The Albany Academies coordinate single-sex and coeducational learning environments to develop diligent students of high character who become curious, critical thinkers.
|
|
The Skim
- Spring Musical
- Good Heart Day
- One Family Referral Campaign
- Summer Camp Registration Now Open
- International Taste of the World Festival
- Spring Gathering
- "Souper Bowl" Benefits the Capital City Rescue Mission
- Learning About Mayan Huipils
- Artificial Intelligence Club Hosts Guest Lecture
- Notable
- AAG Peer Leadership Program
- Transportation Reminder
- Contact Information
- Attendance Reminder
- Form II Parent Information Night
- Student Opportunity: Essay Contest
- Mid-Winter Dinner to feature John McClintock '57
- Journey to Success
|
|
Dear Friends,
This has been an interesting week. On Monday, the Professional Community (faculty and staff) worked in small group sessions to explore the goals in The Albany Academies 2019-2024 Strategic Plan,
Focusing on Their Future.
We discussed various future possibilities for the School in curriculum, admissions, performance management, communications, and coordination. We are grateful for the time afforded to us by the greater school community to focus on this type of continuous improvement and strategic growth.
I write this on Thursday, after closing school for a weather event. In the closing email I also sent a fairly detailed description of how such decisions are made, which includes an acknowledgement of how disruptive school closings can be for families. Please know that we are scrutinizing the logistics involved with delaying the opening of school rather than closing (they are significant), and I will share our thinking about this in future communications.
Finally, we experienced significant absences due to illness this week, many of which seem to “flu-like” in nature. This prompts me to reiterated that students should be kept home for 24 hours after recovering from an illness and, as always, frequent hand washing is the best way to avoid spreading and contracting contagious illnesses.
Have a great weekend!
Warmly,
|
The Fine Arts Department at The Albany Academies Present Monty Python’s SPAMALOT: School Edition
Featuring students in grades 9-12, Monty Python’s SPAMALOT: School Edition is lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It retells the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, and features a cow, killer rabbits, and some French people. The Broadway production won three Tony® Awards, including Best Musical, and was followed by two successful West End runs. Please stop on by for this outrageous, uproarious, and gloriously entertaining story of King Arthur and the Lady of the Lake that will delight you as they search for the Holy Grail and “always look on the bright side of life.”
Tickets are free and available at both front desks at AA & AAG and at the door for each performance.
|
Good Heart Day - February 14
February is the American Heart Association's Heart Awareness Month. Traditionally, AAG has worn red on February 7 for the AHA's National Wear Red Day to "Go Red for Women." Along with this, the week of February 10 is AA's official Jack Dehler '16 Kindness Week. We are rolling these two traditions together and are celebrating February 14 as Good Heart Day on both campuses, inviting all students and faculty to wear red as an expression of all that is in our strong hearts.
|
Click here
for more details (there's an
incentive
for this!) and the referral form.
|
|
Summer Camp Registration Now Open!
We are offering a number of camps for children in Pre-K through Grade 10, including our highly popular LEAP Camp, Leaps & Bounds Adventure Camp, Little Leap, Classic Day Camp, Musical Theater Camp-Frozen Jr., Adventures in Sports, Rocketry Camp, Science Academy, Baseball Academy, Driver's Education and a Leadership and Life Skills Program. Join us for a week, two week session or the whole summer! All camps include lunch and snack.
|
|
International Taste of the World Festival
The Albany Academies will host the twelfth annual International Taste of the World Festival on Saturday, February 29, 2020 in the Silipigno Athletic Facility.
The festival is for Academies families and student groups to share food and information about the cultural heritages represented in our community.
You may participate by sponsoring a food table with a cultural display, providing entertainment and/or doing an interactive activity or craft. Families or groups who will be creating a food table and display should bring enough food for about 150 people to sample.
If you would like to participate in the event, please
click here
to register.
|
|
Spring Gathering 2020
Consider joining the Honorary Committee for Spring Gathering!
This annual event - to be held on April 25, 2020 at Franklin Plaza - benefits today’s students by helping to ensure that the Academies remain accessible to all deserving young men and women. Proceeds from the event support the financial aid and merit scholarship programs at our school.
