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Cornell Chronicle 1/30/26
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CORNELL CHRONICLE January 30, 2026 Cornell strives to support a safe and secure learning environment that treats all students with dignity, respect, and high expectations. |
| CALENDAR OF EVENTS |
| Feb 1 | PTA Sunday in the Garden, 10am-12 |
| Feb 2 | Little Star Pizza - First Mondays, 10% fundraiser for AEF |
| Feb 4 | PTA Meeting, MPR, 6pm |
| Feb 6-12 | Literati Book Fair, Cornell Library |
| Feb 7 | Library OPEN for Book Fair, 10am-1pm |
| Feb 12 | Black History Month Celebration, 6-8pm, AHS Little Theater |
| Feb 16-20 | No School - Mid-Winter Break |
| Feb 27 | Coffee with Cat, yard, 8:30am |
| Feb 28 | Lunar New Year Celebrations, OV MPR, 4-6pm (see below to sign up) |
| Mar 14 | Dress rehearsal for CGT, OV MPR |
| Mar 28 | Cornell's Got Talent Show, OV MPR |
| PRINCIPALLY SPEAKING |
Dear Coyote Families,
We had an amazing 100th Day of School Community Time last Wednesday! Great job to our Kindergarteners and 1st Graders on all your hard work and a wonderful performance! Bravo, to our 5th grade band, on their first concert of the year last Monday night!
Here are a few important reminders and announcements for next week:
Speak Up Be Safe opt-out forms: Please complete the SUBS form and return to the office, if you do NOT want your child to participate in the Speak Up Be Safe lessons. These lessons focus on child abuse and bullying prevention that will be taught throughout the month of February in grades 1-5, starting next week. Paper copies of the forms are also available in the office.
School Site Council: Please complete this form to vote in a new member to our School Site Council. Voting closes next Friday, 2/6 at 12pm.
Cornell Priorities Survey 26-27: Join us next Wednesday, February 4th in the MPR for the next Cornell PTA Association meeting. We will discuss the Cornell Budget and priorities for next year.
Intent to Return
If you haven’t already, please complete Intent to Return for 2026-27 school year forms by Jan. 31. (3 different forms for different grade levels). This information will help us with planning for next year.
Current TK students: https://www.parentsquare.com/feeds/69050082?district_id=976
Current K-4th students: https://www.parentsquare.com/feeds/70030850?district_id=976
Current 5th grade students: https://www.parentsquare.com/feeds/69639254?school_id=10231
Have a wonderful weekend!
In community,
Catherine Floresca
Principal
| CORNELL ANNOUNCEMENT |
Ms. Sophia's Knitting and Crafting Club
Our Thursday Lunchtime Knitting and Crafting Club is in need of additional supplies! The club is open to all 1st–5th grade students and meets during lunch on Thursdays in Ms. Sophia’s classroom (Room 22).
We are currently looking for donations of plastic looms (all sizes and shapes), yarn (wound into balls, if possible), crochet hooks, pony beads, embroidery floss, and origami paper. If you have any of these items at home that are no longer being used, we would greatly appreciate your donations.
We also have a wishlist that will be updated throughout the school year. Thank you so much for your continued support!
| CORNELL LIBRARY CORNER |
Weekly Library Spotlight
The Cornell Book Fair Is Here! (ONLINE NOW and in-person 2/6-2/12)
This is a great chance to find new books for your personal collection and donate new, high-quality books to our school. The Cornell Library wishlist is online and donations of any size are greatly appreciated!
New in 2026: Online Book Fair Shopping
We strongly encourage you to visit the book fair website to make purchases–the selection is much greater online. Please share the link with friends and family who would love to support kids’ reading!
Class and Community Visits
Students come to the fair during their regularly scheduled library visit, 2/6-2/12.
1st- 5th grade students may enjoy the fair during their lunch recesses.
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Families are invited to come to the fair before and after school all week.
8:00-8:25 AM, 3:05-3:35 PM, except Wed which will be 11:45-2:15.
Please enter the building through the courtyard door closest to the library.
NEW! Saturday, 2/7, from 10-1, the fair will be open to the community.
Sign up to volunteer and be part of the fun!
EXCITING NEWS: Guest Author, Annie Barrows, will be visiting Cornell, 3/2/26!
