ACPS board to hear update on college readiness program, vote on Hammond auditorium repairs Thursday
ACPS board to vote on $360K in Hammond auditorium repairs Thursday
The Alexandria City School Board will hold its regular meeting Thursday at 6 p.m. at the School Board Meeting Room, 1340 Braddock Place.
Among the items on the docket, the board is expected to vote on a $360,455 change order for ceiling and lighting repairs at the Francis C. Hammond Middle School auditorium.
The board in fiscal year 2025 approved $500,000 in non-capacity capital improvement funds for the Hammond auditorium renovation, according to a board memo from Mira Kim, a project manager in ACPS Educational Facilities. The initial ceiling repair proposal was quoted at $230,220, but demolition work uncovered hidden structural damage, adding $31,485 in costs, the memo states. A subsequent decision to add ceiling painting and replace 12 light fixtures while scaffolding was still in place increased the project cost by $98,750, bringing the total to $360,455.
The repairs stem from a spring 2024 incident in which ceiling tiles fell in the auditorium, according to the memo. An architectural structural study conducted in 2025 identified areas requiring repair. Staff divided the project into two phases, with the first focused on addressing safety issues and restoring the auditorium for the second semester. Approval of the change order would leave about $139,545 for the second phase, according to the memo.
Staff will also present on the Advancement via Individual Determination program, known as AVID, which has partnered with the district on college and career readiness since 2009, according to the meeting agenda. The program is currently in place at one elementary school and all secondary and K-8 schools, with elective enrollment for students in grades 6 through 12. The presentation will cover the program’s history in Alexandria City Public Schools and efforts to scale it districtwide.
AVID focuses on preparing underrepresented student populations for college, careers, and life through rigorous coursework and student agency, according to the agenda.
The board will also review proposed revisions to several policies and regulations. The revisions have been reviewed for state code alignment, audited for equity, and vetted by division counsel, the Senior Leadership Team, and the Board Policy Subcommittee, according to the agenda. The revisions are proposed for formal adoption at the board’s next meeting.
The agenda did not include any action items as of Monday and is subject to change before Thursday’s meeting.
See the full docket and supporting documents here.
The meeting will be broadcast live on cable channel 71 and streamed on the School Board Meetings webpage. Residents may also join via Zoom. Those wishing to offer public comment should contact the Clerk of the Board at boardclerk@acps.k12.va.us or 703-619-8316.