Alexandria City Public Schools

Alexandria officials mark major milestone in George Mason Elementary reconstruction

Published September 3, 2026 at 9:15AM

Topping out at George Mason Elementary School (via ACPS/Facebook)

Alexandria officials gathered yesterday (Sept. 2) to mark the topping out of the reconstructed George Mason Elementary School, the latest of Alexandria City Public Schools’ modernization projects.

Monday’s topping out ceremony represented the installation of the final structural steel beam on the school. The school at 2601 Cameron Mills Road in the North Ridge neighborhood is being rebuilt to address capacity needs and replace an aging facility, according to ACPS. Built in 1939, the school was renovated before in 1949 and 1977.

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ACHS Minnie Howard athletic field named after former Mayor Kerry Donley

By James Cullum

Published September 2, 2026 at 1:45PM

The Kerry J. Donley Athletic Field Complex was named at the Alexandria City High School Minnie Howard Campus (staff photo by James Cullum)

Current and former city leaders met Tuesday (Sept. 1) to officially name the athletic field complex after former Mayor Kerry Donley.

Donley died unexpectedly in 2022 at the age of 66. He was on City Council for 18 years, and was mayor from 1996 to 2003. After a two-year stint as the chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia, he was hired as the athletic director at ACHS, a position he held from 2005 to 2008.

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ACPS superintendent search on track as School Board reviews candidates

By Emily Leayman

Published August 31, 2026 at 11:45AM

The Alexandria School Board at its meeting on Aug. 27, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The superintendent search remains on track as the Alexandria City School Board discusses candidates.

On Thursday (Aug. 27), the School Board held a closed session to discuss prospective candidates and their “qualifications, experience, references, suitability, potential appointment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment.”

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Acting superintendent says ACPS has ‘more work to do’ on bus eligibility as parents speak out

By James Cullum

Published August 28, 2026 at 3:45PM

Acting Superintendent Grace Taylor at the Alexandria School Board meeting on Aug. 27, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Families are decrying new walk zones for Alexandria City Public Schools, saying the changes force their children off school buses to walk along unsafe roadways.

A number of parents denounced the walk zones during the public comment period at the Alexandria City School Board meeting on Thursday night (Aug. 27). ACPS provides bus transportation for students living more than a mile from their elementary schools and more than a mile-and-a-half from Alexandria City High School.

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ACPS receives $240K in donations, including funds for locking phone pouches at ACHS

By James Cullum

Published August 28, 2026 at 1:45PM

The Alexandria School Board at its meeting on Aug. 27, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria City School Board unanimously accepted $240,100 in donations to the city’s school system on Thursday night (Aug. 27).

Along with school supplies and donations for meal debt, the gifts include a $158,000 donation to buy phone pouches with magnetic locks for every student at Alexandria City High School. With more than 4,500 students getting accustomed to a new bell-to-bell phone ban, Principal Michael Burch told ALXnow that the donation will buy enough pouches to last the school for several years.

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Alexandria school meal prices jump more than usual this school year

By James Cullum

Published August 25, 2026 at 1:45PM | Updated August 26, 2026 at 9:53AM

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 is increasing the cost of breakfast and lunch at the elementary and middle schools that charge for meals.

Starting this school year, the cost of breakfast will rise by 25 cents (to $2.35 for all grade levels), and lunch will jump 50 cents (to $3.75) for students in kindergarten to fifth grade, and will cost $3.95 for students in grades 6 to 8, according to ACPS.

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Alexandria students begin school year with stricter cell phone rules, new boundaries

By Emily Leayman and James Cullum

Published August 24, 2026 at 11:45AM

Alexandria School Board Chair Christopher Harris shakes hands with a student on the first day of school at Alexandria City High School, Aug. 24, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools welcomed students back for the first day of school today (Monday) as the district implemented a stricter student cell phone policy and new school boundaries.

More than 15,000 students started school at ACPS, from the incoming kindergarten class who will graduate in 2039, to the seniors graduating next year. Acting Superintendent Grace Taylor, Mayor Alyia Gaskins, School Board Chair Christopher Harris, Alexandria City High School Principal Michael Burch and Police Chief Tarrick McGuire visited classrooms at ACHS’s King Street Campus on the first day.

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Three ACPS naming ceremonies scheduled for September and October

By Emily Leayman

Published August 20, 2026 at 2:45PM | Updated August 27, 2026 at 4:46PM

The Parker-Gray Stadium Field at Alexandria City High School King Street Campus (via ACPS)

Three Alexandria City Public Schools facilities that the School Board voted to rename will be dedicated in the next two months.

The Alexandria City School Board voted in December 2025 to name Keith Burns Field at Alexandria City High School’s Parker-Gray Memorial Stadium after a 1990 T.C. Williams High School graduate who had an NFL career. The athletic field complex at the high school’s Minnie Howard Campus will be named after the late Alexandria Mayor Kerry Donley, and a media center at Naomi L. Brooks Elementary School will be named after Jean Reid, who taught at various ACPS schools.

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Speed cameras to resume enforcement as school year begins in Alexandria

By Emily Leayman

Published August 18, 2026 at 9:15AM

A school zone speed limit sign near the Minnie Howard Campus (via Google Maps)

Alexandria City Public Schools will be returning to school on Monday, Aug. 24, and that means speed cameras will also be reactivated to enforce school zone speeding violations.

The City of Alexandria said enforcement of school zone speed cameras will begin on the first day of school following testing of the school zone flashers and camera systems on Aug. 21. The cameras will automatically issue tickets for speeding violations when school zone signs are flashing.

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Police and fire presence at ACHS Minnie Howard Campus planned for emergency drill

By Emily Leayman

Published August 10, 2026 at 2:45PM

Alexandria City High School's Minnie Howard Campus (staff photo by James Cullum)

Residents shouldn’t be alarmed when they see an increased police and fire presence at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus later this week.

The Alexandria Police Department, Alexandria City Public Schools and other emergency partners will hold an incident response drill at the campus (3775 W. Braddock Road) Thursday (Aug. 13). Expect police, fire and EMS vehicles and personnel to be in the area between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

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Here’s when the 2026-27 school year starts in Alexandria, and more key dates

By James Cullum

Published August 3, 2026 at 2:45PM

George Mason Elementary School Principal Christopher Finan with students on the first day of school, August 21, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The start of the 2026-27 school year is just around the corner in Alexandria.

The first day back for most Alexandria City Public Schools students is Monday, Aug. 24. That’s not the case for students and staff at Samuel W. Tucker Elementary, which started on July 27. Still, below are some important dates to be aware of, as the school system gets back into the swing of things.