By Sam Waller
The Albany Lions and Lady Lions concluded the third week of their summer conditioning programs this week with the girls now taking a break before resuming workouts in July.
The girls’ workouts will resume Monday, July 18 and continue each Monday through Thursday through July 28. Daily sessions will be 9:00-10:00 a.m.
Volleyball will have two more sessions of sport-specific instruction 10:30-11:30 a.m. on Thursdays – July 14 and 21.
By Sam Waller
The Albany Athletic Booster Club will hold a kickoff meeting for the upcoming school year on Sunday, July 17.
Time and location of the meeting are still being worked out, according to Booster Club member Amanda Tabor.
“The kickoff meeting will be about signing up team parents, the ice cream supper, and fundraising plans for the fall,” Tabor said.
Tabor said no new Booster Club projects are planned at this time.
“We’re going to try to keep doing what we’ve been doing in past years,” she said. “Everything seems to be going well.”
By Sam Waller
The combined Albany-Breckenridge Intermediate All-Star team swept its way to the District 5 championship last week, advancing to sectional play.
In other postseason action, Albany’s Minor All-Stars saw their run come to an end after five games.
The Intermediate team, which is going by the name Hubbard Creek Rangers, went 3-0 in winning the four-team double-elimination bracket.
By Sam Waller
The Albany Volleyball Camp was held Monday-Wednesday, June 27-29 with about 50 campers ranging from incoming first graders through ninth graders participating.
“That’s a great number considering it’s right after Fandangle,” Albany volleyball coach M.J. Reneau said. “It’s been pretty even with about 15, 15 and 20 in the different sessions.”
Reneau said she was pleased with the number of repeat campers.
By Sam Waller
Three members of the Albany High School varsity cheerleading squad earned All-American honors during their recent summer camp.
Head cheerleader Ella Webb, Brooke Kayga, and Robyn Trail were honored during the team’s home camp, held Monday-Wednesday, June 20-22 with the National Cheerleaders Association.
“At the cheer camp, the NCA instructor selected the girls to try out for All-American,” Albany cheerleader sponsor Nickie Leveridge said. “All 10 cheerleaders were given the opportunity to try out.”
By Sam Waller
The Albany Lions baseball team raised more than $10,000 in pledges through its Longball fundraiser, held Tuesday, June 21 at the high school field.
“We had a great fundraiser,” Lion baseball coach David Fairchild said. “We don’t have an exact total yet, but it was one of our best ones so far. Now it’s just a matter of getting the money turned in.”
By Melinda L. Lucas
With a Friday, July 1 deadline coming up fast, parents need to get their 6-12 year olds signed up for the Old Jail Art Center children’s summer workshops.
The traditional Cultural Connections Camp, which is centered on Greece this year, will be offered both on-site and virtually to start things off on Wednesday, Aug. 3.
Two other workshops will be in-person only on Aug. 5 and Aug. 9, and then the popular puppet workshop will be online only on Aug. 10-12.
By Melinda L. Lucas
The hiring of several new staff members came toward the end of the June 21 morning meeting of the Albany ISD school board, and teacher pay raises were approved for those who have “topped out” on the state salary scale.
Trustees also went over preliminary EOC and STAAR results, administrators expecting to have the final numbers by next week.
The board met in closed session with Texas Ranger Bo Brown to discuss “school safety plans,” but no action was taken when the meeting reopened.
Teacher Salaries
By Donnie A. Lucas
Although there are tickets left for both Friday and Saturday performances of the Fort Griffin Fandangle, the final Saturday show is inching closer to selling out.
Office manager Jamie Parsons said that all tickets were sold for the first Saturday show on June 18, and the second Saturday performance is getting closer each day.
“We have been really busy selling tickets,” Parsons said. “We still have availability for both nights, but I wouldn’t wait any longer if you want to come on Saturday night for the last show.”
By Donnie A. Lucas
Despite fewer out-of-town participants this year, the 2022 version of the Fandangle parade rolled down Main Street last Saturday with a number of the entries awarded cash prizes.
The number of entries may have been down, but the number of spectators seemed to be higher.
