Resilient Class of 2020 Graduates in Largest T.C. Class Ever<\/b><\/h2>\n
Alexandria dazzled in Titan colors of red, white and blue on Saturday to celebrate the largest class in recent history to graduate from T.C. Williams High School and honor their resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/span><\/p>\n The Class of 2020 saw 865 students receive diplomas in a virtual graduation ceremony that included Senator Mark Warner and Class of 2016 Titan and future Olympian Noah Lyles. The program of events featured a moving video tribute to our seniors who were asked to document their loves, their hopes and their fears during these unprecedented times.<\/span><\/p>\n For the first time in history the George Washington Masonic National Memorial spectacularly illuminated in school colors, recognizing the class of T.C. graduates, while across the city, homes were lit up as students celebrated with their families.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis class of students has shown that they are able to seize the moment and shape their own futures,\u201d said Peter Balas, principal of T.C. Williams High School. \u201cTheir resilience during the pandemic, combined with their desire to take a stand against social injustice has proved that this is the generation to change the world, and we need them now more than ever. This class dug in to graduate more students than ever before, at a time when life was not easy. I could not be prouder of them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Although most students had already achieved sufficient credits to graduate by the time school buildings closed on March 13, those who needed extra support were able to connect with their counselors and teachers to create individual plans to achieve the final credits required.<\/span><\/p>\n To date, a total of 569 of all new graduates have already indicated they will be attending college or university in the fall. A further 22 students have indicated their intentions to join the military and 39 have accepted jobs in the workforce.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis pandemic has created a moment in time \u2014 one where we have a chance to create a new normal. This may mean re-evaluating who we are as individuals, who you are as a student body, and who we are as a nation. There is no going back. We can only move forward,\u201d said ACPS Superintendent of Schools Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This year, many of the rites of passage of the senior year in high school, including the T.C. Williams graduation ceremony, were adjusted to meet Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s stay-at-home order. Instead of the usual event at George Mason University’s EagleBank Arena, ACPS produced a virtual graduation ceremony to acknowledge and honor the graduating seniors. T.C. Williams Class of 2016 alum Noah Lyles holds records in the 200 meter sprint and was preparing to compete at the Olympic Games in Tokyo when the global pandemic hit and the games were postponed. He understands more than most about drawing on reserves of resilience when faced with challenging times in life.<\/span><\/p>\n Lyles paid tribute to the \u201ccourageous\u201d Class of 2020 that he described as \u201cdifferent\u201d from the others.<\/span><\/p>\n Delivering the keynote speech, he said, \u201cSome might say that accomplishments are everything, that accomplishments are what make you. But I want to challenge that thought. I\u2019m here to say it\u2019s more the journey and how you got to those moments that are what <\/span>really <\/span><\/i>make you. Well, what are those things that really get you there? And I\u2019d say it was adversity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n He added, \u201cI heard that the Class of 2020 was different from the others. I heard the Class of 2020 was courageous. I heard that they were kind and I heard that they were relentless to do what was righteous.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n In a moving address, 2020 Class President Amiya Chisolm touched on the current race crisis in America and the hope that her generation would be the ones to break the chain \u201cagainst unacceptable injustices.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n She continued, \u201cBeing in a swimming pool of different ethnicities, different cultures and many different backgrounds has given us the opportunity that many high schools cannot say they have had. This is adaptation and acceptance. T.C. gave us a united atmosphere where we can individually find smaller communities that tended to our personal similarities while still giving us the chance to teach, learn and understand one another\u2019s differences.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n For more images and full video of the virtual graduation see the<\/span> T.C. Williams Class of 2020 website<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n The graduation ceremony is available to view on the <\/span>Class of 2020 website<\/span><\/a>, which will now become a commemorative space for the ceremony video, pictures, and the <\/span>documentary film<\/span><\/a> created from hundreds of videos sent in by graduates.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 569 students from T.C. Williams High School will be heading off to college, and 22 will be joining military institutions. Several will be going to some of the top universities in the United States. We wish them all the best!