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
- Parent Survey for NYSAIS Accreditation
- Student COVID Vaccination Rates
- February 18 CDC Risk Assessment for Schools in Albany County
- Winter Musical
- AAG Hockey Team hosting a FREE Hockey Clinic
- Admissions Office News
- College Counseling News
- Mid-Winter Dinner
- Spring Gathering
- Celebrating Black History Month
- Chinese New Year
- AAG Science Symposium
- AA Science Symposium Information
- Yearbooks
- Athletics
- A Glimpse Into Our Classrooms
- Summer Camps
- Week at a Glance
- Looking Ahead
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Dear Friends,
Happy Presidents’ Day Weekend!
Like all holidays, this one has an interesting history, evolving from a celebration of George Washington’s Birthday to memorializing both Washington and Lincoln to a more generalized reflection on the institution of the American Presidency. Regardless, it’s an excellent prompt for families to spend a little time reflecting on the origins of constitutional democracy.
As you’ll see below, today marks the end of a short but busy week at school. We are looking forward to the debut of the Winter Musical, Pete(Her) Pan this evening. Best of luck, as well, to all the teams entering into the postseason, including AA Swimming and Diving tonight and AAG Varsity Basketball tomorrow!
Below, we have published our most recent COVID vaccination rates, verified through the New York State vaccine registry. We are doing this because of the possibility that some universal pandemic guidelines may soon evolve to become matters of personal choice that will require additional data for you to make informed decisions.
Finally, we will be emailing information about enrolling for the 2022-2023 Academic Year next week. We rely heavily on the enrollment information collected over the next month to make significant, mission-critical decisions, including student schedules, so please return contracts by the March 18 deadline. If you have any questions about enrollment, Nicholas Forcier, our Director of Enrollment Management, is always available to work with you.
Best wishes for a lovely weekend!
Sincerely,
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Parent Survey for NYSAIS Accreditation
Our professional community is working on our decennial self-study for renewing our accreditation with the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS). As part of the process, we are requesting feedback from parents/guardians in order to help us move this work forward.
Accreditation is an essential process as it helps validate the outstanding work that we already do and focuses attention on our growth opportunities. It is also the legal mechanism for renewing our charter with New York State and assuring our continued independence.
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Student COVID Vaccination Rates |
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As transmission rates fall and New York State health officials begin to review universal pandemic guidelines such as masking in schools, we anticipate that we may be entering a time when COVID starts to be managed as an endemic disease, like influenza. To do this well, we believe families will need additional information to make more individualized mitigation decisions based on personal circumstances and risk tolerance. With this in mind, we are publishing our most current student vaccination rates, verified through the New York State vaccine registry. |
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The current total student vaccination rate is 88% (609 vaccinated out of 696 enrolled).
As noted, this calculation includes students who are currently vaccine ineligible.
*no students are vaccine eligible
**limited vaccine eligibility due to age cutoff
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The Centers for Disease Control uses several indicators and thresholds for the risk of introduction and transmission of COVID-19 in schools. We assess this risk weekly using county data and adjust our mitigation strategies accordingly. Trend data from the NYSDOH is also presented, below.
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This enchanting new musical Pete(Her)Pan with music and lyrics by Douglas Lyons, a book by Melvin Tunstall III, and additional music by Michael Thurber; tells the classic legend of Peter Pan and Wendy through the eyes of Wendy’s precocious and daring daughter Jane. Inspired by her mother’s enchanting stories of Neverland, Jane longs to find an adventure of her own. Imagination runs as wild as the Lost Boys in this retelling of a timeless tale with an eclectic and exciting Carribean-inspired score from the creators of Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical. Pete(Her)Pan reminds the kid in all of us that anyone can be a hero.
Pete(Her)Pan will be performed LIVE on Friday, February 18 and 19 at 7 p.m. in Caird Chapel.
No tickets are needed, and it is open general seating. Masks and social distancing are required.
If you're unable to make it to our live performance, it will be streamed for free on Friday, February 25 at 7p.m.
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AAG Hockey Team - FREE Hockey Clinic
Please encourage any girls you may know interested in playing ice hockey at Albany Academy for Girls to join us on February 26. If you have any questions, please contact Coach Brian Murray at murrayb@albanyacademies.org.
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Admissions Office News
The Office of Admissions is looking forward to our next Open House on Wednesday, March 9 at 6 p.m. There are a variety of ways our current families can help make this Open House a huge success!
- Refer your friends and neighbors to attend.
- Take a lawn sign to put in your yard or along your commute to school.
- Volunteer to help the night of the Open House.
