Oct. 2, 2026
Homecoming 2026 is here!
Homecoming Weekend 2026 is here and we are pumped!
Homecoming will take place Friday, Oct. 2-Saturday, Oct. 3 on our Albany High campus. It's going to be a dynamic and fun weekend for our students, families, staff, alumni and community members. This year's festivities will include home athletic competitions, our Hall of Fame Induction, a parade and booths with snacks, refreshments, games and more. View the full schedule of events on our Homecoming 2026 web page. We can't wait to see you there!
Homecoming Dance Donations
Falcon families and friends — please consider donating to our Homecoming Dance Concessions and Bake Sale! Not only will your generosity ensure that our Falcons enjoy delicious snacks and drinks at our 2026 Homecoming Dance, all proceeds will go to support Albany High's prom this spring. for additional details and sign-up instructions! There are options to donate snacks, drinks, paper goods and money to purchase pizza.
Thank you for supporting our students and school community!
Homecoming Parade is Saturday, Oct. 3 at noon
Come one, come all to our Homecoming Parade! Spectators are invited to line up on the sidewalks between the corner of North Main and Washington Ave. and the access road to the stadium. Come enjoy dance performances, music played by our Marching Falcons, our senior float and more. All fall student-athletes playing at the modified and high school level are invited to march in the parade.
Falcons meet rising orchestral star, Amaryn Olmeda
Albany High music students had the incredible opportunity to meet a rising orchestral star, eighteen-year-old violinist Amaryn Olmeda, on Friday when she performed a special concert for our Falcon musicians in the Albany High auditorium!
Olmeda will be making her Capital Region debut on opening night of Albany Symphony's 2026-27 season at the Palace Theatre on Saturday. She is set to perform Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s “Violin Concerto” in D Major.
This weekend, there are two wonderful opportunities to see Olmeda perform. Students can reserve $5 tickets to Albany Symphony's opening night concert "Rome, Romance, and Rising Stars" on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with the code OPENINGNIGHT. Earlier that afternoon, Olmeda will be performing at the Opalka Gallery at Russell Sage College from 1-2:30 p.m. This program is free, and attendees are asked to RSVP via the Albany Symphony website.
Check out this news story to learn more.
Jazzmanian Devils opened for Steep Canyon Rangers
Our at The Egg, and we could not be more proud!
A huge thank you to band director John Halvorsen, Superintendent Hochreiter, Albany Fund for Education, Albany Friends of Music, Can’d Aid, The Egg, and of course, Steep Canyon Rangers!
Prior to the show, members of the Grammy-winning bluegrass band took the time to talk with our students about how they got their start (as band kids!), their creative process and what life is like in the music world.
Congratulations to Garrison Goldman
Albany High senior Garrison Goldman has been named a semifinalist in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Competition! Goldman earned this designation due to his exceptional score on the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT).
Additionally, we congratulate Albany High seniors Jude Caton, Nathaniel Pupons, Devin Wheeler, Miriam Ustin and Evelyn Shirer for receiving Letters of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. This recognition was granted to 34,000 high performers on the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT). Check out this news story to learn more!
College Fair Fun at Albany High
Last Thursday, our Falcons enjoyed interfacing with representatives from approximately 20 colleges and universities, such as Binghamton University, Clarkson University, Russell Sage College, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Vermont State University and Rochester Institute of Technology at our .
Be sure to mark your calendars for our upcoming college fairs on Thursday, Oct. 8 and Friday, Oct. 16. Juniors and seniors are invited to attend and must present their student ID to enter.
Check out this news story to learn more!
After-school tutoring
Free after-school tutoring will be available for all Albany High students in grades 9-12 starting on Monday, Oct. 5.
After-school tutoring will take place Monday - Thursday from 3:30-5 p.m. in the Albany High library. Tutoring sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays will focus on ELA and social studies. Tutoring sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays will focus on math and science.
To ensure effective support for our participants, space is limited to 30 students daily, so please arrive promptly.
Light snacks will be available. Please note that no transportation is provided, so students and families must make their own arrangements.
UAlbany Collegiate Odyssey
Albany High students in grades 9-12 are invited to participate in a free mentoring program facilitated by UAlbany that runs from now until Nov. 4. The Collegiate Odyssey program meets on Wednesdays after school from 4-5:30 p.m. in the Albany High library. Students are paired with a college student and have the opportunity to explore topics such as sociology, psychology, history, literary studies, film studies, the arts and more! for additional information.
