001Greetings APS community. While schools may be quiet over the summer, Arlington Public Schools is actively preparing for the year ahead. This work is driven by the APS 2024 2030 strategic plan, which guides efforts across academics, operations, and staff development, ensuring every student has the opportunity to learn, thrive, and excel. We want to ensure that every student arrives with a sense of trust, support, safety, and belonging. That means making sure our schools are ready, our schools are safe, and staff are prepared. Academically, departments are working to close proficiency gaps in reading and math. These gains are supported by targeted professional development, data reviews, and increased co-eing across the district. In human resources, APS is expanding its grow your own programs, helping instructional assistants and substitutes become licensed teachers. Enrollment in these pathways is increasing by 10%
002annually, building a more diverse, sustainable, and local workforce. Substitute coverage is also improving with a target of 90% fill rate on the first day of school this fall. Staff engagement is another focus. New outreach sessions, wellness initiatives, and internal communications are being piloted to improve satisfaction and workplace climate across the division. Your child's presence in school matters every day. Chronic absenteeism, currently over 13%, is being addressed through focused summer planning. Our schools made amazing strides this year with attendance teams helping ensure our students are present in school. They are identifying barriers to attendance and developing tailored interventions to improve student engagement and well-being. Our schools and facilities must be in top condition. Over the summer, our drivers ran nearly 140 routes to ensure our nearly 17,000 bus riders arrive and depart school on time every
003day. We renovated multiple facilities with new kitchens, repaving projects, and more. Safety is also a top priority. APS is onboarding new threat assessment staff, upgrading emergency response protocols, and preparing for another annual emergency preparedness week. These efforts support both staff and student safety across all buildings. And throughout the summer, departments in transportation, food services, IT, and facilities are preparing behind the scenes, upgrading systems, refreshing buildings, and ensuring all operations are ready for a smooth start. We look forward to welcoming you back on August 25th.