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
- AAG Lower School Pick Up and Drop Off Lane
- November 16 CDC Risk Assessment for Schools in Albany County
- COVID Screening Testing Schedule
- Crossgates Mall Vaccination Site
- Attendance
- Winter Performances
- Book Fair
- A Glimpse Into Our Classrooms
- Athletics
- Giving Tuesday
- Week at a Glance
- Looking Ahead
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Dear Friends,
It’s the end of another great week at The Albany Academies, with a lot of energy around campus as we anticipate a shortened week leading into the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Unfortunately, current COVID protocols will not let us return to our pre-pandemic practice of a large gathering for our Thanksgiving feast next week. We will certainly be serving holiday food, including delicious desserts. But given the current transmission risk level, we need to keep maskless interactions brief and group sizes small.
I know this is disappointing, and I would love to return to this all-school tradition. However, as you will see in the assessment below, schools in Albany and the Capital Region are at the high end of what the CDC considers “substantial risk.”
As risk increases, it is good to tighten up on the practices that keep us relatively healthy, including masking, distancing, and COVID screening. The decisions we all make over the next few weeks may well set the tone for the rest of the winter.
I hope you will consider vaccination for yourself and your loved ones if you haven’t done so already. Our public health partners have identified this as the only long-term solution that returns us to more normal operations. To this end, I have included information about the NY State vaccination site at the Crossgates Mall.
Best wishes for a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,
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AAG Lower School Pick Up and Drop Off Lane
As you enter the AAG parking lot, please be aware that there is no parking in the pick up and drop off lane. Parking spots are available if you need to park. Please be courteous to other parents by helping to keep the pick-up and drop-off lane traffic flowing smoothly.
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November 16 CDC Risk Assessment for Schools in Albany County |
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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.
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COVID Screening Testing Schedule
Weekly Covid screening testing will be available next week for students that have opted into the weekly screening by signing up through the surveys. Testing will be held in the AA & AAG Health Offices between 8:00am and 2:30pm.
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All students and Professional Community members will be tested on Monday, November 22.
If you wish to opt-in or opt-out of testing, please send an email with your request to Shelly Reid at reidm@albanyacademies.org, who is the “keeper of the list.”
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Crossgates Mall Vaccination Site
Crossgates is hosting a New York State vaccination site. Subject to availability, individuals age five and older can walk into this vaccination site without an appointment and be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine and age 18 and older for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The Pfizer booster shot is also offered at this location.
To Enter the Vaccination Site, patients should enter through the mall using the entrance near Texas de Brazil and take the escalators near Apple up to the second level. Once on the second level, the vaccination site can be entered just past Swarovski/Sleep Number. Please follow designated signage.
Parents must accompany minors. While walk-ins are available, appointments are recommended and can be booked at this site:
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Attendance
A reminder to all parents of protocol for reporting absences, notifying the school of students arriving late, or requesting for students to leave school early. Please email attendance@albanyacademies.org. We ask that you don’t email Mrs. Motley, Ms. Conroy or advisors directly regarding absences or appointments. Thank you for your cooperation.
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Winter Performances
Students have been busy preparing for their upcoming Winter Performances. All performances will be accessible virtually by December 17. We are hopeful that we will be able to do all live performances this spring.
Every child is able to have two people in attendance for this winter's live performances.
Masks are required for all attendees.
AA Lower School (Grades 1-4) Performance
- In Person - two attendees per child
- Friday December 3, 2021
- 2:20 pm - Caird Chapel
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(SNOW DATE Monday, December 6, 2021)
ECA (PS, AA/AAG PK & K) Performance
- In Person - two attendees per child
- Friday, December 10, 2021
- 2:20 pm - Auditorium
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(SNOW DATE Monday, December 13, 2021)
Middle & Upper School Music Webinar
- Wednesday, December 8, 2021 7:00pm
- To include: 5/6 Concert Band; 5/6 Boys Chorus; 5/6 Girls Chorus; 7/8 Symphonic Band; 7/8 Boys Chorus; 7/8 Girls Chorus; Upper School Instrumental Music
AAG Lower School (Grades 1-4) Performance
- In Person - two attendees per child
- Wednesday, December 15, 2021
- 2:20 pm - Auditorium
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(SNOW DATE Thursday, December 16, 2021)
AAG Dance Grades 5 & 6, Dance as a Sport, & US Dance Performance
- In Person - two attendees per child
- Wednesday, December 15, 2021
- 5:30pm- Auditorium
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(SNOW DATE Thursday, December 16, 2021)
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Book Fair
Books sure do bring us together! AAG First Grade would like to give a big thanks to Mrs. Miner and Mrs. Sbuttoni for organizing the 2021 Fall Scholastic Book Fair!
