The City School District of Albany Board of Education has appointed former Albany High School student-athlete Ashley Chapple to serve as the district’s new director of health, physical education and athletics.
Chapple is replacing Kathleen Ryan, who is retiring after 14 years in the position.
Following her appointment at Monday night's board meeting, Chapple emphasized the importance of strengthening partnerships with community athletic groups to increase opportunities and success for all students.
“It’s time for us to come together to help bring Albany athletics back to being the perennial program that it once was,” she said.
Chapple joined the district in 2009 as a substitute teacher. The district hired her two years later to teach physical education at her alma mater. In addition to her teaching duties, Chapple coached girls’ basketball, volleyball and softball.
In 2018, the district promoted Chapple to the position of instructional supervisor for health, physical education and athletics.
A 2005 Albany High graduate, Chapple played varsity basketball for three years and also served as senior class president. She went on to earn her bachelor’s in education from SUNY Cortland and a master’s in physical education with a concentration on athletic administration from Springfield College, where she also worked as an assistant basketball coach.
Chapple begins her new position Wednesday.
