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More Stories from the Week:
Calendar Reminder: Oct. 7 and 8 for Middle and High School Students
There is no school for ACPS students in middle school and high school on Thursday, Oct. 7, and there will be early dismissal for these students on Friday, Oct. 8, to allow for parent-teacher conferences on these days.
Meal Requests for Virtual Learners
ACPS will be providing breakfast and lunch meals at no cost for students who are attending Virtual Virginia Academy, or learning at home due to a COVID-19 related quarantine. Families have the option to pick up meals in person or may sign up to have meals delivered.
Parents must complete the online meal request form.
ACPS Staff Member Honored with Fulbright Award
Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School Teacher Kaitlyn Torres is among an elite group of Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program honorees. The U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board made the announcement as it celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Fulbright Program this year.
Torres teaches Talented and Gifted (TAG) fourth grade English Language Arts and Math and fifth grade English Language Arts. As a Fulbright recipient, Torres will foster meaningful connections across communities in the U.S. and abroad. Fulbright recipients engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often laying the groundwork for forging future partnerships between institutions. Upon returning to their classrooms in the U.S., the teachers share their stories and often become active supporters of international exchange, inviting foreign scholars and educators to their schools. Congratulations!
Indigenous Peoples Day: October 11
The culture and history of Native Americans is being celebrated as we mark Indigenous Peoples Day in October. Virginia is among the 17 states and the District of Columbia that now observe Indigenous Peoples Day, in place of, or in addition to, Columbus Day. In 2019, the Alexandria City Council unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day. ACPS students will have no classes on October 11, 2021, as it will also be a Staff Professional Learning Day.
As we observe Indigenous Peoples Day, it is a time to raise awareness of the history, culture and traditions of Native Americans, as well as the struggles they endured as explorers from overseas settled in the Americas.
ACHS Hosts Mock Election Day for Students with Virginia Department of Elections Officials
Officials from the Virginia Department of Elections visited Alexandria City High School (ACHS) to host a Mock Election on Wednesday, Sept. 29 to help students learn about voting. ACHS seniors had the opportunity to learn about registering to vote, finding their polling location, and information about who will be on the ballot this year if they are able to vote. For the Mock Election, students cast votes for candidates on the ballot for District B.
“The whole purpose of teaching government is we want students to be active citizens after they graduate and this is a great chance to show them, almost like a dress rehearsal to show them what it’s going to look like, they can ask questions, and they can register to vote,” Advanced Placement U.S. Government Teacher Amanda Kropp said.
Mock Election Day aligns with the Profile of a Virginia Graduate, which establishes a set of expectations known as the five “C’s”: critical thinking, creative thinking, communication, collaboration, and citizenship skills. The event focused on Citizenship: using one’s platform to make a broader impact on society. This approach will prepare every student with the content knowledge they need and the skills they need to apply it successfully after graduation.