Schools | ARLnow.com

Parents Push Back on Proposed Attendance Changes at Nottingham Elementary

Published April 24, 2018 at 1:45PM | Updated April 24, 2018 at 3:25PM

(Updated at 3:25 p.m.) The Arlington School Board could soon change which students are allowed to attend Nottingham Elementary School, and some parents are pushing back on the proposal.

Arlington Public Schools staffers see Nottingham as a candidate to become an “option school,” meaning that students from around the county would be able to attend the Northwest Arlington school, and it would offer specialized programs. APS also is considering converting three other schools to option schools as it re-examines attendance boundaries ahead of opening two new elementary schools over the next three years.

ACFD Investigating Smoke in Taylor Elementary School

By ARLnow.com

Published April 24, 2018 at 12:25PM

File photo

A large fire department response was dispatched to the school at 2600 N. Stuart Street. Students and staff have been evacuated, according to scanner traffic.

No fire or flames have been found and firefighters are investigating work on the roof as a possible cause, according to radio traffic. Police are blocking off roads around the school.

Arlington School Board Weighs Student Device Policy Changes

By Alex Koma

Published April 24, 2018 at 10:45AM | Updated April 24, 2018 at 12:20PM

The Arlington School Board could soon overhaul the school division’s policy governing how students use electronic devices in classrooms.

Arlington Public Schools officials presented a new version of technology “acceptable use” guidelines for the board to consider on April 19. The policy would create a new set of standards around how students use their own devices in schools, as well as equipment provided by APS.

Arlington School Board to Examine Police Partnership, Student Rights

By Bridget Reed Morawski

Published April 19, 2018 at 5:45PM

Police at Yorktown High School (file photo)

The Arlington School Board will hear an update on student rights and the partnership between schools and the Arlington County Police Department at tonight’s (April 19) meeting.

The board will consider a memorandum of understanding that details the ways by which Arlington Public Schools and ACPD intends to “foster relations of mutual respect and understanding in order to build a positive and safe school environment.” Police officers are embedded in schools full time via the department’s School Resource Officer unit.

Medical Emergency at Williamsburg Middle School

By ARLnow.com

Published April 13, 2018 at 4:30PM

Williamsburg Middle School (photo via APS)

Police and medics responded to Williamsburg Middle School Friday afternoon after a student suffered a serious medical emergency.

“There was a medical emergency in a 6th period class and CPR was performed,” an Arlington Public Schools spokesman confirmed. “The student was transported to the hospital and was accompanied by an assistant principal.”

#MeToo Conversation to be Held at Yorktown High School

By Anna Merod

Published April 5, 2018 at 9:50AM

The event, scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. in the school’s Patriot Hall, will kick off Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month in Arlington.

Entitled “#MeToo: What Men, Boys, and Everyone Need to Know,” the event will feature nationally recognized scholar and activist Jackson Katz as the keynote speaker. Katz is also the co-founder of the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP), an organization that has been running gender violence, sexual harassment and bullying prevention programs for more than 20 years.

At Least 500 Wakefield High School Students To Learn Hands-On CPR

By Anna Merod

Published April 4, 2018 at 3:45PM

The event is part of the “Hands2Hearts” initiative which seeks to help every adult working or living in Arlington to learn hands-only CPR.

The initiative is sponsored by the Arlington County Fire Department and Virginia Hospital Center. Organizers will spend 30 minutes teaching students how to recognize a cardiac arrest victim while teaching them how to potentially save their lives through hands-only CPR.

Elementary School Principal Dies Unexpectedly

By ARLnow.com

Published April 2, 2018 at 2:00PM

Parents were informed this morning of Annie Turner’s passing. The cause of death “is unknown at this time,” according to the email.

“This morning, a support team of administrators, psychologists, counselors, and social workers from Arlington Public Schools joined our Henry team to provide counseling and support to the staff and students,” the email noted. “Counselors will be available today and throughout the days ahead for those who need additional support with this news.”

Video: Teachers Get Engaged in Bishop O’Connell Classroom

By ARLnow.com

Published March 29, 2018 at 11:15AM

Two social studies teachers who met at @DJOChair @OConnellHS give new meaning to “student engagement.” Congrats Mr. Whittaker and Ms. Moynihan!!! #WeAreDJO pic.twitter.com/mg9SPt2ykW

— John Meehan (he/him) (@MeehanEDU) March 28, 2018

APS Budget Proposal’s World Language Reductions Irk Parents

By Bridget Reed Morawski

Published March 27, 2018 at 10:45AM

Some Arlington Public Schools parents are unhappy with proposed budget cuts that would lead to fewer weekly world language instructional hours.

The proposed 2019 APS budget includes a number of reductions that aim to resolve the “$16 million in reductions this year in the face of our continuing growing enrollment needs,” wrote APS assistant superintendent Linda Erdos in an email to ARLnow.

School Board Reviews Design of New Elementary School in Westover

By Bridget Reed Morawski

Published March 26, 2018 at 9:45AM

New elementary school design concept, outlined in orange and blue (via Arlington Public Schools)

The Arlington School Board viewed the proposed concept design for a new elementary school in Westover last week.

With a desired opening date of September 2021, the 725-seat elementary school at the Reed School site has a total project cost estimate of $55.1 million, which is about $6 million more than what was approved by the School Board on June 16, 2016.

School Board Reviews Design, Construction Contract for Stratford School Project

By Bridget Reed Morawski

Published March 23, 2018 at 3:55PM | Updated March 23, 2018 at 5:26PM

Stratford renovation's exterior design

The Arlington School Board reviewed the design and proposed construction contract for the Stratford School building renovation at its meeting last night (March 22).

In a presentation, Arlington Public Schools staff said that the guaranteed maximum price of the renovation and three-story addition — which will prepare the building to host a new neighborhood middle school as the H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program moves to Rosslyn — “exceeded previous estimates by several million dollars.” A vote to approve the revised price ceiling is slated for next month.