| |
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The Albany Academies e-newsletter
Week of November 16
IMPORTANT UPCOMING EVENTS
College Financial Aid Night -- November 19
Please join us for College Financial Aid Night this Thursday, November 19 from 6-8 p.m. in the AAG Activities Room.
Skidmore College Director of Financial Aid Beth Post-Lundquist will discuss the process of applying for financial aid and how colleges use their methodology to package students.
This event is open to all Upper School families.
'Concert for a Cure' -- November 20
|
|
The Fifth Annual "Concert for a Cure" to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) will be held this Friday, November 20 from 6-8 p.m. in Caird Chapel at The Albany Academy – located at 135 Academy Road in Albany.
There is no charge for admission to the concert -- held in memory of Sol Kahn '06 -- but donations are being accepted. Last year's concert raised more than $2,100 for the LLS, and the Academies has raised more than $34,000 in Sol's name since January 2006.
This year's benefit will feature many talented student acts – including a father & son team – along with a faculty band and special surprise performance. All members of the Academies community and general community are welcome and encouraged to attend this event. |
Entrance Exam -- November 21
|
|
Our Admissions Office will be offering an Entrance & Scholarship Exam this Saturday, November 21 from 9 a.m.-noon.
All applicants and families should meet in the AAG Main Lobby. An entrance exam is required for all students applying for grades 5-12.
For more information or to register, contact Director of Admissions Bramble Buran or Associate Director of Admissions Drew Lentz at (518) 429-2300 or buranb@albanyacademies.org or lentza@albanyacademies.org, respectively. |
Forensics Tournament -- November 21
The Albany Academies will be hosting a Forensics Tournament this Saturday, November 21 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. featuring schools from throughout the Capital Region and beyond.
Registration will take place from 8-9 a.m. in the AA Main Lobby. There will be more than 100 competitors taking part in a variety of events, including 13 competitors from our Forensics Team.
We encourage you to stop in and see the competition!
Give back during the holidays
|
|
The Schools for Schools Club -- a school club created out of the Invisible Children organization -- will be holding a book drive for the children of northern Uganda from November 30 to December 11.
Please consider donating any unneeded college textbooks and adult fiction & nonfiction books -- no children's books or romance novels. All books must be of good quality and have covers. The books will be donated to Atanga Secondary School, our sister school in northern Uganda.
The books can be dropped off in Ms. Scapatici & Ms. Koonz's rooms. |
AROUND THE ACADEMIES
Hats off to the theater department!
|
|
Hundreds of Academies families joined us on November 13 & 14 for the fall production of William Shakespeare's "The Tempest" in Caird Chapel.
Attendees enjoyed a fabulous production that was staged in the round and accompanied by an original sound score performed live.
Congratulations to all of the members of the cast and Arts Chair Greg Cummings for their hard work and preparation in putting on this production.
Pictured are members of the cast in Caird Chapel immediately after the performance on November 13. |
Lacrosse & soccer star signs with Northwestern University
Pictured (left to right) are Caroline Gersuk '10 about to officially sign her National Letter of Intent with Northwestern University; AAG Varsity Lacrosse & Soccer Coach Greg Giombetti '89, Joseph Gersuk, Caroline, Julie Gersuk, faculty member Lisa Giombetti '90 & Director of Physical Education Elizabeth Hemstead; and Caroline being interviewed by the media.
Caroline Gersuk '10 officially signed her National Letter of Intent with lacrosse powerhouse Northwestern University at a special press conference on Monday afternoon in the Drawing Room.
Caroline joins a Northwestern Women’s Lacrosse Team that has won five consecutive NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championships, is coming off a perfect 23-0 season and has a record of 106-3 in the past five seasons. She has been able to maintain high academic standing at the Academies and is a member of the National Society of High School Scholars.
Her signing attracted a significant amount of media coverage for the press conference as we were joined by Fox 23 News, Capital News 9, the Times Union and the Troy Record.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE TROY RECORD ARTICLE.
Basketball star heading to Fairfield University
|
|
Former Academies basketball star Jamel Fields officially signed his National Letter of Intent with Fairfield University at a special ceremony on Saturday in the Board of Trustees Room. Jamel wanted to come back to the Academies to do the signing.
Jamel, who is currently attending Cheshire Academy, scored more than 1,400 points during his AA career and was a four-year varsity player at AA. He was one of the leaders on last season's 22-2 team.
Jamel was joined at the event by AA Head Varsity Basketball Coach Brian Fruscio; his mother, Michelle Daigle P'07, '09; and former teammates.
Fox 23 News was on hand to cover the signing. |
Remembering our nation's veterans
Members of the Cadet Corps participated in the Annual Veterans Day Parade in Albany on November 11.
We are proud of the Cadet Corps for its efforts to promote the ideals of the Academies at events throughout the Capital Region.
The Cadet Corps will next be marching in the Bethlehem Christmas Parade beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, December 4 and First Night in Saratoga beginning at 5:45 p.m. on Thursday, December 31.
A special bond
Pictured (left to right) is Audrey Toop '19 getting her t-shirt signed by a player from The College of Saint Rose Women's Soccer Team; the girls with their signed mementos; and Catherine Loupessis '19 getting her t-shirt signed by a Saint Rose player.
Our 3rd grade girls received a wonderful treat on November 13 when members of The College of Saint Rose Women's Soccer Team and Head Coach Mark VanLeuven signed Academies t-shirts for them!
The girls were delighted to have the chance to meet the Saint Rose student-athletes and impressed the team with their enthusiasm!
Saint Rose will play Franklin Pierce this Friday, November 20 at 11 a.m. on the AAG Soccer Field in the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Tournament.
