William S. Hackett Middle School
Grades 6-8

45 Delaware Avenue, Albany, NY 12202

Phone: (518) 475-6475
 Fax: (518) 475-6477
 Web site: http://hackett.albany.k12.ny.us

Michael A. Paolino, Principal

E-mail: mpaolino@albany.k12.ny.us

Judith Collins, Assistant Principal

E-mail: jcollins@albany.k12.ny.us
 

About Hackett Middle School

Built in 1926 and named after Albany’s 67^th mayor, William S. Hackett Junior High School was one of the first junior high schools in the United States that served grades 7 through 9. The school became a middle school in 1974 with grades 7 and 8, and grade 6 was added in 2000. Hackett was extensively renovated starting in 2005.

The building reopened in September 2008, after the school’s outside was restored. Ceramic tiles and windows in the school’s magnificent foyer all were restored to their original glory, and every floor and wing was overhauled and updated with state-of-the-art technology.

Check out a Photo Gallery highlighting many features of the spectacular new facility.

School times

• Building opens -- 7:30 a.m.

• Breakfast begins -- 7:40 a.m.

• School day begins -- 8 a.m.

• School day ends -- 3 p.m.

• After-school clubs and sports programs end -- 4 or 5 p.m., depending on the program

Upcoming events

• Tuesday, Sept. 7-- First day of school

• Thursday, Sept. 9 -- Rosh Hashana, no school

• Friday, Sept. 10 -- Fun Day Motivational Production, 8:15-11:15 a.m.

• Wednesday, Sept. 15 -- PTA meeting, 7 p.m.

• Tuesday, Sept. 21 -- Open House, 6:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, Sept. 28 -- Building-Leadership Team meeting, 12:30-3:30 p.m.

• Wednesday, Oct. 6 -- PTA meeting, 7 p.m.

• Monday, Oct. 11 -- Columbus Day, no school

• Wednesday, Oct. 13 -- Food drive begins (through 11/13)

• Thursday, Oct. 14 -- Hispanic Heritage Celebration, 6-8 p.m.

• Friday, Oct. 22 -- Fall Harvest Dance, 7-9 p.m.

• Monday, Oct. 25 -- Winter sports sign-ups begin (through Nov. 5)

• Tuesday, Oct. 26 -- Building-Leadership Team meeting, 12:30-3:30 p.m.

News and information -- 2009-10

• Middle school maestros compose with a master -- An up-and-coming composer is collaborating with students at William S. Hackett Middle School on a musical composition the school will feature at its spring concert May 18. About 50 chorus, orchestra and band students are writing lyrics and composing music with composer Stacy Garrop, D.M., an associate professor of composition at Roosevelt University in Chicago. Click here to read the Times Union story about the concert, watch a TV news clip about it on WRGB Channel 6, or read more about it in the winter edition of Capital Education.

• Hackett launches 'Time-Dollar' store -- There’s plenty to choose from on the shelves of the new Time-Dollar Store at William S. Hackett Middle School, and Tazeek Johnson has his eye on a CD boom box. He knows he’ll have to work for it, but that’s OK with him. (MORE) 

• Hackett students on the air and in the news -- Several students of Spanish teacher Richard O'Riley had their on-air debut AND honed their bilingual skills Sunday during DJ Willlie Colon's live show on WCDB radio. Click here to read the Times Union story on the performance, and click here to view the Capital News 9 clip about the project.

• New gang-education program to be offered in sixth-grade health classes -- The City School District of Albany and the Albany Police Department have launched a new gang-education program for middle school students, the latest initiative in a broad community partnership aimed at expanding services for children and families.

  The Gang Resistance Education and Training program (GREAT) is a component of the four-year, $6 million Safe Schools-Healthy Students federal grant the district received in 2008 in partnership with a coalition of public and private agencies. You can read more about the GREAT program in our District News section.

• Michael Paolino to serve as principal in 2009-10 -- Michael A. Paolino is the new principal at William S. Hackett Middle School. Mr. Paolino served as interim principal of W. Kenneth Doyle Middle School in Troy last school year and comes to Albany with a passion to help all students succeed. “I am excited for this opportunity and really looking forward to serving the Albany community as principal of Hackett Middle School,” Mr. Paolino said. “This district has made strong progress in recent years, and that includes significant gains at Hackett." (MORE)

• Click here to visit the City School District of Albany Photo Gallery.

Absence from school
If your child is absent from school for any reason, call the school nurse at 475-6475 during the morning and provide a written excuse when your child returns to school.

2009-10 enrollment

The City School District of Albany has transitioned to a feeder enrollment model for middle school students beginning in 2009-10. Students from designated elementary schools are assigned to either William S. Hackett Middle School or Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School. Each school has about 650 students.

Students in the elementary program at North Albany Academy will continue on in that school's middle-level program, which serves about 150 students in grades 6-8. Visit the District News section to read more about the district's new model for middle school enrollment, including neighborhood zones.

Students who graduate from the following elementary schools will attend Hackett Middle School:

• Arbor Hill Elementary School

• Delaware Community School

• Eagle Point Elementary School

• New Scotland Elementary School

• Thomas O'Brien Academy of Science and Technology (TOAST)

Visit the Middle School Enrollment section for more information.