Albany School District

Click HERE to Connect

• NEVER MISS AN EVENT
• CUSTOMIZE NOTIFICATIONS
  
• CAFETERIA MENUS
  
• DISTRICT UPDATES
  
• CONTACT STAFF & DEPARTMENTS
  

My name is Kurt Soderberg and I am honored to be the Superintendent of the Albany School District! It’s hard to believe how quickly we’ve arrived at a new school year and I look forward to the many successes and challenges we’ll experience during the 2023-2024 school year.

I’m entering my 18th year in public education and each year I’m struck by the excitement and anticipation that a new school year brings. The voices of students will soon fill the hallways of our schools reminding all of us why we are in education. In Albany, we put students first. The decisions we make and the actions we take start with one question; is this what’s best for our students?

We have an amazing staff of dedicated educators who are committed to serving all students and families to the very best of their abilities. In addition, we have families who love their children and support the work of our educators. That combination sets the table for amazing accomplishments.

The 2022-2023 school year was amazing and I look forward to working together to do something BIG in this special little place.

Go Comets!

My name is Stuart Ritzert, and I am the 4K-12 Principal of the Albany School District. The 2023-24 school year is quickly approaching and I am excited to have the students and staff return to continue the work we started together just over a year ago.

This year will mark my 23rd year in education. Every year the hallways are filled with new students, staff, and families within our community. Certainly, there will be challenges that we face throughout the year as well. I will continue to stress the importance of the partnership between home, school, and our community. Working together is a critical component for each of our students to reach their full potential. Our “students first” philosophy is the foundation of what we believe success looks like in the Albany School District.

I know our staff is equally as excited about the start of the school year. They are dedicated to creating the environment for academic success and committed to meeting the social and emotional needs of our students. Equally as important, our families and community support our school. If you have any questions throughout the school year, please do not hesitate to contact me.

As great as the 2022-23 school year was, I believe this year will be even better as we continue to do BIG things in the Albany School District.

Go Comets!

My name is Amber Becher, and I am the Director of Special Education and Student Services. On behalf of the special education and student services team, I welcome you to the new school year.

Our school mission states that we want students to achieve their individual potential, and the special education and student services team is committed to supporting the academic, social-emotional, and health needs of all students. This school year, we are focusing on using data from our academic assessments, and social-emotional and health screenings, to identify students that may be in need of additional supports and interventions. We will partner with teachers and families in order to make plans that promote student growth and health.

If you have any questions or specific academic, social-emotional, or health concerns, please contact me at any time throughout the school year.

Let's let our Comet Pride shine through by displaying a "We Love Our Schools" yard sign at our homes and/or businesses. We have a great deal to be proud of in our district and the public needs to know.

Signs are $10/ea and all proceeds will support our C.A.R.E. student recognition programs (citizenship, achievement, respect, and excellence). Signs can be purchased in the district office or at Back-to-School Night.

Back to School Night will be held Tuesday, August 29, from 5:00 - 7:00. Students can get schedules and meet teachers. They will be able to drop off supplies in lockers and classrooms. Additional school supplies will be available if needed. The Albany WI Chamber will provide dinner for all students and families.

School pictures will be taken at Back to School Night. Additional picture dates will be held in September.

If you have not previously, please register your students for the 2023-2024 using the button below.

If you have any questions, or need assistance, with logging into Infinite Campus or completing the online registration process, please contact the Albany School District at 608-862-3135 extension 2411. We can assist you over the phone, or schedule an appointment to complete the registration process, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 until 3:30.

Jumpstart Days Details

Jumpstart Days are designed to help all students and staff get off to a great start. We will spend time building strong, positive connections and lay the organizational foundation for a great year. Although these two days are optional, all students are strongly encouraged to attend. These two days will help us hit the ground running on our first day of school (Tuesday, September 5th). LET'S HAVE SOME FUN!

Busses will run at the usual times on both days.

Lunch & Snacks will be available free of charge. Students may choose to bring their own lunch.

August 30, 2023

• 4K-12 students will move through the normal school day. Getting familiar with their day, classes, and expectations will increase their comfort level and positively impact their success.

August 31, 2020

• 4K students will remain at school for the day. This will be an excellent opportunity to get comfortable in the school without the other grade-level students in the building.
• K-5th-grade students and staff will be traveling to the Madison Zoo for a day of learning, fun, and connection-building. (snacks and lunch will be provided)
• 6-12th-grade students and staff will be traveling to Canyon Camp for a day of learning, fun, and connection-building. (snacks and lunch will be provided)

The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children and youth as: Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, and includes children and youth who are: sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason, living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations, living in emergency or transitional shelters, abandoned in hospitals, living in a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and migratory children who qualify as homeless because the children are living in circumstances described above.

If you are personally aware of or are acquainted with any children or youth who may qualify according to the above criteria, the Albany School District provides the following assurances to parents and guardians of homeless children and youth and unaccompanied homeless youth:

- The child or youth shall be immediately enrolled and allowed to fully participate in school, even if unable to produce records normally required for enrollment (e.g., academic records, immunization and other required health records, proof of residency, or other documentation) or has missed application or enrollment deadlines during any period of homelessness.

- Homeless children and youths are not stigmatized or segregated on the basis of their status as homeless and have full and equal educational and related opportunities.

- Meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children including special notices of events, parent-teacher conferences, newsletters, and access to student records.

- Immediate enrollment and transportation to the school of origin. “School of origin” means the school that a child or youth attended when permanently housed or the school in which the child or youth was last enrolled, including a preschool.

