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JUST IN: ‘Open ACPS!’ group to rally in front of Central Office on Monday

Residents from the local citizen group Open ACPS! are planning to rally outside Central Office of Alexandria City Public Schools on Monday.

The rally will coincide with the joint City Council/School Board Subcommittee Meeting.

“After more than a year, Alexandria City Public Schools still does not have a plan for bringing our students back five days a week, addressing capacity, staffing, transportation, health and safety and environmental quality,” Open ACPS! said in a statement. “Our ACPS community, teachers and students deserve better.”

Alexandria City Public Schools announced Thursday that the school system will open for four days a week for in-person instruction for special needs students in early May, while remaining at two days a week for the rest of the year for all other students. Addtionally, ACPS announced the creation of a Virtual Academy, which this fall will cater to online students only — putting an end to the hybrid learning model.

ACPS is currently working on transitioning from six feet to three feet of distancing in classrooms, in addition to opening up the school system to thousands of additional students starting in May — a little more than a month before the end of the school year on June 19.

The rally is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

Image via ACPS

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.