Alexandria City Public Schools students will round out this snowy week with another day of synchronous virtual learning tomorrow (Friday).
ACPS facilities will continue to remain closed, Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt announced this afternoon. ACPS is “monitoring the weather forecast for this weekend and will provide an update on Sunday by 6 p.m.,” Kay-Wyatt said.
“Our decision is grounded in safety because we want to ensure our students and staff are safe,” Kay-Wyatt wrote. “We appreciate your continued patience and partnership as we prioritize the well-being of our students and staff while navigating these ongoing weather conditions.”
As virtual leaning proceeds, ACPS will also continue to distribute to-go lunches, free of charge, to all kids under 18 from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. tomorrow at these locations.
- Alexandria City High School, 3330 King Street – Door #34
- Charles Barrett Elementary School, 1115 Martha Custis Drive – Main Entrance
Students are requested to be present at meal pickup.
Similar to today’s operations, families are encouraged to check students’ Canvas or Clever accounts no later than 8 a.m. tomorrow for details about scheduling. Attendance will also be taken through these platforms.
ACPS facilities have remained closed since Monday, following the weekend’s winter storm that dropped 7 inches of snow and hours of sleet and freezing rain on Alexandria and surrounding localities.
As of this afternoon, 95% of Alexandria’s residential roads are considered “passable,” Mayor Alyia Gaskins said on social media. The city is continuing to focus on clearing sidewalks, especially near bus stops for DASH and ACPS, and has started preventative treatments to prepare for further precipitation.
Alexandria will be under a Cold Weather Advisory from 7 p.m. today through 11 a.m. Friday, according to the National Weather Service. Wind chills could drop as low as 9 degrees below zero, increasing risks of hypothermia and frostbite with prolonged exposure.
“Additional Cold Weather Headlines are expected at times through the end of the week as the region remains in an Arctic airmass,” NWS wrote, advising residents to wear warm clothes outside, keep pets indoors and check on their older family, friends and neighbors.
Kay-Wyatt’s full update regarding ACPS reopening is available, below.
While ice and snow removal efforts continue, conditions throughout the region remain challenging as many areas are still clearing accumulated ice and snow, especially due to the freezing temperatures. In addition, the exceptionally cold temperatures have created challenges with keeping school buses running safely for extended periods of time because extreme cold can affect bus operations and reliability.
Our decision is grounded in safety because we want to ensure our students and staff are safe.
We appreciate your continued patience and partnership as we prioritize the well-being of our students and staff while navigating these ongoing weather conditions.
We are also monitoring the weather forecast for this weekend and will provide an update on Sunday by 6 p.m.
More details are available on the ACPS website.
