District calls for State Ed to support

drastic changes in math, ELA testing

The City School District of Albany joined school districts across the state Wednesday in calling for the State Education Department to do more to support the drastic changes in the scoring system for state tests in math and English language arts.

 

"We applaud State Ed for recognizing that our education system needs to be improved statewide,” said Board of Education President Daniel Egan. “Chancellor Tisch is right when she says that the state tests were not testing the right things in the right way. Albany is prepared to move forward in making changes, but we also need additional resources and support.” (MORE)

 

Opportunity. Achievement. Success.

Register now for the 2010-11 school year

Visit the Central Registration Office in Lincoln Park to register your children for the 2010-11 school year. You can choose from a wide range of schools and programs to find the environment that will be the best fit.

 

Central Registration is located near the intersection of Delaware and Morton avenues. You also can call 462-7207 for more information and to find out what you'll need to register. Visit the Student Registration section for more details and to download applications.

 

The 2010-11 school year begins Tuesday, Sept. 7.

 

Board of Education president responds

to SUNY plan for charter-school expansion

City School District of Albany Board of Education President Daniel Egan called Friday for the SUNY Charter Schools Institute to delay its next round of applications until the institute can address what the district believes to be serious flaws in SUNY's plan to raise the statewide cap on charters.

 

"The impact of moving forward without sufficient time to address what we believe to be serious flaws in the RFP, particularly the extremely short application and review period for SUNY’s next 32 charters and the lack of meaningful involvement of local public-school districts, will be severe," Mr. Egan wrote. (MORE)

 

Harriet Gibbons High School to close

as part of high-school restructuring efforts

The City School District of Albany will close Harriet Gibbons High School and enroll all students that would have attended the ninth-grade academy at Albany High School this fall.

 

A parent meeting was held at Albany High on July 21 to provide information about this important change for the upcoming school year. Additional parent meetings will be scheduled in the coming weeks.

 

The district is developing a plan for the students who had been scheduled to start their high-school careers at Harriet Gibbons. The plan will include a special focus on all freshmen who need additional academic and social-emotional supports. (MORE)

 

Free summer meals for kids

at three Albany public schools

The City School District of Albany once again is participating in the Summer Food Service Program, with free meals for all children 18 and under at three schools across the city.

 

The summer meals program began Tuesday at North Albany Academy, Giffen Memorial Elementary School and William S. Hackett Middle School. (MORE)

 

Albany High School

Class of 2010 celebrates graduation

Looking out over a blue-and-white sea of his peers June 27, Albany High School vale- dictorian Owen Daniels urged them to live up to the examples of their heroes -- including a classmate who lost his struggle with leukemia 13 days before graduation -- and to test their own boundaries so that they can reach the ideals they admire.

 

The 430 members of Albany High’s Class of 2010 celebrated graduation with family and friends at the University at Albany’s SEFCU Arena. Daniels challenged his classmates to leave behind a legacy that will make their alma mater and their community proud.

 

And, in tribute to classmate Michael Coluccio, Daniels added that “a hero could be the boy whose battle with a terminal illness inspired his classmates to see in themselves the potential they did not realize they possessed.”

 

Read the full text of Daniels' valedictory, and check out the District News section for more news and photos from graduation, including "Dr. C's Rap."

 

Summer reading materials

available for students at all grade levels

With the start of summer vacation, the City School District of Albany wants to remind students and families about the fun and importance of summer reading and writing.

 

Visit our Summer Reading section for required and suggested projects for students at all grade levels, as well as additional resources to plan fun summer projects between school years.

 

School news directly to your

cell phone, e-mail from School News Notifier

The City School District of Albany has launched a new e-mail and text-message notification system that allows parents and community members to choose the information they will receive from each school and around the district.

 

School News Notifier will provide text alerts up to 140 characters regarding school closings, delays and other time-sensitive emergencies. E-mail notices will provide the same level of information as well as more detailed notices about a wide range of additional news and events.

 

You can choose to sign up for this “opt-in” service, and can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up by clicking the “Albany SNN” logo on the right-hand menu on this page. (MORE)

 

Make your reservations today for the

2010 Hall of Fame induction dinner

The 14 members of the City School District of Albany Hall of Fame Class of 2010 will be inducted during a dinner reception Friday, Oct. 8, kicking off Albany High School's annual Homecoming Weekend.

 

Tickets for the dinner are $35 if purchased by the reservation deadline of Sept. 17. Tickets will be available at the door for $45. You can download the dinner invitation and reservation form, and visit the Hall of Fame section for more information about the Class of 2010 and more Homecoming Weekend activities.

 

District updating alumni directory

The City School District of Albany is in the process of updating its alumni directory and is working with Harris Connect, which helped the district prepare the most recent version in 1997.

 

Representatives from Harris Connect will be contacting graduates of Albany High School and the former Philip Schuyler High School by mail and telephone to update directory and biographical information. (MORE)

 

The City School District of Albany's annual visual and fire inspection has been completed for 2009. The inspection includes all school buildings the district owns or leases.

 

Reports for each building are available. To receive a copy, or for additional information, call the Buildings and Grounds Department at 462-7323.