Alexandria City School Board and Clerks Recognized During Virginia School Board Appreciation Month

The public service of the Alexandria City School Board and its staff are recognized in February as we observe Virginia School Board Appreciation Month and Virginia School Board Clerk Appreciation Week, Feb. 13-17, 2023. This month, Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) joins in celebrating the nearly 850 school board members across Virginia and the Virginia School Boards Association’s (VSBA) partnership with local school board members who advocate for public education.

The Alexandria City School Board has nine elected members. With its mission to ensure that all students achieve their highest academic potential, the School Board makes policy, budget and leadership decisions aligned with the vision of the division’s strategic plan. School Board Clerk Susan Neilson and Deputy School Board Clerk Alexandra Bourdouane work to assist the school board members, superintendent and our local schools on a daily basis.

The duties carried out by the School Board offers pathways to prepare students for life, college and career. This academic year, the School Board is sharing a 10-episode video series that features board members as ambassadors who introduce our community to the various aspects of the Equity for All 2025 Strategic Plan and helps stakeholders understand how this translates to student success.

In carrying out its responsibilities, the School Board:

• Establishes policy as it sets rules and adopts policies that affect each school in the division.
• Delegates authority to hire and evaluate the superintendent of schools.
• Sets an annual budget to ensure funding is effectively and efficiently used to meet the educational needs of children.
• Engages the community to listen to and respond to concerns as it also explains the division’s goals, priorities, values and conditions.

The School Board members, along with the School Board clerk and deputy clerk, carry out a vital role in addressing the needs of the school division, and earn our appreciation every day. This month, we thank them for their service and shine the spotlight on their work to ensure that ACPS provides an equitable, high quality education that is accessible and engaging for all students.