Dear Friends,

Next week, we have the next step of our accreditation process with the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS). A team of ten educators from independent schools around the state will spend three days on campus observing the school in action and interviewing a wide range of stakeholders. They will be guided by a self-study written by our professional community and a comprehensive list of over 10 criteria for accreditation. 

The final result will be a report written by the visiting team that includes a list of commendations for those aspects of our program and operations that are done well and recommendations for improvement. The team will also recommend the terms of our accreditation to the NYSAIS Commission for Accreditation.

Accreditation is essential to confirming our current program's strength and identifying growth opportunities, which will help us improve our practices and plan strategic initiatives in the next five years. From a practical standpoint, NYSAIS accreditation allows us to maintain our status as an independent school and confer state-recognized diplomas that reflect the rigorous program of study expected by the competitive colleges that admit our graduates. 

I am tremendously grateful for all the time, effort, and care expended by our professional community in writing our self-study. I am equally thankful for the hundreds of hours the NYSAIS visiting team members will invest in our community over the next few days. 

This is the stuff of truly great schools!

Sincerely,

Chris Lauricella

Head of School

Organizing by Division Survey to be sent November 1

In September, information was sent out about the concept of organizing the campus by divisions. If you missed this, a video explaining the concept can be found here, and an FAQ is also available for download. 

The school has contracted with an independent data-gathering firm to survey families, students, and members of our professional community about the concept. Surveys will be emailed on November 1 from gowangroup@qualtrics-research.com and remain open through November 12th. All responses are confidential.

The Board of Trustees will carefully consider the data gathered through these surveys as part of their deliberations regarding whether the school should organize by division.

Lockdown Drill, November 3 at 10:35 a.m.

We will conduct a lockdown drill on November 3 at 10:35 a.m. as part of our ongoing emergency preparedness training. This drill provides valuable practice for our planned response to external threats to our safety. We anticipate that some students may feel anxious about this training, and teachers will work in advance to reassure them that the drill is merely practice and that there is no actual threat.

The drill will be discussed in an age-appropriate way in each division, and I encourage you to also talk about it with your child. To help with this, there are excellent resources available from the National Association of School Psychologists and Common Sense Media

The Risk of COVID Transmission remains HIGH

The community level of COVID-19 infection in Albany County is High, per CDC standards. The CDC recommends the following precautions during periods of high transmission:

• Wear a mask indoors in public
• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
• Get tested if you have symptoms
• Additional precautions may be needed for people at high risk for severe illness

Community Service Day

Upper School Fall Play

The Albany Academies Fine Arts Department is proud to announce the 2022 Fall Play. The performances will be held in the Caird Chapel at 7pm on November 4, 2022 (Senior Night) and November 5, 2022.

PASSAGE by Christopher Chen

A fantasia inspired by E.M. Forster’s A Passage to India, PASSAGE is a meditation on how power imbalances affect personal and interpersonal dynamics across a spectrum of situations and is set in the fictional Country X, which is a neocolonial client of Country Y. B, a local doctor, and F, an expat teacher, begin to forge a friendship that is challenged after a fateful trip to a local attraction.

Suggested Rating: PG-13

News from the College Counseling Office

AA Director of College Counseling Jak Bestle attended the Colleges of Rochester Tour (CORT) this week. The three-day program for 30 counselors from around the country included visits to Nazareth College, Rochester Institute of Technology, St. John Fisher University and University of Rochester.

Admissions Open House - Save the Date!

The Office of Admissions will be hosting an Open House for prospective families on Saturday, November 19 at 11 a.m. We are gearing up for a fun and informative experience for families researching schools for the 2023-2024 school year. Would you like to volunteer? Click here to sign up!

Academy Pride. Can you display an Open House Lawn Sign?

We have lawn signs ready to help advertise the details of our Open House on Saturday, November 19^th. 

We would be super grateful for any and all community members who can post signs for the Open House! 

Please email Shellie Carr to volunteer for this important community effort.

