School Board | ARLnow.com

Published April 24, 2024 at 3:45PM | Updated April 25, 2024 at 8:35AM

Arlington Public Schools students learning on their devices while in-person during the pandemic (via APS/X)

A parent association is asking Arlington Public Schools to change its policy of providing every student with an iPad or MacBook.

Arguing that the devices are bad for children’s mental development and needlessly expensive, Arlington Parents for Education wants the Arlington School Board to roll back funding for them this budget cycle. It is requesting an end to the one-to-one policy for students in pre-kindergarten through 2nd grade, a reduction in devices for 3rd through 5th graders and a transition to PC laptops for grades 6 and up.

News

Former County Board members cast endorsements as donations flow into Arlington campaigns

By Daniel Egitto

Published April 18, 2024 at 9:30AM | Updated April 18, 2024 at 12:59PM

Election Day 2022 in Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 10:35 a.m.) Democratic candidates are racking up tens of thousands of dollars in donations, as well as numerous notable endorsements, as this year’s local races heat up.

Three Arlington County Board contenders are leading the pack in terms of donations for this election cycle, campaign finance reports show. Natalie Roy has raised about $41,000 so far, JD Spain has raised $37,000 and Tenley Peterson has raised $23,000.

Opinion

Morning Poll: No more birthday treats in APS classrooms?

By ARLnow.com

Published April 10, 2024 at 9:45AM

Birthday cupcake (Photo by Isabella Fischer on Unsplash)

Arlington Public Schools might definitively put the kibosh on outside birthday treats in the classroom.

A policy update is set to be considered by the School Board later this month, according to the Gazette Leader.

News

State reps call on APS to provide stronger labor protections in construction of new Arlington Career Center

By Daniel Egitto

Published April 4, 2024 at 3:55PM

A 2023 rendering of the Arlington Career Center

Arlington’s state legislators are calling on school officials to provide more labor protections for workers building the multimillion-dollar Arlington Career Center.

Sens. Adam Ebbin and Barbara Favola, along with Delegates Patrick Hope, Alfonso Lopez and Adele McClure, sent a letter to the Arlington School Board last month requesting a prevailing wage requirement. This would require workers to receive wages comparable to market rates when constructing the roughly $180 million project at 816 S. Walter Reed Drive.

News

Campaigns for Arlington County Board and School Board kick into gear

By Daniel Egitto

Published March 26, 2024 at 3:55PM | Updated March 28, 2024 at 12:17PM

Arlington Central Library November 2023 election (staff photo by James Jarvis)

While the presidential primaries are now a done deal, races for Arlington Democratic nods are just getting started.

A full slate of candidates are vying for seats on the Arlington School Board and Arlington County Board. Five Democratic contenders are jockeying for the place of outgoing County Board Chair Libby Garvey and another four are gunning for two School Board seats.

Schools

APS superintendent says lean budget proposal reflects state funding uncertainties

By Jo DeVoe

Published March 4, 2024 at 10:45AM | Updated March 4, 2024 at 11:09AM

The Arlington School Board and Superintendent Francisco Durán on Feb. 29, 2024 (via APS)

(Updated at 11:05 a.m.) Arlington Public Schools Superintendent Francisco Durán has proposed a 2024-2025 budget that he says avoids new expenses in a lean fiscal year compounded by state funding uncertainty.

He presented an $824.7 million budget — which increases the current budget by $12.2 million, or 1.5% — to the Arlington School Board last week.

Schools

Three candidates join the Arlington School Board race

By Jo DeVoe

Published February 9, 2024 at 9:30AM

APS mother and School Board candidate Zuraya Tapia-Hadley (via Arlington Dems/YouTube)

Four School Board hopefuls are now jockeying for the endorsement of Arlington Democrats this May.

Kathleen Clark, Larry Fishtahler and Zuraya Tapia-Hadley launched their School Board bids during the Arlington Dems monthly meeting at Lubber Run Community Center on Wednesday night.

News

David Priddy won’t seek re-election, as new School Board candidate emerges

By Jo DeVoe

Published January 4, 2024 at 2:45PM

Arlington School Board Vice-Chair David Priddy during the Jan. 3, 2024 meeting (via Arlington Democrats)

Arlington School Board Vice Chair David Priddy says he will not be seeking another term.

He was elected in 2020 along with Cristina Diaz-Torres, who currently serves as the School Board Chair and last month announced that she too would step down after one term. Both of their terms expire at the end of this year, meaning two seats are up for election this year.

Schools

School Board Chair Cristina Diaz-Torres is not running for reelection

By Jo DeVoe

Published December 7, 2023 at 11:45AM | Updated December 7, 2023 at 2:54PM

Arlington School Board Chair Cristina Diaz-Torres during the Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023 (via Cristina Diaz-Torres/YouTube)

(Updated at 2:50 p.m.) Arlington School Board Chair Cristina Diaz-Torres will not be seeking re-election.

Diaz-Torres, who became chair this July, announced the decision last night (Wednesday) at the Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting, to a chorus of dismay from some meeting attendees.

Schools

Anonymous commenting on new APS feedback platform divides some Arlington School Board members

By Jo DeVoe

Published October 2, 2023 at 3:45PM

The ThoughtExchange platform Arlington Public Schools has debuted (via APS)

Arlington Public Schools has a new internal social media platform for families but its anonymous commenting policy prompted a tense discussion among some School Board members.

This year, the school system launched ThoughtExchange, which allows people to comment on topics or proposals administrators bring to the community for public comment. Users can also rank the comments others make 1-5 stars.

Schools

APS to pause middle school boundary process for one year

By Jo DeVoe

Published September 28, 2023 at 10:30AM

Teachers and staff at Gunston Middle School greet students on the first day of school (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington Public Schools is pausing an impending middle school boundary process, citing stable enrollment this fall.

Earlier this year, APS was bracing for overcrowding at a few middle schools. It proposed busing some students from Dorothy Hamm and Swanson to under-capacity Williamsburg Middle School. It also floated moving the Spanish language immersion program from overcrowded Gunston to Kenmore Middle School.