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magnet elementary schools!

Prekindergarten applications available March 1

Applications are being accepted through March 31 for seats beginning in kindergarten in the City School District of Albany's three magnet elementary schools.

 

Applications for the April 16 magnet lottery are being accepted for kindergarten through grade 6 at Albany School of Humanities (ASH), and kindergarten through grade 5 at Montessori Magnet School and Thomas O'Brien Academy of Science and Technology (TOAST). Applications for all prekindergarten seats, including those in the three magnet schools, will be available March 1. The new prekindergarten lottery also will be held April 16.

 

Visit our Magnet Schools section to download an application and for more information.

 

Register through Feb. 12

for varsity, JV sports at Albany High School

The spring sports sign-up period for varsity and JV sports began Monday and will continue through Friday, Feb. 12. All students interested in playing a varsity or JV sport during the spring season must register during this period.

 

Please visit the Athletics section for more information. All necessary forms must be returned by the Feb. 12 deadline. Registration for modified spring sports will be held March 8-19.

 

Winter guard aces first competition

The Albany Marching Falcons Winter Guard, one of the newest teams in the City School District of Albany, took home first place in its first formal competition Saturday at Shenendehowa High School.

 

Twenty students in grades six through 12 comprise Albany’s team, which formed in 2008 under the direction of Amanda Marshall. (MORE)

 

Theater troupe lauded

for human rights efforts

The Albany High School Theatre Ensemble has received a human rights award for its fall production of “The Laramie Project.”

 

The Albany Human Rights Commission present the Theatre Ensemble with the award Tuesday at a reception at Albany City Hall. Teacher-director Ward Dales accepted the award with most members of the cast and crew also in attendance (pictured above).

 

“It is the highest kind of teachable moment for our students to receive this award,” Mr. Dales said. “I am very proud of the fact that our entire team used this vehicle to provide our community with a forum to reflect deeply on so many issues that keep us apart and keep us from working together to enrich our lives.” (MORE)

 

Albany County offers Sunday H1N1 clinic;

Weekday vaccinations continue

The Albany County Department of Health has scheduled an H1N1 vaccination clinic on Sunday, Feb. 7, in the Bethlehem Central High School gym.

 

The county also will continue its Monday through Friday vaccination clinics at the Albany County Department of Health, 175 Green St., Albany. As with past clinics, pre-registration is required.

 

The Feb. 7 clinic at Bethlehem High will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vaccinations continue to be available at the Health Department's Green Street office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. (MORE)

 

Albany High restructuring accelerates with identification of persistently low achievement

The City School District of Albany is accelerating its work to restructure Albany High School following Thursday's announcement that the school is among New York state’s “persistently lowest-achieving” high schools.

 

“While this development sends a sobering message to us all about our urgent responsibility to raise the achievement of all students, the need for significant improvement at Albany High is not news to us,” said Interim Superintendent Raymond Colucciello, Ed.D.

 

“We look forward to working with the State Education Department and our community to rebuild Albany High’s educational structure in line with our school district’s mission to educate and nurture all students to successfully compete in the global community.” (MORE)

 

District continues to seek input

on high-school restructuring

Three March forums will allow parents and community members additional opportunities to weigh in on how the City School District of Albany should restructure Albany High School.

 

The forums will be held:

• Tuesday, March 9, 6:30-7:30 p.m. at North Albany Academy, 570 North Pearl Street

• Wednesday, March 10, 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the  Albany Housing Authority, 200 S. Pearl Street

• Monday, March 15, 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School, 100 Elbel Court.

 

The charge to examine and redesign Albany High with community input was one of several recommendations in the district’s comprehensive strategic plan the Board of Education approved in November 2008. (MORE)

 

Giffen educator among area’s best

Giffen Memorial Elementary School fourth-grade teacher Thomas Faulkner has been named a “Top Teacher” in the Capital Region by WNYT/TV-13.

 

Mr. Faulkner is one of 13 local educators chosen from those who were nominated during the Top Teacher contest last fall. Click here to see the WNYT story about Mr. Faulkner. (MORE)

 

We have highlighted examples from every school, both in the 2009-10 district calendar and on this site. We invite you to visit our Parent Champions section to read more about the ways these individuals choose to get involved in school, and why that extra effort is important to them. WNYT/TV-13 also featured North Albany Academy champion Marcella Green in a Dec. 15 story about school volunteers.

 

Annual inspection reports available