Weekly News & Announcements

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)

LatinX Heritage Month runs from Sept 15-Oct 15 and is a time to recognize and celebrate the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the American LatinX community. You can learn more about it here for discussion with your students.

One way Acalanes will celebrate is through a community get-together. Encourage your student to sign up to bring food to a potluck on Wednesday, Sep 20 before the girls volleyball team takes on Campolindo. The potluck will be from 5-6pm in front of the big gym and all families are invited to join in on the fun!.

Student Activities

Clubs at Acalanes
This year we have 72 approved clubs at Acalanes and they are a great way to connect with a passion and get involved. Please encourage your student to attend meetings, reach out to the presidents and get involved! Check them out here!
 
Celebrate LatinX Heritage Month!
Sign up to bring food to the potluck on Sep 20 before the girls volleyball team takes on Campolindo. We will do a potluck from 5-6pm in front of the big gym and celebrate community together. Looking forward to it! 
 
Homecoming 2023: Acalanes celebrates music genres!
Homecoming week is Oct 9-14 and is one of the best weeks on campus with so many different ways for students to get involved. Please encourage your student to opt in!
Frosh have their informational meeting on Tuesday @ lunch in room 314 (other class meetings took place last week). If your student missed their class informational meeting, check the bulletin for links to sign up to participate!
 
Saturday, Oct 14 is our HOCO Night Out from 7-10pm. It is a campus wide event (1100+ attended last year) and a night not to miss. Tickets are on sale via Go Fan and are:
$25 with ASB
$50 without ASB
$75 for an outside guest
Outside guests do need to fill out and return a guest contract. Look in the bulletin for all of the information and stay tuned for confirmed vendors, food, games, activities and entertainment.
 
Spirit Wear/Class Shirt Update:
If you ordered spiritwear via the Gryco webstore, it will be here mid September and you will receive an email from me with pick-up information.
 
If you ordered a class shirt, we will hand them out this Wednesday, Sep 13 at lunch.
 
If you purchased ASB and didn’t receive your white spirit shirt, please send your student to room 314.
 
SEED Friendship Circle - Sep 21 at 5pm. Support high school students with special needs in our community by attending Friendship Circle at LOPC. It happens monthly and is a great chance to get to know new peers, have fun & serve your community. Counts as volunteer service hours. To RSVP email susan@lopc.org
 
Looking to stay informed? Follow us on Instagram for the latest on student activities and class happenings.
 
Katherine Walton, Activities Director

College & Career

Seniors

• College Visits This Week in the CCC: College visits are in the CCC. Students must pick up a pass from the College & Career Center to attend. The attendance office is not involved with college visits.
  • Monday: Pepperdine, Tulane, UCSD, St. Mary's, Univ. of Denver
  • Tuesday: HBCU College Fair- students chaperoned at Pittsburg High School
  • Wednesday: Denison, Pitzer, Minnesota, UConn, Lewis & Clark
  • Thursday: Gettysburg, WPI, George Washington, USF, Marist, Seattle University
  • Friday: USC, Gonzaga
• College Application Academy Support: Remind your student to come to academy sessions in the CCC. 6th and 7th period is OPEN for seniors to DROP BY anytime! No appointments needed.
  • Wednesday, Sep 13 & Friday, Sep 15: Essay Workshops
  • Wednesday, Sep 20 - UC App 101
• New FAFSA Changes and How They Impact Your Family:  This is a very informative video on the new changes to FAFSA, which opens in December.

Juniors

• International University College Fair: Acalanes is hosting an International College Fair in the library on Thursday, Sep 27 from 6:30-8pm. 15+ universities will share information on applying to schools abroad. Please sign up here.
• Digital Practice for PSAT and ACT Exams: Click here to register your student for free online practice tests on Saturday, Sep 16 and Sep 23 from 9am-1pm with Revolution Prep.

Sophomores/Frosh

• Have your student explore their personality traits with this free assessment.

Please visit our College & Career Counseling website any time for additional information and support.

Counseling

Counselor assignments are by last name:
A-Em Anne Schonauer  
En-Kr Erika Vasquez
Ku-Rog Marissa Meadows 
Roh-Z Susan Martin

Dropping Classes: Students may still drop a class until the end of the first quarter, Friday, Oct 13. If the class is in the middle of the day, a student may add a TA period. TA is the only class a student can still add to their schedule.  

Senior Appointments: Counselors will begin individual appointments with seniors beginning this week. We will discuss the student’s plans for after high school. We will go through necessary steps to apply to college, arrange for relevant documents, and review deadlines. 
 
The CSF application period is open!  CSF (California Scholarship Federation) is an honor society. Current 11th and 12th graders are encouraged to apply. A complete CSF application has 2 parts - an application form  and a payment on the webstore. Turn forms in to the Counseling Office. The deadline is Sep 30 for both the form and the payment! Students who are members for at least 4 semesters, including during senior year, will get special stole to wear at graduation. Read the FAQ on the application form and contact Ms. Schonauer for any clarification.

School Nurse

Hot Weather Warning:
Please remember to encourage students' hydration. Our late summer days can be very hot and dry, and it’s not unusual for us to see students with symptoms of heat illness. If air quality declines and your student needs an inhaler, please make sure they carry that with them and use it properly, and submit thismedicaldocumentation (each school year).

Does your student need medication at school?
Do you need to communicate with me about your student’s health/medical issue?
Please use the QR code to access the appropriate medical form you may need.

Help your child manage stress:

1. Provide breakfast. Even if they say they’re not hungry, ask them what they would be WILLING to eat and have that readily available to eat before school or to take with them.
2. Make sure they have access to healthy food and snacks throughout the day.
3. Make sure they stay hydrated - have them bring a water bottle that they can refill throughout the day. Those are also available in the cafeteria. Food can be hydrating too - especially fresh vegetables and fruit!

Do you know what the Blue Zones are?  Find out by watching this new documentary on Netflix: Liveto 100: SecretsoftheBlueZones

Try this GRATITUDEPRACTICE.

Always Your School Nurse,
DvoraCitron, RN, MS
dcitron@auhsdschools.org, 925-280-2970 x7128,
IG: acalanesschoolnurse, ​SchoolNurseWebsite

Wellness Center

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. In honor of Suicide Prevention Week this week, the Wellness Center has teamed up with Student Leadership to offer a ton of opportunities for students to foster awareness around suicide prevention and to get involved in supporting themselves and their peers. Some of our activities include Kahoot trivia games, a positive affirmation station, gratitude grams and a short suicide prevention documentary and discussion with the Wellness team. Please encourage your students to get involved!
 
Suicide is preventable and knowing the signs of someone that might be contemplating suicide is invaluable. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has shared this important information about what can lead to suicide, the risk factors and the protective factors to consider. Even though suicide is a taboo subject, if you think someone you know may be suicidal, it is best to discuss your concerns with them directly and encourage them to seek support.

Performing & Visual Arts

The Acalanes High School Choir Vocal Groups will be singing at the Lafayette Art & Wine Festival, Saturday, Sep 23, 2:30-3pm on the Community Stage. Stroll on down to the stage and support our AHS singers.

LPIE

Join us at the 26th Annual Lafayette Art & Wine Festival!
Sep 23, 10am-7pm & Sep 24, 10am-6pm
Did you know that the Art & Wine Festival is a fundraiser for the City of Lafayette and that LPIE is the largest beneficiary? Did you know that the people who work the ticket booth are volunteers? Come have some fun and help LPIE at the same time by staffing the Festival Ticket Booth and/or the LPIE Booth at this year's festival! Children 12 and up are welcome to volunteer at the LPIE Booth, adults only for the ticket booth. Click HERE to show your support for our schools!

www.lpie.org, Follow us on Instagram 

Sports

This week’s can’t miss events:

Girls golf
Monday, Sep 11 Las Lomas HS at Contra Costa CC at 3:30pm.