There is still an opportunity to order books online until November 28. Please click here to visit the Albany Academies virtual Scholastic Book Fair.
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A Glimpse Into Our Classrooms |
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Students in Preschool work on their fine motor skills by hammering pegs into a foam board. |
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Our Middle School Band students are excited to officially be back in the band room and back into the swing of lessons! |
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5th grader, Kavya B., took advantage of a math enrichment opportunity which required her to research the land area of several countries and cities, and create a presentation of her findings. She compared the change in land area over several years, and also researched why the changes have taken place. Kavya then presented the information to her classmates. Well done Kavya! |
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AAG Kindergarten had a hands-on experience kneading dough, much like the dough described in the storybook "Fry Bread" by Kevin Noble Maillard. Food is one essential way that we can connect with our families and honor our histories. In Library class, our girls reflected on the book's depiction of a Native American family's tradition and the value of remembrance through rituals. |
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Dr. Maeve Kane visited campus this week as a guest presenter for Indigenous Peoples' Month. Her topic was discussing the role the Haudenosaune tribe of this region played in the American Revolution. She talked about how historians use evidence to understand not just what happened but why. |
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Mrs. Mitsios’ 6th Grade connected Monday’s presentation by Dr. Maeve Kane to Middle School about the significance and use of primary sources to enhance our understanding of the past to their study of Japan’s Heian Period. In class, students observed the role and messaging of clothing and color during Japan’s Golden Age. For instance, we learned that women were expected to wear five to six layers of robes, the most crucial part of which were the sleeves. Each sleeve needed to be a slightly different length and color. One fun fact we were stunned to learn was that appearing in colors that clashed or were considered inappropriate for the season could ruin a person’s reputation! |
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The AAG Pre-K is learning about Native Americans from a long time ago. This week, the girls made a longhouse, an ear of corn and a canoe. |
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AAG 9th poetesses Katie M, Sofie L, and Emily T sharing their odes and narratives with their classmates at the “Plethora of Poetry” festival. |
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Lower School Science classes working on making a mini stream table with a soil mixture they made. |
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Erin B. '23 competed in the Cross Country State Championships this past weekend. She finished 12th in the Class C race. Congratulations Erin! |
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Joe S. '22 competed in the Cross Country State Championships this past weekend. He finished 28th in the Class B race. Congratulations Joe! |
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A message from Coach Puccio: "Thank you to all who supported our Football season. The crowds for our home games were amazing! Farewell to our Class of 2022. We are looking forward to a bright future!"
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Giving Tuesday was created on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Since then, it has grown into a global event unleashing the power of generosity that inspires hundreds of millions of people to support others.
Please include The Albany Academies in your Giving Tuesday plans on November 30.
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Monday, November 22
Day 2
Lower School Pajama & Reading Day
Middle School & Upper School Dress Down Day
3:05am Senior Speeches (Auditorium)
Tuesday, November 23
Day 3
Wednesday, November 24
Thanksgiving Break (School Closed)
Thursday, November 25
Thanksgiving Break (School Closed)
Friday, November 26
Thanksgiving Break (School Closed)
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December 2 CTL Parent Series Webinar
December 3 AA Lower School Winter Performance
December 8 Middle & Upper School Music Webinar
December 8 Admissions Asked and Answered Information Session
December 10 ECA Winter Performance
December 14 AAPA Meeting
December 15 AAG Lower School Winter Performance
December 15 AAG Dance (5&6), Dance as a Sport, & US Dance Performance
December 20 - 31 Winter Break (School Closed)
January 3 Classes Resume
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