By Cody Mello-Klein | cmelloklein@alextimes.com
The Alexandria school board voted unanimously – although not without deliberation – in favor of an amended high school capacity plan at Thursday’s school board meeting.
The plan proposed by Superintendent Dr. Gregory Hutchings, Ed.D will create a connected high school network to address ongoing capacity problems at T.C. Williams High School. It will expand T.C.’s presence into smaller satellite campuses in existing ACPS spaces, providing multiple paths and learning environments for the city’s high school students.
“It means that all students are not isolated or in one place, that you’re able to educate students in several different ways at different locations,” Hutchings said during his presentation.
The vote on Thursday will allow Hutchings and school staff to proceed into the planning phase. It did not, however, finalize a project design nor eliminate potential plans for a second high school. A motion by board member Margaret Lorber included language that guarantees the Minnie Howard site will be renovated or rebuilt and integrated into the connected high school network model.
Another motion, advanced by new school board member Michelle Rief, requires Hutchings to “provide multiple preliminary design proposals for the board’s consideration, including one or more proposals that incorporate the design for a second comprehensive high school.” Rief’s motion was approved with five votes in favor, four votes against.
For the full story, see the upcoming Jan. 31 Alexandria Times.
