Principal's Note - May 23, 2021
Good morning, Holmes Families!
I hope that you have enjoyed the weekend. Between the warmer temperatures, the cicadas emerging, and the pools opening in a week, it feels like summer has already arrived! Just 3 more weeks to go in the 2020-21 school year.
Last PTA Meeting of the Year
Our last PTA meeting of the year will be this week on Wednesday, May 26th at 7:00 pm at this Zoom link. We will elect the PTA Board for the 2021-22 school year and share updates about the 8th grade celebration on Friday, June 11th.
Honors Courses at Holmes MS
On Friday, I sent information to the families of current Holmes students and to families of rising 6th graders about our plan for Honors coursework beginning in the 2021-22 school year. This information is now posted HERE to our website, which can be translated into multiple languages (just click on the flags in the top right corner). The dates for our follow-up parent sessions next week are below and can be accessed using this link:
SOL Testing - Wrapping up
Our initial round of SOL testing is complete! This week will be devoted to makeups for students who missed their reading, Science, or Math SOLs.
We have asked teachers to hold off on providing SOL scores to students. In a typical year, the teacher of the course with the SOL would communicate the score to students. Since this is an unusual year, though, we would like for parents/guardians to see the scores first and decide if they would like for the school to communicate the score.
The only exception to that will be for students who are eligible for retakes. The only retakes available this year are for students who scored 350-399 on the Algebra or Geometry SOL. Teachers will work with students to remediate with them and retakes will be taken on 5/26 and 5/27.
If you have any questions about your student(s) and their SOL tests, please feel free to reach out to our testing coordinator, Mr. Kamar, at @email.
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 receive a laptop on the first day of the program on Monday, July 12th.
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! 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
- Who is eligible?
We will contact families of students eligible for the Young Scholars and Imagine programs this week with more information.
Here are today's newsletter topics:
Holmes Updates
- Student Services - Important Information
- FCPS End of Year Grading Policies - New Deadline
- After School Program Schedule
- Monday Minute - June 7th
- Holmes MS Spiritwear Webstore is Open
- Girl Scout Troop 120 Canned Food Drive
- Library Books Need to be Returned by May 28th
- Summer Practice Books
- Summer VIP Camp Registration
- Important Dates
- Reporting Student Absences
- How to Stay Connected to Holmes MS
FCPS Updates
- Annandale Atoms Athletic Department Virtual Information Night for Rising 9th Graders
- Mental Health Month Q&A Webinar
-
Student Application for Virtual Enrollment, Based on Health Needs, Due May 28
-
Tune Into This Year's 6th Grade All-County Choral Festival
-
Emergency Broadband Benefit Available for Families
-
Updates to Family Life Education Instructional Content Now Available for Public Review
- TJ PTSA Diversity Committee STEM Provider Conference
-
Important Immunization Requirement: Do You Have a Student Entering Seventh Grade or Twelfth Grade This Fall?
- COVID Recovery Services Available for Special Education Students
-
2021 FCPS Summer Learning Information
-
Multilingual Family Podcasts: Yes, We Want Your Child Back in School! Attendance Matters!
- Workcamp - Free Home Repair
-
English Learner Supports for Summer 2021
- FCPS Seeking Individuals to Serve as Substitute Teacher
- FCPS CARES Program
Thank you, and have a great week!
Sincerely,
Margaret Barnes
Proud Principal, Holmes MS
HOLMES UPDATES
FCPS End of Year Grading Policies - New Deadline
For the 2020-21 school year, all students with an "F" will receive a "NM" (No Mark) on their report cards. All students with a "D" will receive a "P" (Pass). Families of middle school students also have until June 1st, 2021, to designate the final mark for their current courses as Pass instead of final grades “A” through “C-“. Additional information is enclosed and available on the following website: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/grading-and-reporting/secondary
Please see Ms. Giron's email dated to families on Monday, April 19th, to learn more.
After School Program Schedule - May
Virtual after-school activities will be a blend of school clubs, community service, arts and crafts, leadership, recreation and sports, and other activities.
For any specific questions related to the After School Program or to share new ideas for after school activities, please feel free to contact Mrs. Parker, our After School Program Specialist.
Monday Minute - June 7th
Holmes MS Spiritwear Webstore is Open
Library Books Need to be Returned by May 28th
All library books need to be returned by Friday, May 28th. There is a cart to drop library books in front of the library, and one in front of the cafeteria. In-person students can return their books anytime. Virtual students can drop off their books anytime the school is open.
There are NO overdues fees, students will NOT be charged for books that overdue. We are hoping to avoid any Lost Book Fees by having all library books returned ASAP.
If you have any questions or need to discuss anything related to library books please email Ms. Haywood - @email.
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
- Monday, May 31st: NO SCHOOL / MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY
- 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 (more details to come)
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 Atoms Athletic Department Virtual Information Night for Rising 9th Graders
Annandale Atoms Athletic Department Virtual Information Night for Rising 9th Graders
The Annandale High School Athletic Department would like to invite you to join us for a virtual Information Night for Rising 9th Graders. This important event will take place May 26th at 6:30pm. During this session, we will share with you the sports/seasons that we offer, how to sign up for a sport, and when try-outs for each sport begin. We will focus on our Fall Sports (Cheerleading, Cross Country, Field Hockey, Football, Golf, and Volleyball) and a coach for each fall sport will be available for breakout sessions with a meet and greet format. Please use THIS LINK to join us on May 26th at 6:30pm. ALSO - please complete THIS GOOGLE FORM so that we can add you to the appropriate coach’s email list.
