Hot Lunch Ordering Information: Hot lunch ordering from Pasta Market is now open! Please note that the cut-off for lunch ordering remains 6 a.m. for same day lunches. Click here for full instructions on ordering your student's lunches. You can order lunches at https://pastamarket.boonli.com/login.

School Uniforms: ACDS is a uniform school. The uniform standards are described in the Parent Handbook. Lands' End is our official provider for all school logo gear (Uniforms: 900164773). 

iVolunteer: As a member of the parent community, every parent is encouraged to attend events on campus and to volunteer to help support these events throughout the school year. Volunteer opportunities are available exclusively online on iVolunteer. iVolunteer will be open on Tuesday, September 7 at noon.

Face Coverings: Masks are required indoors and outdoors at ACDS regardless of vaccination status, per CDPH order. Parents and visitors are required to wear a mask at all times, in all places on campus. Staff will wear masks except for when eating or drinking.

Based upon CDC recommendations, we all should wear face masks that provide the optimal degree of protection and safety. Please choose a multi-layered cloth or disposable face mask that fits snugly and is comfortable for long periods of wear. While on campus, please do not wear bandanas or handkerchiefs; thin, non-cotton neck gaiters; face shields worn solely, without a cloth mask; or face masks with exhaust valves. 

Campus Access: Parents wearing masks are allowed to walk children onto campus and to their first class of the day, but may not enter classrooms or office spaces, and are asked to leave immediately (i.e. please do not congregate on campus or linger after you drop off your child). Other non-essential visitors to campus will be strictly limited. (Please see "Carpool Changes and Parking" for more information.)

COVID Testing: If your student did not attend the all-school COVID-19 testing session yesterday, please make sure they are signed up for the session next Tuesday, September 7. Testing is REQUIRED for all students and staff. The testing will take place on the ACDS campus and is open to all ACDS families.

Global Virus Pass will facilitate our testing and all forms are online. As such, there will be NO drop-in appointments the day of the testing, and so you MUST REGISTER ONLINE prior to the day of testing. No same-day appointments can be accepted. When you sign up for the before-school testing, please also register for all the school-day testing dates which are on Thursdays from September 9 through October 21. This process may take approximately 15-20 minutes per student/staff member; please complete this before September 8. Please click here for instructions to sign up. Thank you!

Uniform Exchange: The Uniform Exchange will open starting Tuesday, September 7. The Uniform Exchange is a free service to all of our families. You may take what you need and, eventually, donate gently-used items for others to use. Please stop by the office for directions.

Please read the following reminders to help us stay safe and be efficient during carpool. Thank you for your patience while we all figure out this new system!

• Parking in the front lot is for Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten families only
• If you do park in the ACDS parking lot, thank you for taking only GUEST spaces and not delaying a teacher's arrival to class.
• Parents who park on Akio: this year there is NO PEDESTRIAN ENTRY along Akio! The Akio driveway is vehicles only, and crossing the grass and parking lot is unsafe. You and your children will follow the sidewalk to Trinidad and proceed to the crosswalk where Mr. Leonard can escort you to the curb 
• Parents may unload middle schoolers at the Fisher Event Center curb; the Auditorium area is better for elementary students. As we sort out the new design, we may adjust the drop-off arrangements
• To avoid delaying cars behind you, please have your children ready to get out, and please do not exit your cars while in carpool.
• If you park in the neighborhood, thank you for not blocking our neighbors' driveways (even slightly).

For afternoon pickup:

• Middle School students will be sent to the Fisher Event Center curb
• Elementary students AND mixed elementary and middle school siblings will be sent to the parking lot curb near the auditorium

For the complete carpool instructions, please click here.

We are excited to again offer our complimentary Morning Care for students in Kindergarten through 8th grade. Students may be dropped off starting at 7 a.m. and will be sent to classrooms before 8 a.m. Pre-Kindergarten students may be dropped off at their classrooms between 7:30 and 7:40 a.m.

PARENTS: You must park and walk your child to morning care regardless of grade level; all participating students must be signed into morning care using the Brightwheel app. The Brightwheel app is easy-to-use. Download it onto your mobile device and set up your account before the first day of school. Click here for the how-to video and click here for a parent guide playlist. When setting up your account, please use the email you have listed in your Veracross Parent Portal. 

Food: Please note that food is not provided in morning care for Kindergarten through 8th grade and eating is not allowed in the classroom; as a result, we ask that parents please feed your children before arriving. 

Pre-Kindergarten students will have their own morning care program, the "Breakfast Club," which includes a school-provided snack. Pre-Kindergarten students may be dropped off at their classrooms between 7:30 and 7:40 a.m. for Breakfast Club.

ACDS will again be using Homeroom as the school-wide photo sharing and communication hub for families. Homeroom (available on iTunes and Android, as well as desktop) is a predominantly visual, closed-circuit communications platform that allows you, the parent, to have a front row seat to the rich and diverse activities in your child's grade including homeroom, enrichments, field trips, and more. A link will be sent via email from each child's homeroom teacher soon. To learn more about Homeroom, click here.

Tuesday, September 28, 6:30-8pm

Location: Online - ZOOM Link Here

This workshop is required for all 8th grade families whose children may be interested in applying to a private high school this year. 6th and 7th grade students and parents are also welcome. Please join us to learn about the application process, clarify rumors, gain insights and tips, and otherwise benefit from our four decades of placing children in San Jose's private high schools. 

Note: We find that when families don't come to this event, their children may not be successful in the application process. Please be sure to attend!

School is almost back in session and so are some of our clubs and activities! For club descriptions and information, please visit our Clubs & Activities page. Here are just a handful that start soon, so register before spaces fill up:

ACDS Band - Starts September 20

Math Club - Starts September 28

Girl Scouts - Information meeting on September 19

Girls Who Code Club - Starts September 20

Little Cougars Soccer Clinic - Starts September 24