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Superintendent's Community Update, January 27, 2023
AHS Student Invited to White House, Marin Students Participating in Research, & Kindergarten Information Night Dear Albany Community, Early this week, Charlee Trenkle, an Albany High School freshman, received an unexpected invitation. The White House asked her to come to Washington, D.C. to be a part of their celebration of the Lunar New Year. Charlee was honored as a founding board member of AAPI Youth Rising , a local group of young people who have already done tremendous work to create positive change for those of Asian heritage in the U.S. Please visit their website and consider taking their pledge to support one day/one lesson on Asian American history and culture to be taught at schools nationwide. I think I speak for our entire community when I say that we are honored to teach young people with the energy and determination to change the world. They have shown us that there is no need to wait until after graduation—the best time to take action for change is right now. Congratulations to Charlee and AAPI Youth Rising! Marin Students Participating in UC Research The University of California at Berkeley Developmental Labs is working with Marin Elementary to conduct research on the cognitive, linguistic, and social development of children. The Development Labs study how children think, learn, and grow in order to discover how children develop language, mathematical, and reasoning abilities. Studies involve a child playing a short game with a UC Berkeley researcher. Sometimes researchers analyze where a child looks, what a child says, or how a child plays with a toy. Classroom teachers have been given the choice of whether or not they would like to participate, and, if they do, then parents/guardians are asked if they consent for their student to participate. The program may be extended to Ocean View in the future, but any parent or guardian can add their name to UC Development Lab’s contact list to participate outside of the school day. Please see their newsletter (attached) for more information about their program. Kindergarten (TK and K) Information Night Monday, January 30 is our annual Transitional Kindergarten & Kindergarten Information Night. We are excited to re-introduce an extended school day for our regular Kindergarten students for the 2023–24 school year. Regular Kindergarten will be at each of the three elementary campuses, and the school assigned for Kindergarten will typically be the student’s school for their entire elementary school career. If you know families with young children, consider letting them know about this Zoom webinar (flyer attached). Upcoming Events Issue #6 of A+ Math is here! January 30: Kindergarten (TK & K) Information Night, 6:30 Zoom Webinar ID: 995 2028 8007 February 1 : Parent Education Fentanyl Awareness Presentation, 7pm Zoom February 5: Lunar New Year Celebration Potluck, 4–6pm, Ocean View MPR, all are welcome. Hosted by Asian Pacific Islander Parent Engagement Group. Please RSVP here . February 9: Jazz Midwinter Concert, 7pm AHS Little Theater February 20–24: Midwinter Break, Schools and Offices closed Upcoming Board and District Committee Meetings All Board of Education meetings and District committee meetings are open to the public. Find agendas on the links above, or through the AUSD Events Calendar . February 9: Special Education Advisory Committee, 6:30–7:45 February 13: Environmental Action Plan Committee, 4–5:30pm February 14: Board of Education Regular Meeting, 6–9pm February 16: Student Achievement Committee Meeting, 5:30–7:30pm February 28: Board of Education Regular Meeting, 6–9pm Learning, growing, and serving together, Dr. Frank Wells Superintendent of Schools Albany Unified School District ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, Jan 27 2023
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Superintendent's Community Update, January 20, 2023:...
