Albany City Schools, Giffen Memorial

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Giffen Memorial Elementary

Giffen Memorial Elementary School
Maxine Fantroy-Ford, Principal
274 South Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12202
(click here for directions)
Ph: (518) 475-6650
Fax: (518) 475-6652

e-mail: mfantroy-ford@albany.k12.ny.us

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)

Renovated building opened with great fanfare

The City School District of Albany and Giffen Memorial Elementary School celebrated the start of the new year with a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of the latest project in the district’s facilities plan. (Click here to see

more photos of the day.)

Giffen is the 11^th building completed in the sweeping effort to renovate or rebuild every elementary and middle school. Originally opened in 1960, Giffen serves students from prekindergarten through grade 6. It is one of the district’s largest elementary schools. (MORE)

New principal a familiar face at Giffen

Maxine Fantroy-Ford has returned to Giffen Memorial Elementary School as the new principal for the 2009-10 school year, following three years in the same role at Albany High School.

Mrs. Fantroy-Ford began her new role July 1 and is excited for the upcoming school year. It will be her third stint as Giffen's principal.

"I am thrilled to be able to once again take the knowledge and information that I have learned at another academic level and apply it to an elementary school," she said. "I look forward to working with the faculty, staff and parents to inspire academic excellence in our students. I believe that my experience at the high school level will be an asset to Giffen as we continue to move the school from good to great."

An Albany High School graduate, Mrs. Fantroy-Ford joined the district in 1977 as an art teacher at Arbor Hill Elementary School. She earned her M.S. in educational administration and was appointed principal of Giffen for the first time in 1983. In 1990, she became the district's magnet schools director, and oversaw the opening of the district’s magnet programs, which have been recognized by both the state and federal governments for their achievements.

In 1997, Mrs. Fantroy-Ford returned to Giffen as principal. She established high standards for students, teachers and parents, rallying the school community around the goal of increased student performance. Her leadership paid off: test scores increased, afterschool programming grew and home, community and school relationships strengthened.

About Giffen
Giffen Memorial Elementary School is a neighborhood elementary school that serves approximately 430 students in prekindergarten through grade 6. Giffen is an exciting place to learn where children develop their natural gifts and abilities as they gain confidence in their potential.

We are proud to be able to provide a range of programs and services to take care of our children's academic needs as well as provide health and wellness services on-site. These services include mobile dental health services through our partnership with the St. Peter's Hospital and Ronald McDonald House, and school-based health services through our partnership with Whitney M. Young Jr. Health Services, in addition to mental health and other wellness services on premises.

Tuesday, Feb. 9 -- PTA meeting, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 11 -- SDM meeting, 4 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 15-Friday, Feb. 19 -- Winter recess, no school.
Wednesday, Feb. 24 -- African-American history month celebration
Wednesday, March 3 -- All-City Choral Concert, Myers Middle School, 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 6 -- Prekindergarten Registration Blast, Schuyler Achievement Academy, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Wednesday, March 10 -- All-City Band Concert, Hackett Middle School, 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 11 -- Shared Decision-Making team meeting, 4 p.m.
Friday, March 12 -- Parent-teacher conference day, early dismissal
Tuesday, March 16 -- PTA meeting, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, March 17 -- All-City Strings Concert, Hackett Middle School., 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 25 -- Career fair, 9 a.m.-noon
Saturday, March 27 -- New York State School Music Association festival, Hackett Middle School
Tuesday, March 30 -- Spring picture day
School supply lists -- Click here to download the school supply lists for 2009-10.
Click here to visit the City School District of Albany Photo Gallery

Breakfast begins at 8:45 a.m.
The school day begins at 9:05 a.m.
The school day ends at 3:35 p.m.

Absence from school
If your child is absent from school for any reason, call the school at 462-7176 during the morning and provide a written excuse when your child returns to school.