Measuring Success in Alexandria City Public Schools
Learning, leadership, and liberty are important outcomes in education. When I speak to parents, community members, and business leaders, I often ask how they measure success. Most people measure the success of schools by test scores; after all, schools must be accountable for student achievement. So how do we measure success in Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS)?
A Lesson in the Virginia Way
I have suggested on several occasions that candidates and their professional minions take oaths ”to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” And do so in public. This would certainly test the “honesty and veracity” of them all.
Letter: Housecleaning At City Hall
During the mayoral debate on Oct. 2, sponsored by the League of Women Voters, the Old Dominion Boat Club, the North Old Town Independent Civic Citizens Association, and the Rosemont Citizens Association, I was struck by Mayor Euille’s unexpected frankness about the importance of the proposed Metro station for the Potomac Yard developers.
Letter: Impressed By Candidate
He was on the Alexandria City Council 2003-2007, and was vice mayor 2006-2007. He is extremely intelligent, hard-working, and sensible. I am convinced that “Mayor Andrew Macdonald” would be a great improvement for Alexandria.
Letter: Vote for Change
The time for change at City Hall is overdue, and we have a chance to effect that change on the first Tuesday of November.
Letter: Metro on Scenic Easement?
As the exiled duke said in Shakespeare’s As You Like it, “Tis true I have seen better days,” so it is today I feel totally exiled from the city I moved to 25 years ago. I feel deceived by the non-transparency and obfuscation in the adoption of the 2010 plan to put the metro on the scenic easement.
Letter: Out of Touch
As a life long Alexandrian, I'm shocked and dismayed that Justin Wilson would run again after being thrown off of City Council by the voters in the last election.
Letter: Fresh Alternative
Not long ago, I saw a clip on television of Barack Obama saying that as President, he would represent all the people, no matter whether they had voted for him or not. I wish three-term Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille shared that sentiment. I do not believe that he does.
Letter: Obvious Choice
I look for a leader who offers fairness and integrity. I think I am representative of a large percentage of women voters in Virginia and in the United States.
Editorial: Pick Your Own Election Day
It's called “absentee voting in person,” and there are a lot of reasons why you should.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6. The deadline to register to vote is past, although in Northern Virginia, it's clear that a very high percentage of eligible voters are registered.
Column: Aging Well in Alexandria
Senior Services of Alexandria recently cosponsored an event at the Watergate at Landmark for their senior residents on “Aging Well in Alexandria.” This vibrant condominium community, located in the west end of Alexandria, is home to many engaged and active seniors who turned out to hear from a variety of speakers about the myriad of services that Alexandria offers for this special population.
Letter: Limit on Density?
When density came up during the mayoral debate, only Macdonald came close to the penultimate question: when is Alexandria dense enough?
Letter: An Achievement Worth Celebrating
Last week, Alexandria’s GenOn (formerly Mirant) power plant permanently shut down. How did this happen?
Letter: Supporting Public Uses
There are major obstacles in the way of reusing the now-closed power plant property in Old Town North. Perhaps the most daunting one is transportation.
Letter: GenOn Plant Site’s Possibilities
I offer congratulations to the city and in particular to my former neighbors, Poul Hertel and Elizabeth Chimento for spearheading the effort to first reveal the harmful health effects of the operation of the plant on city residents and then to join with other citizens and environmental groups to pressure GenOn to finally close the plant.