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Calendar of Upcoming Events
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15, 16
Instrumental Music Spring Concerts - 7pm, PAC
21, 23 Pops Concerts: "At the Movies" -7pm, PAC
27 No School - Memorial Day
31
Dons Dialogue
3-6 Finals Week
6 Last Day of School
7 Senior Graduation Day
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Many juniors and seniors spent last Saturday night enjoying Junior and Senior Prom at the Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. By all accounts, it was a memorable event. Thank you to our terrific prom planners
Caitlin Benazra, Kaisa Lyon, Catherine McCarthy and Paige McCullough
who worked tirelessly with AHS class leaders to put on such a fantastic event.
No doubt everyone is feeling the pressure of the last few weeks of the school year! Between class projects, SAT tests, AP exams, all the extra-curriculars, and final exams on the horizon, we know it can feel very overwhelming. Perhaps a good time to remind your student about
Peer Tutoring Center
and the
Wellness Center
- they are tremendous resources on campus.
Please consider participating in the District parent survey which will help guide the Acalanes District's Local Control and Accountability Plan. The LCAP is what informs the academic and social experience for our students, so your input is extremely important! You should also have received an email directly from Superintendent Nickerson with more information on how to share your feedback.
Dawn & Sarah
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Acalanes Volunteer Service Award Celebration Luncheon
It's great to see so many Acalanes students serving a variety of communities! Applications were due by April 10 and we are in the process of reviewing all applications. If you submitted an application, you will receive an email soon confirming your award level. Students should mark their calendar for Tuesday, May 21 for a brief celebration lunch and ceremony recognizing all the volunteer service award recipients. Additional details will be in students' confirmation email.
Dons Dialogue - May 31
Be sure to attend the last Dons Dialogue of the year on Friday, May 31 at 8:45am in the Collaboration Center, immediately following the APC General Membership Meeting. Principal Travis Bell will be on hand to provide updates on all of the events taking place in June for our Seniors. We'll also hear from Leadership, HSD (Acalanes' Health and Social Development program), learn about Unified Sports and hear details about the Spring APC Grants recipients. Parking will be set aside in the lot by the Main Gym. Coffee and treats are provided. See you there!
Approval of APC Board of Directors Slate
Please see below for the proposed slate for 2019-20 Acalanes Parents Club Board. The slate will be voted on at the APC General Membership Meeting on Friday,
May 31
at 8:45am, in the Collaboration Center (next to the College & Career Center). All APC members are invited and encouraged to attend to vote on the slate. Any comments on the slate prior to the vote, please send to
Meg Fellner
, APC Parliamentarian. A huge thanks to these parents for stepping up to be on the Board! The final Dons Dialogue of the year will follow the APC General Membership Meeting.
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APC Spring Grants
APC had approved $10,000 in spring grants through our grant application process. With your support, the Wellness Center will now have an outside garden area, the attendance office will be able to get a much-needed renovation/update and all can look forward to an election simulation in the future. The APC could not provide these grants without your support and we thank you!
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Senior, Junior, Sophomore, Freshman
Class Updates
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Senior-Junior-Sophomore-Freshman Class Updates
Just a Reminder: Dons Families can click on each
Class Heading
to link through to our Webpage to find lots of great information and useful contacts. Be sure to keep up to date as lots of fun things are on the horizon!
| May 20 |
Senior Symposium and Picnic,
at Acalanes
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June 2
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Time of Reflection, 3pm Lafayette Orinda Presbyterian Church
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June 3 - 6
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Finals Week
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June 7
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Graduation Rehearsal, 9-11am Mandatory Attendance! (Complementary breakfast served)
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Graduation, 6pm
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Grad Night, 8pm busses leave for Umigo
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Graduation & Time of Reflection Speaker Auditions
Encourage your student to audition to speak at graduation and/or time of reflection. Students received speech guidelines via school loop and can sign up for a time slot with Mrs. Larsen in the office. Auditions are on
May 14
from 1:30-4 pm.
Senior Picnic
The Class of 2019 will be enjoying its Senior Picnic on
May 20
from Noon-2 pm
. In addition to inflatables, a dunk tank and a variety of other activities, the Acalanes pool will be open to students for swimming! Lifeguards WILL be present. Top Dog will be on site and we will have lots of ice cream treats! Please sign up
here
to help with additional food items and to work a shift.
Graduation Leis
It is time to purchase leis for your graduating seniors! These beautiful White Orchid Leis will be shipped directly from Hawaii and may be picked up by graduating seniors before the graduation ceremony on
June 7
. Leis are $25 each and may be purchased
here
. Leis will not be sold on graduation day. The last day to order leis is
May 22
.
Senior Memory Frames
If you missed the deadline for ordering a Senior Memory Frame through the Web Store, you can still order through Michaels
here
.
