More Stories from the Week

Explore STEM at Noche de Ciencias, March 2-3

The Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) Noche de Ciencias (Night of Science) helps to provide added exposure to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to positively influence a student choosing these areas of interest for their career path. This year, ACPS families are invited to connect with experts who bring these areas of study to life through engaging chats, design challenges and follow-along experiments that make use of ordinary, household items.

This year’s Noche de Ciencias will take place March 2-3, 2022, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. It is hosted by the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), in collaboration with U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and ACPS. This year’s program features more than 10 STEM-focused federal agencies, institutions of higher learning and educational software developers including NASA, Howard University, 7 Generation Games and more.

“Early exposure to STEM positively influences a student and increases the likelihood of the student to choose their career path in STEM. The “Noche de Ciencias” event is designed to introduce the possibilities of STEM activities to our students and their families,” said Edgar Martinez, president of the SHPE-USPTO chapter. “We are excited to have youth engage during the event and be inspired by the knowledge of the presenters, and become interested and motivated in STEM and be prepared for college.”

The schedule of presenters and details about this year’s Noche de Ciencias program are available on the 2022 Noche de Ciencias webpage.

ACPS Celebrates Public Schools Week and First 100 Days

Marking day 100 of the 2021-22 academic year, ACPS celebrated the joy of learning and the experiences within our public schools that enrich our students’ lives. Divisionwide festivities were shared on social media with #ACPS100thDay. Students at James K. Polk Elementary School were captured in photos counting to 100 by ones,twos, fives, 10s and 25s. Other schools in the division decorated common areas with 100-day sayings, while some students dressed up as how they imagined they might look at 100 years old. Douglas MacArthur Elementary School displayed 100 hearts with the slogan, “Still Loving It.” It was great to see everyone’s creativity!

Right on the heels of celebrating the one hundredth day of the 2021-22 academic year in Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) on Feb. 15, 2022 we observed Public Schools Week, Feb. 21-25, 2022. Organized by the Learning First Alliance, Public Schools Week is an annual celebration that brings together school leaders, educators, parents and community leaders to recognize the importance of our nation’s public schools.

This year’s Public Schools Week theme is “Creating safe, equitable and engaging public schools.” Our public schools across the nation and here in Alexandria prepare future generations of students every year to succeed in their academic and career goals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, public schools also have served as anchors in the community for educational, social and emotional support.

Vaccination Interest Survey for ACPS Elementary School Families

ACPS is seeking information regarding the best times to plan future COVID-19 vaccination opportunities for students currently enrolled in elementary grades. This survey is for planning purposes only. It is anonymous, and the results will not be linked to any specific student or family member. The family vaccination survey is available online.