The following letter is from Albany International Academy Principal Rachel Stead. It went home in student backpacks, and translated versions will be sent home as they become available.
Dear Families:
The safety of students, staff and faculty is a priority for Albany International Academy and the City School District of Albany, which responds immediately to threats of any kind. I am writing to update you on an incident that happened Wednesday that affected our school.
Staff received a verbal phone threat from a parent who showed up at school shortly after making the threat. The school went into lockdown at 9:20 a.m. as a safety precaution. During a lockdown, students and staff remain locked in classrooms. No one is allowed to enter or leave the building. Albany police responded immediately and investigated.
The school transitioned to a hold-in-place, a less restrictive security measure, at about 9:50 a.m. Security measures returned completely to normal at about 10 a.m., after Albany police and school and district security teams determined the threat was not credible. We went on to hold an elementary assembly shortly after.
Your student may be upset by the emergency protocols the school followed on Wednesday as the investigation unfolded. Staff will be available to support students at school if needed, but here are some tips on how to help from home.
Talk to your student about school safety
- Wednesday’s event provides an opportunity for you to discuss emergency safety procedures at school. Consider emphasizing these points:
- Schools are safe places. We work with parents and public safety providers (local police and fire departments, emergency responders, hospitals, etc.) to keep children safe.
- We know how to respond in a crisis. We hold several drills each year to assure that staff and students respond appropriately to the threat of violence in school.
The district enjoys a strong relationship with many important community partners who focus on providing services to students and families when they are needed.
As you talk to your child about school safety procedures, observe their reactions. Some children may not express their concerns verbally. Changes in behavior, appetite and sleep patterns can also indicate a student’s level of anxiety or discomfort. In most children, these symptoms will ease with reassurance and time. However, some students may be at risk for more intense reactions.
How to support your child
- Stay calm. Avoid spreading rumors. Provide facts and be selective of appropriate information in the news reports for sharing with your child.
- Encourage your child to express their feelings. Offer opportunities for your child to discuss what they fear or worry about most. Ask what you can do to make them feel more secure. Never deny or mock your child’s s fears and worries.
- Express words of comfort but do not be anxious to give advice. Excessive concern can result in additional stress.
- Encourage your child to continue with normal routines as much as possible.
- Observe and monitor your child and call school if you would like more support.
Encourage your child to speak up
- We all play a role in school safety. Tell your child to be observant and let an adult know if they see or hear something that makes them feel uncomfortable, nervous or frightened.
- There is a difference between reporting, tattling or gossiping. Children can provide important information that may prevent harm either directly or anonymously by telling a trusted adult what they know or hear.
- Although there is no absolute guarantee that something bad will never happen, it is important to understand the difference between the possibility of something happening and probability that it will affect our school community.
Please be assured that the safety of students, faculty and staff is of paramount importance to Albany International Academy and throughout our school district. We will continue to assure that threats of any kind are reported to the proper authorities, thoroughly investigated and accurately communicated to students, families, faculty and staff.
If you have any questions or would like additional information or services for your child, please call the school at (518) 475-6600.
