Friday 5 for February 4, 2022

1. APS Celebrates Black History Month & Releases Halls Hill Video Series

Join our schools in celebrating Black History Month in February! Watch this introduction from the Superintendent as we celebrate the history of our schools and the trailblazers who paved the way for others. Throughout the month, we’re recognizing one of Arlington’s oldest neighborhoods, Halls Hill, in a four-part video series. The first video features Halls Hill residents sharing the walls built to segregate the neighborhood. Next Friday, we’ll tell you the story behind Langston School. Follow along on Twitter using #APSBlackHistory.

2. Test-to-Stay Program Begins Feb. 14

APS is launching the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Test-to-Stay program to help ensure students identified as close contacts can stay in school as long as they test negative. Beginning Feb. 14, free proctored testing will be provided for unvaccinated, asymptomatic students meeting VDH eligibility requirements, at the Syphax building from 2:30-7 p.m. on school days. Program details and quarantine guidance are available online.

3. Fleet and Long Branch Crossing Guard Named One of Virginia’s Most Outstanding for 2021

Congrats to Shashu Gebre, Crossing Guard at Alice West Fleet and Long Branch Elementary Schools! She has been named one of Virginia’s Most Outstanding Crossing Guards for the 2021-22 school year by the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School program. This is part of Crossing Guard Appreciation Week, Feb 7-11. Schools will be celebrating crossing guards all next week, so be sure to follow their directions and give them a shout out to thank them for being there to keep students safe, rain or shine. Read the full release.

4. Washington-Liberty Students Win NASA STEM Challenge

Imagine having your science experiment sent into space on a suborbital rocket! That is the case for 10 Washington-Liberty students whose science experiment was selected as a winner in NASA’s first-ever TechRise Student Challenge. The challenge inspires students to seek a deeper understanding of Earth’s atmosphere, space exploration, coding, and electronics, as well as an appreciation of the importance of test data. You can learn more about the experiment and see who is on the team on our website. Congratulations to these W-L students and their teachers.

5. Emergency Meal Pick Up for All Students Next Wednesday

APS will hand out emergency meal kits for ALL APS families at Kenmore, Gunston and Yorktown from 2- 3:30 p.m. on Wed, Feb. 9. These kits will contain three shelf-stable meal kits to ensure that every student has healthy meals at home if APS must transition to virtual learning due to inclement weather. The kits contain all the items required for the school meals program including a serving of fruit (apple sauce) or a vegetable, whole grain breakfast items and shelf-stable milk.

Other News & Notes 

• Northern Virginia District Council of PTAs Announced the 2021-22 Reflections Winners
• School Board Appoints Principal of Alice West Fleet Elementary School
• School Board Appoints Executive Director of Transportation & Fleet Management
• School Board Member David Priddy to Host Virtual Open Office Hours on Mon, Feb. 7
• Reporting Student Absences through ParentVUE
• Letter from the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Discussing APS Curriculum and Critical Race Theory
• APS Announces 2021-22 All-District Band and All-District Choir Results
• Playwrights wanted to participate in the Arlington Public Schools & Signature Theatre Playwriting Competition
• Feb. 3 School Board Meeting Highlights
• Coming Next Week: School Counseling Week!