Cosmetology Free Clinic
Our Albany High School cosmetology students are once again offering free services to Albany residents ages 55+ on Thursdays from 12:30-2:30 p.m. The free clinic program will run Oct. 1 through May 2027.
Check out this news story to learn more and spread the word about this amazing service to our community!
Fantastic fall sports
Our Falcons are giving it their all on the courts, fields, courses and pools this fall! Here are some highlights and important details for fall sports:
- Senior celebrations kicked off on Tuesday, Sept. 29, with our .Check out this news story for more details about our upcoming senior nights.
- Our Albany High boys’ soccer team has been bringing the heat on the soccer field! Our Falcons (4-3-2 overall, 2-3-2 Suburban Council) defeated Columbia 4-2 at home on Saturday and secured a resounding 6-1 win over Schenectady on the road on Tuesday. Great job, Falcons!
- Stay healthy and fit this fall! We invite our student-athletes in grades 9-12 to participate in our open gym workout sessions in the weight and cardio rooms. Check out this news story to learn more.
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The Albany Booster Club continues to seek volunteers to help run our concession stand at home sporting events this fall! Sign up for a shift today by visiting the !
Follow our Albany Athletics and pages to see our sports highlights!
Audition for Shrek The Musical
The Albany High Theater Ensemble is thrilled to present "Shrek The Musical" this coming spring!
City School District of Albany students in grades 9-12 who are interested in auditioning for the show are invited to attend our audition workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 14 in Room 4200. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn the audition songs and find out important information regarding the show.
Auditions for the show will take place on Nov. 9 and Nov. 10 from 4-7 p.m. Students only need to attend one day of auditions, but must be present the full three hours. Callbacks will take place on Nov. 12 at 4 p.m. if needed.
Visit our event calendar for additional details and to access the Google Form to sign up for auditions.
Falcons interested in being on crew for Shrek The Musical are invited to a mandatory meeting on Monday, Nov. 16, to learn more about the opportunity. Check out our event calendar for all the details!
Masterclass workshops: dance and acting
Albany High students in grades 9–12 are invited to register for our free masterclass workshops taking place on Monday, Oct. 5 and Friday, Oct. 9!
- The Dance Workshop led by Freddy Ramirez on Monday, Oct. 5 from 4-6 p.m. will focus on technique, foundation of jazz, performance, musicality and bringing your own self to your work. Check out this news story about Ramirez's session held on Sept. 28 with our Falcons!
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Acting Workshop led by Noëlle Gentile will help students learn that our best work as artists comes from liberated space, both internal and external. The workshop for Oct. 1 had to be canceled due to an illness, but any students who are interested can attend the workshop on Friday, Oct. 9.
Students are welcome to register for dance, acting or both! Check out our event calendar to learn more and to access the Google Form to sign up!
Register for PSAT by Oct. 12
Albany High School will administer the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT) during the school day on Friday, Oct. 23, starting at 7:45 a.m. in the main gymnasium. Any student who is a sophomore or junior during the 2026–27 school year may take the test.
Registration will close on Oct. 12 due to the time needed to ensure all students are uploaded into the College Board system. Visit our event calendar for additional information, including details on how to register for the test.
Falcons' Best Dance Crew
Do you have what it takes to be Albany High’s best dance crew? Join us for a one-of-a-kind dance competition this October to showcase your moves and compete for a cash prize! Participation is free and open to all Albany High students that will be in grades 9-12 for the 2026-27 school year.
- Dress rehearsal dates: Wednesday, Oct. 28 or Thursday, Oct. 29
- Competition date: Friday, Oct. 30
Register by Friday, Oct. 2! Check out our event calendar for additional details.
Senior portraits
Class of 2027, you can now make appointments for your senior portraits! Upstate Images will be holding senior portrait sessions at Albany High on Dec. 4, Dec. 7-10 and Dec. 15-18. Check out this news story to learn how to book your session.
Falcons meet "Lumos" the robotic dog
Albany High students in the Pre-Engineering Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathway and the Robotics Team had the unique opportunity to meet "Lumos" the robotic dog during a hands-on lesson facilitated by National Grid on Sept. 24. Seeing the real-world application of concepts they are learning in class was an incredible experience for our Falcons! Check out this news story to learn more!
Donations needed for Falcon Market
The Falcon Market is a completely free resource open to Albany High students and their families. It includes a free boutique and food pantry that provides reliable access to fresh food for thousands of students and their families. We are currently seeking donations of new or gently used athletic gear and Falcon pride gear for our free boutique. Donations for the Falcon Market can be dropped off at the Albany High main office from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on school days.
