Principal's Note - March 6, 2022
Good evening, Holmes Families!
I hope that you enjoyed your weekend. My apologies for not getting the weekly newsletter out on Friday. Thank you or a great turnout at last week's PTA meeting. If you are interested in helping out with the 5K Fun Run that will be on Saturday, April 23rd, or the 8th grade celebration that will be on Friday, June 3rd, please email me at @email to let me know.
Virtual Parent Coffee - Tuesday, 3/8, 9 am
I hope that you can join us on Tuesday morning for a virtual parent coffee about Positive Discipline. Scroll down for more details, including the Zoom link. Interpretation will be available.
Holmes Family Meeting on 3/17 re: Prayer Rooms
This year, we have seen an increase in the number of students accessing our prayer rooms during the school day. We are excited to be able to support students in this way, and there are some guidelines that we are required to follow as a public school. Students have had a number of questions about these guidelines, and we would like to invite you to join us in a conversation about what that looks like in the school setting. We are mindful that Ramadan will begin in April, so we have scheduled our meeting prior to spring break.
We will be meeting from 6:30-7:30 on Thursday, March 17th in the Lecture Hall at Holmes Middle School. We will also provide a virtual option. Interpreters will be available. We encourage you to attend with your Holmes student so that we can all have the conversation together.
If you plan to attend, please complete this form by Friday, March 11th, so that we can plan accordingly.
We hope that you will be able to join us to collaborate with to us ensure that we are providing a supportive and welcoming environment for all students and families.
New Phone Menu
As a heads-up, Holmes MS will be introducing a new phone menu in English and Spanish languages. Beginning Monday, March 14th , when you dial 703-658-5900, you will hear the following message: "Thank you for calling Holmes Middle School. For a list of options in English, press "1". For a list of options in Spanish, press "2".
You will be requested to select from the following menu:
- For attendance reporting – please press “1”
- For clinic – press “2”
- For Student Services or to register your student – press 3”
- For all other inquiries or to contact the main office, please press “0”
Thank you for your patience and understanding. We hope that this new feature will help us better assist you.
Holmes Spiritwear Sale
Holmes merchandise is now available on
https://www.selectspiritwear.com/v5store/pc/viewcategories.asp?idcategory=753(please ignore the February 12th deadline)
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
- After School Program Next Week
- A Message from Mr. Kruk
- From Ms. Oncho, Our Family Liaison
- Short-Term Behavioral Health Service For Children and Youth (STBH)
- Back-to-School Immunization Clinic - March 12
- Job Opportunities at Holmes & in FCPS
- Important Upcoming Dates
- How to Stay Connected to Holmes MS
FCPS & Community Updates
- Free COVID Testing
- Stay Connected with FCPS
Summer Learning and Camps
- Annandale High School Volleyball Camp for Rising 9th Graders
- Annandale High School Sports Camps
- Middle and High School STEM Camps at West Point Military Academy
- Park Authority Camps
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
HOLMES UPDATES
Next Week's Schedule: 3/7-3/11
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, 3/7 - WHITE DAY
- Tuesday, 3/8 - BLUE DAY (SOAR & ER 4)
- Wednesday, 3/9 - WHITE DAY
- Thursday, 3/10 - BLUE DAY / (SOAR & ER 5)
- Friday, 3/11- WHITE DAY
After School Schedule Next Week
A Message from Mr. Kruk
ASP Student of the Week:
Congratulations to this week’s After School Student of the Week; Levi Perez Rosales. Levi is a true captain and humble leader on the soccer team. We are very proud of him and his dedication to his trade and to the club. Levi also spent 30 minutes one practice fixing our outdoor goal, showing he is willing to put the club above himself. Thanks Levi - From the entire team.
Annandale High School Football Visit, Thursday March 10th
- Annandale football players and coaches will be coming for their spring football visit to Holmes on Thursday, March 10th.
- Students interested in playing High School football will get an opportunity to meet the coaches and high school students, ask questions, and participate in fun, safe, football activities.
- Any student interested in signing up for this interest meeting should sign-up with Mr. Kruk before or on Thursday March 10th.
Movie Club
- The movie featured this Tuesday 3/8 will be DreamWorks; Monsters vs. Aliens. (PG)
- If you have any questions or concerns regarding movie club, please reach out to our After-School Specialist, Mr Kruk. (@email)
New Clubs!
- The past two weeks we’ve doubled our activities offered by providing clubs such as football, basketball, movie club, and girls basketball club.
