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Middle school enrollment projections: As a result of
declining middle school enrollment projections, it is
anticipated that only two middle school programs, in
addition to the PreK-8 program at North Albany Academy, will
be necessary beginning with the 2008-09 school year.
Additionally, due to academic performance at Philip
Livingston Magnet Academy and William S. Hackett Middle
School in recent years, both schools are reaching stages of
the federal No Child Left Behind and New York State
Department of Education accountability system where
significant changes, including the potential for closing the
schools and reopening them with different programs and
structures, could be required by the state.
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Re-engineering the Albany High School academic program:
At the same time, district officials are looking at how to
re-engineer the academic program at Albany High School to
maximize student achievement and engagement and ease
congestion of the approximately 2,400 students it currently
serves.
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Two magnet middle schools: The themes proposed for
the two schools include arts and humanities, and research
science and technology. Through an interdisciplinary
approach to classroom instruction, tying the curriculum to
themes and real world applications, and enhancing the
quality of teaching/instruction through research-based
professional growth strategies, the result will be a program
rich in academic support and opportunity.
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Albany High School: The high school program would be
restructured into “academies,” an innovative approach
that allows students to become engaged in smaller learning
communities. Smaller learning environments have been proven
through research to result in increased student achievement,
as well as a safer and more orderly school atmosphere, an
increased sense of belonging for students and a more
personalized educational experience. The district would
build the academies based on student interest and its
current high school career exploration offerings in areas
such as criminal justice/law, engineering, finance,
communication and the arts, education and health sciences.
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Philip Livingston Magnet Academy: Due to declining
middle school enrollment, Philip Livingston will be
repurposed as Albany High School’s academy of nanoscale
science, engineering and environmental science. This program
will build on the district’s recently announced “NanoHigh”
partnership with the UAlbany College of Nanoscale Science
and Engineering. Also, leveraging Philip Livingston’s
location adjacent to the Tivoli Nature Preserve will create
an opportunity for innovative coursework in the
environmental sciences. This program would be recognized as
a national model for 9-16 education in emerging
technologies.
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