Looking Forward to the 2023-24 School Year
Although it feels as if we've just returned from winter break, many of us are moving ahead with preparations for the next school year.
Even before the beginning of each calendar year, our fiscal services department gathers principals, department heads, advisors from the community and other staff members from across our division to begin planning our budget for the next school year.
All of this work informed the balanced funding request of $257.3 million that I presented to our School Board earlier this month. This is an increase of $10.9 million over last year, which we will use to support our projected increase in enrollment - which we anticipate will be more than 14,000 students - and to invest in supporting students as provided for in our strategic plan, Learning for All.
These investments include school safety, providing reading and intervention specialists at all schools, supporting staffing levels that will keep class sizes low, and a 5% increase in employee compensation.
You can view a recording of funding request presentation on our YouTube channel. Or, you can simply scroll down to our featured video.
Sincerely,
Dr. Matthew S. Haas, Superintendent
 |  |  |
Media Roundup A look at all the media that ACPS was featured in this month! | Career Learning CommunitesThroughout the month of February, we hosted an information campaign on our new Career Learning Communities. But, we're not done yet! Keep your eye out for more information in the coming weeks. | Preschool Applications Open!Our 2023-24 Preschool applications are now being accepted! Visit our website for more information on how to apply. |
Career Learning Communites
Throughout the month of February, we hosted an information campaign on our new Career Learning Communities. But, we're not done yet! Keep your eye out for more information in the coming weeks.
Preschool Applications Open!
Our 2023-24 Preschool applications are now being accepted! Visit our website for more information on how to apply.
 |  |  |
Teacher Workday Friday, March 17, and Friday, March 31, are teacher workdays. No school for students. | March Observances March is Equity in Education Month, Music in our Schools Month, Women's History Month, and Art in our Schools Month. March also hosts Read Across America Day on March 2 and National School Breakfast Week on March 6 through 10. | Spring Parent Conferences Schools hold spring conferences in February and March. See our Important Dates webpage for more information. |
Teacher Workday
March Observances
Spring Parent Conferences
Did you know?
Across the nation. studies show that chronic school absences (missing ten percent or more of the school year) doubled in 2021. As many as one in six students miss enough school to be considered chronically absent, according to the US Department of Education. According to the National Center for Education Statistics:
Poor attendance has serious implications for later outcomes as well. High school dropouts have been found to exhibit a history of negative behaviors, including high levels of absenteeism throughout their childhood, at higher rates than high school graduates.
These differences in absentee rates were observed as early as kindergarten, and students who eventually dropped out of high school missed significantly more days of school in first grade than their peers who graduated from high school. In eighth grade, this pattern was even more apparent and, by ninth grade, attendance was shown to be a key indicator significantly correlated with high school graduation.
In Albemarle County Public Schools, it’s estimated that 800 students are absent from one of our division’s 25 schools every day.
That's why ACPS is declaring March 15 as Students in Schools Day in an effort to raise awareness about the detriments of chronic school absenteeism.
Albemarle County Public Schools
