Albany Schools Superintendent Welcomes Back Students

Dear Albany Unified School District Community:

Welcome back to the 2015-2016 school year. As we prepare for a new school year, our AUSD dedicated employees have been working diligently all summer to prepare our schools and classrooms for learning. Construction crews have been installing new heating and air conditioning at Albany Middle School and the Albany Children’s Center, our maintenance and custodial crews are busy deep cleaning classrooms, hallways and offices, and learning materials are being ordered.

Our goal is to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment where all students are able to maximize their potential. Over the summer we hired several new teachers, and we are excited to welcome them to the Albany family. We are proud to say that we hire only the most highly qualified teachers. We are also pleased to introduce two new administrators to AUSD. Mr. Jeff Anderson is the new principal of Albany High School. Jeff comes from the Los Gatos/Saratoga School District where he was the principal of Saratoga High School for several years as well as the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services for the district. Mr. David Haupert is the new assistant principal of Albany Middle School. David comes from Contra Costa County where he was a Spanish teacher at Pleasant Hill Middle School.

While students were enjoying their summer vacation, several of our staff attended professional development or entered into Science and Math fellowships to continue their education. I am proud that our Albany educators continue to pursue their own learning in order to provide the most rigorous and relevant curriculum and instructional strategies to our students.

This year will be an exciting year, with the implementation of Common Core State Standards, our second year of Smarter Balanced Assessments, and the exploration of Next Generation Science Standards. We will continue to provide professional development with the support of our elementary and secondary Teachers on Special Assignment in mathematics, science, and English language arts.

Our Local Control Accountability Plan was developed with the input of over 40 stakeholder groups and community outreach. Our LCAP, aligned with our district’s strategic plan, will be the guide to providing the best possible learning opportunities and support services for our students. We are very proud of our home and school partnerships.

As parents, you are critical partners with the district in your children’s education. We know that your involvement makes a difference, and together we share a commitment to ensure that all students succeed. It is important that our students know that education should be valued. Whether your child is in preschool, elementary, middle or high school, please stay actively involved in your child’s education. Join and support your local PTA, attend your child’s extracurricular activities, volunteer in your child’s classroom, or join a committee like school site council.

Most of all, take time daily to ask your child what he/she learned in school, read to or with your child each night, and contact your child’s teacher or principal if you have questions or concerns about what your child is learning. I wish you all a wonderful school year, and I look forward to seeing you at Back to School Night and at school and district events this year.

Sincerely,

Val

Val Williams, Superintendent

Submitted by Albany Unified School District

Photo Credit: Shutterstock