From the AAPA

The next AAPA meeting is Thursday, November 3 at 8:00 am in the Schellenberger Alumni/ae Center. Hilary King will be presenting a glimpse into lower school.

This meeting is in-person and on zoom. Zoom information to follow.

Seasonal Sale - Our seasonal wreath and poinsettia sale will start next week!

Still in need of room parents for grades 9 and 11, and an AAG US division Rep.

Any questions or would like to volunteer, email albanyacademiesaapa@gmail.com.

A Glimpse Into Our Classrooms

AP Environmental Science students went on a field trip to Five Rivers Environmental Education Center on Wednesday. Students carried out chemical and biological testing of pond and stream samples in that area. The data sets collected are indicators of the overall health of those waterways.

AAG Fourth Graders Riana G. and Aria P. created a slideshow about Diwali and presented it wearing traditional lenghas to first and fourth grades. Fourth graders are excited to be helping first graders learn about cultures around the world. 

This week in class, the 1st graders at AA explored pumpkins. We measured them, weighed them, and used our 5 senses to explore them! 

Through Definition Poetry and Free Verse Poetry, the AA Grade 4 students creatively expressed their thoughts about one of their favorite holidays, Halloween! 

On October 27, ECA and lower school students participated in an assembly presented by the Redhawk Council. Students learned about Indigenous dance, music, and culture and had a chance to join the performers on stage to try some dances themselves. This program was made possible by funds provided by the Elissa Stevens Dupont gift for dance. 

This week, the first grade students in art class are working on prints made from using watercolors and tinfoil.

Students in 8th Grade STEM are using the steps of the design process to create a design brief and a 3D model of a piece of furniture that meets the requirements in their design brief. 

Students in 7th Grade STEM began building their foot orthosis prototype to aid patients with Spastic Hemiplegia as a symptom of Cerebral Palsy. This is a project from the Project Lead the Way curriculum.

Students in Mrs. Caschera’s Pre-school class enjoyed their second week of skating with Mrs. Milliken, Mrs. Giombetti and Coach Boone after a fun game collecting “cookies” (hockey pucks).  The preschoolers have progressed so much in a short time! 

Spirit Store

Looking for new spirit wear? The Sideline Store hosted by BSN Sports is now live. Customize the design on apparel and gear and show your school spirit! Check out the selection of t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and more!

Click here to visit our the Sideline Store.

October 31, 2022

Day 4

8:00 a.m. NYSAIS Accreditation Visiting Committee on Campus

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

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

2:00 p.m. Track or Treat (AA Track)

November 1, 2022

Day 5

8:00 a.m. NYSAIS Accreditation Visiting Committee on Campus

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

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

8:20 a.m. AAG Lower School Assembly (Auditorium)

November 2, 2022

Day 6

8:00 a.m. NYSAIS Accreditation Visiting Committee on Campus

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

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

12:00 p.m. Upper School Advising Lunch

1:30 p.m. Northwestern University (Virtual Visit in the College Counseling Office)

November 3, 2022

Day 1

8:00 a.m. AAPA Meeting (Schellenberger Alumni/ae Center)

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

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

8:15 a.m. Emmanuel College (College Counseling Office)

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

November 4, 2022

Day 2

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

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

2:00 p.m. Grades 5 & 6 Social (AAG Stevens Center)

7:00 p.m. Upper School Fall Play - Passage (Caird Chapel)

November 8 - Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences (No Classes)

November 11 - Veterans Day (School Closed)

November 14 - Professional Development Day (No Classes)

November 17 - Red Cross Blood Drive

November 19 - Admissions Open House

November 22 - Athletics D1 Signing Day (Assembly)

November 22 - Thanksgiving Feast

November 23 - 25 - Thanksgiving Break (School Closed)

December 1 - AAPA Meeting

December 2 - Fall Trimester Ends

December 7 - Admissions Lunch on Us Information Session

December 7 - Winter Arts Festival for Middle & Upper School

December 9 - Winter Arts Festival for ECA & Lower School

December 9 - 11 - Rider Cup Hockey Tournament

December 19 - January 2 - Winter Break

January 3 - Classes resume