Once you have completed your student's photo collage/memory frame, you can turn it into the Attendance Office by
June 4
. Make sure your student's name is on the front and your name and number is on the back. Memory frames will be displayed on the fence near the football field on June 7. You can take home your student's frame after the graduation ceremony.
Questions? Contact Julie Davidson at [email protected].
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GRAD NIGHT INFORMATION
Acalanes High School parents have a proud tradition of offering a safe, alcohol and drug-free event for our graduating students.
Grad Night is held
Friday, June 7
immediately following the Graduation Ceremony at Acalanes and includes transportation to and from
Umigo
, dinner, snacks, drinks, games, dancing and lots of entertainment options for grads to spend the last moments as Acalanes Dons together.
Tickets
Now
:
Purchase your 2019 Grad Night Ticket on the
Web Store
.
Note: as of May 10, we are no longer refunding tickets.
May 24
: Web Store tickets closed. Payment via
check only.
Permission Slips
Two
permission slips are required to attend Grad Night. They can be found
here
and
here
. Return permission slips one of the following two ways
:
- Mail to Angela Ketcham, 7 Greene Place, Lafayette, CA 94549, OR
- Drop off in the Grad Night basket in the Counseling Office
Note
: Grad night scholarships are available so
all
seniors can attend. School Counselors can provide information regarding scholarships.
Items Needed for Grad Night
Grad Night would not be possible without the donations and help from our wonderful senior parents. Please look through this year's SignUp Genius to see how you might help with this special event:
Grad Night SignUp Genius
.
Grad Night Volunteers Needed
Now open to ALL parents of Seniors. This is your chance to be part of this special celebration. Don't miss out! Sign up
here
.
Grad Night Fundraiser
Get wonderful Mother's Day, Father's Day and Graduation gifts while raising funds for the Class of 2019 Grad Night. Check out Boon Supply via this link
Acalanes High School - Grad Night
.
50% of the proceeds sold go to the Class of 2019 Grad Night
and everything is shipped directly to your home
.
Started by the founder of Serena & Lily, Boon Supply has amazing selection of practical and affordable home, tech, kitchen, lifestyle and outdoor items. Most items are under $25!
Grad Night Slideshow
Please submit pictures for the slide show that will be showing at Grad Night here! These pictures should include AHS seniors and do not have to be just when they were in high school. All ages welcome!
Is your Junior ready for Senior year?
During lunch this Wednesday,
May 15,
the junior class officers are hosting a panel featuring seniors who will share their experience about their senior year, making decisions about what to do after high school, and what the college process is like. Encourage your Junior to attend!
Make sure to check out the College and Career section below to learn about the May 16 Application Night at Campolindo and June 4 Value Priced College Night at Las Lomas.
Tori Heffelfinger
Kathy Hemmenway
Kat O'Donnell
Ellen Seiler
Remember to email us if you have questions! And it's never too early to think about how you want to get involved next year!
We are already starting to look ahead at activities next year (and beyond) - please let us know if you want to get involved! As always, thanks for your support!
Jen Fish
Kristin McPhail
Judy Sandberg
Candy Stryker
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15
"What I wish I would have known senior year"
22 Dons on the Lawn
"What I wish I would have known before senior year"
On Wednesday,
May 15
at lunch the junior class officers are hosting a panel featuring seniors who will share their experience about their senior year, the college process and making decisions about what comes next. Encourage your student to attend!
Dons on the Lawn
Mark your calendar!
May 22
from 5-7 come the community is invited to Dons on the Lawn on the football field. Come out with your family, eat, enjoy inflatables, lawn games, carnival games and more!!!!
Spirit Wear
We have just a few spirit items left for the 2018-2019 school year! Consider ordering something from the Web Store for an end of year gift!
Questions? Email Katherine Walton, the leadership teacher, Room 314.
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College and Career Center
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SENIOR INFORMATION
Senior Exit Surveys
Please check in with your senior. We are requiring ALL seniors to complete a Senior Exit Survey, so we know their plans for next year. (In Naviance under the About Me Tab - My Surveys) This is also how final transcripts are requested (there is no charge for these).
ALL GRADES
Application Night
Thursday,
May 16
from 6:30-7:30pm in the Campolindo Library.
Come learn about what you need for the upcoming fall 2020 Application season. You'll learn about the UC Application from a reader from CAL, a Common Application Admission Counselor from DePaul and LIU Post and get a review of the Coalition Application and Cal State Apply Application.
Value Priced College Night
Tuesday,
June 4
from 6:30-7:30pm in the Las Lomas Library.
Come hear from a financial aid expert, Tim Lenehan, who has researched and compared the costs of colleges across the nation. Learn about affordable instate and out of state public colleges in the Western US. Tim is a CPA and College Advisor and will share his insights and top picks that cost as little as $16k to attend!
Rising Senior Night Presentation
Did you miss last Thursday's Rising Senior Night? No worries. Check out a slide show of the entire presentation
here
.
