The Albany Academies coordinate single-sex and coeducational learning environments to develop diligent students of high character who become curious, critical thinkers. |
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The Skim
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REMINDER: Families who would like to enroll students in remote learning should contact Dr. Scott Milliken by August 31, 2020
- Thank you Dr. Venditti!
- The COVID "Talk"
- Webinar: Ask the Nurse
- Technology Survey
- Important Student Account Information
- Drop-off & Pick-up
- Early Bird & Extended Day
- Message from the Health Office
- Yearbooks
- AAPA Uniform Exchange
- Legacy of Dreams
- New Faculty and Coaches
- Run-up to Reopening
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Dear Friends,
We come to the close of another action-packed week of reopening preparations. Teachers returned to campus earlier in the week to begin physically distancing classrooms, and health and hygiene signage started to appear in our public areas. Our communications team has produced two videos posted on our reopening page and on social media, so you can see the results. We also welcomed new teachers and coaches to campus for an orientation meeting. It was wonderful to see and meet with members of our professional community in person. The layers of health and hygiene protocols that needed to do so seemed like a relatively small price to be together again.
On Monday, Governor Cuomo gave lower-risk sports approval to start practicing on September 21 and then play after that, while higher-risk sports could practice but not play. This was a welcomed announcement that gave us a general direction for the fall. Still, relatively little additional guidance was provided from which we could develop detailed safety plans for interscholastic athletics. We are now deeply engaged in this work, with the state athletic league is doing more detailed planning. We will share more information as it becomes available.
Finally, as August turns to September, it’s time to begin focusing on the logistics of returning to school. There will be many new and unique practices and procedures this year, which will require additional attention and learning from families and students before we open our doors. This information is available on our reopening page, through weekly emails like this one, and webinars. We hope that each member of our community will do their part by taking the time to review and follow the guidance we share.
Have a great weekend!
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REMINDER: Families who would like to enroll students in remote learning should contact Dr. Scott Milliken by August 31, 2020.
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Thank You Dr. Venditti!
Wednesday, I had an opportunity to conduct a Webinar with Dr. Ferdinand Venditti regarding safely reopening schools in the Capital Region. Dr. Venditti is the Executive Vice President for System Care Delivery & AMCH Hospital General Director, the Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs of Albany Medical College, and the COVID-response Team leader at AMC. We discussed a range of topics, including background infection rates, health and hygiene precautions, and vaccinations.
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The COVID “Talk”
One of the things we discussed in the Webinar was the personal responsibility that each member of a community has for keeping themselves, their friends, their family, and teachers healthy during the pandemic. Like me, I imagine you are watching how this is playing out at colleges across the country. Schools that are trying to provide in-person learning are unable to sustain it, partially because students are not following the protocols that have been put in place. If you are the parent of an adolescent I hope you will have the COVID ‘talk” with your child, as you would to prepare them for any other high-risk behavior that they might engage in as a teenager. Here are a few questions to start with:
- How serious a risk do you think COVID is to you?
- How seriously do you think we take COVID health and hygiene precautions as a family?
- What would happen if you became ill?
- Who else in our family would also be impacted?
- What are some other consequences that might come from not following precautions? (closing school, another lockdown, etc.)
- What additional sacrifices are you willing to make to modify your behaviors for the good of the larger community?
- What will you do when you encounter others who are not following the precautions and protocols in place?
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Webinar: Ask the Nurse
Next week we will be conducting a Webinar with Lisa McDonald, FNP-BC, and Angela Sears, RN. Angela is our nurse at AAG and Lisa is our nurse at AA. They have been integral to our reopening planning and will function as liaisons between members of the school community, school administration, and the Health Department as required during our reopening. During this Webinar they will be available to answer any health and hygiene-related questions that you might have. To submit a question ahead of time, please email the question to Shelly Reid, reidm@albanyacademies.org
Date: Thursday, June 3, 2020
Time: 4:00 p.m.
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Technology Survey
Technology surveys were sent to all families yesterday. The survey assesses students’ access to the internet and internet-enabled devices, should we need to rely on this access for distance or remote learning. You may recall that we sent a similar survey last year, which allowed us to provide support to those students who needed it.
If you haven't completed the survey please click on the link below.
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Important Student Account Information
The Albany Academies have made a change to our student and billing software system. Effective immediately, we will be using the Blackbaud suite of software programs for our student and family connections replacing Power School. A single sign-on will allow access to both your student and business needs.
An invitation was sent to your email address of record from The Albany Academies Business Office earlier this month to ask you to create a Blackbaud ID and connect to the billing system. If you cannot readily find the invitation in your inbox , please check the SPAM and JUNK folders. Thank you to those of you who have already logged in to the new system. If you have not already done so, please click here for detailed instructions and step-by-step images on how to create your ID and login to the system.
