Welcome to our new week!
I hope everyone enjoyed the three-day weekend and took some time to rest and recharge.
As we return to school with the current winter temperatures, please ensure that your child is dressed appropriately for the cold conditions forecast this week. Please be advised that the entrance door to the cafeteria opens at 7:40 a.m. with the start of breakfast. Prior to this time, students will not have access to the building.
As I mentioned last week, it is imperative that your child hands in all assignments, including any missed work during absences, as this will affect final grades for this marking period. Grades close for the second quarter this Friday, Jan. 23.
Last week's NWEA Winter Reading Assessments went very smoothly, and we now prepare for the NWEA Math Assessments to be administered to all students Wednesday. These assessments are designed to measure math achievement, growth and skill level, providing teachers with data for personalized instruction, interventions and progress monitoring.
The City School District of Albany has begun its annual Family and Community Partnership Survey. This survey is for our students, staff and families to get feedback and input on our work as a district for the purpose of informing improvement and growth. Your input once again is an important part of this work. We hope you will complete this survey, which takes approximately 10-15 minutes, at your earliest convenience.
Our Extended Day Program takes place on Mondays through Thursdays from 3-5:30 p.m. and includes a free snack and free door-to-door bus transportation home. Applications are available at the Attendance Desk at the main entrance and should be returned to the Main Office. Please contact Ms. Lewis at dlewis2@albany.k12.ny.us if you have any questions.
As a reminder, please be mindful of school bus safety signals and school-zone speed limits as both carry fines as much as $300 for stop-arm violations and $50 for speed-zone violations. Delaware Avenue in front of our school and Thomas O'Brien Academy of Science and Technology is one of the city's school speed zones.
As a final note, Hackett will hold fire drill emergency response procedures periodically 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.
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:
- Second-quarter grades close this Friday, Jan. 23.
- As a reminder to our eighth-grade families who were not able to attend Albany High School's Curriculum Night on Jan. 7, check out this presentation, which includes lots of great information about all of the opportunities available for students at the high school.
- Our next Friday Fun Day will take place Jan. 30 and the theme will be "Black and White Day." Let's show our school spirit by wearing some creative black-and-white ensembles! We will continue to celebrate each Friday Fun Day in a different way in order 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!
- Our next PTA meeting will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 6:30 p.m. in room 112. For employees, parents and guardians who are unable to attend the meeting in-person, we hope you will join us virtually by using this Google Meet link.
- Our second round of Parent/Teacher Conferences will take place Thursday, Feb. 5 and Friday, Feb. 6.
- Winter Recess will be Feb. 16-20, with classes resuming on Monday, Feb. 23.
- Our Second Quarter Honor Roll will take place Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 8:30 a.m. in the auditorium.
Hackett Corner Quotes
"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness." – Dalai Lama