Good Tuesday morning, Alexandria!
☀️ Today’s weather: Expect mostly sunny skies with a high of about 77 degrees and a northwest wind blowing at 8 to 11 mph, gusting up to 18 mph. Tuesday night remains mostly clear with temperatures dropping to around 56 degrees, accompanied by a north wind at around 7 mph.
You need to know
Alexandria students, teachers and staff headed back to school yesterday, and Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt spoke to local news outlets about priorities for the upcoming year.
Kay-Wyatt told WUSA9 that her top priority this year, her second as superintendent, is to continue to turn back chronic absenteeism.
Alexandria’s chronic absenteeism was around 16% during the pandemic and went down to 14% last year. Kay-Wyatt said she wants to work to continue to see that decrease.
Kay-Wyatt also noted that this is the first year that weapon detectors will be a permanent fixture in all secondary schools. While the weapon detectors can be divisive — students generally opposed the detectors, though parents overwhelmingly support them — there was a 71% drop in weapons-related incidents in schools after they were installed.
Kay-Wyatt told WUSA9 she felt installing the weapons detectors in secondary schools was the right decision.
Monday’s most read
The following are the most-read ALXnow articles for Aug 19, 2024.
- Notes: Alexandria Times reveals schools ambushed with expensive new solar panel costs (1905 views)
- Virginia State Police seeking public assistance with suspicious death on I-395 in Alexandria (1628 views)
- Popular lobster truck returns to Alexandria this week (1142 views)
- Too slow? McDonald’s on Duke Street asks city for third drive-thru window (771 views)
- Connecticut housing official named new CEO of Alexandria’s housing authority (712 views)
Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on today in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
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