Dear Albany Community, It’s been a quiet, but busy week of learning at our schools. There are many wonderful events coming up—a jazz concert at Albany High, parent education program on fentanyl, and a community potluck and performance for the lunar new year. Next week, our elementary students will be celebrating the 100th Day of School with art and math projects, and some special gatherings. Please check the events and meetings listed below and attend! AHS Honored Albany High School has earned the College Board's AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for expanding young women’s access to AP Computer Science Principles (CSP). AHS is one of only 832 schools nationwide receiving this award that recognizes the outstanding work AHS is doing to engage female students in computer science. Research shows that female students who take AP computer science are more likely to major in computer science in college compared with matched peers. By diversifying computer science education, AHS is preparing more female students for in-demand jobs of the future and giving them the opportunity to help solve some of society's most challenging problems. Kindergarten (TK and K) Information Night Monday, January 30 is our annual Transitional Kindergarten & Kindergarten Information Night. We encourage all parents of 2023–24 school year Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten students to attend, because every year is a little different. Regular Kindergarten will be at each of the three elementary campuses, and the school assigned for Kindergarten will be the student’s school for their entire elementary school career. Please help us spread the word about this Information Night! The District has no way to reach families who do not have older students in school. If you know families with young children, consider letting them know about this Zoom program. Also note that this was originally scheduled for January 25, but has been postponed to give us more time to get the word out. Upcoming Events January 30: Kindergarten (TK & K) Information Night, 6:30 Zoom link here , Webinar ID: 995 2028 8007 February 1 : Parent Education Fentanyl Awareness Presentation, 7pm Zoom February 5: Lunar New Year Celebration Potluck, 4–6pm, Ocean View MPR, all are welcome. Hosted by Asian Pacific Islander Parent Engagement Group. February 9: Jazz Midwinter Concert, 7pm AHS Little Theater February 20–24: Midwinter Break, Schools and Offices closed Upcoming Board and District Committee Meetings All Board of Education meetings and District committee meetings are open to the public. Find agendas on the links above, or through the AUSD Events Calendar . January 24: Board of Education Regular Meeting, 6–9pm February 9: Special Education Advisory Committee, 6:30–7:45 February 13: Environmental Action Plan Committee, 4–5:30pm February 14: Board of Education Regular Meeting, 6–9pm February 16: Student Achievement Committee Meeting, 5:30–7:30pm February 28: Board of Education Regular Meeting, 6–9pm Learning, growing, and serving together, Dr. Frank Wells Superintendent of Schools Albany Unified School District
Friday, Jan 20 2023
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Superintendent's Community Update, January 13, 2023:...
Dear Albany Community, Monday our nation will celebrate the birthday of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Schools and offices will be closed on Monday, January 16 in honor of this Day of Service . This year, the King Center has set the theme “It Starts With Me—Cultivating A Beloved Community Mindset To Transform Unjust Systems.” Please take a moment to reflect with your family on the work that still needs to be done for racial justice locally and at every level throughout our country. Cornell Is A Distinguished School Cornell Elementary was selected as one of the state's 2023 Distinguished Schools , as announced in this press release from the California Department of Education last Friday. The California Distinguished Schools Program is celebrating its return this year after the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily suspended reporting of state and local student data. The award recognizes elementary and middle and high schools in alternate years. Congratulations to the hardworking students and staff of Cornell Elementary! Fentanyl Parent Education Event AUSD is hosting a Parent Education Fentanyl Awareness Presentation by physicians from the KP Vallejo Medical Center Addiction Medicine and Recovery Services. Fentanyl is a highly addictive synthetic opioid that is driving the opioid epidemic. It is often mixed with other types of drugs and sold illicitly on the internet and on the street. Given that it only takes a tiny amount to be deadly and that the rate of teenagers overdosing has tripled in the past two years, it is essential that we all educate ourselves on this topic. The program is designed for middle and high school parents/guardians, but all are welcome. Please join us at this important Parent Education event, February 