hard work and dedication of the over 80 students in the Cast, Crew, Pit Orchestra and Stagecraft class. They worked on the production for four months and their labors transported us to the fantastical and gorgeous world of Bikini Bottom. We hope you were able to catch one of last week’s dazzling performances!

 
Join Acalanes Performing Arts Boosters!
Performing Arts Boosters is a parent group that promotes and advocates for high quality performing arts education at Acalanes. There are open positions in the Instrumental Music subgroup as well as in the umbrella Boosters organization.

• Performing Arts Boosters
  • Member-at-Large
  • Treasurer 26-27 shadow role (QuickBooks)
  • Web Admin 26-27 shadow role (Wix & Google Workspace)
• Instrumental Music
  • Concert Attire Coordinator
  • Carpool Coordinator
  • Stanley Liaison
  • Publicity & Communications Coordinator
  • Programs & Posters Coordinator
  • House Manager

Sports

*The game schedule below reflects dates and times as of last Friday. Games may change for several reasons, including weather. If you have questions or comments, please contact Acalanes Sports Boosters.

This week’s can’t miss events:

Boys golf
Monday, May 5 DAL Championship at Blue Rock East GC.
 
Boys lacrosse
Tuesday, May 6 NCS Playoff First Round.
Thursday, May 8 NCS Quarterfinal.
 
Girls lacrosse
Tuesday, May 6 NCS Playoff First Round.
Thursday, May 8 NCS Quarterfinal.
 
Baseball
Tuesday, May 6 Clayton Valley Charter HS at 4pm. Varsity away and JV home.
Thursday, May 8 Clayton Valley Charter HS at 4pm. Varsity home and JV away.
 
Softball
Tuesday, May 6 Benicia HS at 4:30pm. Varsity away and JV home.
Thursday, May 8 Northgate HS at 4:30pm. Varsity home and JV away.
 
Swimming
Friday, May 9 NCS Trials at Concord Community Pool HS at 10:30am.
Saturday, May 10 NCS Finals at Concord Community Pool HS at 10:30 am.
 
Boys tennis
Friday, May 9 and Saturday, May 10 NCS Singles and Doubles Championship at Vintage HS.
 
Track & field
Saturday, May 10 DAL Finals at Campolindo HS.
 
You may view the full 2024-2025 Athletic Schedule by clicking HERE.

Legislative News

We’re in a critical time for Measure T—ballots are due in just a couple of weeks and 90% of parents haven’t yet voted! Please don’t delay, return your YES on Measure T ballot today to secure locally-controlled funding for our high schools!
 
Return your ballot in three simple steps:

1. Find your ballot—it should have arrived the week of Apr 7!
2. Vote YES on T to protect quality local high schools
3. Sign your ballot’s return envelope and mail it back today — no postage required. You can also turn it in at a local ballot drop box. For more information about voting and drop box locations, please click here.

If you’ve already returned your ballot, please commit to texting five friends to remind them that we need their ballots turned in too! Community networking is the key to victory for our campaign! Here is some sample language you can use. Please feel free to personalize for your voice: Hello! Just a friendly reminder to turn in your YES on T ballot to protect our high-quality local high schools! Ballots are due back by May 6!
      

APC in Action

Acalanes Parent Volunteer Opportunity
There is still time to volunteer this school year! Join in on a fun and unique on-campus volunteer opportunity! We are looking for parent volunteers to help keep the cafeteria line running smoothly. Volunteer shifts are less than an hour and are on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Sign up for one shift or multiple shifts! This is a fun and easy way to get involved during lunch at Acalanes--and even better, you can sign up to volunteer with a friend! Click HERE to learn more and to sign up!  Please check in at the front office when you arrive for your volunteer shift. Thank you for your support!
 
APC Spring Grants Have Been Awarded  - Spring ‘25
Thank you to the teachers, students, and staff who submitted proposals for an APC spring grant. APC grants are funded through parents’ annual donations - so THANK YOU parents!  We are pleased to announce the following grants have been awarded so far this spring:

Acalanes Community Always (ACA)

PARENT ED EVENT:
"Coping with Family Transitions:  When Your Child Leaves Home"
Our community is hosting an event on Wednesday, April 30 from 6:30-8pm with Joseph Ianora, a licensed therapist and former principal.  This workshop will be primarily for parents of seniors who will be experiencing a transition at the end of the school year. The goal is to help parents navigate the changes that occur in the family unit. All are welcome!
 