Registration is now available:
|
|
"Souper Bowl" Benefits the Capital City Rescue Mission
Jake F. ’22 has organized and successfully concluded the third annual “Souper Bowl” canned goods drive. He exceeded his target goal of 500 cans, which were delivered to the agency’s chefs. The Capital City Rescue Mission is a 501(c)(3) organization that provides short-term and long-term shelter to those in need within the Albany area. Donations to the food pantry are an important and critical component of the program for its residents as well as the many local men, women and children who seek out the shelter for food assistance every day. In addition to leading this drive, Jake regularly volunteers to work one night a week in the kitchen by preparing, serving and cleaning up after an evening meal which typically serves over 100 people at a time. Above is a photo of Jake with Wesley, Kinimo and Cannon who work very hard every day to feed our homeless in Albany.
|
|
Learning About Mayan
Huipils
Third graders in Sra. de Rosier's Spanish class learned about Mayan
Huipils
and had a chance to design and create their own indigenous-style blouses. Known for its fascinating patterns and vibrant colors, a
Huipil
(pronounced wee-peel) is an embroidered blouse worn by indigenous women in Guatemala. The weave or design of each
Huipil
holds great cultural significance and sacred meaning as each region, town, and village possesses its own style and pattern. A woman’s
traje
(traditional dress) defines not only her personality and geographical location but also her marital, social, wealth, and religious status. These patterns and meanings date back to the ancient Mayan civilizations.
|
|
Artificial Intelligence Club Hosts Guest Lecture
On Tuesday, February 4, the AI Club hosted Academies parent Professor Xiaogang Sun, one of China's experts on artificial intelligence and a Distinguished Professor at Nanjing University of Science and Technology. He spoke at length about deep learning in neural networks and its applications to facial recognition algorithms. The AI club is extremely grateful to Professor Sun for sharing his time and knowledge. Special thanks go to club president Ann W. '21, who organized the presentation and translated Professor Sun's powerpoint into English.
|
|
Notable Alumni and Alumnae
Faculty member Joseph Jacobs received a pretty cool selfie from some former students this week. Taken on the Chamber Floor of the United States House of Representatives prior to the State of the Union Address, from left to right are: Joe Grogan `90, Assistant to the POTUS and Director of the Domestic Policy Council; Nate Parker `12, Legislative Assistant to the POTUS; Rep. Elise Stefanik `02, Congresswoman for New York’s 21st District.
|
|
AAG Peer Leadership Program
Our Peer Leadership program will continue next year and our current Peer Leaders presented this program to the Sophomore class on Wednesday. All sophomores had the opportunity to pick up an application. The application process will involve a written application, teacher recommendations, individual interviews and a group interview. Eight sophomores will be chosen to be Peer leaders in their Junior year.
All applications are due to Mrs. Lovett by 3:00 p.m. on February 18.
|
|
Transportation Reminder
The following districts will not be transporting Academies students during the week of Monday, February 17, 2020 through Friday, February 21, 2020:
District
Bethlehem Central School District
Brunswick/Brittonkill CSD Central School District
East Greenbush Central School District
Guilderland Central School District
Lansingburg/Menands
Mohanasen Central School District
Niskayuna Central School District
North Colonie Central School District
Ravena Coeymans Selkirk Central School District
Schodack Central School District
Shenendehowa Center School
Shenendehowa Central Schools
South Colonie Central School District
Troy City School District
Voorheesville Central School District
|
|
Contact Information
Please check your PowerSchool account to confirm we have current parent contact information. If you need assistance with updating your home address, email, home or cell phone number, our school Registrar,
Jenn Fredrickson
, is available to help.
|
|
Attendance Reminder
Please call the Main Office (518) 429-2300 or email
attendance@albanyacademies.org
when your child is absent from school or if you know that he/she is going to be tardy. The School must receive a message by 8:00 a.m.
|
|
Form II Parent Information Night
Please mark your calendar for an upcoming Form II Parent Information Night on Thursday, February 20, at 6:00 pm in the Tucker Library at AA.