- In the next few weeks we will be adding new clubs such as; volleyball, gardening club, and Lego club!
- Interested in starting a new club? Please see or email Mr. Kruk (@email) for a registration form and details.
College Partnership Program (CPP) Application Help Session!
- After School Information and Application Help Session for 8th grade students:
- Tuesday March 8th from 2:30-3:30 (Room A4)
- What is CPP?
- CPP is designed to assist students who are traditionally underrepresented in college in exploring, applying and enrolling in college. In efforts to eliminate gaps in opportunity, access and achievement for all students, CPP focuses on academic advising, college visits, parent engagement and preparation beyond high school.
- Click HERE for more CPP information!
Students Leaving After-School:
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- Any student staying after school must be signed out by a parent or guardian if leaving prior to 4:45. Walkers may sign themselves out.
- Students will remain in their clubs or under teacher supervision until they are called to the main office for pickup.
- No student is to leave the school until signed out of the main office.
For any and all questions related to the after school program, please contact Mr. Kruk at @email.
From Ms. Oncho, Our Family Liaison
Please mark your calendar for our Virtual Workshop on Positive Discipline on March 8, 2022.
Zoom link to join: https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/j/94869119448
Please click here to view digital flyer.
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New Little Free Food Pantry On-Site
Be The Good Project, a local volunteer-run non-profit, has installed a Little Free Food Pantry at Holmes Middle School!
The pantry is located outside the front entry of the school. The goal of the pantry is to provide free, emergency non-perishable food for families who need supplemental groceries — 24/7, no questions asked. Please take what you need and leave what you can!
The pantry is maintained and filled by volunteers. If you have non-perishable donations to share, please place them inside the pantry any day, any time! You can learn more ways to help at bethegoodproject.org
2022 Fairfax County Teen Job Fairs - March 12 & 19
These events will focus on students and young job seekers looking for a variety of employment opportunities: full time, after-school, seasonal positions, internship opportunities, and volunteer positions.
For more information and registration, click the link below:
https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/springfield/teenjobfairs?_
Programs and Services for Kids and Teens
Neighborhood and Community Services offers a variety of out-of-school time
programs to keep Fairfax County kids and teens engaged outside of school hours. For more information, click the link below:
https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/neighborhood-community-services/kids-teens
Free Online Career Series
Short-Term Behavioral Health Service For Children and Youth (STBH)
Back-to-School Immunization Clinic - March 12
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
- Tuesday, 3/8 - Pyramid Pre-assessment Chorus concert, 7:00 pm, Annandale HS
- Thursday, 3/10 - Pyramid Middle School Chorus concert, 7:00 pm, Annandale HS
- Thursday, 3/31 -2-hour Early Release & Activity Day / Last day of 3rd Quarter
- Friday, 4/1 - Student Holiday / Teacher Workday
- Monday, 4/4-Friday, 4/8 - SPRING BREAK
- Saturday, 4/23 - Spring 5K Fun Run
- Friday, 6/3 7-9 PM - 8th Grade Celebration
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
Free COVID Testing
Take a look at the flyer below for information about free COVID testing. For more information about testing and vaccination sites in Fairfax County, check out this link.
Other resources for testing and vaccination can be found here:
Summer Learning and Camps
Annandale High School Volleyball Camp for Rising 9th Graders - June 13-17
Annandale High School Sports Camps
Dear Annandale HS Pyramid Parents –
Annandale High School is hosting five weeks of sports camps this summer. The camps include:
- June 13-17 - Multi-Sport Camp
- June 20-25 - Boys Basketball
- June 27-30 - Olympic Sports Camp (4 days)
- July 11-15 - Girls’ Field Hockey, Girls’ Lacrosse, & Girls’ Basketball
- July 18-22 - Girls Basketball
The camps are open to students entering 2nd through 9th grade (ages 7-14). The price of each camp ranges from $100 - $125 and runs from 8:30am-3:00pm. Scan the QR Code to sign up and pay online. Any questions, email John Ellenberger, the Director of Student Activities at Annandale High School at @email.
Middle and High School STEM Camps at West Point Military Academy
The Center for Leadership and Diversity in STEM (CLD STEM) organizes and runs the West Point middle school and high school STEM camps. Each summer, middle and high school students from across the United States are invited to come to West Point for a week-long hands-on STEM camp. The overarching goal is to increase interest in STEM through inquiry-based projects; develop and reinforce student science, math and problem-solving skills that are prerequisites to success in high school and college.
Please click on the link below for more information:
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