The start of the 2026-27 school year is just around the corner in Alexandria.
The first day back for most Alexandria City Public Schools students is Monday, Aug. 24. That’s not the case for students and staff at Samuel W. Tucker Elementary, which started on July 27. Still, below are some important dates to be aware of, as the school system gets back into the swing of things.
Tuesday, Aug. 11 — Back to school night at Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School (Grades 1-3)
Thursday, Aug. 13 — Back to school night at Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School (Grades K, 4, 5)
Monday, Aug. 17 — Back to school forms available for parents online via PowerSchool
Thursday, Aug. 20 — Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School (middle school orientation)
Monday, Aug. 24 — First day of school
Wednesday, Aug. 26 — First day of preschool
Thursday, Aug. 27 — School Board meeting
Monday, Aug. 31 — Back to school night at Douglas MacArthur Elementary School, Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School, James K. Polk Elementary School and Patrick Henry K-8 School (Grades K–5)
Tuesday, Sept. 1 — Back to school night at Alexandria City High School (ACHS) King Street Campus, ACHS Satellite Campus and Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy
Wednesday, Sept. 2 — Back to school night at ACHS Chance for Change Campus, ACHS Minnie Howard Campus, including early childhood programs
Thursday, Sept. 3 — Back to school night at John Adams Elementary School, Charles Barrett Elementary School, Naomi L. Brooks Elementary School and Patrick Henry K-8 School (Grades 6–8)
Wednesday, Sept. 9 — Back to school night at Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology, George Mason Elementary School, Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School (Grades K-5), Mount Vernon Community School and William Ramsay Elementary School
Thursday, Sept. 10 — Back to school night at the ACPS Early Childhood Center, Francis C. Hammond Middle School and George Washington Middle School
Wednesday, Sept. 16 — Back to school night at Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School (Grades 6-8)
Wednesday, Sept. 30 — Back to school forms due
New rules
ACPS students should expect a stricter cell phone ban to be enforced when school starts. Legislation passed by the General Assembly this year clarified that bell-to-bell restrictions on student electronic device use includes breaks between classes and the lunch period. However, the law forbids school divisions from suspending or expelling a student solely over a cell phone violation.
In a recent breakfast at Alexandria City High School, new principal Michael Birch said that he will be focusing on attendance and cell phones at the start of the school year.
Parents were asked in back-to-school paperwork to fill out a form if their kids are eligible for free and reduced-price meals and attend one of these schools:
- Charles Barrett Elementary School
- Douglas MacArthur Elementary School
- George Mason Elementary School
- George Washington Middle School
- Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy
- Mount Vernon Community School
- Naomi L. Brooks Elementary School
Students attending these Community Eligibility Provision schools get breakfast and lunch at no cost and do not need to apply for free and reduced-price meals:
- Alexandria City High School King Street Campus
- Alexandria City High School Minnie Howard Campus
- Cora Kelly School for Math, Science, & Technology
- Jefferson Houston PreK-8 IB School
- Ferdinand T. Day Elementary
- John Adams Elementary
- Early Childhood Center
- Francis C. Hammond Middle School
- Patrick Henry K-8 School
- James K. Polk Elementary
- William Ramsay Elementary
- Samuel Tucker Elementary
New boundary changes are also in effect this year, affecting approximately 1,400 students across ACPS. With that, ACPS updated its walk zone maps that determine which students walk or receive bus transportation. What hasn’t changed is the policy of providing bus transportation for students living over a mile from their elementary schools and over a mile and a half from Alexandria City High School. ACPS says it provides exceptions to bus students “where there is not a walk path free from unusual hazards within walking distance from the school.”
