Dear Friends,

It was another great week on campus, with a little preview of summer thrown in. The unseasonable weather is an excellent reminder that we are entering one of the busiest times of the academic year as we begin to celebrate the end of this academic year and plan for the next. 

With this in mind, please pay particular attention to the communications from the school over the next two months. For example, this week, we shared information about security updates to our entrance doors, an invitation to Spring Gathering later in the month, and a parent meeting with our architectural design team next week (see below).

Thank you to Drs. Julie Morison and Melissa Them for providing insight into student anxiety at yesterday’s AAPA meeting. They explained and discussed this complex phenomenon with clarity and compassion. A video of the meeting can be found here.

Finally, we look forward to a stimulating professional development day on Monday. Part of the agenda includes lower school teachers visiting a school that is using our new ELA curriculum to see it in action. This type of professional learning will directly benefit our students, and it wouldn’t be possible without your understanding of its importance. Thank you!

Best wishes for a great weekend!

Chris Lauricella

Head of School

Campus By Division - Parents Meeting

A special meeting has been scheduled for parents to meet with the master planning consultants from CSArch and SLAM to review draft concepts for the campus by division project.

Date: Thursday, April 20

Time: 12pm - 1pm

Location: Schellenberger Alumni/ae Center

A Zoom option is available for parents who would like to attend the meeting virtually.

Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/7157389441?pwd=dWNOeThZUlk2aXNoVkVUSEtMZ2IvUT09

Zoom Meeting ID: 715 738 9441

Zoom Passcode: 2020

Chinese Honor Society Induction Ceremony

The 2023 Chinese Honor Society induction ceremony was held on April 12 with nine new members inducted and seniors recognized. The ceremony was led by co-presidents, Callie K. '23 and Brett N. '23, and included peer recognitions as well as a speech written in Chinese by Georgia M. '23. The incoming presidents, Chloe H. '24 and Rory M. '24 closed out the ceremony with a classical Chines poem recitation.

Inductees: Ethan B. '23, Evan D. '25, Bonnie D. '25, Katie D. '24, Eddie H. '25, Miles H. '25, Grace K. '25,

Lucio M. '25, and Eamon T. '25

Senior Recognitions: Callie K., Brett N., Mea A., Isabel C., Anna S., John B., Ava B., Alex F., Mack F., Almirante G., Zhi L., Georgie M., Mackenzie P., Aidyn P., and Bashir P.

Congratulations to the inductees and seniors!

National Latin Exam

In March, our Upper School Latin students took the National Latin Exam, a national contest examination. This year's award recipients were: 

Gold Medal (summa cum laude): Rhea A. '24, Kennedy S. '24, Sofie L. '25



Silver Medal (maxima cum laude): Mia V. '24, Mia C. '24, Anthony G. '24, Alison D. '23, Kevin L. '25, Jacob O. '23

Magna Cum Laude certificate: Andrew S. '24, Holden S. '25, Madilyn B. '25

Cum Laude certificate: Joshua K. '24, Zooey H. '25

In addition, because Rhea A. '24 won her fourth successive gold medal this year, she will receive a book award from the National Junior Classical League.

Congratulations to all of our students!

Summer Math Credit Classes:

Algebra 1, Geometry and Pre-Calculus

June 20-July 31 in person 8am-11am $1,250

Registration is now open. Click here to view class information. Click here to register for the class.

For math specific questions, please contact Math Dept. Chair, Robert Bischoff at bischoffr@albanyacademies.org

Online registration for summer camp is open! 

Space is limited and is on a first come first serve basis. We have a variety of camps for students entering Pre-K through twelfth grade! 

We have a number of camps already at capacity with a lengthy wait list:

Musical Theatre-Grades 3-6

Musical Theatre-Grades 7-12

Science Academy-Robotics & 3D Printing-Grades 5-6 & 7-9

Classic Camp-Grades 3-8 August 7-11

Join us for a week, a two week session or the whole summer! Program dates and rates, the 2023 brochure and LEAP class charts are available on our website. Please contact Karin Epstein at epsteink@albanyacademies.org or 518-429-2332 with any questions.

Arts Trip

On April 5, a group of 77 faculty and students from the Upper School Advanced and AP Visual Art and Performing Art Classes traveled to New York City for the first-of-its-kind trip.



• Visual Art students went to the Museum of Modern Art, then to The Museum of Arts & Design and participated in a "MADLab" workshop.
• Dance students took a modern class and a jazz class at Peridance Center where they were among professional and preprofessional dancers. The teachers at the center commented that they had never seen a group of students so focused, committed, and professional as our group.
• Theatre and Music students did a performance workshop at the Pearl Studios and worked with the music director of Hadestown and with Clay, a member of the ensemble of Moulin Rouge followed by a tour of Carnegie Hall. 

Everyone then met up at Sicily for dinner and had the opportunity to catch up with Emily Allen '20 (Lady of the Lake in our 2020 production of "Spamalot"). The entire group finished their day attending the Broadway musical "Moulin Rouge" (with our workshop teacher Clay performing!). It also featured 2020 Tony Award winning best performance by a lead actor in a musical, Aaron Tveit.

All the students were amazing on the trip, and it was commented over and over again on how kind, courteous, and talented they all were and how wonderfully well they all represented our school and, especially, themselves. 

