Review Agenda Item
Meeting Date: 6/17/2022 - 7:00 PM
Category: School and Community Relations
Type: Info
Subject: Parents for Safe Alexandria Schools Partnership Information
ACPS 2025 Strategic Plan Goal:
Goal 5: Family and Community Engagement
ACPS will ensure that all families and community members feel welcomed, respected, and valued.
Policy: KM - Relations with Community Organizations
Funding Source or Fiscal Impact (where applicable)
File Attachment:
220617_Board_Brief_Parents For Safe Alexandria Schools Partnership Information.pdf
Parents for Safe Alexandria Schools - Agreement - 2019 - 2024.pdf
Agenda Item Summary: The Office of Community Partnerships and Engagement's vision is to build broad-based, innovative partnerships that strengthen all Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) students' education. Through the facilitation of the formal agreement process for partners from initiation to execution, we can inspire civic engagement in students and encourage lifelong learners. Alexandria City Public Schools has had an active partnership with Parents for Safe Alexandria Schools through an official agreement since July 2019. That successful partnership continues to strengthen through multiple collaborative efforts.
Background: In 2019, Parents for Safe Alexandria Schools were connected with the Office of Community Partnerships and Engagement to discuss and establish an official partnership with ACPS to provide additional support in alignment with the ACPS school safety guidelines, information and initiatives. After initial discussion between Parents for Safe Alexandria Schools and the Office of Community Partnerships and Engagement, additional collaborative discussions with multiple ACPS departments (Safety and Security, Communications, Community Partnerships and Engagement and the Office of the Superintendent) occurred. These productive discussions resulted in the official creation and signing of the partnership agreement.

The partnership has strong collaborative components between Alexandria Parents for Safe Schools and ACPS aligned departments. Those include:

● Partner will provide recommendations regarding the Violence Prevention Plan
● Partner representation, as appropriate, at aligned ACPS Safety and Security meetings
● Partner social/emotional support resources for students through various programs and activities
● Partner will provide recommendations and information about safe schools community events and programs
● ACPS will provide in-kind facility space (in alignment with policies and regulations) for aligned partner events
● ACPS will disseminate agreed and approved partner outreach materials through multiple outreach methods
● ACPS will stay in contact with leadership from partner to reflect, enhance and continue to identify opportunities for collaboration

RECENT PARTNERSHIP INFORMATION:
During the spring of 2022, in response to the request from Parents From Safe Alexandria Schools, ACPS shared information regarding the Wear Orange/National Gun Violence Awareness Day. That information was shared through the following ways:

● Flyers distributed to students at George Mason Elementary School, Mount Vernon Community School and Charles Barrett Elementary School in English and Spanish
● Outreach through the ACPS social media, Express and Insider
● Resolution announced at a recent ACPS School Board meeting

In addition, ACPS and Alexandria Parent Teacher Association Council (PTAC) have supported the partnership in multiple ways, including:

● Being designated as an official community partner for the the local Wear Orange event that was held on National Gun Violence Awareness Day, Friday, June 3, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. in Market Square of Old Town
Recommendation: The Superintendent recommends that the School Board review the information in this memo.
Approvals:
Recommended By:
Signed By:
Julia Burgos - Chief of School and Community Relations
Signed By:
Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr. - Superintendent