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Mayor says fully funding ACPS budget request could mean ‘significant tax increase’ or reduction in city services

Published February 23, 2024 at 1:20PM | Updated May 6, 2024 at 10:57AM

Students get on school buses at Alexandria City High School's Minnie Howard Campus (staff photo by James Cullum

The Alexandria School Board approved its fiscal year 2025 $384.4 million combined funds budget request on Thursday night and it is asking City Council for $21 million more than the previous budget. If it goes forward, Mayor Justin Wilson says that the request could mean a reduction in city services.

School Board Members tacked on more than $10 million in additions to Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt’s proposed budget, a move that prompted Board Members Meagan Alderton and Chris Harris to vote in opposition to it.

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Alexandria mom writes step-by-step guide for parents with kids in crew-rowing

By James Cullum

Published February 23, 2024 at 11:00AM

Alexandria's Southerlyn Marino wrote a step-by-step guide for parents with kids in crew-rowing (staff photo by James Cullum)

Cold, wet and exhilarating: Alexandria parent Southerlyn Marino learned so much about her high schooler’s crew-rowing that she wrote a book about it.

Marino’s youngest son Pierce (now 17) started rowing for Gonzaga College High School three years ago, and learning about the sport was a step-by-step, word-of-mouth process for her. Last month, Marino published Crew: A Guide to Rowing for parents who quickly want to get up to speed on the sport and know which side of the boat is starboard.

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Decades-long theater collaboration at Alexandria City High School coming to an end

By James Cullum

Published December 14, 2023 at 3:45PM

Hope Bachman (on left) and Lesley Jones have led the Alexandria City High School theatre department for 20 years (staff photo by James Cullum)

It’s the end of an era for Alexandria City High School’s drama program. After 20 years directing and producing dozens of theatrical performances, the partnership between co-teachers Hope Bachman and Leslie Jones will come to a close at the end of this school year.

Known informally as “Bach and Jones” to students, parents and staff, the pair were honored in a gala at ACHS last week. Bachman says that deciding to partner with Jones was one of the best decisions she ever made.

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Afghan students to premier documentary on evacuation to Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published December 5, 2023 at 10:55AM

Zahra Rahimi (staff photo by James Cullum)

Afghan students living in Alexandria will premiere an eight-minute documentary this Friday on their experiences during the 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan.

The eight-minute documentary “Desperate” was produced and directed by Zahra Rahimi, an Alexandria City High School senior who has gained notoriety over the past six months for her work helping her fellow Afghan students learn English. It will premiere this Friday at 6 p.m. at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center (4850 Mark Center Drive).

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Free family-friendly magic show coming to Old Town next month

By Vernon Miles

Published November 14, 2023 at 9:45AM

Magician with cards (photo via Fengyou Wan/Unsplash)

The Lyceum (201 S. Washington Street) in Old Town will host a free magic show next month.

The show, put on by magicians from Ring 50, will also include a toy drive to benefit the Fund for Alexandria’s Children Holiday Sharing Program, which gets presents for children who might otherwise not get gifts during the holidays.

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TODAY: Alexandria City High School students staging walkout for Israel-Hamas ceasefire

By James Cullum

Published November 9, 2023 at 9:30AM

The Alexandria City High School marquee (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City High School students will conduct a walkout in support of a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas.

ACHS Executive Principal Alexander Duncan III notified parents via email on Wednesday afternoon that Thursday, Nov. 9, is a national day of protest against the conflict, and that school staff have planned for a “peaceful and safe environment for our students.”

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PHOTOS: Old Town’s Halloween tradition on Lee Street

By James Cullum

Published November 1, 2023 at 5:38PM

Zombie George and Martha Washington at Halloween on Lee Street in Old Town, Oct. 31, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Zombies, mummies and superheroes attended the annual Halloween celebration on S. Lee Street in Old Town.

Thousands of costumed kids and adults walked up and down the closed-off street starting at 5 p.m., furthering a tradition that goes back decades. Residents of Lee Street spend thousands on decorations and candy for the throngs of costumed guests.

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Petition to cancel ACPS classes the day after Halloween raises nearly 1,200 signatures

By James Cullum

Published October 31, 2023 at 10:55AM | Updated October 31, 2023 at 1:19PM

The Alexandria City High School Zombie Band marches at the Del Ray Halloween Parade, Oct. 29, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Nearly 1,200 signatures have been collected in a new Change.org petition asking for a holiday for Alexandria City Public Schools students the day after Halloween, on Nov. 1.

According to the petition:

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PHOTOS: Thousands turned out for the Del Ray Halloween Parade on Sunday

By James Cullum

Published October 30, 2023 at 10:55AM | Updated October 30, 2023 at 8:26PM

Watching the Del Ray Halloween Parade on Oct. 29, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Thousands turned out in costumes for the 27th annual Del Ray Halloween Parade on Sunday.

This year, the parade was named one of the top 10 Halloween Parades in the country by USA Today.

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School Board restructuring plan is ‘dead’ as-is, says Alexandria City Council Member

By James Cullum

Published October 25, 2023 at 3:30PM | Updated October 25, 2023 at 4:31PM

ACPS headquarters and clock (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The Alexandria School Board’s preferred options to restructure itself are “dead” as-is, mostly due to a lack of engagement with the Alexandria City Council, City Council Member John Taylor Chapman told members of the School Board on Monday night.

“I think you’re losing Council by not really engaging with them right now,” Chapman told the City Council/School Board Subcommittee meeting Monday night. “Given the response I’ve seen from my colleagues, I think you have even more of an uphill battle than you had before, and that’s not a good thing if this is supposed to be a process that’s collaborative.”

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Parents decry ‘staffing crisis’ in Alexandria City Public Schools

By James Cullum

Published October 11, 2023 at 2:45PM

School buses on W. Braddock Road on Dec. 10, 2021 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria parents are up in arms over a staffing crisis within Alexandria City Public Schools.

Kelly Organek says that her ninth-grade son at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard campus hasn’t had a geometry teacher since school started in August and that he only recently got a new biology teacher.