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Parents Club Pro-Tip
This Pro-Tip comes from AHS Student Leaders. Parents may want to encourage your student to visit the RogerHub website to utilize their Final Grade Calculator. Some students find it helpful to calculate what score they need to achieve on their final exam in order to get the semester grade they desire in the class.
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APC in Action
Finals Fuel - This Week!
Thank you to all the families that have made donations!
If you haven't already, you can still make a Costco Run donation through this evening (you can do so via venmo to @sheryl-platt-1 or paypal to sheryl@slpdesigns.net) . We use the funds to purchase the fun snacks for all our students to refuel between exam periods.
Thank you to our volunteers who have signed up to pass out snacks! There are still a few spots available Thursday and Friday.
Please sign up here if you are interested in donating and/or working a shift. -
APC Membership & Fundraising
Remember to keep ACA in mind for your holiday shopping! Every time you shop on Amazon, you could also be contributing to Acalanes - it’s never been so easy!
Click this link to shop smile.amazon.com and designate Acalanes Parents Club as your charity of choice!
And, since most of us also shop Amazon on our phones, don’t forget to add Smile to your Amazon app too. It’s super easy and you only have to do it once:- After you’ve clicked the link above and joined Amazon Smile via your desktop or laptop, open the Amazon app on your phone
- Open settings within the app
- Tap AmazonSmile
- Tap the button for “turn on AmazonSmile”
Happy ACA shopping…and THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
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Acalanes Community Always (ACA)
AHS Garden Restoration Update
Work is well underway to restore the AHS Garden. Many thanks to the students, staff and community members who have come out to help or donated cardboard, seeds and more to the effort. We have updated the wish list in case anyone has extra winter crop seeds or bulbs on the list you want to donate.
If you haven't had a chance, take a look at the farm - it is a completely different place with the mulch (and no cardboard showing).
Read more about the AHS Garden Restoration Updates HERE
Lori Tewksbury (Living Earth and AP Biology Teacher) -
Parent Education
Be sure to bookmark the AUHSD Parent Education website for all the information you need for AUHSD Parent Education events. And great news - there are recordings of the past events in case you missed them!
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Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)
The month of December is a time set aside by many to celebrate a variety of traditionsand enjoy time with family, friends and community. We wish you peace and happiness throughout the holiday season.
Be well and we will see you in the new year! -
Student Activities
Does your student want to start a club but didn't get the chance to in the fall? They can create one now! The work done within a club is so important and we want to support that. Please fill out this google form in its entirety by this Friday, Dec 16. Spring Club Day is Friday, Jan 13 at lunch.
Need a way to destress? Come to stress busters tomorrow at lunch in the front quad. There will be therapy dogs, snacks, stress ball making and resources provided by the wellness center. It will be a great way to take a break and recenter before finals!
Adopt-a-Family this Holiday Season!
Thank you for all of your support with adopt-a-family this year. We were able to support 62 families and dropped off the gifts this past Friday. Our community is incredible - thank you for all of the support!.
We wish you a restful, healthy and happy holiday break! See you back on Jan 4 for the new semester!
Katherine Walton, Leadership Teacher -
College & Career
SENIORS
Acalanes College and Career Center Scholarship link: https://www.acalanes.k12.ca.us/Page/2549
Diablo Valley Assistance League, Rossmoor Scholarship Foundation, and AAUW are also available- Large scholarships for students with financial limitations.
FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is available. The state is asking all seniors to fill out the FAFSA or to opt-out.
Common App Support: Your student can click here to make an appointment to work on essays or get help with the entire process.
JUNIORS
ACT/SAT Practice Tests: Revolution Prep is offering a practice SAT and ACT: Practice ACT: Saturday, Jan 21, 9am-1pm
Practice SAT: Saturday, Jan 28, 9am-1pm
Live Online! Register here: Acalanes HS partner landing page
1:1 appointments: If you’d like your child to start exploring career interests and begin looking at Naviance, please have them schedule an appointment here.
SOPHOMORES/FROSH
Volunteer Ideas: Have your student come by the CCC so I can learn about their interests. Check out this website for ideas too! It’s best to set a search filter for teens.
