Schools

Wakefield High Students Re-Take SOL Exam After ‘Irregularity’

By Chris Teale

A letter to parents from Wakefield principal Chris Willmore said that on May 30 and 31, students had to move examination rooms after two-and-a-half hours of taking a test that does not have a time limit.

But, Willmore said, some students began talking while moving to the new testing area. Willmore said staff immediately reported what happened to the Virginia Department of Education, but a VDOE spokesman challenged that assertion and said it was reported after regular business hours on June 8. VDOE decided earlier this week that students had to re-sit.

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School Board To Consider New APS Superintendent Contract

By Chris Teale

According to a memo sent to her colleagues on the School Board by chair Nancy Van Doren, Murphy has requested a new four-year contract, effective July 1.

At tonight’s meeting, the Board will vote on whether to advance a notice of intent to renew Murphy’s contract as part of its consent items. If it passes, the contract would then likely be debated at the Board’s June 29 meeting.

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AHC Mentoring Program Celebrates Students’ College Acceptance

By Katherine Berko
Del. Alfonso Lopez (D) gathers with the graduates

All 15 high school graduates from the pilot year of AHC Inc.’s new college guidance program will progress into higher education.

This year, the seniors applied to 71 schools and were accepted into 54. Together, they received nearly $500,000 in scholarship money, including full rides to Georgetown University and the University of Pennsylvania. Many of the students are the first members of their family to attend college.

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Parents, Teachers Divided on APS Technology Initiative Ahead of Possible Plan Tweaks

By Brooke Giles
A student looks at an iPad (file photo)

Arlington Public Schools parents and teachers remain divided over the county’s one-to-one technology initiative ahead of possible revisions to the school system’s strategic plan later this year.

The rollout of the program began during the 2014-2015 school year and provides iPads for elementary and middle school students, Macbook Air laptops for high school students. The hope was that every student attending an Arlington school would have a device by 2017.

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Sparks Fly as School Board Debates Greater Diversity in APS

By Chris Teale
School Board member Tannia Talento

School Board members clashed Thursday over an attempt to add language encouraging more diversity in Arlington Public Schools.

The Board was discussing the new enrollment and transfer policy around neighborhood and option schools. The policies have been rewritten to help APS keep up with steep growth.

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ACPD: 18 Drug Arrests on Public School Grounds This Year

By ARLnow.com
Police cars (file photo)

That’s according to the Arlington County Police Department, in response to an inquiry from ARLnow.com. ACPD has thus far not provided additional details about the nature of the arrests, the suspects or the schools involved.

The new statistic comes as ACPD starts conducting K-9 drug searches after hours in Arlington public high schools.

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JUST IN: Police Dogs to Search Schools As APS Addresses Drug Problem

By ARLnow.com

During the last few weeks of the school year and throughout the summer, the dogs will patrol secondary schools after hours to try to sniff out illegal drugs.

Described as a “proactive measure” in a letter to parents, sent today (Thursday), the searches come at a time when parents are becoming increasingly alarmed about the presence of drugs in middle and high schools.

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Staff Recommends Denying Historic Designation for Potential High School Site

By Chris Teale

A plan to designate one of the potential sites for a new public high school as a historic district will be discussed by the County Board tonight (Tuesday).

But the proposal has drawn skepticism from county and Arlington Public Schools staff, who want the Board to deny the request and instead help preserve flexibility for APS as it solves its capacity issues.

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Arlington Schools Cracking Down on Fidget Spinners

By ARLnow.com

Kids have apparently been doing too much fidgeting, because at least two schools — and likely more — have addressed the issue in emails to parents.

A parent who did not wish to be identified said emails have been sent to her from Williamsburg Middle and Nottingham Elementary schools, saying that schools are cracking down on the toy, which was originally intended to help students relieve stress and concentrate in class.

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Police Investigating Student Attack on Teacher at Carlin Springs Elementary

By ARLnow.com
File photo

Initial reports suggested that a student brought a small, sharp object to school and tried to stab a teacher with it, but the teacher was not injured and did not require medical treatment.

The student was then detained by administrators and police were called.

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