ACPS | ALXnow - Part 30

Alexandria schools still face gaps in reading proficiency, suspensions and more

Published September 12, 2022 at 1:30PM

Students return to George Washington Middle School, August 24, 2021 (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

Beyond just low test scores, a city report on issues of suspension, reading rates and more shows that the city schools still face issues of severe racial disparity.

The City of Alexandria’s Children & Youth Community Plan 2025 (CYCP) was earlier this year, highlighted that while there has been some progress in areas like drop-out rates, suspensions have gone up at Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) and the city has failed to meet reading proficiency standards for non-white students since 2016.

News

ACPS focusing on staff and student absenteeism

By James Cullum

Published September 9, 2022 at 11:05AM

School buses on W. Braddock Road on Dec. 10, 2021 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools wants to get student and staff absenteeism under control.

A quarter of Latino students at ACPS were chronically absent last school year, and so were 16% of Black students and 22% of economically disadvantaged students, according to data presented to the School Board at a recent work session.

News

Alexandria Mayor pushes back on Virginia Attorney General’s characterization of violence in ACPS

By Vernon Miles

Published August 29, 2022 at 11:20AM | Updated August 29, 2022 at 1:24PM

Students get on school buses lined along W. Braddock Road on Dec. 10, 2021 (staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated 1:20 p.m.) Alexandria’s Mayor Justin Wilson and School Board Chair Meagan Alderton are pushing back against a top ranking state official’s characterization of Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) as rife with violence.

Prompted by the murder of a student earlier this year and several instances of violence in ACPS, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares said in a letter to Wilson and to the Alexandria School Board that he urges Alexandria to work closely with law enforcement to strengthen the city’s School Resource Officer (SRO) program.

News

ACPS requiring students to have IDs, other security upgrades as school starts

By James Cullum

Published August 17, 2022 at 1:00PM

Alexandria City High School's homecoming football game against West Potomac on Friday, Oct. 15, 2021 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The summer break is nearly over, and Alexandria City Public Schools students will walk into more secure buildings on Monday, August 22.

That’s the message from ACPS, which after a violent last school year, has new security upgrades and procedures this time around.

News

Alexandria nonprofit Momentum Collective wants to be a charter school teaching the arts

By James Cullum

Published August 12, 2022 at 11:15AM

In five years, Jason Ellis wants Momentum Collective, Inc. to be a charter school teaching kids the arts in Northern Virginia.

The nonprofit resumed programming in October, after a two-year Covid hiatus, and are one again teaching low and moderate income children how to sing, dance and act in summer camps and after school at the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s Ruby Tucker Center. About 90 elementary school-aged kids have participated since programming resumed, and the plan is to eventually bring back middle and high school kids.

News

ACPS warns community of phishing scam email after the school account is compromised

By Vernon Miles

Published August 1, 2022 at 1:15PM

ACPS headquarters and clock (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

An email from Alexandria City Public Schools went out Saturday morning warning of a “Security Alert!”, but the schools later sent out another alert warning that the first email was a phishing scam.

The follow-up email said the email was the result of a compromised account.

News

Human resources chief Melanie Kay-Wyatt chosen as ACPS interim superintendent

By James Cullum

Published July 29, 2022 at 10:00AM

The Alexandria School Board promoted Melanie Kay-Wyatt as the interim superintendent on Thursday night (July 28).

Kay-Wyatt was hired last year as the chief of human resources for Alexandria City Public Schools, and will have the interim superintendent position for at least the 2022-2023 school year or until a permanent superintendent is chosen.

News

Parents create list of safety recommendations for Alexandria City Public Schools

By James Cullum

Published July 28, 2022 at 1:50PM | Updated July 28, 2022 at 2:10PM

The 2021-2022 school year was “crazy”, says René Islas, the parent of four Alexandria City Public Schools students.

Islas leads The Community Group, a new movement of locals with a list of safety recommendations for the city and school system. After a school year punctuated by violent events, Islas said ACPS needs to work on prevention, justice, and accountability.

News

ACPS expects interim superintendent to have the job all next school year

By James Cullum

Published July 1, 2022 at 10:45AM

The Alexandria City High School graduation, June 4, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools expects its interim superintendent to serve for the entire 2022-2023 school year, according to a new job listing for the position.

“It is anticipated that this opportunity could last for the entirety of SY22-23,” ACPS said on the job listing, which was posted on Thursday (June 30). “The Interim Superintendent will report to and work in partnership with the Alexandria City School Board to carry out the vision and strategic goals of the division to ensure the success of students, employees, and the overall school community while the search for the permanent superintendent is underway.”

News

Alexandria City Public Schools wants community input on interim superintendent selection

By James Cullum

Published June 28, 2022 at 10:45AM

Students walk the halls of Alexandria City High School (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Alexandria City Public Schools want input from the community on the “intensive search” for an interim superintendent.

Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr.’s resignation goes into effect at the end of August, and the interim superintendent will be chosen by July 28.

Around Town

School Board sends ACPS logo redesigns back to the drawing board

By James Cullum

Published June 21, 2022 at 1:15PM | Updated September 6, 2022 at 11:33AM

The School Board voted against this staff-preferred option for the ACPS logo. (Via ACPS)

After months of work, two logo redesigns for Alexandria City Public Schools were sent back to the drawing board.

Last Thursday night (June 16), the School Board voted 7-2 against staff’s preferred option. Only Board Members Willie Bailey and Christopher Harris voted for the preferred logo option.