By Cody Mello-Klein | cmelloklein@alextimes.com
The Alexandria School Board voted unanimously to renew its contract with Superintendent Dr. Gregory Hutchings Ed.D. during its June 17 meeting. Hutchings, who has served as superintendent since July 2018, will continue to lead Alexandria City Public Schools through June 30, 2025.
Hutchings’ time as superintendent has been defined by a focus on racial equity, culminating in the development of ACPS’ Equity for All 2025 strategic plan. During Hutchings’ tenure, ACPS has also moved forward on The High School Project, which aims to expand Alexandria’s high school into a network of connected campuses to address overcrowding in the city’s only high school. Under Hutchings, the city and ACPS have also moved forward on the Douglas MacArthur Elementary School rebuild and renaming of both T.C. Williams High School and Matthew Maury Elementary School under Hutchings.
“As ACPS continues to address challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and systemic racism, we believe in his vision for our schools, and we look forward to supporting him in his work as he continues to move the division forward,” School Board Chair Meagan Alderton said in a statement. “He and his team are committed to closing opportunity gaps and removing barriers to equitable access for our students.”
Not every decision of Hutchings’ has been popular. His decision to restructure the school division’s senior leadership was criticized by several former members of the leadership team, who said there was a lack of internal stability in ACPS. Hutchings also guided ACPS through the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to virtual learning, even as parents criticized him and the School Board for their deliberate approach to reopening.
“I know that this has been especially challenging as we pivoted during the pandemic to support students and families,” Hutchings said in a statement. “There is still much work to do and I’m excited to lead ACPS as we continue to innovate and prepare our students for a bright future.”