An Alexandria City High School student allegedly brandished a knife and injured a student in a fight on the school football field during a fire drill today (Jan. 29), according to a letter from the school’s principal to parents.
The Alexandria Police Department responded to the ACHS King Street campus at around 11:30 a.m. for report of a 14-year-old male student who was injured with a cut to his finger, according to dispatches.
Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins says that recent immigration enforcement raids in nearby jurisdictions have resulted in “fear, confusion, and concern,” and that the city won’t assist federal investigators.
In a statement posted on the city website today, the Democrat mayor said that Alexandria will always be a welcoming community where “all residents are supported, respected, and valued.”
With President Donald Trump removing restrictions preventing Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from raiding schools, Alexandria Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt laid out the ways Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) are protected from ICE but also exceptions families should be aware of.
The message comes after a full-throated rebuke of ICE activities at school to the fullest extent allowable by law by Fairfax County Public Schools leadership. Kay-Wyatt’s message similarly noted that the schools can help shield children to an extent, but reaffirmed that ACPS “is obligated to comply with all lawful orders and warrants from any law enforcement entity, including ICE.
Alexandria City Public Schools’ (ACPS) new proposed budget comes with a raise for school district employees and more security for the schools.
At a budget presentation last night, Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt proposed a budget that’s a 4% increase over the current fiscal year’s budget. That increase includes a full-step increase for all eligible staff at the beginning of the contract year and an additional step increase to increase maximum pay, though ACPS staff on a Facebook page for school faculty noted that this doesn’t come with a cost of living adjustment.
Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt will unveil her fiscal year 2026 budget this week, and the city is asking the school division to keep the budget increase over last year’s budget modest.
In his budget presentation to the City Council in November, City Manager Jim Parajon outlined a 2%, or $5.5 million, combined funds budget increase for ACPS amounting to $278.5 million.
After reverting to virtual learning two days before winter break due to multiple fights, Alexandria City High School fully reopened with extra security guards and new safety measures at both high school campuses.
The additions include extra security guards at the ACHS King Street and Minnie Howard campuses, new security protocols at weapons screenings, more hallway monitoring, security duty stations in high-traffic areas and increased lunch supervision, according to an email from the Alexandria City Public Schools to ALXnow.
Alexandria City Public Schools will open with a two-hour delay on Thursday (Jan. 9).
The announcement from Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt was made on Wednesday night.
The School Board approved the Alexandria City Public Schools fiscal year 2026-2035 Capital Improvement Budget on Thursday (Dec. 19), and plans currently call for millions in non-capacity projects next year.
The Board voted 8-0 with one abstention in approving Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt’s proposed $346 million CIP budget, which is $75 million (28%) more than what is currently approved by the city.
It was quite a weekend in Alexandria.
Alexandria’s Scottish Christmas Walk weekend started Friday (Dec. 6), where hundreds attended the decadent annual Taste of Scotland fundraiser for the Campagna Center at The Atrium building in Old Town.
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin dedicated a fully-stocked laundry room at Mount Vernon Community School on Friday.
McLaurin launched the nonprofit “Terry’s Locker” earlier this year with the goal of helping kids not worry about wearing dirty clothes.
Despite mixed community reaction, Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt included the conversion of Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School into a middle school and Patrick Henry K-8 School into an elementary school in her proposed 10-year Capital Improvement Program budget.
