Alexandria City Public Schools

News

ACPS laying the groundwork for in-school vaccination

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

In a community update yesterday (Thursday), ACPS staff said they’re starting to make progress on plans to vaccinate students in-school.

Currently vaccination is only available for children ages 12 and above. Julie Crawford, chief of Student Services and Equity, said at a meeting yesterday that the teenager category has been one of the most thoroughly vaccinated age groups in the city. Crawford said ACPS is getting ready to offer in-school vaccination as a prelude for when vaccination is allowed for the younger age group.

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News

With entire classes under quarantine, ACPS to discuss COVID measures in Virtual Town Hall

By James Cullum

Late last week, a third grader at Jefferson-Houston School was exhibiting COVID symptoms. By Sunday her mother received positive test results, and that evening she sent word to the school that her daughter was infected with the virus.

The next day was a bit of a scramble at the school, as the parents of all of the students in her daughter’s class were called to pick up their children and told that the kids needed to quarantine for two weeks.

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News

School Board says vaccination will be required for staff

By Vernon Miles

News of over a dozen school deaths from COVID in Miami has led ACPS to reconsider it’s earlier position of allowing staff to decide whether to be vaccinated or not.

At a School Board meeting last week, the board voted to make it clear that in the coming weeks a plan will be put together on requiring all staff to be vaccinated — unless that falls into the broad category of claiming a medical or religious exemption.

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News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

City leaders mark 20th anniversary of 9/11 attacks — “A solemn gathering in Waterfront Park to remember those lost and commemorate the selfless service of so many during and after the attacks of September 11th. Honored to have @RepDonBeyer and the leaders of @AlexVASheriff @AlexandriaVAPD & @AlexandriaVAFD with us.” [Twitter]

Old Town’s ‘Art On The Avenue’ festival needs hundreds of volunteers — “As an entirely volunteer-run event, Art on the Avenue seeks over 200 volunteers to help with pre-event set up, business set up, monitoring the food court, handing out posters, and more before and throughout the day. Each volunteer may sign up for a specific position and shift time. The average shift is between 2 and 3 hours; there is no limit to how many hours one can volunteer.” [Zebra]

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News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

First Lady Jill Biden is teaching at Northern Virginia Community College — “Starting the week of Labor Day, Biden will be spending every Tuesday and Thursday for 13 weeks on the Alexandria campus of Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), according to a class schedule available to students.” [Washington Post]

ACPS needs crossing guards — “Volunteers are needed immediately to help our elementary students get to school safely due to a shortage of crossing guards. Can you help? If so, complete this volunteer application!” [Twitter]

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News

ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Alexandria was spared from significant flooding this week after remnants of Hurricane Ida swept through the East Coast. The only flooding found was on lower King Street in Old Town, where businesses laid sandbags at windows and doorways.

“We’re open inside, but if you want to eat you’re probably going to have to come barefoot,” a hostess at Mai Thai told ALXnow on Wednesday.

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News

Labor Day openings and closures in Alexandria

By James Cullum
The Torpedo Factory Art Center in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

This coming Monday, September 6, is Labor Day and a number of city government offices and facilities will be closed.

The biggest event of the three-day weekend will be the day before Labor Day — Sunday, September 5. The annual Old Town Festival of Speed & Style will bring crowds to marvel at classic and beautiful rides along King Street.

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Opinion

Poll: How satisfied are you with ACPS reopening?

By Vernon Miles
Superintendent Gregory Hutchings greets students (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

Alexandria students returned to classrooms for a full five-day school week last Tuesday, marking the start of what could hopefully be the first full year in-school since the pandemic started in early 2020.

Across the school division, Alexandria City Public Schools faced a series of hurdles — from extremely minor like a fox in the vicinity of a middle school to more serious, like a violent brawl in Alexandria City High School.

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News

Parents concerned in opening days as ACPS works on construction projects at Mount Vernon Community School

By James Cullum
Inside Mount Vernon Community School. (staff photo by James Cullum)

It hasn’t been a perfect opening at Mount Vernon Community School, and Alexandria City Public Schools says it’s a work in progress.

The school system says that school bus routes have been fixed — after a few students were put on the wrong buses — and that hot meals have resumed during lunchtime.

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News

West End school purchase headed to Planning Commission review

By Vernon Miles
Swing space at 1703 N. Beauregard Street, via Google Maps

Three years after Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School opened in a former West End office (1701 N Beauregard Street), Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) is moving forward with plans to purchase the rest of the office block for eventual conversion into school space.

ACPS is headed to the Planning Commission on Thursday, Sept. 9, to review plans to purchase the office building for conversion into an educational space. What exactly that will entail, though, still remains to be determined. In the short-term, the building could be used as swing space for schools undergoing modernization, but could eventually become its own 600 student school.

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