- Alexandria City Public Schools
- Back-to-School Guide
Back-to-School Guide 2021-22
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The first day of school for grades K-12 is Tuesday, August 24, 2021, for all schools, except Samuel W. Tucker, which began on Monday, August 9, 2021. Early childhood PreK begins on Thursday, August 26.
2021-22 Traditional Academic Calendar (PDF)
2021-22 Modified Samuel W. Tucker Academic Calendar (PDF)
A full return to in-person learning is planned for the 2021-2022 school year! Find all your back-to-school information here and on your child's school website.
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FAQs: Fall 2021 In-Person Learning at ACPS
These frequently asked questions will be updated as questions come in and answers become available.
Learn more about the 2021-22 school year and Virtual Virginia.
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New to ACPS?
- Make sure you have enrolled your children in ACPS. Information can be found on our How to Enroll webpage.
- Visit your school's website to learn more about your school community and to stay up-to-date
- Subscribe to your school's newsletter and ACPS Express
- Follow ACPS and schools on Facebook and Twitter
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Back-to-School Basics
- Get Back-to-School Night Dates and School Supply Lists
- View school calendars on your school's website
- Review the ACPS Student Code of Conduct and the Family Handbook
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Transportation Information
- On August 18, families will receive their students’ bus transportation information via email; this will also be available in the PowerSchool parent account on that day
- Students should be at the bus stops 10 minutes prior to the scheduled pickup
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Positive School Attendance and Truancy Prevention
Equity for All Begins with Positive School Attendance
Good school attendance means...
- Elementary students read well by the end of third grade,
- Middle schoolers pass important courses, and
- High schoolers stay on track for graduation.
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School Nutrition Services
- Fill out the Free & Reduced Price Meals Application
- ACPS will provide breakfast & lunch meals at no cost for all students, including students attending Virtual Virginia.
- Families of students attending Virtual Virginia must complete the Virtual Virginia Meal Request form.
- Download the SchoolCafé App for iPhone or Android, or visit the SchoolCafé website for menus and more.
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2021-2022 ACHS Student Parking Permit
Permit parking will be available in the Chinquapin Circle for the 2021-2022 school year. Please review the timeline for the application, selection of students, and distribution of parking permits.
El parqueamiento con permiso en Chinquapin Circle estará disponible para el año escolar 2021-2022. Por favor, revise los pasos siguientes para los periodos de solicitud, selección de estudiantes y distribución de permisos de parqueamiento.
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Stay Informed
- Complete your Back-to-School Forms packet in PowerSchool Parent Access. A limited number of paper forms are available at your child's school.
- Make sure you have signed up for school and ACPS newsletters.
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Health and Safety Guidance
ACPS will continue to adjust health and safety measures based on the latest health guidance and best practices and update this information accordingly as changes occur.
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Re-Enrolling in ACPS
You will need to re-enroll your child in ACPS for the 2021-2022 school year if:
- If your child attended ACPS in the 2019-2020 school year, and
- Was homeschooled or attended a public or private school other than ACPS during the 2020-2021 school year.
Information can be found on our How to Enroll webpage.
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PowerSchool Parent Access
The PowerSchool Parent Access portal is where parents/guardians with children in grades PreK-12 can access their child’s academic record and more through PowerSchool.
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Mask Update – August 4, 2021
ACPS continues to work closely with the Alexandria Health Department and follow the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Virginia Department of Health. APCS mask policy for fall 2021 was addressed Tuesday, August 3 at the Special Called School Board Meeting. The Alexandria City School Board has approved the Superintendent's recommendation to require masks for everyone inside all ACPS facilities as we return to five days a week of in-person learning this month, regardless of vaccination status.
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Community Backpack Drives
We want to make sure that students start off on the right foot by connecting them with essential school supplies and backpacks that community organizations all across Alexandria are collecting and distributing.
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Health Forms and Immunizations
- All doses of medication should be administered by parents or guardians during non-school hours whenever possible and appropriate. If medications need to beadministered during school, please fill out the Authorization to Administer Medication Form (PDF)
- Review Medical Forms and Policies and return forms asnecessary.
- Make sure that your child is up-to-date with vaccines as required by the Virginia Department of Health
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Get Tech Ready
- Review the "Student Access for the First Day of School" instructions letter that you receive in the mail.
- Plugin and charge your devices.
- See the Family Helpdesk for video tutorials, answers to your questions, and to request help.