A new spin on a classic
|
|
11th grade English students recently completed creative projects on The Scarlet Letter and presented them in class this week.
The students put a contemporary spin on the classic novel by presenting it as a news story, adding a political commentary and discussing the weather (Hawthorne used a meteor shower and the sunshine as well as light and dark imagery as symbols and foreshadowing).
The purpose of the project was to create a piece that reflected the students' interpretation of the novel.
Pictured (left to right) are Brian Mellin (Form V) and Nick Cardona (Form V) presenting the novel as part of a newscast. |
Developing vocabulary awareness
|
|
The 3rd grade boys have been working on a variety of writing pieces as part of the Sitton spelling program.
The students wrote and illustrated an idiom and then defined it. They also wrote creative works about turkeys for Thanksgiving and completed similes.
The goal of the assignment was to continue to develop their vocabulary and phonetic awareness. |
Hit the ice
Lower School girls have been taking ice skating lessons as part of P.E. class all week in the Robison Family Hockey Arena in the AA Field House.
The girls have had a great time learning a variety of skating techniques from Erica Milliken and Lisa Giombetti '90.
Thank you to the many parents who joined us to help with the classes.
ATHLETICS
Recognizing our fall AA athletes
Pictured (left to right) are Maureen R. Mealey Memorial Award recipient (Soccer) Christopher Breiner (Form V) & AA Varsity Soccer Coach John Hofgesang; AA Varsity Football Captains Christopher Fron (Form VI), Christopher Sainato (Form VI) & Adam Miller (Form VI); and AA Varsity Golf Coach Jak Bestle and AA Varsity Golf Captain & Helene M. DiStefano Memorial Award recipient (Golf) Tim DiStefano (Form VI).
Our AA varsity fall sports teams were recognized for their hard work and accomplishments at a special assembly on Wednesday in Caird Chapel.
The event featured team presentations from the AA Varsity Football, Soccer, Golf & Cross-Country Teams.
Students were recognized in each sport and award winners were announced. Congratulations to the following students:
Football
Coach Ernest D. Steck Award -- Christopher Fron (Form VI)
Soccer
The Maureen R. Mealey Memorial Award -- Christopher Breiner (Form V)
Golf
The Helene M. DiStefano Memorial Award -- Tim DiStefano (Form VI)
Cross-Country
The Jonathan Catlett Cross-Country Award -- Zach Nelson (Form VI)
New York State Championship results
|
|
Zach Nelson (Form VI) of the AA Varsity Cross-Country Team finished 18th in the Class B boys race in the New York State Championship meet at SUNY Plattsburgh on November 14; he was the #3 runner from Section II and finished just 1 1/2 seconds behind the #1 Section II runner in his class.
Morgan Wojtusik '13 of the AAG Varsity Cross-Country Team finished 55th in the Class B girls race.
Both Zach and Morgan received Section II Sportsmanship Awards at the meet -- based on a vote by the Section coaches.
Congratulations to both Zach and Morgan for their outstanding efforts! |
Yearbooks available for purchase
Are you looking for a keepsake that will capture all of those wonderful moments during school year? The 2009-2010 yearbooks are now available for purchase.
Each yearbook costs $55 until January 10 and can be personalized with up to four icons and two lines of text.
For more information, contact Ms. Langan at langanj@albanyacademies.org, Michaila Stevens at stevensm@albanyacademies.org, Chloe Mahoney at mahoneyc@albanyacademies.org or Samantha Miorin at miorinsa@albanyacademies.org, or visit www.jostenyearbooks.com.
NEWS FROM THE ALBANY ACADEMIES PARENTS ASSOCIATION
Barnes and Noble Book Fair -- December 4
|
|
We encourage you to make plans to attend the 2009 Barnes and Noble Book Fair on Friday, December 4 at Barnes and Noble in Colonie Center.
This year's festival -- chaired by Colleen Breiner P'11, '15 -- will feature a variety of exciting activities for Academies families and the general community.
Enjoy Storytime at 5:30 p.m. with a chance to meet Curious George; hear stories read by the Tulip Queen & her Court at 7 p.m.; and listen to poetry readings and oral reports on Native American & Dutch legends from Middle School students at 8 p.m.
Don't forget that we are offering a special voucher to present at check-out; a percentage of the net sale will be donated to the Academies.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FLYER.
CLICK HERE FOR THE VOUCHER. |
Cheesecakes are on sale through The Cheesecake Factory; all orders are due by November 25.
CLICK HERE FOR THE CHEESECAKE ORDER FORM.
Please join us for the next AAPA meeting on Tuesday, December 1 at 8 a.m. in the Board of Trustees Room, AA.
Parent/Student Directories
Please note that the Parent/Student Directories are for school-related purposes only. They are not to be used as solicitation tools.
If you have any questions, contact Director of External Affairs Ann Wendth at (518) 429-2385 or wendtha@albanyacademies.org. We appreciate your cooperation.
The Albany Academies is committed to developing the potential of the whole individual by building a community that fosters scholarship, leadership, character, service, and creativity. Our Compass of Core Values includes responsibility, self-discipline, compassion, ingenuity, respect, service, integrity and perseverance.
If you have any questions or comments about this electronic newsletter, please contact Ann Wendth, Director of External Affairs, at (518) 429-2385 or wendtha@albanyacademies.org, or Adam Doling, Communications Associate, at (518) 429-2344 or dolinga@albanyacademies.org.
|
|
|
2010-2011 ACADEMIC CALENDAR
SPRING/SUMMER 2010 ISSUE OF A2 ACADEMIES MAGAZINE
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Stay up to date with our Online Calendar
|
|
