Falcons, we are looking forward to welcoming you to the start of a new school year! What follows is important information you will need to prepare for the first day of school and the rest of the year ahead.
- Thursday, Sept. 3 – Welcome Back Event for all Albany High students in grades 9-12. Drop by from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Read on for details!)
- Friday, Sept. 4 – First day of school for all students.
- Grade 9: entry, schedule distribution and breakfast will take place from 8-8:30 a.m., and the first day programming will run from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Grades 10-12: students will attend from 12:30-3:30 p.m.
WELCOME BACK EVENT: Thursday, Sept. 3
All students are invited to drop by to pick up their materials at any time from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
We strongly encourage all new and returning students to visit school to collect the materials they will need to start class the following day, including schedules, ID badges, locker assignments, new storage cases for personal electronics (more details below) and Chromebooks. Please direct any questions or concerns about these materials to your academy office (contact information below).
Additional services and activities will also be offered, such as first-day haircuts by the Barbering and Cosmetology departments, and first-day outfits from the Falcon Market.
Thanks to our partners at the Regional Food Bank and Albany Fund for Education, we also will be distributing food bags starting at 10 a.m. and will continue until supplies run out.
FIRST DAY FOR ALL STUDENTS: Friday, Sept. 4
GRADE 9
Entry, schedule distribution and breakfast will take place from 8-8:30 a.m. for students in grade 9. From 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., students in grade 9 will:
- Participate in a welcome assembly to learn about our resources, procedures and expectations.
- Meet our staff, including teachers, administrators and guidance counselors.
- Tour the building and go through an abbreviated class schedule.
- Receive materials needed for the first day of class.
GRADES 10-12
Students in grades 10-12 will attend from 12:30-3:30 p.m. During this time, students will:
- Receive a copy of their schedule and go through an abbreviated class schedule.
- Meet their teachers and receive materials needed for the first day of class.
Additional details are outlined on our event calendar.
STUDENT SCHEDULES IN INFINITE CAMPUS
Student schedules will be available Thursday, Sept. 3 in Infinite Campus, our new online student information system. Students and families can access their student's schedule on the platform beginning then.
Students can access Infinite Campus with the same username and password utilized to log in to their district-issued Chromebook by using the single sign on button on the login page. Students can access the login page via their district bookmarks.
Parents and guardians, if you have not done so yet, please create and log in to your Infinite Campus 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 Infinite Campus, 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 Infinite Campus for all communications – please keep it updated!
DAILY LIFE AT ALBANY HIGH
- After our first day on Sept. 4, classes for all students start at 8:30 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. each day.
- Free breakfast and lunch are served daily to all students. Menus are available on our Food Services page.
- 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-issued Chromebook, fully charged, to class with them each day, starting on the first day of school. Additionally, students should bring 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.
CELL PHONE PROCEDURES FOR 2026-27
In alignment with Governor Hochul’s direction last year that all New York schools must implement bell-to-bell restrictions on student cell phone use, and as part of our continued commitment to creating a focused and distraction-free learning environment in all of our schools, we will continue to use storage cases for personal electronics during the 2026-27 school year.
We will be transitioning from last year's Yondr pouches to a new, larger, clear storage case. Students will receive these new storage cases on the first day of school, and will keep them throughout their high school career.
Albany High students will follow the daily cell phone storage protocol below:
- Each student will be assigned a storage case for personal electronics and will use it daily. Students are responsible for bringing their case to school each day and taking it home afterward, and will maintain the same storage case throughout their high school career.
- All students will be required to turn off and then secure their cell phones and electronic devices — including smartwatches, wireless ear buds and other similar accessories — in the storage case upon arrival each day.
- The case will be locked and remain in the student’s possession throughout the school day.
- At the end of the school day, the storage case will be unlocked, so students can retrieve their devices.
- Students who arrive without their case will have their phone collected at the start of the day to be stored in a secure location until dismissal, when they will report to their academy office to pick it up.
- Any student with a device that is not secured in a storage case during the school day will have the device confiscated immediately. Students who have a device confiscated may retrieve it from their academy office at the end of the school day; however, additional wait time may occur as staff may be assisting others.
- Non-district personal devices that do not fit in a storage case are not permitted into the building. These include, but are not limited to, tablets, laptops and headphones. If one of these items is seen, it will be confiscated. Please leave personal electronic devices that will not fit in a storage case at home.
- Intentional damage or destruction of a case will result in disciplinary action per the Student Code of Conduct, and the student’s phone will be collected daily to be stored in a secure location until dismissal.
HOME-TO-SCHOOL COMMUNICATION
Parents and guardians who need to contact students during the school day with time-sensitive or emergency information should call their student’s academy office.
On-demand translation services are available if needed.
STUDENT ENTRY & SECURITY
- Albany High entrances open at 8 a.m. each school day. Please arrive between 8-8:15 a.m. to have time to pass through our standard security.
- 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 storage case, 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 through 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
- Albany High is a closed campus; students may not leave campus during lunch or study hall.
- Students who leave campus without permission will not be allowed to re-enter without parent or guardian contact.
- Outside food and 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 Albany 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, including CDTA tripper buses that run direct routes to and from Albany High. We strongly encourage all eligible students to take advantage of the CDTA trippers, especially for the ride home at the end of the school day. Visit our Transportation page for CDTA bus schedules and route maps.
- CDTA allows a grace period at the start of each school year, when all students are allowed to ride free. Starting Monday, Sept. 21, 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 student's academy office.
LOCKERS
The Albany 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 in Infinite Campus 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. When possible, submitting an excuse in advance for pre-planned absences and early dismissals is extremely helpful.
Excuses must be submitted within five school days and specify the date and reason for the absence. Written excuses must contain a working phone number for verification. Academy offices will update Infinite Campus 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 our Pupil Personnel Services page.
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 our .
CALENDARS
Along with our online calendar, we also have one-page printable family calendars available. Additionally, our wall calendars are mailed to all district 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 for informed and individualized assistance:
- Citizenship Academy – (518) 475-6220
- Discovery Academy – (518) 475-6230
- Innovation Academy – (518) 475-6240
- Leadership Academy – (518) 475-6250
If you need to meet with staff, including your student's guidance counselor, please contact your student’s academy office.
Photo ID is required for visitor sign-in. Please note that the school’s office operating hours are 8:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., Monday-Friday.
STAYING INFORMED
SchoolMessenger provides options for parents and guardians, employees and community members to receive news and updates for school and district-level communications, along with weather-related and other emergency updates. We also use SchoolMessenger to connect with parents and guardians for automated attendance calls.
As long as we have current contact information on file in Infinite Campus, parents and guardians are automatically enrolled to receive these updates.
Our is published on our website at the end of each school week and is a great way for students and families to stay in the loop about all the great things going on at our school! You also can follow Albany High on and on .
If you do not want your student to appear in photographs, video or interviews used in school or district publications, print and digital marketing materials and media, please submit the Photo/Media Release form, which is available on our Communications page.
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!