Dr. Scott Milliken will introduce the Upper School program. All parents attending will learn about the Upper School course request process. The Director of College Counseling, Mr. Jak Bestle, will share information on our college process, and the 2020-2021 Form III Dean, Mr. Bo Buran, will speak about the Form III experience. There will also be a Q&A session with the advisor your son will have during Upper School.
|
|
Student Opportunity: Essay Contest
Albany-Tula Presents the
2020 Essay Contest
Youth Saving the World
For Capital Region high school students through 1st year in college
- First Prize: $1000.
- Second Prize: $500.
- Third Prize: $250.
|
|
Mid-Winter Dinner Rescheduled to Thursday, February 20
Please consider joining us for the Mid-Winter Dinner
on Thursday, February 20, 2020, at Jack's Oyster House, sponsored by The Albany Academy Alumni Association.
Our featured speaker, John McClintock '57, will present Secrets from the Archives.Proceeds benefit initiatives to strengthen the bond between alumni and students.
For more details and to register, please click here:
|
|
Albany Academy for Girls Alumnae Association
Journey to Success
Please pass along the information to alumnae to consider joining us for the annual Alumnae Association "Journey to Success" event.
For more details and to register, please click here:
|
|
Week at a Glance
February 10 - 16, 2020
|
|
Monday, February 10
Day 1
12:15 p.m. AA Middle School Health and Wellness Assembly (Caird Chapel)
2:20 p.m. AAG Snack Shack
3:45 p.m. AAG Upper School Faculty Meeting (Room 20-10)
|
|
Tuesday, February 11
Day 2
12:10 p.m. AAG Middle School Assembly
12:15 p.m. AA Grades 5 & 6 Recess
12:15 p.m. AA Form I and Form II Competitions
12:15 p.m. Form II Merit Scholarship Essay
2:20 p.m. AAG Snack Shack
3:05 p.m. AAG Senior Speeches
3:35 p.m. Department Chairs Meeting (Trustees Room)
|
|
Wednesday, February 12
Day 3
12:15 p.m. AA Grade 5 Pen Pals meeting
12:15 p.m. AA Grade 6, Form I and Form II Advising
2:20 p.m. AAG Upper School Assembly (Auditorium)
2:20 p.m. AA All Divisions Assembly - Henry House presentation on the Ronald McDonald House Charity (Caird Chapel)
3:45 p.m. AAG Middle School Faculty Meeting (Room 50-07
|
|
Thursday, February 13
Day 4
8:20 a.m. AA Lower School Chapel (Caird Chapel)
12:15 p.m. AA Middle School Chapel (Caird Chapel)
2:20 p.m. AAG Snack Shack
3:15 p.m. SPAMALOT Dress Rehearsal (Caird Chapel)
5:00 p.m. Summer Camp Informational Session (Trustees Room)
|
|
Friday, February 14
Day 5
Good Heart Day
Modified dress down day - Red shirt or a shirt with hearts and uniform pants/skirts
12:15 p.m. Middle School Clubs
2:20 p.m. AAG Snack Shack
7:00 p.m. Spring Musical - SPAMALOT: School Edition
|
|
Saturday, February 15
7:00 p.m. Spring Musical - SPAMALOT: School Edition
|
|
Sunday, February 16
1:00 p.m. Spring Musical - SPAMALOT: School Edition
|
|
Looking Ahead
2/17/20 Presidents' Day (School Closed)
2/18/20 - 2/21/20 Admissions Visiting Week
2/20/20 Form II Parent Night
2/21/20 AAG Founders' Day Celebration
2/25/20 AA Lower School Coffee
2/27/20 Wizard of Oz Day
2/27/20 Alumnae Association Journey to Success
2/29/20 International Taste of the World Festival
3/2/20 Lower School Conferences (No Lower School Classes)
3/3/20 AA Middle School Parent Coffee
3/4/20 AA Charter Day
3/4/20 AAPA Board Meeting
3/6/20 AA/AAG Grades 5 & 6 Skate Party
3/6/20 AA/AAG Grades 7 & 8 Snowflake Dance
3/7/20 Science Bowl Team Competition
|
|
|
|
|
|
|