Dear Holmes Families: 

Good afternoon!  Rain, Rain, Go Away!  Just 10 more school days remaining!  And they will be packed with a lot of activity and excitement!  

Grade-level awards ceremonies

Each grade-level will have an awards ceremony during the last week of school.  Letters were mailed home at the end of last week to the parents/guardians of those students who are receiving awards, inviting them to attend.  Each awards ceremony will begin at 8:30 AM in the gym.

• 6th Grade - Monday, 6/11
• 7th Grade - Tuesday, 6/12
• 8th Grade - Wednesday, 6/13

8th Grade Celebration - Friday, June 8th!

We are excited to celebrate the end of middle school with all of our 8th graders this Friday, June 8th, from 7-9 PM!  Our parents have been hard at work planning the event.  The event is free for all Holmes 8th graders (no other student permitted) thanks to the donations of our families!  8th grade students are required to turn in a permission slip by 2:15 PM on Friday in order to attend.  Letters and permission slips will be received in Civics classes this week.  

8th Grade parents: Please consider volunteering during the celebration on Friday!  Sign up HERE.  

SOL Retakes

Students who are eligible to retake their SOL (scored between 375-399) will retake those assessments this week (schedule below).  If you have any questions regarding the testing for your student, please contact Mr. Chris Kamar at @email.

End of year medication reminder for parents

The school health room is reminding parents and guardians that all medication stored in the health room must be picked up no later than the student dismissal time on the last day of school.  Medication left in the health room after that time will be discarded.  It is school policy that medications must be picked up by the parent or guardian.  Medication cannot be sent home with your student.  Medication authorization forms for next school year may be obtained from the school or online at https://www.fcps.edu/resources/student-safety-and-wellness/school-health-services.   A medication authorization form is required for any medication, prescription or over-the-counter, to be kept at school. If you have any questions, please contact your school health room aide, Melissa Anderson at (703) 658-5910, or your school public health nurse, Jacklyne Kamara, RN at (703) 658-5910.

Paving on Montrose Extended until June 9

The paving on Montrose Street has been extended until 9th. Please build extra time in your morning plans to ensure your student arrives to school on time.  In addition, please look at the posted signs because you will be towed if you are parked in the way.

Last Day for Late Buses - Thursday, June 7th

Please note that the last day for After School clubs was Friday, May 25th.  Late buses will still be available on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday of this week for students who need to stay after with teachers for academic help, or who go to Homework or Hawk Clubs.  Hawk Club will continue to be available through Friday, June 8th.  The last day for late buses will be Thursday, June 7th.  If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Cabezas.

SCA Activity Day - Seeking Chaperones

As our school year comes to a close, SCA, Grade Level Leaders, and all of Holmes Faculty are planning another “End of the Year: Activity Day”. Last year was successful due to the amazing collaboration between PTA, parent/guardian volunteers, and staff. We are looking to do this Round 2 bigger, better, and kick it up notch! SCA would like to for volunteers to join in celebrating the hard work and successes of our students.

Overall Event Detail

• SCA – EOY Activity Day (consists of 3 parts): Morning Movie, Event Rotations, Faculty vs. Student Basketball game
• Morning Movie (7:30am – 9:55am): Currently, we are planning on showing the inspiring and heartwarming movie, "Wonder"
• Station Rotation (10:00am – 12:35pm): Holmes Middle School and the student body will be divided up into 4 Stations. Each Station will have a variety of activities for students to choose from: Arts & Crafts, Wii Sports, Relay Games, Board Games, Outside Activities, and more.
• Home Base 1: Movie in Lecture Hall
• Home Base 2: Music and Games in Gymnasium
• Faculty vs. Student Basketball Game (12:40pm – 1:20pm / 1:25pm – 2:05pm): We will have 2 rotations of the Faculty vs. Student Basketball Game. During the game, we will have a special performance from our students.

As logistics for SCA – EOY Activity Day become finalized, the following with complete detail will be provided: Overall Day Schedule, Itinerary, Rotation Details, Station Diagram.

