William S. Hackett Middle School
Kenneth W. Newman Sr., Principal
45 Delaware Avenue, Albany, NY 12202

Ph: (518) 475-6475
Fax: (518) 475-6477
Hackett Web site: http://hackett.albany.k12.ny.us

Heading home!

The William S. Hackett Middle School community is excited to be back home to start the 2008-09 school year following a complete renovation of the 82-year-old building at 45 Delaware Ave.

The updated school maintains many of the classic architectural elements and blends an array of new elements into a facility that is the jewel of the City School District of Albany's ongoing facilities project to rebuild or renovate its elementary and                A view up the new central staircase from the main foyer. 

middle schools.

Check out a Photo Gallery highlighting many features of the spectacular new facility.

About William S. Hackett Middle School

Hackett Middle School serves students in grades 6-8 and is uniquely organized to educate students of all ability levels, from those struggling academically to those ready to accelerate. The school's environment is upbeat and caring, and there are many opportunities for young people to mature and grow, socially and academically.

Principal

Kenneth W. Newman Sr. joined the City School District and Albany in August 2005. He came to Albany from Schenectady, where he served as assistant principal at the middle- and high-school levels for more than five years. Prior to becoming an administrator, Mr. Newman taught business education.

Mr. Newman's plans for Hackett are to make big differences in small ways. "We've got too many students achieving low academic scores," he says. "I know these kids can do better and I'm here to get them to the next level."

Daily practice, he says, is one way to accomplish this goal. For example, every teacher now begins class with a problem of the day taken from previous New York State exams. At the end of each month, these problems are compiled into an exam that students should "ace," he adds.

"In doing this," he says, "students review NYS exam material throughout the year rather than just at review time. Plus, students get a confidence booster by achieving high scores on the monthly exams."

This technique is just one of Mr. Newman's plans to raise student achievement.

Upcoming events

• Monday, Jan. 5 -- PTA meeting, 7 p.m.

• Thursday, Jan. 8 -- ELA Family Fun Night, 6:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, Jan. 27 -- BLT/SDM @ Siena College, 8:05 a.m. - 3 p.m.

School times

• Breakfast beings at 7:40 a.m.

• The school day begins at 8 a.m.

• The school day ends at 3 p.m.

Absence from school
If your child is absent from school for any reason, call the school nurse at 475-6475 during the morning and provide a written excuse when your child returns to school.