Principal's Note - November 12, 2017
Dear Holmes Families:
Good evening! 2nd quarter has begun! Please note that report cards were mailed home at the end of last week. In addition to the report card, all families received a flyer for mini-conference night, their students' Reading Inventory score (taken in September through English classes), and - if applicable - a letter notifying the parent if the student had any weeks with 3 or more unexcused tardies. If you do not receive the report card by Friday, 11/17, please contact the Student Services office.
This week is a big week with a few opportunities for parents to come to Holmes for a visit:
- 11/13 - 11/17 - The Scholastic Book Fair runs all week this week during the school day in the library (click link for more info and for opportunities to volunteer). It will also be open prior to Monday's PTA meeting and Thursday's Mini Conferences. More information below.
- Monday, 11/13, 8 AM - Parent Coffee to learn more about the SOS (Signs of Suicide) Lessons and Depression Screening. More info below.
- Monday, 11/13, 6:30 PM - PTA meeting (see more below)
- Thursday, 11/16, 6:00-8:00 PM - Mini Conferences (brief 3-5 minute conversations with your students' teachers). More info below about "early bird" sessions.
Tomorrow, we will have our 3rd PTA meeting of the year on Monday, November 13th at 6:30 PM. We hope that you will join us as we share more about what it means for you student to be in an IBMYP (International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program) school. Our IB Coordinator, Donna Starace, will be presenting, along with Kelly Brown, FCPS' Educational Specialist who supports IB programs across the division. In addition to that topic as a focus, we'll have more to share about our newly established chapter of the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) and about the Signs of Suicide (SOS) lessons and depression sscreening that our counselors and clinical staff will be conducting with 7th graders in December.
In our newsletter this week, you'll see information about:
- Mini-Conferences
- This Week's Schedule of Classes
- This Week's After School Program Schedule, including information about Voices of Now
- Lunch Bunch with Mrs. Barnes
- More about Unexcused Tardies
- The Signs of Suicide (SOS) Program
- Outstanding Employee Nominations
- Community Conversations with Dr. Brabrand
- TJHSST Invitational Science Fair 2018
- Important Dates
- How To Stay In Touch
Thank you, and have a wonderful week!
Sincerely,
Margaret Barnes, Principal
Mini-Conferences this Thursday, 11/16!!
See the flyer below for details about this Thursday's Mini-Conference NIght. Parking will be available at Holmes, at the LPRC pool, the church at the corner of Braddock Road and Montrose, and at Weyanoke Elementary School.
In addition to the 2 "early bird" sessions mentioned in the flyer, parents will also have the opportunity to:
- Purchase books for their students at the Scholastic Book Fair in the library, which will be open from 5:00-6:00 PM. At 5:30, our Literacy Coach will host a Literacy Night to let parents know more about their students' Reading Inventory score and how they can support literacy at home.
- Watch the video that will accompany the SOS lesson that all 7th grade students will view in the first week of December
Schedule of Classes*: 11/13-11/17
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*NOTE: Students can always find the blue-white calendar in their agendas or on the website HERE. |
After School Program (ASP) - Week of 11/13
NOTE:
- Students signed up to stay after for the Adapted PE program can stay after on Wednesday, 11/15.
- Voices of Now will also be meeting on Monday, 11/13 in addition to Wednesday, 11/15. The 2nd series of Voices of Now series will end this week, but will return in December (see flyer below)! Students should see Miss Ferrante or Mr. Cabezas to sign up.
Please contact Mr. Cabezas at [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns about the ASP Schedule.
Lunch Bunch with Mrs. Barnes
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This week, I met with two super sharp 7th graders who had some great ideas about ways to improve things at Holmes for students. They inspired me to start a monthly Lunch Bunch for students to hear more student voices and learn about their school experiences. Each month, I will invite 9 students from each lunch (so 36 students total) to join me in the Principal's Conference Room (3 from each grade level during each lunch). With 8 months left in the school year, that will give me the opportunity to meet with 288 different students! Students who are interested should be logged into their FCPS Google account, and should submit their interest through this Google Form. There will also be sign-ups at lunch and hanging up in different hallways. |
More about Unexcused Tardies
 In order to stress the importance of arriving on time to school and on time to every class every day, we will be taking the following steps as a school in response to students who have 3 or more unexcused tardies in a week:
We will also have incentives for students who regularly arrive to class on time during periods of time leading up to big events (e.g., the School Activity Day after school on Wednesday, 12/13). Please help us to stress the importance of on-time arrival to school and classes by ensuring that your students are up and out of the house in time to catch their buses to be ready to learn in their 1st or 2nd block classes by 7:30 AM. If you have any questions, please contact your child's grade-level administrator: 6th Grade = Mr. Kamar; 7th Grade = Mrs. Moore; 8th Grade = Mrs. Cooper. |
Signs of Suicide (SOS) Program
Holmes Middle School Counselors Kelly Murphy, Luis Sosa, Yolma Torres, and Megan Neforos, along with Director of Student Services Serena Giron, School Social Worker, Jeanmarie O’Sullivan, and School Psychologist, Diane Woolheater will be presenting the SOS program to 7th grade students through History classes during the week of December 4th. The video that will be shown to students during the program will be available for parents/guardians to view on November 13 during a morning parent coffee and during the PTA meeting that evening (after the business portion of the meeting).
If you do not wish for your child to participate in the SOS Middle School program, please indicate this on the permission slip (which will be mailed to your home) and return it to Mrs. Girón no later than Wednesday, November 22, 2016.
If you have any questions about the screening, please feel free to contact your child’s counselor. You will also have the opportunity to view the “Time to ACT” video and ask members of our Student Services team questions about the wellness screening on Monday, November 13 in the Lecture Hall from 8 a.m.-9 a.m or during the PTA Meeting that same day between 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact Mrs. Girón at 703-658-5900.
Outstanding Employee Nominations
Nominations are open for the Outstanding Employee Awards! To submit a nomination for a Holmes Middle School Outstanding Employee in one of the categories below, please complete the nomination through https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MWXTF79.
You may nominate an employee in one or more categories. All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work in the criteria for that category. The nomination page has more information regarding the criteria for each of these awards and the eligibility requirements are below.
- Outstanding Teacher: A teacher or librarian with 3 or more years of experience
- Outstanding New Teacher: A teacher or librarian with less than 3 years of experience
- Outstanding New Principal: A building principal with less than 3 years of experience
- Outstanding Leader: A US-20 or above school-based employee with at least one year of experience in the position (Positions included: School-Based Technology Specialist, Technology Support Specialist, Assistant Principal, Director of Student Services, Assessment Coach, Instructional Coach, Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor)
- Outstanding Support Employee: A US-19 or below school-based employee with at least one year of experience in the position (Positions included: Administrative and office assistants, custodial staff, food service staff, Instructional Assistants, Public Health Assistants, Public Health Training Assistants)
- Outstanding Hourly Employee: An hourly paid employee with at least one year of experience working at least 10 hours a week at the same location (Positions included: Parent liaisons, hourly office staff)
Note: The deadline to submit a nomination is December 1.
Once all nominations are collected, we will be looking for a committee of 5-10 teachers, staff, parents and/or community members to narrow down our nominees to the top 5. The top 5 nominees will be presented to the administrative team who will decide the winner in each category.
If you are willing to serve on this committee or you have any questions, please contact Karli Eddinger (Holmes Awards Liaison) at @email.
Community Conversations with Dr. Brabrand
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Superintendent Scott S. Brabrand will host five Community Conversations this fall to hear what students, parents, employees, and members of the community are thinking about and what issues are important to them. Brabrand welcomes community members to attend and take part in any of the upcoming sessions that are convenient for them.
Community members needing an interpreter can make a request for services online.
The meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a meet and greet, followed by discussion and questions from the audience from 7 to 8 p.m.
Meetings will be held as follows:
- Tuesday, November 14, Irving Middle School, 8100 Old Keene Mill Rd.
Springfield, Lecture Hall (Region 4). - Tuesday, November 28, Chantilly High School, 4201 Stringfellow Rd.
Chantilly, Lecture Hall (Region 5) - Monday, December 11, Jackson Middle School, 3020 Gallows Rd.
Falls Church, Cafeteria (Region 2).
For more information, contact the FCPS Office of Communication and Community Relations at 571-423-1200.
TJHSST Invitational Science Fair 2018
The TJ Mythvestigations Club would like to cordially invite any interested students at your school to participate in our sixth annual Invitational Science Fair. Participants will complete a research project and prepare a presentation for our science fair on March 3, 2018. Now is the time to register for the event and start work on projects! The final pool of approximately 40 entrants will be chosen first come, first serve from all registrants on November 30, 2017. Students may register at http://bit.ly/isf2018.
More information and full details about this event, including registration instructions, can be found on our website: https://tjsciencefair.wordpress.com/about/
Student interested in technology and coding are encouraged to participate in the Congressional App Challenge! See this site for details.
Important Dates
- 11/13-11/17 - Scholastic Book Fair
- Monday, 11/13, 6:30 PM - PTA Meeting (Topic: IB Middle Years Program)
- Thursday, 11/16, 6:00-8:00 PM - Mini-Conference Night
- Wednesday, 11/22 - 2-hour early release day
- Thursday, 11/23 & Friday, 11/24 - THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
- 11/27-12/14 – Divisionwide Horizon testing for Math & English classes
- Week of 12/4-12/8 – SOS Lessons & Screening in History 7 classes
- Tuesday, 12/5, 7:00 PM – Winter Band Concert
- Thursday, 12/7-Saturday, 12/9, 7:00 PM – MUSICAL!! (Willy Wonka!)
- Thursday, 12/7, 5:00-8:00 PM – PTA Family Dine-out at Five Guys (Pinecrest Plaza)
- Tuesday, 12/12, 7:00 PM – Winter Orchestra Concert (Cafeteria)
- Wednesday, 12/13, 2:30-4:30 PM – School Activity Day in ASP (more to come from SCA)
- Thursday, 12/14, 7:00 PM – Winter Chorus Concert (Gym)
- Monday, 12/18 - Monday, 1/1 - WINTER BREAK
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