<\/span><\/p>\n T.C. Williams High School graduates are heading off to the following colleges and military institutions:<\/b><\/p>\n Academy of Art University (1); Bard College (1); Barry University (1); Bowie State University (1); Brigham Young University \u2014 Idaho (1); Brigham Young University \u2014 Provo (1); Catawba College (1); Christopher Newport University (3); Clemson University (1); College of Charleston (3); Columbia University in the City of New York (1); Concordia University \u2014 Montreal (2); Curry College (1); Davidson College (1); Daytona State College (1); Dillard University (1); Drexel University (1); Duke University (1); Eastern Florida State College (1); Eastern Mennonite University (2); Elon University (4); Ferrum College (1); FIDM Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising \u2014 Los Angeles (1); Florida International University (1); Fordham University (1); Fork Union Military Academy (1); Frederick Community College (1); George Mason University (44); George Washington University (2); Georgetown University (1); Georgia Institute of Technology (2); Georgia State University (1); Goucher College (1); Hampden-Sydney College (1); Hobart William Smith Colleges (1); Howard University (2); Ithaca College (1); James Madison University (14); Johnson & Wales University \u2014 Charlotte (2); Johnson & Wales University \u2014 Providence (1); Kentucky State University (1); Lafayette College (1); Liberty University (1); Longwood University (1); Marymount University (6); McGill University (1); Miami University \u2014 Oxford (2); Middlebury College (1); Missouri State University (1); Montgomery College (1); Morehouse College (1); Mount Aloysius College (1); New York Institute of Technology (1); Norfolk State University (7); North Carolina State University at Raleigh (1); Northern Kentucky University (1); Northern Virginia Community College (246); Oakland Community College (1); Oberlin College (1); Old Dominion University (8); Oregon State University (1); Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (1); Pennsylvania State University (1); Pratt Institute (1); Prince George\u2019s Community College (2); Princeton University (1); Purdue University (1); Queen\u2019s University (1); Radford University (2); Reed College (1); Richard Bland College of William and Mary (6); Rochester Institute of Technology (1); Savannah College of Art and Design (3); Seattle Central College (1); Shenandoah University (2); Shepherd University (2); Southeastern University (1); Southern University and A & M College (1); Spelman College (2); Stanford University (1); Tennessee State University (1); Texas Christian University (1); The Ohio State University (1); The University of Arizona (1); The University of Memphis (1); The University of Tampa (1); Trent University (1); U.S. Air Force (2); U.S. Army (7); U.S. Coast Guard (1); U.S. Marine Corps (3); U.S. National Guard (1); U.S. Navy (3); United States Coast Guard Academy (1); United States Naval Academy (1); Universidad San Francisco de Quito (1); University of California Los Angeles (1); University of Chicago (1); University of Delaware (1); University of Limerick (1); University of Mary Washington (7); University of Maryland \u2014 College Park (2); University of Massachusetts \u2014 Boston (1); University of Massachusetts \u2014 Amherst (1); University of Michigan \u2014 Ann Arbor (1); University of Mount Union (1); University of Rhode Island (1); University of Richmond (1); University of Rochester (1); University of San Diego (1); University of South Carolina \u2014 Columbia (1); University of South Florida (1); University of Southern California (1); University of St. Andrews (2); University of the District of Columbia (2); University of Utah (2); University of Vermont (1); University of Virginia (31); University of Wisconsin \u2014 Madison (2); Vanderbilt University (1); Virginia Commonwealth University (35); Virginia Military Institute (1); Virginia State University (22); Virginia Tech (36); Virginia Union University (1); Voorhees College (1); Washington & Jefferson College (1); Washington University in St. Louis (1); West Virginia University (2); William and Mary (9); Worcester Polytechnic Institute (1); Wright State University (1)<\/span><\/p>\n ACPS\u2019 current food distribution model will remain the same through August 21, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n For all information on food distribution, see the Food Access page on the <\/span>ACPS-at-Home website<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n NEW!<\/b> Beginning Friday, June 19, ACPS will be adding an additional weekend meal to our program. Meals distributed on Fridays at all meal distribution locations and pop up sites will cover Friday, Saturday and now Sunday meals.<\/span><\/p>\n Meal distribution locations and pop up sites will not operate on Friday, July 3, ahead of the Independence Day holiday.<\/b> However, additional meals will be provided on Wednesday, July 1 to cover the following holiday period. The normal meal distribution service will resume again on Monday, July 6.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The FACE Center\u2019s Bilingual Parent Information Lines will now all be available Monday-Friday, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.