Community Update: January 2024

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Community Update: January 2024

Bringing our students and community together to address conflict

The best way to heal during a period of conflict is to develop a deeper understanding of one another. That has been our approach since we experienced conflict among some teenagers at Albany High School and in our community late last fall.

We have partnered with the National Coalition Building Institute in this work, and feel fortunate to be able to benefit once again from their experience and expertise.

Following Monday night’s community forum at Albany High, NCBI is organizing a series of focus groups, restorative sessions and other opportunities through the winter and spring to bring students, employees, families and community members together.

The goal of this work is to help everyone in our school community develop the skills and understanding to avoid conflicts before they begin, or to resolve them before anyone resorts to violence.

NCBI representatives worked successfully with Albany High and our school district under similar circumstances several years ago. We are looking forward to their perspective once again.

Please join us in these efforts. We will provide updates as NCBI’s work moves forward.

Sincerely,

Joseph Hochreiter
Superintendent

Parent-teacher conferences Feb. 8-9

The City School District of Albany will offer a second opportunity for parent-teacher conferences at all grade levels on Feb. 8-9.

Conferences on Thursday, Feb. 8 will begin one hour after the end of each school’s regular day. All schools will be closed Friday, Feb. 9 to accommodate conferences as well as staff development – parent-teacher conferences will be held from noon-3 p.m. that day.

You can view our full news story about conferences for more information about the schedule for each school and how to sign up for a conference with your child’s teacher(s).

A record-tying night for Madison Nunziato

Albany High School senior Madison Nunziato tied a school record with seven 3-point baskets in the Falcons’ home win over Schenectady on Jan. 24.

Nunziato tied the school mark set by Bridget Whelan in 2015 (which she also matched in 2016), and equaled by current Siena College senior Ahniysia Jackson in 2019. Nunziato finished the game with a career-best 24 points to the lead the Falcons to their 12^th win of the season.

View our full news story about Nunziato for more information and a link to photos from the game.

International competition for Albany High student-athletes

Albany High School student-athletes Joshua Marx and Ya’ir Sasson represented their country and community recently at the Pan American Maccabi Games in Argentina.

Joshua, a senior, and Ya’ir, a junior, were among more than 4,000 athletes from 20 nations in Buenos Aires for the Olympic-style event, which celebrates Jewish culture. The event took place from Dec. 28-Jan. 5; it was the first international competition for both of them.

A member of the Albany High boys’ tennis team, Joshua earned a bronze medal in U18 doubles at the event. Ya’ir, an Albany High swimmer, earned medals in seven different events at the U16 level, including a gold medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay.

Congratulations to both student-athletes on their achievements!

Music Teacher Concert 2024

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s Music Teacher Concert such a success, especially our talented performers!

The full concert is available above, and you can also visit our district Facebook page to see photos from the event.

Besides showcasing the musical and comedic talents of district staff, the annual event raises money to benefit Albany Friends of Music, a nonprofit group of parents, teachers and music lovers who support music programs and initiatives in our schools.

Hall of Fame nominations open for Class of 2024

Do you know a former City School District of Albany student or employee, or a community partner who excelled in their pursuits? If so, we welcome your nominations for our Hall of Fame Class of 2024!

Nominations for the Class of 2024 will be accepted through April 1. You can visit our Hall of Fame section to complete our online nomination form and to learn more.

The Selection Committee will choose this year’s inductees later in the spring, and we will induct the members of the Class of 2024 during our annual Hall of Fame/Homecoming Weekend in the fall.

Albany High blood drive Jan. 31

January is National Blood Donor Month – and, fittingly, the second Albany High School blood drive of the school year is coming up this Wednesday.

The drive will be held from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the Albany High library. We invite all students age 16 and older, and all employees and community members to consider participating.

All donors must make an appointment through our online registration portal, which you can find at albanyschools.org along with more information about what you’ll need to register. Students who are 16 also will need to bring a signed permission form, which you also can download from our website.

Community members should sign in at the high school’s main entrance when they arrive to donate. We encourage all donors to drink plenty of water and eat green, leafy vegetables in the days leading up to the drive.

Support the Marching Falcons trip to France

The Albany Marching Falcons continue to plan and prepare for their highly anticipated trip to France in June.

The Marching Falcons will be the only American band, and one of just two from around the world, to perform on Omaha Beach in Normandy during the 80^th anniversary commemoration of the D-Day landings in World War II. The band also has performances scheduled in Paris as part of the trip.

There are several ways to learn more about and help support this amazing opportunity.

Visit the Falcons to France website for a wealth of information about the trip to France and ways to support it
Make a tax-deductible donation through the Albany Fund for Education
Chipotle fundraiser – Tuesday, Feb. 13 from 5-9 p.m., 17 New Scotland Ave. near Albany Medical Center
Blaze Pizza fundraiser – Thursday, Feb. 28 from 5-8 p.m., Stuyvesant Plaza location

Stay tuned for more information about the trip, and additional opportunities to support the band.

Heart of Hope screenings available at Albany Med

Albany Medical Center, in partnership with Warren and Denyse Mackey Foundation, is offering heart and cancer screenings from Feb. 1 through April 18.

Through this special partnership, Albany Med will consult with you to determine which screenings may be right for you. The hospital will screen for heart health as well as breast, lung, prostate, skin, colon and cervical cancers. You can call (518) 262-HOPE (4673) to get started.

Those who complete a recommended screening will receive a $50 gift card while supplies last. Assistance also is available for those without health insurance.

For more information, you can visit @WDMackeyFoundation on Facebook and Instagram. This program also is supported by CDPHP, MVP Health Care and the American Cancer Society.

Join us for two great events at Albany High on Feb. 10

Saturday, Feb. 10 will be a busy day at Albany High School thanks to our talented students!

From 10 a.m.-1 p.m., students in our Cosmetology and Barbering programs will offer a range of salon services on Valentine’s Spa Day. All VIP services require a consultation, appointment and pre-payment. To make an appointment, call (518) 475-6393 or email llove@albany.k12.ny.us.

All services will be provided under the supervision of teachers, and proceeds will benefit Cosmetology programs and activities.

Also on Feb. 10 at Albany High, the Albany Indoor Percussion Ensemble will host a home show!

Albany Indoor Percussion Ensemble is made up of City School District of Albany students in grades 6-12 who simultaneously play a range of percussion instruments, march, dance and perform theater.

Doors open at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $8 each. You also can round up to the “nearest ten,” and the extra two dollars will support the Albany Marching Falcons’ upcoming trip to France in June.

Magnet open houses start Feb. 1

Stop by and see what makes each of our magnet schools unique during our annual lottery open houses, which start this week!

Montessori Magnet School: Thursday, Feb. 1, 6-7 p.m.
Albany School of Humanities (ASH): Tuesday, Feb. 6, 6-7 p.m.
Dual Language Program: Tuesday, Feb. 13, 6-7:30 p.m.
Thomas O’Brien Academy of Science and Technology (TOAST): Thursday, Feb. 15, 6-7 p.m.

Our magnet schools are enrolled through a lottery system, and are open to families throughout the city.

Applications for 2024-25 must be received by March 15 in order to be included in the April 17 lottery drawing.

For more information – including our Pre-K 4 lottery which includes these magnet programs as well as all our elementary schools and community locations city-wide – please visit our lottery page.

COMMUNITY UPDATE