As we have all of Holmes Staff assisting in this event, we are seeking out Parent/Guardian volunteers that would like to chaperone, contribute, and participate in this grand celebration. We do not expect parents to stay all day, but if we could get about 20+ volunteers throughout the day, that would be amazing. Also, if parents/guardians would like to host an activity of their own, please have them contact me ( @email ) to see if we can coordinate something and to ensure that it works out logistically.

Student development does not begin and end throughout the school day. Rather, learning continues from experiences and through the support of our community. Thank you for your constant contributions to the success of Holmes students.  

BOGO Book Fair

Coming June 4th-8th.  The BOGO Bookfair!  Stock up for summer reading fun.  Early shopping and volunteer sign-up available now at http://www.scholastic.com/bf/hmsreads

More in our newsletter this week:

• Next Week's Schedule of Classes
• Global STEM Challenges Program at Edison High School
• Free STEM Summer Camp for Girls
• Register your student for FCPS VIP Summer Camp!!
• FCPS, Northern Virginia Community College Offer Summer STEM Camps
• FCPS and Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (DNCS) have teamed up to offer a 5 week camp for rising 7th and 8th graders
• Annandale High School Summer Sports Camps
• TJ Prep Camp Summer 2018
• Teens in Action Camp
• How To Stay In Touch

Thank you, and have a wonderful week!  

Sincerely,

Margaret Barnes, Principal

[email protected]                   

Next Week's Schedule of Classes: 6/4-6/8

This week: Mon., 6/4 = Blue Day Tues., 6/5 = White Day w/ ER 1 & 2 Wed., 6/6 = Blue Day  Thurs., 6/7 = White Day w/ ER 3 & 4 Fri., 6/8 = Blue Day  *NOTE: Students can always find the blue-white calendar in their agendas or on the website HERE.

Global STEM Challenges Program at Edison High School

A limited number of spaces are available for the Global STEM Challenges Program, which will continue at Edison High School for the 2018-19 school year for interested ninth grade students who will have completed Algebra 1 by the start of ninth grade. This STEM-focused, three-year, interdisciplinary program will consist of three honors and IB level integrated math, science, and engineering courses for each of the students’ first three years of high school and will focus on problem-based learning. Students who complete the three-year program will receive a tenth credit in Computer Science, which will be embedded throughout the program. Interested parents and students are encouraged to attend the parent information session at Edison High School on June 7, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. to learn about the program and the 2018-19 application process. Information about this opportunity will be shared with parents of current eighth-grade students through a News You Choose message.

Free STEM Summer Camp for Girls

The Camp is designed for students with an interest in aviation and seeks to empower young women to succeed in STEM disciplines. Throughout the two-week Camp, the students will participate in a number of aviation activities, including hands-on flight instruction on FAA certified simulators, a 30-minute discovery flight with a local flight school, a high-altitude weather balloon launch and indoor skydiving. They will also meet women working in a variety of aviation fields, such as air traffic control, cyber security and commercial aviation.

Open to sixth through eighth grade girls, the museum will offer the free aviation-focused experience to underserved students in D.C., Maryland and Virginia at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va.

Participants must be from Title 1-eligible schools or be eligible for free or reduced lunch. Interested students must submit an application. The application is available on the museum's website at https://airandspace.si.edu/shecan.

About the Camp

Students can participate in one of two sessions, hosted at the Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.

Session 1
Monday, July 23 –  Friday, August 3
Weekdays, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Session 2
Monday, August 6 – Friday, August 17
Weekdays, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Each session will consist of 30 students. Transportation to activities as well as lunch and snacks provided. 

FCPS, Northern Virginia Community College Offer Summer STEM Camps

Fairfax County Public Schools is partnering with Northern Virginia Community College to offer more than a dozen one-week STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) summer camps during the summer break.

Open to students currently enrolled in grades 3-12, these one-week camps emphasize hands-on learning, teamwork, critical thinking, and career awareness in a fun and engaging way. Topics include robotics, coding, forensics, cybersecurity, app design, aviation, and pre-health.

Camps will run June 18 through August 3 at the following locations: Edison High School, Marshall High School, Westfield High School, and Hughes Middle School. Discounts are available to parents who sign up their child for multiple camps or sign up multiple children.

Additional information and registration is available online or by contacting STEM Outreach Coordinator Charles Britt at @email or 703-425-5917.

