Welcome to the start of a new school year! What follows is all the important information you and your Falcon(s) will need to prepare for the first day of school and the rest of the year ahead.
- Thursday, Sept. 4 – First day of school for all students new to Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ this year.
- Friday, Sept. 5 – First day of school for all students in grades 9-12.
STUDENT SCHEDULES IN SCHOOLTOOL
Student schedules will be available on Wednesday, Sept. 3 in SchoolTool, our online student information system. Students can access their schedule in SchoolTool using their student ID number.
Parents and guardians, please create and log in to your SchoolTool Parent Portal and check in regularly to access attendance, grades, contact information, graduation requirements and status, dates, announcements and other important information. For example, teachers take attendance in SchoolTool, so parents and guardians can see in real time whether students are in class or marked absent. We will use the contact information provided by parents and guardians in SchoolTool for all communications – please keep it updated!
Reminder: A change in grading policy took effect last year. The minimum marking period grade assigned to a student is 55%, except for the final marking period. The final marking period grade will be the actual grade.
WELCOME BACK DAY (RETURNING STUDENTS ONLY): WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 3
Stop by to pick up your materials at any time between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
We strongly encourage all returning students to visit the school on Sept. 3 to collect the materials they will need to start class on Sept. 5, including schedules, ID badges, locker assignments and Chromebooks. Please direct any questions or concerns about these materials to your academy office (contact information below). Returning students should NOT come to school on Sept. 4.
Additional services and activities also will be offered, such as first-day haircuts by the Barbering and Cosmetology departments, and first-day outfits from the Falcon Boutique.
FRESHMEN FIRST DAY: THURSDAY, SEPT. 4
NINTH-GRADERS & NEW STUDENTS ONLY:
- All-day orientation, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Students attending Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ High for the first time this school year (in all grades) will have the opportunity to tour our newly expanded building and learn about our procedures, resources and expectations.
- Meet staff, including your teachers, administrators and guidance counselor.
- Receive materials needed for the first day of class.
FIRST DAY OF CLASS FOR ALL STUDENTS: FRIDAY, SEPT. 5
- Classes start at 8:30 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m.
- Free breakfast and lunch are served daily to all students. Menus are available on the food services page of our website.
- Students have five minutes to transition between classes. Hall passes are required for all students during instructional time. Hall passes are not granted during the first and last 10 minutes of class.
- All students should bring their district-assigned Chromebook, fully charged, to class with them each day, as well as standard supplies like pencils, pens, notebooks and folders. Most teachers include a specific supply list in their course syllabi, which will be distributed in class.
NEW CELLPHONE PROCEDURES FOR 2025-26
In alignment with Governor Hochul’s direction that all New York schools must implement bell-to-bell restrictions on student cell phone use, and as part of our commitment to creating a focused and distraction-free learning environment in all of our schools, we will be using Yondr pouches at all of our secondary schools beginning with the 2025-26 school year.
The use of Yondr pouches at our middle schools and high schools will look like this:
- All students will be required to turn off and then secure their cell phones and electronic devices — including smartwatches and other similar accessories — in a Yondr pouch upon arrival each day.
- The pouch will be locked and remain in the student’s possession throughout the school day.
- At the student’s end of the school day, the Yondr pouch will be unlocked so students can retrieve their devices.
- Students then will deposit the empty Yondr pouches in receptacles before leaving the school building each day.
- Any student with a device that is not secured in a Yondr pouch during the school day will have the device confiscated immediately. School staff also may contact parents or guardians to discuss alternatives.
- Students who have a device confiscated may retrieve it from the main office at the end of the school day; however, additional wait time may occur as staff may be assisting others.
These procedures apply to all three middle schools and Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ, as well as grades 6-12 in the Newcomer Program at Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ International Academy. Tony Clement Center for Education will continue to follow the cell phone restrictions that building has had in place for several years.
HOME-TO-SCHOOL COMMUNICATION
Parents and guardians who need to contact students during the school day with time-sensitive or emergency information should call the school’s main office or, at Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ High, your student’s academy office.
On-demand translation services will be available at all locations.
You can read more about this policy and exclusions by visiting the student cell phone use page of our website, which also contains links to the Board of Education policy and regulation, as well as a list of FAQs.
STUDENT ENTRY & SECURITY
- Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ High entrances open at 8 a.m.
- Students arriving by bus will enter where they are dropped off: Building 1, Tower 1.
- All other students must use the main entrance on Washington Avenue.
- To enter the school, all students must present their IDs, secure their cell phones and devices in a Yondr pouch, and pass through routine security screenings, including bag check and metal detection.
- Students found entering the school through other doors, or letting other students in other doors, will face disciplinary action per the Code of Conduct.