1 at 7pm on Zoom . Join A Committee! There is still time to become a member of an AUSD or City of Albany advisory body. These important advisory groups, such as the Student Achievement Committee and the Budget Advisory Committee, need new members. Please take a moment to look at our committees and apply by January 18th. AUSD will also be recommending appointments to the City of Albany Arts Committee, Policing Commission, Parks, Recreation & Open Space Commission, and Social & Economic Justice Commission. Find out about City openings here , and apply directly to the City of Albany for those, noting your AUSD affiliation . Upcoming Events Issue #5 of A+ Math is here! January 13: Winter Dance Show, 7pm AHS Little Theater January 16: All schools and offices closed in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Day January 25: Chamber Music Concert, 7pm AHS Little Theater January 25: TK/K Parent Information Night, 6:30 Zoom (link provided next week) February 1 : Parent Education Fentanyl Awareness Presentation, 7pm Zoom Upcoming Board and District Committee Meetings All Board of Education meetings and District committee meetings are open to the public. Find agendas on the links above, or through the AUSD Events Calendar . January 19: Student Achievement Committee, 5:30–7:30pm January 24: Board of Education Regular Meeting, 6–9pm Learning, growing, and serving together, Dr. Frank Wells Superintendent of Schools Albany Unified School District ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, Jan 13 2023
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Cornell Recognized As California Distinguished School
Cornell Elementary was selected as one of the state's 2023 Distinguished Schools , as announced in this press release from the California Department of Education last Friday. The California Distinguished Schools Program is celebrating its return this year after the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily suspended reporting of state and local student data. The award recognizes elementary and middle and high schools in alternate years. Since its inception in 1985, the California Distinguished Schools Award remains one of the important ways to celebrate exceptional schools, districts, teachers, and classified employees for their innovation, talent, and success in supporting students. Congratulations to the hardworking students and staff of Cornell Elementary!
Monday, Jan 09 2023
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AUSD Board of Education Regular Meeting, Tuesday, Ja...
Dear AUSD Community, The Board of Education will hold a Regular Meeting next Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at Albany City Hall (1000 San Pablo Avenue, Albany, CA 94706). Open Session begins at 6:00pm and the public is invited to attend. Seating is limited, and masking is strongly recommended. As a courtesy, and technology permitting, members of the public may continue to participate virtually via Zoom Webinar. To view Agendas, Agenda Packets, Minutes, and Videos: Agendas, agenda packets, minutes and videos can be found on the AUSD School Board webpage . Scroll down to "Current and Upcoming Meetings" for most recent meeting information. Select the HTML Agenda Packet to view the agenda packet in any browser window. Agendas, Packets, and Minutes are also available for download as PDFs. Previous meetings can be found under the "Archived Meetings" section by year. To join or listen to the meeting virtually: Join the Zoom Webinar by video: https://ausdk12-org.zoom.us/j/92912804708 (Webinar ID: 92912804708) Join by telephone: Call 1-669-444-9171 or 1-669-900-6833, enter Webinar ID 92912804708# Regular meetings are normally streamed live on the City of Albany's YouTube page: at https://www.youtube.com/AlbanyKALB The recorded video will also be available on the AUSD School Board website within 5 business days after the meeting.
Friday, Jan 06 2023
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Superintendent's Community Update, January 6, 2023: ...
Dear Albany Community, I welcomed students back to our schools on Tuesday, grateful that the rain held off for our first day back. Although it has been mostly wet outside, classrooms are warm, dry, and again filled with learning. We are prepared for rainy day lunches, recess, and P.E. next week, when more rain is forecast. AUSD In The News Six years ago, a racist Instagram account triggered a crisis at Albany High School. The owner of the account was expelled, and several other students were suspended. Subsequently, the District redoubled efforts to make our schools safe and welcoming to all. Significant progress has been made, but we are not done, and strong efforts to eliminate racist bullying, and bullying of all types, continue. The AUSD mission states that we will provide a “ safe, supportive, and collaborative environment…. ” We are committed to that goal. On the legal side, multiple court cases fighting the expulsion and other aspects of discipline have been moving through the courts. This