Principal's Note - Dec 15, 2023

By Serena Giron
Principal's Note
December 15, 2023

Hello Holmes Families!

As we enter the holiday season, I wanted to extend my warmest wishes to our incredible school community.

Thank you for your ongoing support. Your involvement makes our school a thriving community. Enjoy the holiday season with your loved ones, and here's to more collaborative success in the upcoming year.

May this holiday season bring joy, peace, and quality time spent with loved ones. Wishing you all a rejuvenating winter break and looking forward to the continued success and growth of our school in the coming year.

The office will be closed for the duration of winter break.  If you have questions or concerns please reach out to @email.

As a reminder, winter break will be held Monday, December 18, to Monday, January 1. To help make sure you and your children have a restful break, we have asked that no homework be assigned during this time. Teachers may assign long-range assignments in the weeks ahead of the break, allowing students to practice time management skills, but no assignments will be due immediately following the break. We look forward to welcoming students back in the new year. Classes resume on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. See the complete school year calendar.

Social and Emotional Learning Screener Results Coming Soon

One of the ways FCPS supports the mental wellness of all students is the SEL Screener.

Students in grades 3-12 took the SEL Screener during the month of October, providing information on their skills like achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships with adults and peers, and making responsible decisions. 

The SEL Screener also helps students evaluate their school community’s efforts to make them feel valued, included, and supported. Screener data is used to create the learning, experiences, and environments students need to be successful.

The week of December 11th, individual student SEL Screener results will be available to families in the Documents section of SIS ParentVUE. For families who do not have an active ParentVUE account, results will be sent via postal mail.

For more information about the screener please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage. For support in understanding your individual student’s results or for ideas on how to support them at home, please review the Family Guide or contact Natrisha Sanchez at @email or 703-658-5956.

December 18-20 - Winter Olympics Camp for Students Grades 2-8: Annandale High School will be sponsoring a 3-day Winter Olympics Camp at Poe Middle School for students in 2nd through 8th grade during Winter Break. Camp will be held Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 8:30am-3:00pm. Cost is $100. Payment will be accepted during drop off on the first day. https://bit.ly/Olympics23Poe

Here are today's newsletter topics:

Holmes Updates

  • Student Services Information
  • Admin Team Information
  • 2023-24 Blue/White Schedule 
  • 2023-24 Bell Schedule
  • After-School Program
  • From Ms. Oncho, Our Family Liaison
  • Important Upcoming Dates
  • Holmes MS PTA
  • How to Stay Connected to Holmes MS

FCPS & Community Updates

  • December Observances
  • Student and Family Resources
  • School’s Closed, Learning Can Continue! 
  • Promoting Mental Wellness During Winter Break
  • SIS ParentVUE and StudentVUE Down Time
  • Food Insecurity Resources for Families
  • Free COVID-19 Rapid Tests
  • Virtual Math Week: Save the Date
  • Save the Date: Academy Open Houses Begin in January!
  • Stay Connected with FCPS

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

Sincerely,

Serena Giron

Principal

HOLMES UPDATES

Contact Information

Admin and Councelors

Admin Team Information

Admin Team

2023-24 Blue/White Calendar

Blue and White Days

Bell Schedule 23-24

From Mr. Kruk, our After-School Specialist

After-School Program Weekly News & Notes from 12/11-12/15

Student of the Week

  • The After-School Program Student of the week: Lucy Rivera-Ceren
  • Lucy was nominated for her consistency participating in several clubs including: Hawk Spot, Fitness, & Basketball
  • She was also spotted going above and beyond to help her peers and our ASP staff this week.
  • Great Job Lucy!!

After-School Action

ASP
ASP
ASP

ASP

  • This past week was our final meeting for our Lego Robotics club.
  • Students spent the afternoon putting their finishing touches on their robots.
  • Some students even had theirs compete in a Lego Robot Battle!
  • It was a great season of Lego Robotics.
  • We’ll be offering Lego Masters in the Spring of 2024.

ASP Schedule 

  • There will be no After-School Program during winter break.
  • The After-School Program will resume when we come back on Tuesday January 2, 2024.
  • The schedule will be posted to Schoology for students and families by Friday December 29th, 2023.
  • Happy Holidays!

Students Leaving After-School before 4:45 pm

  • Any student staying after school must be signed out of the main office by a parent or guardian if leaving before 4:45.
  • Walkers with parent/guardian permission, may sign themselves out any time after 3:30 when first block ends.
  • Students are not permitted to leave school grounds before checking out in the main office .

