Principal's message to our community
November 14, 2017
Dear Albany HIgh School families and friends,
As we complete and reflect upon the end of our first quarter, I would like to take this time to share with everyone my gratitude and pride for our school. Being the principal of this incredibly resilient and thoughtful learning community reminds me that our purpose of preparing students for college and career readiness is complemented by supporting the whole child with social emotional competencies and tools to be productive digital citizens. Please allow me to share a few highlights from the opening of the 2017-18 school year:
First quarter grades are now available to view on Aeries. You can also monitor attendance on the parent/student portal. Ongoing grade updates can be viewed using your PowerSchool (Haiku) portal where you can also access class activities, assignments and contact information for all teachers. Please visit the website below for more information on your student’s Aeries and PowerSchool accounts. http://ahs.ausdk12.org/#qg-powerschool-aeries
The high school staff participated in very meaningful and sustainable professional development this summer and fall with a focus on equity, unconscious bias and culturally responsive teaching practices. We are also beginning to develop an awareness of social emotional and social justice competencies that we expect all students and staff to demonstrate in partnership with academic rigor in all courses.
Our updated Freshman orientation and homecoming activities included a greater emphasis on community building and inclusion while maintaining tradition and school spirit.
Student and community led advocacy groups which include STAND, SPEAK, SEAC (Students for Equitable Access Committee) and ACT (Albany Coming Together), have fortified our commitment to create a legacy of service through shared governance and by strengthening student agency as a force for positive change in our District.
Academic supports including lunch-time drop in tutoring is available for all students, for all subjects Monday-Thursday. We are fortunate to have so many students helping others with academic encouragement and skill building and are always looking for more help. Please contact our Coordinator of Alternative Education Darren McNally at dmcnally@ausdk12.org for more information.
Digital citizenship is always an important competency to teach and build into the structure of our school courses. Families play a pivotal role in supporting these expectations. Please click here to review our AUSD Internet Acceptable Use policy for all students and staff.
On behalf of my staff, we wish you and your family a peaceful and restorative holiday season. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or to partner with our school community this year.
Alexia Ritchie, Principal
AHS Theatre Ensemble Presents Bustown—Five Shows This Week!
The AHS Theatre Ensemble presents Bustown written by Lachlan Philpott and directed by Erin Merritt.
Enjoying the safety of their junkyard town, the people of Bustown happily wait for The Driver to return. But Axel and Cressida cant stop thinking about Otherness. With a chain of keys in close reach, how long will they continue to wait?
A vibrant exploration of that time of transition between childhood and adulthood, Bustown explores the tensions between parents trying to hold on to their relationships with their kids and keep them safe, and teens' need to discover and define their futures for themselves.
Tickets at the door or at bustown.brownpapertickets.com
Thursday Nov 9 7p
Friday Nov 10 8p
Saturday Nov 11 2p & 8p
Invitation to Albany Middle School Annex Groundbreaking Ceremony
Dear AUSD Staff, Parents, Students, & Community Members,
You are cordially invited to attend the Albany Middle School Annex groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, November 13, 2017 at 4:30 p.m. The ceremony will be held at the Albany Middle School Annex site at 601 San Gabriel Ave.
The ceremony is a very important part of celebrating your Bond Measures B & E at work. The flyer below outlines the schedule for the Albany Middle School Annex site construction.
Please join us!
Val Williams, Superintendent
The project timeline is as follows:
- Monday, November 13, 2017 4:30pm – Groundbreaking Ceremony
- November 2017 – Soil Treatment and Removal (Truck activity)
- December 2017 – Construct Foundation (Truck activity)
- January and February 2018 – Underground Utilities\
- March and April 2018 – First Floor Structure
- April and May 2018 – Second Floor Structure
- June 2018 – Roof Installation
- July to December 2018 – Interiors
- Grand Opening – Early 2019
Albany Jewish Parent Engagement Group meeting
The next meeting of the newly formed AUSD Jewish Parents Engagement Group (J-PEG) will be Sunday Nov. 5 from 4-5:30 @ St Alban’s Church in Albany. This group is open to any interested community members who identify as Jewish or are raising Jewish children.
