Patrick Henry Elementary School

Volunteer program with local nonprofit teaches ACPS third graders how to ride bikes

Published March 4, 2026 at 2:45PM

Nicole Radshaw, a pedestrian and bike support specialist, teaches bicycling to third graders at Patrick Henry K-8 School (staff photo by James Cullum)

Just before snowflakes fell on Monday afternoon, a class of third graders at Patrick Henry K-8 School were outside in the school basketball court learning how to ride bikes.

For three weeks every school year, all third graders at Alexandria City Public Schools are fitted with Trek bikes and taught bicycle safety and riding by volunteers and staff working with the Alexandria Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee‘s (BPAC) Bicycling in the Schools initiative. This school year, 1,266 students are in the program, which is currently seeking more volunteers.

News

New ACPS budget proposal defers Cora Kelly project, schedules K-8 conversions in 2030

By Katie Taranto

Published December 18, 2025 at 2:45PM

Capital Improvement Program add/delete session on Dec. 16, 2025 (via Alexandria City Public Schools)

An updated $282 million budget proposal would defer renovations at an Alexandria elementary school while securing funding for two contentious K-8 conversion plans in 2030.

The new Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget from Alexandria City Public Schools comes in at $58 million less than the Alexandria City School Board’s original proposal and remains under the city’s guidance of $285.8 million, following weeks of workshopping by school and city leaders to trim it down.

Around Town

‘Recycled Royal Rumble’ coming to Patrick Henry K-8 School next month

By James Cullum

Published October 28, 2025 at 10:45AM

The new athletic field at Patrick Henry K-8 School, March 18, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

A free kids’ event at an Alexandria elementary school next month will combine recycling, crafting and competition.

The “Recycled Royal Rumble” is happening from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16 at Patrick Henry K-8 School’s athletic field (4653 Taney Avenue). The outdoor challenge tasks kids to create medieval-inspired armor and costumes using cardboard, recycled materials and household items.

News

School board to review $9,999 donation for male mentoring program

By James Cullum

Published September 17, 2025 at 11:30AM

Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt talks about a proposed policy change on student publications at the May 8, 2025, School Board meeting (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria School Board will consider Thursday whether to accept a $9,999 donation from McLean-based Proxyware to support a male mentoring initiative at two city schools.

Alexandria City Public Schools received the $9,999 donation on Sept. 2 for programs at Patrick Henry K-8 School and Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 School. The board must approve any donations over $5,000.

News

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.

News

Air conditioning issue prompts early dismissal at Patrick Henry K-8 School

By James Cullum

Published June 5, 2025 at 12:06PM

Students learning at Patrick Henry K-8 School (via ACPS/Facebook)

Patrick Henry K-8 School (4643 Taney Avenue) is dismissing students and staff early Thursday (June 5) due to issues with its air conditioning system.

Due to temperatures exceeding 80 degrees inside the building, students will be dismissed at 1:30 p.m. All school-related events at Patrick Henry Recreation Center are also canceled.

News

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.

News

ACPS and city leaders cut ribbon at new synthetic turf field at Patrick Henry K-8 School

By James Cullum

Published March 18, 2025 at 3:15PM

City and ACPS leaders cut the ribbon at the new athletic field at Patrick Henry K-8 School, March 18, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

After years under development, the ribbon was cut today on the new synthetic turf sports field at Patrick Henry K-8 School.

It took six years to construct the field in front of the renovated West End school at 4643 Taney Avenue, which reopened next to the old school in early 2019.

News

Jefferson-Houston community rails against middle school conversion plans at School Board meeting

By Vernon Miles

Published January 23, 2025 at 9:10PM

Jefferson-Houston community member Sujata Mitra at a School Board meeting on Jan. 23 (staff photo by James Cullum)

At a School Board meeting tonight (Thursday), parents and other community members from Jefferson-Houston voiced strong opposition to plans to convert Jefferson-Houston and Patrick Henry, both K-8 schools, into a middle school and elementary school respectively.

The goal of the plan is to relieve overcrowding at Alexandria’s middle schools, though the conversions aren’t expected to take place until 2030 and 2032.

News

Alexandria School Board orders conversions for Jefferson-Houston K-8 School and Patrick Henry Elementary School

By James Cullum

Published December 20, 2024 at 11:30AM | Updated December 20, 2024 at 1:47PM

Despite mixed community reaction, the Alexandria School Board voted to convert Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School into a middle school and Patrick Henry K-8 School into an elementary school.

Alexandria’s two middle schools are both well over 100% capacity, and as budgeted, the conversion of Jefferson-Houston won’t start for a few years. That means that the strain at George Washington Middle School and Francis C. Hammond Middle School won’t be eased unless the Board takes an immediate action.

News

ACPS converts Patrick Henry and Jefferson-Houston schools in proposed Capital Improvement budget

By James Cullum

Published November 13, 2024 at 2:55PM

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

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.