Today’s issue of ACPS Express will be the last weekly edition until Express returns on August 26. You’ll continue to hear from us when there is important information or news to share, just not every Monday morning as usual.
Before we hit pause, we’re topping off the school year with a recap of the many awards and recognitions our student and staff members have received for their exemplary work and highlights of good news we’ve shared over the course of the year. Kudos to all!
Community-Focused Students Named T.C. Williams Valedictorian and Salutatorian
Nationally recognized science talent Ana Humphrey has been named valedictorian, and T.C. Williams soccer star Caroline Bates is salutatorian.
Portraits of Our Graduates
Our T.C. Williams High School Class of 2019 graduates come from a wide variety of backgrounds and have diverse goals. Each student has succeeded in their own way. Meet ten of our 2019 graduates!
ACPS Student Bee’s Knees at Historic National Spelling Contest
Alexandria had its first participant in the Scripps National Spelling Bee this past week: Maury fourth grader Olivia Coleman. See how she handled the “histrionics.”
Titans Bringing Home the Championships
Titans are on fire this year, bagging tournaments and titles as they head toward the end of the school year.
T.C. Williams Remembers One of Its Greatest Titans
Iconic Remember the Titans Coach Bill Yoast, who helped transform race relations in Alexandria in the 1970s, has died.
See Who Got Our Awards for Inclusion
The winners of the Anne R. Lipnick Awards for Specialized Instruction were announced at a reception of staff, School Board and students. See our winners from Douglas MacArthur, T.C. Williams and Lyles-Crouch, and take a peek at photos from the event.
Teacher Who Helped Open ACPS’ Newest School Named Teacher of the Year
April Rodgers, physical education teacher and founding staff member at Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School, has been recognized for her powerful commitment to teaching life skills in her physical education classes and for her key contributions in opening Alexandria’s newest school last fall.
Principal with 36 Years of Educational Experience Named ACPS Principal of the Year
Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School’s Rene Paschal has been named 2019 ACPS Principal of the Year.
Beloved T.C. Building Engineer Named ACPS’ First Outstanding Support Staff Member of the Year
James Harrison is the first ever ACPS employee to be named Outstanding Support Staff Member of the Year. He has been honored for his commitment to students with disabilities.
ACPS Recognized for Girl Power in AP Computer Science
T.C. Williams High School has earned the College Board AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science Principles. T.C. Williams is one of only eight public schools in Virginia and one of 490 schools in total to be recognized with this award — out of more than 18,000 secondary schools worldwide that offer AP courses.
T.C. Senior Wins $250,000 for Research into Exoplanets
T.C. Williams High School senior Ana Humphrey has won first place and $250,000 in the nation’s most prestigious science competition for her research into exoplanets. She surpassed more than 2,000 other students in the Regeneron Science Talent Search and is the first Hispanic student to receive the award in 20 years.
Celebrating Our Support Staff of the Year Nominees
This year, for the first time, ACPS is recognizing an Outstanding Support Staff Member of the Year. This week we’re celebrating all of our nominees. Read what makes them outstanding. The winner will be announced in April.
Congratulations to Our Secondary Teacher of the Year Nominees
This week, meet the outstanding ACPS secondary teachers nominated for the ACPS Teacher of the Year award and The Washington Post Teacher of the Year Award, and read why their students, families and colleagues believe they deserve recognition.
Titan Scholastic Bowl State Win is No Trivial Matter
T.C. Williams High School claimed a commanding victory in the Scholastic Bowl state championship for the first time in T.C. history.
Brown vs. Board: It Takes a Community to Make a Difference
In our final article commemorating the 65th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education and Alexandria’s long journey to desegregation, we turn our attention to the community activism it took to made strides towards equity in Alexandria. Learn about the Secret Seven, a group of men resolved to end the systemic racism in Alexandria in the 1960s.
Community Cuts Ribbon to Celebrate the Opening of New Patrick Henry School
Community members, dance students, the Town Crier, the school’s eagle mascot, and school and city officials came together this week to dedicate the new Patrick Henry School and Recreation Center at an official ribbon cutting ceremony last week. It followed the community open house the previous weekend.
New Patrick Henry School Opens Today
The new Patrick Henry School officially opens its doors to students today, concluding 18 months of construction to build an expanded and modernized facility.
Teaching’s Highest Accomplishment — What it Means for the Classroom
Seventeen ACPS Educators earned teaching’s highest accomplishment, representing the largest group to complete the certification and recertification process in a single school year. ACPS now boasts 83 National Board Certified teachers and counselors. Find out what that means for students.
Leadership Skills Win T.C. Students Full Ride to College
T.C. Williams seniors Denay Taylor and Jefrey Lopez Henao plan to be the first in their families to go to college, but both lacked the means to pay for it. This fall they’re heading out-of-state to Bucknell University and Lafayette College, respectively, with full-tuition, four-year scholarships worth more than $200,000 each.
T.C. Teacher Wins Career and Technical Teacher of the Year
T.C. Williams High School Teacher Kimberly Wilson has been named the 2019 Virginia Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teacher of the Year for inspiring others to love the work of education.