Principal's Note - Feb 2, 2024
Hello Holmes Families!
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.
Report cards were sent home Thursday, February 1st, and you can expect to receive them in the mail shortly. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s grades, we encourage you to utilize the staff directory to get in touch with your child’s teacher.
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
Academic Advising for 2024-2025 School Year
During the months of January and February, the counselors will begin the academic advising process with our students for the 24-25 school year. Grade specific lessons will occur during the following periods of time:
Week of January 16-19- Current 6th graders received rising 7th grade course information presentations through science classes
Week of January 22nd-26th- current 8th graders received 9th grade course information through SOAR
Week of February 5th-9th- current 7th graders will receive 8th grade course information through science classes
Wednesday, February 7th from 5-7 pm: Please save the date for the Holmes Middle School Curriculum Night and Electives Fair. This is open for all students/families, rising 6th through rising 8th.
Spring Social and Emotional Learning Screener
The Spring Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener will be administered to students in grades 6,7 and 8th during the week of March 4th. Students use the SEL Screener twice a year to share their perspectives on how well their school and community help them develop skills they need to succeed. The screener works by asking questions or presenting statements that students can think about and respond to. More information is available about the SEL Screener by accessing this link:
If you have any questions please reach out to our SEL Screener Lead, Natrisha Sanchez, at @email.
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:
- Maintain a 2.8 GPA
- Attend specified activities/events on Saturdays at GMU Fairfax or Manassas campus
- Attend weekly mentoring / tutoring sessions at FCPS school or GMU Fairfax campus
- Attend the three-week Summer Academy at GMU Fairfax campus every July
- Participate in the Strengthening the Family Workshop
DEADLINE: February 21st, 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.
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
- Superintendent to Present FY 2025 Proposed Budget
- Here Comes the Bus
- 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
Admin Team Information
2023-24 Blue/White Calendar
From Mr. Kruk, our After-School Specialist
After-School Program Weekly News & Notes from 1/29-2/2
Student(s) of the Week
- Our After-School Program Student of the Week is: Leruo Basutli
- Leruo was nominated by staff for being kind and going out of his way to help students during the program.
- Congrats Leruo!
After-School Action
Students had a great time during Theatre Sports this week with Mrs. Murphy!
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ASP Schedule 2/5-2/9
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
- Wednesday, 2/7, 5-7 PM - Holmes Middle School Curriculum Night and Electives Fair
- Friday, 2/16, 9:30-10:30 AM - Family Coffee
- 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:
- Holmes Attendance Form: https://holmesms.fcps.edu/about/attendance-form
- Buy SpiritWear: https://bit.ly/HolmesSpiritWear
- Join the PTA: https://bit.ly/SupportHolmesPTA
- Missed the meeting: watch the recording by clicking here OR access the slideshow/presentation on our website OR access audio language interpretation in Spanish, Urdu, and Arabic by clicking the language button in Zoom.
From Ms. Oncho, our Family Liaison
Recording of Family Coffee on Monday, Jan 29th
Thank you to all families who attended this month’s Family Coffee at Holmes Middle School. The topic was Finding Balance in Digital Life. Families learned more about how to set tech boundaries, considered a family tech planner, and explore tools like Screen Time and LightSpeed to set limits and monitor student use of devices.. The recording, presentation, and resources shared can be found on our Website
Next Family Coffee - 2/16, 9:30-10:30 AM
The next Family Coffee meeting will be on Friday, February 16th from 9:30-10:30 am Virtually & In Person. The topic is Community Resources for Summer Break & Out-of-School Programs which can be attended in person and on Zoom by clicking this link: https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/j/93425721470.
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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
FCPS & Community Updates
February Observances
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 8 - 100th Day of School
February 5-9 - National School Counseling Week
It highlights the tremendous impact school counselors have in helping students achieve academic success and planning for a career. School counselors work with students in a variety of different capacities, whether it is through classroom lessons, group sessions, or individual counseling. Learn more about the role of school counselors in FCPS.
February 7 - Crossing Guard Appreciation Day
Crossing Guard Appreciation Day (CGAD) is a statewide event devoted to saying thank you to those who help students cross the street safely on their way to and from school. Learn more from VDOT. See the VDOT Toolkit.
February 10 - Lunar New Year
The Lunar New Year is a holiday that marks the first new moon of the lunisolar calendar, which is the calendar traditionally used in many east Asian countries including China, Vietnam, Singapore, and South Korea. In these and other Asian countries, it is one of the most important holidays of the year. The Lunar New Year is all about ushering in luck and prosperity with family.Read more about Lunar New Year and its animal symbols in National Geographic Kids.
February 14 - Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It marks the beginning of Lent, a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving leading up to Easter. Many Christians attend special Ash Wednesday church services, at which churchgoers receive ash on their foreheads. Ash Wednesday derives its name from this practice. Read more about Ash Wednesday in Britannica.com.
February 15 - School Resource Officer Appreciation Day
February 19 - Presidents Day
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.
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.
Superintendent to Present FY 2025 Proposed Budget
Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid will present the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Proposed Budget at the School Board meeting on Thursday, February 8, at 7:30 p.m. Dr. Reid’s presentation, as well as other budget documents, will be available after she presents to the board.
View the meeting on FCPS Cable TV Channel 99 (Verizon Channel 11), the FCPS YouTube Channel, or the FCPS website. To watch School Board meetings dubbed in Spanish, please visit the FCPS en Español YouTube channel.
If you would like language interpretation or American Sign Language support for any School Board meeting, please contact the board clerk. Find your School Board member and how to contact them on the School Board Members webpage.
Here Comes the Bus
Want to know if your child's bus is on schedule or where the bus is? Here Comes the Bus® is an easy-to-use website and app that enables parents to see the location of their child’s school bus — almost in real time — on a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer.
Parents can track multiple buses if their children don’t all ride the same bus; know exactly when children arrive at school or the bus stop; and receive customized text and/or email notifications about bus locations, schedule changes, or delays.
To get started, download the app from the Apple iOS or Android app store. Check out the Here Comes the Bus and Frequently Asked Questions webpages for more information.
Already using the Here Comes the Bus app? Send your feedback to @email.
Note: eNotify text messaging will continue to be used for reporting bus delays and bus incidents.
2024 SUMMER CAMPS AND LEARNING
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