Good morning & Happy Sunday, Holmes Families!

Thank you for such a great turnout at both our parent coffee and our PTA meeting the past two weeks!  We had great conversations about ways to support students with organization and study skills.  Here are a few things we discussed:

• Support your students by working with them to set up a night-time and morning routine that will allow them to accomplish the tasks needed to be ready for school the next day and to get plenty of sleep.  Take devices away to remove distractions at bedtime.  
• Familiarize yourself with the blue-white calendar and the bell schedule (also in the student agenda) to help students organize their time and materials.  
• If possible, agree on a quiet space with limited distractions where homework should be completed.  
• While some teachers have specific requirements about how materials should be organized for their classes, students do have some flexibility about how to organize themselves.  Here are some options we've seen students be successful with:
  • one big binder for all classes
  • a blue-day binder and a white-day binder
  • a binder for each class
  • color-coded binders/folders 
  • writing homework in agenda
• Use SOAR time to stay organized and to catch up on work when the time is available 
• If your student says they have no homework or they completed it in school, they should read for 30 minutes to an hour.  Encourage students to read books and articles that they enjoy, and also encourage them to read about new topics.  Provide access to a variety of books through the Fairfax County Public Library or access one of the many resources through Fairfax County Public Schools (see below).  

Here is one helpful website the FCPS has for parents to support students.  

I'll be visiting the Lincolnia Community Resource Center this Thursday, September 26th, from 4:30-6:30 pm if you would like to talk more about how things are going for your student at Holmes!

Access ebooks, Databases and Encyclopedias from Your Computer

Did you know you and your student can access ebooks, databases and encyclopedias from your computer? All of these resources can easily be found at https://www.fcps.edu/resources/library and the required passwords on the attached sheet. Please feel free to reach out to Ms Haywood if you have any questions. 

In today's newsletter, scroll down for information about:

• FCPS CARES
• This Week's Schedule
• After-School Program
• Lunch Bunch
• Vaping: What Students (and Parents) Should Know
• ANGST: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety
• 2020 Yearbook for Sale
• Transportation Information
• Library Updates
• PTA Updates
• Online Free & Reduced-Price Application Information
• 8th Grade Finance Park Field Trips - 9/27, 9/30, 10/1
• 8th Grade Parents: Volunteer to Chaperone for the Finance Park Field Trip by using VolunteerHub Parent Access
• Save the Date: Mental Health and Wellness Conference to Be Held October 5 at Fairfax High School
• Fairfax County Government Holding Community Meetings September 16-25 to Discuss Countywide Strategic Plan
• George Mason Regional Library Book Sale
• Taste of Annandale - October 5th
• Get Technology Products at a Discount with the Technology@Home Program
• Important Dates
• 2019-20 Family Engagement Events
• How to Stay in Touch

Thanks, everyone, and have a wonderful week!  Please feel free to reach out to me or anyone on my team with any questions you have!

Sincerely,

Margaret Barnes

Proud Principal, Holmes MS

[email protected]

#SoarTogether

FCPS Cares

Do you know a Holmes Middle School staff member who does ordinary things in an extraordinary way or goes beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to submit your story so we can all acknowledge the good work of Holmes faculty and staff members.

This Week's Schedule of Classes: 9/23 - 9/27

This week: Mon., 9/23 =  Blue Day (1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th)  Tues., 9/24 = White Day (2nd, ER 5, 4th, 6th) Wed., 9/25 = Blue Day (1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th) Thurs., 9/26 =  White Day (2nd, ER 6, 4th, 6th) Fri., 9/27 = Blue Day (1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th)  *NOTE: Students can always find the blue-white calendar in their agendas or on the school website HERE.

After-School Program - Week of 9/23

During the school year, a weekly schedule of activities that will be held during the After School Program will be posted.  

• Monday, 9/23 - Late Buses, Clubs, & Teacher Help After School Begin.  Late buses are on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.  Students must be picked up by parents/guardians if they stay on Tuesdays or Fridays.  
• NOTE: There are only 6 late buses, so students' late bus assignments and stops are usually different than their regular bus. 

For any specific questions related to the After School Program or to share new ideas for after school activities, please feel free to contact Ms. Taylor, our After School Program Specialist.

