Alexandria City Public Schools

School System Apologizes, Says There is No Plan to Build Housing at George Mason Elementary School

Published January 24, 2020 at 4:05PM | Updated January 25, 2020 at 3:20AM

City and Alexandria School System officials want to be clear: there is no plan to build a four-story housing structure as part of the plan to rebuild George Mason Elementary School.

Last weekend, a feasibility study commissioned by ACPS with architect Studio Twenty Seven Architecture, was mistakenly shared with the George Mason PTA. It showed an outline of an apartment complex in the middle of the George Mason baseball field. The study was quickly shared and denounced by members of the Beverly Hill Listserv, which spread it further and created an uncomfortable situation for ACPS administrators.

News

Morning Notes

By ALXnow.com

Published January 24, 2020 at 6:00AM

A VRE train heading south through Potomac Yard (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Suggestion of Affordable Housing at School Sets Listserv Ablaze — “A contractor for Alexandria’s public schools set off an online firestorm by accidentally including a rendering of an apartment building with affordable units in a presentation about modernization plans for an elementary school… the mistake occasioned a ‘3 day+ rager‘ about affordable housing, racism, and–because this is Alexandria–dockless scooters, the halal chicken slaughterhouse, and a ‘road diet’ imposed on a different leafy neighborhood.” [Washingtonian]

Pushback on (Actual) Affordable Housing at School Proposal — “Members of the MacArthur Advisory Committee and the community were left scrambling last week after the city indicated it would be exploring affordable housing on the Douglas MacArthur Elementary School site. The announcement that the city would not only be exploring co-location options, but also providing funding to Alexandria City Public Schools for an architectural exploration of potential housing options, surprised members of the advisory committee.” [Alexandria Times]

News

Designs for Douglas MacArthur Elementary School Narrowed to Two Options

By Vernon Miles

Published January 22, 2020 at 2:15PM

Site Plan Y for Douglas MacArthur Elementary School (photo via Alexandria City Public Schools)

The Alexandria School Board is scheduled to work on narrowing down the site plan for Douglas MacArthur Elementary School to two potential designs at its meeting tomorrow (Thursday) night.

The meeting is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. at the Alexandria City Public Schools headquarters (1340 Braddock Place).

News

Morning Notes

By ALXnow.com

Published January 22, 2020 at 8:00AM

The Woodrow Wilson Bridge at sunset (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Seminary Road Saga Continues — Despite suggestions “that the Alexandria Fire Department had significant input into the Complete Streets Design Guidelines and whether to narrow Seminary Road, documents obtained by city residents under the Freedom of Information Act reveal this was not the case.” [Alexandria Times]

Sushi Restaurant Coming to ‘West Alex’ — “Sushi Jin Next Door, which opened its first restaurant in Silver Spring in 2006 and now has a second location in Woodbridge, is opening a third location in Alexandria, Virginia. The new location will be part of the West Alex mixed-use development at King Street and North Beauregard Street.” [WTOP]

News

Dominion: Electric School Buses Coming to Alexandria This Year

By Vernon Miles

Published January 16, 2020 at 11:45AM

Alexandria is one of more than a dozen localities in Virginia — including Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William counties — that will be receiving electric school buses by the end of 2020, Dominion Energy announced today.

The first phase of a project to replace diesel-powered buses entirely will start with distributing a total of 50 electric school buses to 16 school divisions spread out across the state. It’s unclear how many buses Alexandria will receive.

News

Superintendent Unveils Fiscal Year 2021 Combined Funds Budget

By James Cullum

Published January 10, 2020 at 11:45AM | Updated February 5, 2020 at 2:02AM

Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Gregory Hutchings released his $299 million fiscal year 2021 Combined Funds Budget on Thursday night, a 4.4% increase over last year’s budget.

The draft budget is nearly 500 pages, and includes increases to the Virginia Retirement System, a step increase of 2.63% for a majority of staff, a one-time bonus for those ineligible for a step increase and a market rate adjustment to counter rising health care costs. Hutchings is asking the city for $9.7 million, or 4.2% more than last year’s approved budget.

News

Morning Notes

By ALXnow.com

Published January 8, 2020 at 9:25AM

Reminder: School and Trash Collection Delays — Alexandria public school students are preparing to go to school after a two hour weather delay this morning. Curbside trash and recycling collection, meanwhile, may be delayed today and Thursday after being suspended Tuesday afternoon. [Twitter, Twitter]

Wind Advisory Issued for Alexandria — Alexandria and surrounding areas are under a Wind Advisory from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today. Gusts of up to 50 mph are possible, which could cause trees and power lines to topple, forecasters say. [Twitter]

News

JUST IN: ACPS Dismissing Early Due to Expected Snow

By ALXnow.com

Published January 7, 2020 at 11:10AM | Updated January 7, 2020 at 4:57PM

(Updated at 11:50 a.m.) Alexandria City Public Schools will dismiss two hours early today today due to an expected snowy evening commute.

ACPS made the announcement at 11 a.m., around the same time as the Office of Personnel Management announced that federal offices would be closing by 1 p.m.

Opinion

Poll: What Should Alexandria’s Top New Year’s Resolution Be?

By Vernon Miles

Published January 3, 2020 at 10:15AM

People in Alexandria have been setting their goals for the new year, so why shouldn’t they have goals for their city?

There are dozens of issues affecting Alexandrians. These issues are not mutually exclusive, but if you had to pick one priority for the powers that be in Alexandria to focus on, what would it be? What upcoming local topics are you most interested in?

News

Morning Notes

By ALXnow.com

Published December 23, 2019 at 6:00AM

Financing for Wegmans Development — “The developers behind Carlyle Crossing, the Wegmans-anchored mixed-use development going up near the Eisenhower Avenue Metro station in Alexandria, have lined up $253 million in financing for the project. ” [Washington Business Journal]

Five-Year-Old Found Wandering in Cold — “Authorities in Alexandria say a young child who was found out in the cold early Friday will be reunited with her mother… The 5-year-old was found near a Taco Bell location at the intersection of South Van Dorn Street and Edsall Road before 4 a.m.” [Fox 5]

News

Economic Status Plays Critical Role in Success in Alexandria Schools

By Vernon Miles

Published December 20, 2019 at 10:45AM

Nearly 80% of all absent students in Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) were economically disadvantaged, and economically disadvantaged students represented 90% of students with out-of-school suspensions.

As the start of a long path to achieving equity in the schools, the School Board took a look at the sometimes startling figures behind who is being left behind in the current school system. The Board reviewed the data on suspensions, absenteeism, graduation rates and more at a work session on Tuesday (Dec. 17).