Academics

Gifford Faculty Innovation Awards

The Albany Academies selected the faculty members to receive the Gifford Faculty Innovation Awards
for the 2022-2023 academic year. These awards fund the design of educational experiences that transcend
the regular school curriculum.

The following teachers have received awards of up to $10,000 to be used in support of their innovative proposals, made possible through a generous legacy gift from Robert L. Gifford, Class of 1940.

Read here to learn more about Robert L. Gifford '40.

2022-23 Innovation Award Recipients

Digital Art Technology

Digital Art Technology. The Visual Arts Department has been awarded funds to purchase 18 iPad Air tablets (with protective cases), 18 Apple pencils, a mobile charging rack, and an educational license for the digital drawing program Procreate. Drawing, sketching, photographing, and editing with the ease of the iPads and software will allow students to get started on projects quicker, dive deeper, give them broader access, and ultimately have them gain a stronger visual vocabulary.

History Department Speakers' Series

History Department Speakers’ Series. The Albany Academies’ History Department has been awarded funds for a speakers’ series on historical topics. The funding pays for an honorarium and a stipend for the faculty member who organizes the speaker’s event. Outside speakers provide students the opportunity to learn about topics that go beyond the normal history curriculum. This applies particularly to underrepresented groups or topics that connect to current events.

Laser Cutter

Engineering Teacher and Robotics Team coach
Laser Cutter. The Engineering program has been awarded funds to purchase a laser cutter. A laser cutter uses a laser to cut cuts and engrave various material, including wood, fabric, and paper. The purchased machine is low-powered and safe for classroom use. Students use the cutter to create more precise, professional-grade models of their computer-generated designs.

2021-22 Innovation Award Recipients

Bob Bischoff P'15, Mathematics Department Chair, Human Ecology teacher, and Environmental Club leader proposes to repurpose the Bilinski Courtyard in the Borisenok Family Science Center to create a “living lab” in support of hands-on ecology projects such as beekeeping, aquaponics, solar power, and gardening.

Elizabeth DiNuzzo, English Department Chair proposes to create a class set of young adult literature with themes that represent the diverse dimensions of identity formation. These books will be used in instructional units that allow students to explore their own identity and identities with which they are not familiar.

Tim Fitzmaurice P'34, Upper School English teacher proposes to reimagine, research, design, and launch a student-led writing center with trained peer editors.

Meaghan See, First Grade teacher proposes to develop an indoor play and sensory space for lower school students with a focus on gross and fine muscle development and sensory play and integration.

Matthew Essery P'25, Science Department Chair, and John McNally and Emer Taylor P'25, '31, science teachers propose using school-based and regional water sampling to provide students hands-on field experiences that prioritize data collection and analysis and the study of long-term data sets.

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