March 1 Engage Updates: Acceptable Use Community Discussion: Budget Work Session; Strategic Plan Input; Elementary Planning Initiative Working Sessions

Community Discussion Next Monday, March 5, on Acceptable Use Policy Please join a community discussion on a policy for student devices used for learning to address such topics as internet safety, digital citizenship, rights and responsibilities, and shared ownership. This will take place at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 5, in the Wakefield High School cafeteria (1325 S. Dinwiddie St.); it will be live-streamed and include simultaneous interpretation in Spanish. This is the second of two policies on this issue and will be an information item at the March 22 School Board meeting and a School Board action item on April 5.

The School Board adopted the first APS acceptable use policy for student devices used for learning, which was specific to federal guidelines and filtering, on Feb. 1. For more information about the Acceptable Use Policy process, visit aps2016.apsva.us/engage/acceptable-use/.

Budget Work Sessions on Proposed FY 2019 APS Budget
APS will hold Budget Work Sessions on the proposed FY2019 budget at 7 p.m. on March 13, and at 6:30 p.m. on March 15, in Room 101A in the Education Center (1426 N. Quincy St.). A Public Hearing on the proposed FY 2019 budget is scheduled for March 22. For more information, visit aps2016.apsva.us/budget-finance/. 

Community Input Survey on Goals and Strategies 2018-24 Strategic Plan Available March 2-12
Please share your thoughts and ideas on potential goals and strategies for the 2018-24 Strategic Plan that will chart the course for APS students, staff and our school division as a whole. A brief questionnaire will be available March 2-12 at aps2016.apsva.us/engage/strategic-plan/. The 2018-24 Strategic Plan Steering Committee is comprised of parents, students, staff, and community members. Using community input gathered since beginning work last fall, the Committee and staff have been drafting sections of this plan and seeking feedback from residents in order to further refine and finalize the draft plan for School Board consideration in June. The entire draft plan will be available for community review and feedback in April. For more information, visit aps2016.apsva.us/engage/strategic-plan/.

Elementary School Planning Initiative – School Task Group Working Sessions and Two Current Questionnaires
As part of the process to create new attendance zones and balance enrollment across elementary schools by 2021, APS is currently holding working sessions with Elementary School Walk Zone Task Groups, which include representatives from civic associations and PTAs for every elementary school site. A schedule of working sessions is posted here: aps2016.apsva.us/elementary-school-boundary-change/walkzonereview/. Community members can use two APS questionnaires—note that March 9 is the first deadline—to share their input on this planning initiative:

• Identifying potential ways to safely expand elementary walk zones: For questionnaires, information and maps for schools near you, visit apsva.us/elementary-school-boundary-change/walk-zone-resources/. Questionnaire deadlines vary for each school, between March 12 and 19.

• Providing thoughts on considerations used for reviewing locations of neighborhood and option elementary schools: This planning initiative may result in some option schools becoming neighborhood schools, and vice versa. Review staff considerations and suggest additional ones that APS should take into account for developing school location recommendations at https://survey.k12insight.com/survey.aspx?k=SsSRTVsYWQsPsPsP&lang=0&data=. The deadline for this questionnaire is March 9.

For more information, visit aps2016.apsva.us/elementary-school-boundary-change/.