Principal's Note - Feb 16, 2024

By Serena Giron
Principal's Note
February 19, 2024

Hello Holmes Families!

As a reminder, all schools and offices will be closed on Monday, February 19, for the Presidents Day holiday. Learn more about Presidents Day in Britannica.com. Classes will resume on Tuesday, February 20. See the complete school year calendar.  Due to WIDA testing, next Friday our schedule will be 8-3-4-6-2.

Advanced Theatre and Musical Theatre Field Trips

The Advanced Theatre and Musical Theatre students had the amazing experience of enjoying live theatre, participating in a professional workshop, and touring a professional space. Back on January 16th, students attended the Kennedy Center to see the National Tour of Disney’s Frozen the Musical. 

On Monday, February 12 this same group of students attended Arena Stage. While there, they participated in an improv workshop with professional teaching artist Dave Johnson, and received a tour of the space (including all three performances spaces, the costume department, and the props department). 

Theatre

Field Trip to the Fairfax County Courthouse

This week eighty of our 8th grade Civics & Economics students took a tour of the Fairfax County Courthouse.  They had the unique opportunity to conduct a mock trial under the supervision of a judge and bailiff. Students also observed actual, live court proceedings. Throughout the trip they asked many excellent questions to attorneys and a variety of court judges. Students learned a lot about the Virginia judicial system and the careers within it.

Student Laptops

We have been noticing a rise in damage to our student laptops over the past several months as well as students bringing in uncharged laptops - possibly due to lost chargers. Please continue to remind your students to properly care for their computers and to fully charge their computers at home every night before coming to school.

Our current policy requires fees to repair the devices. The costs are as follows:

  • Screen/Display replacement $20
  • Cover Replacement $20
  • Frame replacement $15
  • Keyboard Replacement $10
  • Entire Computer replacement $450
  • Charger Replacement $20

***Fees must be paid by cash/check in the main office

***Chargers can be paid for in My School Bucks

Early Identification Program 

WHAT: The Early Identification Program (EIP) is a multiyear (5 year) college preparatory program for students who will be the first in their family to attend a four-year college in the United States.  EIP is a collaborative effort between Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) and George Mason University (GMU). The EIP is one of four programs that comprise the College Success Programs in FCPS. EIP goes from 8th grade through 12th grade.

HOW:   Nominated students apply to the program at the end of the 7th grade and enter the program in the 8th grade. 

Student Participation:

To remain in good standing, EIP students must: 

  1. Maintain a 2.8 GPA
  2. Attend specified activities/events on Saturdays at GMU Fairfax or Manassas campus
  3. Attend weekly mentoring / tutoring sessions at FCPS school or GMU Fairfax campus
  4. Attend the three-week Summer Academy at GMU Fairfax campus every July
  5. Participate in the Strengthening the Family Workshop

DEADLINE:  February 21, 2024

INTERESTED /  QUESTIONS?  Please complete the EIP Information Google Form by the deadline if you are interested: https://forms.gle/cDYTRZLHFBNR2Kii6

Contact Ms. Amarir, School Counselor and EIP Sponsor at 703-658-5942 or via email at @email with any questions.

Boundary Scope Recommendations Involve Holmes MS

The Fairfax County School Board received boundary study scope recommendations to address capacity challenges at Glasgow Middle School at the February 8 meeting. The School Board will take action on the Boundary Study Scope at the February 22, 2024 School Board Meeting.

The following schools are included in the recommended boundary scope:

  • Glasgow Middle School and AAP Center
  • Holmes Middle School
  • Poe Middle School
  • Frost Middle School AAP Center
  • Belvedere Elementary School AAP Center
  • Canterbury Woods Elementary School AAP Center

Once the boundary study scope is approved by the School Board, FCPS staff will develop possible program and/or boundary change scenarios using the approved scope. The scenarios will be shared and community meetings will be held March 6 and March 13 for all schools and communities identified in the boundary scope. These meetings will be an opportunity for the public to weigh in on these options and continue to engage in this important process. 

Both community meetings will be held at Glasgow Middle School. Registration is helpful but not required for the community meetings. Language interpretation will be provided.

