AMS & AHS Back-To-School Nights, Allergy Plans For Community Events, Wellness Coach Recognition, & Physics Teacher Published

Dear Albany Community, 

This week Albany Middle School and Albany High School hosted their Back-to-School Nights. These well-attended events gave families the chance to step into their child’s school day—visiting classrooms, meeting teachers, and learning about class expectations. I had the joy of attending Albany High’s Back-to-School Night both as Superintendent and as a parent. It was a meaningful reminder of how fortunate we are to have such dedicated educators and engaged families in our community. I left feeling deeply grateful. When we show up and engage in our children’s education, we send a powerful message that school matters and that their daily work is important. 11 Tips For Parents provides ways to help you continue supporting your student throughout the school year.  

Allergy Plan: Community Events

Currently, all AUSD campuses are nut free. We are continuing to explore the best way to retain the parts of food-related celebrations that our community values. At the same time, we want to prioritize safety and a sense of inclusion for students with life-threatening allergies. Executive Director of Student Services, Deb Brill, will meet with PTA and Affinity Group leaders to discuss possible strategies we might employ, such as labeling food dishes with known allergens, separating food by tables, etc. The  meeting is also open to anyone  who has a special interest in this topic. If you would like to attend, RSVP to Deb Brill at dbrill@ausdk12.org so she can monitor attendance numbers and determine an appropriate location. The meeting will be held on Monday, September 22, 5–6:30pm.

Recognizing AUSD’s Wellness Coach

We are so proud that the work of Mr. Wil Cason, who partners with our AHS and AMS students most impacted by systemic barriers, was recently highlighted in California’s campaign for the newly adopted Certified Wellness Coach program.  Mr. Cason was part of the very first cohort to be certified, his work demonstrates how essential this kind of relationship-based, equity-centered work is in schools. Several Albany students and staff also shared their voices in this project, and the resulting videos are now available on YouTube. It is an honor that the daily commitment of our educators and students to belonging, wellness, and inclusion is being lifted up as a model across the state.

• Short film featuring Mr. Cason and AUSD Staff

• Short film describing the Certified Wellness Coach Program

• Wil Cason Testimonial

AHS Physics Teacher Publishes Article 

"Climate, Estimation and Action in Physics", by AHS Physics teacher Valerie Risk was just published in the September issue of The Physics Teacher magazine. The article describes the unit she developed to teach estimation, aspects of climate change and power generation in alignment with Next Generation Science Standards. Ms. Risk’s students presented their work to the AUSD School Board in May 2023. 

Calendar Highlights: 

Please see messages from your school for complete information about events. 

• September 9: Special Board Meeting, 6pm, Albany City Hall — Candidates will be interviewed for the provisional appointment, and the selected candidate will be appointed at the meeting. 

• September 23: Regular Board Meeting - CANCELLED due to Rosh Hashanah,  

Important Links

• Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)

• MTSS for Educators and Students

• Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain

Sincerely, 

Sara Stone

Superintendent

Albany Unified School District

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