More Stories from the Week

More Stories from the Week
- ACPS

Staff Vaccination Requirement by Nov. 15, 2021

Illustration of a diverse group of adults wearing masks

At its meeting on September 23, 2021, the School Board approved by a unanimous vote of 8-0 (with one member absent) that ACPS staff members will be required, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to submit documentation of their completed COVID-19 vaccination status by November 15, 2021. Only employees who satisfactorily establish medical or religious exemptions by law may participate in weekly COVID-19 testing in lieu of vaccination. Documentation of such testing must be submitted to the Department of Human Resources on a weekly basis. Employees who fail to provide the necessary documentation by November 15, 2021 may be required to take leave without pay or may be separated from service. This requirement was added to Policy GBE: Staff Health, upon approval of this motion.

ACPS staff and community members can find vaccine clinics in Alexandria on the City of Alexandria COVID-19 Vaccines webpage.

CDC Booster Recommendation Update

Pfizer logo with COVID-19 vaccine bottles in the background

Earlier today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a statement recommending Pfizer booster shots for certain populations. 

The CDC recommends that:

  • People 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series.
  • People aged 50-64 years with underlying medical conditions should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series.
  • People aged 18-49 years with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks.
  • People aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks.

For now, those who received Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines are not eligible for boosters. Data for those decisions is expected in the next several weeks. Many pharmacies around Alexandria are now offering both Pfizer COVID-19 boosters and the flu shot, including the high-dose flu shot for seniors. Consider getting both during the same visit to protect against COVID-19 and the flu. 

Alexandria Health Department will begin offering Pfizer boosters to those meeting the above criteria by appointment only on Saturday, Sept. 25. Book online to schedule or to find additional date options.

ACPS Staff Member Honored with Fulbright Award

Kaitlyn Torres

Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School Teacher Kaitlyn Torres is among an elite group of Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program honorees. The U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board made the announcement as it celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Fulbright Program this year.

Torres teaches Talented and Gifted (TAG) fourth grade English Language Arts and Math and fifth grade English Language Arts. As a Fulbright recipient, Torres will foster meaningful connections across communities in the U.S. and abroad. Fulbright recipients engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often laying the groundwork for forging future partnerships between institutions. Upon returning to their classrooms in the U.S., the teachers share their stories and often become active supporters of international exchange, inviting foreign scholars and educators to their schools. Congratulations!

Virtual Community Budget Session on Oct. 18

Aerial view of poeple round a table that says 'budget'

ACPS will host a virtual Community Budget Session open to all community members at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 18, 2021. Come learn about the upcoming budget process, timeline and the fiscal challenges facing ACPS.

There will also be a review of the School Board’s Budget Priorities and an update on ACPS Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) efforts. Our partners from the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC), Education Association of Alexandria (EAA) and the Alexandria Parent Teacher Association Council (PTAC) are invited to join the conversation. 

The session will include information about opportunities for community members to participate in the budget planning process. 

To participate, please Join us on Zoom.

Meal Requests for Virtual Learners

ACPS will be providing breakfast and lunch meals at no cost for students who are attending Virtual Virginia Academy, or learning at home due to a COVID-19 related quarantine. Families have the option to pick up meals in person or may sign up to have meals delivered. 

Parents must complete the online meal request form.

ACHS Hosts Mock Election Day for Students with Virginia Department of Elections Officials

Alexandria City High School students sit at tables behind voting booths to cast votes in a mock election

Officials from the Virginia Department of Elections visited Alexandria City High School (ACHS) to host a Mock Election on Wednesday, Sept. 29 to help students learn about voting. ACHS seniors had the opportunity to learn about registering to vote, finding their polling location, and information about who will be on the ballot this year if they are able to vote. For the Mock Election, students cast votes for candidates on the ballot for District B. 

“The whole purpose of teaching government is we want students to be active citizens after they graduate and this is a great chance to show them, almost like a dress rehearsal to show them what it’s going to look like, they can ask questions, and they can register to vote,” Advanced Placement U.S. Government Teacher Amanda Kropp said. 

Mock Election Day aligns with the Profile of a Virginia Graduate, which establishes a set of expectations known as the five “C’s”: critical thinking, creative thinking, communication, collaboration, and citizenship skills. The event focused on Citizenship: using one’s platform to make a broader impact on society. This approach will prepare every student with the content knowledge they need and the skills they need to apply it successfully after graduation.

Indigenous Peoples Day: October 11

The culture and history of Native Americans is being celebrated as we mark Indigenous Peoples Day in October. Virginia is among the 17 states and the District of Columbia that now observe Indigenous Peoples Day, in place of, or in addition to, Columbus Day. In 2019, the Alexandria City Council unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day. ACPS students will have no classes on October 11, 2021, as it will also be a Staff Professional Learning Day.

As we observe Indigenous Peoples Day, it is a time to raise awareness of the history, culture and traditions of Native Americans, as well as the struggles they endured as explorers from overseas settled in the Americas.