November 18, 2022 Hello, Friends, With Thanksgiving only days away, I’ll start this message by offering my heartfelt thanks to each one of you for your constant support of our School and, most importantly, our students. We are very grateful for the role you play in sustaining the Academies community through your volunteer efforts and your financial support.

Board meeting rescheduled The Board of Trustees meeting that was originally scheduled for yesterday, Nov. 17, has been rescheduled to Wednesday, Nov. 30, in order to provide time for the completion of a market research report. Decisions regarding Organizing by Division will be made at that meeting.

Admissions Open House this Saturday Do you know someone who is interested in learning more about attending The Albany Academies? The Office of Admissions will host an open house this Saturday, Nov. 19, at 11 a.m. We will provide tours of the campus and share the benefits of joining the Academies community. Please share this registration link with anyone who is interested: https://www.albanyacademies.org/admissions/admission-events

Giving Tuesday coming soon Giving Tuesday, a movement to unleash the power of radical generosity throughout the world, is coming up on Nov. 29. Since its inception in 2012, Giving Tuesday has grown into a global event that inspires hundreds of millions of people to support others in countless ways. We hope you will include The Albany Academies in your Giving Tuesday plans. Learn more about how your generosity supports our students at boostmyschool.com/academies-strong.

Frank E. O’Brien III ’84 Alumni Hockey Game a month away We’re just one month away from the annual Frank E. O’Brien III ’84 Memorial Alumni Hockey Game, which will take place on Friday, Dec. 30, at 4 p.m. in the Robison Rink at the Michael B. Picotte Field House. Frank was a three-sport athlete at the Academy, playing golf, lacrosse, and hockey, and was a member of the 1983 NYC Section II championship hockey team. Frank passed away on Dec. 14, 2007, at the age of 40 after a courageous battle with brain cancer. He was inducted posthumously into The Albany Academy Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008. If you would like to participate in the game, please register here. Families are welcome to join the fun at a reception following the game.

Former Head of School passes We are saddened to learn of the death of former Albany Academy Head of School Jim Manning, who led the school from 1979 to 1990. Jim’s children, Robert Manning '90, Eric Manning '86, Paul Manning '87, Rebecca Manning Chase '83, and Emily Manning Mathon all attended The Albany Academies. We offer our condolences to his family.

Students perform PASSAGE by Christopher Chen Earlier this month, students took to the stage and wowed parents and friends with their performance of PASSAGE by Christopher Chen. Hats off to our Virtual and Performing Arts Department and to all of the student performers for a job well done! I am continually amazed by the talents of our students!

Faculty Member named Artist of the Year Congratulations to Jason Medicine Eagle Martinez, our Early Childhood and AAG Lower and Middle School visual arts teacher, who has been named the 2022 Mona Ruth Brickman Memorial Artist of the Year by The Albany Center Gallery. The annual award recognizes talented local artists who produce inspiring work. We are thrilled that Jason has been named this year’s recipient!

NYSAIS Reaccreditation Visiting Committee on campus The Albany Academies hosted a New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) accreditation committee recently. Ten educators from across the state spent three days observing the various aspects of our educational and co-curricular programs. They then assessed what they saw using our self-study and over a hundred standards for state accreditations. We will soon receive a draft of their accreditation report, including commendations for the exemplary aspects of our work and recommendations for improvement. Before the visiting team left, they pointed out that our culture was one in which students are nurtured and challenged “to become their best and truest selves” and that the teaching they saw “was of the highest caliber.”

Volunteers needed Are you looking for a way to get more involved in Academies activities? We are currently looking for additional volunteers for our Spring Gathering and ARTrageous fundraising events. Spring Gathering, to be held in early 2023, raises funds to support merit scholarships and financial aid for students at the Academies. ARTrageous, our annual fundraiser to support the arts at the Academies, showcases the amazing artwork created by our talented students and honors inductees into the Academies’ Arts Hall of Fame. If you are interested in joining the planning committee for either (or both!) of these events, please contact me.

Reunion 2023 Set for May 18-20 We hoped you’ve already saved the date to join us on May 18 – 20 for Reunion 2023. This year we will be celebrating class years that end in 3 and 8, and especially the classes of 1973 on their 50th reunion. Thank you to those who have volunteered to be a class co-chairs. If you are interested in serving as co-chair for your class, please contact Joanne DelCarpine at delcarpinej@albanyacademies.org or call 518.429.2391. We’re looking forward to seeing you back on campus!

The passing of a special alumna Elizabeth “Betty” Sonneborn ’40, P’65, ’67, ’68, ’72, GP ’03, ‘06, a lifelong member of the Albany community, passed away on October 26, 2022. Betty was a very proud graduate of Albany Academy for Girls. She graduated from Wellesley College, class of 1944, following a break during World War II during which she served as a Curtiss Wright Cadette at R.P.I. in the experimental design division of the propeller department. Betty loved learning and she loved life. She remained involved with the Academies over many years and was also an active volunteer in the greater Albany community, serving on numerous boards including the Albany Institute of History and Art for over 75 years and St. Margaret's Center for Children for 41 years, chairing two capital campaigns, and serving in numerous other leadership roles. In 1990 Betty was honored by the University at Albany with a Citizen Laureate award, recognizing her outstanding contributions to the Capital Region. You can read the full obituary notice by clicking HERE.   I will always remember Betty’s inspiring remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Borisenok Family Science Center back in 2015 where she spoke about the importance of women pursuing careers in STEM. She was so excited to be part of the building of the new science center at AAG. Pictured here is a photo from that event.

AA Varsity Basketball Coach named Jim Driggs has been named the AA Varsity Basketball Coach. For the past three years, he has served as an assistant coach at the school and helped lead the team to multiple NYS Federation of Secondary Schools Athletic Association (NYSFSSAA) championships. Prior to joining The Albany Academy program, Jim was an assistant coach at Eastern Connecticut State University, Union College, RPI, and the University of Rochester and served as a head coach at Allegheny College. During his time at the University of Rochester, he was instrumental in the team’s tremendous success as it advanced to the NCAA Tournament twice, including the Sweet 16. We look forward to Jim’s presence on the court this winter!

Golf Simulator ribbon cutting We officially dedicated the Trackman Golf Simulator located in the Michael B. Picotte Field House on November 3. Thank you to the many donors, including several alumni and alumnae, who helped make this possible. Both the AA and AAG golf programs have experienced tremendous success and the student-athletes look forward to using the simulator during the months ahead.

Happy Hour Meet-Ups Scheduled The regional chairs of the Young Leaders Program have scheduled some upcoming Meet-Ups to provide an opportunity for young alumni and alumnae to get together informally and network with each other. Please mark your calendars for the following dates: Albany -- December 8 New York -- December 7 Boston -- December 8 Locations will be finalized in the next week, so be on the lookout for more information. If you are interested in attending, please register here.

Are we in your estate plans? The Albany Academies are strengthened each year by the support it receives from loyal alumni, alumnae, and friends like you. We want to express our gratitude for your estate gift — but we may not know about it. If you have included The Albany Academies in your estate plan, or if you would like more information on how you can join our Academies Society, please contact Silvia Edmonds, Director of Development, at edmondss@albanyacademies.org or 518.429.2414 or visit

I hope you and your loved ones enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving! Best,

Ann Wendth Chief Advancement Officer

albanyacademies.org

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