Girls volleyball
Tuesday, Sep 12 host Northgate HS. Frosh at 4:30pm, JV at 5:30pm and Varsity at 6:30pm.
Thursday, Sep 14 at Las Lomas HS. Frosh at 4:30pm, JV at 5:30pm and Varsity at 6:30pm.

Girls tennis
Tuesday, Sep 12 College Park HS at 3:30pm. Varsity is home and JV is away.
Thursday, Sep 14 Campolindo HS at 3:30pm. Varsity is away and JV is home.

Boys water polo
Tuesday, Sep 12 at Pioneer HS. Varsity at 5pm and JV at 6pm.
Thursday, Sep 14 host Castro Valley HS. JV at 5pm and Varsity at 6pm.
 
Football
Thursday, Sep 14 Frosh host Livermore HS at 5pm.
 
Girls water polo
Saturday, Sep 16 Varsity host Santa Cruz HS at 9am, JV host Soquel HS at 12pm and Varsity host Soquel HS at 2pm.

Cross country
Saturday, Sep 16 Farmer Invitational at Hayward HS.
 
You may view the 2023-2024 Athletic Update by clicking HERE.

Acalanes Community Always (ACA)

Registration is NOW OPEN for the Lafayette Res Run for Education!
 
Run/walk downtown Lafayette in the 2-mile fun run/walk or 5k, or strive for your best 10k time, which includes going around the Lafayette Reservoir on race day, Sunday, Oct 22. There is also a virtual option around the paved trail of the reservoir from Oct 12-21. Lafayette's public schools are beneficiaries of this event, with 15% percent of each registration going back to Acalanes - so be sure to choose Acalanes during the registration process!

• The first 100 students to register from each school will receive a voucher at packet pickup for 1/4 lb of bulk candy from Zoonie’s Candy Shop! Yes, even high school students!
• The school who increases their number of runners most compared to last year will receive an additional $500 beneficiary check! 

Let’s go Dons!

Parents Club Pro-Tip

MEET OUR ATTENDANCE CLERKS

Tina Gullberg, Attendance & Health Clerk

Tina joined the Acalanes office team five years ago. She moved to the Bay Area from Utah nine years ago with her husband Trig, their son Ethan and daughter Eliza. Ethan graduated from Acalanes in 2021 and Eliza is now a junior at Acalanes.

Marcus Payton, Attendance Clerk

Marcus is new to Acalanes and just  joined the Attendance team this summer. Be sure to stop by and give Marcus a warm Acalanes welcome.

ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES Q&A

How do I report absences or late arrivals?
Parents/Guardians need to report absences, late arrivals or early dismissals to the 24-hour attendance line (925-980-3973) or send an email to ahsattendance@auhsdschools.org. Absences not excused after 24 hours will be turned to cuts.
 
How do I excuse my student for an appointment or early release during the day?
Please report any early releases as soon as possible so the office can have your student's pass ready to go. Call the 24-hour attendance line and leave a message or send an email. The messages are checked frequently. But if your student needs to leave right away, please call the office directly at 925-280-3970 ext. 7126. If your student does not know about the appointment please let us know so we can make arrangements to have the student sent to the office.
 
How does my student sign out once I have called the attendance line/email?
Your student needs to come to the attendance office before the class they are leaving early from to pick up an off-campus pass. This is their ticket to get out of class. Once they have their pass they can leave class at the designated time, come back to the attendance office to scan the QR code and sign out. If they return the same day, they will return to the attendance office to sign in and pick up a re-admit slip. Signing in/out from the office is mandatory for safety reasons.
 
Can tardies be excused? Yes, with a medical or dental note and a student sign in. Otherwise, parents cannot excuse tardiness.
 
For more detailed information, visit the District website attendance reporting here.

General Administration Announcements

PICTURE DAY ORDERS AND MAKE-UPS

To order school photos visit Studio One Photos. Online Code = Your student’s ID number.
Picture retake and make-ups will be Wednesday, Sep 20 from 7:45am-11:30am in the PAC Lobby.