Business leaders from across Alexandria kicked off the first Business Advisory Council session of the school year on Thursday when they met with the Superintendent and ACPS staff to discuss ways in which the community and schools can work together to ensure every student gets access to the opportunities and support systems they need to succeed.
Business owners and managers from all areas including technology, valet cleaning, non-profits, landscape design, real estate and retail stores gathered at the offices of Alexandria Economic Development Partnership over breakfast to identify areas where they can work together.
The discussion revolved around supporting and getting students ready for workplace development or college after graduating from T.C. Williams High School. Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Director Jodie Peters also explained how the secondary-level system helps students leave high school college-ready.
Superintendent Alvin L. Crawley updated the Business Advisory Council on his areas of focus for the coming school year. These included ensuring the health and well-being of all students and focusing work around the ACPS 2020 Strategic Plan.
“The Strategic Plan is our guidebook. It outlines the work we will be doing over the next five years. We really appreciate the support of our business community in getting involved in the discussion around this work,” said Crawley.
The Strategic Plan will be aligned with a data dashboard where the public will be able to track data and see how ACPS is trending in certain areas.
“We know we will face challenges, but there will be no surprises for the community. This process has to be transparent,” Crawley said.
Many of the business attending the Business Advisory Council, including the Urban Alliance, work with T.C. Williams students to provide internships at places such as the Patent and Trademark Office or Presto Cleaners.
Any businesses that wish to get involved with the Business Advisory Council should contact veronica.tellez@acps.k12.va.us.