The next meeting of the newly formed AUSD Jewish Parents Engagement Group (J-PEG) will be Sunday Nov. 5 from 4-5:30 @ St Alban’s Church in Albany. This group is open to any interested community members who identify as Jewish or are raising Jewish children. Join us to discuss how we can lend our voice to the Albany Community. Bring a snack or drink to share if you can. If you cannot attend but are would like to be added to the private Google group and or Facebook page to receive notifications, please email JewishParentsGroup@gmail.com:
The purpose of this organization is to create a group of self-identified Jewish families that would (1) have a collective voice in the current efforts to address anti-Semitism, racism, sexism and any forms of bias or hate in the Albany public schools (2) educate the community about 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 in Albany (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)
Clarification of Town Hall Meeting Sessions
Dear AUSD Parents, Staff, Students, and Community Members:
Due to a structural deficit created by the State of California, the Albany Unified School District needs to reduce ongoing expenditures by $1.15 million dollars beginning with the 2018-19 school year. We are faced with making important decisions about reducing programs and personnel. To learn more about the District's budget and to provide your input, we invite you to attend a town hall meeting this Saturday at the Albany Middle School Gym.
Repeated sessions will begin at 1:15 pm and again at 2:00 pm, 2:45 pm, 3:30 pm, and 4:15pm so people can choose the best time to attend one of the sessions.
For more information: https://goo.gl/GoiKok
Valerie Williams, Superintendent
AUSD Budget Priorities Town Hall This Saturday
AUSD Parents, Staff, Students & Community Members,
Click here to access an invitation to the AUSD’s Budget Priorities Town Hall Meeting on Saturday, October 21, 2017 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Albany Middle School Gymnasium. Please consider attending because we need your input to help shape AUSD schools by assisting us in prioritizing programs, positions, and policies while we balance the AUSD budget.
Click here to access the AUSD Budget Narrative document with additional information about the budget.
Click here to access more on information the Budget Watch section of the website.
Thank you.
Valerie Williams, Superintendent
Albany Schools to Remain Open on Thursday, Oct. 12th
Dear AUSD Families,
Smoke from the North Bay fires continues to affect the air quality in the Bay Area. According to Airnow.gov, the air quality index for the Albany/Berkeley area is deemed "unhealthy" and people are asked to exercise caution as follows: "People with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. Everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion."
I have asked all schools to continue to exercise caution as they plan activities. Staff are keeping doors and windows closed during instruction and are limiting/canceling outdoor activities, including physical education, games and practices, as needed. Albany schools will remain open tomorrow.
lease encourage your children to refrain from rigorous activities if they are experiencing symptoms related to poor air quality.
We are saddened by the devastation caused by the fire and will continue to have the families who are impacted in our thoughts.
Thank you.
Val Williams, Superintendent
Local Air Quality Message
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
The North Bay fires are creating air quality issues across the Bay Area, including Albany. According to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the Air Quality Index for our area is listed as "unhealthy for sensitive groups”. Both yesterday and today, we notified principals to be very mindful of PE classes, sports events/practices, and lunch/recess periods, and to also be mindful or any students who have respiratory issues. We also asked that schools either turn off or place HVAC/Fans on recycle to keep smoke out of classrooms and offices.
We will continue monitoring local air quality daily and will communicate with schools as long as the fires remain active or until the air quality has been reported as “good” by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
Changes to the 9th Grade Research Project
Dear Albany High School Community:
The 9th Grade Humanities team is excited to announce changes to the annual 9th grade research project.
For more than ten years, the third-quarter 9th grade research project has been a debate project, designed to showcase students’ abilities to ethically conduct research, write persuasively, speak and present effectively to a public audience, and work cooperatively as a team.
The 9th Grade Humanities team has retained all of these learning goals, but revised the project in order to better reinforce values of consensus-building and civic engagement.
Our new third-quarter 9th grade research project is now called the Forum Project. Instead of two teams debating opposite sides of a topic, the teams will now engage in a public consensus-building process around a social problem.
The Forum Project will still require students to ethically conduct research, write persuasively, speak and present effectively to a public audience, and work cooperatively as a team. Teams will still deliver both planned and extemporized statements to an audience and a panel of judges. Teams will also continue to probe assumptions and question each other.
We are already very impressed with the abilities of this year’s 9th grade class, and we look forward to working with the students on this exciting project!
The 9th Grade Humanities Team
David Blinn, English
Diane Francis, IHS and English
Sean Krazit, English
Sara Oremland, Teacher-Librarian
Jessica Park, English
Juliet Radford, IHS
Emily Surowitz, IHS
Alexia Ritchie, Principal
Last Chance for Senior Portrait Retakes
Senior portrait retakes will occur on Mon 10/16 - Wed 10/18 in the Library. This is the LAST CHANCE for portraits to be taken on campus. Please see the attendance office or Ms. Radford in 206 if you are uncertain of your scheduled appointment time. If you need to change your appointment or schedule a retake, please contact Prestige by going to www.prestigeportraits.com; on the main screen you can "confirm or reschedule your appointment." If you do not have an access code, you can enter 1234-5678.