Mount Vernon Community School

ACPS to restore bus service for eligible students by Oct. 5 after walk zone pushback

Published September 28, 2026 at 3:45PM

School bus at Alexandria City High School (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Public Schools started responding to families wanting school buses to return to their neighborhoods last week, and any eligible students will be able to ride on a bus starting by Monday, Oct. 5.

That was the message relayed to the Alexandria City School Board last Thursday night (Sept. 24) by Clinton Page, the school system’s chief accountability and research officer. Page said that ACPS started sending out their decisions on walk zone requests on Wednesday, Sept. 23 and will respond to all families by Wednesday, Sept. 30.

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Washington Commanders players visit Alexandria school, pack bags of free food for students

By James Cullum

Published September 22, 2026 at 3:45PM

Mount Vernon Community School students react to Washington Commanders players at their school, Sept. 22, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Washington Commanders players helped pack 500 bags of food for students at Mount Vernon Community School in Del Ray on Tuesday (Sept. 22).

Hundreds of students welcomed wide receiver Jaylin Lane, cornerback Rasul Douglas and mascot Major Tuddy in a pep rally in the school auditorium. This was the Commanders’ third annual visit to MVCS in collaboration with the nonprofit Blessings in a Backpack.

Around Town

Annual chili cook-off brings competition and flavor to Del Ray this month

By Katie Taranto

Published February 18, 2026 at 3:00PM

Samples, beer and trophies at the Del Ray Chili Cook Off in 2024 (via Del Ray Citizens Association/Facebook)

Flavor, fundraising and friendly competition are coming to Del Ray with the return of the Del Ray Chili Cook Off this month.

The annual culinary competition by the Del Ray Citizens Association is open to individual and team entries from Del Ray residents. It will kick off at 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28 in the gymnasium at Commonwealth Academy.

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Haunted Duncan Library returns this weekend in Del Ray

By James Cullum

Published October 21, 2025 at 10:45AM

Del Ray's James M. Duncan Branch Library is reopening its haunted house on Oct. 24 and 25 (courtesy image)

Fright and fun is returning to Del Ray, as the James M. Duncan Branch Library (2501 Commonwealth Avenue) has been transformed into a haunted house.

On Oct. 24 (Friday) and 25 (Saturday), the annual Duncan Haunted Library will feature spooky tours, spine-tingling ghost stories and more. Tickets cost $10 and proceeds go toward new books, community programs and other special library events.

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Mount Vernon Community School to be recognized for sudden cardiac arrest emergency plan

By James Cullum

Published October 20, 2025 at 12:30PM

Mount Vernon Community School at 2601 Commonwealth Avenue in Del Ray (via Google Maps)

Mount Vernon Community School will be recognized this week for being one of the first jurisdictions in Northern Virginia to implement a sudden cardiac arrest emergency plan.

On Wednesday, a banner will be unfurled at MVCS recognizing it as a Project ADAM (Automated Defibrillation in Adam’s Memory) Heart Safe School. Starting on July 1, all elementary and secondary schools in Virginia must have emergency cardiac response plans, per legislation from the general assembly. Eventually all ACPS elementary and secondary schools will have the designation, will have training and equipment at the ready in the event of a sudden cardiac emergency.

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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.

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Alexandria plans pedestrian safety upgrades near four schools

By James Cullum

Published July 23, 2025 at 12:00PM

Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School at 1501 Cameron Street (via Jefferson-Houston/Facebook)

Alexandria is considering six pedestrian safety improvements near four schools in Alexandria.

The project would remove up to 14 parking spaces for curb extensions and improved pedestrian crossings near Patrick Henry K-8 School, Samuel Tucker Elementary School, Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 School, and Mount Vernon Community School. The traffic calming measures will be discussed at the city’s Traffic and Parking Board meeting on Monday, July 28.

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PHOTOS: Going down a dual language rabbit hole in the Alexandria Children’s Theatre production of Alice In Wonderland

By James Cullum

Published April 8, 2025 at 5:45PM | Updated April 11, 2025 at 8:08AM

Alice and the Cheshire Cat in Down The Rabbit Hole at Mount Vernon Community School, April 8, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Spoiler warning: Alice doesn’t make it back from her trip down the rabbit hole in the Alexandria Children’s Theatre’s (ACT) dual language production at Mount Vernon Community School (2601 Mount Vernon Avenue).

“Que curioso,” Alice says, bewildered. “Everything seems so much different since I fell into that rabbit hole.”

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Annual MV Big Flea market returns to Del Ray on April 26

By James Cullum

Published March 13, 2025 at 5:30AM

MV Big Flea is returning to Mount Vernon Community School in Del Ray on April 26, 2025 (via FDcebook)

In the market for a pristine Fender guitar? There are two for sale at rock-bottom prices at the upcoming MV Big Flea, an annual fundraiser and community yard sale for the Mount Vernon Community School in Del Ray.

The annual flea market is back on April 26 (Saturday) in the gym of Mount Vernon Recreation Center (2701 Commonwealth Avenue). Organizers have been gathering donated treasures at the Del Ray Farmers’ Market and have several nearby storage units filled to capacity.

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Washington Commanders’ Terry McLaurin donates laundry room for Mount Vernon Community School families

By James Cullum

Published November 15, 2024 at 3:40PM

Washington Commander’s wide receiver Terry McLaurin and ACPS Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt unveiling Terry’s Locker at Mount Vernon Community School on Nov. 15, 2024, offering a fully stocked laundry room for student families (staff photo by James Cullum)

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.

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Hundreds of kids get free books at Washington Commanders event in Del Ray

By James Cullum

Published September 26, 2024 at 2:30PM

The Washington Commanders Read program visited Mount Vernon Community School, Sept. 26, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Hundreds of students at Mount Vernon Community School got free books and a surprise visit from the Washington Commanders.

Former Commanders cornerback Fred Smoot and wide receiver Josh Morgan (who played back when the team was still the Redskins) were joined at the event by Commanders cheerleaders and mascot Major Tuddy in energizing the kids, and handed out the books.