<\/span><\/p>\n During the closure of school buildings, our School Board is meeting virtually each Friday at noon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you missed it live, you can still watch it.<\/span><\/p>\n Watch the School Board meeting and see the agenda<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Information on how to give feedback to the School Board can be found on the <\/span>School Board Meetings webpage<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n On Friday, <\/span>Board Briefs were published<\/span><\/a> on the following topics:<\/span><\/p>\n School Board Resolution on Racial Justice<\/b><\/p>\n Friday\u2019s Board meeting included a proposal for a <\/span>School Board Resolution on Racial Justice (PDF)<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n This draft document is currently in the process of being translated and will be shared in full in ACPS Express and on the ACPS website on Wednesday, June 17.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The ACPS Annual Retirement Ceremony will be today from 1:30 to 2 p.m. via Zoom. We are holding this very special event to recognize and celebrate the many years of service to ACPS. Join us to say \u201cthank you\u201d to our retirees.<\/span><\/p>\n Join us on Zoom<\/span><\/a>\u00a0at 1:30 p.m.<\/span><\/p>\n Anyone requiring access to an ACPS facility or school will be required to undergo a temperature check to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Testing stations will be established at seven locations, at or close to ACPS meal distribution sites and locations where major summer construction will take place. Screening will take no more than three minutes to complete and will involve the use of a clinical forehead thermometer.<\/p>\n All those with a temperature of 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit or lower (per Alexandria Health Department guidelines) will be given a dated wristband and be cleared to work as long as they are in possession of appropriate personal protection equipment consisting of masks and gloves.<\/p>\n Should an individual record an elevated temperature, that person will be informed that they are unable to report to work at an ACPS site and will be advised to call his or her supervisor.<\/p>\n Find out more about this measure in this Board Brief<\/a>.<\/p>\n Please consider donating through ACT For Alexandria and the COVID-19 Response Fund<\/a> if you are able.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Community members who would like to volunteer should reach out to www.volunteeralexandria.org<\/a> or 703-836-2176 to register for any additional potential volunteer opportunities.<\/p>\n Continuity of School Support and Academic Advisement<\/strong><\/p>\n School Student Support Team staff, including school counselors, school nurses, school psychologists, and school social workers will be available during school hours throughout the closure. Monday \u2014 Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. staff will be connecting with students and their families. The Department of Student Services, Alternative Programs and Equity staff members are also available during this time and can be contacted by voicemail and at student_services@acps.k12.va.us<\/a>.<\/p>\n Emergency Supports<\/strong><\/p>\n If there is a crisis or emergency during the time of the closure, students and families can access the supports below:<\/p>\n We know that this is a challenging time. ACPS will continue to share information through the ACPS website, social media, and email. Please don\u2019t hesitate to reach out to your student\u2019s school counselor or school social worker with any questions.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t Feel Well?<\/strong> Have questions, concerns or feedback?<\/strong> Contact us<\/a> or contact your direct supervisor.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2020-06-14-at-11.26.02-AM.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nMissed the Ceremony, or Want to Watch Again?<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nSee Where Our Graduates Are Going Next<\/b><\/h2>\n
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\nJazmine Lee Baxter, Spelman College<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>
\nEthan James Steele Sample, Princeton University<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>
\nFelicity Katherine Brock, U.S. Naval Academy<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>
\nSekou J Koram, Virginia Tech<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>
\nEmile Sebastian Cohen Su\u00e1rez, University of Virginia<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\nFood Access Updates\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
New Hours for Bilingual Parent Information Lines<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Watch Friday\u2019s Board Meeting\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Celebrate Our Retirees With Us Today<\/b><\/h2>\n
Temperature Screening at ACPS Buildings<\/h2>\n
WANT TO HELP?<\/h2>\n
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT<\/h2>\n
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HEALTH REMINDERS<\/h2>\n
\nContact your primary health care physician.<\/p>\n
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