A ceremony this morning (Friday) celebrated the planned relocation of Arlington Community High School to Amazon’s campus next school year.
Officials from Arlington Public Schools, Arlington County and Amazon attended the event at HQ2, which marks the first time in the 96-year history of ACHS that the alternative high school expects to have a permanent home.
“We’ve moved from place to place, carrying with us pride, our spirit and our determination,” ACHS Principal Jeannette Allen said at 1450 S. Eads Street. “Each move tested us. Each move asked us to prove once again, that no matter where we stood, our mission stayed strong, and every single time, our students and staff rose to the challenge.”
“Today, we can finally say we have a home,” Allen, who has helped lead ACHS throughout its past three relocations, added.
The new school’s entrance will be located next door to the restaurant Peruvian Brothers, and its classrooms will be on HQ2’s fourth floor. The school “will feature dedicated classroom spaces [and] cutting-edge learning technologies,” according to a press release.
ACHS serves about 300 students, many of whom balance full- and part-time jobs to support their families while pursuing high school diplomas.
In 2021, 35% of the school’s student body qualified as economically disadvantaged and more than 80% of students were enrolled in the English Learner program.
“[Public education] is one opportunity — no matter who you are, what language you speak, what neighborhood you come from, what income bracket you come from, who you love, no matter what — you’re going to come and have an opportunity to learn and thrive,” Superintendent Francisco Durán said at the ceremony.
The 22-story office building that currently houses ACHS is slated for redevelopment into a 302-unit residential building.
Construction on the new school is expected to conclude next August, ahead of the 2026-2027 school year.
Today we unveiled the future home of Arlington Community High School at Amazon HQ for the 2026–27 school year — a reflection of our commitment to equity, opportunity, and innovation.
— Arlington, VA School Board (@apsvaschoolbd.bsky.social) September 12, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Amazon initially agreed to build the school grounds as part of the long-anticipated PenPlace development, but it shifted gears to the existing Met Park campus last year.
Plans for PenPlace remain on hold. In June, the Arlington County Board granted the company a three-year deadline extension to get started on the project.
Steve Hartell, Amazon’s vice president of public policy, said the forthcoming school reflects the company’s desire to have “meaningful impact” in the area surrounding HQ2.
“This is a model, and I hope that this raises the bar for others to see what true community partnership looks like,” Hartell said.
