News and events - 5/19/25

  • Posted May 19, 2025
Weekly update from Principal Paolino

Hello Families!

I hope everyone had a relaxing weekend and was able to get out and enjoy the pleasant weather.

Please note that our Extended Day Program is canceled this Tuesday. The program will resume Wednesday.

This week our primary focus is to continue to administer the listening, reading and writing portion of the NYSESLAT test. The NWEA Reading and Math assessment period will begin on Thursday and run through Friday, June 14.

As you know, school will be closed for Memorial Day Recess on Monday, May 26 as well as Tuesday and Wednesday, May 27 and 28, as we had two unused snow days this year (please note that this Friday, May 23, is a regular day of school). Following our Memorial Day break, school resumes next week on Thursday, May 29.  

Our annual Spring Concert and Art Show, which took place May 13, was absolutely incredible. It was a beautiful showcase of our students' talent, discipline and passion, and a fantastic way to close out our year of musical events. We congratulate our music faculty, Mrs. Dorner, Mrs. Delsignore and Mr. Newman, for their outstanding work as well as our very talented young musicians and choral students for their excellent performances.  What a beautiful reminder of the transformative power of music and the vital role it plays in our school culture.

The PTA's annual dessert raffle was also very successful. Thank you for your continued support of our school and the PTA.

This year's school budget vote and Board of Education election will be held Tuesday, May 20. The board has approved a $342.4 million budget proposal for 2025-26. If approved Tuesday, the budget would continue to support programs and services that students need and deserve while also minimizing the impact on taxpayers.  You can visit our Budget section to read more about all of the school-related items that will be on the ballot Tuesday.  Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. Please remember to go out and vote, and if you live in the 6th Ward and Districts 6-8 of the 7th Ward, Hackett Middle School is your voting location! 

Our Third Quarter Honor Roll ceremony will be held this Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. Similar to last quarter, the ceremony will be completely student-led and will have one sixth-grade student serving as the master of ceremony.  Approximately 253 students will be celebrated for outstanding and exemplary academic achievement, with our bronze students totaling 78, silver totaling 92 and gold totaling 83. We are proud to recognize these students, many of whom have maintained Honor Roll status for the entire school year, and extend our sincere congratulations to them.    
 
Our PTA's annual Faculty and Staff Appreciation Breakfast, giving thanks to the faculty and staff at Hackett, will take place this Friday. Volunteers are needed to help set up for this event on Friday morning before school starts. If you are interested, please email Laura Duffy at HackettPTA@gmail.com.

Attention families of eighth-grade students! ³Ô¹ÏÂÛ̳'s Spring Open House is Thursday, May 29 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Incoming ninth-graders for the 2025-26 school year and their families are welcome to visit ³Ô¹ÏÂÛ̳ High and learn about the wide variety of academic, athletic and extracurricular activities offered. Students can also meet other new students and administrators, take a tour of the beautiful new school campus and have their questions answered.  

Hackett Yearbooks, featuring customizable pages, are still available for preorder! Please visit and enter our school's passcode 1016488352114359 for details on purchasing and customizing your child's yearbook! Yearbooks are $25. All orders must be made online. 

As a final note, Hackett Middle School continues its Fire Drill Emergency Response Procedures. Holding practice fire drills, as well as lockdown drills, is crucial to our overall emergency planning.  

Wishing you a blessed Memorial Day weekend. May we remember our fallen service members with pride this Memorial Day. 

... and that was the week that was!

Now for our 'Don't Snooze and Lose News' 

  • Our final PTA meeting of the school year will be held Wednesday, June 4 at 6:30 p.m. in room 112. Can't make it in person? .
  • The last day of our Extended Day Program is Friday, June 13. Questions? Email Ms. Lewis at dlewis2@albany.k12.ny.us.
  • There will be no school on Thursday, June 19 as we celebrate Juneteenth.
  • Thursday, June 26 will be the last day of the 2024-25 school year. We will have a full day of school, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
  • A reminder that speed cameras are up and running on Delaware Avenue and many other school zones throughout ³Ô¹ÏÂÛ̳. Fines of $50 are being imposed on drivers exceeding the 20-mph school zone speed limit. Please drive safely and avoid these fines by being mindful of the school zones on your daily route.

Class of 2025 events

  • Grade 8 Dance – Friday, June 20, 6-9 p.m. Please note this new time!
  • Mandatory Grade 8 Moving Up rehearsals. 
    • Wednesday, June 25, periods 1-4
    • Thursday, June 26, periods 1-4
  • Grade 8 Moving Up Ceremony – Friday, June 27, 9 a.m.

Important reminders

Hackett corner quotes

"May we never forget our fallen comrades. Freedom isn't free."  – Sgt. Major Bill Paxton