The Charlottesville area is a very education-based community, and the City Schools, private schools and Albemarle County Schools all offer an array of wonderful programs to choose among, CharlottesvilleFamily recently caught up with the Superintendent of Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS), Dr. Matthew Haas to learn about what exciting things are happening this year, advice for parents and more. If you have recently moved to or are thinking about moving to the Charlottesville area, here is a good resource for learning about ACPS.
Albemarle County Schools Goals
Dr. Haas, what are your long term goals for the district?
My long term goals for Albemarle County Public Schools are found in our Vision and Mission Statements for our Strategic Plan, linked here: Learning for All.
Vision: Our learners are engaged in authentic, challenging, and relevant learning experiences, becoming lifelong contributors and leaders in our dynamic and diverse society.
Mission: Working together as a team, we will end the predictive value of race, class, gender, and special capacities for our children’s success through high quality teaching and learning for all. We seek to build relationships with families and communities to ensure that every student succeeds.
We will know every student.
I encourage all of our families to read our strategic plan, and as a school system, it is our responsibility to keep our big goals on the forefront so we all remember the purpose of our work. To accomplish our vision and mission, we have three, encompassing goals:
Thriving Students: We aim to provide learning experiences that set high expectations, offer strong support networks, and spark student curiosity to ensure both academic and social-emotional growth. Our strategies include a guaranteed curriculum, culturally responsive teaching, and allowing time for students to pursue interests outside of school.
Affirming and Empowering Communities: Our goal is to strengthen the social connections within the ACPS community, fostering a supportive environment for everyone. We focus on creating a culturally responsive space that respects diverse experiences and supports the physical and mental health of students, staff, and families.
Equitable, Transformative Resources: We ensure that essential resources are distributed fairly to students and teachers to enable transformative learning. This includes competitive compensation for staff, long-term plans for overcrowding, and an education foundation for equitable funding.
These goals have measurable outcomes and are broken down into strategies. Annually, we report our progress to the School Board and community in our State of the Division Report. Here is a link to the interactive report for the 2022-23 school year. Our report for 2023-2024 will be presented this fall.
What are the best things about the Albemarle County School District?
Without a doubt, the best part of Albemarle County Public Schools is the people who make up our school community: our approximately 14,000 students and their families, and our 2,800+ educators and education support professionals. Our staff’s dedication to children and commitment to high-quality teaching and learning make our district exceptional. And our children and families bring our schools to life with the joy of partnership and learning. Thank you!
What are you most excited about for the 2024–2025 school year?
This will be my 35th year in public education, and what excites me every year is the incredible opportunity we have as a public school system to be a powerful force for good in our community. I am always thrilled to work with our students and families, as well as our dedicated bus drivers, school and department leaders, office associates and clerks, EDEP educators, teachers, education support professionals, cafeteria staff, school counselors, security and safety staff, nurses, technology staff, librarians, custodians, and maintenance staff. I love working with all of these special people to make school happen for children and to make a positive difference in our students’ and families’ lives. Every year brings new opportunities to make a lasting impact, and I am just as excited now as I was in my first year.
Research-Based Learning and Testing
Do you have any new programs launching in Albemarle County Schools this year?
Yes, at ACPS we are launching programs this year, each carefully chosen to support our educators and benefit our students. With the pressures our educators are facing, it is crucial to prioritize programs that truly help them educate and care for children effectively. Here are some of the initiatives:
HMH Into Reading Virginia: This program is part of our compliance with Virginia’s Literacy Act and has broad support from educators and families. HMH Into Reading Virginia provides a strong scope and sequence for foundational skills like phonics and phonological awareness. It includes interactive and culturally responsive texts, literacy center resources, and regular assessments to help teachers make informed instructional decisions.
New Mathematics Curriculum: With the rollout of new Standards of Learning for Mathematics in Virginia, Albemarle County Schools will be selecting a new mathematics curriculum and materials to launch in 2025-26. This selection process will be similar to our literacy program selection, involving extensive vetting by educators and families to ensure it meets our students’ needs.
Community in Schools Partnership: To support our students and families with basic needs and services, we are partnering with Communities in Schools. This organization works within schools to provide integrated student supports, including academic assistance, health services, and family engagement, helping to remove barriers to student success.
