Dear Friends,

Next week we will celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week with meals, treats, and special events organized by the AAPA. Thank you to all who will be celebrating the finest faculty, coaches, staff, and administrators in the Capital Region! If you have meant to show your appreciation to your favorite educator, next week is the perfect time.

Last Saturday’s Spring Gathering was a great success! We are all so very grateful to all those who made it happen and to all who attended. Your support helps us continue our tradition of excellence.

We also hosted members of our Board of Visitors during the day, who spent time learning about the impact of the Gifford Faculty Innovation Awards, among other things.

You’ll see below that awards and honors for several year-long activities have started, and senior recognition for spring student-athletes begins this week. This, coupled with the announcement of our commencement speakers, is a sure sign that the Academic Year is winding down. The Academies will be busy over the next few weeks, so please read the various announcements and bulletins sent to you.

Finally, I look forward to tomorrow’s Open House and Family Fun Day, Sunday’s Scholar Luncheon, and next Thursday’s AAPA/Board of Trustees gathering in the Stevens Center at 5:30 p.m. 

I hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Chris Lauricella

Head of School

Open House and Family Fun Day

Please join us and Refer-a-Family to attend our upcoming Open House and Family Fun Day taking place on Saturday, May 6, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Prospective families of boys and girls entering Pre-School through Grade 6 are invited to learn more about our school and meet our faculty and Admissions team. Current and prospective families who attend will enjoy:

• Fun and educational activities led by our Early Childhood and Lower School faculty
• Tours of our buildings and beautiful 52 acre campus
• Live music performances by Andy the Music Man
• Refreshments

If you are able to let us know in advance that you will be attending, please call (518) 429-2348 or email admissions@albanyacademies.org. We hope to see you there!

The Arts Spring Festival

Please join us for one of four performances next week. 

May 10, 2023

2:00 pm - Middle School Music Performance featuring the 5/6 girls chorus, 5/6 boys chorus, 7/8 chorus, 5/6 concert band, and the 7/8 symphonic band. (Caird Chapel)

May 12, 2023

12:30 pm - Early Childhood Performance - Preschool, PreKs and Kindergarten (Auditorium)

1:15 pm - Girls Lower school and 4th grade band performance (Auditorium)

2:30 pm - Boys Lower School performance (Caird Chapel)



We hope you can join us for one or all of these wonderful student performances. 

Annual AAPA Meeting with the Board of Trustees

Please join us for the annual AAPA meeting with the Board of Trustees on May 11 at 5:30 p.m. in the Stevens Center. We will discuss master facility planning, campus realignment, and upcoming buildings and ground projects. This meeting is an in-person-only meeting. To ensure an accurate hospitality count, kindly RSVP to reidm@albanyacademies.org.

 We look forward to seeing you there!

Commencement Speakers

We’re pleased to announce that Elon D. Johnson ’94, Senior Creative Director & Head of Development at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, will be the 2023 Albany Academy for Girls commencement speaker on June 12. Called a storyteller and visionary, Elon is an influential player in the entertainment world. She discovers, fields, creates, elevates, develops, and produces TV series, TV and feature films, and over-the-top media services offered directly to viewers via the internet. As an Emmy Award-nominated producer, Elon has led the creation and execution of many critically acclaimed shows across several networks.

Dr. Peter Kim ’87 will be the commencement speaker at The Albany Academy on June 13. Dr. Kim has worked as a surgeon at North Central Bronx Hospital and Jacobi Medical Center, two municipal hospitals in New York City. He has also taught medical students and residents as an Associate Professor of Surgery at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Kim started the North Bronx Faculty Practice and has served as a Director of the Board for the Physician Affiliate Group of NY (PAGNY) for the last 9 years. Recently, Dr. Kim has started a video podcast series called “Between Two Scalpels” with General Surgery News exploring new topics in the fields of surgery, anesthesia, and medicine.

We are looking forward to hearing from these inspiring speakers.

National Mental Health Awareness Month

At The Albany Academies, we recognize the impact that a student’s mental health can have not only on their well-being but also on their learning and achievement. In addition to providing individual and small group support to all students, our dedicated counselors work with students in numerous ways throughout the year to emphasize the importance of self-care, help to identify and utilize coping strategies, and provide opportunities for open dialogues on various social-emotional learning topics. This month some initiatives that are taking place at each divisional level include:

ECA & Lower School: Our PS-6 counselor, Kendra Cunningham, will continue to work with students in developing and practicing their mindfulness techniques by pushing into their classrooms.

Middle School: Our PS-6 and 7-12 counselors, Kendra Cunningham and Lisa Strain, will be highlighting the importance of mental health awareness during their Social-Emotional Learning lessons.