Questions/Concerns

Contact the After-School Specialist, Matt Kruk, @email

Important Upcoming Dates

  • 12/18/23 - 01/01/24 - NO SCHOOL / Winter Break
  • Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024 - Classes Resume
  • Tuesday, 1/16, 9:30-10:30 AM - Family Coffee

Holmes MS PTA

Don't forget to check out these important links:

The next PTA meeting will be on December 6th in conjunction with the Winter Chorus Concert.

From Ms. Oncho, Our Family Liaison

Toys

Teens

Family Coffee - 1/16, 9:30-10:30 AM

Please join our January Family Coffee to learn how to set a healthy balance with the use of phone and internet, explore online safety, consider family agreement for technology use and learn ways to balance tech use at home. You are welcome to join in person or via zoom. We will provide refreshments.

January Coffee

How to Stay Connected to Holmes MS

Please stay in touch with us throughout the year by:

FCPS & Community Updates

December Observances

National Special Education Day - 12/2

National Special Education Day is recognized each year on Dec. 2 and commemorates President Gerald Ford’s signing of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1975. We celebrate our teachers and staff who serve and support our students with special needs, as well as our families who are partners in the education and support of those students! 

Learn more about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. 

Chanukah - 12/7-12/15

Chanukah, an 8-day Festival of Lights, is a Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple and the miracle of a small quantity of oil that lit the Temple’s menorah for 8 days. This year, Chanukah begins at sundown on Thursday, December 7. That day will be a half-O day, and major events cannot be scheduled that evening. Learn more about Chanukah in National Geographic Kids. See the complete school year calendar.

Bodhi Day - 12/8

Bodhi Day, Friday, December 8, is the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni), experienced enlightenment, also known as bodhi in Sanskrit and Pali. The school calendar recognizes many religious and cultural observances (O days) during the school year, including Bodhi Day. There is school on these days, however, the School Board has directed that tests, quizzes, field trips, graduation, homecoming, or FCPS-scheduled athletic events will not be held on these observance days.Learn more about Bodhi Day in this video from the Miami Children’s Museum. See the complete school year calendar.

Christmas - 12/25

A very Merry Christmas to those in our community who celebrate! Christmas is an annual holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus, and is celebrated in many unique ways across the U.S. and the world. Learn more about Christmas.

Student and Family Resources

Fairfax County Public Schools has compiled a list of resources for students and families in case they need assistance while schools are closed for winter break. Please visit our winter resources webpage for links to academic support; mental health support; and food, clothing, housing, and other county resources.

School’s Closed, Learning Can Continue! 

FCPS encourages students to take advantage of fun learning opportunities during winter break and snow days. Consider these winter activities to blend education and play for your students during winter break or weather-related school closures. 

Promoting Mental Wellness During Winter Break

Although mental health indicators have improved over the past year, Fairfax County Youth Survey (FCYS) data suggest that more than 25% of students in 8th to 12th grade feel sad or hopeless every day for two weeks or more in a row. The holidays can be a time to reduce stress, but they can also contribute to it. Here are some tips for making winter break a positive time for the young people in your life.

SIS ParentVUE and StudentVUE Down Time

ParentVUE and StudentVUE will experience downtime from Friday, December 15, at 5 p.m. through Wednesday, December 20, at 6 a.m. 

Grade Book progress reports will not be emailed to parents/guardians during winter break. Emails will resume on Tuesday, January 2, 2024. 

Food Insecurity Resources for Families

Food insecurity impacts more than 60,000 Fairfax County residents. There are many resources available to support those who need food assistance. Find out how to receive or offer support on the Fairfax County website, or view their Human Services Resource Guide for assistance with food, clothing, housing, and other services.

Free COVID-19 Rapid Tests 

Residential households are eligible to receive free at-home COVID-19 test kits. If an order has not been placed for your address since the program reopened on September 25, you may place two orders now.

Virtual Math Week: Save the Date

Get ready for Virtual Math Week from Monday, January 8, through Friday, January 12. Save the date for a week filled with stories, games, and math activities, in English and Spanish, for families with students in kindergarten through eighth grade. 

This is a free experience designed to make math fun for the whole family. Learn more about FCPS Math Week.

Save the Date: Academy Open Houses Begin in January!

FCPS high school academies will hold open houses for interested students beginning in mid-January.

A high school academy is a center within a high school that offers advanced technical and specialized courses to prepare students for postsecondary education and/or career fields. Students enrolling in academy elective courses will be provided with opportunities to participate in a variety of career experiences including shadowing, mentoring, and/or internships with local businesses.

Learn more and find the calendar of Academy Open Houses.

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