Hello Holmes Families!

Friday, September 1, and Monday, September 4, are Labor Day holidays for all FCPS employees and students. Virginia legislation requires that schools opening prior to Labor Day must be closed the Friday immediately preceding Labor Day. We hope everyone takes the long weekend to celebrate a strong start to the school year and enjoy time with family and friends. See the complete school year calendar.

Back to School Night - September 7, 5:30-8:00PM

Come connect with other families and meet your child's teachers.  You will have an opportunity to move through your child's schedule for 10 minutes each class and learn about the curriculum and class expectations.  The schedule of the evening will be communicated soon.  Interpreters will be available!

Free Breakfast and Lunches at Holmes Middle School this year!

All students at Holmes Middle School are eligible to receive one free breakfast and one free lunch, each day, for the 23-24 school year. For breakfast, students will not need to enter a PIN to get a meal. 

Required Form--Parental Consent for Digital Tools:

FCPS uses a variety of resources to support student learning. Instructional Digital Resources reviewed and approved for use in FCPS are listed in the FCPS Digital Ecosystem Library. Some of the digital resources your child may use this year require parental consent. 

Families can provide consent to use digital resources in two ways 1) Fill out and return the paper copy found here or 2) Sign the form digitally by following the directions below: 

• Go to the Parent Digital Consent Application
• Log in with the same username and password you use for SIS ParentVUE.
• Follow the provided directions. Translation is available.

Updates on Grading Policies

FCPS’ Grading Policy has been updated for the 2023-24 school year. The following changes were based on input from students, teachers, parents/caregivers, principals, and staff:

• FCPS will maintain the current late work policy. Teachers must accept major assignments up to two weeks late. The maximum deduction for that time period is 10%. The current policy, when applied correctly, balances accountability and flexibility.
• Teachers may now give zeroes for assignments that are not turned in. Students who make a reasonable effort to finish an assignment will get a minimum grade of 50%. 

• A rolling gradebook gives students more chances to show they understand material. Teachers who use a rolling gradebook must use reassessment and grading replacement practices that allow students to update learning from past quarters.
• For teachers using a traditional gradebook, the lowest quarter grade that can be issued is 50%.

In the 2024-25 school year, all grades will be on a 100-point scale, with 50% as the minimum grade for submitted assignments. All high school credit-bearing classes will use the new scale next school year.

2023-24 Student Rights and Responsibilities

FCPS’ Student Rights and Responsibilities document (SR&R) explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment. In late June, the School Board approved changes to the SR&R for the 2023-24 school year. Updates include a revision of dress code expectations, bystander expectations for students witnessing harmful or unsafe behaviors, bullying, and substance abuse responses. Read Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid’s letter to families regarding the SR&R. 

Parents/caregivers should talk to their child(ren) about expectations for this school year. Also, please log in to SIS ParentVUE and sign to acknowledge your review of the SR&R, or sign and return the signature sheet to your child’s school by Friday, September 29.

Current 8th grade students and parents/guardians:

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology will hold an information night for students and families who are interested in applying for the 9th grade class of 2024-2025. The TJHSST admissions specialist will provide information regarding the application process and timeline, requirements for applying, and answer questions regarding the admissions process. For more information regarding TJHSST admission please visit their website or contact Linda Sperling, admissions specialist, at [email protected].

• WHEN: Thursday, September 14th, 5:30-6:30pm
• WHERE: Holmes Middle School Lecture Hall
• WHO: Current 8th grade families interested in admission to Thomas Jefferson High School

Annandale High School Athletic Events

If you or your student plans to come, please take the time to discuss the relevant information below:

• No backpacks or other bags will be allowed in the stadium.  (Students and Adults)
• No outside food or drinks are allowed. The concession stand will be open.
• Students must plan to have their rides waiting for them at 9:30 pm.
• The purpose for attending our football games is to watch the game, cheerleaders, band and dance team.
• We cheer for Annandale and not against our opponent. All cheers should be positive.
• Students planning to attend a game need to leave campus upon school dismissal and return to cheer on the Atoms.
• The gates to the stadium will open at 6:00 pm.
• All students must pre-arrange for transportation and plan to leave immediately after the game.
• Students are expected to be in the stands and not hanging out by the concession stand, bathrooms or other areas; all elementary-aged children must always be supervised by an adult.
• Anyone who leaves may not re-enter, even with a ticket stub or pass.
• Whistles and similar noisemakers are prohibited.

 All elementary and middle school students need a parent/guardian to enter and need to be supervised by an adult while at the game and stay with them throughout the event. Any elementary or middle school student in violation of this policy will have parents called immediately and are subject to being excluded from future extracurricular events and ticket money will not be refunded.

Here are today's newsletter topics:

Holmes Updates

• Student Services Information
• 2023-24 Blue/White Schedule 
• 2023-24 Bell Schedule
• After-School Program
• Important Upcoming Dates
• Holmes MS PTA
• How to Stay Connected to Holmes MS

FCPS & Community Updates

• Safety Drills During the School Year
• Apply for Free & Reduced Meals
• Parent Information Lines Available in Eight Languages
• Stay Connected with FCPS
• Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!
• Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity
• The 2023-30 Strategic Plan — Goal 1: Strong Start: Pre-K-12

Please feel free to reach out and let us know what questions you have.  Thank you, and we'll see you very soon!

