Although the push for a 74-minute lunch program wasn’t successful, there’s a lot we can learn from it. I’ve been on the Student Lunch Committee since its foundation. Here’s what I saw.
-
-
Data Leak Amid ACPS Struggle To Communicate
On Tuesday, January 24, 2023, ACPS families were notified via Parentsquare about the conclusion of the investigation into released student and staff information. The released information included staff email addresses and names, and students’ full names, gender, grade level, and their parents’ email addresses, phone number, and mailing addresses.
-
Science Bowl is on a Roll
The Science Bowl is more than just a club at ACHS, it is a collaborative team of students that participate in competitions throughout the year. The team is led by two teachers, Tim Anderson and Jatanee Reyes. The two of them work together to give the team guidance and prepare them for competitions. The team has to be knowledgeable about topics from biology to physics in order to perform well in competition. In terms of student leadership, senior Leah Devendorf, is the team captain.
-
ACPS Plans to Pilot Advanced Metal Detectors
The Alexandria City School Board voted 7-0 on February 2 to approve a measure that initiated the implementation process for “weapons abatement technology” at the ACHS King Street and Minnie Howard campuses, as well as at Francis C. Hammond and George Washington Middle schools. The process began with the ACPS Central Office collecting opinions of stakeholders through a community survey in February and March, which they will use to present a formal installment proposal to the School Board at the upcoming March 30 meeting.
-
ACPS Provides Resources for Homeless Students
Not all students go home at the end of the day. Throughout every school in Alexandria, there are homeless students who need the support of the school system to help them get to and from school and get food to eat. ACPS has programs designed to help these students.
-
Students Walk Out In Protest of Titan Lunch Cancellation
On January 24, the Independent Student Lunch Committee (SLC) hosted a walkout to show the mass support for the Titan Lunch proposal. The walkout came after ACHS Executive Principal Peter Balas announced that the new extended lunch period would not be implemented for the second half of the 2022-2023 school year as planned. Theogony reported that Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt and her Central Office Leadership Team blocked the plan the previous week. This decision created immediate uproar from students, parents and staff.
-
Fentanyl Fast Facts
Fentanyl is a highly addictive synthetic opioid that is the number one contributor to drug overdoses in America. In recent years, the U.S. has seen a spike in fentanyl related deaths, increasing by 23% from 2020 to 2021. 67% of all overdose fatalities in 2021 involved fentanyl or other similar synthetic opioids. Fentanyl is often added to other less powerful drugs, without the user’s knowledge, in an attempt to increase potency. Often, people who overdose on fentanyl were initially unaware they were using the drug.
-
Inside the WorkKeys Exam, an Alternative to the Writing SOL
The Writing Standards of Learning (SOL) test is a standardized exam completed by 11th grade students in Virginia to provide a “verified” credit (for graduation requirements) and reflect the degree to which teachers are effectively instructing their students. However, the ACT WorkKeys is a valid replacement for the Writing SOL and is not widely known.
-
Students, Safety and the State of ACHS
When the beep of the loudspeaker sounds in the middle of third period, the room falls silent. Eyes flash up as everyone holds their breath. Just over a year ago, during the morning of October 6, 2021, the PA system notified a building of 10-12th graders that the school was placed in lockdown. As the lights were turned off and blinds were pulled, the lockdown bled into lunch. Some teachers continued with their lessons. Phone screens lit up, and the words “an abundance of caution” flooded the thoughts of thousands of kids behind locked doors. A few hours later, the student with a gun was escorted away by police with…
-
One Slight Hitch or One to Ditch?
One Slight Hitch, the Titan Theater Department’s Fall Play, was performed this fall quarter. The play-comedy written by comedian Lewis Black tackled family relationships and internal conflict interwoven with political commentary about the American Dream.
