Dear Holmes Families: 

Good evening, everyone!  We had a great Spirit Week last week coming back from Spring Break, and a fun, exciting, and successful PTA Fundraiser at the Faculty Basketball Game on Thursday night!  Thank you to all of the families who attended, to the teachers who played in the game, and to our parent volunteers who made it happen!  It was a great event.

It's the last week of 3rd quarter, and then just 2 short months to go until summer.  This past week, in ER-8, we reminded students to stay focused and finish strong as we head into the final quarter of the year.  

In our newsletter this week:

• Next Week's Schedule of Classes
• Next Week's After School Program Schedule 
• Parent Chaperones Needed for April Field Trip for 6th Graders
• Month of the Military Child Proclamation
• Register your student for FCPS VIP Summer Camp!!
• 2018 Special Education Conference at Hayfield Secondary School - April 21st 
• FCPSOn Community Meetings Scheduled
• NOVA STEM Day 2018
• FCPS, Northern Virginia Community College Offer Summer STEM Camps
• FCPS and Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (DNCS) have teamed up to offer a 5 week camp for rising 7th and 8th graders
• Fundraiser for 8th Grade Celebration: Krispy Kreme Doughnut Sale
• Important Dates
• May/June SOL Schedule
• How To Stay In Touch

Thank you, and have a wonderful week!  

Sincerely,

Margaret Barnes, Principal

[email protected]                   

Next Week's Schedule of Classes: 4/9-4/13

This week: Mon., 4/9 = Blue Day Tues., 4/10 = White  Day w/ ER  3 & 4 Wed., 4/11 = Blue Day  Thurs., 4/12 = White Day  w/ ER 5 & 6 Fri., 4/13 = Blue Day   *NOTE: Students can always find the blue-white calendar in their agendas or on the website HERE.

After School Program (ASP) - Week of 4/9

For any questions you have about the After School Program, please contact German Cabezas at [email protected].

Parent Chaperones Needed for April Field Trip

All 6th graders will be visiting Washington DC on Tuesday, April 24th, and Wednesday, April 25th.  All permission slips are due to your student's Social Studies teacher by Monday, April 9th.  If you would be interested in being a parent chaperone, please contact Ms. Lynette Faight at [email protected].  

Month of the Military Child Proclamation

Each year our nation designates April as the Month of the Military Child to recognize and thank children from military families for the contributions and sacrifices they make living the military lifestyle.  The recognition is part of the legacy of former Defense Secretary Casper Weinberger who established the commemoration in 1986.  During the month, one day is selected as the day to “Purple Up! For Military Kids” and all are encouraged to wear purple in recognition of the strength of military connected youth (MCY).  Why purple?  Purple is the color that symbolizes all branches of the military as it is the combination of Army green, Coast Guard blue, Air Force blue, Marine red, and Navy blue.  This year Purple Up day will be celebrated on April 13, 2018.

In observation of the Month of the Military Child (MOMC), FCPS is encouraging schools to take the time to celebrate and honor our military connected youth (MCY).  A fillable certificateis available to award to MCY.  Additional resources, ideas, and materials to help schools celebrate are available on the FCPS intranet site.  Check the Healthy Minds blog throughout the month for more ideas and information.  The School Board will recognize April as the Month of the Military Child at the April 12, 2018, School Board meeting beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Luther Jackson MS.  All military connected youth and their families and school staff supporting them are invited to attend.

 

2018 Special Education Conference to Be Held Saturday, April 21, at Hayfield Secondary School

FCPS will hold the 13th annual Special Education Conference on Saturday, April 21, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Hayfield Secondary School. The conference, designed for parents and educators of students who receive special education services or who have learning challenges or special needs, will feature Dr. Pamela Mims, associate professor of special education and associate dean of research and grants in the College of Education at East Tennessee University, as the keynote speaker. Mims’ keynote topic is Using Evidence to Guide Practice: Justifying Inclusion for All. 

In addition, this year there will be more than 60 breakout sessions to choose from.

Get more information about the 2018 Special Education Conference and register for workshop sessions. 

 

FCPSOn Community Meetings Scheduled

FCPS is on a journey to enhance learning through FCPSOn, a 1-to-1 digital transformation. The term 1:1 means each student will have access to one device to use for learning.  Holmes will be beginning this journey next year by going 1-to-1 with all 8th graders.  

FCPSOn extends student learning and increases equitable access to technology and instructional practices that lead to personalized, meaningful learning experiences which provide opportunities for deeper understanding and development of Portrait of a Graduate attributes. The FCPS Strategic Plan Ignite includes access to contemporary and effective technology as a component of the Student Success goal. 

Students will have access to the device at school, and in some schools and grade levels, students will also be able to take their device home. 

Community Meetings Scheduled in Each Region

A plan has been developed to engage community stakeholders on the next phase of FCPSOn. This plan involves regional as well as school-based community engagement.  Five community meetings (one in each region) are scheduled in March and April to explain how FCPSOn supports the division’s Portrait of a Graduate and Ignite goals.

In 2018-19, school-based community engagement will begin for schools scheduled to implement FCPSOn during SY 2019-20. These school-based engagement activities will help stakeholders develop a deeper understanding of FCPSOn and the instructional practices that will be implemented when 1:1 technology is deployed in their local schools. 

Learn more about FCPSOn and how it supports the Portrait of a Graduate and Ignite Strategic Plan goals by attending one of five community meetings. All meetings will begin at 7 p.m.  To request an interpreter, please click on Interpreter Request Form.

Dates and locations for the community meetings and more information about FCPSOn are available here

NOVA STEM Day 2018

The second annual NOVA STEM Day (www.novastemday.com) will be held at the Alexandria Campus on Saturday, April 14, 2018 from 10am to 3pm. NOVA STEM Day is a free public festival celebrating STEM. They expect to have mostly elementary and middle school aged attendees with their families, but also hopefully some older ones as well.

FCPS, Northern Virginia Community College Offer Summer STEM Camps

Fairfax County Public Schools is partnering with Northern Virginia Community College to offer more than a dozen one-week STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) summer camps during the summer break.

Open to students currently enrolled in grades 3-12, these one-week camps emphasize hands-on learning, teamwork, critical thinking, and career awareness in a fun and engaging way. Topics include robotics, coding, forensics, cybersecurity, app design, aviation, and pre-health.

Camps will run June 18 through August 3 at the following locations: Edison High School, Marshall High School, Westfield High School, and Hughes Middle School. Discounts are available to parents who sign up their child for multiple camps or sign up multiple children.

Additional information and registration is available online or by contacting STEM Outreach Coordinator Charles Britt at @email or 703-425-5917.

 

FCPS and Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (DNCS) have teamed up to offer a 5 week camp for rising 7th and 8th graders

What is your middle school child doing this summer?

Like you, we believe your child is a Very Important Person and deserves a summer experience that is safe and full of fitness, friends, fun and enrichment.  FCPS and Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (DNCS) have teamed up to offer a 5 week camp for rising 7th and 8th graders. 

Our camp will be a combination of students from the following middle schools: Glasgow, Holmes, Jackson, Kilmer, Poe, and Thoreau.  Bus transportation will be provided from various pick-up locations which will be communicated in June prior to the start of camp. 

There is a $50 registration fee.  We will take weekly field trips and pricing information for that will be released after we have notified students of acceptance.  Students who do not attend the field trips will not need to pay the field trip fees, but will need to stay home from camp that day as all of our staff will attend the trip.  Students will also have the option of choosing which trips to attend. 

The staff is led by your local After-School Specialists and trained DNCS staff.  Campers will have a great time playing sports, games, doing arts and crafts and exploring concepts in science and technology.

Details

Dates: July 2, 2018 - August 2, 2018 (campers are encouraged to attend all 5 weeks)

Times: 8:00am-4:00pm

Location: Thoreau Middle School

Registration:  Begins on Monday, March 19th, and will close on Friday, April 20th.   You can expect to receive notice of acceptance or waitlist status soon after registration closes in late April.  Registration fee payment information will be communicated at that time.  Sign up by picking up a registration packet from Thoreau's main office or visiting this link: https://goo.gl/forms/lEikoWujZQ06I5eh2

Cost: $50 registration fee plus field trip fees (admission plus transportation cost)

With limited spaces available, it’s important to submit your registration as soon as possible. 

Questions? Contact Shannon Campbell at @email or 703-846-8089.

 

 

Fundraiser for 8th Grade Celebration!

Important Dates

• Friday, 4/13 - Advanced Theater Trip to NYC
• Friday, 4/13 - 3rd Quarter Grading Period Ends / 2-hour early release
• Monday, 4/16 - TEACHER WORKDAY / STUDENT HOLIDAY
• Tuesday, 4/17 - 8th Grade Level 1 & 2 ESOL Students visit to Annandale HS
• Friday, 4/20 - Saturday, 4/21 - Solo & Ensemble Festival
• Tuesday, 4/24 - Wednesday, 4/25 - 6th Grade Field Trip to Washington, DC
• Saturday, 4/28 - Girls Running Club 5K at FedEx Field
• Wednesday, 5/2, 1:45 PM - Q3 Honor Roll Ice Cream Party (Students Only)
• Thursday, 5/10 - Friday, May 11 - Music Department Trip to Williamsburg
• Monday, 5/14, 6:30 PM - PTA Meeting
• Thursday, 5/17 - Capital One Coders App Fair
• Tuesday, 5/22, 7:00 PM - Chorus & Orchestra Spring Concert (Annandale HS)
• Friday, 5/25 - Music Department trip to Six Flags America
• Friday, 5/25 - Last Day for Clubs
• Monday, 5/28 - Memorial Day Holiday - NO SCHOOL
• Wednesday, 5/30, 7:00 PM Band Concert (Gym)
• Thursday, 5/31, 7:00 PM - Advanced Theatre Showcase (Cafeteria)
• Tuesday, 6/5, 7:00 PM - Music Recital (Gym)
• Thursday, 6/7 - Last Day for Late Buses
• Friday, 6/8, 6:00 PM - 8th Grade Celebration (Cafeteria)
• Monday, 6/11, 8:00 AM - 6th Grade Awards Ceremony (Gym)
• Monday, 6/11, 6:30 PM - PTA Meeting
• Tuesday, 6/12, 8:00 AM - 7th Grade Awards Ceremony (Gym)
• Wednesday, 6/13, 8:00 AM - 8th Grade Awards Ceremony (Gym)
• Thursday, 6/14 - SCA Schoolwide Activity Day
• Friday, 6/15 - Last Day of School / 2-hour early release

May/June SOL Schedule

Interested in learning more about the SOL exams your child will take?  Here are links from the Virginia Department of Education for:

• Civics (8th grade only)
• English (all grades)
• Math (all grades)
• Science (8th grade only, but covers content from 6th-8th grades)

How to Stay In-Touch

Please stay in touch with us throughout the year by:

• keeping your contact information up-to-date throughout the year
• visiting the Holmes MS website
• signing up for News You Choose
• following us on Twitter  
• monitoring your student's progress with SIS Parent Account
• join the Holmes MS PTA and attend meetings