The last few years have been rough for Alexandria City Public Schools.
The school system and all involved with it have been impacted by the pandemic, learning loss, leadership changes, a staffing crisis, surging enrollment and more.
ACPS
Locals helped Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) hit their goal to collect 3,500 backpacks filled with school supplies to students in need this year.
The backpacks are being distributed by school social workers to students. ACPS said over 30 partner organizations helped raise funds and supplies for the drive.
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Alexandria City Public Schools will soon make public an enrollment dashboard revealing the number of students and teachers at their schools on a monthly basis.
ACPS must submit a monthly student membership report to the Virginia Department of Education, and that information will be made public in the new dashboard next month, according to the school system.
Alexandria City Public Schools is offering bonuses for a number of “hard-to-fill positions,” like bus drivers and math, science and special education teachers.
The employees who already work in these jobs will all get a $1,000 retention bonus in their paychecks next month, according to ACPS.
A male juvenile in his early teens faces numerous charges after allegedly breaking into two Alexandria elementary schools and stealing equipment. The teenage suspect also posted pictures from inside one of the schools at 2 a.m. on Instagram, as well as a picture of a laptop computer belonging to the principal of Cora Kelly Elementary School.
The first incident occurred at Charles Barrett Elementary School (1115 Martha Custis Drive) on the afternoon of Friday, July 12. Security footage revealed a juvenile suspect enter the school main office at around 3:55 p.m. and pick up a portable speaker and take a photo of it, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.
Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology has a new principal to usher in the new school year.
Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) announced earlier this month that Molly McCabe will be stepping into the shoes of Jasibi Crews, ACPS’ Principal of the Year last year who left at the end of the 2023-2024 school year.
Alexandria City Public Schools is looking for 40 diverse residents to help craft the direction for the school system over the next five years.
During that time, the School Board and ACPS staff will be directed to focus their attention and resources on the five-year strategic plan that this group will mold into shape.
Alexandria City Public Schools said school bus routes may be changing and students may be arriving at school late due to a shortage of bus drivers.
In a letter out to parents, MeChale’ Johnson, director of pupil transportation and fleet management, said ACPS is struggling to fill vacancies in transportation services and it will have an impact on students at the start of the 2024-2025 school year next Monday.
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The school year starts on Monday, Aug. 19, and Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) is still hoping to fill vacancies at Alexandria City High School (ACHS) before students return.
Executive Director of Human Resources Kamika Valmond said there are “a dozen” vacancies at the school.
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Hundreds of Alexandrians watched and cheered as hometown racing champion Noah Lyles won a bronze medal in the 200 meters in the Paris Olympics on Thursday.
Letsile Tebogo of Botswana won the race with a time of 19.46 seconds, U.S. sprinter Kenny Bednarek earned silver with 19.52 and Lyles got third with 19.70.
Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) confirmed to ALXnow that families of any student at several schools will be provided breakfast and lunch for free.
Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is a ‘non-pricing meal service option’ for schools in low-income areas, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture website. The website said that all students enrolled at the school can receive breakfast and lunch at no cost without the need to apply. The schools are reimbursed based on the percentage of students eligible for free meals based on other programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).