Weekly News & Announcements

Volunteer Service Awards Program

With the support of the APC, Acalanes recognizes students for their volunteerism through the nationally recognized President’s Volunteer Service Award and the Acalanes Volunteer Service Award. All program information, including  application and verification forms, download from the AHS website (under College & Career Center). Quick links below.

• Volunteer Service Awards overview 
• Guidelines & Requirements
• Application & Tracking forms

Stay tuned for when and how to submit applications!  Questions? Email APC program coordinators.

COVID-19 Updates

We encourage you to check your emails and texts for important  information from the school and district about the Coronavirus.  You can also find information on the Coronavirus Update & Postponed Events page of the school’s website.    

Wellness Center

With school closure due to Covid-19 and more time to think as a result of social distancing, we need to reduce stress more than ever. This gift of more down time is perfect for students to catch up on sleep and perhaps to practice presence which we can model. Check-in with yourself throughout the day to ask, “How are things for me right now?” Planning for, protecting against, and ruminating on uncertainty is stressful. Worrying makes sense and so does planning but we can do those things and then shift our attention back to the present. We move out of our heads and into our bodies by sensing our internal experience and immediate conditions. What can I see, smell, hear, and feel right now? What’s happening around me-- Are there people to connect with? Beautiful things to see? Opportunities to engage in learning or practicing skills? Am I safe, comfortable, at ease? Kids look to adults for cues so your regulated nervous system will co-regulate theirs. (CS)             

Counseling

We want to remind you of some community resources: 

For non-life threatening mental health support: Contra Costa Crisis Center:  call 211 or text HOPE to 20121 available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for mental health needs.  www.211cc.org   can help you reach other community resources. 

In the event of a mental health emergency, please contact 911.  

As a reminder, here are the counselor assignments and emails.  Counselors prefer using the auhsdschools.org email but School Loop messages are also fine.

Student last names

A- E Anne Schonauer aschonauer@aushdschools.org 

F-Lar  Christine Todd   ctodd@auhsdschools.org

Las - Rog Marissa Meadows  mmeadows@auhsdschools.org

Roh-Z Susan Martin smartin@auhsdschools.org 

Coronavirus Updates and Postponed Events

Click here for the latest updates from the Acalanes High School.

Co-Presidents’ Message

It’s been a busy time on campus. Spring sports are in full bloom, and last week’s spring musical Urinetown received rave audience reviews with vast numbers of students showing up to support and cheer for their peers. Bravo! 

Just a reminder that this week is a short week as Friday, March 13, is a Staff Development Day.  Thanks to your donations, APC provides $35,000 of funding each school year for staff development for teachers and staff like Friday’s development day. We look forward to sharing more regularly in our APC in Action section how this funding supports development of our AHS teachers and staff. 

Dawn Brightbill and Sarah Cusumano

Mar 20 to Apr 10: Volunteer Service Awards Program Applications

With the support of the APC, Acalanes recognizes students for their volunteerism through the nationally recognized President’s Volunteer Service Award and the Acalanes Volunteer Service Award.</strong > All program information, including application and tracking forms, can be picked up in the Counseling office or downloaded from the Acalanes website (under College & Career Center). Quick links below.

• Volunteer Service Awards overview 
• Guidelines & Requirements
• Application & Tracking forms

Return completed application forms to the counseling office between Mar 20 - April 10, 2020. Questions? Email program coordinators.

Course request confirmation letters

Course request confirmation letters were recently mailed to all students for the 2020-2021 school year.  Please review course selections with your student for accuracy. Acalanes faculty is currently building class schedules based on this information.  Keep in mind that the school works hard to accommodate preferred schedules, but can make no guarantees. Final course schedules are distributed at Dons Day in August. 

Membership & Fundraising

Looking for a unique graduation gift? Give a Legacy Brick and help leave a lasting impression on the Dons Legacy Wall! Families can pay tribute to your upcoming graduate, past graduates, a favorite teacher, or anyone who has contributed to your time at Acalanes.  You can even dedicate a brick to your AHS sports team, performance group or favorite club. To order your personalized brick before the May 1 deadline, make your $250 tax deductible donation to Acalanes Parents Club on the AHS Web Store.

Questions? Please contact Melissa Arends. 

School Nurse

Take the same steps you would take to stay healthy during cold and flu season.

• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds, particularly after coughing or sneezing. If you don’t have access to running water, use an alcohol-based hand cleanser.
• Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Stay away from people who are sick.
• Don’t share makeup, food, dishes or eating utensils.
• Wearing a surgical mask will not protect you from getting sick. 

When to keep your student home from school? HERE

CDC Information on Coronavirus

Transitions Workshop for Senior Parents

Tuesday, March 10  from 7-8:30pm in the Acalanes Library

Led by Joe Ianora, certified educational coach and licensed marriage and family therapist, this workshop focuses on the issues surrounding families as they enter the new, post-graduation phase of their lives. This workshop is free and no registration is required.