LUNCH BUNCH

Lunch Bunch with Mrs. Barnes is back!  Each month, I invite students to join me for lunch to talk about whatever is on their minds.  It is always a lot of fun!  Students can sign up HERE to express their interest. The first one is this Friday, September 27th.

Vaping: What Students (and Parents) Should Know

Many students believe that vaping or Juuling is a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes, but that's not true. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that e-cigarettes are not safe for children, teenagers, or young adults. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and can impact brain development. Some e-cigarettes contain other harmful chemicals.

What Happens If a Student Is Caught Vaping?

FCPS’ Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) was updated in September 2018 to include vaping as a prohibited activity. Students found in possession of or using vape products on school grounds will participate in an FCPS intervention program and may receive disciplinary consequences, as noted in the SR&R. Students may face additional sanctions if they participate in a sport or activity where the Virginia High School League (VHSL) participation agreement is in place.

More information about vaping is available online. 

ANGST: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety

2020 Yearbook for Sale

Transportation Information

Buses By now, you should have received an email from Transportation with your child's regular and late bus assignment for the school year.  If not, please let us know.   New App - "Here Comes the Bus" - Over this past school year, the Office of Transportation Services has been working to integrate multiple electronic systems, such as student information data, routing data, and GPS data from school buses into the Here Comes the Bus application. Here Comes the Bus application was piloted during summer school in anticipation of the roll out for the 2019-20 school year. Get more information about Here Comes the Bus Bus Delay Notification System Stay up-to-date on school bus arrivals with FCPS' bus delay notification system. This system provides parents with timely notification of late bus route information. Access it directly online. Morning bus route information will be available until noon. The afternoon bus route information will be available from 1 to 7 p.m.   E-Notify email messages will also be sent to announce bus delays. Need assistance or have questions? Visit the FCPS Transportation page for more information.

Library Updates

Holmes MS Library's New Afterschool Club - Maker Monday's

Beginning Monday, September 21st the Holmes MS Library is excited to begin our new afterschool club - Maker Mondays. This is a kickoff to our new Makerspace we are in the process of designing. Wondering what is a Makerspace is? It can be defined in a variety of ways, at Holmes we really like author Laura Fleming's definition: “A Makerspace is a metaphor for a unique learning environment that encourages tinkering, play and open-ended exploration for all”  ~Laura Fleming, author of Worlds of Making

We'll be having different themes and building on our students' knowledge & growth. At our first meeting we'll be using washi tape to create free choice projects. Be on the lookout for new and exciting projects happening during Maker Mondays like Origami, Creating Circuits and even Legos! 

Want to get involved? We are seeking parents who would like to volunteer time and skill sets. Know how to crochet or knit and want to share that skill with students, reach out to Ms Haywood via email [email protected]. We are looking for all skills, both low tech and high tech! 

PTA Updates

Join PTA to support Holmes staff and students this year! 

 

Mark Your Calendar

Monday, September 23rd - PTA fundraiser at Chipotle - 6242 Little River Turnpike, Suite A, Alexandria. 

Online Free and Reduced-Price Application Information

Free and reduced-price meal applications may be completed online or by submitting a handwritten, paper application for the 2019-2020 school year.  Electronic meal applications are quick, easy, and available in the following languages:  English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Tagalog, French, and Vietnamese. 

Both the online application and paper application include a designated section with a consent to share information for potential waiver of fees for other programs. This allows parents/guardians to complete the free and reduced-price meal application and provide consent to share information in the same document.

Paper applications must be the original red print forms, which are available at school offices, school cafeterias, and other FCPS buildings.  Copied application forms cannot be accepted.

For more information visit the Free and Reduced-Price Meals webpage.

8th Grade Finance Park Field Trips - 9/27, 9/30, 10/1

JA Finance Park is an innovation in experiential education designed to prepare our region’s youth for life and work in the real world. Before their culminating experience at JA's one-of-a-kind, state-of-the-art facility, middle school students will first complete four weeks of in-classroom curriculum taught by their teacher. At the end of their classroom curriculum, students travel to JA Finance Park where they practice newly learned microeconomic concepts and experience first-hand the complexities of personal financial management as an earning, bill-paying adult for the day.

Students take on a life scenario – an avatar with a career, salary, credit score, debt, and family obligations – and make their way through various phases of the day. Volunteers help students with their decisions and share their own life experiences to give the choices context and make the experience more authentic for these young people.