Upper School: Our 7-12 counselor, Lisa Strain, will be presenting mental health facts in Chapel and Assembly and will be distributing pamphlets with mental health resources to students.

We are here to help and support in any way and are available to answer any questions and address any concerns that you may have.

School counselor’s contact information:

• Kendra Cunningham, PS-6 Counselor: cunninghamk@albanyacademies.org 518-429-2300 ext. 591
• Lisa Strain. 7-12 Counselor: strainl@albanyacademies.org 518-(518) 429-2300 ext. 413

Director of Student Support contact information:

Meghan Holdsworth, holdsworthm@albanyacademies.org 518-429-2301

Support Lines:

Suicide prevention 1-800-273-8255

Teen line 1-800-852-8336

call or text 988

text Hello to 741741

911

Eating Disorder 1-800-931-2237

text Neda to 741741

LGBTQ 1-866-488-7386

text Start to 678678

Mental Health 1-800-950-6264

text Nami to 741741

Self-Harm 1-800-366-8288

text Connect to 741741

Grief 1-800-445-4808

text Care to 839863

Bullying 1-800-420-1479

text Home to 741741

Sexual Assault 1-800-656-4673

text Home to 741741

Domestic Violence 1-800-799-7233

text Support to 741741

Food Allergy Awareness Month 

Food Allergy Facts: 

• A food allergy is a medical condition in which exposure to a food triggers a harmful immune response called an allergic reaction. The symptoms of an allergic reaction to food can range from mild (itchy mouth, a few hives) to severe (throat tightening, difficulty breathing). Allergic reactions require immediate treatment.  
• Nine major food allergens – milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, crustacean shellfish, and sesame – are responsible for most of the serious food allergy reactions in the United States. 

Ways The Albany Academies Promotes Allergen Awareness and Safety: 

• Teachers and food staff are educated on student allergies and treatment. 
• Peanut butter is currently not served at The Albany Academies.  
• Outside food coming into school needs to contain a food label, should be nut-free, and families should avoid sending in any food that may contain allergens a student has within the classroom.  

To find out more about Food Allergies, please visit the FARE website. 

Resource: https://www.foodallergy.org/

Joseph Henry Science Fair

Congratulations to the following students who placed in the top spots for the Grade 7 Science Symposium. They have qualified to present their projects at the Joseph Henry Science Fair being held at the College of Saint Rose on May 19.

Elizabeth D. & Zoha K - Effects of Angles on Melting Butter

Cora H. - The Classification of Memorization

Cecilia S. - The Effects of Vision Loss on Reaction Time

Amelia B. - Tuck Angles Effects in Downhill Ski Slopes

Leah F. - Flexible Sticks and Speedy Slap Shots

James S. & Patrick V. - Do the Microbes Thrive, Survive or Die?

Max A. - Caffeine - Growth or Hoax?

Will H. - Generating the Future

Chris M. - Sonic Extinguisher

Alex S. - One Bad Apple Spoils the Bunch!

French Honor Society Induction Ceremony

The French Honor Society inducted 15 additional students on May 4th.



Congratulations to the following students: Devin S. '23, Hudson C. '24, Za'mari T. '24, Sokhna D. '25, Sonnet E.'25, Lexi F. '25, Delaney W. '25, Chase C. '26, Evie F. '26, Danny G. '26, Sophie H. '26, Ajai M. '26, Lucia R. '26, Chad S. '26, Teddy S. '26.

AP Exam Policies and Procedures

2023 AP Exam Policies and Procedures

• All exams are administered in the Old Gym on the AA Campus.
• All students enrolled in an AP class will sit for the exam.
• Students have already registered for exams.
• Students must bring multiple number 2 pencils with erasers (NOT MECHANICAL PENCILS) and pens with black or dark blue ink for every exam.
• Students can bring approved calculators for exams that allow the use of calculators.
• Morning exams will begin at 8:00 am. Students should arrive by 7:45am.
• Students taking a morning exam are excused from afternoon classes on the day prior to their morning exam. Students who elect not to attend classes to study for their APs are permitted to participate in scheduled after-school activities (i.e., athletic contests, performances, practices) on that day.
• Afternoon exams will begin at 12:00 pm. Students should arrive by 11:45am.
• Students taking an afternoon exam are excused from morning classes on the day of their afternoon exam.
• Students will adhere to the school dress code for all AP exams.
• Students with an athletic contest on the day of an afternoon exam may wear pregame/warmup gear to the exam.
• Students with accommodations approved by the College Board please check in with your college counselor for your testing location.
• Students who have a morning and afternoon exam on the same day please see your college counselor to discuss lunch options.