Local, award-winning author, Annie Barrows, will be coming to Cornell and doing presentations for our TK-3rd graders on Read Across America Day! Students love her Ivy & Bean and Stella & Marigold early chapter book series.
She is presenting for free and we can support her and our own readers by pre-ordering discounted copies of her books here. Order by 2/26/26 to have your copy signed and delivered in person during her visit!
| PTA NEWS |
Sunday in the Garden
Wrap up your weekend with some playtime at Cornell! Join us Sunday, February 1 from 10 to Noon in the school garden. We will be cutting into the giant pumpkin! We will also collect seeds for future pumpkin growing.Future Sundays in the Garden: Mar 1, Apr 19, May 3, May 31
Cornell's Got Talent!Hey Cornell Coyotes!
Do you sing, dance, play an instrument, tell jokes, perform magic, or have another awesome talent? Here’s your chance to shine on stage at the 2026 Cornell's Got Talent Show (CGT)!
Sign up by February 13, 2026 to be part of the show—whether solo, in a group, or even as a whole class. Everyone who signs up will perform, and auditions are just part of the fun!
Important Dates:
- Dress Rehearsal: March 14, Oceanview Elementary MPR (time TBD)
- Show: March 28, Oceanview Elementary MPR (time TBD)
[Sign Up Here!]
Cornell PTA Instagram @cornellpta
Cornell Wear eStore is always here with t-shirts, hoodies and more for the whole family!
| FROM AUSD |
Link to the Superintendent's Community Update
Black History Month Celebration
Student performances from across Albany schools will be highlighted. Thursday, February 12, 6–8pm, Albany High School Little Theater. All are welcome! Please come and celebrate with us!
Lunar New Year Celebration
Join us for the Lunar New Year Celebration hosted by AUSD Asian Pacific Islander Parent Engagement Group (API-PEG). February 28, 4–6pm, Ocean View Elementary MPR. Food and volunteer sign up https://forms.gle/mGkDymidKpbZ4tk58 Join API-PEG Group email by filling out this form. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you have any questions, please email AlbanyAPIparents@gmail.com.
AEF First Mondays at Little Star Pizza
Little Star Pizza will donate 10% of all sales — take-out and dine-in — to Albany Education Foundation on Monday, Feb. 2, and every first Monday of the month. Warm up with some delicious food from Little Star! AEF funds grants for teachers. Thank you for supporting Little Star Pizza and Albany Education Foundation!
SchoolCARE needs passionate volunteers to assist with Spring fundraising efforts. Please join our team in supporting public education in Albany. Sign up at the links below for each activity:
Brochure Distribution: Distribute fundraising brochures throughout Albany. Routes take 1–2 hours and can be a fun family activity.
In-Person Promotion: Help us promote our Spring campaign during school drop-off the week of April 27.
Host a Lawn Sign: We will drop off and pick up the signs for a two-month display!
Science Olympiad Elementary Teams Forming Now!
Science Olympiad is a nationwide competition where students compete in STEM-related challenges across topics like earth science, biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering. Division A is the elementary division, where 3rd–6th graders can compete by constructing a vehicle made of pasta, decoding ciphers, identifying stars, and more. We recommend forming a team of 8 friends of a similar age group to ensure compatibility amongst the students. Find out more about SciOly Division A. Sign-up form is here. Questions? Contact us at scioly.div.a@gmail.com.
Dance Camp Is Back!
Albany Dance Company (ADC), Albany High’s dance group, will be once again hosting a one-day dance camp for students in grades K–8 on March 20, 8am–3:30pm, Albany Unified’s staff professional development day—a no-school day for students! We hope this event will help out AUSD families by providing a day of fun activities for their students while also introducing them to our dance program at Albany High. Cost is $45 per dancer, $50 after March 3. Register with the QR code above in the flyer or at http://bit.ly/ADCDanceCamp26.
| COMMUNITY |
| NOTES FROM THE OFFICE |
Please visit the Cornell website for general information.
OFFICE HOURS
Office Hours: 8:15am – 3:30pm
Office Phone: (510) 558-3700
Email: Sui-Ling (sangelidis@ausdk12.org), or Margaret (mglendening@ausdk12.org)
LINK TO 2025-26 AUSD SCHOOL CALENDAR
LINK TO BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS