Elementary School Planning Initiative
To prepare for the opening new elementary schools in 2019 and 2021, APS has begun the process to create new school attendance zones, review elementary school walk zones and locations, and balance enrollment across schools. The School Board will take action in June on any recommendations to change an elementary school site from an option school to a neighborhood school, or vice versa. There will be opportunities for community engagement, including next Tuesday, Feb. 20, when maps of each school’s one-mile walking policy zone and a questionnaire for residents to provide input on elementary school walk zones become available at aps2016.apsva.us/elementary-school-boundary-change/; also available online is a timeline of activities in English and Spanish. Community members can get up to speed quickly with Episode 14 of the “What’s Up, APS?” podcast, featuring Lisa Stengle, Executive Director, APS Planning & Evaluation, and Wendy Pilch, Director, Elementary Education and Early Childhood Pre-K Programs, and a Facebook Live series with APS Integrated Project Planner Gladis Bourdouane and other APS experts. Each elementary school site will have a School Task Group to work with staff and families on the first step of reviewing walk zones to identify any potential areas of safe expansion.
New School Principal Search: Middle School at Stratford
A questionnaire is available online for staff, students, parents and community members to share their input in the search for a principal to lead the new middle school at Stratford, which will open in September 2019. The online form that asks for thoughts on the opportunities and challenges with opening a new school, and the attributes and characteristics desired in a principal to lead this school, will be open through February 20, 2018. For the questionnaire and a timeline for this principal search, visit aps2016.apsva.us/new-school-principal-search/. For information about the new middle school boundaries to begin in September 2019, visit aps2016.apsva.us/engage/middle-school-boundary-change/.
Community Discussion on Acceptable Use Policy
On Feb. 1, the School Board adopted the first of two APS acceptable use policies for student devices used for learning. This policy is specific to federal guidelines and filtering; the second policy will be an information item at the March 22 School Board meeting and a School Board action item on April 5. The second policy—which will address topics such as internet safety, digital citizenship, rights and responsibilities, and shared ownership—will be the subject of a Community Discussion scheduled for Monday, March 5, at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria of Wakefield High School (1325 S. Dinwiddie St. 22206). For more information about the Acceptable Use Policy process and timeline, visit aps2016.apsva.us/engage/acceptable-use/.
APS FY2019 Budget
The Superintendent will present the proposed FY2019 budget at the Feb. 22 School Board meeting which begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Education Center (1426 N. Quincy St.). To watch live, visit aps2016.apsva.us/school-board-meetings/watch-school-board-meetings/.
