“A crisis is a terrible thing to waste,” said Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) Superintendent Morton Sherman, referring to T.C.’s “Persistently Lowest Achieving” label. “It is an opportunity.” At an Agenda: Alexandria meeting on May 23, Sherman and members of the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria (SFA) discussed the changes and challenges in the school system and the various ways in which the community can support students. Founded in 1986, the SFA serves as an example of community support for students who need financial assistance.

SFA Trustee Sindy Benavides is among the 3400 Alexandria residents who have benefited from the organization’s scholarships. Benavides’ parents emigrated from Honduras to Los Angeles; they later decided to move to Virginia after hearing that Virginia had a strong public school system. “I attended a school that was very supportive,” said Benavides. When Benavides was in fifth grade, her teacher transformed her education by placing her in honors classes. “[My teacher] saw in me a potential I did not see in myself,” said Benavides.

When Benavides entered 12th grade, she wanted to attend college but knew that her family, who at one point had been homeless, could not afford tuition. Although a school counselor encouraged her to join the military or learn a trade, a teacher guided her through the college admissions process and encouraged her to apply for scholarships. “This is where the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria stepped in,” said Benavides. “[It] provided financial help and hope that I could actually go and access a higher education. It changed my life.” Benavides attended Virginia State University, graduated as Valedictorian in three years and went to American University. She continues to be grateful for her scholarship. “There are thousands of students who crave…that opportunity to succeed [but whose families need financial assistance],” said Benavides.

Assistant Secretary of Education Douglas Garcia also benefited from the SFA’s work. He and his family emigrated from El Salvador to escape the civil war and seek opportunities in America. “We came from very humble backgrounds,” said Garcia. He helped his father manage his family’s Italian restaurant and attended Northern Virginia Community College after receiving a scholarship from the SFA. After two years he transferred to James Madison University and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and international affairs.

On Garcia’s graduation day he was unhappy to see that his parents were not in the audience. “As I [was] walking up, they called my name. I was so upset,” said Garcia. “[Then] all I heard was this loud roar from the back of the crowd. My parents had brought 25 or 30 family members.” Garcia’s relatives were almost late because they had to find parking spaces.

“All of their struggles [and] sacrifices paid off,” said Garcia. “It wasn’t just [me] graduating; it was all of us.”

The Scholarship Fund of Alexandria ensures that all students have the opportunity to attend college, even if they cannot afford to do so.

“A small group of Alexandria citizens, including school board members, decided to do something about academically qualified ACPS graduates who could not afford college [tuition],” said SFA Director Susan Yowell. “We are building an educated workforce to ensure the vitality of this city. There are no jobs for young people without higher education in Alexandria.”

Such support is essential to the school system. According to Sherman, the ACPS student population has increased by more than 13 percent during the past three years; the fastest growing group is English Language Learners (ELL), 29 percent of whom drop out. Fifty-six percent of ACPS students are eligible for free or reduced price lunch.

In the 2009-2010 school year, the Virginia Department of Education designated T.C. as “Persistently Lowest Achieving” based on English and Math Standards of Learning (SOL) scores. “It was their way of reaching out,” said Sherman.”[ACPS has] underserved thousands of students for decades.” According to Sherman, T.C. has three years to transform into a school that can be “held as a model for the rest of the country.”

The Advanced Placement curricula and exams for several subjects will undergo drastic changes in upcoming years. “[College Board has] reduced the content [in AP Biology] so that teachers can go into more depth in certain topics and concepts to increase understanding,” said Science Department Head David Keener, who has been teaching AP Biology at T.C. for 21 years.

The new curriculum, which will focus on four major themes, will be implemented in the 2012-2013 school year and will include more analysis and less memorization. “Colleges are asking that students be able to explain the processes and concepts and not worry as much about the facts,” said Keener. Labs will also be different. Students will be asked to design their own experiments, rather than follow a specific procedure. “[The experiments] are going to be more open-ended,” said Keener. “At times [they] may not work out the way you [expect] but that’s what real science is all about.”

The AP exam, administered every May after a year of study, will also change. “[College Board is] reducing the number of multiple choice questions from 100 to 55 and increasing the number of free response questions from four to nine,” said Keener. “The questions are going to ask students to do more data analysis and application.”

According to Keener, the changes were motivated by requests from high school teachers and college professors. “[AP Biology teachers] are expected to cover more than is covered in a regular college introductory biology course,” said Keener. “There has always been the problem of not having enough time to cover what [is expected].”

The College Board has also acknowledged requests from college professors, who want biology students to think scientifically and be familiar with certain concepts.

