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Morning Notes

Published October 16, 2020 at 7:30AM

Big Jump in Local Home Sales — “The red-hot summer real-estate market that evolved out of the springtime COVID crisis showed no signs of abating in September across Arlington. If anything, the market last month doubled down – literally. Home sales across the county totaled 274, up 44.2 percent from the 190 transactions recorded in September 2019.” [InsideNova]

Dems Protest Outside Trump HQ — Democrats protested outside of Trump reelection HQ in Rosslyn yesterday morning, criticizing the president for not agreeing to a virtual debate with Joe Biden. They came with signs and a large “Baby Trump” balloon. [Twitter]

Schools

Arlington Public Schools Proposes New Elementary School Boundaries

By Jo DeVoe

Published October 6, 2020 at 11:30AM | Updated October 6, 2020 at 11:52AM

(Updated at 11:50 a.m.) About 1,400 elementary students would be reassigned to new school buildings next fall, according to a proposed change in boundaries that Arlington Public Schools released Monday evening.

The boundary proposal follows an elementary school building swap approved by the School Board in February, to account for the new Reed School building in Westover coming online and the former home of the Key Spanish immersion program near Courthouse being converted to a neighborhood school.

Schools

APS Outlines Return Timeline, As County Considers Community Centers for Supervised Learning

By ARLnow.com

Published September 24, 2020 at 11:45AM | Updated October 8, 2020 at 3:42PM

Arlington County is considering a plan to host some children of working parents in community centers for supervised learning, while Arlington Public Schools readies its plan for a return to in-person learning.

The use of community centers would be a relief valve for families that are unable to have a parent stay home during the day and do not have the means to pay for daytime child care. It would serve as an interim step until APS again offers full-time, in-person learning — whenever that may be.

Schools

Preliminary APS Enrollment Numbers Down from Last Year

By ARLnow.com

Published September 11, 2020 at 11:30AM | Updated September 11, 2020 at 11:55AM

(Updated at 11:55 a.m.) After years of school enrollment growth, Arlington Public Schools had fewer students enrolled this week than as of Sept. 30, 2019.

Superintendent Dr. Francisco Durán revealed the numbers at last night’s School Board meeting. The first-day enrollment on Tuesday was 27,109 students, 911 fewer than last year’s official September 30 count of 28,020, he said.

Schools

Arlington School Board Discusses Upcoming Review ACPD In Schools

By Joseph Ramos

Published September 4, 2020 at 1:45PM

The Arlington School Board is setting the stage for a process that would evaluate the Arlington County Police Department’s role in Arlington Public Schools.

The School Board heard an update from APS staff on the relationship between APS and ACPD’s School Resource Officers (SROs) last night.

Schools

School Board Adopts First Ever APS Equity Policy

By Joseph Ramos

Published August 24, 2020 at 4:45PM

Arron Gregory at the August 20 School Board Meeting (photo via Arlington Public Schools)

The School Board adopted Arlington Public Schools’ first ever equity policy during its meeting last week.

The policy, passed in a 5-0 vote, includes an overall equity belief statement and identifies governance, education, the workforce, and operations as key areas for APS to practice equity in.

Schools

APS Says Eventual In-Person Return Will Be Phased

By Joseph Ramos

Published August 20, 2020 at 3:15PM | Updated September 23, 2020 at 11:13AM

Arlington Public Schools says any in-person return to classrooms will be phased, bringing back certain student groups before others.

That was revealed in a School Talk message sent to APS families on Tuesday. Officials also announced plans to help connect working families in need of childcare during remote schooling with local options.

Schools

APS Expands Student Device Program to All Grades

By ARLnow.com

Published August 12, 2020 at 10:15AM

A student looks at an iPad (file photo)

Arlington Public Schools is expanding its “one-to-one” digital device program to students in kindergarten, first grade and second grade.

K-2 students will be getting Apple iPads from the school system this fall, helping to assist with remote learning. APS is also buying new iPads and MacBook Air laptops to replace aging devices for older students.

Schools

APS Plans On Still Paying Staff Who Cannot Telework

By Joseph Ramos

Published August 10, 2020 at 3:30PM

Superintendent Francisco Durán at the July 30 School Board meeting (Photo via Arlington Public Schools)

Arlington Public Schools is planning on paying workers whose job cannot be moved to telework through at least the first academic quarter, which ends on November 2.

Superintendent Francisco Durán laid out plans at the July 30 School Board meeting to have bus drivers and attendants, custodians, food service workers and Extended Day staff receive pay and a regular schedule during full-time distance learning.

Schools

School Start Pushed to September With Online-Only Classes

By Vernon Miles

Published July 17, 2020 at 1:45PM

It’s official: Arlington Public Schools will now open on Sept. 8, and classes will be held entirely online.

Superintendent Francisco Durán announced his decision to host online-only classes on Tuesday, at least for the first half of the fall semester, and spoke in more detail about the plan at a School Board meeting yesterday (Thursday).

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 10, 2020 at 7:55AM

Arlington Gets Federal Arts Grant — “Arlington Cultural Affairs will receive a $35,000 Art Works award from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)… [Arlington] will use the grant to support a multi-cultural artist residency project serving the Columbia Hills and Columbia Grove affordable housing communities.” [Arlington County]

Justin Trawick to Play ‘Secret’ Show — “We just got approval from Arlington County to present ‘Common Good on The Block’ benefiting the Arlington Food Assistance Center. Join ‘Justin Trawick and The Common Good’ for a secret street show with the full band on August 1st. This will be a socially distanced event and there are only 60 tickets available.” [Twitter]

Schools

APS to Require Masks, Daily Health Checks in Schools This Fall

By ARLnow.com

Published July 2, 2020 at 1:30PM

The Arlington Public Schools Syphax Education Center (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Nearly 1,000 people have signed an online petition calling on Arlington Public Schools to require masks for in-person instruction in the fall. They’re in luck: that’s precisely what APS is planning to do.

“Moving forward we will be requiring all staff and students to wear face coverings while in school and at work as medically appropriate,” Superintendent Dr. Francisco Durán said in a presentation on Wednesday, adding that APS based its mask policy on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control.