Reminder: students must bring ID and phone storage case daily
Please be reminded that all Albany High students must bring their student ID and their phone storage case daily to school. This helps ensure a smooth and timely entry process. Thank you!
Albany High communications
We hope you enjoyed this Albany High weekly update! As a reminder, to avoid overwhelming your inbox with lots of messages throughout the week, we curate this weekly communication on Fridays at this web page with important updates and exciting news to keep our Falcon families "in-the-know." Feel free to bookmark this page so you always have the important details you need at hand.
We also have dedicated Albany High social media pages on and . Follow us to see lots of great photos and reels!
Exciting events coming up soon
This is a list of events coming up that we want to draw particular attention to for students and families! These are just some of the great things happening here at Albany High, and remember you can view our full calendar to see them all!
Follow Albany High!
Looking for last week's update?
Let's get ready for Homecoming 2026!
Homecoming Weekend will take place Friday, Oct. 2-Saturday, Oct. 3 on our Albany High campus! It's going to be a dynamic and fun weekend for our students, families, staff, alumni and community members. This year's festivities will include home athletic competitions, our Hall of Fame Induction, a parade and booths with snacks, refreshments, games and more. View the full schedule of events on our Homecoming 2026 web page. We can't wait to see you there!
Jazzmanian Devils to open for Steep Canyon Rangers
Albany High’s Jazzmanian Devils, the school's advanced jazz ensemble, will be the opening act when Steep Canyon Rangers play at The Egg's Lewis A. Swyer Theatre on Saturday, Sept. 26. Under the direction of John Halvorsen, the Jazzmanian Devils will perform from 7-8 p.m. that evening. Steep Canyon Rangers will follow. Tickets for the Sept. 26 concert are available through T and The Egg website, with a 10% discount using the code STEEP10.
Also, be sure to swing by the Upper Madison Street Fair on Sunday, Sept. 27, to see our advanced jazz ensemble perform. This event is free and open to the public!
Homecoming Dance Donations
Falcon families and friends — please consider donating to our Homecoming Dance Concessions and Bake Sale! Not only will your generosity ensure that our Falcons enjoy delicious snacks and drinks at our 2026 Homecoming Dance, all proceeds will go to support Albany High's prom this spring. for additional details and sign-up instructions! There are options to donate snacks, drinks, paper goods and money to purchase pizza.
Thank you for supporting our students and school community!
Homecoming Parade is Saturday, Oct. 3 at noon
Come one, come all to our Homecoming Parade! Spectators are invited to line up on the sidewalks between the corner of North Main and Washington Ave. and the access road to the stadium. Come enjoy dance performances, music played by our Marching Falcons, our senior float and more. All fall student-athletes playing at the modified and high school level are invited to march in the parade.
Reminder: students must bring ID and phone storage case daily
Please be reminded that all Albany High students must bring their student ID and their phone storage case daily to school. This helps ensure a smooth and timely entry process. Thank you!
Fall Open House Presentation
Thank you to the parents and guardians who attended our Fall Open House on Sept. 23! Our administrators, teachers and staff were thankful for the opportunity to make personal connections and share important information. Principal Commerford's is shared as a news story on our website.
Saving lives together at Albany High
Thanks to the hard work and dedication of Albany High senior Lyra Stetzer (pictured left), our first blood drive of the school year was a huge success!
During yesterday's drive, 73 units of blood were collected, including 12 Power Red donations. It was truly incredible to see students, alumni, school district employees and community members collaborate for the shared purpose of providing a life-saving resource. Check out this news story to learn more!
Financial Aid Night is Oct. 1
The Albany High School Guidance Department will be hosting a Financial Aid Night for seniors and their families to provide an overview of the college financial aid process. Our evening event will take place on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 5:30 p.m. in the Albany High School auditorium. Typically the program runs between 70 and 90 minutes, depending on the number of questions from attendees. We hope to see you there!
Fabulous fall sports
We've loved seeing our Falcons in action this fall! Here are some highlights and important details for fall sports:
- Senior celebrations kick off on Tuesday, Sept. 29. for more details about these awesome events!
- Falcon fans packed the stands last Friday night to watch our Albany High football team take on CBA in its long-awaited home opener under the lights at The Nest! of our football players and cheerleading team in action.
- Our Albany High cross country runners put forth an excellent performance at the Broadalbin-Perth Invitational last Saturday, with our girls' team securing second place overall and earning a team plaque! Read more about the competition in this news story.