Stay informed by checking the Glasgow Middle School Capacity Challenges webpage. While there, sign up for the mailing list. Communication about this ongoing work will also be shared by the school and your school board representative, Dr. Ricardy Anderson. 

Eating Disorder - Information for Parents

In 2013, Virginia passed a law requiring every school system to provide information to parents annually about eating disorders with parents/guardians of students in the fifth through twelfth grades. 

According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA 2023),

Eating disorders are serious but treatable mental and physical illnesses that can affect people of all genders, ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body shapes, and weights. In the United States, 28.8 million Americans will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives.

There is no single cause of an eating disorder. Rather, it is a complex combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors that converge and set off an individual’s predisposed genetic vulnerability.

In collaboration with the Fairfax County Health Department, FCPS has developed a web page with detailed information and resources about eating disorders.  To find out more, please visit the FCPS Eating Disorders website.

In addition to the information on the FCPS website, the National Eating Disorders Association has a toll free, confidential Helpline, 1-800-931-2237.

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

  • February Observances
  • Fiscal Year 2025 Proposed Budget Focused on Educational Excellence and Competitive Compensation 
  • Our Schools, Our Future: Community Conversations Continue
  • Fairfax County Science and Engineering Fair Open House
  • Try Online Registration
  • Help Students Achieve Their Dreams. Teach for FCPS!
  • Real Food for Kids Culinary Challenge 
  • Summer Camps and Learning
  •  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

Student Services

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 2/12-2/16

Student(s) of the Week

  • Our After-School Program Students of the Week are: Marcus Shepard
  • Marcus was nominated by our After-School staff for his helpfulness, honesty, and kindness.
  • Congrats Marcus!
Pic

ASP Schedule 2/20-2/23

ASP

ASP

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

  • Monday, 2/19 - NO SCHOOL / Presidents Day
  • Tuesday, 3/5 - NO SCHOOL / School Planning Day
  • Friday, 3/22 - 3rd Quarter Ends
  • 3/25-3/29 - NO SCHOOL / Spring Break

Holmes MS PTA

Don't forget to check out these important links:

From Ms. Oncho, our Family Liaison

2/16 Family Coffee Recording

Thank you to all families who attended this month’s Family Coffee at Holmes Middle School. The topic was Community Resources for Summer Break & Out-of-School Programs. Families learned more about community programs from the following organizations:

  • Mahely Castro Pavon from Fairfax County Neighborhood & Community Services
  • Beth Mehr from FCPS Tech Adventure Camp, CTE Summer Academy
  • Kara Drinkwater from FCPS Institute for the Arts
  • Carrie Kreitler from Fairfax Park Authority, Audrey Moore Rec Center
  • Talia and Raheen from FCPS Park Authority

 The recording, presentations, and resources shared can be found on our Website 

How to Stay Connected to Holmes MS

Please stay in touch with us throughout the year by:

FCPS & Community Updates

February Observances

Black History Month

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS. Learn more about Black History month. 

 

CTE

February Is Career and Technical Education Month

By enrolling in a Career and Technical Education (CTE) course or program, students learn the technical applications of many occupations while preparing for higher education or entry-level employment. A core program of CTE courses is offered in every middle and high school including Business and Information Technology, Family and Consumer Sciences, Health and Medical Sciences, Marketing, Technology and Engineering Education, and Trade and Industrial Education. Since this is an elective, course offerings may vary by school. Learn more on the CTE website. 

CTE also offers summer programs for students to explore their programs. Enroll now!

Love the Bus Month

VSBA School Board Appreciation Month

Thank you to the Fairfax County School Board for all they do throughout the year: hiring and evaluating the superintendent; reviewing and approving the FCPS budget, calendar, policies, and more! Want to contact your school board representatives to share your appreciation? Visit their website to find your school board member and contact them. 

February 22 - School Bus Driver Appreciation Day

February 27 - March 3 - Public Schools Week

Public Schools Week is an annual celebration that brings together school leaders, educators, parents & community leaders to recognize the importance of our nation’s public schools.

Fiscal Year 2025 Proposed Budget Focused on Educational Excellence and Competitive Compensation 

At the last School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid proposed a budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 that focuses on excellence and providing students an equitable education in an inclusive and respectful environment, where access, opportunity, and achievement are available to all. 

