Alexandria City Public Schools

Morning Notes

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]

News

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.

News

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.

News

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.

News

City Council and School Board Budget Talk Gets Territorial Over School Resource Officers

By James Cullum

Published March 5, 2021 at 1:15PM | Updated March 5, 2021 at 1:59PM

Alexandria Police cruiser (staff photo by James Cullum)

A conversation over School Resource Officers (SROs) in Alexandria City Public Schools got heated on Wednesday night, as School Board members asked City Council to respect their decision renewing the bi-annual memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the police department.

City Councilman Canek Aguirre brought up the subject at Wednesday’s joint budget meeting with the School Board.

News

Councilwoman Amy Jackson Argues With School Board Over MacArthur Elementary Construction Schedule

By James Cullum

Published March 4, 2021 at 3:30PM | Updated March 4, 2021 at 10:09PM

City Councilwoman Amy Jackson in front of Douglas MacArthur Elementary School. (Image via Facebook)

Alexandria City Councilwoman Amy Jackson argued with members of the School Board and Alexandria City Public Schools staff at a budget meeting last night (Wednesday) over construction of the new Douglas MacArthur Elementary School.

Jackson, who is running for reelection, lambasted the school system earlier this week on Facebook with a one minute video. In the video, Jackson stands outside MacArthur wearing a face mask with the words “Your Vote Matters” printed on it, raises her left hand questioningly and then says: “March 1, 2021. Almost a year and no construction has started at MacArthur. When is it going to happen?”

News

ACPS Reopens its Doors and Evaluating Grading System for Traumatized Students

By James Cullum

Published March 2, 2021 at 3:45PM | Updated March 3, 2021 at 12:42AM

Nine-year-old Luis Aleman had a hard time learning at home, and was happy to be back at Mount Vernon Community School on Tuesday.

It was a far from ordinary school day for the fourth grader, with plexiglass screens at desks that are spread apart, kids distancing from each other, and even walking a socially distant mile for recess instead of playing on the monkey bars.

News

Health and Childcare Concerns Linger for ACPS Staff on Road of Reopening

By Vernon Miles

Published March 2, 2021 at 11:45AM | Updated March 2, 2021 at 12:04PM

Some parents and teachers are facing uncertainty and lingering questions in the days and weeks before ACPS returns to in-person school on March 16.

While ACPS has regularly put out newsletters on the plan for reopening, some in the community are still unsure if their teachers will be back in the classrooms or whether teachers who have been unable to secure a vaccine amid a hectic rollout will be forced to return.

News

Alexandria Figuring Out How to Spend Anticipated Federal Stimulus Funds

By James Cullum

Published February 25, 2021 at 3:30PM

Alexandria City Hall (staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

As Congress deliberates approval of a $1.9 trillion stimulus package, Alexandria is trying to figure out how it will spend its share.

Alexandria is anticipating $26 million to $34 million, depending on the final plan. The $1.9 trillion stimulus proposal includes $350 billion for local governments.

News

Bridgette Adu-Wadier Gets Full Scholarship to Study Journalism at Northwestern University

By James Cullum

Published February 24, 2021 at 4:45PM | Updated February 24, 2021 at 8:09PM

Alexandria’s Bridgette Adu-Wadier has a soft spot in her heart for Black female investigative journalists.

At the top of the 17-year-old’s list of favorites are Gwen Ifill, Yamiche Alcindor and Ida B Wells, and this fall she will get her chance to study journalism at Northwestern University.

News

Superintendent: Sports Start Again at ACPS Next Week

By Vernon Miles

Published February 8, 2021 at 4:30PM

Fall sports are back at ACPS starting next week.

Superintendent Gregory Hutchings made the announcement official at a School Board meeting last Thursday, but said that students and parents shouldn’t expect it to look like it used to.