Alexandria City Public Schools

Alexandria considering alternatives to funding school resource officers

Published March 29, 2021 at 3:45PM

Prompted by a question from City Council member Canek Aguirre, the city is reviewing alternative uses of funding that could be freed up if the city moves forward with plans to do away with the school resource officer position.

School resources officers (SROs) are police officers stationed inside T.C. Williams High School, Francis Hammond Middle School and George Washington Middle School and specialize in handling kids with emotional and education issues, search and seizure on school grounds, and school shooting situations.

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published March 26, 2021 at 3:30PM | Updated March 26, 2021 at 5:22PM

It was quite a week in Alexandria.

Our top story this week was on a man who allegedly crashed his car headfirst into the Verizon store near Potomac Yard. The suspect was later arrested in North Carolina.

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In-person learning to resume a week after Spring Break at Alexandria City Public Schools

By James Cullum

Published March 26, 2021 at 1:00PM

In an effort of minimize COVID-19, Alexandria City Public Schools will reopen for in-person classes one full week after Spring Break, which runs from April 5-9.

ACPS announced on Thursday (March 25) that all students will go back to virtual learning until in-person classes resume on Tuesday, April 13. The announcement also said that community transmission for the week ending March 20, 2021 has increased to a “high level from last week’s substantial level.”

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School Board hopes for pool at Alexandria high school dampened by budget concerns

By Vernon Miles

Published March 23, 2021 at 2:30PM

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

A new report on plans to overhaul Alexandria High School’s Minnie Howard campus made a splash as staff said a planned aquatics facility likely won’t make the cut.

In a School Board meeting on March 18, staff reviewed three concepts for what the new school could look like. But while the proposed aquatics facility is included in school designs, staff said it’s ultimately unlikely that ACPS will have the funding necessary to go forward with a pool.

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ACPS to open five days a week this fall as CDC school distancing guidelines reduced to 3 feet

By James Cullum

Published March 19, 2021 at 1:00PM

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

Alexandria City Public Schools plan on opening for five-day instruction this fall, Superintendent gregory Hutchings, Jr. reported to the School Board on Thursday night.

Hutchings said that the transition back to in-person hybrid instruction on March 2, March 9 and March 16, has been “seamless,” and that the Board will receive a logistical update in April.

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Public hearing on T.C. Williams High School and Matthew Maury Elementary School on Thursday

By James Cullum

Published March 17, 2021 at 3:40PM

The Alexandria School Board on Thursday, March 18, will conduct a public hearing on the proposed new names for T.C. Williams High School and Matthew Maury Elementary School.

The 5 p.m. public hearing will allow testimony from residents on what they think about proposals by Superintendent Dr. Gregory Hutchings to respectively rename them “Alexandria High School” and “Naomi Brooks Elementary School”. The two finalist names were chosen from a list that ACPS released last month.

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published March 16, 2021 at 5:00AM

Animal Welfare League gets 50 cats from Texas shelters — “Among the lingering effects of the winter outages is the strain on animal shelters. According to AWLA, the Texas shelters are seeing a surge in surrendered pets. The animals come from eight animal shelters in Texas. By transferring animals to Virginia, these shelters can better address the continued needs of homeless animals.” [Patch]

School Board public hearing on renaming of T.C. Williams High School and Matthew Maury Elementary School on March 18 — “There will be a School Board Public Hearing on March 18 at 5pm, where community members have their final opportunity to sign up to speak or submit comments about the renaming of schools.” [Twitter]

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published March 15, 2021 at 5:00AM

Nothing Bundt Cakes opens in West End — “Nothing Bundt Cakes sells a variety of bundt cakes, bundt cake towers, mini bundt cakes and bite-size bundt cakes. There are nine basic flavors, including traditional vanilla and chocolate, plus marble, confetti, red velvet, pecan praline, white chocolate raspberry, carrot cake and more.” [Alexandria Living]

Councilman Canek Aguirre kicks off reelection campaign — “We have to invest in our school buildings. We have to invest in our city buildings. And that’s definitely something that we have to continue to do because it’s just going to get more expensive.” [Alex Times]

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published March 12, 2021 at 3:30PM

What an eventful week in Alexandria.

Thursday, March 11, marked the one-year anniversary of the coronavirus pandemic in Alexandria. As the vaccine rollout slowly improves, the most recent news is the allowance of restaurant workers to get the vaccine. Just over 38,000 doses have been administered in the city, and of that 14,661 residents have been fully vaccinated. The city also wants 80% of residents vaccinated by July 31.

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Alexandria Students Ask City Council to Reallocate School Resource Officer Funding

By James Cullum

Published March 9, 2021 at 1:30PM | Updated March 11, 2021 at 10:48AM

Alexandria City Hall (staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Alexandria students on Monday asked City Council to reallocate funds intended for school resource officers at public schools.

Francis C. Hammond Middle School eighth grader Karen says school resource officers make her uncomfortable. Karen is a youth organizer with Arlandria-based Tenants and Workers United, and was also joined by a number of other students in voicing their discontent at City Council’s public hearing on the budget.

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ALXnow’s Top Stories This Week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published March 5, 2021 at 3:30PM | Updated March 6, 2021 at 10:32PM

Danielle Romanetti (left) and Vice President Kamala Harris (right) (photo via Peter Velz/Twitter)

What a busy week in Alexandria.

Our top story this week was on Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to Old Town shop fibre space on March 3. It was Harris’ first official visit outside of the White House since she was inaugurated, and she spoke about the American Rescue Plan with shop owner Danielle Romanetti.