AP Exam Schedule

Monday, May 8, 2023

8:00 a.m. AP Calculus AB/BC

12:00 p.m. AP Computer Science Principles

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

12:00 p.m. AP Physics C

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

8:00 a.m. AP Spanish

12:00 p.m. AP Biology

Thursday, May 11, 2023

8:00 a.m. AP French

12:00 p.m. AP Physics 1

Friday, May 12, 2023

8:00 a.m. AP Music Theory

12:00 p.m. AP Latin

12:00 p.m. AP Physics 2

How Does Your Garden Grow?

This week, in dance class students had the opportunity to practice our performance pieces on the stage for the first time. Students worked hard to adapt to new conditions such as spacing and lighting elements. 

Mrs. Maloney incorporated a Mushroom theme into the math curriculum. The boys cut out and seriated different sized mushrooms on their brown dirt paper. Later they used inchworm markers to link and measure how long each mushroom was. They reordered the numeral for the length on each mushroom!  

In science class, Ms. Foster had ECA students investigate earthworms and their environment. Scientist used magnifying glasses to get a closer look.

Students continue to work on their botanical themed projects in art class. 

Grade 8 Honors Projects

The Eighth Grade Honors Project is an optional, independent, year-long endeavor, during which students can delve into any topic they choose. Whether investigating a brand new area or pursuing an already existing passion, these projects are student-designed and end with a culminating presentation, which is presented to their middle school colleagues. Below are the students presenting next week and summaries of their projects. 

Chris Z ‘27 “Spinning Morality of Leaders”

Chris examines moral philosophy as it relates to leaders throughout history. Using examples of famous leaders from around the world like Empress Wu Zetian and Thomas Jefferson, he explores the morality of their actions in power and how the World perceives them.

David F ‘27 “The Art of Wellness” 

As an experienced and well-trained Juilliard musician, David explains the injuries associated with repeated use of the same body/hand positions while he plays the piano. He dives into preventions and treatments of these common injuries and shows similarities between professional musicians and overuse injuries in athletes concluding that taking care to prevent these injuries is the best method.

Samuel W ‘27 “3D Printing”

Sam will present on the innovation and development of the 3D printer and the accelerated production occurring in many fields, such as prosthetics, medical models, and car parts. He uses his experiences using a resin DLP printer and an FDM printer to make a variety of items to show the many unique challenges these printers encounter during programming and production.

Upper School Math for Credit Summer Classes

Classes: Algebra 1, Geometry and Pre-Calculus

Dates: June 20-July 31

Time: 8am-11am

Cost: $1,250

Registration is now open. Click here to view class information. Click here to register for the class.

For math specific questions, please contact Math Dept. Chair, Robert Bischoff at bischoffr@albanyacademies.org

Lost and Found Items

Is your child missing any items? Please check the lost and found collections located in:

• AAG Room 10-08 (Front hallway)
• AA Room 0-01 (Across from the Buttery)
• Silipigno Athletic Facility (Back hallway)
• Michael B. Picotte Field House (Main locker room)

Upper School students will be participating in the 19th Annual Team Billy Ride and Walk for Research in honor of Billy Grey, a student who passed away from a brain tumor while a student at The Albany Academy.  Upper School student leaders, prefects and incoming student leaders will be volunteering to help at this event which is being coordinated by Beck House prefects.

The event will be held on Sunday, May 21, 2023 in Saratoga Springs. Proceeds from the Team Billy Ride and Walk for Research benefit the National Brain Tumor Society.

Please visit www.teambilly.org for more information and to register.

A Glimpse Into Our Classrooms

Ms. Anetzberger's sixth grade Science class had a guest visitor, Ethan R. '23, to help them with their Planetary Research Project. Ethan is a student in Dr. Howard's Astronomy class.

Grade 2 students have been busy learning about Ancient Greece and how to write a persuasive paragraph. On Friday, they transformed their classroom into an agora, or Greek market place, and convinced their classmates and other community members to buy the goods they created.

The AAG Grade 3 students have each researched and written a report about a US President. The reports included background about each president, important events which happened during presidencies, as well as interesting facts. The girls presented their reports, posters and photographs to parents, faculty, staff and to lower school students. The girls also dressed up as their presidents.

Opportunity to be a Host Family

As we prepare for the 2023-2024 academic year, we are looking for families who are interested in learning about hosting a student-athlete in their home. A host family provides a safe, caring, and friendly home atmosphere and serves as a role model and extended family to the student. Please click here to view the brochure for hosting a student-athlete. If you are interested in learning more about how to participate, please contact Amy McClain.

Alumni and Alumnae Golf Outing planned



Spring is here and it’s the perfect time to hit the links! Join us on Monday, June 19, at Colonie Golf and Country Club for a fun-filled day of golf. Come out to meet some of our scholar-athletes, purchase raffle tickets, have dinner with us, make a donation, or join us for a round of golf – no golf experience needed! The cost is $250 per person for golf and dinner and $60 per person for dinner only. To register, purchase tickets to our awards dinner and raffle, or make a donation, CLICK HERE.