- Students must have their ID badges with them at all times. Students are required to present their IDs to any staff member upon request, and IDs must be visible to enter the cafeteria or the library during lunch or study hall.
- Students must not bring any weapons, drugs or any other illegal/prohibited items to school. Such items will be confiscated, and students will face consequences per the Code of Conduct.
CLOSED CAMPUS
- Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ High is a closed campus; students are not allowed to leave campus for lunch or study hall.
- Parents and guardians must submit a note in advance or contact their student’s academy office to excuse them for medical appointments, family emergencies, etc.
- Students who leave campus without permission will not be allowed to re-enter without parent/guardian contact.
- OUTSIDE FOOD/DRINK DELIVERY IS NOT PERMITTED FOR ANY STUDENTS. This includes third-party delivery services like DoorDash. Students violating this policy will not be allowed to enter with their food and will face disciplinary action per the Code of Conduct.
DROP-OFF & PARKING
- Student drop-off is located on Washington Avenue, near the North Main Street intersection. Please follow directions indicated by signs and traffic cones.
- The parking lots are for Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ High staff only. Visitors and students must park on the street (for free).
BUSES
- Students whose Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan requires specialized transportation will ride yellow buses operated by First Student.
- All other students who live 1.5 miles or more from school are eligible to ride CDTA for free.
- Eligible students will have their student IDs activated and can use them to ride any CDTA bus. CDTA also offers tripper buses that run direct routes to and from Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ High. Visit the transportation page of our website for CDTA bus schedules and route maps.
- CDTA allows a two-week grace period at the start of each school year, when all students are allowed to ride free. Starting Monday, Sept. 22, students without an activated ID must pay CDTA’s regular fare.
- Bus transportation eligibility is based on the address on file at Central Registration. You can officially change your address on our website, by mail, in-person at the Harriet Gibbons Student Services Center at 75 Watervliet Ave., or by contacting your Falcon’s academy office.
LOCKERS
The newly rebuilt and expanded Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ High campus is vast, so we encourage students to use their lockers.
Many students pack their belongings for the morning and swap out materials at lunch. Students should not share lockers or give their combinations to others. Lockers are provided by the academy offices on request. Use this to submit a locker request.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Students are more likely to succeed academically when they attend class consistently. Automated daily calls are made to the primary number listed on SchoolMessenger to notify parents and guardians of absences. Please strive for fewer than five absences a year – excused or unexcused! Excused absences include:
- Illness or medical appointments
- Unsafe travel conditions
- Required court appearances
- Religious observances
- Approved work study/academic enrichment opportunities
- Death in the family
All other absences, tardiness or early dismissals will be considered unexcused. Parents and guardians should call or email their student’s academy office to provide an excuse. Excuses must be submitted within five school days, specify the date and reason for the absence and contain a working phone number for verification. Academy offices will update SchoolTool as soon as possible after the excuse is received.
CODE OF CONDUCT & DIGNITY FOR ALL STUDENTS ACT (DASA)
The Dignity for All Students Act is a federal law that impacts how schools identify and address bullying, intimidation and harassment in schools. We will make sure that students have a clear understanding of what constitutes a DASA issue, how they can prevent bullying, intimidation and harassment and the consequences for students who engage in behavior that violates DASA, which exists to ensure a safe and orderly learning environment for all. Please pay careful attention to the DASA information that can be found on the pupil personnel services page of our website.
Please also make sure your student understands the expectations as outlined in the Code of Conduct, which is mailed home in late August and available on the .
CALENDARS
Along with our online calendar, we also have one-page printable family calendars available. Additionally, our wall calendars are mailed to all families in late August.
CONTACTING ALBANY HIGH
For all questions and concerns relating to your student’s progress or welfare, please contact their academy office and/or guidance counselor for informed and individualized assistance:
- Citizenship Academy – (518) 475-6220
- Discovery Academy – (518) 475-6230
- Leadership Academy – (518) 475-6250
- Innovation Academy – (518) 475-6240
If you need to meet with staff, please contact your student’s academy office to make an appointment. Photo ID is required for visitor sign-in. Please note that the school’s office operating hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, for both contact and visitation.
NEWS & SOCIAL MEDIA
SchoolMessenger provides options for parents/guardians, employees and community members to receive school and district communications via email, text and robocall, including weather-related and emergency updates. Please be sure that your preferred email and phone number are correct in SchoolTool.
If you do not want your Falcon to appear in photographs, video or interviews used in district publications, print and digital marketing materials and media, please submit the Media Release form which is available on the communications page of our website.
Follow Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ High on and on , and be sure to check out our weekly news to stay informed!
Thank you for your time and attention as you review this important information. We are excited to welcome all our Falcons for a new and successful school year!