Welcome to the 2021-22 school year at ASH!

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The following is a message from Principal Marie Culihan:

I am excited to welcome both new and returning families to Albany School of Humanities for the 2021-2022 school year! We are diligently working to prepare for the arrival of our amazing students on September 8, 2021. We are looking forward to another great year filled with engaging learning experiences here at ASH including One School One Book, theater arts classes, literacy night, and many events and programs 

The following information is provided to assist you in preparing for the opening of the school year. Please note that your child’s classroom assignment is located on the back of this letter.

  • Every day in school counts!  We have ambitious goals for our learning community and your child’s presence in school every day is crucial to his/her success.
  • Please bring your child to school on time and pick up on time. It’s important to plan appointments so that your child misses as little school as possible.  All of the core subjects (English language arts and math) are taught in the morning. If your child is late, they will miss an essential part of their education.
  • Please call the school by 7:45 a.m., if your child is going to be absent from school or tardy.  The telephone number is 518-475-6575.  This phone call does not take the place of a legal written note upon your child’s return to school.  A written note must be received within five days or it will be counted as an illegal absence. Your child(ren) will receive additional school procedures through the homework folders.  
  • Doors will open for students at 8 a.m. Staff members are not available for student supervision prior to breakfast; therefore, parents/guardians should not drop their child off prior to official start time. 
  • The instructional school day begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m. Students who arrive after 8:10 a.m. will be counted as late.   
  • In the first week of school you will receive many notices.  Please check your child’s backpack daily and make sure that you have provided updated contact information for your child. Whenever your phone number or address changes, please contact the Main Office at 475-6575 and immediately complete the necessary paperwork to ensure that all of your information is current and accurate. It’s also important to list the people who have permission to pick up your child on the contact sheet. For your child’s safety we will not dismiss a child to someone who is not on the contact sheet.  No exceptions will be made.  This contact sheet is included in this mailing and we ask that your child return it on the first day.

Bus Transportation
Kindergarten through Grade 5 students, who live more than 1.5 miles from school, are eligible for bus transportation through our district provider, First Student.  Special Education students are also eligible for bus transportation with the same provider. Call the District’s Transportation Department at 475-6170 or First Student at 445-6372 with busing questions regarding the route and schedule. It will take a couple weeks for the busses to run on a regular schedule so please be patient with the process. In the beginning of the school year a student may arrive home 15-20 minutes later than expected.

September Events
Begin your year proactively by getting involved! Below are our September events dates.  We hope to see every family present.

  • Thursday, September 2:  Orientation for kindergarten-grade 2 (8 a.m.-2:30 p.m.)
  • Friday, September 3: Orientation for grades 3-5 (8 a.m.-2:30 p.m.)
  • Thursday, September 30: Meet the Teacher Night/Ice Cream Social 6:00 p.m. 

I am excited for the start of a new school year and a year filled with learning and fun. Please enjoy the rest of your summer - read a good book and get ready for an exciting school year!