- Our Albany High girls' swim team put forth a strong effort in the pool on Wednesday as they faced off against Saratoga. We celebrate the camaraderie, teamwork and determination our Falcons swimmers put forth throughout the competition. of our Falcons in action.
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The Albany Booster Club continues to seek volunteers to help run our concession stand at home sporting events this fall! Sign up for a shift today by visiting the !
Follow our Albany Athletics and pages to see our sports highlights!
Audition for Shrek The Musical
The Albany High Theater Ensemble is thrilled to present "Shrek The Musical" this coming spring!
City School District of Albany students in grades 9-12 who are interested in auditioning for the show are invited to attend our audition workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 14 in Room 4200. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn the audition songs and find out important information regarding the show.
Auditions for the show will take place on Nov. 9 and Nov. 10 from 4-7 p.m. Students only need to attend one day of auditions, but must be present the full three hours. Callbacks will take place on Nov. 12 at 4 p.m. if needed.
Visit our event calendar for additional details and to access the Google Form to sign up for auditions.
More details coming soon for students interested in stage crew!
PTSA Fundraiser at Blaze Pizza on Sept. 29
Our Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) is excited to collaborate with parents, guardians and students as we embrace a new school year at Albany High. Swing by PTSA's Blaze Fundraiser on Sept. 29 from 4-9 p.m to help support our students. for more details!
You can like and follow the to stay in the loop about ways to be involved.
Purple on the Plaza
Purple on the Plaza is a ceremony and vigil in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, on Thursday, Oct. 1. It is an opportunity to start the conversation, raise awareness, and support victims and survivors of domestic violence.
The Albanettes and Troubadours will perform at the ceremony in front of the reflecting pool. The New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence coordinates this event and asks that attendees .
Donations needed for Falcon Market
The Falcon Market is a completely free resource open to Albany High students and their families. It includes a free boutique and food pantry that provides reliable access to fresh food for thousands of students and their families. We are currently seeking donations of new or gently used athletic gear and Falcon pride gear for our free boutique. Donations for the Falcon Market can be dropped off at the Albany High main office from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on school days.
Masterclass workshops: dance and acting
Albany High students who will be in grades 9–12 for the 2026-27 school year are invited to register for our free masterclass workshops! Each workshop will be offered on two different dates and will be hosted in the Albany High auditorium.
- The Dance Workshop led by Freddy Ramirez will focus on technique, foundation of jazz, performance, musicality and bringing your own self to your work. The same workshop will be offered from 4-6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 28 and Monday, Oct. 5.
-
Acting Workshop led by Noëlle Gentile will help students learn that our best work as artists comes from liberated space, both internal and external. The same workshop will be offered from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1 and Friday, Oct. 2.
Students are welcome to register for dance, acting or both! Check out our event calendar to learn more and to access the Google Form to sign up!
Sign up for the PSAT
Albany High School will administer the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT) during the school day on Friday, Oct. 23, starting at 7:45 a.m. in the main gymnasium. Any student who is a sophomore or junior during the 2026–27 school year may take the test. Visit our event calendar for additional information, including details on how to register for the test.
Senior portraits
Class of 2027, you can now make appointments for your senior portraits! Upstate Images will be holding senior portrait sessions at Albany High on Dec. 4, Dec. 7-10 and Dec. 15-18. Check out this news story to learn how to book your session.
Falcons' Best Dance Crew
Do you have what it takes to be Albany High’s best dance crew? Join us for a one-of-a-kind dance competition this October to showcase your moves and compete for a cash prize! Participation is free and open to all Albany High students that will be in grades 9-12 for the 2026-27 school year.
- Dress rehearsal dates: Wednesday, Oct. 28 or Thursday, Oct. 29
- Competition date: Friday, Oct. 30
Register by Friday, Oct. 2! Check out our event calendar for additional details.
Albany High communications
We hope you enjoyed this Albany High weekly update! As a reminder, to avoid overwhelming your inbox with lots of messages throughout the week, we curate this weekly communication on Fridays at this web page with important updates and exciting news to keep our Falcon families "in-the-know." Feel free to bookmark this page so you always have the important details you need at hand.
We also have dedicated Albany High social media pages on and . Follow us to see lots of great photos and reels!
Exciting events coming up soon
This is a list of events coming up that we want to draw particular attention to for students and families! These are just some of the great things happening here at Albany High, and remember you can view our full calendar to see them all!
This site provides information using PDF, visit this link to .