Hello Holmes Families!

Lunar New Year - 2/10

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. 

National School Counseling Week - 2/5-2/9

This week 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.

School Resource Officer Appreciation Day - 2/15

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

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. 

District Band

Our students performed very well and had a great time last Friday at District Band.

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 8^th grade through 12^th grade.

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

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
• Tutor.com Teacher-Referred Tutoring
• Lexia Parent Night: How We Help Your Child Learn to Read
• 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 2/5-2/9

Student(s) of the Week

• Our After-School Program Students of the Week are: Jinan Hamadeh & Michaela Eskender.
• Jinan & Michaela were nominated by our ASP staff for their consistent participation in the After-School Program, responsible behavior, and positive attitudes.
• Congrats to the both of you!

After-School Action

The After-School Program is a great place to connect with peers through common interests as seen throughout this week.

ASP Schedule 2/12-2/16

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

• 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

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. 

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

February Observances

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.

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 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 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.

Free Books For Families & Educators

Tutor.com Teacher-Referred Tutoring

Through Schoology®, all FCPS students have 24/7 access to no-cost, year-round, on-demand, 1-to-1 tutoring services through Tutor.com. 

A new Teacher-Referred Tutoring program feature provides targeted support and extends student learning. Teachers can now refer students for tutoring, with their specific needs already identified. Students can get extra support — on their own schedule — and reinforce their in-class learning.

We strongly encourage all FCPS middle and high school students to click on the Tutor.com icon in their Schoology portal for homework help, concept review, writing support, and test prep—anytime, anywhere.

 Plus, look for teachers’ tutoring session referrals on the Tutor.com homepage.

Lexia Parent Night: How We Help Your Child Learn to Read

FCPS funds the use of Lexia for all elementary and middle schools to use as part of their literacy instruction. Lexia is a computer-based program that supplements classroom instruction to help students develop literacy skills. It also provides teachers with data to identify students who need additional support, and the ability to know which specific concepts and skills to prioritize.Attend an information night on Monday, February 12, at 6:30 p.m., at Thoreau Middle School. Parents/caregivers will learn more about Lexia, and how FCPS is integrating it into the classroom and supporting student growth in reading. Attendees will also get tips for supporting their students at home.

Register to attend or submit a question in advance. Unable to attend in person? Join on Zoom. 

Integrating Lexia into the literacy curriculum aligns with the Virginia Literacy Act, FCPS’ Equitable Access to Literacy, and FCPS Strategic Plan Goal 3, which aims to have all students reading on level by the end of third grade. 

2024 SUMMER CAMPS AND LEARNING

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. 

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