Alexandria City Public Schools

Amid declining enrollment, ACPS proposes employee raises in new budget proposal

Published January 10, 2022 at 3:30PM | Updated January 12, 2022 at 12:49PM

(Updated at noon, Jan. 12) In the midst of declining enrollment, Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. wants to give all ACPS employees a raise.

That’s the gist of Hutchings’ $346 million fiscal year 2022 Combined Funds Budget, which he presented to the School Board last Thursday night (Jan. 6). The proposal is a nearly 4% increase over last year’s budget, and asks for approximately $248.7 million from the city. The City Council ultimately provides ACPS with 80% of its operating fund.

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Amid Covid surge, Alexandria City Public Schools presents plan to switch to virtual instruction on school-by-school basis

By James Cullum

Published January 7, 2022 at 2:30PM | Updated January 8, 2022 at 12:22PM

Students learning at home during the COVID-19 shutdown (Photo via ACPS/Facebook)

Alexandria School Board members say they want to keep in-person instruction going, but amidst a surge in Covid cases the Alexandria City Public Schools system now has an official plan to revert to virtual learning on a school-by-school basis.

“There may be cases in the future where we have to transition into a virtual learning setting due to that and we want to just prepare for that,” Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr., told the Board Thursday night.

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School closed tomorrow as students and staff both get proper snow day

By Vernon Miles

Published January 6, 2022 at 5:10PM

As it turns out, Wednesday was the last day this week kids would return to Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) as both students and teachers get their snow day.

At 5 p.m. today (Thursday), ACPS announced that school would be fully closed on Friday. All activities in school or on school grounds are canceled, and ACPS officials told ALXnow that there won’t be virtual school tomorrow either.

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ACPS cancels school in Alexandria for students, but staff will have a virtual workday

By Vernon Miles

Published January 5, 2022 at 7:35PM

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) has announced that school is canceled for tomorrow (Thursday) after three days of virtual learning to allow for a virtual workday.

Classes were held online Monday, Tuesday and today as the city continues to recover from Monday’s snowstorm and as the city goes through a resurgence of COVID-19. Extracurricular activities are also canceled.

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New Alexandria School Board gets sworn into office virtually

By James Cullum

Published January 5, 2022 at 1:15PM

Alexandria School Board Chair Meagan Alderton is sworn into office, Jan. 4, 2022. (Via Zoom)

With the pandemic and snow prompting a completely virtual ceremony, the new Alexandria School Board was sworn into office on Tuesday (Jan. 4).

Board Chair Meagan Alderton was also unanimously reelected by her colleagues to serve as leader for another year, and Member Jacinta Greene was named vice chair.

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ACPS: Alexandria schools virtual again on Wednesday

By Vernon Miles

Published January 4, 2022 at 6:05PM

For the third day in a row, in-person school is canceled and Alexandria students will be expected to attend virtual classes.

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) said ongoing icy conditions are to blame for the cancellation of in-person classes.

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Alexandria City Council and School Board induction ceremonies impacted by COVID and weather

By James Cullum

Published January 3, 2022 at 4:15PM

Alexandria City Hall (staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Due to Monday’s snowstorm and rising COVID infections, the induction ceremony for new members of the Alexandria City Council has shifted to a virtual-only format. The School Board’s induction ceremony has been moved to a larger building for distancing.

Mayor Justin Wilson, who is stuck in Spain after contracting COVID, will be sworn in with City Council at 6 p.m. on Zoom. Councilman-elect Kirk McPike also recently tested positive for COVID and is isolating at home.

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Virtual learning at Alexandria schools extended to Tuesday

By Vernon Miles

Published January 3, 2022 at 3:30PM

A woman stands in the snow with a shovel in Arlandria, Jan. 3, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Today (Monday) marked a return to virutal learning due to a severe snow storm, and with many roads still dangerous or impassable, Alexandria City Public Schools has announced that tomorrow will be a virtual day as well.

ACPS announced late last year that snow days might be a thing of the past after the school division became relatively proficient in virtual learning — a necessity caused by COVID-19.

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ACPS goes to virtual schooling Monday ahead of expected snow

By Vernon Miles

Published January 2, 2022 at 10:15PM

Students learning at home during the COVID-19 shutdown (Photo via ACPS/Facebook)

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) will be closed for in-person instruction tomorrow (Monday) with classes shifted to virtual learning.

With a winter storm warning in effect for tomorrow from 1 a.m.-4 p.m., ACPS announced at 6 p.m. on Sunday that Monday would be a virtual learning day.

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Recently approved ACPS Capital Improvement Plan budget lays out a complex decade ahead

By James Cullum

Published December 20, 2021 at 2:30PM

A $12.5 million aquatics facility, three school replacements and swing space that will be turned into a new elementary school are all part of the nearly $500 million 10-year Capital Improvement Program budget that the Alexandria School Board approved last Thursday night.

After a series of work sessions and public meetings this fall, the Board approved the $497,804,800 proposal, with $204,685,100 to be used next year, without discussion. In a press release, Board Chair Meagan Alderton said she appreciated the work of Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. and his team to develop the document, and said that it takes rising enrollment, infrastructure and critical capital planning needs into account.

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Morning Notes

By Vernon Miles

Published December 20, 2021 at 5:00AM

Fairfax County police find two possible victims of ‘shopping cart killer,’ suspect in custody — “A plastic container found in the Huntington area near Route 1 on Wednesday (Dec. 15) contained the remains of two people that Fairfax County police believe to be the victims of a serial killer.” [FFXnow]

Harmony Place Mobile Home residents in Alexandria South demand repairs be part of upcoming sale — “Today, residents of Harmony Place… held a press conference at the park to demand significant health and safety improvements be made as a condition of the upcoming sale of the property.” [Zebra]