Job Postings
There are more job postings coming in!! If your child is looking for a summer job the College & Career Center is a good place to stop by.
Naviance Interest?
Do you have a Sophomore student who is interested in learning a little about the college application platform, Naviance? (Don't worry if you don't - most aren't!) But if you do - please have them sign up to attend Academy in the College & Career Center next week. They will get a brief introduction to the site.
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Course Requests
Students wanting to change a course request for next school year need to contact their counselors directly. The schedule is being developed based on requests made earlier this semester and changes are not guaranteed. We have a Wishlist going for requests.
Summer School
Students who have a D or F in a required course should sign up for summer school. Summer School will be held at Las Lomas. Get an application and info
here.
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Please visit the School Nurse website for valuable information on concussions, nutrition, stress management and so much more!
Dvora Citron, R.N., M.S.
Acalanes School Nurse
Tuesdays & Wednedays 7:30-3:20, Fridays 7:30-11:30
925.280.3970 x7128
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Performing and Visual Arts
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Instrumental Music Spring Concerts
The Acalanes Instrumental Music Department proudly presents its Spring Instrumental Music Concerts this week - May 15 and 16. The Acalanes Concert Band, Symphonic Band and Symphonic Wind Ensemble will perform Wednesday, May 15. The Symphonic Wind Ensemble, String Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra will perform Thursday, May 16. Both concerts start at 7pm in the PAC. A reception will follow both concerts. Hope to see you there!
POPS Concerts!
Please join us for our annual Pops Concerts: "At the Movies" on
May 21
and
23
in the PAC at 7pm both nights. These are our most popular concerts of the year and feature all of the ensembles with solo acts and a live band on stage. Tickets will be available
May 12
through
this link
. Get your tickets early!
Jazz Cafe - Friday May 31, 6-10pm, Stanley Multi-use Room
Stanley Middle School presents Jazz Cafe, a collaborative performance of jazz student musicians from Stanley, Campolindo and Acalanes. Support the fundraising efforts of the Stanley Middle School jazz program and enjoy a memorable evening of music. Food, raffles and silent auction also available. Single tickets: reserved $20 (all ages); unreserved (at the door; cash only) up to $15. Donations encouraged. Click here for ticket sales and donations. For more info, email stanleymusic.org/jazz-cafe or contact Laurie Bankhead.
AP Art & Independent Art Portfolio Exhibitions, May 17, The Art Room
Come see the amazing artwork produced by Acalanes students! Our AP Art and Independent Art classes will have their work on exhibit in The Art Room in Lafayette starting with an opening on
Friday,
May 17
from 6-8pm. Exhibits will run for one week. An adjunct exhibit will be on display in the Acalanes library.
The Art Room Lafayette, 91 Lafayette Circle.
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A number of state assembly bills were introduced recently in reaction to the national college admissions scandal. Generally, these bills are intended to tighten the rules governing preferential admissions at public universities (such as for legacies or athletes) and to better regulate private admissions counselors. In addition, some of the bills seek to eliminate the use of the SAT or ACT as an application requirement.
At the same time, however, a long standing effort to increase access to the SAT and ACT is coming closer to fruition. The Assembly Education Committee has approved AB 751 ("Pathways to College Act"), a bill allowing school districts to administer the SAT or ACT during school hours at no cost to the students and to use those results in place of state-required assessments. The idea is that many or most students already take the SAT or ACT and that the state could reduce "test fatigue" by replacing the state's tests with the SAT or ACT. Many schools with low-income students already offer the SAT or ACT for free as a way to boost college admissions.
Finally, AB 1792, introduced by the California Department of Education, would authorize giving the Smarter Balanced testing in 10th grade, rather than 11th grade, to provide earlier information as to whether students are on track for college and career.
For more information on all of these, please refer to these two articles:
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Work for LPIE!
LPIE office is seeking part-time help in the LPIE office for a Fundraising Assistant. Knowledge of Word and Excel required along with ability to work with our databases. The position is for 15-20 hours per week and is flexible. Please contact Myrna at the LPIE office at 299-1644 or [email protected].
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This week's can't miss events
Boys volleyball
Tuesday,
May 14
CIF NorCal Quarterfinals at 7:00pm.
Thursday,
May 16
CIF NorCal Semifinals at 7:00pm.
Saturday,
May 18
CIF NorCal Championships.
Boys lacrosse
Tuesday,
May 14
NCS Semifinals.
Thursday,
May 16
NCS Championships.
Girls lacrosse
Tuesday,
May 14
NCS Semifinals.
Thursday,
May 16
NCS Championships.
Baseball
Tuesday,
May 14
NCS Playoffs, first round.
Friday,
May 17
NCS Quarterfinals.
Softball
Tuesday,
May 14
or Wednesday,
May 15
NCS Playoffs, first round.
Friday,
May 17
or Saturday,
May 18
NCS Quarterfinals.
Track & field
Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 18 NCS Meet of Champions at DVC.
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