Principal's Note - June 3, 2022
We are in the home stretch!
Our last week of school is coming up! Teachers will turn in grades early next week, and laptops will be turned in on Monday and Tuesday (see more details below). All lockers should be cleaned out at this point and may not be used in the upcoming week. After the last set of laptops are turned in on Tuesday, backpacks will not be permitted for the remainder of the week. Students may only bring small bags, lunch bags, or purses to carry small items.
An amazing group of parent and NJHS volunteers are here decorating right now for tonight's 8th grade celebration, our 8th grade awards ceremony is Thursday morning, and the rest of Thursday (June 9th) will be Activity Day for all students. To minimize movement and disruption during the last day of school, our staff has voted to have SOAR all day on the last day of school. There will be opportunities for students to do fun activities and have some time outside, and may combine with a couple of other SOAR classes.
Since next week will be mostly devoted to celebrating the school year, we need all students to follow procedures (getting to class on time, being safe in the halls, etc.) and make good choices throughout the week. If students are unable to make safe and smart choices, we will be calling parents/guardians to pick them up from school (as we have throughout the year), and - depending on the severity or consistency of the behavior - they may not be permitted to return for the remainder of the week.
8th Grade Awards Ceremony - Thursday, June 9th, 8 am
The 8th Grade Awards Ceremony has been scheduled for Thursday, June 9th, at 8 am. (NOTE: It is not a graduation or promotion ceremony.) Families whose students will receive awards received an email and text message earlier this week inviting them to attend that morning.
Laptop & Charger Collection
We will be collecting laptops and chargers on June 6, 7 in PE classes. If your child has lost their charger, the replacement cost is $23. If they have lost their computer, please notify Mr. Rossen (@email) ASAP. If lost, You will be responsible for replacing the computer at $472. These items must be collected or paid for in order to prevent delays in receiving a computer next year.
- If your child has lost either item, please have a conversation with them about responsible use. Labeling their technology is a best practice and highly encouraged. All students were given laptop labels at the beginning of the year; many students have peeled off their labels. Again, all students are responsible for lost technology, as stated in the Student Rights & Responsibilities document.
Please, contact Mr. Rossen (@email) if you have a concern.
IMAGINE Summer Program
We would like to invite your current Holmes student to enroll in our IMAGINE summer program at Holmes Middle School! From July 11th-29th (Monday through Friday), from 7:20-11:20, we will host 144 students in our program, which will be led and taught by 8 of our amazing teachers at Holmes. Take a look at the attached packet for more information. You do not need to complete the packet. If you would like for your child to attend, please complete this Google form HERE as soon as possible. There is no cost for the program, and breakfast, lunch, and transportation will be provided.
If you have any questions about the program, please contact Mr. Chris Kamar at @email.
Holmes MS IMAGINE Registration Packet (3).pdf
Thank you to the U.S. Soccer Foundation!
Did you know that:
- The mini-pitch at Holmes MS is one of the 500 mini-pitches across the country sponsored by U.S. Soccer Foundation
- Holmes mini-pitch honors D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid who grew up in the area
- The mini-pitch had an immediate positive impact for our students. Its addition has been fundamental to the success of after-school soccer program at Holmes for both boys and girls.
Thanks to U.S. Soccer Foundation, Holmes students have access to the beautiful game. This is a real dream come true for them!
Executive Functioning Fridays
The SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) coordinator at Holmes, Natrisha Sanchez, has many resources available for families to learn about Executive Functioning. This includes resources for managing student stress & anxiety, organization, motivation, self-discipline, etc. Access this information on the Holmes Families Schoology Course (Log into Schoology with SIS Parent VUE username and password. Don't have an account? Click here.) Your feedback is valued. Take a look at the resources, if you have not already, and fill out this quick survey.
