children | ALXnow

Amid school board safety concerns over student transport, DASH says it doesn’t ‘expressly prohibit’ hiring sex offenders

Published September 23, 2025 at 5:52PM | Updated September 24, 2025 at 6:03PM

A DASH bus in Old Town Alexandria (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

UPDATE (Sept. 24, 2025): Following this reporting, DASH has placed both registered sex offenders on administrative leave. The transit agency said it is now assessing “the rigor of our recruitment standards” and confirmed that one of the employees is a bus driver, contradicting its initial statement Tuesday that no drivers were on the registry. DASH places 2 registered sex offenders on leave following ALXnow reporting

Following a discussion on the Alexandria School Board’s safety concerns about the proposal to transport Alexandria City High School students on DASH buses, ALXnow investigated the transit agency’s background check policies and discovered that it does not “expressly prohibit” sex offenders from employment.

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Alexandria schools set Sept. 30 deadline for back-to-school forms

By James Cullum

Published September 19, 2025 at 1:00PM

George Mason Elementary School Principal Christopher Finan with students on the first day of school, August 21, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

September 30 is the deadline for parents of Alexandria City Public Schools students to turn in back-to-school forms.

The school system states that the forms assist administrators with updating health information, providing points of contact for students, and addressing other significant changes. ACPS has also released videos in English (see below), Spanish, Amharic, and Dari on the forms.

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Charles Barrett Elementary unveils new reading corner with Amazon, community support

By James Cullum

Published September 18, 2025 at 11:45AM

Amazon and Reading is Fundamental collaborated to make a new reading corner at Charles Barrett Elementary School, Sept. 18, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Charles Barrett Elementary School unveiled a new reading corner Thursday, funded by a $75,000 Amazon donation and community partnerships aimed at boosting student literacy.

The project, six months in the making, transformed a corner of the school library with custom murals by artist Shawn James, comfortable seating and hundreds of new books. Amazon also donated 500 backpacks filled with books and supplies, while Reading Is Fundamental contributed more than 1,000 books to the school library.

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Alexandria schools see dramatic drop in student arrests, quarterly data shows

By James Cullum and Ryan Belmore

Published September 17, 2025 at 4:39PM

Alexandria Police at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools will present quarterly safety data to the School Board Thursday showing a dramatic decline in student arrests and court referrals, with 28 total cases during the 2024-25 school year compared to 69 the previous year.

The latest quarterly report covers 262 safety incidents between January and June, with 8 student court referrals and 6 arrests during the third and fourth quarters. This represents a 59% decrease from the 2023-24 school year.

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Washington Commanders players visit Alexandria school, distribute $5,000 in food, supplies

By James Cullum

Published September 16, 2025 at 2:21PM | Updated September 16, 2025 at 3:13PM

Players with the Washington Commanders visited Mount Vernon Community School, Sept. 16, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Mount Vernon Community School students in Alexandria got a visit on Tuesday from Washington Commanders players, who gave away $5,000 worth of food, plush footballs, hats, and notebooks.

Commanders running back Christopher Rodriguez, Jr., wide receivers Jaylin Lane and Chris Moore, and mascot Major Tuddy visited the school in collaboration with the nonprofit Blessings in a Backpack. In addition to receiving signed team merchandise, students also got bags with yogurt, pretzels, fruit cups, cereal, soup, macaroni and cheese, and tuna.

News

Teacher at Alexandria daycare fired for tying 21-month-old to chair

By James Cullum

Published September 15, 2025 at 1:00PM | Updated September 16, 2025 at 2:12PM

A teacher at Vinci School Alexandria North was fired after allegedly tying a 21-month-old child to a chair during lunchtime on Aug. 13, 2025 (via Google Maps)

A teacher at a daycare in Old Town North has been fired, and her aide was reprimanded after a 21-month-old child was tied to a chair for 22 minutes during lunchtime on Wednesday, August 13.

The Virginia Department of Social Services (DSS) made an unannounced inspection of the Vinci School Alexandria North (1001 N. Fairfax Street) on Aug. 21, after receiving a self-report on forbidden actions from the daycare’s licensing office. The toddler was tied to a chair with a thin blanket after throwing food on the floor and moving from a table while eating during lunchtime, DSS reported.

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Alexandria high school library receives crowdfunded LEGO kits for student makerspace

By James Cullum

Published September 10, 2025 at 3:30PM

Alexandria City High School's Minnie Howard Campus (staff photo by James Cullum)

The library at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard campus has successfully gotten crowdsource funding for LEGO architecture kits.

The school librarian raised $755 from a dozen givers via Donors Choose for kits that include Malfoy Manor from the Harry Potter book series, the Great Pyramid of Giza, and the Statue of Liberty.

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Alexandria City High School students stage walkout protesting gun violence in schools

By James Cullum

Published September 5, 2025 at 12:52PM

Students staging a walkout at Alexandria City High School's King Street campus, Sept. 5, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Hundreds of Alexandria City High School students held a walkout on Friday, Sept. 5, demonstrating against gun violence in schools.

The walkout at ACHS’s King Street and Minnie Howard campuses started at 11:30 a.m., and lasted for less than a half hour. The demonstrations are part of a national walkout, were organized by Titans Demand Action and held on school grounds. Media was not permitted to observe, except from the public sidewalk. Students held signs, threw water bottles and chanted, “End the violence!”

News

ACPS wins federal award for school nutrition program

By James Cullum

Published August 22, 2025 at 6:00PM

Alexandria City Public Schools wins award from U.S> Department of Agriculture, Aug. 2025 (via ACPS/Facebook)

Alexandria City Public Schools has won an award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for its federally funded school nutrition program.

ACPS announced today (Friday, Aug. 22) that it received a Healthy Meals Incentives (HMI) Recognition Award from Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

News

ALX Closet serves nearly 1,000 children in first year

By James Cullum

Published August 20, 2025 at 11:45AM

via Center for Alexandria's Children/Facebook

Nearly 1,000 Alexandria children have received emergency resources since the opening of ALX Closet in 2024.

The resource center at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center (4850 Mark Center Drive) is a collaboration between nonprofits The Center for Alexandria’s Children and The Fund for Alexandria’s Child, providing kids with donations of clothes, diapers, formula, and more to families experiencing a crisis.

News

Free music festival in Del Ray to benefit youth outdoor programs

By James Cullum

Published August 17, 2025 at 12:00PM

ScreeWilderness Kids Alexandria Music Festival is on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, at Pat Miller Neighborhood Square in Del Ray (via Eventbrite)

Get ready to dance, because the third annual Wilderness Kids Alexandria Music Festival is around the corner.

The free family-friendly event will be held Sunday, Sept. 28, from 12 to 5 p.m., at Pat Miller Neighborhood Square (2311 Mount Vernon Avenue). Local bands the MAYSUNS, the Derds (Del Ray Dads), Beachface, and Czars of Leisure will perform, and the fundraising event includes raffles, craft-making, and lawn games.