- Written explanation of any decisions related to school selection or enrollment made by the school, the local educational agency, or the State educational agency involved, including the rights of the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth to appeal and receive prompt resolution of such decisions.

Please contact Amber Becher, homeless liaison for the Albany School District, at (608) 862-3135 extension 2421 for additional information about the rights and services described above

Upon request, the Albany School District is required to evaluate a child for eligibility for special education services. A request for evaluation is known as a referral. When the district receives a referral, the district will appoint an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team to determine if the child has a disability, and if the child needs special education services. The district locates, identifies, and evaluates all children with disabilities who are enrolled by their parents in private (including religious) schools, elementary schools and secondary schools located in the school district.

A physician, nurse, psychologist, social worker, or administrator of a social agency who reasonably believes a child brought to him or her for services is a child with a disability has a legal duty to refer the child, including a homeless child, to the school district in which the child resides. Before referring the child, the person making the referral must inform the child's parent that the referral will be made.

Others, including parents, who reasonably believe a child is a child with a disability may also refer the child, including a homeless child, to the school district in which the child resides.

Referrals must be in writing and include the reason why the person believes the child is a child with a disability. For additional infomration, contact: Amber Becher, Director of Special Education and Student Services at 608-862-3135 extension 2421.

The Albany School District is required to locate, identify, and evaluate all children with disabilities, including children with disabilities attending private schools in the school district, and homeless children. The process of locating, identifying, and evaluating children with disabilities is known as child find. This agency conducts the following child find activities each year: Child Find Screenings will be held October 11, December 13, February 14, and April 10. The District will also hold a 4K Open House and Child Find Screening to be held in March 2024. Contact Amber Becher at 608-862-3135 extension 2421 to receive more information about Child Find screenings.

This notice informs parents of the records the school district will develop and maintain as part of its child find activities. This notice also informs parents of their rights regarding any records developed.

The school district gathers personally identifiable information on any child who participates in child find activities. Parents, teachers, and other professionals provide information to the school related to the child’s academic performance, behavior, and health. This information is used to determine whether the child needs special education services. Personally identifiable information directly related to a child and maintained by the school is a pupil record. Pupil records include records maintained in any way including, but not limited to, computer storage media, video and audiotape, film, microfilm, and microfiche. Records maintained for personal use by a teacher and not available to others and records available only to persons involved in the psychological treatment of a child are not pupil records.

The school district maintains several classes of pupil records.

“Progress records" include grades, courses the child has taken, the child's attendance record, immunization records, required lead screening records, and records of school extra-curricular activities. Progress records must be maintained for at least five years after the child ceases to be enrolled.

""Behavioral records" include such records as psychological tests, personality evaluations, records of conversations, written statements relating specifically to the pupil's behavior, tests relating specifically to achievement or measurement of ability, physical health records other than immunization and lead screening records, law enforcement officers' records, and other pupil records that are not "progress records." Law enforcement officers' records are maintained separately from other pupil records. Behavioral records may be maintained for no longer than one year after the child graduates or otherwise ceases to be enrolled, unless the parent specifies in writing that the records may be maintained for a longer period of time. The school district informs parents when pupil records are no longer needed to provide special education. At the request of the child's parents, the school district destroys the information that is no longer needed.

"Directory data" includes the student's name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, photographs, degrees and awards received, and the name of the school most recently previously attended by the student.

"Pupil physical health records" include basic health information about a pupil, including the pupil's immunization records, an emergency medical card, a log of first aid and medicine administered to the pupil, an athletic permit card, a record concerning the pupil's ability to participate in an education program, any required lead screening records, the results of any routine screening test, such as for hearing, vision or scoliosis, and any follow-up to the test, and any other basic health information, as determined by the state superintendent. Any pupil record relating to a pupil's physical health that is not a pupil physical health record is treated as a patient health care record under sections 146.81 to 146.84, Wisconsin Statutes. Any pupil record concerning HIV testing is treated as provided under section 252.15, Wisconsin Statutes.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and section 118.125, Wisconsin Statutes, afford parents and students over 18 years of age ("eligible students") the following rights with respect to education records:

The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of receipt of the request. Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal a written request that identifies the records(s) they wish to inspect. The principal will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. The school district will comply with the request without unnecessary delay and before any meeting about an individualized education program, or any due process hearing, and in no case more than 45 days after the request has been made. If any record includes information on more than one child, the parents of those children have the right to inspect and review only the information about their child or to be informed of that specific information. Upon request, the school district will give a parent or eligible student a copy of the progress records and a copy of the behavioral records. Upon request, the school district will give the parent or eligible student a list of the types and locations of education records collected, maintained, or used by the district for special education. The school district will respond to reasonable requests for explanations and interpretations of the records. A representative of the parent may inspect and review the records.

The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the parent or eligible student believes is inaccurate or misleading. Parents or eligible students may ask the Albany School District to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the school principal, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the district decides not to amend the record, the district will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and the right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.

The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information in the student's education records, except to the extent that federal and state law authorize disclosure without consent. The exceptions are stated in 34 CFR 99.31, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act regulations; Sec. 9528, PL107-110, No Child Left Behind Act of 2001; and section 118.125(2)(a) to (m) and sub. (2m), Wisconsin Statutes. One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosures to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the district as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the school board; a person or company with whom the district has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the district discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. Also the district discloses "directory data" without consent, unless the parent notifies the district that it may not be released without prior parental consent.

The right to file a complaint with the U. S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20202-4605.

Website: www.albany.k12.wi.us
Location: 309 Vinton Street, Albany, WI, USA
Phone: 608-862-3135

The School District of Albany does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, or physical, mental, emotional, or learning disability or handicap in its education programs or activities.