News

Albany Options School science teacher Tassay Gillispie has been selected to be a member of a group of fifty educators from across the country who are WGBH Teacher Advisors. This group will help design and develop instructional resources that address diverse student needs through the K-12 STEM education project, Bringing the Universe to America’s Classrooms, a WGBH initiative in collaboration with NASA.

WGBH is a public radio station located in Boston, Massachusetts and is a member station of National Public Radio. They have partnered with NASA to develop STEM curriculum focused on climate change, on which Gillispie will serve as an adviser.

Gillispie will be working with the Oregon State University Center for Research on Lifelong STEM Learning. She will begin her training by attending the National Science Teaching Conference in Los Angeles, CA in April.

Gillispie has taught at Albany Options School for five years and has previous experience at South Albany High School, Jefferson High School, Linus Pauling Middle School, and Timber Ridge School. Through her teaching she has partnered with organizations including SOLV, City of Albany Public Works, City of Albany Parks and Recreation, Calapooia Watershed Council, Blue Ocean Project, and Oregon Museum of Science Institute (OMSI). She earned her Masters of Science in Science Education from Montana State University, and her Bachelors of Science in Science Education from Western Oregon University.

This month, Lafayette Elementary School honored long-serving teachers with the following message:

Lafayette Elementary would like to celebrate the years of service these wonderful teachers have given to our district.

Your commitment to helping and guiding the children of Albany to become lifelong learners and citizens in our community is honorable.  Thank You!

From Left to Right: Cheri Hart, 15 years; Barb Boenzli, 35 years; Cindy Miller, 20 years; Shelly Avery, 10 years; Nancy Boydston, 15 years; Kathleen Delsman, 10 years; Susan Smith, 10 years. Not pictured: Cindy Beebe, 15 years.

The GAPS nurse team has developed a new web page with health resources for parents. Visit the site to find the following forms and links:

• Authorization for medication administration
• Authorization to use and/or disclose educational and protected health information
• Medication administration guidelines
• Medication administration guidelines-Español
• Immunization requirements
• Hand-foot-and-mouth disease information
• Lice information
• Oregon rules for exclusion
• When to keep your student home

Check back often as more resources will be added in the future!

District Nurse’s Webpage

This is Classified School Employees Appreciation Week. Thank you to all of our dedicated support staff, who make learning possible for students.

Classified employees work with students, educators, parents, volunteers, business partners and community members.

Classified employees support the smooth operation of offices, the safety and maintenance of buildings and property, and the safe transportation, healthy nutrition and direct instruction of students.

Classified employees are educational assistants, office support specialists, bus drivers, custodians, maintenance workers, food servers, translators and more.

Thank you, classified employees, for your work on behalf of GAPS students!

Congrats to the South Albany High School dance team for recent first place wins. Here is an update on the events from dance coach Amanda GaVette:

Our JV and varsity dancers competed at the Thurston dance competition last weekend, and both groups brought home a first place finish. This is a huge accomplishment for varsity as we had nine teams from the 5A division present.

This is a big win for us going into the state tournament next week, March 17 and 18. If you get a chance to see us compete in Portland at the OSAA dance and drill state championships, the girls would love the support.

The Belles, Gents, and I also wanted to invite you to the City Show at South Albany this weekend. South Albany’s JV and varsity dance teams, the West Albany Hi-Steppers, and other local teams will perform at the Albany All-City Show on Sunday, March 12 at 1 p.m. in the South Albany High School gym.

This free event is our opportunity to thank our school, family, friends, sponsors, and community for the gifts of love and support they have provided us over this dance season. Donations are gladly accepted.