Message from Principal Commerford

  • Posted August 23, 2022
Back-to-school update

The following message is from Albany High School Principal Jodi Commerford. Paper copies of the message also were mailed to families this week.

Dear Falcon Families,

Hello, and welcome to the start of a new school year! As the first days of school approach, we would like to provide you with some important information to help you prepare for the 2022-23 school year.

STUDENT SCHOOLTOOL and SCHEDULES

Student schedules and information will be available in SchoolTool, our student information system, starting Wednesday, Aug. 31.

You can log in to your SchoolTool Parent Portal online. If you do not have an account, you can sign up for one there. Your student can access their schedule in SchoolTool using their student ID number.

We highly encourage you to check SchoolTool regularly to review schedules, grades, attendance and other important information. This is an easy tool for parents and guardians to stay connected with student progress.

ORIENTATION

We will hold orientation for students to ensure they have an opportunity to learn routines, tour the building and meet staff. Students will enter the building through the courtyard. Here is our schedule for the first days of school Sept. 1-2:

Grade 9 - Thursday, Sept. 1 (no school for grades 10-11)

  • 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Students should arrive by 8 a.m. to afford entry time.

Grades 10-11 - Friday, Sept. 2 (no school for grades 9 and 12)

  • 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Students should arrive by 8 a.m. to afford entry time.

Grade 12 - Thursday, Sept. 1 (no school for grades 10-11)

  • 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Students should arrive by 10:30 a.m. to afford entry time.

FIRST DAY INFORMATION

  • Monday, Sept. 5 is Labor Day and there is no school
  • Tuesday, Sept. 6 is the first day of classes for all students.
    • The school day is from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Students should arrive starting at 8 a.m. in order to enter the building to arrive at class on time. 
  • Free breakfast and lunch is served daily to all students. Students who arrive late will receive a grab-and-go breakfast.
  • Lockers are provided to all students. Locker numbers can be found on student schedules. Locker combinations will be distributed on our orientation days, Sept. 1 or 2 depending on your grade level. Students should not share lockers or give their combinations to others.
  • Due to our growing campus, we encourage all students to use their lockers. Many students pack their belongings for the morning, and then switch out materials at lunch. 
  • Students have five minutes to transition to classes. All students must have a pass if they are in the hall during instruction time. 

IDs

Once classes begin, students must have their IDs with them at all times and visible. IDs must be visible to enter their cafeteria or the library during designated lunch times. Students are required to present their IDs to any staff member upon request.  

CHROMEBOOKS     

All students should report with their district-assigned Chromebook fully charged daily. Ninth-grade students and new students will receive Chromebooks at orientation. Students who have lost their Chromebooks should report to their academy office.

ENTRY PROCEDURES

8 a.m. – Doors open on Washington Avenue and Building 1, Tower 2 for bus students

8-8:30 a.m. – Students enter with their IDs and proceed through routine security. All students go through routine security procedures, including bag check and metal detector. Students should not bring any illegal items into school. These will be confiscated and Code of Conduct procedures will be followed.

8:30 a.m. – Classes start

TRANSPORTATION

Students continue to be eligible for transportation to and from school based on the district’s standard criteria: all students living 1.5 miles or more from school, and all students whose Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan requires specialized transportation.

Students receiving specialized transportation will ride yellow buses operated by First Student. All other eligible high school students ride CDTA.

Students eligible to ride CDTA will have their student ID activated to use as their bus pass. CDTA allows a two-week grace period at the start of each school year (through Friday, Sept. 16 this year) when all students are allowed to ride.

Beginning Monday, Sept. 19, only eligible students with an activated ID will be allowed to ride CDTA buses without paying the regular fare.

Eligible students can ride CDTA tripper buses in the morning and afternoon. Tripper buses are CDTA buses that run direct routes to and from Albany High School. Eligible students also can ride any regular CDTA bus using their activated student ID.

Please see more information on our Transportation page.

Please note that CDTA tripper service for Albany High students will begin Tuesday, Sept. 6. Students may ride any regular CDTA route to and from school on Sept. 1-2.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS/PHONE/EMAIL

Please let us know if your address, phone or email has changed so that you can receive important information from school. You can officially change your address online, by mail or in-person at our Central Registration office at 75 Watervliet Ave. 

Bus transportation depends on correct addresses being on file at Central Registration.

