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Albany Middle School

Everybody Teaches, Everybody Learns

AMS Weekly School Bulletin for Friday, September 11, 2026

Posted Date: 09/12/26 (10:03 AM)




PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

Good Afternoon AMS Community,


Club Day was amazing! We had 24 clubs participate at lunch, and it was great to see students so enthusiastic about learning more about the different clubs and signing up for multiple opportunities. And we still have quite a few clubs waiting for approval from our Associated Student Body Leadership students, so there will be even more opportunities for students to get involved!


Our Girls Volleyball teams also had a great week, competing against Piedmont. Unfortunately, our Flag Football game against Willard was canceled, and due to the smoke in the air this week, our Cross Country race was postponed.


We really appreciate seeing so many families and students coming out to support our AMS athletes when they compete against other schools. We want our students to be great fans as well as great athletes. Please remind your student that when attending an AMS sporting event, we expect them to:


  • Support our teams and show respect to coaches, opponents, and officials.

  • Demonstrate good sportsmanship in the stands.

  • Cheer positively and respectfully for their teammates and our teams.

  • Remember that all school rules apply at school-sanctioned events.

Thank you for helping us create a positive and supportive environment for our students. 

Go Cobras!

Mr. Mapew

AMS School Calendar for 09/14 – 09/18


Monday, September 14 — School Ends at 3:30 pm 
Tuesday, September 15 — School Ends at 3:30 pm
Wednesday, September 16 — School Ends at 2:20 pm
Thursday, September 17 — School Ends at 3:30 pm - Please Note Change
Friday, September 12— NO SCHOOL for STUDENTS - PD Day for ALL AUSD Staff
Reminders & Updates

  • Please click on the link for a more detailed list of family reminders and important information.

  • Please make sure to respond to the daily attendance notice from school is your student is absent and you did not respond before receiving the phone call reminder. If the absence is not cleared, the absence will be recorded as unverified. 

  • Please see the above schedule for the week. There is no school on Friday for students across the district and on Thursday students are released at 3:30 pm instead of 3:05 pm. 

Events & Happenings

Date(s) and Time(s)

2026 - 2027

6th Grade Potlucks

Wednesday, September 16 -

Bruckmann-Harmon, Barstad, Nolen & Backowski

Thursday, September 17 -

Fryer, Angeloni, Richardson, & Duran

Thursday, September 24 -

Gripman, Hilts, Miller, Gray, & Corpuz

Staff PD: Non-Student Day

Friday, September 18 (8:30 am to 4:00 pm)

Popcorn w/ the Principal

Monday, September 21 @ 6:00 pm

Doughnuts w/ the Principal 

Tuesday, September 22 @ 9:00 am

AMS Fundraiser Kick-off

Monday, September 28

Fall Break (the start of a 4-day weekend)

Friday, October 9

Indigenous People’s Day - No School

Monday, October 12

Early Release Schedule 

(Fall Conference Week & Grading)

Tuesday, October 13 to Friday, October 16

Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill & Evacuation

Thursday, October 15 @ 10:15 am

End of 1st Quarter

Friday, October 16 

WEB Ice Cream Social

Friday, October 16 (Period 7)

School Dance (7th/8th grades)

Friday, October 16 - (7:00 pm - 9:00 pm)

Make-up Picture Day

Wednesday, October 21 

Doughnuts & Popcorn w/ the Principal 

Tuesday, October 27 (9:00 am & 6:00 pm)

6th Grade Halloween Party

Friday, October 30


Message to AUSD Parents/Caregivers 

Parent/Caregiver involvement is an essential pillar of the Albany Unified School District community. Our Parent & Caregiver Affinity Groups offer a wonderful opportunity for families to connect, collaborate, and support one another through initiatives that foster student academic growth and social-emotional well-being. 

