EDUCATION & SCHOOLS
Issues
2011-08-05 ACPS response to SHA request to reduce fee [doc]
2011-07-28 ACPS timing when documents re Hammond Lights [pdf]
2011-06-29 SHA FOIA request re lights at Hammond [pdf]
Email addresses for City officials re lights at Hammond [doc]
2011-06-07 Comments to Planning Commission - lights at Hammond [doc]
2011-06-07 Memorandum--Lights at Hammond [doc]
2011-06-03 City response re SUP lights at Hammond [doc]
2011-06-01 SHA ltr to Planning Director re Hammond lights [pdf]
2011-05-27 Response from City re lights at Hammond [pdf]
2011-05-26 Response from City re lights at Hammond [pdf]
2011-05-18 SHA request ACPS withdraw SUP for Hammond lights [pdf]
2011-05-12 Frank Putzu research Hammond lights SUP application [doc]
2011-02-28 ACPS mentoring program [pdf]
FY2011_City_Approved_Budget - lights Hammond [pdf]
FY2011_School_budget - lights Hammond [pdf]
FY2012_School_Budget - lights Hammond [pdf]
2011-01-14 Lights at Hammond athletic fields[pdf]
2011 cip for Schools
2010-09-25 SHA letter re TC Williams issues[pdf]
2010-06-10 SHA letter to Dr Sherman re TCWilliams[pdf]
2010-05 SHA email re TC loudspeaker[pdf]
2010-03 TCWilliams Wash Post 1[jpg]
2010-03 TCWilliams Wash Post 2[jpg]
2010-03 Titan Pride-Super Sherman 1[jpg]
2010-03 Titan Pride-Super Sherman 2[jpg]
2009-05 SHA Letter to Dr Sherman
Nan's Notes
2012-02-09 SHA Area 2 Representative reported on two items related to T C Williams High School. (1) The arm on the gate for the emergency road behind TC is broken so this road is always open to traffic. (2) The City is considering improving the tennis courts at Chinquapin for use by TC students. SHA members remarked that these courts are facing the wrong direction and as a result players always have the sun in their eyes.
2012-03-04 SHA requests for information from the ACPS and the School Board about the Hammond field plans have yet to be answered.
2012-02-09 SHA Area 2 Representative reported on two items related to T C Williams High School: the arm on the gate for the emergency road behind TC is broken so this road is always open to traffic and the City is considering improving the tennis courts at Chinquapin for use by TC students. SHA members remarked that these courts are facing the wrong direction and as a result players always have the sun in their eyes.
2012-02-09 SHA invited the Alexandria City Public School staff to present plans for the installation of athletic turf on the upper athletic field at Hammond Middle School and the redesign of bus lanes.
2012-01-12 SHA heard that the ACPS will put students in classrooms at Landmark Mall.
2011-07-24 More than three weeks after SHA submitted a FOIA request to the City re the lights on the upper athletic field at Hammond Middle School, no documents have been received.
2011-06-07 Planning Commission voted 4-2 in favor of the Alexandria City Public Schools’ application for an SUP to put lights on the upper field at Hammond Middle School. Next step City Council on June 25 and/or an appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals.
2011-06-07 SHA letter clarifying the City’s process to date re SUP for lights on the upper field at Hammond Middle School and that City staff are not impartial on this matter.
2011-06-06 The Director of Planning & Zoning denies SHA’s request to delay the hearing at the Planning Commission and adds that she “will prepare the formal zoning determination . . . requested.”
2011-06-06 SHA asks the Director of Planning & Zoning postpone the hearing at the Planning Commission because of the “complicated factual and legal issues with significant policy implications.”
2011-06-03 Superintendent of Schools Morton Sherman forwarded two City memos—both responses from James Spengler, the Director of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities dated May 26 and May 27—in response to SHA’s first letter on May 18. No response from the City’s lawyer.
2011-06-03 The Director of Planning & Zoning responded to SHA’s second letter with her “initial thoughts” instead of a ruling.
2011-06-01 SHA sent a second letter to the City asking the Director of Planning & Zoning for a ruling on the process and what applies to the application.
2011-03-10 The next public meeting about the Alexandria City Public School’s proposal to upgrade a field at Hammond Middle School—artificial turf and permanent lighting on the field at Seminary Road and Pickett—has yet to be scheduled.
2011-02-28 The Alexandria City Public Schools’ mentoring program—100TCKids—is seeking volunteers. Contact Meredith Wade at (703) 836-3951 or 100tckids@gmail.com.
2011-02-08 The public meeting about the Alexandria City Public Sschool’s proposal to upgrade a field at Hammond Middle School—artificial turf and permanent lighting on the field at Seminary Road and Pickett—was well attended by SHA citizens. City staff and contractors were unable to address concerns or answer questions from the public. They decided to defer the filing of the plan and to hold more meetings in the future.
2011-01-13 David Gartner reported that the Virginia Theological Seminary organized a committee to rebuild the chapel that was destroyed by fire last year. The new chapel will likely retain some historical features but may have amenities not built in the earlier building, such as a vestibule adequate restrooms. Stay tuned for information about fundraising. He also added that the Seminary is planning a major project to put in pipes for heating and air conditioning that may impact the Episcopal High School. He added that the Seminary's new café has yet to open but has applied for a City liquor license.
2011-01 The City is proposing permanent lighting on the athletic fields at Hammond Middle School. A public meeting is scheduled for February 8 at 7:30 pm in the auditorium of the school as part of the Special Use Permit (SUP) process needed to install the lights.
2010-10-14 No one in the Alexandria City Public Schools or the City Council has responded to SHA’s letter of September 25, 2010 objecting to the violations of the DSUP for T. C. Williams High School.
2010-10-14 The new principal at T. C. Williams High School—Suzanne Maxey—has agreed to be the guest speaker at the SHA Annual Meeting of November 9 and has asked for suggestions of topics to cover. Her email address is suzanne.maxey@acps.k12.va.us.
2010-06 SHA sent a letter to Dr. Morton Sherman, Superintendent of Schools, about the failure to regulate the use of the public address system in Parker Gray Stadium at T. C. Williams High School. Some users of the system violate Alexandria noise regulations and adversely impact life in SHA areas 1 and 2. The letter also called for the recreation of the Community Advisory Committee to work with T. C. Williams School officials. The Vice Chairman of the ACPS School Board Sheryl Gorsuch responded to SHA's letter to Dr. Sherman, liking the idea of a community advisory committee and will "get back . . . soon."
2010-05 T.C. Williams high School has a new principal, Suzanne Maxey, who has 26 years' experience in Prince George's County Schools and 7 years in Montgomery County Schools.
2010-05-13 Steve Harkness—Area 2 alternate representative—reported that noise from TC Williams' sound system is unacceptable but a resolution is not likely until after the new principal and new athletic director are hired.
2010-04 Construction at Polk Elementary school—an expansion of the gym and wells for ground heating—will run through July during weekdays and maybe on Saturdays.
2010-04-08 SHA is leaning toward having a panel at the annual meeting in November about the rating of T C Williams High School as "persistently low achieving."
2010-03 Burke Library held a March Madness Book Sale & Festival.
2010-03 State and Federal governments designated TC Williams High School as a “Persistently Lowest Achieving school.” The City spends more than $19,000 per student.
2010-01-14: Residents had a good meeting with T. C. Williams School officials about problems, such as noise and field issues.
Links