Henry House Can Tab Drive for Ronald McDonald House

The Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region provide a home away from home for families of seriously ill children seeking treatment at nearby hospitals. The Ronald McDonald House in Albany has 25 bedrooms and has served more than 17,000 families since 1982.

Henry House kicked off a can tab drive this week to support the Ronald McDonald House. Collection bottles are set up outside of the Main Office.

A Glimpse Into Our Classrooms

Lower School grades 1 and 2 students in Robotics and Coding Enrichment Club worked in partner groups. One was the robot and the other was a programmer giving the robot instructions to recreate a Lego build without looking.

" Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought   has found words." -  Robert Frost

The AA 4^th Graders have been honoring Poetry Month by exploring various types of poetry, creating their own poems, and completing a rich Poetry Anthology!

First Graders embracing their love for PE with the Athletic Director.

The Girls' Varsity Basketball team held a banquet in honor of their historic season.

The 2023 Elite Famous Women’s Book Competition was a big success! It was a close race to the end between two great books about women who made history. The stories of Georgia Gilmore and Marjory Stoneman Douglas captured the hearts of the students in this year’s competition. Hopefully you will be inspired to read the winning true story Marjory Saves the Everglades written by Sandra Neil Wallace and illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon.

Students engaged in an art project under the Class of 1970 Pavilion.

Student Athletes in the News

Please click here to view the Times Union article about Brayden H. '23 record-setting senior season on the Varsity Swimming and Diving Team.

Bashir P. '23 and Zhi L. '23 were named as Times Union All-Stars for Boys' Indoor Track. Please click here to view the Times Union article.

Congratulations to Brayden, Bashir, and Zhi!

Opportunity to be a Host Family

As we prepare for the 2023-2024 academic year, we are looking for families who are interested in learning about hosting a student athlete in their home. A host family provides a safe, caring, and friendly home atmosphere and serves as a role model and extended family to the student. Please click here to view the brochure for hosting a student athlete. If you are interested in learning more about how to participate, please contact Amy McClain.

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 April 18, 2023.

• To order a yearbook for AA enter passcode: 10131170417192 
• To order a yearbook for AAG enter passcode: 101411068383919

Save the Date for Spring Gathering

Our annual Spring Gathering gala will be held on Saturday evening, April 29 at the Albany Country Club. This year's event promises to be a very special evening, so encourage parents in your class and friends to join us for great fare, music, wonderful auction items, a paddle raise, and a tribute to three outstanding individuals! Proceeds from this event support merit scholarships and financial aid.

For more information and to join the Honorary Committee or purchase a ticket,

please click here.

April 17, 2023

Professional Development Day (No Classes)

April 18, 2023

Day 1

Last Day to Order Yearbooks

8:00 a.m. Upper School Chapel (Caird Chapel)

8:00 a.m. Upper School Morning Meeting (Auditorium)

12:00 p.m. Middle School Honors Project Presentation (Caird Chapel)

3:30 p.m. Afterschool Enrichment Programs

April 19, 2023

Modified Schedule

8:00 a.m. Upper School Chapel (Caird Chapel)

8:00 a.m. Upper School Morning Meeting (Auditorium)

12:00 p.m. Middle School Honors Project Presentation (Auditorium)

2:20 p.m. Declamations Assembly

3:30 p.m. Afterschool Enrichment Programs

April 20, 2023

Day 2

8:00 a.m. Upper School Chapel (Caird Chapel)

8:00 a.m. Upper School Morning Meeting (Auditorium)

8:20 a.m. AA Lower School Assembly (Caird Chapel)

12:00 p.m. Parents meeting with CSArch & SLAM (Schellenberger Alumni/ae Center)

12:00 p.m. Middle School Honors Project Presentation (Auditorium)

3:00 p.m. Grade 7 Science Symposium (Judging Begins) (Stevens Center)

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Grade 7 Science Symposium (Stevens Center)

6:00 p.m. Latin Honor Society Induction Ceremony (Caird Chapel)

April 21, 2023

Day 3

Earth Day Dress Down (blue and green)

8:00 a.m. Upper School Chapel (Caird Chapel)

8:00 a.m. Upper School Morning Meeting (Auditorium)

12:00 p.m. Middle School Advising

April 25 - AAG Cum Laude Ceremony

April 26 - AA Cum Laude Ceremony

April 27 - Senior BBQ

April 27 - Spring Arts Festival: Middle School Dance and All Upper School

April 28 - Spring Community Service Day

April 28 - Grades 7 & 8 Dance

April 29 - Spring Gathering

May 1 - May Projects Begin

May 1 - AP Exams Begin

May 2 - All School Family BINGO Night

May 4 - AAPA Meeting

May 4 - French Honor Society Induction Ceremony

May 6 - Admissions Open House

May 10 - Spring Arts Festival: Middle School Music

May 12 - Spring Arts Festival: ECA & Lower School

May 13 - Prom

May 16 - Lower School Coffee Break

May 18 - 20 - Reunion Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner

May 19 - Famous Women Presentation, Reunion & Arts Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

May 19 - Arts Hall of Fame Ceremony and Performance

May 20 - Reunion

May 23 - 7/8Theatre Ensemble Performance

May 24 - Division II/III Signing Day

May 29 - Memorial Day (School Closed)