Transformation Schools: To provide resources, planning services, data analysis, collaborative oversight and accountability for our schools facing accreditation and achievement challenges, ACPS is launching an internal program called Transformation Schools. This initiative will help these schools improve and meet their goals.
All these programs are aligned with our strategic plan Learning for All and our recently completed instructional audit. We are excited about these new initiatives and their potential to positively impact our school community.
What trends are you seeing for Albemarle County School District students and the Virginia Standards of Learning?
We aim to provide each educator with the support needed for excellent instruction and high-quality learning. The foundation of our curriculum is the Virginia Standards of Learning. We strive to give families clear, up-to-date information about their children’s growth and areas for improvement in alignment with these standards.
Our goal in the Albemarle County Schools is to engage each child in learning so that Standards of Learning tests are part of the process but not the sole focus. We emphasize deep and relevant learning of content and skills, preparing students for successful futures. Our SOL test results are trending positively overall; however, specific information on our test results is embargoed by the Virginia Department of Education until it is officially reported to school divisions and the public. For more information, look for our updated State of the Division report, which will be presented to the School Board in the fall.
What education research are you excited about?
I am excited about research and – more importantly – the actions our outstanding ACPS educators and education support professionals are putting into practice with the science of reading instruction. The science of reading instruction is based on research showing that teaching phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension skills helps students read better. It emphasizes understanding how sounds form words and using evidence-based methods to improve reading abilities, making it easier for students to become strong, confident readers.
Advice for Parents of New Students
Dr. Haas, what advice do you have for parents of students who are starting school for the first time this year?
Welcome to our school community! To help your child thrive and enjoy learning, here are some tips: Encourage a positive attitude towards school; your excitement will help them feel excited too. Establish consistent bedtimes and morning routines to make the transition smoother. Stay involved by showing interest in their daily activities and schoolwork, and ask about their day and listen. Reading together fosters a love for learning and strengthens their skills. Keep in touch with teachers and school staff—we are here to support you and your child. We value our partnership with you and are committed to earning your trust. Together, we can create a wonderful learning experience for your child.
Getting to Know Dr. Haas, Superintendent of Albemarle County Public Schools
What are some of your early memories from your school days?
Thank you for asking me this question. Reflecting on my school days brings back wonderful memories. I feel incredibly lucky to have attended public schools and to have been guided by professional, caring educators and education support professionals who mentored me and taught me the skills and knowledge I needed for a good life.
One memory that stands out is from my time at Peter Muschal Elementary School in Bordentown, New Jersey, whose mascot, like Virginia’s, is the cardinal. As a rising first grader, I had spent most of the summer under medical care with a challenging illness, including two weeks in the hospital. While I was on the mend, I did not want to go to school. I felt discouraged, tired, and worried that my symptoms would return as school started. My first-grade teacher, Ms. Webster (who had red hair like mine), along with our class’s education support professional, Ms. Thumb, and our school’s cafeteria manager, Ms. Schramm, came up with a plan to help me. They arranged for me to take an extra break in the morning to go to the kitchen for a snack. I did this daily for most of the first half of the school year, up until our winter break. I would bring a book with me, and often Ms. Schramm would take a coffee break to sit down with me, ask how I was feeling, and chat with me as I ate a few saltine crackers and drank a carton of milk. She sent me back to class with a gentle pat on the shoulder and words of encouragement. Each day, I recovered a little more strength and confidence.
Looking back, I realize that these educators became partners with my family to help me feel better, to encourage me, and to build my resilience when I wasn’t well. They did this so I would keep coming to school and have a good education, and they also gave me this extra support because they cared. I will never forget that, and I know that being a public school student and part of a public school community meant I was important to these professionals. They wanted me to get better physically and emotionally and to enjoy learning, and thanks to them, I did. This special memory from 1974 still resonates with me today.
I admired my teachers, the school staff, my coaches, my bus drivers, and so many kind and thoughtful people who worked in our schools. That admiration inspired me to become a teacher when I grew up—I wanted to be like them. Public schools and their dedicated staff have a profoundly positive impact on students’ lives, and I am grateful to be part of such a special community.
The 2024-2025 Albemarle Country School Schedule
Learn more about Albemarle County Public Schools and Dr. Matthew Haas at k12albemarle.org. Happy new school year! Read more school/education stories in the Education section of our site and learn about the Charlottesville City Schools.