Good evening, Holmes Families!  

We are here...the last week of school!  I cannot believe it.  It has been a challenging year in so many ways, and I am thankful to have had the privilege to go through this with our incredible students, our dedicated staff, and our amazing families this year.  I know that there will still be challenges to come, but I take comfort in knowing that we will work together through them to ensure we are preparing and equipping all of our students for a future in which they will have many choices and opportunities available to them.  

To help you this week, here is a day-by-day plan:

• Monday, June 7th - Last asynchronous Monday.  From home, all students should log into their SOAR teacher's Google Classroom to complete the last SOAR Monday Minute of the year. 
• Tuesday, June 8th - BLUE DAY (Periods 1, 3, 5, 7).  Due to the primary elections, all students will remain at home and will log into their classes virtually.  It will be a synchronous, virtual day (no in-person classes).
• Wednesday, June 9th - WHITE DAY (Periods 2, 4, 6, 8)
• Thursday, June 10th - BLUE DAY (Periods 1, 3, 5, 7)
• Friday, June 11th - WHITE DAY (Periods 2, 4, 8, 6), 2-hour early release (bell schedule below), LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
  • Laptop and charger collection for all in-person students during the extended 6th period block (schoolwide movie will be shown at that time)
  • 2-5 pm: 8th grade walkthrough/drive-thru celebration (see details below)

8th Grade Drive-thru/Walkthrough Celebration & Laptop Collection

We are SO excited to celebrate our 8th graders on Friday, June 11th, from 2-5 pm!!  8th grade students and parents/guardians can choose any time during that window of time to walk through with friends and celebrate completing 3 years of middle school.  Here's the plan (see map below):

• In-person 8th graders will turn in laptops and chargers during the school day that morning / Virtual 8th graders will bring laptops and chargers to the event on Friday afternoon.
• Parents/guardians will drop students off at Door 1 and drive up to the exit to wait for their student. 
• Students will check in outside Door 1 and turn in laptops and chargers. 
• Students will walk over to Door 2 for an ice cream treat from the PTA.
• At Door 4, they'll receive a special gift from the PTA and the Holmes Admin Team.
• At Door 6, they'll pause for a photo at our PTA's photo booth. 
• Once they snapped their pic, they'll walk over to the carline to find their parent's guardians. 

We think the whole process for each student will take about 15-20 minutes to walk through.  They may want to plan with their friends to come around the same time.  Just a little celebration for our amazing 8th graders who have spent half of their middle school years in a pandemic!  

End-of-Year Laptop Collection

ALL students' laptops will be collected at the end of the school year, including those students who will be returning to Holmes next year.  This will allow us to update our inventory and update the software on the computers.  

Please ensure that you student has their laptop and charger to turn in at the appropriate time.  Students will turn in their laptops and chargers at the following times: 

• Friday, June 11th, 6th period - In-person students 
• Friday, June 11th, 2-5 pm - 8th graders only (drive thru laptop collection and 8th grade celebration)
• Monday, June 14th, 10 am - 6 pm - All students
• Tuesday, June 15th, 8 am - 3 pm - All students

Students who participate in the summer program (more details below) will keep their laptops until the last day of the program on Friday, July 30th.

Summer Opportunities at Holmes MS

While our summer opportunities at Holmes will be limited, we are excited that we have been staffed for over 200 students to attend!  Many families received emails about the July opportunities last week, but if you did not, it's okay!  Please let us know if you are interested in the Imagine Program for your current Holmes students.

Here are the programs we will have (all at no cost):

• Young Scholars
  • Who is eligible?  Current 5th, 6th, and 7th graders who are identified as Young Scholars
  • How Many?  24 total
  • When?  July 12th-30th, Monday-Friday, 7:20-11:20 am (breakfast, lunch, and transportation provided)
  • What?  Project-based learning and STEAM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Arts, & Math)
• Imagine
  • Who is eligible?  Current 6th, 7th, and 8th graders whose attendance and grades suggest they need additional support in the summer
  • How Many?  192 total
  • When?  July 12th-30th, Monday-Friday, 7:20-11:20 am (breakfast, lunch, and transportation provided)
  • What?  Strengthen math and literacy skills
• Jumpstart
  • Who is eligible? 
    • All rising 6th graders (current 5th graders)
    • All rising 7th graders who were virtual in 2020-21 school year
    • All rising 7th/8th graders who are new to Holmes
  • How Many?  No max
  • When? 
    • Thursday, August 19th, 7:30-11:30 am for 6th graders (breakfast, lunch, and transportation provided)
    • Thursday, August 19th, 12:30-2:30 for 7th & 8th graders (snack and transportation provided)
  • What?  Orientation to Holmes Middle School

FCPS Cares Program

Does your student have a teacher who you would like to celebrate this year?  Submit a CARES to recognize that teacher.  The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story so we can acknowledge the good work of FCPS employees.

Watch this video to learn more. 

