Category Archives: Strategic Planning

“Theory of Change” Work Sessions – Oct. 10 & 11

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theory of change wooden blocks with icons for idea strategy action

One of the recommendations from the Bellwether instructional practices audit involves using a planning tool called a “Theory of Change” to identify strategies, actions and resources that can facilitate change and achieve desired outcomes. This process includes reflecting on the various roles of people in our school division and the influence of those roles on student success. As Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) begins this important work, we invite educators, administrators, support staff, students, parents and guardians, and community members to join us.

Are you interested in learning more about this concept? Would you like to help ACPS develop a Theory of Change? If so, please register to attend one of our upcoming work sessions: Continue reading →

Calendar Planning Survey

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ACPS has started its annual calendar development process earlier than usual with a plan to approve a two-year calendar for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years by this fall.

To help with our planning, the Calendar Committee would like to gather some initial feedback from you on such ideas as an earlier start to the school year, a shorter Winter Break, and an earlier Spring Break. We’re also interested in your thoughts about the timing of teacher workdays and professional learning days and the appropriate number of instructional days for students.

To provide your feedback, please review the two draft calendars below and then take our survey by Friday, June 2: Continue reading →

Now Forming 2024-25 Calendar Committee

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Attention all staff: We are starting our 2024-25 calendar development process! If you are interested in participating on the Calendar Committee, please email Jamie Gellner. We are looking for a diverse group of voices: elementary staff, secondary staff, school administrators, classified staff, students, and families. The first meeting will be Tuesday, April 18, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Zoom.

Approved 2023-24 School Year Calendar

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Calendar Image: August 2023

At their meeting on January 26, 2023, the Albemarle County School Board approved the official calendar for the 2023-24 school year. The approved calendar is available to view and print in English and Spanish on our division-level Calendars page. Under this calendar, the 2023-24 school year will open for students on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. For more information about the calendar development process, please visit our 2023-24 Calendar Development web page.

Calendar Committee Will Propose 2023-24 Calendar to School Board on Jan. 12

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Draft Calendar Image: August 2023 - UPDATE

In response to our recent calendar survey, nearly 2,000 employees, students, parents/guardians, and community members provided feedback on two calendar options for next school year. We sincerely appreciate your participation. Based on your input and that of the Superintendent’s Cabinet, the ACPS Calendar Committee has created a third draft of the 2023-24 School Year Calendar to propose to the school board:

Draft 3: Proposed Calendar


Draft 3 of the calendar maintains Wednesday, August 23, 2023, as the first day of school for students, and Friday, June 7, 2024, as the last day of school for students, and includes a traditional three-day Thanksgiving holiday and a full two-week Winter Break. Compared to the previous two drafts, Draft 3 reflects the following changes: Continue reading →

2023-24 Calendar Survey Now Open: Provide Your Feedback by Dec. 7

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Draft Calendar Image: August 2023

Attention all employees! Calendar development for the 2023-24 school year is underway! At this time, the ACPS Calendar Committee, which is composed of teachers, parents/guardians, and school and central office administrators, invites you to provide feedback on two draft calendars for next school year. In creating these drafts, the committee considered past feedback from students, employees, families, and community members, and prioritized the following goals: Continue reading →

Gender-Inclusive Planning Team Invitation

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Inclusion and diversity infographic

Would you like to have a meaningful impact on creating inclusive school environments for gender-expansive students? In August 2021, the Albemarle County School Board adopted the Policy on the Treatment of Transgender and Gender-Expansive Students. In order to plan for the implementation of the actions outlined in this policy, we are creating a diverse team of educators, administrators and employees, which will convene up to three times over the summer months. To be a part of this important team, or to share your thoughts on this topic, please contact Jamie Gellner at jgellner@k12albemarle.org by Thursday, June 9.

Please Share Your Opinion on the Draft 2022-23 Calendar: Respond by Nov. 21

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Beginning today, employees are being asked to share their opinions on our calendar committee’s first draft of the 2022-23 school calendar: Click here to take our employee survey.

The state department of education requires school divisions to provide either 180 instructional days or 990 clock hours of instruction per year. The draft calendar for 2022-23 reduces the number of instructional days to 175; however, it still delivers more than 990 clock hours of instruction. The reduction in instructional days will provide teachers with more workdays, more professional development opportunities, and additional time to meet the individual learning needs of students. Continue reading →