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 Christine Todd / Christina Castillo-Gallardo during Spring 2023
Ku-Rog Marissa Meadows
Roh-Z Susan Martin
Late Sign Up for AP Exams: Late registration options are still available, but will incur a late fee. Please see here for more details.
Good Luck with Finals this week! Finish strong! Enjoy your well-deserved winter break!
Welcome to Christina Castillo-Gallardo, our Counselor Sub, standing in for Christine Todd while she is on maternity leave during the Spring of 2023. Christina can be reached at ccastillo-gallardo@auhsdschools.org.
Frosh/Soph Parent Meeting Thursday, Jan 12 at 6pm in the AHS Library
Come hear our Counselor Marissa Meadows, College and Career Advisor Debbie Levy, and Counselor Sub Christina Castillo-Gallardo talk about course selection and preliminary college planning for rising 10th and 11th grade students (current 9th and 10th grade students). -
School Nurse
Getting Through Finals and Beyond
We’re heading into finals week. You can help your students by providing a supportive environment at home. Provide them with lots of healthy snacks, good sleep patterns (8-10 hours/night) and refreshing recreation in between study sessions and final exams. Help them plan healthy celebrations!
Managing Family Stress During Holiday Season
Healthy Feet
Support your student’s growth and development by encouraging healthy foot care - that includes choosing supportive shoes.
Thinking about holiday gifts? How about things that make being healthy fun!- Fun water bottles to stay hydrated through the school day
- Beanies to stay warm through cold weather
- Workout clothes and equipment to encourage physical activity
- Journals to encourage mindful time and thought
- Board games to encourage fun and connection
- Fun shoes for walking/hiking (and socks to match!)
- Milk frother and mug (for Healthy Hot Chocolate)
No time for breakfast?
Ask your student what kind of portable healthy food you can make available for them to grab on their way to school:- Green smoothie
- Fruit (fresh and dried)
- Nuts
- PB&J
- Healthy muffins
Dvora Citron, RN, MS
dcitron@auhsdschools.org
925-280-2970 x7128
IG: acalanesschoolnurse -
Wellness Center
Winter Wellness - Drop in at the Lafayette Library SWELL CENTER!
Open Monday, Dec 19 - Friday, Dec 30, from 10am-2pm. Closed Monday, Dec 26.
Open to all 6th - 12th Graders!
Tips for Test Anxiety
With finals right around the corner, it may be beneficial to discuss test anxiety with your AHS student. Test anxiety is actually a form of performance anxiety which affects 25-40% of students. While it’s perfectly normal for a student to feel nervous before a test, test anxiety can be overwhelming for students and disrupt their concentration and ability. Here are a couple steps you can take to support your student in combating their test anxiety:- Positive self talk can go a long way in altering one’s perception of their ability. Encourage your student to talk to themselves how they would talk to a friend or loved one experiencing the same anxiety. We are often our own worst critic and in many instances, we talk to ourselves more negatively than we would ever talk to someone else.
- Acceptance of mistakes can also shift your student’s mindset around their ability. First, remind your student that trying their best is realistically the most they can do. Even when trying our absolute best, people still make mistakes. Second, model this behavior for your students. Are you shaming your student when their best effort isn’t “good enough” or beating yourself up when you make a mistake? Offer grace in the face of mistakes. We’re all human after all.
- Teach test taking basics to your student so they might feel more confident when the time comes to take a test. Believe it or not, study skills and test taking strategies are learned. Just because students have to take tests, doesn’t mean they are actually equipped to do so successfully.
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LPIE
Gala raffle tickets are now available for purchase. You can sign up for one here and we will contact you. There are two fabulous prizes:
- STUNNING DIAMOND NECKLACE generously donated by Solano Jewelers
- 5 NIGHTS AT THE LAKES COUNTRY CLUB, PALM DESERT generously donated by Sean and Danielle Gallager.
Tickets are $100 and only 200 tickets will be sold! More information can be found here.
Questions? Please contact Andrea Hilsabeck or Michele Colaco
Follow us on Instagram or visit www.lpie.org
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