Good afternoon!
I hope everyone had a good weekend and stayed warm! It is hard to believe there are two full weeks remaining of school prior to the holiday break and a bit longer until we say goodbye to 2025. Since second quarter interim grades close this Friday (12/12), I encourage you to reinforce with your children the importance of handing in all missing assignments as soon as possible
Join us to celebrate the sounds (and tastes!) of the season at our annual Winter Concert and PTA Dessert Auction this Tuesday (tomorrow) at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium. We are very proud of our young musical artists and look forward to showcasing some of the best talent in the area. Attention baking enthusiasts: This is your time to shine as well! Donations of baked goods make up our Dessert Auction, and we hope you will consider making something to contribute. Store-bought baked goods are also more than welcome. Please bring all items to the Hackett Main Office tomorrow, either in the morning or immediately before the concert. All proceeds from the auction benefit students through the Hackett PTA.
Our first-quarter Honor Roll Ceremony will take place this Wednesday (12/10) at 8:30 a.m. in the auditorium. Please join us to celebrate our students' academic achievement! Doors open at 8:10 a.m. Please see the info below.
Check in at school events more quickly – We are initiating a new system to streamline the entry of parents and other visitors who attend school events during the school day. It's called Raptor EventSafe, and it's an app that allows guests to create a profile, verify their identity and store tickets. Once at school, guests can use the app QR code for quick check-in while being screened for safety.
Click on this link to register for Wednesday's Honor Roll Ceremony, and it will take you to the event registration page. Fill out the form and click finish. After submitting, you will receive a text message and an email to join our RaptorSafe mobile app. Follow the steps to verify your identity and accept the invitation to the event. You will then be able to access your event ticket in the My Events section of the app. When you arrive at the Honor Roll Ceremony, open your ticket QR code and a member of the Hackett security team will scan it and print you a badge in seconds.
Stay connected!
Check out our website and Facebook page in addition to my weekly emails. You also can reach out to us at (518) 475-6475.
Now for our 'Don't Snooze and Lose News'
Besides the items listed above, please make a note of the following information:
- Attention parents of eighth-graders: The lottery drawing to determine which Albany High School academy your child will attend this September will be held this Thursday, Dec. 11.
- Interim grades for the second term close this Friday.
- On Dec. 19, the theme for Friday Fun Day will be “Flashback to the ‘90s.” Let's show our school spirit by wearing some fly fashion from the 1990s! We will continue to celebrate each Friday Fun Day in a different way to boost school pride and add a little fun to our week. This is a great way to build healthy relationships and look forward to the weekend!
- There will be no school Wednesday, Dec. 24-Friday, Jan. 2 for Holiday Recess. Classes will resume on Monday, Jan. 5.
- Our next PTA meeting will be held in 2026! Please join us on Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 6:30 p.m. in room 112. Can't make the meeting in-person? You can attend virtually via this Google meet link.
- There will be no school on Monday, Jan. 19 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
- Second-quarter grades close on Friday, Jan. 23.
Holiday wishes
As we start the winter holidays, I want to wish everyone a safe, warm and memorable holiday season. Whether you end up traveling or staying here for the holidays, I hope all of you can enjoy some time together with family and friends. I am so grateful and honored to serve as your principal. Happy holidays!
Important reminders
Attention student skiers, snowboarders and those who want to learn either or both! Ski Club is preparing for the upcoming season. Interested students can pick up the paperwork in room 112. Year after year, our students benefit from building confidence and new skills, enhancing social skills and improving their overall physical fitness. Ski Club also offers a more affordable way to enjoy skiing and snowboarding through our group discounts.
Our Extended Day Program is underway! This after-school program takes place Monday-Thursday from 3-5:30 p.m. and includes a free snack and free door-to-door bus transportation home. Programs include swimming, cooking, judo, cosmetology, dance, arts and crafts, yearbook and more! Applications are available at the Attendance Desk in the main foyer. Completed forms should be returned to the Main Office, and any specific questions should be directed to Ms. Lewis at dlewis2@albany.k12.ny.us. The program runs through June.
Our school district recently joined with Mayor Sheehan and transportation partners to announce stop-arm cameras on all First Student (yellow) buses, an important new initiative to improve traffic safety for our students and our community. BusPatrol will issue citations for violations captured on the bus cameras, with fines as much as $300 being paid to the city.
We have new rules in place about student cell phone use in school. You can get more information about the rules here.
As a reminder, speed cameras are operational and intended to help enforce the city's 20 mph speed limit in school zones. Fines are $50 per offense. Please help keep our school communities, students and staff safe and adhere to these speed zones on your daily commute.
We will hold emergency response drills throughout the school year. The safety of everyone in our school community is extremely important. Holding these practice drills, including lockdown drills, is crucial to our overall emergency planning. Before we practice a drill, we teach students, faculty and staff about the procedures to follow in an emergency.
Hackett Corner Quotes
"If kisses were snowflakes, I'd send you a blizzard." – Unknown