Dear Friends of APS,

We hope you are staying safe in these most unprecedented times.

APS is working hard on return-to-school planning. The Superintendent will provide a status update at each School Board meeting through the Fall.

At its July 1 organizational meeting, the Arlington School Board selected Monique O’Grady as School Board Chair and Dr. Barbara Kanninen as Vice Chair for the 2020-21 school year.

See below a summer series for students titled Let’s Talk, a conversation about race relations in America.

Upcoming APS Community Engagement Opportunities: (Virtual until further notice)

This week:

• Wed. July 8   Session #1 – Let’s Talk: What’s on Your Mind? For students 12-15 years old. Register to attend.
  11:30 a.m.     Virtual meeting
• Wed. July 8   Session #1 – Let’s Talk: What’s on Your Mind? For students 16-21 years old. Register to attend.
  1:00 p.m.      Virtual meeting

Next week:

• Tu. July 14     Superintendent Town Hall on Reopening and Selection Process
  6:30-8 p.m.    Watch live online or on Comcast Channel 70 or Verizon Channel 41.
• Th. July 16     School Board Meeting: Superintendent presents Return to School Status Update
  7:00 p.m.       Watch School Board meetings live online or on Comcast Channel 70 or Verizon Channel 41.

This month:

• Wed. July 22  Session #2 – Let’s Talk: Brown Skin & A Blue Uniform (Students ages 12-15) Register to attend.
  11:30 a.m.      Virtual meeting
• Wed. July 22  Session #2 – Let’s Talk: Brown Skin & A Blue Uniform (Students ages 16-21) Register to attend.
  1:00 p.m.       Virtual meeting
• Th. July 30      School Board Meeting: Superintendent presents Return to School Status Update
  7:00 p.m.       Watch School Board meetings live online or on Comcast Channel 70 or Verizon Channel 41.

Next month:

• Wed. Aug. 5   Session #3 – Let’s Talk: Using Social Media for Social Action: From Bystander to Ally (Students ages 12-15) Register to attend.
  11:30 a.m.      Virtual meeting
• Wed. Aug. 5   Session #3 – Let’s Talk: Using Social Media for Social Action: From Bystander to Ally (Students ages 16-21) Register to attend.
  1:00 p.m.       Virtual meeting

Arlington Community events:

• Tu. July 14    WELL BEINGS Virtual National Town Hall at NAMIC on 2020 on Youth Mental Health
  11:00 a.m.     Livestreamed at WellBeings.org. No registration is required.
• The Arlington Historical Society is launching two scavenger hunts: one for families, one for high schoolers and adults. The directions can be found at https://tinyurl.com/AHSsleuth. Deadline to submit answer sheets is July 15.

Important reminders:

• 2020 Census: If you have not done so, complete your 2020 Census form online, by mail, or by phone at 1-844-330-2020 (en español 1-844-468-2020).
• APS Return-to-School Task Force Members and Next Steps

Arlington Community Resources:

• Arlington County food, financial and medical assistance resources. For food, call 703-228-1300.
• SCAN of Northern Virginia shares Covid-19 resources for families.
• Volunteer Arlington shares Covid-19 Care for Community.

Visit aps2016.apsva.us/Engage for more community engagement opportunities, School Board calendar, Arlington County’s Engage calendar.

Hope you are having an enjoyable summer.

Dulce Carrillo
Coordinator of Community Engagement  |  School and Community Relations