A couple of generations ago, it was very exciting for children to have pen pals from other countries with whom they exchanged letters with exotic stamps on the envelopes.  It could take weeks or even months to receive a reply.  Imagine how strange this must sound to children today who can participate in live video conferences with other children around the world.  The concept of globalization is well-known to this generation of native Internet users, especially in Alexandria City Public Schools where our computer-savvy students come from more than 120 different countries and speak more than 75 different languages.  It is critical that we prepare our children for work and civic roles in this globalized environment where they must compete not just locally, but internationally. (more…)

When discussing rising enrollment or rising costs in ACPS, a topic that often surfaces is that of residency verification.  With our relatively high per-pupil costs, it is understandable that people are concerned about non-Alexandria residents receiving a tuition-free education.  This is a serious concern for me as well, and I will explain what is being done to address the issue; but first, I will attempt to clear up some misperceptions and put this topic into perspective. (more…)