culminated last week with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals (the judicial body directly below the United States Supreme Court) issuing a judgment. The panel of judges upheld the discipline given to the students in this strongly worded opinion . The judges unanimously agreed that even a private social media account can be expected to be leaked where the owner and followers of the account, as well as the targeted students and staff members, are at school together. The Court affirmed that the highly offensive racist insults in the posts constituted severe bullying and affected the education of the targeted students and many others. As I stated for the San Francisco Chronicle in an article about this case , this decision is “ a crystal clear affirmation that the school district and school leadership must continue to do all it can to keep all students from being bullied or harassed in any form. And, the Court upheld schools and districts' administrative authority to do so.” Affinity Groups Support Learning Student success depends on, in part, the students themselves, school staff, and support at home . Parents and guardians who are engaged with the schools and knowledgeable about school processes are absolutely critical. It can be helpful to join with other parents/guardians that are a part of our school community, especially if you identify with that group. As one of your new year’s resolutions, consider joining an AUSD Affinity Group , (printable list here ) or your school’s PTA/PTSA . You will find a community of like-minded adults and undoubtedly have some fun! Committee Seats Available Another way to get involved is to become a member of an AUSD or City of Albany advisory body. There are openings on several District committees, including the Student Achievement Committee and the Budget Advisory Committee . Please take a moment to look at our committees and apply by January 18th. AUSD will also be recommending appointments to the City of Albany Arts Committee, Climate Action Committee, Parks, Recreation & Open Space Commission, and Social & Economic Justice Commission. Find out about City openings here , and apply directly to the City of Albany for those, noting your AUSD affiliation . Upcoming Events January 12&13: Winter Dance Show, 7pm AHS Little Theater January 25: Chamber Music Concert, 7pm AHS Little Theater Upcoming Board and District Committee Meetings All Board of Education meetings and District committee meetings are open to the public. Find agendas on the links above, or through the AUSD Events Calendar . January 9: Environmental Action Plan Committee, 4–5:30pm January 10: Board of Education Regular Meeting, 6–8:30pm January 19: Student Achievement Committee, 5:30–7:30pm January 24: Board of Education Regular Meeting, 6–9pm Learning, growing, and serving together, Dr. Frank Wells Superintendent of Schools Albany Unified School District ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, Jan 06 2023
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Community Kwanzaa Celebration December 29, 2022 4 - ...
The Albany Unified School District Black Parent Advisory Group Invites ALL families to join us for our Community Kwanzaa Celebration! Thursday, December 29, 2020 from 4:00pm - 6:00pm At the Cornell School-Playground This date is the fourth day of Kwanzaa. The day focuses on Ujamaa, the Swahili word for cooperative economics . This fourth principle of the Nguzo Saba is a commitment to the practice of shared social wealth and the work needed to achieve it. Join us for some traditional soul food, children’s art projects, the reading of all seven principles and much more! This is our chance to celebrate an important cultural tradition together as a community! For more information and if you would like to volunteer your student to participate, please contact the Albany Black Parent Advisory Group president Linda Williams at lwilliams@ausdk12.org
Friday, Dec 23 2022
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Superintendent's Community Update, December 16, 2022...
Dear Albany Community, It has been a whirlwind of a semester across the District. We have made excellent progress on “getting back to normal” while the health challenges continue to be an issue. Our students have fared far better than many in the state, yet everyone has needed extra support both educationally and socially to make up for pandemic losses. Our staff have made heroic efforts to be there for students and deserve tremendous thanks. Our students deserve a huge round of applause for their perseverance and their many accomplishments. Lastly, our parent/guardian community has my heartfelt thanks for your continued support of our schools and our students. As we end this first semester, I look forward with excitement to the second half of the school year and the learning and increased maturity it brings. During this winter break, I hope you can spend time with family and friends, relax, and recharge your batteries. There are some great events even during the