AUSD warmly invites all parents and caregivers to join a group(s) that aligns with your identity and helps support our students and schools. Please explore the options below and click the link for the group(s) you would like to join: 

Asian Pacific Islander Parent Engagement Group (API-PEG) 

Albany’s Pride (LGBTQ) 

Black Parent Advisory Group (BPAG) 

Familias Latinas de Albany 

Jewish Parent Engagement Group 

Southwest Asian and North African Parent Engagement Group (SWANA) 

Albany Disability Squad 

If you have any questions about the Affinity Groups overall, please contact Deb Brill, Executive Director of Student Services. If you have any questions about joining an Affinity Group on Parent Square, please contact Linda Williams, Attendance and Family Engagement Coordinator. 



PTA CORNER

Join the PTA! Join to support AMS students and teachers, connect with other families, and strengthen school spirit! It's so simple, and it's just $37. We currently have 146 members and are 48% of the way to our goal of 300. You can add your students as members too! Join or renew today!

Interested in volunteering? Fill out this quick form to learn more about AMS volunteer roles coordinated by the PTA and get your name on the contact list. 

Sixth Grade Potlucks! Sixth grade students and their families are invited to join us later this fall to meet and mingle. The PTA will provide pizza and we welcome nut-free potluck contributions. Come to the potluck associated with your sixth grade student's homeroom teacher, as follows:

-  Wednesday, September 16, 6-7 pm, AMS courtyard: Families of 6th graders who have Bruckman-Harmann, Barstad, Nolen, or Backowski for homeroom

-  Thursday, September 17, 6-7 pm, AMS Courtyard: Families of 6th graders who have Fryer, Angeloni, Richardson, or Duran for homeroom

-  Thursday, September 24, 6-7 pm, AMS Courtyard: Families of 6th graders who have Gripman, Hilts, Miller, Gray, or Corpuz for homeroom


AMS ATHLETICS

Fall Sports Donation Reminder

If your student is participating in a Fall sport—Girls Volleyball, Cross Country, Wrestling, or Flag Football—and you have not yet made your athletic donation for the season, it is not too late! If you are willing and able to make a contribution, we greatly appreciate your support.

If you have already made your athletic donation, thank you! Your support helps pay for assistant coaches, B/JV/Developmental teams, uniforms, officials, and equipment.

At AMS, we are proud that so many of our students have the opportunity to participate in one or more athletic programs throughout the school year and during their time at Albany Middle School. We ask each family to make a $175 donation per athletic season, but any amount helps and is greatly appreciated.

This Fall, we have 290 student-athletes participating in our athletic programs:

  • 154 Girls Volleyball

  •   45 Flag Football

  •   29 Wrestling

  •   62 Cross Country

That is 290 AMS students representing our school through athletics!

Thank you for supporting AMS Athletics and helping us provide these opportunities for our students.

Go Cobras!!!


Updated AMS Fall Sports Schedule - Go Cobras!

Students can still be registered to participate in our Wrestling this fall. The last day to register is Monday, September 14th and 12 pm. Students DO NOT need a physical to participate, you only need to register them. Click on the link below to register your child

All Fall student-athletes will receive the AMS Student-Athlete Expectations Form for Fall Sports 2026 from their coach at one of their upcoming practices.

The form must be signed by both the student-athlete and a parent/caregiver in order for the student to continue participating in the sports program.


Once the form has been signed, it must be returned to the main office no later than Thursday, September 17, 2026.


If the form is not returned by the end of the school day on September 17, the student will not be allowed to participate in practices or competitions beginning Monday, September 21. Participation may resume once the completed form has been received by the main office.

AUSD NEWS

To view all upcoming AUSD & Community Events please click on our announcements page below:

Events & Announcements for AUSD Students & Families



Two specific announcements for AMS that you may want to view on the District's website: 
  1. Opportunity for students interested in mountain biking joining the Wildcat Composite Mountain Biking Club. 
  2. Albany Disability Squad Family Connection Picnic on Saturday, September 26 from 3 to 5 pm at Memorial Park - All families of AUSD students with IEPs or 504 Plans are invited.