Alexandria City Public Schools

Bradlee Shopping Center stabbing suspect implicated by videos on his phone

Published June 6, 2023 at 10:45AM | Updated June 6, 2023 at 3:09PM

Police at the Bradlee Shopping Center where 18-year-old Luis Mejia Hernandez was fatally stabbed on May 24, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

The 17-year-old male suspect facing murder charges in last year’s fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Luis Mejia Hernandez was implicated by damning evidence police found on his phone, according to evidence presented Monday.

Monday’s bench trial will continue into today for the defense to present their case, and a speedy verdict on second degree murder and murder by mob charges is expected from Judge James C. Clark. The suspect faces between five-to-40 years in prison for the second degree murder charge and five-to-40 years for the murder by mob, or lynching, charge.

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Alexandria City Public Schools responds to criticism over specialist teacher decision

By Vernon Miles

Published June 5, 2023 at 11:05AM

ACPS Headquarters in Alexandria (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Last week, Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) was blasted by parents and teachers at a School Board meeting over a decision to spread specialist teachers across multiple schools.

Music, art and physical education teachers are classified as encore teachers in ACPS. Currently, those teachers are assigned to individual schools, but under the new system some of those teachers could be made to float between different schools.

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PHOTOS: More than 900 Alexandria City High School seniors graduate at GMU’s EagleBank Arena

By James Cullum

Published June 3, 2023 at 2:53PM | Updated June 4, 2023 at 4:34PM

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)

It’s a day of happiness in Alexandria, as more than 900 Alexandria City High School seniors graduated this morning at George Mason University’s EagleBank Arena.

Perhaps student speaker Lenhle Vilakati put it best when she said: “Today we finally break apart and become our own people. Today we finally have to go off into bigger things and be amazing.”

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Alexandria City Public Schools soliciting public feedback on new Student Code of Conduct

By Vernon Miles

Published June 1, 2023 at 3:45PM

The ACHS gradation, June 4, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) is looking for suggestions from the public on how it should update its Student Code of Conduct.

The Student Code of Conduct — an 83-page document for this past year — governs everything from attendance and student rights to the expulsion of students.

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Pump the brakes: new speed cameras issuing tickets starting today

By Vernon Miles

Published May 30, 2023 at 2:20PM

Map of speed cameras across Alexandria (image via City of Alexandria)

Drivers should always keep it slow in school zones but there’s a new incentive starting today: new speed cameras across Alexandria are issuing warning tickets starting today.

The new cameras have been installed near John Adams Elementary School, Ferdinand Day Elementary School, Francis Hammond Middle School and George Washington Middle School.

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Police Chief says there’s a ‘plethora’ of guns on the streets of Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published May 23, 2023 at 2:00PM | Updated May 23, 2023 at 3:40PM

(Left to right) Agenda Alexandria's May panel to discuss crime in the city, on May 22, 2023 at the Lyceum

Amid a crime surge, Alexandria Police Chief Don Hayes said Monday night that the police force is seeing a “plethora” of guns out on the streets.

Alexandria’s gun-related crime jumped 100% in 2022 over 2021, and Hayes says that overall crime is up 27% for the year.

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Alexandria School Board to present Council with staggered terms proposal this fall

By James Cullum

Published May 18, 2023 at 3:30PM

ACPS Headquarters in Alexandria (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Some big changes are coming to the Alexandria School Board.

Tonight, the Board will conduct a work session on whether to stagger the election cycle for its members, as well as reducing the number of members. There are currently nine Board members serving three-year terms in Districts A, B and C, and their elections run concurrently with City Council.

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JUST IN: Alexandria City High School Principal Peter Balas announces move to Arlington

By Vernon Miles

Published May 11, 2023 at 7:55PM

Alexandria City High School Principal Peter Balas speaks at the commemoration of Noah and Josephus Lyles at Market Square in Old Town, October 10, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City High School (ACHS) Principal Peter Balas announced that, after graduation in June, he’s heading north to become the new principal at Arlington’s Wakefield High School.

Balas, who has been with Alexandria City Public Schools for 22 years, took over at then-T.C. Williams High School in 2017. Since then, Balas has navigated the school through Covid, the “One T.C.” decision, the school renaming and issues around violence in the school.

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ACPS unveils new two-year agreement with police department for school resource officers

By James Cullum

Published May 8, 2023 at 3:30PM

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

After years in development, a new agreement was released between Alexandria City Public Schools and the Alexandria Police Department to provide school resource officers (SROs) at the city’s high school and middle schools.

The new memorandum of understanding between ACPS and APD has been a long time coming. SROs were defunded by the City Council in last year’s budget, and Alexandria City Public Schools spent the first few months of the 2021-2022 school year without the officers in its high school and middle schools. The officers were returned after ACPS pleaded with Council for their return in the wake of multiple incidents with weapons in schools.

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published May 5, 2023 at 1:30PM

ACPS interim Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt at the deed signing ceremony for the Winkler Botanical Preserve, September 15, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

It’s been a busy week in Alexandria.

City Council unanimously approved City Manager Jim Parajon’s $884.3 million fiscal year 2024 budget, funding citywide pay increases, a fully funded school system and collective bargaining agreements with the police and fire departments.

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Notes: APD ‘determined’ to reduce crime near Braddock Road Metro after more shots fired

By ALXnow.com

Published May 5, 2023 at 9:21AM

Good Friday morning, Alexandria!

More gunfire was reported near the Braddock Road Metro station yesterday afternoon, prompting the Alexandria Police Department to tweet that it’s “determined” to solve recent crime issues.