Date: Wednesday, April 30
Time: 6:30-8pm
Location: Acalanes Library

Parents supporting parents: Please join the be well collective on May 8 in the Acalanes library for an informal “fireside chat”. Bring questions, concerns, and topics meaningful to you for an honest conversation.  All are welcome to join and make connections to deepen your support system within the Aca community.
Date: Thursday, May 8
Time: 6:30-8pm
Location: Acalanes Library

Welcome Class of 2029
Acalanes Athletics & Activities Night
May 1, 2025 | Acalanes Front Quad | 5-6pm
 
It’s time for incoming Acalanes freshmen & families to connect! Students/families can check out the following during this evening on May 1:

• Student Clubs: Acalanes has over 90 student clubs. Club leaders will be at tables and happy to share information. Some of the clubs present will be ACA Buddies, Children's Hospital, Feminist Club, Finance Club, Jewish Student Union, Black Student Union, Queer Straight Alliance, Latinos Unidos, Asian American Student Union, SAGE Club and many more!
• Athletics:  Acalanes is home to twenty-five competitive sports teams. Tables will be set up around the quad alphabetically.
• Athletic Directors and Clearance Information: Athletic Directors Randy Takahashi and Haley Walsh will be available to meet and share more about mandatory athletic clearance for next year.
• Parent Volunteer Opportunities: Acalanes parents play a vital role in supporting and enriching our school activities and events! Thank you in advance for donating your time. More information can be found at our partner tables and Acalanes support organizations at the entrance:
  • Acalanes Athletic Boosters
  • Acalanes Parents Club
  • Acalanes Performing Arts Boosters
  • Lafayette Partners in Education
• Acalanes SWAG: Pick up your pre-ordered Acalanes frosh spirit pack and/or purchase some new Acalanes gear! In addition, ALL incoming class of 2029 students can pick up a special goodie bag.

Campus Culture Committee

Upcoming Important Dates:

• May is Asian/Pacific Heritage month
• May is Mental Health Awareness Month
• May is Jewish American Heritage Month
• Campus Culture Committee Meeting  - be on the lookout for the final meeting this year

May is Asian/Pacific Heritage month. The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America's history and are instrumental in its future success. Their amazing website shows families and teachers ways to share the wonderful contributions Asian Americans have added to our culture.

Please find our table at Acalanes Athletics and Activities night on May 1 to get an ALL ARE WELCOME HERE t-shirt! For just $20 you can support the Campus Culture Committee of APC while wearing a stylish black tee that lets everyone know what the Dons are all about. Or you can reach out here for payment information and how to get your shirt. Available in M and L only at this time.

If you’d like to help with any celebrations or join in our cultural discussions, please contact the Campus Culture Committee here and 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

Schedule for the week:
TODAY @ 2pm: Matinee showing of Spongebob, the musical
TODAY @ 4pm: Spring Flag Football Tournament in the stadium
Wednesday @ lunch: Blue Heart Award Winner luncheon with Mr. Shawn
Wednesday @ 7pm: SPRING 10 event: Instrumental Concert
Thursday @ 5pm: 2029 Activities & Athletics Night
Friday @ lunch: ACA Buddies

Cards for the Noroozi Family. If you would like to make a card for the Noorozi family, there is stationary available in the front quad along with a basket to drop it off. We will make sure all cards are given to the family.

If your student runs a club this year, encourage them to re-register this club NOW so they don’t have to do it in spring. We are offering spring club re-up and applications are available now and due May 7th.
 
Lafayette Community Day & Drive to Thrive. THIS week we are running a donation drive for Drive to Thrive, which benefits local foster youth and youth impacted by trauma. Donate used clothing, accessories and housewares to the bin in front of the attendance office. Runs through Friday, May 2.
 

Looking to stay informed? Follow us on Instagram for the latest on student activities and class happenings.

Katherine Walton, Activities Director