Important yearbook deadlines

Falcons & families, check out this news story for everything you need to know about our 2026 yearbook! 

• Students in grades 9–12 must complete their Falcon Survey by Friday, Jan. 30.
• The deadline for pre-ordering a yearbook is Friday, Jan. 30.

• Seniors only: if you have not taken your senior photo, you must call our photographer, Upstate Images, at (855) 773-3321 to schedule an appointment at their Clifton Park studio.  There are no-cost options available to you. Please note that these photos must be taken before Feb. 6 in order to appear in the 2026 yearbook.

Engineering Academy information session: Monday, Feb. 2

We are excited to share an opportunity for tenth-grade Albany High School students who are interested in engineering, technology, and hands-on learning. 

An Engineering Academy information session, sponsored by General Electric and the University at Albany, will take place on Monday, Feb. 2, during lunch periods 4–7 in Room 1254, The Tech Lab. Representatives from the Engineering Academy will be present to provide an overview of the program, answer questions and assist students with the application process if they are interested.

The Engineering Academy is a two-year program consisting of a 180-hour commitment. Students who are accepted will attend sessions at the new University at Albany Engineering Building, beginning April 8.

At the conclusion of the two-year program, students earn a $15,000 scholarship, which may be used at any university, community college or trade program. The Engineering Academy is completely free—there is no cost to students or families. For more details, visit the Engineering Academy website or reach out to Albany High teacher Brent Cady.

Spirit Week & Pep Rally

Falcons, Student Government, has put together awesome themes for our February Spirit Week, which will take place Monday, Feb. 9 to Friday, Feb. 13! We can't wait to see your creativity and school spirit each day! Also, mark your calendars for our Winter Pep Rally that will take place on Friday, Feb. 13.

Lunar New Year Festival

Students at Albany High gathered for a wonderful Lunar New Year Festival on Thursday to explore this significant holiday celebrated in many Asian cultures. Check out these photos of the event and this news story to learn more.

Sports spotlight

Lots of excitement in the world of sports here at Albany High! Here are some highlights: 

• Albany High School's Mitchell Cartwright had a goal and two assists to help the Hawks secure an 11-2 win over the CD Jets in the Capital District High School Hockey League on Friday night at the Albany County Hockey Facility!

• Albany High senior Nasief Smith flew into first place in boys’ long jump with a jump of 21 feet, 6.5 inches at the Puma New York International Showcase in Ocean Breeze on Jan. 24.

• Our senior celebrations kicked off this week with boys' swimming, bowling and boys' and girls' wrestling!  

• Come cheer on our boys' team and girls' team as they compete in the indoor track and field sectionals at Hudson Valley Community College on Sunday, Feb. 1. Tickets must be purchased online via the Go Fan website. 

• Albany Athletics is excited to welcome students in grades 9–12 to join our unified bowling team this winter season! Read this news story for details on registration, practice schedules, competitions and more! The deadline to register is Monday, Feb. 2.

• The Albany Booster Club is seeking volunteers to help run our concession stand at home games this winter season! Both students and adult volunteers are encouraged to participate. Check out their website to learn more and sign up!

As we look forward to the spring athletic season, students are encouraged to participate in open gym sessions.

Be sure to follow our Albany Athletics Facebook and Instagram pages to see our sports highlights!

Valentine Spa Day is Feb. 7!

Love is in the air! Join us for Valentine Spa Day on Saturday, Feb. 7, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Albany High! Our cosmetology and barbering students look forward to providing haircuts and beauty services for you & the special people in your life. Our culinary students will also be selling some delicious fare at the event. We hope to see you there!

Parent-teacher conferences: Feb. 5 & 6

Parent-teacher conferences are an opportunity for parents/guardians to meet individually with teachers to discuss student progress in academics, behavior and attendance. 

Our upcoming parent-teacher conferences will be held Thursday, Feb. 5, from 4-7 p.m. and Friday, Feb. 6, from noon-3 p.m. Please note all schools will be closed on Feb. 6 for professional development sessions in the morning and to accommodate parent-teacher conferences in the afternoon. Additional details are available in this news story. 

Financial literacy for the win

Falcons, do you want to learn more about managing money? Join us for our upcoming Lunch & Learn: Saving & Investing on Tuesday, Feb. 10.

FAFSA help: drop-in session on Feb. 5

Senior families that have questions about completing their financial aid applications or award packages, can stop into the College & Career Center, which is located in room 1230 across from the library, from 4 to 7 p.m. No appointment is needed. A counselor will be available to assist.

Tickets are on sale for Snow Ball

Wintertime is the perfect time to dance the night away! City School District of Albany students in grades 9–12 are invited to join us for our Snow Ball on Saturday, Feb. 28, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Albany High. Tickets are $5 and are non-refundable. Food and drink will be available for purchase at the event. Purchase tickets at the box office in the Albany High main lobby during lunch periods from Jan. 26–Feb.27.

Upcoming Fundraisers

• Stop by Bountiful Bread in Stuyvesant Plaza on Monday, Feb. 2, from 4 to 7 p.m. to support the Class of 2027! See this flyer for details.
• Students are invited to check out the Albany High Theater Ensemble Bake Sale on Feb. 11. 

Your voice matters!

The City School District of Albany would like your input in our annual survey, which has been expanded this year to accept feedback from community members as well as families! The Family & Community Partnership Survey only takes a few minutes to complete, and the feedback you provide will play a vital role in our school improvement efforts.

Online Success Program

Our Online Success Center Program allows students to raise their grade for previous quarters. This is a fantastic opportunity for our Falcons to earn back credit and enhance their academic achievement! Check out this graphic to learn more!

After-school tutoring at Albany High

Falcons, do you need extra help with your coursework? Join us at our after-school tutoring program, which runs Monday through Thursday from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. in room 2235. If you need extra help with your classes, come join us and get some support from Albany High teachers. Hope to see you there!

Albany High communications

We hope you enjoyed this Albany High weekly update! As a reminder, to avoid overwhelming your inbox with lots of messages throughout the week, we curate this weekly communication on Fridays at this web page with important updates and exciting news to keep our Falcon families "in-the-know." Feel free to bookmark this page so you always have the important details you need at hand.

We also have dedicated Albany High social media pages on Facebook and Instagram. Follow us to see lots of great photos and reels!

Exciting events coming up soon

This is a list of events coming up that we want to draw particular attention to for students and families! These are just some of the great things happening here at Albany High, and remember you can view our full calendar to see them all!