Mental Health Month Q&A Webinar
Student Application for Virtual Enrollment, Based on Health Needs, Due May 28
If your child is currently attending school virtually and you would like for them to remain virtual due to their documented health or medical needs for the 2021-22 school year, the deadline to submit the COVID-19 Health Eligibility Form and the Virtual Enrollment Application is Friday, May 28, which is one week later than the original deadline of May 21. Please be aware that the medical need must be based upon the student, not a sibling’s or a family member’s health condition.
All parents of virtual students were sent a letter on May 17 with information on how to apply
Tune Into This Year's 6th Grade All-County Choral Festival
Fairfax County Public Schools and the Fairfax General Music Educators Association announced that the 6th Grade All-County Choral Festival will be held in a virtual format this year. The concert, which includes selected 6th grade students from schools across the division, will air at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 27, on Red Apple 21 (available via cable providers Cox, Verizon and Comcast) and streaming online on the FCPS website.
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.
TJ PTSA Diversity Committee STEM Provider Conference
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.
COVID Recovery Services Available for Special Education Students
Special education COVID recovery services may be considered for any student with a disability whose Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team or Section 504 Committee determines there remains a significant educational impact due to the COVID-19 school closure and the virtual learning this school year. Recovery services are designed to address learning gaps and are determined by IEP Teams or 504 Committees.
Not all students with disabilities will require COVID recovery services. COVID recovery services are based on whether or not the student continued making progress in the general education curriculum, or alternative course of study specified in their IEP/504 plan or toward meeting their IEP goals, and/or if any significant regression occurred during the period of school closure.
IEP Teams and 504 Committees will use a variety of data sources including individual student progress data, teacher assessments, and parent input when considering COVID recovery services. If the IEP Team or 504 Committee decides a student requires recovery services, the team will determine the amount and type of recovery service that is required to address the individual student’s needs.
If you think that your child may require COVID recovery services, please contact your child’s IEP/504 case manager to further discuss and schedule a meeting for the IEP team or 504 committee to consider the need for recovery services.
Additional information regarding FCPS’ Summer Recovery Academy is available online
2021 FCPS Summer Learning Information
This summer, FCPS will offer a variety of school-based opportunities. These include:
- Credit Recovery: Each high and secondary school will host credit recovery opportunities for its students during two sessions.
- School-Based Opportunities for Select Elementary School Students: Each elementary school has summer learning opportunities designed to support students as they develop executive functioning skills, mathematics skills, and language arts skills.
- School-Based Opportunities for Select Middle School Students: Each middle school has summer learning opportunities designed to support students as they develop: mathematics, language arts, and problem-solving skills.
School staff will contact families of students who will be invited in the coming weeks. The total number of students that can attend school-based programs is based on the number of teachers at the school available to work this summer.
There are also a variety of summer enrichment programs open to all students. Information on how to register for these programs is available on the FCPS Summer Learning webpage.
More information is expected to be coming soon regarding details about Camp Fairfax offerings for summer 2021.
Multilingual Family Podcasts: Yes, We Want Your Child Back in School! Attendance Matters!
2020 and 2021 have posed many challenges for all of us. We miss our students who have been absent. FCPS wants your child back in school and is ready to help. Listen to the latest Spanish, Arabic, and Korean podcasts on why we want your child back in school. We care and attendance matters!
The podcasts hosts and guests engage in a passionate discussion on how we care, why attendance matters, common reasons for absence, school procedures regarding attendance, and what parents can do to partner with the school to get students back on track and in school.
Listen and Subscribe:
Workcamp - Free Home Repair
English Learner Supports for Summer 2021
FCPS staff members will be providing additional academic content and English language development support for our 36,000 English learners (ELs) this summer.
Elementary and middle school ELs will participate in the division’s inclusive summer program to strengthen core mathematics and language arts skills. All ELs ELP level 1 and 2 will be invited to participate. Additional ELs ELP level 3 and 4 will be invited based on identified needs.
High school ELs who failed a core academic course will participate in Credit Recovery. ESOL resource teachers will collaborate with content teachers to support ELs.
High school ELs who are ELP level 1 or SLIFE will be invited to participate in numeracy and literacy essentials based on need, for multiple weeks of math and literacy intervention.
All high school ELs ELP level 1-4 will be invited to participate in online language and literacy lonnections (middle and high school). This is one hour of synchronous online learning with one hour of asynchronous reading, writing, and online assignments per week.
In addition, extended English Language Development (ELD) will be offered to all ELs ELP level 1-4 in elementary, middle, and high school who are not participating in a structured summer program.
For any questions about the FCPS summer programs, email [email protected].
FCPS Is Seeking Individuals to Serve as Substitute Teachers
Are you or somebody you know interested in substitute teaching with FCPS? Apply online or attend one of our Friday information sessions to learn more. To sign up for a session, visit the FCPS substitute teacher information page.
FCPS Cares Program
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.