Albemarle County Public School Board February 2025

Albemarle County Public School News:

Key Dates, Updates, School Board Vacancy Candidates

ACPS February 2025 Recognitions & Proclamations

The school board recognized two important observances with official proclamations and adopted a resolution of appreciation:

•       National School Counseling Week (February 3-7) – Read by Graham Paige (Samuel Miller).
•       Love the Bus Month (February) – Read by Dr. Rebecca Berlin (White Hall), in recognition of the National Association for Pupil Transportation’s (NAPT) annual campaign.
•  School Board Clerk Appreciation Week (February 17-21) – Judy Le (Rivanna) presented a resolution honoring School Board Clerk Christine Thompson for her service.

Statement of Support for Transgender and Anti-Racism Policies

Board member Allison Spillman (At-Large) shared that she recently made a public statement on social media in support of the division’s transgender and anti-racism policies. The school board has formally adopted this statement as its own, and Ms. Spillman read it aloud during the meeting.

Statement from the School Board Student Representative

Moosa Ahmed, a senior at Monticello High School and student representative to the board, highlighted student-led initiatives across the division:

•       At Monticello High School, students are working to address ongoing bathroom facility concerns, advocating for repairs and basic necessities like soap and paper towels.
•       Across the county, student clubs are celebrating diversity and fostering inclusion. The Black Student Union at Albemarle High School (AHS) kicked off Black History Month with a lunch event and hosted Chihamba dancers during Patriot Period. YAAPIC is celebrating cultural diversity with a Lunar New Year potluck.
•       The Student Senate is developing a proposal to expand access to Pocketalk translation devices to support multilingual students in STEM programs.
•       Students are also making strides in academic and extracurricular excellence. Two robotics teams from AHS are heading to the state’s Science Olympiad robotics competition and will compete in regionals this weekend.

Moosa commended students across our schools for showcasing dedication and leadership—whether by improving facilities, celebrating diversity, or expanding academic and extracurricular opportunities.

School Board Appreciation Month February 2025

Superintendent Dr. Matthew Haas presented certificates to board members on behalf of the Governor’s Office in recognition of School Board Appreciation Month.

Inclement Weather Update

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Daphne Keiser provided an update on the division’s inclement weather closures and instructional hour requirements:

•       Virginia law requires school divisions to provide 990 instructional hours (or the equivalent of 180 school days) each academic year. At the start of this school year, ACPS had 66 surplus hours.
•       Due to weather-related closures and delays, 55 of those hours have already been used.
•       If two or more additional closures occur, makeup days will be necessary. The division has identified the following non-instructional days that may be converted into regular school days, if needed (and in this order):

1.   Monday, April 28, 2025 (currently a Professional Development Day)
2.   Monday, March 17, 2025 (currently a Professional Development Day)
3.   Friday, March 28, 2025 (currently a Teacher Workday)

·       If closures exceed available makeup days, the division may consider temporarily extending the school day, adding days to the school year, or applying for a state waiver.

Overview of the Virginia School Performance & Support Framework

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has approved a complete redesign of the school accreditation and accountability model. The new framework incorporates student content mastery, growth over time, graduation rates, and readiness to provide a more comprehensive assessment of school performance.

Dr. Patrick McLaughlin, Assistant Superintendent for Strategic Planning, provided an overview of how the model will apply to elementary, middle and high schools, detailing how the VDOE will define and assess mastery, growth, and readiness.

This new model will take effect in the 2025-26 school year, based on results from the 2024-25 academic year.

2024-25 Second Quarter Financial Report

Jackson Zimmermann, School Finance Officer, presented the Second Quarter Financial Report for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The report outlines how funds are budgeted and spent across various state categories.

Proposed 2026-2027 School Year Calendar

Dr. Eric Irizarry, Director of Equity, Family, School & Community Relations, presented the Calendar Committee’s proposed 2026-27 Albemarle County School’s school year calendar. This earlier-than-usual process supports the shared goal of the committee and school board to establish a two-year calendar cycle.

The proposed 2026-27 calendar closely mirrors the recently approved 2025-26 calendar, featuring:

•       An early start and end date, continuing the division’s transition to a new academic calendar structure.

•       Alignment with Charlottesville City Schools on major breaks and holidays.

•       A two-week Winter Break.

•       Spring Break scheduled for the first full week in April.

•       Clustered professional learning days and workdays to minimize four-day weeks.

•       Flexibility for fall and spring family conferences.

Under the proposed 2026-27 calendar, students would start school on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, and their last day of school would be Thursday, May 27, 2027(before Memorial Day).

Albemarle Employee Care Clinic

In partnership with Albemarle County Government, ACPS officially opened the first of two employee care clinics on February 3. Dan Redding, Executive Director of Human Resources, provided an overview of this new benefit for ACPS employees, including clinic eligibility and available services.