Schoology Survey:
The Holmes Families Schoology page has lots of resources to teach families how to use Schoology (Log into Schoology with SIS Parent VUE username and password. Don't have an account? Click here.). If you have used Schoology as a parent this year and would like to give us feedback on how to improve, create new resources, or form more learning opportunities then please complete this survey in English (Translations: Spanish, Chinese, Urdu, Farsi, Vietnamese)
Free Online Tutoring Is Here!
We are pleased to announce that students now have unlimited access to online tutoring support services through Tutor.com at no cost to families. Tutor.com is available 24/7, through online voice or text chat, and in your student’s preferred language. Student participation is optional and parents/guardians can opt their students out of accessing the service. You can learn more about Tutor.com on the Tutor.com Online Tutoring Services website.
Students will be able to access Tutor.com via a link in Schoology. Additional information about how to log in and access a tutor is provided to families via the following instructional videos:
elementary video and secondary video. Questions not answered in the posted resources may be sent to @email.
This new service will help many [SCHOOL] students complete assignments, better understand classroom lessons, and be successful.
HOLMES UPDATES
Here are today's newsletter topics:
Holmes Updates
- Student Services - Important Information
- 2021-22 Blue-White Calendar
- 2021-22 Bell Schedule
- Next Week's Schedule
- From Ms. Oncho, Our Family Liaison
- Job Opportunities at Holmes & in FCPS
- Important Upcoming Dates
- How to Stay Connected to Holmes MS
FCPS & Community Updates
- School-Required Vaccination For Free
- Annandale HS Fall Sports & Band Open House - June 6
- Annandale HS Dance Team Tryouts - June 18
Summer Learning and Camps
- Free Summer Work Our For High School Teens
- Summer VIP Camp at Thoreau Middle School
- Annandale High School Summer Sports Camps
- Edison Volleyball Camps
- Park Authority Camps
- Stay Connected with FCPS
Please feel free to reach out and let us know what questions you have. Thank you, and have a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,
Margaret Barnes
Proud Principal, Holmes MS
Next Week's Schedule - 6/6-6/10
The Blue-White Calendar can also be found on the inside cover of student agendas and can be found HERE on our school website.
- Monday, 6/6 - WHITE DAY
- Tuesday, 6/7 - BLUE DAY (SOAR & ER1)
- Wednesday, 6/8 - WHITE DAY
- Thursday, 6/9 - BLUE DAY - Periods: 3, 5 & 7 / ACTIVITY DAY
- Friday, 6/10 - SOAR ALL DAY / 2-HOUR EARLY RELEASE / LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
From Ms. Oncho, Our Family Liaison
Free ESL Business Classes
Britepaths/Financial Empowerment Center at South County will offer free ESL Business classes. The dates are Tuesdays, May 24 – June 28, 10 am -11:30 am. This class is for the intermediate-advanced level English language learner. In the class, you’ll learn how to communicate with greater accuracy and fluency in both oral and written communications in business settings.
The first step is to complete the Interest Survey below.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScOXPDmhOyNlyhFdXd4P1aBp-RA4yq59_EGV5Hcdug0b3EUiA/viewform
Webinar on Opioid Use Trends and Support
Opioid overdoses are on the rise in the Fairfax Health District, which is consistent with national and state trends.
Fairfax County Public Schools is partnering with Fairfax County Government to provide an educational webinar on substance use trends and supports June 7 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Register for the June 7 webinar.
The webinar will cover topics including:
- Most Commonly Used Substances.
- In Depth Opioid Information.
- Reasons Why Youth Use Substances.
- Ways Parents Can Support their Children.
- Available FCPS and Fairfax County Resources.
- How to connect with Support Providers.
Language interpretation will be available in Spanish, Arabic, Amharic, and Korean. American Sign Language (ASL).
Learn more about what you can do to help and prevent overdoses on the Healthy Minds blog.
Job Opportunities at Holmes & in FCPS
To help us meet these critical needs, here is a reminder of some job opportunities that we have a available at Holmes and throughout FCPS:
- Student monitors (Holmes needs 1 or 2 more)
- Substitutes (short- and long-term) - School Board just approved an increase in pay for short- and long-term substitutes!
