Hammond Middle School

Afghan refugee tutoring program expands to Alexandria middle school

Published August 21, 2025 at 9:00AM

Afghan families at a recognition ceremony for NOVA RAFT's summer reading program, at William Ramsay Recreation Center, Aug. 12, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

A program teaching Afghan youth living in Alexandria has expanded to a West End school and is seeking tutors for the 2025-26 school year.

Northern Virginia Resettling Afghan Families Together (NoVA RAFT) launched in 2021 after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The nonprofit has helped move refugees into new homes and taught English to hundreds of children and adults at William Ramsay Recreation Center (5650 Sanger Avenue). NoVA RAFT now needs tutors after announcing a “dynamic partnership” with the Fresh Start Refugee Assistance Center, student leaders at Alexandria City High School, and George Mason University’s Afghan Refugee Mentorship Program to provide tutoring at Francis C. Hammond Middle School (4646 Seminary Road).

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Francis C. Hammond Middle School gets 500 full backpacks from United Way National Capital Area

By James Cullum

Published June 5, 2025 at 11:45AM

ACPS Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt speaks at a backpack giveaway event at Francis C. Hammond Middle School, June 5, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

With summer vacation just days away, Alexandria leaders were on hand at Francis C. Hammond Middle School on Thursday (June 5) to receive 500 free backpacks filled with school supplies.

The backpacks, most of which are being stored for the start of the 2025-2026 school year, were donated to the Title I school as part of a collaboration between United Way National Capital Area, Enterprise Mobility, and American Water. United Way NCA’s partnership with Alexandria City Public Schools has provided more than 3,500 backpacks to the West End school since 2017.

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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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4,800 tickets issued monthly by speed cameras in three Alexandria school zones

By James Cullum

Published September 25, 2024 at 9:00AM | Updated September 25, 2024 at 11:43AM

Speed cameras (via ACPS)

An average of 4,800 speeding tickets are being issued every month in three Alexandria school zones, and the city’s school system will soon look for locations for future speed cameras.

The data was presented at a joint City Council/School Board Committee meeting at City Hall on Monday (Sept. 23).

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Alexandria’s Francis C. Hammond Middle School gets backpacks and school supplies in ‘Stuff the Bus’ drive

By James Cullum

Published August 12, 2024 at 9:45AM

UNited Way NCA's Stuff the Bus event collected school supplies for local Title I schools, including Francis C. Hammond Middle School in Alexandria (via United Way NCA)

An Alexandria middle school got a boost from the United Way of the National Capital Area with the donation of backpacks and school supplies.

Francis C. Hammond Middle School (4646 Seminary Road) joined six other Title I schools in receiving the backpacks, which were filled with grade-appropriate school supplies.

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

By James Cullum

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 middle schoolers outpace high schoolers in student arrests

By James Cullum

Published February 21, 2024 at 1:45PM

George Washington Middle School (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Twenty three Alexandria middle schoolers and eight Alexandria City High School students were arrested in the first two quarters of this school year, according to a report that the School Board will receive Thursday.

There were also 213 incidents requiring a police response, including five weapons-related incidents, 43 students needing EMS assistance, 56 fights/assaults and three reports of sexual assault.

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Former Francis C. Hammond student nominated at the Oscars

By Vernon Miles

Published January 24, 2024 at 10:55AM | Updated March 11, 2024 at 3:07PM

Killers of the Flower Moon Academy Award nominations (image via Killers of the Flower Moon/Facebook)

Jack Fisk, an acclaimed film production designer and former Francis C. Hammond High School student, has been nominated for best production design at this year’s Oscars for his work on Killers of the Flower Moon.

Fisk was born in Illinois but the Washington Business Journal noted that Fisk graduated Francis C. Hammond High School in 1964, where he went to school with filmmaker David Lynch. Francis C. Hammond became a junior high school in 1979 and a middle school in 1993.

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City sheds light on contentious Hammond Middle School light pole

By Vernon Miles

Published August 24, 2023 at 3:55PM

Light pole at Hammond Middle School, photo courtesy Mayor Justin Wilson

Despite an earlier error that saw a hole dug into a lane of the track, the city says a light pole at the Hammond Middle School field is exactly where it’s supposed to be.

Last week, Alexandria Living Magazine broke a story that new poles were blocking track lanes at Hammond Middle School. Jack Browand, division chief of Parks and Cultural Activities, said a mistake caused a hole to be dug onto the tracks, but said that damage has since been repaired and the current light pole is where it’s located in the approved plans.

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Pickett’s Change: New signs call for renaming of Confederate-honoring street

By Vernon Miles

Published June 7, 2023 at 10:50AM

Roughly 160 years after Pickett’s Charge, some in Alexandria are hoping to bring another defeat to Confederate Major General George E. Pickett.

Signs have popped up on Pickett Street, which is named for the general, calling for it to be renamed.

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Four Alexandria schools participating in speed camera pilot

By James Cullum

Published March 27, 2023 at 3:30PM

Speed cameras (via ACPS)

Four Alexandria school zones have been selected for a pilot program to install speed cameras, according to a presentation prepared for a joint City Council and School Board meeting.

This is the first time Alexandria will use speed cameras, and the following locations were agreed upon by Alexandria City Public Schools, the police department and the Department of Transportation & Environmental Services: