Magnet school part of LCPS in Leesburg, Virginia
The Academies of Loudoun (ACL) is a magnet school in Leesburg, Virginia. It is part of Loudoun County Public Schools, and houses three schools with a focus on STEM education: The Academy of Engineering and Technology (AET), The Academy of Science (AOS), and the Monroe Advanced Technical Academy (MATA).[2][3] Students enrolled in the Academies of Loudoun attend the Academies every other school day, spending the remaining days at their non-magnet high school, determined by attendance zones. The Academies has an acceptance rate of 1.5%, making it one of the most competitive high school programs in the country. The Academies is located on a 119-acre wooded campus, and cost $125 million.[4][3]
Academies offers a 4-year program, but also has a three, or two-year program. AET has three pathways, Engineering, IT, or Entrepreneurship. Engineering and IT have a four-year class plan, and Entrepreneurship has a two-year plan, though you can then switch to a two-year plan of either Engineering or IT upon completion of Entrepreneurship.
Programs
The Academies of Loudoun offer 3 programs to Loudoun County students: the Academy of Science, the Academy of Engineering and Technology, and the Monroe Advanced Technical Academy. The Academy of Science was the first to be founded in 2005.
Academy of Engineering and Technology (AET)
The AET program has a variety of subprograms. For students admitted their freshman year of high school, they can apply to IT (4-years), Engineering (4-years), and Entrepreneurship (2-years). Upon completion of entrepreneurship, students may choose to fully leave the Academies, or join the engineering or IT program. For students admitted their junior year of high school, they can apply to Advanced AET. Advanced AET attends on the alternate day from regular junior-and-senior AET, but still encompasses either engineering or IT.
Academy of Science (AOS)
The AOS program is a lot more rigid in comparison to AET. The AOS program begins in a student's freshman year of high school, and lasts until their senior year. The first two years, students spend all day with the same group, rotating from math to Integrated Science I and II freshman year, and rotating from math to Integrated Science III to Research sophomore year. The final two years are more like a regular high school, where students mix from class to class, and where there is more variety in choices. Junior year, all students must take AP bio and Jr. Science Research, but have their pick between AP calculus AB and AP calculus BC. Senior year, students must continue in their math progression (either from Calculus AB to BC or from BC to Multivariable), but they may choose their AP science from AP Physics, C:Mechanics, AP Chemistry, and AP Environmental science. Students must also continue in their research senior year.
Research classes are differentiated by the aspects of each student's project. Some students work in pairs, though most work alone. Students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of science and research competitions, such as RSEF and ISEF.
Monroe Advanced Technical Academy (MATA)
History
The Academies of Loudoun opened in the 2018–2019 school year. This brought the three pre-existing schools under the same roof. The Academy of Science was relocated from Dominion High School, the Academy of Engineering and Technology was relocated from Tuscarora High School (Virginia),[5] and the Monroe Advanced Technical Academy was rebranded from the C. S. Monroe Technology Center, known as Monroe Tech, and relocated from its building in Leesburg.[6]
2024 fire
On September 17, 2024, a fire sparked in the welding workshop at the Academies of Loudoun. Fire-rescue crews were called at approximately 1 pm when a pull-station was activated. The school resource officer also reported heavy smoke coming from the boiler room. The fire was determined to be located towards the rear of the building, inside of the welding classroom's fume extraction system. It took about an hour to fully extinguish the fire. All students were evacuated safely. One firefighter and an adult civilian sustained minor injuries and were transported to area hospitals for treatment. There were no other injuries reported. The fire caused an estimated $1 million in damages. The fire alarm and sprinkler system were reported to have functioned as designed. The Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal's office determined the fire to be accidental.[7] The Academies of Loudoun was temporarily closed the next day, and the ACL annual fall plant sale was postponed until Tuesday, September 24.[8][9] The building was reopened to students six days after the fire on Monday, September 23.[citation needed]
Admissions Controversy
In 2019, the Loudoun NAACP filed a complaint that alleged African American students were denied opportunity to attend the Academies of Loudoun, based on their racial background. The Attorney General's office subsequently launched an investigation, and Virginia officials found that the Academies of Loudoun's admissions policies prevented qualified black and Hispanic students from being accepted. The Academies of Loudoun has since reviewed and modified their admission policies.[10]
Activities
Robotics Team
ACL RoboLoCo, the Academies' robotics team, participates in the FIRST Robotics Competition annually. In 2022, and 2023, they qualified for the FIRST Championship, colloquially known as "Worlds".[11]
References
