Schools

A staff proposal to remove a net of two days of instruction for Arlington elementary schoolers brought noncommittal comments from School Board members.

The proposal would rearrange instructional time in October and March to accommodate parent-teacher conferences at the elementary school level. It would result in 178 days of class, leading to some heartburn among School Board members who have pledged not to go below 180 days each year.


Schools

A late start to the school year and other logistical challenges could result in Arlington elementary schoolers getting fewer than 180 days of instruction this year.

School Board members are reviewing a proposal to alter the 2026-27 elementary school calendar to provide more opportunity for meetings between teachers and parents in October and March. This would result in just 178 instructional days for elementary-school students.


News

Students are arriving at Marymount University this week for their fall semester, potentially resulting in some traffic delays near the main campus.

Move-in began yesterday (Sunday) and will continue through this upcoming weekend, but the busiest day is expected to be Wednesday from 6:45 a.m.-5 p.m. This is the university’s official move-in day, with first-year convocation scheduled for Thursday morning.


Schools

An online Summer Skills Boost Program attracted almost 2,000 Arlington students between second and eighth grade this year.

Seeking to prevent learning loss and prepare for the 2026-27 school year, the self-paced initiative ran from July 6 to 31.


Schools

An Arlington Mill concert featuring student musicians and other local bands raised funds for Aspire! Afterschool Learning last weekend.

The Jackson Nine, a group of youth in Aspire’s no-cost summer program, rounded out an afternoon of performances at Arlington Mill Community Center plaza, which also included the adult bands APM (Always Preparing Mentally), The Stacks and Angel Roads.


Schools

The Arlington School Board is considering a formal ban on petting dogs that are working as service animals.

As part of a July 22 Policy Committee meeting, School Board members reviewed a proposal to officially require that students and staff refrain from extraneous interactions with service animals, including petting them.


Schools

Additional after-school opportunities will be available to youth in Green Valley at the start of this school year.

The Center for Youth and Family Advocacy (CYFA) is expanding “The Zone,” its literacy-focused after-school program, to students in first and second grades at Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School.


Schools

Ranging in age from 16 to 46, those in the graduating Class of 2026 at Arlington Community High School proved there was no single path to educational success.

“Every road led here,” Principal Jeannette Allen said at the graduation ceremony, held June 12 at Washington-Liberty High School.


Schools

Arlington Public Schools leaders are planning further limits on some grade levels’ access to digital devices, promising more opportunities for public feedback.

Superintendent Francisco Durán updated School Board members on May 14 regarding the status of changes and what is coming next for the program that once provided every student with a MacBook or iPad.


Around Town

Thousands of local youth and their supporters prepared for action in Pentagon City yesterday (Sunday) in one of two Girls on the Run 5Ks in Northern Virginia this weekend.

“Today is your day to shine,” said Caroline Woods, executive director of Girls on the Run Northern Virginia, as participants lined up near the starting line on S. Joyce Street, adjacent to RiverHouse.


Schools

Arlington Public Schools officials are urging school families to take extra care in the wake of a series of cyberattacks against a key online resource used by the school system.

The school system uses Canvas, a learning-management system for teachers and students that parents can access on a limited, opt-in basis.


Schools

A Wakefield High School senior is among a small group of Arlington students who have spent the past four months gathering feedback from fellow youth about the current state of the school system.

In an April 30 presentation to the School Board, Zach Dawson said there were areas where Arlington Public Schools was meeting students’ needs, but other areas where it was falling short.


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