News

January is School Board Recognition Month to honor the hours of dedicated service by volunteer board members.

Fourth- and fifth-grade Periwinkle students who are using the new modular classroom facility came to the Board meeting on Monday night to thank the Board for moving them to the space, which, they say, is less crowded, more quiet and has plenty of space to work.

See the student presentation.

Periwinkle opened the new building a few weeks after the school year started. Growth in the area has resulted in overcrowding. The new modular provides more space.

The District is continuing to grow. Projections show an enrollment increase of about 500 new students in the next five years.

The School Board unanimously voted to send a $159 million bond measure to voters in the May 16, 2017, election.

The measure would:

• Make upgrades and improvements, including replacing roofs, siding, windows, plumbing, electrical systems in schools around the District.
• Make energy improvements, including replacing old, inefficient high maintenance heating/ventilation systems, doors, which would save energy costs.
• Make safety/security upgrades, including automatic door locks, fire alarms, security cameras to improve the safety of students.
• Make seismic upgrades to enable buildings to better withstand earthquakes.
• Renovate and/or add classroom space to support vocational/technical classes for all district middle school buildings.
• Renovate and add classrooms and a cafeteria at Oak Grove Elementary School; purchase property and construct a new elementary school in NE Albany to address growing enrollment and reduce overcrowding.
• Complete the first phase of West Albany High School’s rebuild that would include new classrooms, commons, auditorium, cafeteria and administrative space; and multipurpose space for vocational/technical education and gymnasium uses at South Albany High School.

The bond proposal is the result of a more than two-year process to identify facility needs in the District. The projects were reviewed by architects and recommended by a community-based District Facilities Advisory Committee (DFAC) that was made up of community members, parents and staff members.

DFAC initially identified more than $250 million in facility needs. This proposal represents the School Board’s priority to balance the most critical needs and the cost to taxpayers. This bond proposal is expected to increase taxes by an estimated $.64 per $1,000 of assessed property value because the 2006 bond is expiring.

For more information, read the resolution and explanatory statement. 

Find more information on the bond information page.

Martin Luther King Jr. by Brenden Wrigley

Equal Pay for Women by Mia Hernandez

Safety is our number one priority, and it is the main consideration when deciding school closures due to weather.

The district carefully evaluates road conditions and weather forecasts both the night before and early in the morning of a school day. The Superintendent and Director of Transportation start driving the roads around the district starting at 4 a.m. They consider the conditions of the roads, sidewalks and parking lots in Albany and the outlying areas.

They don’t make decisions lightly, but they choose to err on the side of caution in order to keep the more than 9,000 students and staff members safe.

It is not an easy process, and we understand that it can be frustrating for many parents. Making the decision is not an easy call, but we make that decision with the best possible information available and in the best interest of student, parent and staff safety.

Read the District statement about deciding school closures due to weather:

School Closure Process

School Closure Process-Español