Sincerely,

Holmes Admin Team

Holmes MS

HOLMES UPDATES

Contact Information

2023-24 Blue/White Calendar

Most classes at Holmes are 85-90 minutes blocks.  Blue days are odd periods, and White days are even periods.  This calendar will also be posted to the website, and each student will receive a copy on the first day of school. 

2023-24 Bell Schedule

This bell schedule is different from the 2022-23 school year.  Periods 3 and 4/5 will meet every day.  Periods 1, 5, 7 and 9 will only meet on blue days, and periods 2, 4, 6, and 8 will meet on White Days.  This will be posted to the website, and each student will receive a copy on the first day of school. 

From Mr. Kruk, our After-School Specialist

The After-School Program and late buses will start on Monday, September 11th. Please be sure to register your student for the After-School Program by completing this one-time consent form for the 2023-24 school year https://forms.gle/aCgmayFDkoas16E86. For questions or concerns relating to the After-School Program, please contact Matt Kruk, [email protected].

Important Upcoming Dates

• Friday, 9/1 - NO SCHOOL / Labor Day
• Monday, 9/4 - NO SCHOOL / Labor Day
• Thursday, 9/7, 5:30-8 PM - Back To School Night
• Monday, 9/11 - After-School Program Starts
• Monday, 9/25 - NO SCHOOL / Yom Kippur

Holmes MS PTA

• Join the PTA
• Do you want some Holmes gear for your students or yourself? Order Spirit wear through the PTA

From Ms. Oncho, Our Family Liaison

My Name is Alemtsehay Oncho, I am the Family Liaison at Holmes Middle School. I would like to welcome our returning and new families!

My role is to support families in their child’s academic achievement and emotional well-being by connecting families with school staff, arranging family workshops and trainings. I provide resources from the community and school that may help our families with basic needs like food, school supplies, clothing, English classes, job readiness, employment and so on. 

Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or 571-326-8370- let us work together for our students success.

I am using Talking Points, News You Choose and Schoology to communicate with you.

How to Stay Connected to Holmes MS

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
  • PTA Facebook
  • Online PTA Membership Form
  • MemberHub

FCPS & Community Updates

Safety Drills During the School Year

Keeping students and staff safe is a priority for FCPS. Each school has an emergency preparedness plan to respond to incidents such as fires and tornadoes. Schools are required by state law to practice emergency drills, including lockdown drills, each year. Schools are also required to notify parents and guardians at least 24 hours before a school conducts a lockdown drill. However, schools are not required to give the specific date and time of the drill in advance. 

The first lockdown drill of the school year must take place within the first 20 days of school. Preschool and kindergarten students are exempt from practicing the first lockdown drill. 

Your child may come home and talk about their experience during the drill. We encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Please review these frequently asked questions to support your students before and after school lockdown drills.

Apply for Free & Reduced Meals

Although all students will have access to free meals, families who qualify should still apply to access fee waivers for other school-related fees (e.g. elective course fees).

Families will need to apply for free and reduced-price meals, which they have not had to do since the onset of the pandemic in 2020. 

• Online applications are now available.
• Approved FRM eligibility letters may also be used to provide additional benefits. 
• Please know that we will not share your data or personal information with anyone else. See FCPS’ Trust Policy.

Parent Information Lines Available in Eight Languages

Parents who speak Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, or Vietnamese may call a telephone information line for general information about FCPS. View the list of phone numbers.

Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!

The beginning of the school year is the best time to develop strong attendance habits! Students who attend school regularly are more likely to perform well in reading and math, develop strong social and emotional skills, and graduate from high school on time. Help prepare your child for future success. Watch this video with tips from Fairfax Pyramid principals and visit FCPS’ Attendance webpage for tips and strategies. 

 Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity

FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.

Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites your child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.

Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.

The 2023-30 Strategic Plan — Goal 1: Strong Start: Pre-K-12

The 2023-30 strategic plan sets five main goals to create positive change in FCPS. These goals show where we should focus our attention and will help us align our efforts. Our equity commitment and a set of measures in each goal will measure our success. 

Our first goal in the strategic plan is to help all students develop academic skills, curiosity, and a love for learning. These skills and attitudes are crucial for success from pre-K to 12th grade. Our related equity commitment is to ensure authentic and affirming partnerships with families and key stakeholders through collaborative decision making that results in each student's success.

Stay Connected with FCPS

Being connected to your school and division is important every year, and even more so now as we navigate our return to school. The best way to stay informed is to sign up for newsletters through News You Chose. 

Your school and FCPS have a variety of topics you can choose from, including:

• School Newsletters- featuring everything you need to know about your child’s school
• FCPS This Week- a weekly newsletter featuring news and happenings from across the division, published Wednesday mornings
• School Board Meeting Update- a recap of important news coming out of school board meetings, published the Friday morning after the meeting
• FCPS Employee News- weekly updates just for staff, published Tuesday mornings