ACPS | ALXnow - Part 38

Morning Notes

Published September 8, 2021 at 5:00AM | Updated September 8, 2021 at 8:43AM

First Lady Jill Biden is teaching at Northern Virginia Community College — “Starting the week of Labor Day, Biden will be spending every Tuesday and Thursday for 13 weeks on the Alexandria campus of Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), according to a class schedule available to students.” [Washington Post]

ACPS needs crossing guards — “Volunteers are needed immediately to help our elementary students get to school safely due to a shortage of crossing guards. Can you help? If so, complete this volunteer application!” [Twitter]

News

ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published September 3, 2021 at 3:35PM

Alexandria was spared from significant flooding this week after remnants of Hurricane Ida swept through the East Coast. The only flooding found was on lower King Street in Old Town, where businesses laid sandbags at windows and doorways.

“We’re open inside, but if you want to eat you’re probably going to have to come barefoot,” a hostess at Mai Thai told ALXnow on Wednesday.

News

Labor Day openings and closures in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published September 3, 2021 at 2:15PM

The Torpedo Factory Art Center in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

This coming Monday, September 6, is Labor Day and a number of city government offices and facilities will be closed.

The biggest event of the three-day weekend will be the day before Labor Day — Sunday, September 5. The annual Old Town Festival of Speed & Style will bring crowds to marvel at classic and beautiful rides along King Street.

Opinion

Poll: How satisfied are you with ACPS reopening?

By Vernon Miles

Published September 2, 2021 at 2:30PM

Superintendent Gregory Hutchings greets students (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

Alexandria students returned to classrooms for a full five-day school week last Tuesday, marking the start of what could hopefully be the first full year in-school since the pandemic started in early 2020.

Across the school division, Alexandria City Public Schools faced a series of hurdles — from extremely minor like a fox in the vicinity of a middle school to more serious, like a violent brawl in Alexandria City High School.

News

Parents concerned in opening days as ACPS works on construction projects at Mount Vernon Community School

By James Cullum

Published August 31, 2021 at 2:15PM

Inside Mount Vernon Community School. (staff photo by James Cullum)

It hasn’t been a perfect opening at Mount Vernon Community School, and Alexandria City Public Schools says it’s a work in progress.

The school system says that school bus routes have been fixed — after a few students were put on the wrong buses — and that hot meals have resumed during lunchtime.

News

Alexandria sees cases rise in August and warns of COVID-19 in schools

By James Cullum

Published August 31, 2021 at 10:45AM | Updated August 31, 2021 at 11:42AM

With COVID-19 numbers sharply rising in Alexandria, the city is advising parents to expect cases at schools and daycares.

So far this month, 14 cases have been reported in Alexandria City Public Schools.

News

ACPS Superintendent Hutchings asks community to hit the brakes on email campaigns

By Vernon Miles

Published August 30, 2021 at 3:40PM

Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. has one request for the community at large: Lay off the email campaigns.

Rather than individual emails with a question or a comment, Hutchings said his office and others in ACPS staff have been bombarded recently with copy-and-pasted emails. It’s become enough of an issue that Hutchings said at a School Board work session last week that the level of crowding in school staff emails has sometimes caused issues with missed communications.

News

ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published August 27, 2021 at 3:35PM

Alexandria Police lights (staff photo by James Cullum)

What a busy week in Alexandria. Here’s the rundown.

Alexandria City Public Schools reopened their doors to full-time in-person instruction on Tuesday, and there have been a few hiccups. On Friday, we published a video taken of a brawl inside Alexandria City High School, and a teenager was hit by a car while walking home from school in Del Ray on Thursday.

News

13-year-old hit by car while walking home from school in Del Ray

By James Cullum

Published August 27, 2021 at 2:15PM

Alexandria Fire Department ambulance. (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A 13-year-old boy is fine after being hit by a car while crossing the street in Del Ray on Thursday afternoon, August 26.

The boy was walking home from George Washington Middle School when he was struck. He was transported to the hospital, and has since been cleared, police told ALXnow. The driver stayed at the scene and was not charged with anything.

News

BREAKING: Video shows brawl at Alexandria City High School cafeteria just two days after school starts

By James Cullum

Published August 27, 2021 at 1:20PM | Updated August 27, 2021 at 5:16PM

A video has surfaced of a brawl Thursday (August 26) in the cafeteria of Alexandria City High School (ACHS). While the police weren’t called, it was one of two fights broken up that day, according to sources.

Caution: The following video contains disturbing behavior.

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published August 27, 2021 at 5:00AM

Standards of Learning Test participation drops in Alexandria — “At ACPS, 60 percent of eligible students participated in the spring 2021 SOL tests. In past years, the school division had participation above 98 percent. The SOL pass rates for ACPS for all participating students were 57 percent for reading, 82 percent for writing, 44 percent for history and social science, 39 percent for mathematics, and 43 percent for science.” [Patch]

Fire Department trains at The Birchmere — “Recently, AFD conducted a multi-company drill at the Birchmere on Mount Vernon Avenue. Regular training, communication, and familiarization with their coverage areas keeps our first responders well prepared to respond during emergency situations in the City.” [Facebook]