School Board Discusses Proposed New Name for the Key Immersion Program

The School Board discussed a recommendation to rename the Key Immersion Program as “Escuela Key Elementary” at its May 20 meeting. The Board will act on this name recommendation on June 3. If approved, the name will take effect for the 2021-22 school year when the program relocates to its new building, the former Arlington Traditional School site. The proposed name was recommended by a committee made up of staff, parents and community members.

The committee also recommended “Key Elementary School” as an alternate recommendation. The program is moving from its current location to the ATS site this summer, as part of the school moves approved by the School Board in February 2020.The full presentation is available online.

RecognitionsThe School Board honored employees for career milestones of 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 years of service to the school division. These employees are crucial to our success because they provide continuity and stability for school operations and instructional programs, institutional memory of best practices and are leaders, mentors and role-models for new and less experienced staff.

In addition, the Board recognized all staff as part of the APS Employee Appreciation Month. All month long, APS is recognizing staff from teachers to custodians to food service to bus drivers to Extended Day, assistants, principals, administrative staff, social workers for all that they have done over the last year.

Action Items
The School Board approved the following items:

• Virginia School Boards Association Legislative Positions – The positions include standards to prevent bullying, discrimination, racism, and all forms of violence during interscholastic activities.
• Revisions to School Board Policies I-1.35 Resources, I-7.2.5.31 Support, Resources and Extended Time and I-9.1 Selection of textbooks and Other Instructional Materials – Additional information can be found online.

School Year 2020-21 Update – The Superintendent outlined the updates to APS health and safety procedures in response to the Governor’s recent Executive Orders regarding masks, distancing and COVID-19 mitigation measures. The updates to Virginia’s mask policy are reflected in amendments to Executive Order Seventy-Two. Per the order, APS will continue to require masks on school property for the remainder of this school year and will continue to require masks inside on school property for summer school and the 2021-22 School Year. The Superintendent noted that the recommendations are fluid and adjustments will continue to be in response to the guidance for K-12 schools.  The Superintendent also noted that the Governor’s Executive Order allows APS to expand attendance for the in person high school graduation ceremonies to full capacity based on each location’s maximum occupancy. Schools will communicate what this means for each site in terms of how many attendees will be able to attend per student.

Finally, the Superintendent provided an update on secondary third quarter grades and the interventions and supports being offered to students who are experiencing difficulty.

Read the full presentation here or watch it online here.

Monitoring Item
Staff presented an update on the Equity and Excellence program which included highlights, challenges, data, lessons learned and bright spots. The full presentation is online.

Information Items
The Board discussed the following items:

• Proposed Revisions to School Board Policies I-7.2.8 Instructional Delivery Options
• Syphax Education Center Internal Modifications

Additional information on both items is available on BoardDocs.

For More InformationCitizens who want to comment on any items discussed at the School Board meeting should email the Board at school.board@apsva.us or call 703-228-6015. Citizens may call 703-228-2400 on the Monday after the School Board meetings to listen to a meeting summary.

For more information on how to participate in School Board meetings in person, visit our website.

School Board meetings are also broadcast live on Comcast Cable Channel 70 and Verizon FiOS Channel 41; live-streamed on the APS website, and re-broadcast on Fridays at 9 p.m. and Mondays at 7:30 p.m. immediately following the meeting. All materials and minutes will be posted to the website at aps2016.apsva.us/schoolboard upon School Board approval at a subsequent meeting.