Alexandria City Public Schools

Outgoing ACPS superintendent takes sudden leave, designees appointed

Published June 24, 2026 at 2:45PM

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

As outgoing Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt takes an unexpected leave, the School Board has designated three administrators to handle her duties.

School Board Chair Michelle Rief announced in an email to ACPS families and staff that Kay-Wyatt is going on leave due “to a matter that arose unexpectedly.” On Tuesday night (June 23), the School Board appointed ACPS Chief of Staff Grace Taylor, Chief Accountability Officer Clinton Page and Chief Academic Officer Pierrette Finney as designees of the division superintendent.

News

N. Va. public safety leaders reaffirm mutual aid in reducing crime at Alexandria summit

By James Cullum

Published June 18, 2026 at 3:55PM | Updated June 18, 2026 at 11:13PM

(Left to right) Moderator Simone de Alba, Alexandria Police Department Chief Tarrick McGuire and Robin Engle at APD's Public Safety Summit at Virginia Theological Seminary on June 18, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Public safety leaders and their counterparts from around the region reaffirmed a commitment to mutual aid today (Thursday) at the Alexandria Police Department’s Public Safety Summit.

The three-hour event was held at Virginia Theological Seminary, and attended by Mayor Alyia Gaskins, Sheriff Sean Casey, Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter, City Manager Jim Parajon, Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez, Jr, as well as officials from Alexandria City Public Schools and other city departments. Speakers included Arlington County Police Chief Andy Penn, Prince William County Police Chief Peter Newsham, and Stanley Meador, the Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security.

News

VEA sets timeline for new Alexandria teachers union elections after invalidating results

By James Cullum

Published June 17, 2026 at 3:45PM | Updated June 17, 2026 at 6:40PM

David Paladin-Fernandez speaks at a School Board meeting on June 11, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

After invalidating the officer elections for the local Alexandria teachers union, the Virginia Education Association has set a timeline for new elections that it will oversee later this month.

VEA President Carol Bauer informed Education Association of Alexandria (EAA) members of the new election timeline in an email on June 12. VEA’s decision to reject EAA’s union officer elections came after the elections were postponed from May 18 to May 21, and candidate for EAA president David Paladin-Fernandez was disqualified less than 12 hours before the elections.

News

11 students earn high school diplomas at Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center

By James Cullum

Published June 17, 2026 at 2:45PM

Graduation day at the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center, June 17, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Eleven residents at the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center in Alexandria’s West End marked a significant milestone as they were presented with their high school diplomas today (Wednesday).

The graduation event was attended by family members, NVJDC residents and staff, as well as City Councilwoman Sandy Marks and Alexandria City School Board Chair Michelle Rief. The jail’s state-operated school is managed by Alexandria City Public Schools, which provides licensed staff to teach 10-to-18-year-old children brought in from across Alexandria, Arlington County and the city of Falls Church.

News

ACPS offers free summer meals for kids 18 and younger across Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published June 16, 2026 at 2:45PM | Updated June 16, 2026 at 4:51PM

Packed lunches at T.C. Williams High School (now Alexandria City High School), March 16, 2020. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools will continue providing free meals to students this summer.

The school system is giving away free breakfast and lunch for children and teens 18 and under as part of its 2026 Summer Food Service Program. The program runs Mondays through Thursdays, from June 22 to July 16, at six schools across the city. School-age kids can get free meals at any of the sites and do not need to register in advance.

News

State budget impasse leaves uncertainty as Alexandria School Board lines up final budget

By Emily Leayman

Published June 10, 2026 at 1:45PM | Updated June 11, 2026 at 4:18PM

Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt talks about a proposed policy change on student publications at the May 8, 2025, School Board meeting (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria City School Board held a work session yesterday (June 9) to decide adds and deletes from the budget before final approval, but the state budget impasse leaves future funding for compensation and other items unresolved.

Several of the 38 add/delete proposals that had at least four co-sponsors received support to be added into the Alexandria City Public Schools budget. The School Board will vote on the final budget tomorrow (June 11).

News

PHOTOS: Nearly 1,000 Alexandria City High School seniors graduate at GMU’s EagleBank Arena

By James Cullum

Published June 8, 2026 at 12:15PM

The Alexandria City High School graduation at George Mason University’s EagleBank Arena, June 6, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

One of Alexandria City High School’s largest graduating classes walked the stage at George Mason University’s EagleBank Arena to get their diplomas on Saturday (June 6).

Outgoing Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt said that the 962 graduates are walking into an increasingly complex world.

News

Alexandria City High School’s ‘Class that Changes Tomorrow’ is graduating on Saturday

By James Cullum

Published June 5, 2026 at 1:45PM

Graduates at Alexandria City High School's graduation at George Mason University's EagleBank Arena, June 3, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City High School seniors will embark on new beginnings after walking the stage at tomorrow’s graduation at George Mason University’s EagleBank Arena in Fairfax.

The doors open at the arena (4400 University Drive) at 8 a.m. and the student processional begins at 8:45 a.m. for the class that Alexandria City Public Schools calls “the Class that Changes Tomorrow.”

Around Town

Ukulele Club strikes a chord at Alexandria’s William Ramsay Elementary

By James Cullum

Published June 4, 2026 at 9:15AM

The second grade Ukulele Club at William Ramsay Elementary School (staff photo by James Cullum)

Kids are clamoring to be part of the Ukulele Club at William Ramsay Elementary School.

The nine-week after-school program for second graders only started in the spring. With the end of the school year around the corner, the 15 kids in the club are rehearsing for an upcoming school assembly and a performance in front of their parents.

News

ACPS Early Childhood Center courtyard dedicated as ‘Owen’s Place’ in tribute to principal’s late son

By Emily Leayman

Published June 3, 2026 at 2:45PM

The new "Owen's Place" dedication at the Early Childhood Center on June 2, 2026 (via ACPS)

A courtyard at Alexandria City Public Schools’ Early Childhood Center is now named in honor of the principal’s late son.

ACPS held a naming ceremony Tuesday (June 2) for the courtyard at the Early Childhood Center (5651 Rayburn Avenue). The name “Owen’s Place” references Owen Michael Wagner, the late teenage son of the center’s first principal, Heidi Haggerty-Wagner.

News

VEA invalidates Alexandria teachers union officer elections, will oversee new elections

By James Cullum

Published June 3, 2026 at 2:15PM

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

The Virginia Education Association (VEA) has invalidated last month’s officer elections held by the local Alexandria teachers union and will oversee a new election.

In an email sent this week to members of the Education Association of Alexandria (EAA), VEA said that it conducted a review of its Alexandria affiliate to see “whether the recent EAA officer election complied with the legal requirements established under the federal Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act.” The news comes after an EAA’s union officer election was postponed from May 18 to May 21, and EAA presidential candidate David Paladin-Fernandez was disqualified less than 12 hours before the election.