break. Enjoy the Community Potluck hosted by Familias Latinas de Albany this Sunday at Ocean View, and join the Black Parent Advisory Group for a Kwanzaa Celebration on December 29. See details below. California Dashboard The California Department of Education (CDE) released the 2022 California School Dashboard yesterday. The 2022 Dashboard includes both district-reported information and data compiled by the state for the 2021–22 school year. It is an easy-to-use interface that was designed to help community members grasp all of the complexity of school performance. This flyer provides a helpful summary. We will be delving into the Dashboard and what it shows about Albany schools in future communications in the new year. COVID At-Home Testing A COVID at-home test kit was sent home with all students this week. Please use one of the tests on Monday, January 2, the day before school starts. Use the second test in the box on Wednesday, January 4 or Thursday, January 5. If you need additional test kits, the federal government is now providing another two test kits (four tests) to all. Order your free kits at covidtests.gov . We hope everyone has a wonderful winter break and stays healthy! A+ Math Just in time for winter break... Here's Issue #4 of A+ Math ! Enjoy! Upcoming Events December 18: Community Potluck , 12:30–4:30pm Ocean View Multipurpose Room and Playground, hosted by Familias Latinas de Albany December 19–January 2: Winter Break, Schools and Offices closed December 29: Community Kwanzaa Celebration , 4–6pm Cornell Playground, hosted by the Black Parent Advisory Group January 3: First day of school January 12&13: Winter Dance Show, 7pm AHS Little Theater January 25: Chamber Music Concert, 7pm AHS Little Theater Upcoming Board and District Committee Meetings All Board of Education meetings and District committee meetings are open to the public. Find agendas on the links above, or through the AUSD Events Calendar . January 10: Board of Education Regular Meeting, 6–10pm January 19: Student Achievement Committee, 5:30–7:30pm January 24: Board of Education Regular Meeting, 6–10pm Learning, growing, and serving together, Dr. Frank Wells Superintendent of Schools Albany Unified School District ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, Dec 16 2022
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Community Kwanzaa Celebration December 29, 2022 4 - ...
The Albany Unified School District Black Parent Advisory Group Invites ALL families to join us for our Community Kwanzaa Celebration! Thursday, December 29, 2020 from 4:00pm - 6:00pm At the Cornell School-Playground This date is the fourth day of Kwanzaa. The day focuses on Ujamaa, the Swahili word for cooperative economics . This fourth principle of the Nguzo Saba is a commitment to the practice of shared social wealth and the work needed to achieve it. Join us for some traditional soul food, children’s art projects, the reading of all seven principles and much more! This is our chance to celebrate an important cultural tradition together as a community! For more information, please contact the Albany Black Parent Advisory Group president Linda Williams at lwilliams@ausdk12.org [Friday, Dec 16 at 10:53 AM] Please remember to RSVP if you are planning to attend the Kwanzaa Celebration. Happy Holidays!
Tuesday, Dec 13 2022
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AUSD Board of Education Regular Meeting, Tuesday, 12/13
Dear AUSD Community, The AUSD Board of Education will hold a regular meeting on December 13 , 2022 at 6:00pm. At this meeting, we will be saying goodbye to Board Trustees Sara Hinkley (President), Clementina Duron (Vice President) and Brian Doss for their service on the Board for the past four years. Three new trustees will then be sworn in and the Board will hold its annual reorganization to elect the next president and vice president for the 2022-23 school year. Please see the Agenda Packet for more. Date: Tuesday, December 13, 2022 Location: Albany City Hall, 1000 San Pablo Avenue, Albany, CA 94706 Time: 6:00pm (Closed Session will be held at the end of the meeting) Seating is limited, and masking is strongly recommended. As a courtesy, and technology permitting, members of the public may continue to participate virtually via Zoom Webinar. To join or listen to the meeting virtually: Join the Zoom Webinar by video: https://ausdk12-org.zoom.us/j/92912804708 (Webinar ID: 92912804708) Join by telephone: Call 1-669-444-9171 or 1-669-900-6833, enter Webinar ID 92912804708# Regular meetings are normally streamed live on the City of Albany website at www.albanyca.org/meetings or on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/AlbanyKALB The recorded video will be available on the AUSD School Board website within 5 business days after the meeting. To submit public comment, please see the agenda for details. Agendas, agenda packets, minutes, and videos can be found on the Board Meetings: Agendas, Minutes, Videos webpage , under " Current and Upcoming Meetings. "
Saturday, Dec 10 2022