March 27, 2020
Dear Friends,
As our spring break comes to a close, I want to thank the many
alumni, alumnae, and friends who have reached out to us during the past couple of weeks as we navigate the impact of COVID-19 on the School. Your unwavering support in this remarkable time has been greatly appreciated by all of us here at The Albany Academies.
I also want to share some of the many wonderful things that are happening here, which I think you will be proud of.
Our Distance Learning program
is moving forward and everything is nearly in place for students to receive online instruction beginning April 1. During their time away from school, our students can expect a basic level of instruction that will keep them on track with their learning and ready to return to school when normal operations resumes.
For students in Preschool through Grade 4, we are providing parents with plans and guidance for daily instruction, with teachers supporting them a few times a day via video conference. For students in grades 5 through PG, we will run a very simple daily schedule, and provide both in-person learning via online video and online assignments. We are keeping our community intact and informed through regular online video meetings for teachers, students, faculty, and families.
Distance Learning Page
An amazing community.
Just yesterday, a parent shared with us how much joy music teacher Matt Streifert is bringing to his students during this most unusual spring break by connecting them via the Zoom video application for a virtual “lunch bunch” chat each day at 11 a.m. She shared,
“When your daughter is 7 years old and doesn’t truly understand why we can’t go out and do things, acts of kindness like this truly brings happiness during a tough time.This evening he brought in his own daughter to assist in some of the songs and then his wife in the end. The happiness these kids feel during this is huge, and it brought tears to my eyes.”
Matt Streifert FB Post
Staying connected.
As we continue the business of the School, we are learning how to remain connected by making good use of the many digital tools available to us. Tele-presence technology is successfully being used to conduct trustee meetings and other important conversations that must now take place virtually. In fact, we are considering some virtual gatherings with alumni and alumni as we necessarily reschedule some of our upcoming events, such as Reunion Weekend.
Social media.
We hope you are following The Albany Academies on Facebook as another way to stay connected to the school. We hope you will share your stories during this remarkable time while reading about “Tech Tip Tuesday”, “Wellness Wednesday,” and “Faculty Friday,” which will give you a window on what’s happening on Academy Road while students are away from campus.
Thank you for your continued support.
Every day, we are working diligently to support our faculty and our students and their families in any way we can. For some families, that might mean helping them acquire the technology hardware they will need for distance learning; for others, it might mean some additional financial aid. We hope you will continue to support us in our efforts to ensure our students have the best possible education, especially during these unsettling times.
Thank you and please stay in touch. Be well.
Warmly,
Ann Wendth
Director of Institutional Advancement