IMPORTANT FORMS

Please return your completed Emergency Contact Form and Media Release Form.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Most teachers provide an individual supply list in course syllabi provided to students in classes.  Some supply lists are online.

SCHOOLMESSENGER and FACEBOOK

SchoolMessenger provides options for parents and guardians, employees and community members to receive news and updates for school and district-level communications, along with weather-related and other emergency updates.

We also use SchoolMessenger to connect with parents and guardians for automated attendance calls. All you need to do to receive SchoolMessenger communications is be sure that your preferred email and phone information is correct in SchoolTool. You can contact your academy office to make any changes.

You also can follow Albany High on Facebook @AlbanyHighFalcons.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Encouraging regular school attendance and being on-time to classes is one of the most powerful ways you can prepare your child for success – both in school and in life. Attendance is important because students are more likely to succeed academically when they attend consistently.

Automated daily calls are made to the primary number listed to notify parents and guardians of absences. Please strive for fewer than five absences a year – excused or unexcused! 

Excused absences are:

  • Illness
  • Illness or death in the family
  • Unsafe travel conditions
  • Religious observance
  • Medical appointments
  • Participation in a school-sponsored activity
  • Approved college visits
  • Approved cooperative work programs
  • Academic enrichment
  • Quarantine
  • Required court appearances

All other student absences, tardiness reports or early dismissals will be considered unexcused.

Parents and guardians may send a note in with students or email the student’s academy office to provide an excuse. It is the responsibility of a parent or guardian to provide a written excuse within five school days, containing the date of the absence, tardiness or dismissal, along with the reason for such. Each note must contain a working phone number to be able to reach the parent or guardian for verification.

Lengthy or frequent absences may be investigated. A doctor’s note verifying an absence is requested after the fifth consecutive day. Without a doctor’s note, the absence will be marked unexcused. Secretaries will update our student information system as soon as possible after the note is received.

STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT and DIGNITY FOR ALL STUDENTS ACT

During the first few weeks of school, we will provide students with an overview of the expectations and opportunities at Albany High through our annual Falcon 101 Assembly. Our administrative team will talk with students about expectations at Albany High and other important information.

Please make sure your child understands the expectations as outlined in the Code of Conduct, which is mailed home in late August and also is available online.

Please pay careful attention to the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) information, which can be found in the DASA section of our website. 

DASA is a federal law that impacts how schools identify and address bullying, intimidation and harassment in schools. We will make sure that students have a clear understanding of what constitutes a DASA issue, how they can prevent bullying, intimidation and harassment, and the consequences for students who engage in behavior that violates DASA.

It is important that you and your child clearly understand how DASA applies to Albany High to ensure that all students have a safe and orderly learning environment.

IMPORTANT CALENDAR DATES AT A GLANCE

  • Sept. 1 – Freshman Orientation, 8:30 a.m.
  • Sept. 1 – Senior Orientation, 11:00 a.m.
  • Sept. 2 – Sophomore and Junior Orientation, 8:30 a.m.
  • Sept 5 -   No school - Labor Day
  • Sept. 6 – First day of classes for all students, 8:30 a.m.
  • Sept. 20 – Rebuilding Albany High Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Building Tour, 5:30 p.m.
  • Sept. 21 – Open House, 6 p.m.
  • Sept. 26 – Rosh Hashanah (no school)
  • Sept. 27 – Professional development day for staff (no school for students)
  • Sept. 28 – PTSA meeting, 5:30 p.m.
  • Oct. 14 – Homecoming
    • Tailgate party, 4 p.m.
    • Football game vs. Niskayuna, 6 p.m.
  • Oct. 27 – Parent-Teacher Conferences, 4-7 p.m.
  • Oct. 28 – Parent-Teacher Conferences 8:30 a.m. - noon (no school for students)

PARENT/GUARDIAN APPOINTMENTS

Outside visitors will be limited at school to ensure the safety and well-being of students, faculty and staff. If you need to meet with a principal, guidance counselor or teacher, please contact your student’s academy office to make an appointment.

The phone numbers are below. Parents and guardians need to present ID to enter the school.

  • Citizenship Academy – (518) 475-6220
  • Discovery Academy – (518) 475-6230
  • Innovation Academy – (518) 475-6240
  • Leadership Academy – (518) 475-6250

Thank you for your time and attention in allowing us to share this important information. We are excited to welcome all of our Falcons for the new year, and looking forward to a successful and productive 2022-23 school year!

Sincerely,

Jodi Commerford, Principal