Keener is optimistic about the changes. “I think the new curriculum is definitely a major improvement,” he said. “Science is inquiry…the change in the labs [will] give students a firsthand experience of what science truly is.”

The changes are not limited to AP Biology. In the 2011-2012 school year, the curricula and exams for AP French and German will become more comprehensive. “Testing for grammar control is out,” said AP French teacher Alison Fields. “Testing for communication is in.” Instead of asking minute grammar questions, the new AP French exam will better assess students’ abilities to understand, speak, read and write French. Students will be required to read passages, answer multiple choice questions, and respond to spoken prompts.

“It is a much more global approach,” said Fields. “It will be important for schools to…look at their entire sequence of World Language courses to make sure they are consistent.”

AP German will face similar changes. Although the content of the curriculum will not change, the exam will. “The exam will be an integration of the four core skills [understanding, speaking, reading and writing] rather than discrete item testing,” said World Languages Department Head Adam Levine, who teaches AP German. “There will also be a context or theme that connects each section.” According to Levine, the changes were motivated by competition with the International Baccalaureate program.

Both language teachers support the changes. “I think we need them,” said Levine. “The old exam was becoming too predictable.”

“Students do not enroll in French so they can conjugate verbs or express fear in the subjunctive mood,” said Fields. “They enroll in French so they can learn to speak the language. The new [exam] will certainly test their strengths and weaknesses in that regard.”

Also in the 2011-2012 school year, the AP World History curriculum and exam will change, though less drastically. “The biggest change to the course is that [the College Board] is breaking up our first unit into two,” said AP World History teacher Molly Freitag. The curriculum will consist of six units instead of five. Although there will still be 70 multiple choice questions and three essays on the exam, the College Board is reducing the number of options for each multiple choice question from five to four. “The questions are still going to be analytical and students will have to draw conclusions and [make comparisons],” said Freitag. “It’s still going to [involve] higher level thinking.”

Ms. Maxey welcomes students to the random student meeting.

On Friday, January 21, Principal Suzanne Maxey held her second “random student meeting” in the auditorium. One student from each class attended. The main topic was the possibility of a schedule change for the 2011-2012 school year. Ms. Maxey said that it is unclear whether additional instructional time is required or strongly recommended. She said that there may be a zero period from 7:45-8:30 and an 8^th period from 3:30-4:15 next year. Under Ms. Maxey’s proposal, the extra time would not be required because many students have to work after school. Students who need help will be encouraged to stay.

A student asked about transportation. Ms. Maxey said that in Montgomery County, a student could show his or her I.D. and ride the city bus for free on school mornings. She wants T.C. students to have the same option.

According to Ms. Maxey, it is almost certain that the bell schedule will change next year. She said that many students cannot concentrate for 93 minutes and that time is wasted in block classes. A student said that concepts need to be reinforced every day. Ms. Maxey said that students may go to all seven classes on certain days next year. Another student said that there would be more homework if all classes were every day.

Students asked if teachers would be available for help after school if they are teaching extra classes and if a quality point system could be implemented instead of the grade point average system to reward students for taking extra classes. Students also wondered what classes would be offered during the zero and 8^th periods and the effect that an extended school day would have on sports. Ms. Maxey said that some issues are still being resolved.

On another subject, seniors asked about graduation, which will be held at Constitution Hall. Ms. Maxey said that buses will provide free transportation for parents and students. A live broadcast of graduation will be shown in the T.C. auditorium for people who cannot go to Constitution Hall. Seniors also asked about senior privileges. Ms. Maxey said that senior trips, such as the one to Six Flags last year, pose security issues and that education is her first priority. She will continue to oppose senior skip days. “Those are the days kids get hurt,” she said. However, there is talk about a senior picnic. The administration is also discussing the possibility of off-campus lunch for seniors next year.

Students who wish to further discuss school issues can talk to Ms. Maxey during lunch. She goes to A lunch on Monday and Friday. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, she goes to B, C, and D lunch, respectively. Students can also attend PTSA meetings, which are held at T.C. on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m.

“Some retailers want to look to new things,” said Joseph Egerton, founder of the Arts Afire Glass Gallery shop on King Street. On Monday, November 22, Egerton and other small business owners discussed challenges and changes facing Alexandria retailers at a meeting of Agenda Alexandria, a nonpartisan organization that encourages debate on community issues. Retailers have had to adapt as Americans have become more dependent on technology. “Younger people are shopping online instead of going to retail stores,” said Egerton. “They spend their money in different ways.”

