Alexandria City Public Schools

ACPS introduces finalists for Alexandria City High School principal position

Published May 15, 2026 at 4:15PM

Alexandria City High School (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Two candidates for the open principal position at Alexandria City High School were introduced at an online meeting Thursday (May 14).

The candidates are Michael Burch, the ACHS lead administrator for operations and student support, and Anthony McWright, the executive principal at Denver School of the Arts and president of the Arts Schools Network. The meet-and-greet was moderated by former ACHS principal John Porter, who said Alexandria City Public Schools will conduct the final candidate interview next week before the finalist’s name goes to the School Board for consideration on May 28.

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Alexandria City High School graduation next month to use AI name-reading for second year

By James Cullum

Published May 12, 2026 at 3:45PM | Updated May 12, 2026 at 4:51PM

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

Hundreds of Alexandria City High School seniors are set to graduate next month.

Graduation will be held the morning of Saturday, June 6, at George Mason University’s EagleBank Arena (4400 University Drive) in Fairfax. The processional begins at 8:45 a.m. and the ceremony lasts approximately two hours. This is the second consecutive year that Alexandria City Public Schools will use Tassel, an artificial intelligence company, to provide automated name-reading services.

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School Board approves changes to agreement with Alexandria Police Department

By James Cullum

Published May 11, 2026 at 9:15AM

Alexandria Police at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus. (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria City School Board unanimously approved an amended memorandum of understanding with the Alexandria Police Department last Thursday (May 7) to provide school resource officers at the city’s high school and two middle schools.

The previous MOU between ACPS and APD, approved in June 2023, was set to expire June 30. The school system continued using the 2023–2025 MOU, which was extended several times while the new agreement was being revised. The updated MOU was approved without discussion and now goes to City Council for approval.

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ACPS teachers decry planned increases to health insurance premiums

By James Cullum

Published May 8, 2026 at 3:45PM | Updated May 9, 2026 at 12:16PM

ACPS Superintendent Melanie KayWyatt unveils her amended Combined Funds FY2027 budget to the Alexandria School Board, May 7, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools staff are decrying the short notice given over an increase to their health insurance premiums, just a day before the month-long open enrollment period.

In an April 30 email, thousands of ACPS staff and retirees were told that health insurance premium rates will increase by 16% for UnitedHealthcare customers and by 8.9% for Kaiser Permanente customers, and that the changes will result in higher employee contributions. Employees who don’t go through the open enrollment process by 11:59 p.m. May 31 will lose their healthcare coverage.

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ACPS board celebrates 2026 Principal and Teacher of the Year honorees

By James Cullum

Published May 8, 2026 at 1:45PM

(Left to right) ACPS Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt, ACPS Principal of the Year Jeanette Vinson, ACPS Teacher of the Year Deedra Robinson of Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School, and School Board Chair Michelle Rief, May 7, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria City School Board honored the school system’s 2026 Principal and Teacher of the Year during its meeting last night (Thursday).

This year’s accolades were bestowed to Jeanette Vinson, principal of George Washington Middle School, and Deedra Robinson, an educator at Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School. The School Board celebrated their dedication while recognizing teachers of the year from every public school in Alexandria.

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City Council approves $979.1M budget with unchanged real estate tax rate but eyes tougher choices ahead

By James Cullum

Published April 30, 2026 at 1:45PM | Updated May 6, 2026 at 11:43AM

Alexandria City Council on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Council unanimously approved City Manager Jim Parajon’s $979.1 million Fiscal Year 2027 budget with a few changes Wednesday night.

The budget represents a 2.4% increase over the FY2026 budget and maintains the real estate tax rate of $1.135 per $100 of assessed value, although some City Council members expressed caution about a potential tax increase in next year’s budget. Property owners whose assessment values increased could still see higher tax bills under the unchanged rate.

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Revised agreement with APD goes to School Board public hearing

By Emily Leayman

Published April 13, 2026 at 3:45PM | Updated April 16, 2026 at 2:47PM

Alexandria Police at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus. (staff photo by James Cullum)

A public hearing will be held Thursday (April 16) on the revised memorandum of understanding between the Alexandria City School Board and the Alexandria Police Department.

Alexandria City Public Schools is required to have an MOU with the police department due to the presence of school resource officers in schools, and it must be reviewed at least every two years. The proposed agreement would be in effect from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028.

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ACHS seniors surprised with $40K Amazon Future Engineers scholarships

By James Cullum

Published April 10, 2026 at 3:45PM

Zhi McMillan (on left) and Mohammad Elyas Noorzai after being presented with Amazon Future Engineer scholarships on April 10, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Two Alexandria City High School seniors got a surprise today (Friday) when they were awarded $40,000 Amazon Future Engineers scholarships.

Seniors Zhi McMillan and Mohammad Elyas Noorzai received the scholarships as well as internship opportunities with the multinational technology company. The awards were presented by 2022 scholarship recipient Sai Naraharisetti, who will start work as an Amazon software engineer in Seattle after graduating next year.

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City Council candidates address sheriff’s ICE policy, taxes, more at civic association forum

By Emily Leayman

Published April 9, 2026 at 4:30PM | Updated April 9, 2026 at 4:47PM

(Left to right): Sandy Marks, Frank Fannon and Alison O'Connell participate in an April 8 forum hosted by the Alexandria Federation of Civic Associations (via Alexandria Federation of Civic Associations video)

With less than two weeks until the April 21 special election, candidates for an open seat on Alexandria City Council made their pitches to civic association members yesterday (Wednesday) at a forum.

Democratic candidate Sandy Marks and independent candidates Alison O’Connell and Frank Fannon joined the forum, held during Alexandria Federation of Civic Associations’ monthly meeting. Candidates answered questions on topics the civic association leaders selected, along with a lightning round of policies they would support or oppose.

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Virginia’s top education officials bring statewide listening tour to Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published April 9, 2026 at 11:45AM

Virginia's Secretary of Education Jeffery O. Smith listens to concerns at Alexandria City High School's Minnie Howard Campus, April 8, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Virginia’s top education officials were in Alexandria on Wednesday as part of a statewide listening tour on public education needs.

Secretary of Education Jeffery O. Smith was joined by Virginia Department of Education Superintendent of Public Instruction Jenna Conway, Alexandria City School Board members and approximately 100 participants at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus. House of Delegates Majority Leader Del. Charniele Herring (D-4) attended an earlier roundtable with the officials.

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JUST IN: Jefferson-Houston teacher named N. Va. region’s teacher of the year

By James Cullum

Published April 8, 2026 at 2:45PM

Jefferson-Houston AVID teacher Deedra Robinson (with her students) was named Virginia Regional Teacher of the Year, April 8, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Deedra Robinson, a teacher at Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School, has been named the Region 4 (Northern Virginia) Teacher of the Year.

The surprise announcement was made this afternoon (Wednesday) by Jenna Conway, Virginia’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, in front of an assembly of students, family members and Alexandria City Public Schools administrators. Robinson teaches 48 students in the school’s Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program and plans to retire at the end of the school year.