We Need Your Input to Help Shape AUSD Schools!
AUSD Parents, Staff, Students & Community Members,
What?
We need your input to help shape AUSD schools by assisting us in prioritizing programs, positions, and policies while we balance the AUSD budget. Your input is needed in two specific areas: 1) Helping us determine what the AUSD community considers a priority, what we need to improve upon, what areas could be reduced and how; and 2) Helping us develop a timeline to make these permanent and ongoing reductions.
Why?
The need to make these reductions came about from the State changing the way it funds schools and transferring escalating State retirement costs to districts. Over the next few years, we need to reduce ongoing expenditures by $3 million dollars or increase our revenues. The reductions must be made to align expenditures with the flattening of State revenues.
How?
We are asking AUSD community members to provide your needed and valued input by filling out the Budget Priorities Survey and answering the following questions:
In order to balance the budget, we need to make permanent and overall reductions of $3 million. How do you want to implement these reductions?
- What should we reduce?
- Why should we reduce it?
- What should we maintain?
- What should we improve on?
When?
We are collecting stakeholder input between September & October.
Where?
Several Budget Priorities presentations are planned throughout the community throughout September - November.
AUSD community members are invited to attend a Town Hall meeting on Saturday, October 21st in the Albany Middle School gymnasium (time TBD).
Board of Education Meetings on December 5th & 12th and January 9th & 16th will continue the budget priorities process.
For more information click here to access the Budget Watch section of the website.
Thank you,
Valerie Williams, Superintendent
Help The Library Reach Its Fundraising Goal
With two weeks to go, the Library is just under 70% of its fundraising goal! One last push and they'll be there!
Parent Volunteers Needed to Adimister PSAT
Parent volunteers are needed to help with the PSAT administration on Saturday, October 14. Volunteers distribute materials and assist teachers with monitoring students during testing. Please contact Ms. Reimuller, Assistant Principal, if you are available from either 7:45-10:00a or 10:00a-12:45p. Thank you! ereimuller@ausdk12.org | 510-558-2503
Cash For College: 10/4 @ 6:30p in the Library
What: Cash For College
When: Wednesday, October 4th at 6:30p
Where: AHS Library
AHS Seniors and their parents are invited to attend this workshop to receive help completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act (CADAA) and Chafee Grant for Foster Youth applications.
To attend students must register for the workshop online at bit.ly/C4CatAHS17. Then each student and parent must create a separate Federal Student Aid ID before arriving at the workshop.
*See this list of THINGS TO BRING with you in order to complete the application successfully.
Pre-register To Vote?
Yes. That's right. Californian teenagers can pre-register to vote at age 16.
From Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction: “This is a terrific opportunity for educators to talk with high school students about the critical importance of voting, prepare them to participate in elections, and pre-register online,” said Torlakson, who started his public service career as a high school science teacher and coach. “Working together, we can educate and encourage our young citizens to register to vote and turn out at the polls to ensure their voices are heard in 2017 and beyond.”
For more information, and to pre-register, click here.
First Site Council Meeting of the Year
Our first School Site Council meeting of the year will be this Monday, 9/18 from 5:30-6:30p in the main office conference room. Parents and students who are interested in serving on Site Council are encouraged to contact Ms. Reimuller via email (ereimuller@ausdk12.org) Thank you!
PSAT Information
Albany High School will be offering the PSAT on Saturday, October 14 from 8:00 to Noon. The cost is $25. Please pay for the test on the MySchoolBucks website. After paying online, students should pick up a PSAT Student Guide from the Book Room any day between 8a and 1p. Students can also pay for the test with exact change (or a check payable to AUSD with the student’s name on the memo line), outside the Book Room window during the last half hour of lunch beginning on Monday, Sept. 25.
Schedule for purchases by grade level:
- Juniors have priority- Monday, Sept. 25 to Thursday, Sept. 28.
- Sophomores- Friday, Sept. 29 to Tuesday, October 3.
- All other students- Wednesday, Oct. 11 and Thursday, Oct. 12.
If you have financial need, you can request a fee waiver from Ms. Reimuller or your counselor.
AHS Online Library Fundraiser
September 13 through October 14, 2017
Please help support your student’s love of reading and learning by donating to the AHS Library fundraiser.
Go to http://www.titlewish.com/1090944 to securely donate by credit card. All donations will be used to purchase high-interest reading-for-pleasure books and books and DVDs that support AHS curriculum.
Thank you for your support!
Jewish Parent Engagement Group (J-PEG) First Meeting of the Year
J-PEG, the Jewish Parent Engagement Group of Albany school district families inaugurated in June of 2017, wishes a "Shana Tovah" (good year) to those celebrating Jewish New Year! The first meeting of the new school year is on Sunday, September 17th from 9-10:30am at St. Alban's Episcopal Church, 1501 Washington Street, Albany. We will discuss the impact that the recent national and local rise in anti-Semitic activity is having on the lives of our own families. Mayor Peggy McQuaid will also take about 10 minutes to talk about the Albany Education Fund. Questions can be directed to JewishParentsGroup@gmail.com.
J-PEG is a group of self-identified Jewish families that will: (1) have a collective voice in the current efforts to address racism, anti-Semitism, and any other form of bias or hate (2) educate the school community about the facts of Jewish history, culture, and religion (3) ally with other parent engagement and community groups to help create an affirming and safe environment for all students and families (4) provide mutual support within our group around Jewish identity and anti-Semitism (5) embrace all Jewish identities (e.g. secular, interfaith, Jews of color, LGBTQ, all levels of observance).
Principal's Message, Fall 2017
Dear Albany High School Community,
The beginning of the school year is a time to reflect on previous experiences in preparation for future goal setting and actions. As a dedicated learning community, we have jumped into the work of connecting with students, family and community members to strengthen relationships, explore goals for student achievement and to align action steps with school practices that provide an equitable focus when targeting supports and services. All of our departments continue to examine course content, instructional strategies and assessment methods that reaffirm and encourage critical and compassionate thinking skills that are student driven. Some of the additions that we are now exploring for staff and students include:
- The Identity, Health and Society (IHS) social justice content for all 9th graders.
- Our newly formed Ethnic Studies course.
- Social Justice Math Study groups for teachers.
- Assistant Principals who share responsibility for discipline, curriculum and student supports.
- Reviewing and revamping the Crisis Response Plan to strengthen our school and District readiness capacity.
- A robust and expanded alternative education program.
- Professional development for all staff that includes work on unconscious bias, creating a space to discuss identity and race with each other and students, in order to develop a shared vocabulary and facilitate ongoing equity discussions.
In partnership, families can work with Albany High School to sustain home-school connections and community ownership of school outcomes. Having honest and courageous conversations in the classroom and at home regarding identity, race, or social media responsibilities, are essential when paired with our curriculum that already emphasizes empathy and appreciation for differences.
I invite you to join this important work by stepping into shared governance roles in our school and District which includes our PTSA, School Site Council and the recently formed Albany Coming Together (ACT) committees that are in place to lead policy shifts and equitable resource allocations. Please contact me or find information on our website http://www.ausdk12.org/ to learn more about program and student goal initiatives both at Albany High School and within AUSD.
Thank you in advance for your time and collective contributions this year.
Alexia Ritchie, Principal