News

The Albany Public Schools Foundation announced the winners of its top iSwim participants. ISwim is one of the main fundraisers for the foundation’s classroom grant program. They issued the following announcement:

The Albany Public Schools Foundation is pleased to announce the school and classroom participation winners for iSwim for Kids 2017. This contest was open to all schools/teachers in the district and was judged based on pledges received and participation. The top school and classroom will each receive a cash prize of $250.

The winners are:

Top school: Oak Elementary at $4939.75 in pledges and 50 participants ($250 prize)
Top classroom: Alicia Straub at Oak Elementary with $889.50 in pledges ($250 prize)

Congratulations to Oak Elementary! We appreciate the participation of all of the schools that bring students to the iSwim for Kids event. This event is an Albany Public Schools Foundation fundraiser which supports the classroom grant program. Due in part to iSwim for Kids, we were able to grant $37,683 this fall to teachers. We couldn’t do it without the support of our teachers and schools.

Thank you for all that you do in support of Albany Public Schools Foundation!

Albany Public Schools Foundation announced classroom grant awards for 67 projects, totaling $37,683. The annual awards provide funds to enhance classroom projects and educational experiences.

APSF raises money every year to support GAPS schools through the annual iSwim, iRun and iCelebrate Gala fundraisers.

Any teacher in the district can apply for a classroom grant. This year, there were 79 proposals for projects including electronics, robotics, art, reading music and PE.

See the list of grant awards. 
Read more about Albany Public Schools Foundation.

All secondary schools now provide Sources of Strength, a peer-to-peer suicide prevention program, to students. The national program is in schools in most states.

According to the Sources of Strength website, its mission is:

“to provide the highest quality evidence-based prevention for suicide, violence, bullying and substance abuse by training, supporting, and empowering both peer leaders and caring adults to impact their world through the power of connection, hope, help and strength.”

The program is in its second year at South Albany High School. It was started by SAHS counselor Jill Baker, who also led the effort to expand to all middle and high schools. Watch the video to learn more.

The program is funded by grants from the Albany Public Schools Foundation and the Mullins Family Foundation.

Read about Sources of Strength projects at South Albany High School on their Facebook page.

GAPS Nutrition Services will host free lunch for all students on Dec. 1 and 15.

The free lunch dates are part of an effort to make students aware of the lunch options and give them a chance to try a meal at school.

Lunch menus are posted on the Nutrition Services web page.

Results from recent radon testing, required annually be the state, have returned showing no signs of radon in the school buildings.

Reports have been returned for schools in the week one and two testing schedule, including Timber Ridge, Clover Ridge, South Shore, Waverly, North Albany Elementary, North Albany Middle, Fir Grove, Oak Grove and Fairmount schools.

Read the reports and find more information on the radon testing information page. 

Testing will continue through January and will include all schools in the district.