Douglas MacArthur School

Alexandria students begin school year with stricter cell phone rules, new boundaries

Published August 24, 2026 at 11:45AM

Alexandria School Board Chair Christopher Harris shakes hands with a student on the first day of school at Alexandria City High School, Aug. 24, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools welcomed students back for the first day of school today (Monday) as the district implemented a stricter student cell phone policy and new school boundaries.

More than 15,000 students started school at ACPS, from the incoming kindergarten class who will graduate in 2039, to the seniors graduating next year. Acting Superintendent Grace Taylor, Mayor Alyia Gaskins, School Board Chair Christopher Harris, Alexandria City High School Principal Michael Burch and Police Chief Tarrick McGuire visited classrooms at ACHS’s King Street Campus on the first day.

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More than 130 parents sign letter protesting ACPS redistricting plans

By James Cullum

Published May 23, 2025 at 2:30PM

Triangle elementary school map (via ACPS)

More than 130 families from the MacArthur Elementary School community delivered a letter to the School Board this week opposing redistricting changes heading to the School Board for a final decision next month.

Keep Students Together, a new group dedicated to the issue, said that the proposals to “split the elementary school community” are speculative and rushed, and will disrupt kids who started their elementary school experiences during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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ACPS and the City of Alexandria honor essential workers

By James Cullum

Published March 19, 2025 at 1:00PM | Updated March 19, 2025 at 2:29PM

Douglas MacArthur Elementary School students cheer essential workers, Wednesday, March 19, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

On Wednesday morning (March 19), cheering children honored the people who actually make Alexandria run at Douglas MacArthur Elementary School.

The event honoring essential workers marked the culmination of the fourth annual Alexandria City Essential Workers Appreciation Week.

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Alexandria gets perfect score in equity index and reaffirmed AAA bond rating

By James Cullum

Published November 17, 2023 at 10:45AM

Dining in Old Town. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

All arguments aside, Alexandria’s equity standards and economic prospects have been declared sound.

Yesterday, the city announced that S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service reaffirmed Alexandria’s ‘AAA’ bond rating. The city has maintained the designation since 1992, and it equates to a good credit rating for the city to get low-interest rates from bond investors to provide funding for multiple projects.

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Alexandria cuts ribbon on new Douglas MacArthur Elementary School

By James Cullum

Published August 18, 2023 at 2:30PM

The ribbon cutting for Douglas MacArthur Elementary School at 1101 Janneys Lane (staff photo by James Cullum)

After years in development, Alexandria leaders and students cut a blue ribbon and toured the rebuilt Douglas MacArthur Elementary School today.

“It feels like I’m floating through the school and marveling at each and every new feature that has been brought from design to full construction,” Principal Penny Hairston said at the ribbon cutting. “The only thing that’s missing are all of our students, and they will be here soon to enjoy this modern and welcoming school building.”

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Douglas MacArthur Elementary School ribbon cutting is next Friday

By James Cullum

Published August 10, 2023 at 3:30PM | Updated August 11, 2023 at 2:44PM

A rendering of the completed Douglas MacArthur Elementary School at 4633 Taney Avenue (via Facebook)

(Updated 8/11) After years in development, City and Alexandria City Public Schools leaders will cut the ribbon of the refurbished Douglas MacArthur Elementary School next Friday (August 18).

The project took three years of planning and two years of construction, and the 154,000-square-foot school at 1101 Janneys Lane will open for the first day of classes on August 21.

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ACPS: Broken water pipe shuts down three Alexandria schools

By James Cullum

Published April 18, 2023 at 10:00AM

Douglas MacArthur Elementary School at 4633 Taney Avenue (via Google Maps)

A water main break has shut down three Alexandria schools today.

Douglas MacArthur (4633 Taney Avenue), James K. Polk (5000 Polk Avenue) and Patrick Henry Elementary (4643 Taney Avenue) Schools have been closed, according to Alexandria City Public Schools.

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Alexandria City High School student Abdelraman Aboud Abdelsadig awarded QuestBridge Scholarship

By James Cullum

Published December 8, 2021 at 10:45AM | Updated December 8, 2021 at 12:58PM

Earlier this month, Alexandria City High School senior Abdelraman Aboud Abdelsadig received life-changing news. After submitting all his paperwork and waiting a month, Abdelsadi was awarded the competitive QuestBridge Scholarship to attend Colby College in Maine.

The scholarship is worth about $300,000, and Abdelsadig found out about the award at school on Dec. 1.

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MacArthur Elementary shut down by water damage

By Vernon Miles

Published September 23, 2021 at 10:40AM | Updated September 23, 2021 at 12:10PM

Douglas MacArthur Elementary School at 4633 Taney Avenue (via Google Maps)

(Updated 12:10 p.m.) Douglas MacArthur Elementary School has been closed for today at least as crews work to clean water damage in the building.

The school, currently located in the former Patrick Henry facility on 4633 Taney Avenue, has been closed today from water damage and it’s currently unclear when the school will reopen.

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Council to transfer ownership of neighboring Douglas MacArthur Elementary School properties to City

By James Cullum

Published June 21, 2021 at 9:45AM | Updated June 22, 2021 at 3:15PM

The Alexandria City Council on Tuesday (June 22) will consider accepting the transfer of ownership of two residential properties that were acquired as part of the Douglas MacArthur Elementary School modernization project.

The two residential parcels on the western portion of the property are located at 1201 and 1203 Janney’s Lane. The parcels, which were approved by the School Board on June 3, include a single family home and an undeveloped parcel that add together to give Alexandria City Public Schools an additional 24,661 square feet of wiggle room.

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published June 2, 2021 at 5:00AM | Updated June 9, 2021 at 4:14PM

Musician King Street Sax performing on lower King Street in Old Town. Find out more at kingstreetsaxmusic.com. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

Demolition complete at Douglas MacArthur Elementary School — “It’s official, the Douglas MacArthur Elementary School of old is now fully demolished, and we are on our way to a new building, opening January 2023! Watch the construction on the project website from Skanska: https://bit.ly/3bXgncs” [Facebook]

ACPS in early stages of developing safety plan without school resource officers — “Alexandria is not alone in re-evaluating its relationship between police and schools, but it is the only Northern Virginia jurisdiction to remove SROs from schools so far.” [Alexandria Living]