Alexandria City Public Schools

Alexandria City Council to consider reallocation of School Resource Officer funding

Published June 22, 2021 at 9:35AM

Alexandria Police cruiser (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria City Council tonight will consider the official reallocation of nearly $800,000 in funding previously meant for the School Resource Officer program.

Council voted 4-3 in May to move the SRO funding to add mental health resources to ACPS, support staff to the Teen Wellness Center, hire an additional Behavioral Health Specialist to the Alexandria Crisis Intervention CoResponding Program Pilot. The SROs stationed inside T.C. Williams High School, Francis Hammond Middle School and George Washington Middle School have been reassigned to patrol.

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ACPS Superintendent Hutchings wins contract renewal with enthusiastic support from School Board

By Vernon Miles

Published June 18, 2021 at 1:15PM

Despite a year of setbacks that included vocal community disagreement with Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, both from the community and within the school system, the School Board rallied around him and approved renewal of his contract.

The new contract renews Hutchings’ role in ACPS through June 30, 2025. During the discussion Thursday night, School Board members repeatedly praised his handling of the Coronavirus pandemic over the last year.

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Volunteer Alexandria contends with pandemic aftershock, needs help now more than ever

By James Cullum

Published June 18, 2021 at 10:45AM

The pandemic is over, right? Not for Volunteer Alexandria.

The nonprofit is still in the thick of finding volunteers to assist with food distributions, in addition to vaccination pod workers and guardians at assisted living facilities.

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Alexandria openings and closures for Juneteenth

By James Cullum

Published June 17, 2021 at 2:30PM

The Contrabands and Freedmens Cemetery Memorial at 1001 S. Washington Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria’s history with slavery makes Juneteenth a particularly important holiday.

June 19 recognizes the emancipation of slaves in the United States, and the date is expected to soon be a federal holiday, even though Alexandria has recognized it since 2019.

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published June 15, 2021 at 5:00AM | Updated June 15, 2021 at 11:42AM

The Contrabands and Freedmens Cemetery Memorial at 1001 S. Washington Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Volunteers needed for ACPS food distribution — “Kids should ask ‘What’s for lunch?’ not ‘Is there lunch?’ Help distribute two days worth of meals for @ACPSk12 students on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays. Volunteers are needed for both mobile pop-ups and curbside locations.” [Twitter]

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T.C. Williams High School’s final graduating class walks the stage

By James Cullum

Published June 12, 2021 at 4:30PM

The final graduating class of T.C. Williams High School celebrated their final Titan victory Saturday morning, as 888 graduates were handed diplomas at Chinquapin Park.

Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr., said that the students have witnessed a profoundly difficult period, including COVID deaths, social unrest following the murder of George Floyd and the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published June 11, 2021 at 5:00AM

Playing at Four Mile Run Park in Arlandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

ACPS wants input on how to spend COVID relief funds — “Feedback on use of the American Rescue Plan Act’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief can be provided through June 18, while the Equity for All Climate Survey is open through June 20.” [Patch]

Memorial bike ride Sunday at for bicyclist killed — “Join FABB’s memorial ride in honor of Fatima Del Carmen Alvarez Romero this Sunday, June 13, at 10:00 am at Huntington Metro kiss and ride lot. Ride to crash site for a moment of remembrance and to call for much-needed safety measures. Please wear white and bring signs.” [Twitter]

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City Council dives into funding swimming pool at Alexandria City High School

By Vernon Miles

Published June 10, 2021 at 3:45PM

Athlete on the T.C. Williams Swim and Dive Team (photo via T.C. Williams High School/Facebook)

Despite the unanimous vote of approval to install a new pool at the Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard campus, even the most positive of voices on City Council last night were lukewarm about how they got there.

The Council voted 7-0 in favor of setting aside $12 million in funding, down from $19 million proposed earlier, with Alexandria City Public Schools diverting some funding from a solar panel project.

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Scholarship Fund of Alexandria awards $525K to T.C. Williams High School Class of 2021

By James Cullum

Published June 8, 2021 at 2:15PM

The Scholarship Fund of Alexandria gave away a record $525,000 in college scholarships this year to 183 graduating seniors from T.C. Williams High School.

The nonprofit made the announcement this week after conducting a virtual ceremony to congratulate the awardees.

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ACPS continuing free meals program throughout summer

By James Cullum

Published June 8, 2021 at 1:00PM | Updated June 10, 2021 at 4:00PM

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 will continue providing free meals this summer.

There will only be one holiday over the summer break — on July 5. Curbside breakfast and lunch deliveries and pop-up locations will be closed that day. The service will reopen on July 6 and all distribution sites will resume on July 7.

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published June 2, 2021 at 5:00AM | Updated June 9, 2021 at 4:14PM

Musician King Street Sax performing on lower King Street in Old Town. Find out more at kingstreetsaxmusic.com. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

Demolition complete at Douglas MacArthur Elementary School — “It’s official, the Douglas MacArthur Elementary School of old is now fully demolished, and we are on our way to a new building, opening January 2023! Watch the construction on the project website from Skanska: https://bit.ly/3bXgncs” [Facebook]

ACPS in early stages of developing safety plan without school resource officers — “Alexandria is not alone in re-evaluating its relationship between police and schools, but it is the only Northern Virginia jurisdiction to remove SROs from schools so far.” [Alexandria Living]