Lesson Plans to Leisure Plans
“[I’m] old enough to retire, my wife is retired, and I would like to do more things with my wife.”
Student Struggles Inspire Changes to Advanced English Requirements
This school year, the English department decided to create a new requirement for enrolling in English 3 Honors and AP English Literature and Composition after an influx of struggle in classes. Students needed to maintain Bs or better in their English courses and most controversially, they needed to show proficiency writing a timed CER paragraph.
Uneven Responses to the Pinole Valley High School Boy’s Baseball Incident; Pinole Valley’s Response Versus Albany High’s Response
On April 23, 2025, Albany High School’s boys baseball team played against Pinole Valley High School. During the game, the Pinole Valley team jeered, barked, and shouted racist remarks at Asian players on our team. When The Cougar reached out to several athletes on our boys baseball team, they all declined to comment as they had been advised by Coach John Anderson.
New AUSD Superintendent Shares Mindset in Her First Months on the Job
In December, Sara Stone, longtime Bay Area educator, took up the torch as Albany Unified’s new superintendent. We interviewed her in January 2025 to learn more about her and her outlook for our district.
‘Wicked’ Film Adaptation Grows In Popularity Among AHS Students
Based on the classic Broadway musical, Wicked is part one of the long-awaited adapted film prequelling The Wizard of Oz (1939).
Chasing the Legend: A Review of “A Complete Unknown”
“A Complete Unknown,” the film based on the highly acclaimed folk singer Bob Dylan, hit the theaters on December 25. Since then it has gained steady popularity, with a current Rotten Tomatoes rating of 96%, and countless gushing reviews.
Cougar Comeback
Last Thursday, September 5th, Albany High School’s JV football team won their first game in almost two years. This game against St. Helena was closely followed by another September 13th against Northgate.
Working in Harmony
Voices blend as the absence of background music makes more space for their harmonizing. Albany High School’s acapella group, Vocal Soul, is made up of 16 singers in the choir program. They perform a variety of genres, from pop to holiday classics. Members learn more about harmonies and different vocal techniques. “Vocal Soul has taught me a lot about being part independent and working with the group to be as cohesive as possible,” senior June Ritzman explained.
In Memoriam
Dr. Frank William Wells passed away on March 11, 2024, after serving as Superintendent of the Albany Unified School District (AUSD) for nearly five years. A lifelong Bay Area resident, he was born on March 14, 1963, in San Francisco, California.
Closer Looks at English Books
Opening a new book can be an exciting experience, with the reader running their hand along the pages, eager to discover the story within. Reading and analyzing books is a near-universal practice for students worldwide, and at AHS, it almost always begins in English classes. These books have been selected by teachers whose focus is on teaching important works of classic literature while incorporating relevant topics such as race, religion, gender, and more. However, while balancing these two aspects of their curriculum each year, teachers try to find new ways to keep students engaged with their reading as well as helping them understand the nuances of the people and cultures around them.