An Arlington School Board meeting yesterday evening (Thursday) attracted Republican governor candidate Winsome Earle-Sears and a large crowd of activists, most advocating for transgender rights.
This was the School Board members’ first meeting since they announced that they would be maintaining their current policy of letting transgender students use bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity, despite the U.S. Department of Education’s threats to withhold federal funding.
Changes to the online back-to-school packet, updated cellphone policies and planning for projects to support student well-being are coming to Arlington Public Schools this year.
School leaders hope that some of the changes will deliver a smoother process leading up to the first day of class, which begins one week from today on Monday, Aug. 25.
Artificial-intelligence tools will play a larger role in Arlington Public Schools classrooms and operations in the coming school year.
After a pilot program last year that involved about 400 educators, the school system has selected SchoolAI as its primary artificial-intelligence tool. In addition, staff will have access to Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini and NotebookLM for professional use.
Arlington Public Schools is kicking off the school year with a more nuanced approach to curtailing athletic activity for hot and humid weather.
School Board members have adopted a new policy designating the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) as the benchmark covering athletic contests and practices.
New summer school programs at Arlington Public Schools are hoping to find success where other efforts have fallen short.
Two new pilot programs are meant to help measure the impact of different learning models — and perhaps improve on mediocre results from summer school programs in 2024.
A new policy on notifying parents about confirmed and suspected drug overdoses could be going into effect at Arlington Public Schools.
To comply with a new state law that went into effect July 1, the Arlington School Board is considering a new policy statement requiring the notification of all parents or guardians at a school within 24 hours of a school-connected student overdose.
Arlington’s new School Board chair is promising to protect community values she sees as under threat from the state and federal governments.
Bethany Zecher Sutton’s colleagues unanimously selected her to chair the School Board at a meeting yesterday (Tuesday), replacing Chair Mary Kadera.
More partnerships with civic and business leaders could be coming to Arlington Public Schools as the school system seeks to rebuild relationships that suffered during the pandemic.
Superintendent Francisco Durán spotlighted a work-based readiness program at a meeting with School Board members earlier this month. He said that enhancing the program is one of the primary goals of a partnership improvement plan.
The Falls Church City Council has approved a pay increase and health-care coverage for themselves and their successors.
The raise will go into effect a year from now, while Council members will become eligible for the city’s health insurance plan next month.
Arlington school officials expect to record the highest on-time-graduation rate since data began being reported nearly two decades ago, based on preliminary data shared June 12 with the community.
Superintendent Francisco Durán estimated that Class of 2025’s on-time graduation will reach 95% when final figures are tabulated and reported in the fall.
The Arlington School Board appointed a new principal at Washington-Liberty High School last night (Thursday) in a controversial vote.
The unanimous decision to select Alexander Duncan III — currently the executive principal of Alexandria City High School, Virginia’s largest public high school — came despite efforts to keep interim principal Christian Willmore.
The estimated cost of building a new career center on S. Walter Reed Drive is ratcheting up again because of unforeseen conditions at the project’s construction site.
School Board members will receive a presentation on Thursday on appropriating another $1.18 million in contingency funds for the project.
