September 24, 2020       Hello Friends,

I am happy to report that the first two weeks of our fall semester have gone really well, both for our on-campus students and our virtual students joining us from home. Everything points to a very successful school year for everyone!

Opening of School In the last few months we have seen a significant increase in the number of families inquiring about admission. We have happily welcomed 130 new families to our Albany Academies community this fall, bringing our total enrollment to 717. Interestingly, only about 10% of our families opted for remote learning; most students wanted to come back to campus!

Athletics Our student-athletes are eager to resume their activities and greeted the kick-off of a limited number of fall athletics programs on September 21 with gusto. Training and games have begun for our AAG tennis and AAG and AA golf teams, while games for all other fall sports have been postponed until 2021. Speaking of athletics, our annual fundraiser, Legacy of Dreams, will be held virtually on Thursday, October 1 at 7:00 p.m. via Facebook. We will be coming to you LIVE from the James E. Poole Athletic Facility to raise dollars for our coaches and student-athletes. For more information regarding Legacy of Dreams, please visit albanyacademies.org/giving/events/legacy-of-dreams.

Bruce Kauffmann ’67 Lecture Series - Fund Update I shared with you earlier that Bruce Kauffman ’67 passed away this summer. In his memory, Bruce’s wife, Judy, established The Bruce Kauffmann ’67 Lecture Series to keep his spirit alive here at the Academies. To date, we have raised $20,000 to support the series, which recognizes Bruce’s passion for writing, history, and the Academy.

Alumni/ae Speakers Series We’re seeking your suggestions for topics of interest to our students as we work to build this year’s virtual alumni/ae speaker series. If you have a subject that you’d like to present, or if you can recommend a classmate who might, please let me know. New Online Spirit Wear Store The Albany Academies Parents Association (AAPA) is pleased to offer an online store for the purchase of spirit wear. In partnership with Clearly Yours of Latham, the store (owned by alumnae Jodi Stein Emmott ’05 and Heather Stein Kruse ’05) will be open three times per year for a designated period – fall, winter, and spring. If you would like to purchase an item, click here.

Annual Fund Finally, this year, your gifts to our 2020-21 Annual Fund (which concludes on June 30, 2021) are especially important. We need your help to support the extraordinary technology needs, safety procedures, and additional equipment that are necessary to keep the school functioning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Your donation will help lessen some of the financial burdens we are bearing to ensure that our students, faculty, and professional community have all that they need to be successful and safe in these unusual times. Every contribution is meaningful. Please CLICK HERE to make yours today. Thank you.

I hope you enjoy these sunny and crisp fall days. Please stay in touch.

Ann Wendth Chief Advancement Officer