Alexandria City Public Schools

Year-Round School Temporarily Deferred at Samuel Tucker Elementary School

Published June 22, 2020 at 5:30PM

Samuel Tucker Elementary’s proud year-round school program is being cut back this year due to coronavirus, but School Board members offered reassurances to the community that the change is only temporary.

At a School Board meeting last Friday, school principal Rene Paschal said the questions about how coronavirus would impact the school’s calendar started in the parent community and conversations with school staff continued until the school administration was putting together a plan for what a temporary change away from the year-round program would look like.

News

ACPS Opens Three Playgrounds to Public, No Timeline on the Rest

By James Cullum

Published June 22, 2020 at 4:30PM

With summer officially in full swing, Alexandria City Public Schools is working to reopen its playgrounds to the public.

On Monday, the playgrounds at Patrick Henry Elementary School, Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School and Jefferson Houston School reopened, according to an email that was sent to parents.

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published June 17, 2020 at 9:00AM

Waterfront Park along the Potomac River in Alexandria, with National Harbor and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in the background. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

Beyer Criticizes Pence Over Second Wave Comments — “Over 116,000 Americans have died. Over 2,000,000 have gotten sick. The person appointed by the President to lead the response (you) flout basic safety precautions recommended by the CDC to prevent spread of the virus as more people get sick.” [Twitter]

Alexandria DMV Opening June 22 by Appointment Only — “The validity of driver’s licenses and identification cards expiring on or before July 31, 2020, is extended for 90 days, not to exceed August 31, 2020. This means that a customer whose credential expired between March 15 and May 31 will have 90 days beyond the expiration date to renew, and credentials with an expiration date from June 1 to July 31 must be renewed no later than August 31, 2020. Vehicle registrations that expire in March, April, and May are extended for 90 days; those expiring in June are extended for 60 days; and those expiring in July are extended for 30 days. In addition, the federal enforcement date for REAL IDs was moved to October 1, 2021.” [DMV]

News

T.C. Williams High School Seniors Graduate Virtually Amid Pandemic

By James Cullum

Published June 15, 2020 at 10:25AM | Updated June 15, 2020 at 11:25AM

Amiya Chisolm, president of the T.C. Williams High School class of 2020 at her graduation ceremony. (Image via ACPS)

T.C. Williams High School held a graduation ceremony like no other on Saturday, with world champion sprinter Noah Lyles, members of the student body, the superintendent and principal — while most of the school’s 865 graduates never left the comfort of their homes.

The virtual ceremony was the first of its kind in the history of the Alexandria City Public School system, as all schools throughout Virginia were shut down in March for the remainder of a school year that would also be defined by the state of race relations in the country. The graduating class of 2020 was also the largest in T.C. history, according to ACPS.

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T.C. Williams High School Renaming Question Resurfaces in Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published June 9, 2020 at 3:15PM

After the long-awaited removal of the confederate Appomattox statue at Prince and Washington Streets, some in Alexandria are turning their attention back to a long-simmering discussion about whether T.C. Williams High School should be renamed.

It’s no secret that Thomas Chambliss Williams, the superintendent of Alexandria schools from the ’30s to the ’60s, was an ardent segregationist who fought against uniting black and white students in the school system. Williams notably fired a black employee who participated in an NAACP lawsuit against the city, though he claimed race had nothing to do with the decision, according to Zebra.

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Scholarship Fund of Alexandria Open for Renewal Scholarships Until July 15, Donations Needed

By James Cullum

Published June 8, 2020 at 4:40PM

The Scholarship Fund of Alexandria has set its deadline for renewal scholarships for July 15, and the nonprofit currently needs donations after its annual gala was canceled due to COVID-19.

“The economic impacts our families are going to continue to be felt in the coming days, weeks and months, but we feel like it’s really important to still be there for the kids,” Beth Lovain, executive director of the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria, told ALXnow. “They have hopes and dreams, and the proper education will make a difference in not only their futures, but for the futures of their families.”

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Racial Inequities Must Be Fixed, Say Alexandria Officials and Residents

By James Cullum

Published June 3, 2020 at 3:25PM

Kamryn Powell is tired of feeling scared when she goes outside in Alexandria. The T.C. Williams senior says that recent killings of black Americans at the hands of the police around the country have made her fearful for her safety.

“Honestly, it’s completely heartbreaking,” Powell said in a virtual meeting with community leaders on Tuesday. “It makes me feel unsafe in my own country. For me to have to wake up and say, ‘I hope I make it back home today,’ is not something I should have to say. It’s not something my brother should have to say, it’s not something my sister should have to say, and for me to even think that is appalling.”

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Superintendent: ACPS Struggling to Reach Students Through Online Learning

By Vernon Miles

Published May 29, 2020 at 3:35PM

Many teachers in Alexandria public schools are finding that students have not been as engaged in the learning from home process as many would have hoped, according to Superintendent Gregory Hutchings.

In an ACPS survey of families, students and staff, over half of the teachers said that they were having difficulty getting their students to participate in online learning. The results come as the school system recently unveiled its summer learning program.

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ACPS Announces Mandatory Summer Learning to Combat COVID-19 Academic Loss

By Vernon Miles

Published May 26, 2020 at 3:30PM

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

For Alexandria City Public Schools students this year, summer school is not exactly optional.

ACPS announced last week that students will be expected to participate in a summer learning program to compensate for time lost in classrooms in the latter half of the 2019-2020 academic year. Parents who do not want their children to participate will be required to submit a form explaining why they want to opt-out of the summer program.

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published May 22, 2020 at 9:00AM

Uncertainty Lingers for Furloughed Alexandrians — “When Joy Phansond was furloughed from her job as sales coordinator at the Holiday Inn in Old Town, the temporary layoff was initially supposed to last until April 5. Then it was extended to May 5. Then it was extended again until June 5.” [Gazette]

Cinema Del Ray Canceled Due to Coronavirus — “Due to COVID-19, we must ensure the safety of our fellow community members by canceling Cinema Del Ray 2020. We greatly appreciate the support Cinema Del Ray has been shown in the past. We will be back next year, better than ever!” [Facebook]

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Here’s What Volunteer Alexandria Needs Right Now

By James Cullum

Published May 20, 2020 at 4:30PM

ALIVE! gave out 13,000 pounds of food Saturday, and much of it was transported to a distribution point by DASH buses. The nonprofit is asking for donations in this year's Spring2ACTion event on April 28. (Photo via DASH/Facebook)

Mask makers, translators and grocery bag packers are just a few of the opportunities that Volunteer Alexandria has identified around the city.

“Every week, we need more than 100 volunteers to help our community to help people in need,” Volunteer Alexandria Executive Director Marion Brunken told ALXnow.