Small business owners have begun using social media to attract customers. “Most of us have commerce sites,” said Elizabeth Todd, who owns The Shoe Hive in Old Town. Although some small businesses still publish newsletters, most use the Internet and have Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts. However, social media has not replaced traditional shopping. According to Christina Robinson, Vice President of Commercial Real Estate for the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, the majority of shoppers still want to see products in stores. Store websites are used to compliment the shopping experience. “We do not sell a lot directly on our website,” said Egerton. “[However,] it has brought us customers from around the world. I find it invaluable.”

Panelists Bill Reagan, Christina Robinson, Charles Langdon, Joseph Egerton and Elizabeth Todd discuss small businesses in Alexandria.

Efforts to attract customers have become increasingly important during the economic recession. “Americans have lost a tremendous amount of net worth during the last couple years,” said Bill Reagan, who founded the Alexandria Small Business Development Center. “[This has] changed our buying patterns permanently. We are looking for value and bargains.” According to Reagan, all retailers offer sales to attract customers. “[Retailers] have to understand what [their] market is, who is buying, and offer value,” said Reagan. “When there is value, people will buy.”

Alexandria retailers work together to protect their businesses. Todd created the Old Town Boutique District three years ago, which is comprised of 28 stores that represent each type of store in Old Town. “Its purpose is to market Old Town as a shopping destination,” said Todd. “Each year we try to grow and do different things.” The District distributes maps and shopping guides and sponsors an annual scavenger hunt. “People try to work together to see what other stores interest their customers,” said Todd.

The Small Business Development Center was created to help retailers. It links retailers to professionals who offer them guidance. Professionals visit businesses and conduct training workshops. “We are there to strengthen businesses and fill in areas where they might not have all the expertise they need,” said Reagan. The Small Business Development Center works with another organization, the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, to strengthen the economy for retailers.

The parking situation has challenged Alexandria business owners, particularly in Old Town. It is often difficult for shoppers to find parking spaces. “[There is not] enough parking,” said Charles Langdon, a commercial real estate agent and Old Town resident. “All the open space that a [new parking] garage could go in has been consumed.”

Parking garages are filled by city employees, forcing shoppers to park on the street and in residential areas. Shoppers and retailers have been frustrated by the Old Town parking meters that only accept quarters and dimes. The instructions on the meter do not specify this, which has caused shoppers to lose money when they put the wrong type of coin in a meter. “It wasn’t a well-thought-out program,” said Egerton. “Shop owners have had to keep quarters on hand and pay parking fees for customers.” According to Egerton, the new parking meters were implemented in July 2010 and have caused sales to decrease. “A lot of people have not come back to Old Town because they end up with parking tickets,” said Egerton.

While parking meters have hurt retailers, the water taxi has helped. “[The water taxi] has had a tremendous impact in terms of the number of visitors coming from National Harbor,” said Reagan. During the first year the water taxi was used, visitors’ spending generated two million dollars more in taxes than in previous years.

Reagan said that he felt “cautiously optimistic” about the future of small retailers in Alexandria. “This holiday season there should be about a 2.3 percent increase [in retail sales],” said Robinson. According to her, companies have seen a recent rise in consumer confidence. However, it can be difficult for small businesses to support themselves financially. “The toughest thing we all face is being able to cash flow our businesses and survive during the tough times,” said Todd.

Accordingto Egerton, online sales in the United States totaled 131 billion dollars last year, which caused stores to lose money. If a shopper orders a product online from a store that is outside his or her state, then he or she does not pay a sales tax. This can make a substantial difference in a business’s revenue. “It is unhealthy that small, independent stores are primarily their own financiers. It is unsustainable,” said Egerton. “I wish I knew the future of retailers in Old Town.”

The next Agenda Alexandria meeting will be on January 24, 2011 and will address the role that residents play in the development of Alexandria.

The T.C. Drama Department will perform Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon on November 12, 13, 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium. The play is based on the book by Marjorie Kellogg and tells the story of three young people, Junie Moon (Elaine Bledsoe), Arthur (Ben Ribler) and Warren (Zachary Frank). Each person has a disability; one has been badly burned, one has epilepsy and the other uses a wheelchair. The play portrays their lives after they leave the hospital and decide to live together. Said Senior Zachary Frank, “It’s the most exciting thing you can do on a Friday night besides [watch the seventh] Harry Potter [movie].”

On Friday, September 17, four teachers and two students won free lunches in a Patriotic dress competition that was held to celebrate Constitution Day, which commemorates the signing of the Constitution 223 years ago. The teacher winners were Audrey Kratovil, Ronnie Fleming, Joyce Carlis and Betty Hill. The student winners were Chalise Ellis and Courtland Chavis.