If you or someone you know is looking for work and may be a good fit for one or more of these positions, I encourage you or them to apply!
Important Upcoming Dates
- Thursday, 6/9, 8 am - 8th Grade Awards Ceremony
- Friday, 6/10 - LAST DAY OF SCHOOL (2-hour early release)
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
School-Required Vaccination For Free
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Annandale HS Fall Sports & Band Open House - June 6
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Annandale HS Dance Team Tryouts - June 18
Summer Learning and Camps
Free Summer Work Out for High School Teens
Planet Fitness invites high school teens to work out for free all summer long to improve their mental and physical health. High schoolers can visit PlanetFitness.com/SummerPass to pre-register, and get a reminder to formally sign up when the program officially kicks off on Monday, May 16. Teens under 18 must register with a parent or guardian online or in-club.
Planet Fitness locations closest to Holmes MS:
- 4 miles away: Planet Fitness, 6123 Backlick Rd, Springfield, VA 22150
- 4 miles away: Planet Fitness, 4620 Kenmore Ave, Alexandria, VA 22304
- 5 miles away: Planet Fitness, 6270 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church, VA 22046
Click on the link below to learn more about this offer:
Institute for the Arts (IFTA): Camps and Institutes
A summer enrichment program for students currently in grades 6-11.
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/summer-learning-programs/camps-and-institutes-institute-arts-ifta
Tech Adventure Camp
A summer enrichment and exploratory program in career and technical education for students in grades 2 - 6.
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/summer-learning-programs/camps-and-institutes-tech-adventure-camp
CTE Summer Academy
A summer enrichment and skills development program for students currently in grades 7-11.
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/summer-learning-programs/camps-and-institutes-CTE-summer-academy
Summer VIP Camp at Thoreau Middle School
- This summer, Thoreau Middle School will host our annual Summer VIP camp.
- Any student from Holmes that would like to participate in the summer program may register.
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Annandale High School Summer Sports Camps
Looking for fun activities for your child this summer? Annandale High School is offering various summer sports camps for rising 2nd graders through rising 9th graders led by Annandale coaches.
Camps run each day from 8:30am to 3:00pm. The cost of the five-day camps is only $125 (Olympics Camp is 4 days for $100). Credit cards or checks are accepted. Checks should be made out to “Annandale Athletic Boosters”. Payment is due on the first day of camp. Campers can bring their lunch or purchase lunch at camp, and they should bring a snack and a water bottle each day.
Click HERE to register for any or all of these camps. More information can be found at AnnandaleAtoms.net. See descriptions of the various camps below.
If you have any questions, please email John Ellenberger, Director of Student Activities, at @email.
Camp Information
Multi-Sport Camp - June 13-17: Have fun playing a variety of sports including basketball, kickball, volleyball, soccer, and touch football. This camp includes fun contests, competitions and lots of prizes!
Basketball Camp - June 20-24: Run by Annandale’s Boys Varsity Basketball coach, Andrew Hypnar, this camp is open to both boys and girls and will focus on basketball fundamentals, skill development and game play.
Olympics Camp - June 27-30 (4-day camp at Holmes Middle School): This exciting camp features team activities including soccer, volleyball, basketball, touch football, relay races. In addition, individual campers will get a chance to demonstrate their talent through various skill competitions.
Girls Multi-Sport Camp (Field Hockey, Lacrosse, Basketball) - July 11-15: This camp, led by various Annandale coaches, will provide campers the opportunity to learn and develop skills in three different sports: field hockey, lacrosse, and basketball.
Girls Basketball - July 18-22: Run by Annandale’s Girls Varsity Basketball coach, Maddy DeCou, this camp will focus on the fundamentals, skill development and game play.
Edison Volleyball Camps
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Park Authority Camps
Click the link to register https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/camps
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