A joint meeting of the Albany City Council and the GAPS School Board is scheduled for tonight. District representatives will update the Council on the District’s strategic planning, bond project developments, school programs and emergency management.
The meeting will be held at Albany City Hall, 333 Broadalbin Street SW. It will begin at 7 p.m.
AOS has been one of the most future-changing places I’ve come across. I went from maybe three complete credits to having almost a 4.0 GPA. Here at AOS you actually have a chance at high school. You have the option to go far and do great things.
Here, the teachers give you a voice. You can ask a million questions in a row and have each and every one answered without the attitude or frustration of a teacher at a bigger school. On that note, the teachers are easy to get along with and they make sure you can take care of yourself and succeed. They don’t make you feel like you’re just another ordinary student, they make you feel like an individual. You aren’t labeled as the junior class, or sophomore class, or freshmen class, you’re you.
I’ve noticed that people, such as myself, who have an anxiety disorder can strive and make friends here. There isn’t the usual high school drama, or kids who say “oh, I don’t like this person or that person.” Everyone can get along. It feels like you’re part of a family. I was extremely anxious to start at a new school but after a week of being in the high school program I made a ton of friends. I’m comfortable dressing the way I want, or acting the way I want.
I appreciate the staff most of all. The office ladies are always so happy and welcome everyone who comes in. They almost always have a smile painted on their face, and the great thing is, they’re real. They don’t say hi to everyone who comes in because it’s part of their job, they do it because they love the students and people here. They’re always more than happy to talk with the lonelier or quieter students,
All of the teachers care about their students. If they notice a kid slipping behind they tell that student and they try to motivate them and help them with any of the extra help they need to get their grades back up. The teachers actually notice every student, they notice if you’re feeling down. They recognize where you’re improving and where you need help, and they don’t put you down or make you feel bad for needing the help.
AOS truly is a big family. We all help each other and can get along. We’re heard, we’re not labeled as a ‘bad kid’ or the ‘dumb kid.’ We were all given the second chance we needed. We’re given the help we all need. We’re all given a place to succeed and make really good friends.
I speak for every student at AOS when I say thank you to everyone here. Thank you for giving me, and the rest of us, the chance we needed to graduate. Thank you for pushing us the respectful way we needed. I can happily say I’m going to be able to graduate on time only because of AOS. I’m glad I got on the list for AOS and I’m glad I was given the choice to come.
AOS has changed my life and has made me actually want to go to school. AOS has given me the option to have a successful high school career, and it gave me a place to start thinking of my future in a positive way. Thank you so much AOS for making me see that kids like me really can go far and succeed when I felt like I never would be able to.
Annaliese Papesh-Schmidt is a Junior at Albany Options School. She has earn multiple academic awards and landed herself on the Honor Roll. She is exploring careers in journalism and art.
GAPS parents are invited to join parents of talented and gifted students in Corvallis for an informational night about the social-emotional needs of TAG students.
The featured speaker is Paula Prober, author, counselor and educator with more than 30 years experience.
The event will take place in the Linus Pauling Middle School Auditorium in Corvallis on Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. Childcare is available.
“Many staff members and families are eager for more support around TAG students and issues,” said Stacey Torres, District Talented and Gifted Facilitator. “I hope they can attend this event to improve our ability to support our TAG learners.”
The second meeting of the new Anti-Bullying, Anti-Harassment Task Force is scheduled for Feb. 7 at Albany Options School at 6 p.m.
More than 40 parents, community members and staff attended the first meeting on Jan. 24. Participants had the opportunity to share, in small groups, why they were attending and what outcomes they anticipating.
At the meeting, district staff presented and overview of bullying and had participants break into small groups to analyze various aspects and data relating to bullying that they could share out to the larger group.
At the end of the evening, the small groups focused on beginning to look at the various roles community stakeholders play in addressing the issue of bullying in our community. A summary of those findings will be presented at the Feb. 7 meeting.
The Oregon Department of Education recently released graduation rates for the 2016-17 school year. The report showed the already strong graduation rates in Greater Albany High schools stayed strong for students.
For 2016-17, Albany Options rate is 38.39%; South Albany High School is 88.68%; and West Albany High School is 95.83%. The state graduation rate was 76.65%.
The news was even better for Latino students or students who took at least one career technical class.
At South Albany High School, 92% of Latino students graduated within four years; at West Albany High School, 100% of Latino students earned a diploma.
The reports show a boost in statewide completion rates for students who took at least one career technical (CTE) class. CTE classes help train students for careers or vocational training programs. The 2017 bond is adding CTE space at all middle and high schools to increase CTE opportunities for students.