Dear Albany Community, 

We are kicking off budget season in AUSD—and we want to hear from you! Each year, we build our budget to reflect our Mission, Vision, and Core Values, and to ensure our resources meet the real needs and experiences of our students. Our goal is simple: direct our time, people, and dollars where they will make the greatest impact on student learning, belonging, and well-being.

A critical part of our budget development is aligning resources with our student enrollment and Average Daily Attendance (ADA). Because state funding is tied directly to how many students attend school each day, strong attendance helps us sustain the programs, staffing, and supports our students rely on. This is one of the many reasons why students attending school every single day truly matters.

Community Engagement Begins Now
We start our budget conversations through School Site Council (SSC) meetings, where principals, families, staff, and students begin identifying school priorities grounded in data and student needs. Please make sure that you attend these meetings or share your ideas with SSC representatives.

Following the January 13 Board Study Session, we will host several districtwide Town Halls (dates TBA) to gather broader community input. These sessions are a great opportunity to share your ideas, learn about the budget process, and help shape how we allocate resources for the year ahead.

Your voice matters. Every insight—big or small—helps us build a budget that reflects our community and ensures every student in AUSD is supported, challenged, and able to thrive.

Sustainable Lunch Trays

Students at Ocean View Elementary were excited to start using reusable lunch trays this week, as shown in the photo above. Cornell Elementary transitioned to these trays about a year ago, and Marin Elementary last spring. Albany Unified is now the first school district in Alameda County to have all elementary schools using reusable trays, a great move for sustainability. The new stainless steel trays are sturdy, long-lasting, and replace disposable trays. By the end of the semester, Albany Unified will have served over 100,000 meals on non-toxic reusable trays. This equates to over 6,500 lbs of disposable trays. This move, outlined in AUSD’s Environmental Action Plan, has been led by Executive Chef Sabrina Feinberg, in consultation with advisors from the Center for Environmental Health. 

Calendar Highlights: 

Please see messages from your school for complete information about events. 

• December 8: AMS Cobra Band Concert, 7pm, AHS Little Theater

• December 9: AMS 7th/8th Grade Band Concert, 7pm, AHS Little Theater

• December 9: Regular Board Meeting

• December 10: AHS/AMS Orchestra Concert, 7pm, AHS Little Theater

• December 11: AHS Bands Winter Concert, 7pm, AHS Little Theater

• December 14: Winter Wonderland Potluck, 4:30–6:30pm, OV MPR. Sign up here.

• December 22–January 2: NO SCHOOL, December Holiday

Sincerely, 

Sara Stone

Superintendent

Albany Unified School District

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