If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact Ali Alusi at alusia@albanyacademies.org. Thank you for your support and attention to this important matter.
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Drop-off & Pick-up
There will be new drop-off and pick-up procedures for the start of school. They can be found on the reopening page as this week's highlight from the reopening plan.
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Early Bird & Extended Day
- Early Bird and Extended Day programs will be offered.
- Early Bird will be available from 7:15 a.m. - 7:45 a.m.
- Physical distancing will be maintained in these programs.
- Students will wear face coverings at all times.
- Programs will be moved to large gathering spaces such as Caird Chapel, Libraries, Standish Pool Lobby, and the Auditorium.
- Students will be placed in cohorts by grade and kept separated from other cohorts.
- More details are available on the School’s reopening page under "Important Opening of School Information."
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For more information, contact the Director of Summer & Extended Day Programs, Karin Epstein at 518-429-2332 or epsteink@albanyacademies.org.
Lower School & Middle School Extended Day 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
If you plan to send your student to Extended Day at any point this year, please use the following link to register for the program. Please register by Friday, September 4 to assist us in planning and staffing the programs. Click here to register: AA/AAG Extended Day Registration Link
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Message from the Health Office
Please remember to submit your child's health information to the Health Office prior to the start of the school year. Physicals need to be completed within a year of the start of school for new students, PreK, K, 1st, 3rd, 5th, & 7th-12th. Please let the Health Office know if you are having trouble scheduling your child's appointment. Up-to-date immunization records also need to be submitted.
NYS requires up-to-date immunization records for all students, including students that have opted to participate in remote learning. Medication drop-off needs to be by appointment. Please contact your campus nurse via email to schedule an appointment for medication drop-off or if you have any questions.
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Yearbooks Now Available
The yearbooks have arrived and are available to be picked up from school. If you ordered a yearbook, please contact Katie Conroy for AAG yearbooks or Dodie Motley for AA yearbooks to arrange for a time to pick yours up.
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AAPA Uniform Exchange
Due to the current COVID situation we are not accepting donations at this time and apologize for any inconveniences. However, if you are in need of an item, below is the process:
- Parents complete request/order form.
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Click here for the AAG Uniform request form
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Click here for the AA Uniform request form
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Completed forms should be emailed to uniform@albanyacademies.org
- Request /order is received.
- Items are picked from inventory.
- Academies personnel will confirm availability of items.
- Pick-up scheduled from the front offices on either campus.
- Checks should be made payable to: The Albany Academies, attn: AAPA Uniform Sale.
Schedule for pick-up and drop off of payments:
- Requests received by Sunday at midnight will be processed on Monday and ready for pick-up on Tuesday between 8:30 a.m and 3:30 p.m.
- Requests received by Tuesday at midnight will be processed on Wednesday and ready for pick-up on Thursday between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
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Legacy of Dreams Going Virtual |
Legacy of Dreams, a fundraising event to support athletics, will be held on Thursday, October 1 virtually at 7:00 p.m. It will be livestreamed via The Albany Academies Facebook page. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks!
Please consider joining our Legacy of Dreams Honorary Committee and/or becoming an event sponsor on the event page on our website here, or contact Special Events Coordinator Sarah Adamowski at adamowskis@albanyacademies.org. Your support is greatly appreciated!
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We welcomed our new faculty and coaches this week at an orientation session held on August 27 in The Stevens Center. Our newest members of the professional community wore masks and socially distanced for the meeting. Each individual was asked to step outside for a quick photo taken by Communications Associate Nancy Palluti who then did her magic and created a group photo!
Pictured from left to right are: Claire Jacob-Zysman, Bryan Capitula, Bryan Murray, Sarah Bowen, Rich Puccio and Zach Widbin. Missing from photo: Stephen Mallaro, Annika Tucksmith, and Brian Speck.
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RUN-UP TO REOPENING
The following is a timeline of events and activities leading up to opening day.
September 2
- Orientation for all new faculty and staff
- Intended for NEW faculty and staff only
September 8 & 9
- On-site Pre-service Training
- Intended for Professional Community (faculty and staff) Only
September 10
- Remote Orientation on Zoom
- Intended for ALL Students & Parents
- Details TBA
September 11
- On-campus Orientation for New Students
- 8:00 – 11:00 am
- Intended for:
- All Grade 5 Students
- All NEW Middle School Students (Grades 6-8)
- All Grade 9/Form III Students
- All NEW Upper School Students (Grades 10-12/Forms IV-VI)
September 14
- Opening Day On Campus
- Full school day on campus
- Extended time for arrival processes
- VIRTUAL First Chapel and Opening Assembly
- In-person and remote learners participate via Zoom
- Modified academic schedule to acclimate to new procedures
- Extended lunch periods
- Extended time for dismissal processes
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