School board to tackle police partnership, facility naming, and academic calendars at Thursday meeting
Board expected to extend SRO agreement while community poll results reveal divided opinions on honoring local figures
The Alexandria City School Board meets Thursday evening with a packed agenda that includes recommendations on facility naming, a vote to extend the division’s police partnership agreement, and first looks at academic calendars stretching to 2029.
The meeting, which is open to the public, begins at 6 p.m. at 1340 Braddock Place. Here’s what to watch.
Facility naming: One yes, three not yet
Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt is recommending the board approve just one of four facility names that went before the community in recent polls — “Owen’s Place” for the courtyard at the Early Childhood Center, which drew 75 percent support and would cost nothing to implement.
The three other naming proposals would be deferred until fiscal year 2028 or later. Those include Kerry Donley Athletic Field Complex at the Minnie Howard campus (49 percent), Keith Burns Field at Parker-Gray Stadium (40 percent), and Jean B. Reid Media Center at Naomi L. Brooks Elementary (50.1 percent).
Staff cited the close margins, significant “Do Not Name” support, and a tight budget year ahead as reasons to wait.
No vote is scheduled for Thursday; the board will hold a public hearing on Dec. 11 and vote on Dec. 18.
Ryan Belmore
Police partnership: Second extension sought
The board will vote on a six-month extension of its Memorandum of Understanding with the Alexandria Police Department, pushing the expiration from Dec. 30, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
It’s the second extension this year. Staff say the Governance Committee and School Law Enforcement Partnership advisory group need more time to complete their review of the 23-page agreement, which governs how school resource officers operate in ACPS buildings.
Ryan Belmore
Policy revisions: Student publications overhaul follows Theogony advocacy
Six policy and regulation updates go before the board on Thursday, with final adoption expected Dec. 18.
The most significant revision overhauls student publications policy — and comes after Alexandria City High School’s student newspaper waged a five-month campaign against district censorship efforts. Theogony’s staff drew national attention and won the 2025 Courage in Student Journalism Award from the Student Press Law Center and National Scholastic Press Association for their work.
Ryan Belmore
The new policy incorporates many of the students’ proposals. Principals will now serve as advisors rather than editors — an important distinction that gives students more editorial independence while maintaining adult oversight. The faculty sponsor and student assistant editor become co-editors, sharing responsibility. The update also adds explicit protection from retaliation for student journalists and adopts new ethical guidelines. A companion regulation standardizes procedures across high school publications.
Two brand-new policies also debut: one governing a board-managed website, including what content is permitted and prohibited, editorial procedures, and accessibility standards; and another establishing course offerings and an opt-out process for accelerated math under state-mandated policy.
Athletic eligibility rules get a five-year refresh, with GPA requirements moving from policy into regulation to align with VHSL guidelines. The revision also clarifies the support process for students who don’t meet the grade threshold.
Standard language updates across all policies include replacing “parent” with “parent/guardian,” reducing use of “shall” per Virginia School Boards Association recommendations, and removing gendered terms. ACPS has adopted 147 policies in the past year, exceeding the board’s target of 100. Another 84 remain in the pipeline.
Academic calendars through 2029: Key dates and a tricky year ahead
Staff will present proposed calendars for three school years on Thursday, with the 2027-28 calendar up for adoption at a future meeting.
For 2026-27, the already-adopted calendar gets minor revisions. Students start Aug. 24 and finish June 17. Winter break runs Dec. 21 through Jan. 1, and spring break falls March 22-26. Eid al-Fitr becomes a student holiday, with staff using the day for professional learning.
The 2027-28 calendar follows a similar structure: first day Aug. 23, last day June 15, winter break Dec. 20-31, and spring break April 10-14. Diwali will be a student holiday that year, again with professional learning for staff.
Parent-teacher conferences get a new framework starting in 2026-27. Teachers will hold conferences on Thursday afternoon and evening and Friday morning, while students get an early release on Thursday and the whole day off on Friday.
The 2028-29 calendar, presented for preview only, poses unusual challenges. Multiple holidays fall on Tuesdays or Thursdays — including Rosh Hashanah, Diwali, Election Day, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha — creating what staff call “isolated learning days,” or single school days sandwiched between days off. Winter break also falls on the latest possible dates, with students finishing Dec. 22 and returning Jan. 8.
The calendar committee flagged several concerns for the board: incorporating snow days given unpredictable weather, and communicating with families whose students will move from Tucker Elementary’s year-round calendar to the traditional calendar due to redistricting.
Fall enrollment numbers
The board will receive its annual fall membership report, which includes enrollment figures submitted to the Virginia Department of Education each October, along with transfer data and student-to-staff ratios.
Ryan Belmore
How to watch
If you can’t make it to the meeting, it will be broadcast on Cox Channel 71 in Alexandria and streamed live on the ACPS website.
See the full docket and supporting documents here.
