The 2024-25 school year for Alexandria public schools is in full swing, literally, thanks to Move2Learn programming, including our active seating for classrooms and our social and emotional lessons using movement.
We’re also outside the classroom with our Out of School Time clubs that are ramping up! These clubs are great motivators to get students to school on time and to stay there. That’s so important, because if a student isn’t at school, they aren’t learning.
The clubs—everything from walking and running, to cricket and boxercise, to yoga and dance—create a space for students to “belong,” building strong relationships and trust between students and their teachers. Because it takes place right at school, transportation isn’t an issue. AND, like all of our programming, it’s 100% free, removing the cost barrier.
Big Changes
So much goodness is going on for our OST programming. For starters, we have a new community engagement manager, Rebeca Gore, who’ll be able to provide even more onsite support to our program leaders. She’ll also have the opportunity to really get to know our students and provide real-time feedback on how things are going for everyone.
Rebeca, who is bilingual in English/Spanish, comes to us from Casa Chirilagua where she was director of youth leadership. Find out more about her>>
Some Highlights
- We have 20 clubs total, with seven new and 13 returning.
- We’re bringing our OST clubs to two new schools: Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology and Patrick Henry Middle School.
- We’re partnering with Casa Chirilagua to bring ping pong, yoga and dance clubs that will serve Hispanic middle schoolers this fall.
- About 600 students will get moving and learning—and having fun! We’re providing a lot more snacks this year to ward off the hungries.
Many of our program leaders are selecting or have selected students to participate who are having a hard time in school–maybe it’s with their grades, behavior or attendance.
Our New Clubs
- Functional Fitness for Students and Families, Cora Kelly. This will be led by M2L’s movement mentor. The opportunity will allow us to fully engage with Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth and build our family network.
- Girls Walking Club, Hammond Middle School. This is led by a school counselor who selects a dozen or so girls to “walk and talk” during lunch.
- Boys and Girls Cricket Clubs, International Academy, Alexandria City High School. The cricket clubs mostly serve students from Afghanistan. We’ve purchased wickets and filler dirt for Chinquapin Field. The boys meet one day and the girls another.
- Boys and Girls Wrestling Clubs, James K. Polk Elementary School. A male teacher leads the boys and a female paraprofessional leads the girls. We’re still getting everyone outfitted with wrestling shoes, but they’re having fun!
- Girls Workout Club, Patrick Henry Middle School. This unique program will get girls moving with weights, running, yoga, games and more. They’ll also read “Women in Sports” together for discussion.
- Girls Cycle Club, Patrick Henry. We’ve purchased, delivered and assembled nine indoor spin bikes. If they have more than eight students interested, leaders will add a “mat” component so the girls can take turns.
- Yoga and Pilates Mat Club, Patrick Henry.
Our Returning Clubs
‘Our returning OST clubs include soccer, lacrosse, dance, running, walking, step and boxercise. The popular stationary bike/water pump/garden club is also making a return!
These well-established clubs are being run by the same ACPS staff, so it’s a pretty seamless effort.
We’ve purchased a ton of athletic shoes, socks, lacrosse gear, backpacks, t-shirts, fitness trackers—whatever studentns need for their activities!