The budget also prioritizes competitive compensation to attract and retain a world-class workforce. 

The FY 2025 Proposed Budget totals $3.8 billion, an increase of $301.8 million, or 8.6%, over the FY 2024 Approved Budget. Nearly 86% of the budget is focused on instruction. Key highlights include:

  • Supporting students academically by maintaining existing class size formulas and providing necessary support to all students. 
  • Retaining and attracting world-class educators with a 6% market scale adjustment.
  • Strengthening student well-being outside of the classroom with expanded athletics offerings, additional athletic trainers, and enhanced stipends for fine and performing arts.
  • Continuing initiatives including expansion of inclusive preschool, adoption of green initiatives, and funding assistant director of student activities positions previously funded with ESSER III.

Special education daily contract extensions, funding for the safety and security screening program, and late buses to support academics and activities at middle schools are several of the priorities to be addressed at the end of FY 2024. 

The School Board is scheduled to adopt the Advertised Budget on Thursday, February 22. Read more about the proposed budget. Keep up with FCPS’ budget development process. 

Our Schools, Our Future: Community Conversations Continue

Join Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid for Our Schools, Our Future – A Community Conversation. Your voice matters! Share your thoughts about FCPS and bring your questions to a conversation on:

Pre-registration for a Community Conversation is not required but will help FCPS plan. Childcare and interpretation services will be provided for all events based on staff availability. Events are open to all. Learn about otheropportunities to connect with Dr. Reid.

Fairfax County Science and Engineering Fair Open House

Members of the general public are invited to attend the science fair open house at Robinson Secondary School on Sunday, March 17, 1-3 p.m.

Try Online Registration

Parents may register their children online for kindergarten through 12th grade. Learn how to begin the online registration process. 

When registering, parents will create (or log in to an existing) SIS ParentVUE account. Please note that passwords should be more than 12 characters long. If you have an existing account and your password is shorter, please update it when you log in. 

Help Students Achieve Their Dreams. Teach for FCPS!

Save the date! Attend FCPS’ instructional job fair on Saturday, February 24, 9 a.m.-noon, at Lake Braddock Secondary School. Network and take advantage of interview opportunities with representatives from various FCPS schools. Employment offers may be extended during the fair. Register today. 

Real Food for Kids Culinary Challenge 

The Real Food for Kids Culinary Challenge will be held on Saturday, March 2, at 10:45 a.m., at Hayfield Secondary School. The event features a public tasting of student dishes and demonstrations from two local celebrated chefs. 

The student challenge at the heart of this event is to create healthy, delicious, and culturally diverse school menu items that meet USDA guidelines. Entries will be judged by a panel including celebrity chefs, school food professionals, and local food producers. The public is invited to vote for their favorite dish. 

Chefs Najmieh Batmanglij and Chris Morgan of Joon will offer a demonstration at 11:15 a.m. Public tasting of student dishes will get underway at noon. 

Student-created dishes from this annual event have been featured on school menus throughout the Greater Washington Region. It is free to attend, but registration is required.

2024 SUMMER CAMPS AND LEARNING

VIP

Sign Up for FCPS Summer Camps and Learning Programs 

Registration is now open for several summer camps and learning opportunities offered by Fairfax County Public Schools for all students.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) camps and Institute for the Arts camps will be held in July at Lake Braddock Secondary School from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bus transportation will be available from select FCPS middle and high schools. 

CTE programs are available for grade 6-11 students to explore CTE program areas, develop skills, and begin career exploration. IFTA allows students to select from nearly 90 classes in art, dance, health and physical education 9, music, and theater. Visit the IFTA webpage to register.

Summer Learning

Programs are also available for high school students to fulfill the Economics and Personal Finance course requirement, earn a high school course credit via this summer’s online campus program, or recover one high school course credit through the Credit Recovery Academy. 

FCPS’ free online class for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provides FCPS middle and high school English Learners the opportunity to continue developing their academic, reading, and writing skills in online discussions with an ESOL teacher. 

Find session dates, registration links, and registration deadlines on FCPS summer programs. 

CTE

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