School Board | ALXnow

Morning Notes

Published March 16, 2021 at 5:00AM

Animal Welfare League gets 50 cats from Texas shelters — “Among the lingering effects of the winter outages is the strain on animal shelters. According to AWLA, the Texas shelters are seeing a surge in surrendered pets. The animals come from eight animal shelters in Texas. By transferring animals to Virginia, these shelters can better address the continued needs of homeless animals.” [Patch]

School Board public hearing on renaming of T.C. Williams High School and Matthew Maury Elementary School on March 18 — “There will be a School Board Public Hearing on March 18 at 5pm, where community members have their final opportunity to sign up to speak or submit comments about the renaming of schools.” [Twitter]

News

Councilwoman Amy Jackson Argues With School Board Over MacArthur Elementary Construction Schedule

By James Cullum

Published March 4, 2021 at 3:30PM | Updated March 4, 2021 at 10:09PM

City Councilwoman Amy Jackson in front of Douglas MacArthur Elementary School. (Image via Facebook)

Alexandria City Councilwoman Amy Jackson argued with members of the School Board and Alexandria City Public Schools staff at a budget meeting last night (Wednesday) over construction of the new Douglas MacArthur Elementary School.

Jackson, who is running for reelection, lambasted the school system earlier this week on Facebook with a one minute video. In the video, Jackson stands outside MacArthur wearing a face mask with the words “Your Vote Matters” printed on it, raises her left hand questioningly and then says: “March 1, 2021. Almost a year and no construction has started at MacArthur. When is it going to happen?”

News

Superintendent Proposes New Names for T.C. Williams High School and Matthew Maury Elementary

By Vernon Miles

Published March 4, 2021 at 11:30AM | Updated March 4, 2021 at 2:28PM

“Alexandria High School” and “Naomi Brooks Elementary School”.

These could be the new names for T.C. Williams High School and Matthew Maury Elementary School, and they are Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr.’s recommendation to the School Board.

News

ACPS to Return to In-Person School on March 16

By James Cullum

Published February 5, 2021 at 2:45PM | Updated February 5, 2021 at 5:18PM

Alexandria City Public Schools will reopen its doors to students on March 16, after being shut down for a little more than a year due to the coronavirus, Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. told the School Board on Thursday.

“Now it’s time, and we will be returning back to our school buildings,” Hutchings said. “We are now ready. It is now time for this pivot to occur.”

News

City Working to Close $41 Million Budget Gap While Schools Request $5 Million Increase

By Vernon Miles

Published February 2, 2021 at 11:30AM

Alexandria City Hall (staff photo by James Cullum)

The annual showdown between the City Council and School Board over funding could be exacerbated this year by the lingering fiscal impact of coronavirus.

At the tail end of a joint work session between the two bodies last week, City Manager Mark Jinks outlined the dire fiscal situation as the city heads into its budget season.

News

ACPS: Community is Generally Opposed to Affordable Housing at T.C. Expansion

By Vernon Miles

Published February 1, 2021 at 4:45PM

ACPS has acknowledged that community feedback has generally opposed putting affordable housing at a new school development.

In a recent joint Alexandria City Public Schools and City Council meeting, ACPS Director of Capital Programs Erika Gulick said that feedback from Alexandria residents indicated that locals were not comfortable with housing, including affordable housing, being co-located at some school developments.

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published January 26, 2021 at 9:00AM

Winter Weather Advisory in Effect for Alexandria — “A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect through 9 am Tuesday with expectations of mixed precipitation and possible accumulations of 1-2 inches of snow and ice. Expect slippery roads. Be prepared, slow down, and use caution while traveling.” [Twitter]

More Contagious Coronavirus Variant Found in Northern Virginia — “The Virginia Department of Health said in a news release Monday that the B.1.1.7 variant was confirmed in a Northern Virginia adult resident who reported no recent travel. As of Jan. 22, VDH said almost 200 cases of the variant have been found in the U.S. in 23 states.” [Patch]

News

Alexandria School Board Member Lorber Apologizes for Comments on Cautious ACPS Reopening

By James Cullum

Published January 13, 2021 at 2:30PM

School Board member Margaret Lorber has apologized for comments she made last week over the cautious reopening of public schools in the city during the pandemic.

“I was just amazed at the level of venom that I received in some of the emails,” Lorber said in a school board retreat on Tuesday night. “Everything gets put on social media so whatever you have said, gets amplified and misinterpreted 50 different ways. ”

News

BREAKING: ACPS Delays Jan. 19 Reopening as COVID-19 Cases Rise

By James Cullum

Published January 11, 2021 at 4:30PM | Updated January 11, 2021 at 4:53PM

Alexandria City Public Schools has pushed back its planned partial reopening for young disabled students from Jan. 19 to Jan. 26.

Citing the increase in positive cases of COVID-19, the school system announced Monday (Jan. 11) that the students in kindergarten to second grade with disabilities instead go back to school on the date that is currently designated for special education students in grades 3-5, disabled students in grades K-5 and English learners in grades PreK-5.

News

Superintendent Says Reopening Plan Uncertain, School Board Member Lorber Takes Fire for Comments

By James Cullum

Published January 8, 2021 at 2:30PM | Updated January 8, 2021 at 4:17PM

Students learning at home during the COVID-19 shutdown (Photo via ACPS/Facebook)

It’s uncertain whether Alexandria City Public Schools will open for in-person schooling on Jan. 19, despite a phased reentry plan that will be sent out to parents on Monday.

Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. told the School Board Thursday night that it is difficult to say with certainty that schools will reopen on Jan. 19 for young students with disabilities.

News

ACPS Report Shows Racial Disparities in Talented and Gifted Program

By Vernon Miles

Published December 17, 2020 at 1:30PM

In a report headed to the School Board tonight, staff at Alexandria City Public Schools have pinpointed racial disparities within the school division’s Talented and Gifted (TAG) program.

Overall, staff found that in 2019 while white students only account for 28% of the school population, they comprise 62% of the TAG programs. Black students, who make up 25% of the overall student population, represented only 15% of the TAG program. The highest disparity was Hispanic students, who comprise 38% of the student population but only 13% of the TAG program.