The Office of Admissions is hitting the road!! We are hosting an Information Session at Saratoga Golf and Polo Club on March 1 at 5 p.m. for prospective families. This will be a great way for prospective families in the northern communities to learn about our programs. We will also be in attendance at an informational table at Afrims Sports Complex in Colonie during a Presidents’ Day Tournament this Saturday, February 19. We look forward to seeing you as we are out and about!
Questions? Contact the Office of Admissions at 518-429-2348. Thank you for your support!
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College Counseling News
On Thursday, February 10 the College Counseling Department hosted a virtual Sophomore Night for the Class of 2024 and their families. Guest presenter Brendan Corsones, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Notre Dame University provided valuable insight on the college admissions review process and offered advice to students on how to submit the strongest application possible.
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Dr. Robert Higgins '77 to speak at Mid-Winter Dinner
Dr. Robert Higgins ’77, president of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and executive vice president of Mass General Brigham, will be the featured speaker at our Mid-Winter Dinner. The event, which is sponsored by the Alumni Association, will be held on Thursday, March 10 at 6 p.m. in Caird Chapel. To register, visit https://www.albanyacademies.org/mid-winter-dinner-2022.
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Spring (Gathering) is just around the corner!
The warmer weather this week has us thinking about spring...Spring Gathering that is! An active committee - led by co-chairs Elissa Smith P’23, ’25, ’26 and Kaari Stannard P’20, ’23 - is hard at work planning our annual Spring Gathering, to be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 30 at The Kenmore in Albany. Proceeds from the event support our financial aid and merit scholarship programs.
If you'd like to purchase tickets or join the Honorary Committee, click here. If you would like to donate an auction item, please contact Development Coordinator Sarah Adamowski at adamowskis@albanyacademies.org.
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Celebrating Black History Month
Students in the Upper School started sharing daily fun facts during morning meetings in celebration of Black History Month. Two people highlighted this week were David Ruggles and Maria Stewart.
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David Ruggles (1810-1849)
David Ruggles was an African American abolitionist, journalist, and entrepreneur. In 1834 Mr. Ruggles opened the first African American owned bookstore in the United States. The bookstore specialized in abolitionist and feminist literature, including works by Mari Stewart.
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Maria Stewarts(1803-1879)
Maria Stewart was a teacher, journalist, activist, and abolitionist. She was the first American women to speak to a mixed audience of men and women, and the first African American and women to give public lectures as well as lecture about women rights and make a public anti-slavery speech.
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Chinese New Year
Immersion Chinese students learned to make dumplings from scratch on the 15th day of the Chinese New Year, the Lantern Festival! Students also learned to use chopsticks to pick up dumplings.
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AAG Science Symposium
Grade 7 students participated in a Science Symposium, an academically rigorous project-based learning experience where students are required to present their findings to a panel of judges. The project with the highest point tallies will move on to participate in the Joseph Henry Science Fair in May. The Joseph Henry Science Fair is held at the College of Saint Rose, is one of the largest science fairs in the area, and is open to all Grades 4 – 8 students attending public or private schools in the City of Albany.
It was so nice to welcome parents of the students to the symposium in person on Thursday afternoon in the Stevens Center.
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AA Science Symposium Information
AA Grade 7 students will be participating in the Science Symposium on February 25. The students have been working hard on their projects and are looking forward to presenting them at the competition being held in the Buttery.
AA Grade 7 schedule for February 25:
- 2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Student preparation (Set up projects for display)
- 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Judging
- 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Parents attend
Parents should plan on bringing their child home with them at the end of the competition. The projects will remain at school for other classes to view.
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Robotics
The robotics team competed on Sunday, February 13 at Peekskill High School. They placed 14th out of 21 teams and earned the Think Award, an award presented to the team that the judges believe best documented the design process followed to build the robot. Congratulations!
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Yearbooks
It is time to place your yearbook order! Click here to order a yearbook for your child.
The deadline to place your order is May 9, 2022.
- To order a yearbook for AA enter passcode: 10131170417192
- To order a yearbook for AAG enter passcode: 101411068383919
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AAG Varsity Basketball
The AAG Varsity Basketball team concluded the regular season with a 12-4 record earning them a #5 seed in the upcoming Sectionals Playoffs.
The Bears will play host to #12 Glens Fall on Saturday, February 19 at 6 p.m. in the Silipigno Athletic Facility. Come out and show your Academy pride by supporting the team to victory!
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Varsity Ski Teams
The AA & AAG Varsity Ski teams competed in Sectionals on Wednesday. The teams concluded their season with the AAG team placing 11th and the AA team placing 12th. Congratulations to both teams, Coach Fraser, and Coach Russell!
