News

Last week, Tangent Elementary School students and staff were treated to a puppet show, sponsored by the Albany Parks and Recreation’s 2017 Children’s Performing Arts Series.

The production of “The Toad Prince” was performed by a husband and wife team from the Tears of Joy Puppet Theater.

The show was also performed at Sunrise Elementary School.

Additional performances are scheduled for the 2017 performing arts series. See the flyer for dates and more information.

Safety is our number one priority, and it is the main consideration when deciding school closures due to weather.

The district carefully evaluates road conditions and weather forecasts both the night before and early in the morning of a school day. The Superintendent and Director of Transportation start driving the roads around the district starting at 4 a.m. They consider the conditions of the roads, sidewalks and parking lots in Albany and the outlying areas.

They don’t make decisions lightly, but they choose to err on the side of caution in order to keep the more than 9,000 students and staff members safe.

It is not an easy process, and we understand that it can be frustrating for many parents. Making the decision is not an easy call, but we make that decision with the best possible information available and in the best interest of student, parent and staff safety.

Read the District statement about deciding school closures due to weather:

School Closure Process

School Closure Process-Español

GAPS submitted water samples for lead testing at all schools and facilities this summer. The labs are returning results as fast as possible but have high demand from school districts around the state.

We are repairing and then retesting all fixtures with elevated lead levels. Any fixture with tests showing elevated lead levels will be kept out of service until tests show that they no longer exceed allowable lead levels set by the EPA.

Read the latest update about water tests for each school.

The new school year is around the corner. The Back-to-School Resources page has information to help you get ready.

School start dates vary by grade:

Sept. 6: Grades 1-6, grades 7-8 at Timber Ridge and grade 9
Sept. 7: Grades 7-8 at Calapooia, Memorial and North Albany middle schools and grades 10-12
Sept. 12: Kindergarten

Contact your school for more information.