ACPS | ALXnow - Part 5

School board to discuss DASH bus proposal for ACHS students Thursday

Published September 10, 2025 at 2:15PM

Electric DASH bus, photo via DASH/Facebook

The Alexandria City School Board will discuss a proposal on Thursday, Sept. 11, to transition Alexandria City High School students from school buses to the city’s DASH public transit system.

City Manager James F. Parajon recommends a phased approach starting in the 2026-27 school year, according to a June 20, 2025 memo to the City Council and School Board. The proposal comes after City Council members Abdel Elnoubi and Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley directed staff in January to study using Alexandria’s public transit system for high school transportation.

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Alexandria schools seek public input on 2027 budget

By James Cullum

Published August 25, 2025 at 2:45PM | Updated August 25, 2025 at 3:57PM

George Washington Middle School (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

How should city resources be spent in Alexandria City Public Schools’ fiscal year 2027 budget?

As the school system and city prepare for budget season, the public will have the opportunity to weigh in on a series of “Funding Our Future” sessions starting this month and concluding in October. The first meeting will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 27, in the media room of George Washington Middle School (1005 Mount Vernon Avenue) in Del Ray.

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Alexandria school board kicks off new year with student achievements, budget concerns, and policy updates

By Ryan Belmore

Published August 23, 2025 at 12:48PM

August 21 Alexandria School Board Meeting (Screenshot via ACPS)

The Alexandria City Public Schools board opened its first meeting of the 2025-26 school year Thursday evening with celebrations of student and staff achievements, while also addressing pressing concerns about teacher pay delays and outlining significant budget challenges ahead.

Superintendent Dr. K. Wyatt reported the district achieved its lowest staff vacancy rate in years at less than 2%, crediting successful recruitment and retention efforts that brought back former employees who had previously left the system.

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ACPS wins federal award for school nutrition program

By James Cullum

Published August 22, 2025 at 6:00PM

Alexandria City Public Schools wins award from U.S> Department of Agriculture, Aug. 2025 (via ACPS/Facebook)

Alexandria City Public Schools has won an award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for its federally funded school nutrition program.

ACPS announced today (Friday, Aug. 22) that it received a Healthy Meals Incentives (HMI) Recognition Award from Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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ACPS superintendent scheduled for Sept. 3 virtual community forum

By Ryan Belmore

Published August 20, 2025 at 9:02AM

ACPS Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt speaks at Mount Vernon Community School on Nov. 15, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Concerned Citizens Network of Alexandria will host a community town hall meeting with Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt on Wednesday, Sept. 3, from 6-7 p.m. via Zoom.

The virtual forum, announced Tuesday on the organization’s Instagram account, will provide residents an opportunity to engage directly with the district’s top administrator about education issues affecting the community. The meeting comes just over two weeks after ACPS students returned to classrooms on Monday, Aug. 18, for the start of the 2025-26 school year.

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Warner, Kaine slam Trump administration for threat of federal funding cuts to Alexandria schools

By Ryan Belmore

Published August 18, 2025 at 1:30PM

Alexandria City High School (staff photo by James Jarvis)

U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine condemned the Trump administration Monday for beginning the process to cut federal funding from Alexandria City Public Schools and four other Northern Virginia districts over their refusal to change transgender student policies.

The senators released a joint statement Monday as the U.S. Department of Education began suspending federal aid to the districts after they rejected demands to rescind policies allowing transgender students to use facilities matching their gender identity.

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Washington Wizards give backpacks to 700 Alexandria students

By James Cullum

Published August 15, 2025 at 3:00PM

The Washington Wizards helped tip off the 2025-26 school year with a giveaway event at William Ramsay Recreation Center on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Washington Wizards helped tip off the 2025-26 school year with a backpack and supplies giveaway today (Aug. 15) at William Ramsay Recreation Center.

Wizards forward Anthony Gill made a surprise appearance and joined rookies Tre Johnson, Will Riley, and Jamir Watkins at the event. The players, along with mascot G-Wiz and the Wizards Dancers, gave 700 backpacks to the students at William Ramsay Elementary School (5700 Sanger Avenue), which is located next to the recreation center and officially opens for the first day on Monday, Aug. 18.

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Alexandria schools reject federal Title IX demands

By Ryan Belmore

Published August 15, 2025 at 1:00PM | Updated August 18, 2025 at 12:31PM

Alexandria City High School (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Alexandria City Public Schools has rejected federal demands to change policies allowing transgender students to use facilities matching their gender identity, defying a U.S. Department of Education ultimatum that required a response by today’s deadline.

In a statement released Friday at 12:24 p.m., School Board Chair Dr. Michelle Rief and Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt announced that ACPS “disagrees with the legal analysis in the Letter of Findings, and cannot agree to the VRA [Voluntary Resolution Agreement] currently proposed by OCR.”

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ACPS students return to classrooms Monday for new school year

By Ryan Belmore

Published August 13, 2025 at 11:15AM | Updated August 13, 2025 at 2:26PM

Alexandria City High School (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Alexandria City Public Schools will welcome students back to classrooms on Monday, August 18, marking the start of the 2025-26 academic year for most district schools.

The Aug. 18 start date applies to 17 of the district’s 18 schools following the traditional academic calendar. Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School, which operates on a modified calendar, already began classes on July 21.

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Washington Wizards to ‘tip-off’ 2025-2026 school year with backpack giveaway at William Ramsay Elementary School

By James Cullum

Published August 6, 2025 at 3:30PM

ACPS Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt with G-Wiz, the Washington Wizards mascot, at Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School, Aug. 23, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Washington Wizards will tip off the 2025-2026 school year at William Ramsay Elementary School next Friday (Aug. 15).

Even though school officially starts on Monday, Aug. 18, Washington Wizards rookies Tre Johnson, Will Riley, and Jamir Watkins are joining mascot G-Wiz and the Wizards Dancers in handing out free Wizards backpacks filled with school supplies, water bottles, and more. The event will be held at the school, located at 5700 Sanger Avenue, from 12:00 to 3:30 p.m.

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Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy PTA earns National PTA Schools of Excellence recognition

By Ryan Belmore

Published August 6, 2025 at 1:00PM

Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy at 530 S. St. Asaph Street in Old Town. (via Facebook)

Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy PTA in Alexandria was among 330 schools nationwide named a 2024-2026 National PTA School of Excellence for building strong family-school partnerships.

The program recognizes PTAs and schools that enrich the educational experience and overall well-being of students through family engagement efforts.