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AA Varsity Diving
Members of the AA Varsity Diving Team competed in Sectionals on Tuesday. Andrew C. '23 placed 4th, James G. '23 placed 6th, and Mikey M. '24 placed 10th. As a Diving team, they scored more points (35) than any other school’s divers in Section 2.
Andrew’s score of 455 qualified him for for the State Championships! Congratulations to the team, Coach Young, and Coach Stefanelli '16.
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A Glimpse Into Our Classrooms |
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As we continue to celebrate Black History Month, AAG's First Grade enjoyed designing their own story quilts inspired by the book "Tar Beach" written and illustrated by Faith Ringgold. |
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AAG Grade 4 students read Greek Mythology and created projects to represent the myths. This week the students presented their mythology projects to the Lower School classes. |
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In Mrs. Loya's science classes, sixth graders have been learning about the interactions between electricity and magnetism. Their culminating activity was constructing a simple motor, using the principles of electromagnetism.
Fifth graders are in the process of learning how to make wet-mount slides and use microscopes properly. They've begun to look at text and print samples, but will soon be viewing various cell types.
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AA Grade 4, in celebration of Kindness Month, produced their own quotes and definition poems to emphasize the importance of Kindness!
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The PreK boys classroom have been working hard on their Kindness Chain as they are pointing out the kind acts of others in the classroom and recognizing them by writing their name on an individual strip of paper. Their kind act is recorded and added to the chain, which has been getting longer each day. The chain they are holding represents some of their most recent kind acts. The caring and kindness seems to be spreading throughout our room! |
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2nd graders took a virtual field trip to The Carolina Tiger Rescue. They were able to meet and learn about tigers, lions, and a serval. |
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SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!
Camp Spotlight on Science Academy
For those who wonder, Science Academy is for you! Campers will be divided into two groups. Each group will spend half the day with Ms. Foster, and the other half of the day with Ms. Lydon. Each day, all day, campers will be exploring either chemistry, biology, physics, ecology, or physiology. Utilizing Albany Academy for Girls newly constructed Borisenok Family Science Center Lab facilities you will learn how to safely and effectively use scientific equipment, create and observe brilliant (and sometimes fiery) chemical reactions, investigate human and animal physiology, learn about and maintain local ecosystems, explore how to use Science in the wilderness and understand what causes earthquakes and how waves travel through the earth. Each day is a different type of science, a different problem to be solved. Each day is a different adventure, and an opportunity to better understand the world around us!
One Week Sessions:
June 27- July 1 (Grades 7-9)
July 5-July 8 (closed July 4) (Grades 5-6)
Camp registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis and many camps and LEAP blocks are filling quickly. Join us for a one-week session, a two-week session, or the whole summer! Please contact Karin Epstein at epsteink@albanyacademies.org or 518-429-2332 with any questions.
Refer a family and receive $25 toward your summer 2022 registration fee!
Information about our Middle School English and Math Skills, and Upper School Math for credit classes coming next week!
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Monday, February 21
Presidents' Day (School Closed)
Tuesday, February 22
Day 3
Admissions Visiting Day
8:00 a.m. Upper School Morning Chapel (AA)
8:00 a.m. Upper School Morning Meeting (AAG)
8:00 a.m. Lower School Black History Month Morning Webinar
2:20 p.m. Upper School Assembly
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Afterschool Winter Enrichment Programs
Wednesday, February 23
Day 4
Admissions Visiting Day
8:00 a.m. Upper School Morning Chapel (AA)
8:00 a.m. Upper School Morning Meeting (AAG)
12:00 p.m. AAG Middle School Meeting
3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Afterschool Winter Enrichment Programs
5:00 p.m. Admissions Asked & Answered Event
Thursday, February 24
Day 5
Admissions Visiting Day
8:00 a.m. Upper School Morning Chapel (AA)
8:00 a.m. Upper School Morning Meeting (AAG)
8:15 a.m. AA Lower School Chapel
3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Afterschool Winter Enrichment Programs
Friday, February 25
Day 6
Admissions Visiting Day
8:00 a.m. All School Morning Webinar
11:30 a.m. Upper School Advising
2:20 p.m. International Student Gathering, Dining & Events Center
2:30 p.m. AA Grade 7 Science Symposium (Buttery)
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March 4 Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences
March 9 Admissions Open House
March 10 Alumni/ae Speaker Series
March 10 CTL Parent Series Webinar
March 16 AAG Grade 4 Play
March 16 DEI Forum Meeting
March 21 - 25 Spring Break
March 28 - April 1 Spring Break
April 12 AAPA Meeting
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