Virginia’s Alexandria City Public Schools will implement new safety and security measures at Alexandria City High School after winter break.
The announcement comes in the wake of a series of fights at the school’s King Street campus around noon Tuesday that kept students held up in classrooms and shifted the entire district to virtual learning through the beginning of the holiday break.
In a Friday email to the community, District Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt said additional security will be deployed at the King Street and Minnie Howard campuses.
“Their presence, along with our dedicated school-based staff, will help us facilitate a positive re-entry experience for our students after Winter Break. In addition, there will be various changes that will be implemented at Alexandria City High School (ACHS) that we have diligently worked on planning over the past two days,” Kay-Wyatt said.
Changes include repositioned security cameras, increased hall sweeps by District personnel during the school day and additional supervision at lunch.
“We must be clear: We will not tolerate disruptive and violent behavior in Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS). Students who engage in such behavior will face immediate and significant consequences in accordance with the ACPS Student Code of Conduct, up to and including placement in an alternative educational setting or expulsion, in order to ensure the safety of students and staff,” Kay-Wyatt wrote in the letter to parents Friday.
The superintendent also noted that violating its policies could also have legal consequences. So far, police have arrested two students who they believe were involved in Wednesday’s melee.
Officers responding to the fights said another student was treated for injuries related to the fights. Information on staff injuries was not shared following the fights Tuesday.
Kay-Wyatt said this District’s work will also include “intensified support” for students, collaboration with the city officials and a more intent focus “on the underlying issues that lead to these incidents by offering comprehensive social-emotional supports as a means of prevention.”
“This has become an inflection point — a moment to reflect, reset and strengthen our commitment to each other and to the core values that guide our work as educators and as a community. I firmly believe that if we come together — students, staff, families and community members — we will rise above these challenges and restore a calm, respectful and vibrant learning environment for all of our students where they feel valued, respected and ready to thrive,” Kay-Wyatt said.
Students and staff return to the school on Jan. 6, 2025.
WTOP’s Ivy Lyons contributed to this report.
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