Here are today's newsletter topics:

Holmes Updates

• Student Services - Important Information
• Monday Minute - June 7th
• 2021 Congressional App Challenge
• Girl Scout Troop 120 Canned Food Drive
• Summer Practice Books
• Summer VIP Camp Registration
• Important Dates
• Reporting Student Absences
• How to Stay Connected to Holmes MS

FCPS Updates

• Annandale Sports Camp - June 21-25
• Rec-Pac Summer 2021 for Grades 1-6
• Fairfax Summer Recharge: Free Child Care
• Emergency Broadband Benefit Available for Families
• Updates to Family Life Education Instructional Content Now Available for Public Review

• Important Immunization Requirement: Do You Have a Student Entering Seventh Grade or Twelfth Grade This Fall?

Thank you for collaborating and partnering with us through this crazy year!  I will send my final Sunday message of the year next Sunday, June 13th.  

Take care!

Sincerely,

Margaret Barnes

Proud Principal, Holmes MS

@email

HOLMES UPDATES

Monday Minute - June 7th

2021 Congressional App Challenge

Registration for the 2021 Congressional App Challenge (CAC) will be beginning June 24, 2021. Students interested can getting reminders/updates on this deadline can pre-register here: https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/students/student-registration/.

 

• Students, both high-school and middle-school level, may participate as individuals or in teams of up to four (4) students
• CAC winners may be eligible to have their app featured in the Capitol Building
• Participating students can either reside or attend school in VA-08

• One can confirm residency here: https://whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov/

• Apps may be submitted until 11:59pm on November 1^st , 2021

Girl Scout Troop 120 Canned Food Drive

Summer Practice Books

Summer Practice Books will be mailed home to FCPS students to provide suggested activities for students to support continued learning.  Families who have opted-out of paper mailings from the division will only receive digital copies of the Summer Practice Books.  Books will be mailed home to families in early June to arrive before the last day of school, June 11, 2021.  Families will receive email communication in May about upcoming book arrival.  Digital versions of books will be emailed to the enrolling parent SIS account in PDF format the week of June 7, 2021.

• Pre-Kindergarten students will receive one interdisciplinary Summer Practice Book.
• Students enrolled in grades K-8 in 2020-21 will receive one Language Arts Practice Book and one Math Practice Book by course enrollment.  These books will also include information and guidance about digital tools that can be accessed by students and families to support learning throughout the summer.
• English Learners and Special Education students may receive additional or customized books.   

More information can be accessed on the Summer Practice Books public webpage.

Summer VIP Summer Camp Registration Information

Click  HERE to register.

Please make sure you register online to reserve your place because space is limited. 

Important Dates

• Tuesday, June 8th:  All Students Virtual & Synchronous (no in-person classes) due to Democratic Primary Election
• Friday, June 11th: LAST DAY OF SCHOOL / 2-HOUR EARLY RELEASE
• Friday, June 11th: SAVE THE DATE, Outdoor 8th Grade Celebration & Laptop Collection (More details to come)
• Friday, June 11th - Tuesday, June 15th: Laptop Collection 

Reporting Student Absences

How do I report my student's absence for virtual or in-person classes?

• Please call our attendance line at 703-658-5919 or submit an attendance form.

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 UPDATES

Annandale Sports Camp - June 21-25

Annandale Sports Camp - June 21-25: Annandale will be hosting a summer multi-Sport camp on June 21-25 from 8:30-3:00pm. The camp will focus on football (touch), basketball, soccer, baseball, and volleyball. Lunch will again be available for purchase. Camp is open to rising Grades 3 thru 9. Cost is $125. Sign up here.

Rec-Pac Summer 2021 for Grades 1-6

Fairfax Summer Recharge: Free Child Care

Emergency Broadband Benefit Available for Families

The Federal Communications Commission has launched a temporary program to help families and households struggling to afford Internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Emergency Broadband Benefit provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households. Eligible families can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers. This is not an FCPS-funded program. It is a way for families to potentially access a more reliable hard-wired internet connection at a higher bandwidth than the “basic” packages provide.

Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) using an online or mail in application.

Learn about the benefit, including eligibility and enrollment information, by visiting www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit, or by calling 833-511-0311.

Updates to Family Life Education Instructional Content Now Available for Public Review

Recommended Family Life Education (FLE) materials (media and lesson objectives) to support instruction are available for community review until Monday, June 7, at 4:30 p.m. Recommendations affect grades K, 1, 7, 8, 10, modified 1-6, and modified 7-12.

Details of the recommended materials are available online.

Important Immunization Requirement: Do You Have a Student Entering Seventh Grade or Twelfth Grade This Fall?

While the COVID-19 vaccination is NOT required by schools for the 2021-22 school year, many other vaccinations are.

Seventh-grade students need:

• One dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) given at age 7 or older.
• One dose of Meningococcal Vaccine (MenACWY, Menactra, or Menveo) given at age 10 or older.

Twelfth-grade students need:

• One dose of Meningococcal Vaccine (MenACWY, Menactra, or Menveo) given at age 16 or older.

More information on new immunization requirements is available online.