Celebrating at the Spring Gathering

We had a lovely evening on Saturday, April 29 as a wonderful group of 250 attendees joined us for our annual fundraiser to support merit scholarships and financial aid. We were pleased to recognize this year’s honorees: Nancy Carey Cassidy P’13, P’15, longtime president of The Albany Academies Board of Trustees; Caroline Mason, former headmistress of Albany Academy for Girls; and Dave Pascone P’02, beloved Academies faculty member. The event was a great success. Thank you to Trustees Elissa Smith P'23, '25, '26 and Kaari Stannard P'20, '23 for co-chairing the event and to the many parent volunteers, sponsors, and honorary committee members who supported Spring Gathering. Click here to see a photo gallery from the event.

May 8, 2023

Day 1

AP Exams

8:00 a.m. Upper School Chapel (Caird Chapel)

8:00 a.m. Upper School Morning Meeting (Auditorium)

8:00 a.m. AP Calculus AB/BC (Old Gym)

8:30 a.m. AAG Grade 3 & AA Grade 4 Field Trip to the Capitol

9:00 a.m. Grade 2 Field Trip to Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center

12:00 p.m. AP Computer Science Principles (Old Gym)

3:30 p.m. Afterschool Enrichment Programs

May 9, 2023

Day 2

8:00 a.m. Upper School Chapel (Caird Chapel)

8:00 a.m. Upper School Morning Meeting (Auditorium)

12:00 p.m. AP Physics C (Old Gym)

3:30 p.m. Afterschool Enrichment Programs

May 10, 2023

Day 3

8:00 a.m. Upper School Chapel (Caird Chapel)

8:00 a.m. Upper School Morning Meeting (Auditorium)

8:00 a.m. AP Spanish (Old Gym)

12:00 p.m. AP Biology (Old Gym)

2:00 pm - Middle School Music Performance featuring the 5/6 girls chorus, 5/6 boys chorus, 7/8 chorus, 5/6 concert band, and the 7/8 symphonic band. (Caird Chapel)

3:30 p.m. Afterschool Enrichment Programs

May 11, 2023

Day 4

8:00 a.m. Upper School Chapel (Caird Chapel)

8:00 a.m. Upper School Morning Meeting (Auditorium)

8:00 a.m. AP French (Old Gym)

8:20 a.m. AA Lower School Chapel (Caird Chapel)

8:30 a.m. Mock Trial Field Trip to the Federal Courthouse

12:00 p.m. AP Physics 1 (Old Gym)

5:30 p.m. Board of Trustees and Parent Meeting (Stevens Center)

May 12, 2023

Day 5

8:00 a.m. Upper School Chapel (Caird Chapel)

8:00 a.m. Upper School Morning Meeting (Auditorium)

8:00 a.m. AP Music Theory (Old Gym)

8:15 a.m. AAG Lower School Assembly (Auditorium)

12:00 p.m. AP Latin (Old Gym)

12:00 p.m. AP Physics 2 (Old Gym)

12:30 pm - Early Childhood Performance - Preschool, PreKs and Kindergarten (Auditorium)

1:15 pm - Girls Lower school and 4th grade band performance (Auditorium)

2:00 p.m. AAG Grade 4 Dear America Presentation (Auditorium)

2:30 pm - Boys Lower School performance (Caird Chapel)

May 13 - Prom

May 18 - 20 - Reunion Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner

May 19 - Famous Women Presentation, Reunion & Arts Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

May 19 - Arts Hall of Fame Ceremony and Performance

May 20 - Reunion

May 21 - Team Billy Ride and Walk for Research

May 23 - 7/8Theatre Ensemble Performance

May 24 - Division II/III Signing Day

May 25 - Grade 2 Field Trip to NYS Museum

May 29 - Memorial Day (School Closed)

May 30 - June 2 - Upper School Final Exams

June 1 - AAG Grade 6 Renaissance Faire

June 5 - Lower School Field Day

June 6 - Middle School Field Day

June 7 - Last Chapel

June 7 - Final Assembly

June 7 - May Project Fair

June 8 - AA Middle School Closing Ceremony

June 8 - AAG Middle School Moving Up Ceremony

June 8 - Kindergarten Graduation Ceremonies

June 9 - AAG Lower School Closing Ceremony

June 9 - AA Lower School Closing Ceremony

June 9 - AAG Senior Tea

June 11 - AAG Commencement Rehearsal

June 12 - AAG Commencement

June 12 - AA Commencement Rehearsal

June 13 - AA Commencement

June 14 - 16 - Professional Development Days