In Fall 2010, in partnership with Fairfax County Public Schools, Junior Achievement of Greater Washington opened the doors to the first JA Finance Park in Greater Washington on the grounds of Robert Frost Middle School in Fairfax, VA. JA Finance Park Fairfax County brings in-depth, experiential financial literacy education to 14,000 8th grade students annually through more than 2,300 volunteers from the community.

Learn more about JA Finance Park>>

8th Grade Parents: Volunteer to Chaperone for the Finance Park Field Trip through VolunteerHub Parent Access

VolunteerHub Parent Access & Instructions

Thank you for your interest in volunteering for your student’s field trip to JA Finance Park^® Fairfax County!

Sign up to volunteer for this unique experience at: https://www.myja.org/parents/fairfax

Logging In for the First Time:

1. Navigate to myja.org/parents/fairfax and click the green “Sign Up to Volunteer” button.
2. At the bottom of the page, click on “Create New Account.”
3. Choose a username and password that you will be able to remember, and click “Next.”
4. Fill out your profile, completing all boxes that are indicated as required by the asterisks.
5. On the confirmation page, click “Next” to view available slots for upcoming dates.

Finding and Registering For Your School:

1. 1. In the top right corner, click the magnifying glass to open the search bar.
   2. Enter the name of your student’s school.
   3. Identify which date your student will be visiting JA Finance Park.
   4. Unsure? Contact your child’s Civics teacher.
   5. Click “More” to see additional details on the volunteer experience. Or if you’re ready, click “Sign Up.”

• Read Junior Achievement’s Volunteer Conduct Standards Form & Social Media Policy and agree to it using the check box at the bottom of the screen.

• Registration complete! Check your email for a confirmation message containing the event’s details.

We look forward to welcoming you to JA Finance Park!

Save the Date: Mental Health and Wellness Conference to Be Held October 5 at Fairfax High School

The sixth annual FCPS Mental Health and Wellness Conference will be held on Saturday, October 5, at Fairfax High School from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m, sponsored by Inova. The morning session will focus on social and emotional learning, with a keynote address given by Dr. Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.

A special session for high school students, the Our Minds Matter Teen Summit, will take place in the morning as well. Attendees are encouraged to stay for Inova’s Act on Addiction Summit, which will be held from 12:30 to 4 p.m. 

More information is available at the Mental Health and Wellness Conference website.   

Fairfax County Government Holding Community Meetings September 16-25 to Discuss Countywide Strategic Plan

What does your neighborhood look like in the future? Parks, libraries and other cultural opportunities? Our local environment? Transportation, including roads, bikes, and mass transit?

Join Fairfax County Government for another round of community meetings September 16-25 where you’ll learn more about progress on the first-ever countywide strategic plan. In the months since public feedback yielded nine areas of focus, teams have been working to further define and shape the future of our community in these areas:

• Cultural and recreational opportunities.
• Economic opportunity.
• Education and lifelong learning.
• Effective and efficient government.
• Health and environment.
• Housing and neighborhood livability.
• Mobility and transportation.
• Safety and security.
• Self-sufficiency for people with vulnerabilities.

Come hear about each area, then share your thoughts, insights, opinions and experiences that will be used to help further shape a countywide strategic plan. Register for a community meeting.

George Mason Regional Library Book Sale

Taste of Annandale - October 5th

The Taste of Annandale is a community festival set for Oct. 5, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Tom Davis Drive in the heart of Annandale, Va. Our Diamond-level sponsors are the Vistas of Annandale, an amenity-filled, conveniently located community of garden apartments and townhomes, and Lambros Goldsmith, an Annandale institution offering fine jewelry. Plans for the 5th annual event include a 5K race, live music and dance, restaurants, food trucks, expanded beer garden, children’s entertainment and games hosted by the ACCA Child Development Center, a chili cook-off, best-dressed pet contest, law enforcement display, and vendors. The Taste of Annandale is all about bringing the community together and shining a spotlight on the businesses and organizations that make their home here. https://tasteofannandale.com/

Get Technology Products at a Discount with the Technology@Home Program

The Technology@Home program offers FCPS students and staff an opportunity to purchase technology products from vendors such as Microsoft, Adobe, Dell, and Hewlett-Packard at discounted rates. More information is available online.  

Important Dates

• Mon., 9/23 - First Day of Late Buses (Clubs & