Superintendent’s Weekly Update: September 21, 2022

Posted on September 21, 2022

En Español

Dear APS Families,

This Thursday, I will conclude my first round of visits to all 42 schools for the 2022-23 school year and look forward to sharing highlights at this Thursday’s School Board meeting. You can also view highlights from my school visits by following me on Twitter @SuptDuran.

On Monday we released a joint statement with our School Board to affirm support for our LGBTQIA+ students in response to last Friday’s release of proposed guidelines for Virginia schools affecting transgender students. It is important to know that the proposed guidance is a draft, subject to public comment prior to approval. Make your voice heard on this issue! The 30-day comment period opens Mon, Sept. 26 on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall website.

Policy J-2 Student Equal Educational Opportunities/Nondiscrimination and Policy Implementation Procedure J-2 PIP-2 Transgender Students which were adopted in 2019, following extensive community input, will remain in effect. APS will continue to treat all students with dignity and respect by standing strong in adhering to our values and practices that ensure equal educational opportunities.

Additional Updates:

New Student Progress Data Now Available: APS maintains two primary data dashboards online—the Student Progress Dashboard and Equity Profile. Both have been updated with 2021-22 year-end assessment results:
- The Student Progress Dashboard now includes 2021 Standards of Learning (SOL) test results and end-of-year data for DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Early Literacy), Math Inventory (MI) and Reading Inventory (RI). View our release announcing the SOL results.
- The Equity Profile Dashboard now includes the 2021-22 Standards of Learning (SOLs) test results for Grades 3 and 8.
- We use and share this data to continuously strengthen classroom instruction and identify students who need extra support to meet their goals or extend their learning.
SEL Student Survey Starts Oct. 25: APS will be conducting the social-emotional (SEL) survey for our students in grades 3-12 two times this school year. The purpose is to identify strengths and areas for growth. The fall online survey will take place between Oct. 25-28. The spring survey will be administered between April 24-28, 2023. Families who do NOT wish for their student to participate must opt-out by Oct. 21. Information regarding the survey and opt-out process will be shared in a separate School Talk email this week.
Attendance Matters: Our schools are reporting higher numbers of students absent or tardy this school year, which poses a challenge for our schools as teachers are working to maximize every instructional minute. Please help reinforce the importance of consistent attendance. Being present, prepared and on time is an important part of academic success. For more resources, review Build the Habit of Good Attendance Early and Keep Your Child On Track in Middle and High School: Pay Attention to Attendance from Attendance Works.