Alderton Re-elected Alexandria School Board Chair; Superintendent Wants More Pay for Teachers
ALEXANDRIA, VA – Last night (Jan.5) the Alexandria City School Board re-elected Meagan L. Alderton as chair and Jacinta Greene as vice chair in a unanimous vote.
“I am honored to continue to serve as the chair of the Alexandria City School Board and look forward to the year ahead,” Alderton said, “as we do the vital work of selecting our next superintendent, advancing the 2025 Equity for All Strategic Plan and working to provide the resources needed for our students’ academic success and well-being.”
Alderton and Greene will serve one-year terms, effective immediately.
“The work of the School Board is so collaborative and strategic and, as vice chair, I am excited to continue working closely with my colleagues and school division leadership so that all of our students can thrive and grow in excellent, supportive learning environments,” Greene said.
First elected in 2018, Alderton has helped develop the process by which the superintendent is selected and served on the Educational Design Team for the Connected High School Network, which according to ACPS, is the group in charge of determining what courses students will take at the planned second high school. Having worked at a number of ACPS campuses as a special education teacher, Alderton is currently a special education program quality specialist at the D.C. Special Education Cooperative. She is the second Black woman elected as chair in the School Board’s history.
Greene, whose first term with the School Board was also five years ago, serves on the advisory committee for The Athletic Hall of Fame. Her passion is advocating for disadvantaged women and children and civil rights for all. For a decade, she has served on the Alexandria Commission for Women as its commissioner and first vice chair. Greene has also been vice president of the Alexandria Young Democrats and the chair of volunteer coordination for the Alexandria Democratic Committee.
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At another School Board meeting on Jan. 4, the interim superintendent, Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt, presented a proposal for the Fiscal Year 2024 Combined Funds Budget. It totals $359.9 million, allocating for more pay for teachers, the opening of a new school, renovations, maintenance costs, and much more. With her well-rounded proposal, Kay-Wyatt wants to make sure all the needs of students and teachers are met.
“Our students and staff have experienced numerous changes that have impacted their daily lives, and the education industry has been forever changed,” she said. “We have been able to make many lasting adjustments to improve our school division for the better, while also recognizing there is still work to be done to ensure our students are receiving the social and emotional supports needed for positive development and academic rigor to experience growth year after year.”
The School Board will hold a work session on the combined funds budget Jan. 12, (During this meeting the 2023-24 Operating Budget, $329.4 million, will also be discussed.) A public hearing will be held one week later. The Board is expected to adopt the budget in February. Following adoption, it will be sent to City Council for review and approval.
To view a timeline and summary of the budget process, click HERE.
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