Michelle Rief | ALXnow

JUST IN: Retired Teamsters deputy director wins Alexandria School Board special election

Published January 9, 2024 at 9:19PM | Updated January 9, 2024 at 11:30PM

Tim Beaty asking for signatures to run in the January 9 special election for the open Alexandria School Board seat, at the Alexandria Democratic Committee's monthly meeting at Alexandria City High School on Dec. 4, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated at 11:30 p.m.) Tim Beaty, the retired former global strategies director for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, was declared the winner in tonight’s special election for the open School Board District A seat. He defeated Gina Baum, an Alexandria City Public Schools parent and former longtime member of the city’s Park and Recreation Commission, and will be sworn into office next week.

Beaty won the election 1,270 votes (56%) to Baum’s 962 votes (43%), and 5.5% of the registered voters in District A (41,335 voters) cast ballots on this rainy Tuesday. District A includes Old Town, Del Ray, Potomac Yard and Arlandria. The results will be certified in the Alexandria Voter Registrar’s office near City Hall on Friday.

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Key endorsements heat up Jan. 9 Alexandria School Board special election

By James Cullum

Published January 4, 2024 at 10:45AM | Updated January 4, 2024 at 11:54AM

Tim Beaty and Gina Baum, the candidates in the Alexandria School Board's Jan. 9 special election for the open District A seat (staff photos by James Cullum)

There’s less than a week to go until the Jan. 9 special election for Alexandria’s open District A School Board seat, and things are getting interesting.

With a focus on helping Alexandria City Public Schools craft a collective bargaining agreement with staff, retired labor leader Tim Beaty has secured key endorsements from the two other School Board Members in District A — Board Chair Michelle Rief and Jacinta Greene, as well as from City Council Members Canek Aguirre and Kirk McPike, Sheriff Sean Casey, NOVA Labor and the Education Association of Alexandria teachers union.

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Alexandria School Board member storms out of Board restructuring meeting

By James Cullum

Published October 6, 2023 at 2:45PM | Updated October 6, 2023 at 3:02PM

ACPS headquarters and clock (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 2:55 p.m.) A School Board work session on restructuring the makeup of the Board stopped short late last night after one member, Willie Bailey, walked out of the meeting.

Board Members were hammering out whether to expand terms from three to four years, stagger elections and switch from districts to at-large elections. The work session was held after a two-hour Board meeting and ended after 11 p.m. because the Board no longer had an in-person quorum after Bailey left.

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Alexandria City Public Schools focuses on absenteeism as schools reopen

By James Cullum

Published August 21, 2023 at 9:45AM

The first day at school at George Mason Elementary School, Aug. 21, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

School is back in session, and this year Alexandria City Public Schools wants to make sure kids go to class.

That was the message from outside George Mason Elementary School (2601 Cameron Mills Road) this morning, where Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt and School Board Chair Michelle Rief joined teachers and staff in welcoming back students. Kay-Wyatt said her priorities this year are on improving the welcoming culture within ACPS, academic achievement and absenteeism.

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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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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published July 28, 2023 at 3:30PM

The scene of a shooting on the 800 block of W. Glebe Road (staff photo by James Cullum)

It’s been a scorching week in Alexandria, punctuated by two major crime events.

Someone was shot multiple times in an alley several blocks east of the Braddock Metro station last Saturday, followed on Monday afternoon by the city’s fifth homicide this year — the fatal shooting of a 29-year-old man on W. Glebe Road in Arlandria.

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ACPS ignores Gov. Youngkin’s recommended policies on treatment of transgender students

By James Cullum

Published July 25, 2023 at 10:45AM

Alexandria City High School's homecoming football game against West Potomac on Friday, Oct. 15, 2021 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools says it will not comply with Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s policies restricting transgender services.

School Board Chair Michelle Rief and Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt informed parents of the school system’s stance on Monday. It’s the second straight year that ACPS has refused the policies, which are updated annually and recommend restricting trans bathroom and pronoun use.