FCPS and Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (DNCS) have teamed up to offer a 5 week camp for rising 7th and 8th graders

What is your middle school child doing this summer?

Like you, we believe your child is a Very Important Person and deserves a summer experience that is safe and full of fitness, friends, fun and enrichment.  FCPS and Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (DNCS) have teamed up to offer a 5 week camp for rising 7th and 8th graders. 

Our camp will be a combination of students from the following middle schools: Glasgow, Holmes, Jackson, Kilmer, Poe, and Thoreau.  Bus transportation will be provided from various pick-up locations which will be communicated in June prior to the start of camp. 

There is a $50 registration fee.  We will take weekly field trips and pricing information for that will be released after we have notified students of acceptance.  Students who do not attend the field trips will not need to pay the field trip fees, but will need to stay home from camp that day as all of our staff will attend the trip.  Students will also have the option of choosing which trips to attend. 

The staff is led by your local After-School Specialists and trained DNCS staff.  Campers will have a great time playing sports, games, doing arts and crafts and exploring concepts in science and technology.

Details

Dates: July 2, 2018 - August 2, 2018 (campers are encouraged to attend all 5 weeks)

Times: 8:00am-4:00pm

Location: Thoreau Middle School

Registration:  Begins on Monday, March 19th, and will close on Friday, April 20th.   You can expect to receive notice of acceptance or waitlist status soon after registration closes in late April.  Registration fee payment information will be communicated at that time.  Sign up by picking up a registration packet from Thoreau's main office or visiting this link: https://goo.gl/forms/lEikoWujZQ06I5eh2

Cost: $50 registration fee plus field trip fees (admission plus transportation cost)

With limited spaces available, it’s important to submit your registration as soon as possible. 

Questions? Contact Shannon Campbell at @email or 703-846-8089.

Annandale High School Summer Sports Camps

Teens in Action Camp

When Fairfax County Public Schools are closed for the spring, summer and winter breaks, RECQuest offers an engaging, healthy and affordable recreation program for children to learn, play and serve. Activities include team sports, games, arts and crafts, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programming, service projects, cultural field trips and much more! Free nutritious lunches and snacks are served.

Teens in Action Dates & Registration

• Spring 2018: Check back for 2019 dates
• Summer 2018 (English, Spanish)- Registration Opens April 1: June 18 - August 24 (July 4 is a county holiday - no programs)
• Winter 2018: TBD 

Teens in Action Eligibility, Fees & Scholarship Opportunities

• Teens In Action is for youth ages 12 to 18 living in Fairfax County.
• Admission to Teens In Action is free. Some activities and field trips will require a fee in order to participate. Please contact your Teens In Action location for details.
• Financial assistance is available - eligibility requirements apply. Please contact your Teens In Action location for details.

Teens in Action Locations

James Lee Community Center
2855-A Annandale Road, Falls Church, VA 22042
Phone: 703-534-3387, TTY 711

Mott Community Center
12111 Braddock Road, Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: 703-278-8605, TTY 711

Providence Community Center
3001 Vaden Drive, Fairfax, VA 22031
Phone: 703-865-0520, TTY 711

Reston Teen Center
12196 Sunset HIlls Road, Reston, VA 20190
Phone: 703-326-7040, TTY 711

South County Teen Center
8350 Richmond Highway, Alexandria, VA 22309
703-704-6234, TTY 711

Important Dates

• Monday, 6/4 - 6/8 - Scholastic Book Fair (Library)
• Tuesday, 6/5, 7:00 PM - Music Recital (Gym)
• Thursday, 6/7 - Last Day for Late Buses
• Friday, 6/8, 7:00-9:00 PM - 8th Grade Dance (Cafeteria)
• Monday, 6/11, 8:30 AM - 6th Grade Awards Ceremony (Gym)
• Monday, 6/11, 6:30 PM - PTA Meeting
• Tuesday, 6/12, 8:30 AM - 7th Grade Awards Ceremony (Gym)
• Wednesday, 6/13, 8:30 AM - 8th Grade Awards Ceremony (Gym)
• Thursday, 6/14 - SCA Schoolwide Activity Day
• Friday, 6/15 - Last Day of School / 2-hour early release

How to Stay In-Touch

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