Alexandria City Public Schools

ACPS expects interim superintendent to have the job all next school year

Published July 1, 2022 at 10:45AM

The Alexandria City High School graduation, June 4, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools expects its interim superintendent to serve for the entire 2022-2023 school year, according to a new job listing for the position.

“It is anticipated that this opportunity could last for the entirety of SY22-23,” ACPS said on the job listing, which was posted on Thursday (June 30). “The Interim Superintendent will report to and work in partnership with the Alexandria City School Board to carry out the vision and strategic goals of the division to ensure the success of students, employees, and the overall school community while the search for the permanent superintendent is underway.”

News

Alexandria getting first-ever speed cameras in five school zones early next year

By James Cullum

Published June 28, 2022 at 1:00PM | Updated August 17, 2022 at 3:34PM

The scene of a crash outside Jefferson Houston Elementary School, March 29, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria Police Department (APD) will be ready to deploy five speed cameras in schools zones around the city by early next year.

Police Chief Don Hayes and Yon Lambert, the director of the Department of Transportation and Environmental Services (T&ES), issued a memo to update the joint City Council/School Board subcommittee, which met on Monday (June 26).

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Alexandria City Public Schools wants community input on interim superintendent selection

By James Cullum

Published June 28, 2022 at 10:45AM

Students walk the halls of Alexandria City High School (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Alexandria City Public Schools want input from the community on the “intensive search” for an interim superintendent.

Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr.’s resignation goes into effect at the end of August, and the interim superintendent will be chosen by July 28.

Around Town

School Board sends ACPS logo redesigns back to the drawing board

By James Cullum

Published June 21, 2022 at 1:15PM | Updated September 6, 2022 at 11:33AM

The School Board voted against this staff-preferred option for the ACPS logo. (Via ACPS)

After months of work, two logo redesigns for Alexandria City Public Schools were sent back to the drawing board.

Last Thursday night (June 16), the School Board voted 7-2 against staff’s preferred option. Only Board Members Willie Bailey and Christopher Harris voted for the preferred logo option.

News

Alexandria schools launch new committees to get more feedback from non-English speaking families

By Vernon Miles

Published June 17, 2022 at 2:30PM

Students return to George Washington Middle School, August 24, 2021 (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) is hoping to head into the next school year with a better way for families to provide feedback in languages other than English.

Alexandria’s School Board approved the formation of Spanish, Amharic and Arabic-speaking advisory committees for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year.

News

Vice Mayor derided for saying Council nominee for new committee is ‘anti-police’

By James Cullum

Published June 15, 2022 at 2:15PM

Alexandria City Hall (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria Vice Mayor Amy Jackson took fire from one of her colleagues Tuesday night (June 14) against the appointment of former School Board Member Christopher Lewis to the Alexandria City Public Schools Law Enforcement Partnership (SLEP) Advisory Committee.

Jackson said that Lewis already serves on the city’s Community Policing Review Board and recommended Mike Mackey, the director of the Alexandria Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Service Unit.

News

Mayor Wilson says its time to step back to reassess safety in schools

By James Cullum

Published June 14, 2022 at 3:30PM

The joint Alexandria City Council/School Board meeting in the Board Room of ACPS Central Office on Monday, June 13, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Mayor Justin Wilson says its time to take a step back and reassess Alexandria’s approach to student safety.

In a joint City Council meeting with the School Board on Monday night (June 13), Wilson said that the community needs to be educated on how the city and school system plan to make schools safer.

News

City Council stepping in to prevent youth violence within Alexandria City Public Schools

By James Cullum

Published June 13, 2022 at 3:30PM | Updated June 14, 2022 at 1:18PM

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

In the wake of the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Luis Mejia Hernandez, the Alexandria City Council is taking an active role in reducing violence in schools, according to a Council memo that will be discussed tonight (June 13).

Up for discussion is the creation of “a citywide, multi-year plan with clear objectives, activities, agency roles and contributions, and performance metrics” by this September, as well as a youth safety and violence prevention summit by the end of July.

News

BREAKING: Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. resigns

By James Cullum

Published June 10, 2022 at 10:10AM | Updated July 29, 2022 at 9:48AM

Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. resigned abruptly on Friday morning (June 10).

Hutchings’ resignation comes after a tumultuous few weeks for the school division, following a closed-door session asking the School Board to not talk with the media and about the fatal stabbing death of a student.

News

Behind closed doors, Alexandria School Board proposes ‘peer pressure’ procedure when talking to media

By James Cullum

Published June 8, 2022 at 1:00PM | Updated June 8, 2022 at 6:37PM

ACPS headquarters and clock (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The Alexandria School Board conducted a closed-door meeting on Tuesday night (June 7) on changes to their operating procedures including a new rule on talking to the media.

In the two-hour-long session, the Board went over proposed changes to its operating procedures, as well as “Eight Characteristics of Effective School Boards,” a report from the Center for Public Education. The meeting was attended by Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr., Board Chair Meagan Alderton, Vice Chair Jacinta Greene, as well as Members Chris Harris, Willie Bailey, Michelle Rief, Tammy Ignacio, Kelly Carmichael Booz and Ashley Simpson Baird.

News

Scholarship Fund of Alexandria awards $600K in scholarships to Alexandria City High School Class of 2022

By James Cullum

Published June 8, 2022 at 9:35AM

The Scholarship Fund of Alexandria gave away a record $600,000 to 205 graduating seniors from Alexandria City High School.

“We are so very proud of the next generation of nurses, doctors, business leaders, computer scientists, recording artists, biologists, and professors who are heading off to college this fall thanks to the generosity of this community. Scholarships really do make dreams come true,” SFA Board Chair Priscilla Goodwin said in a statement.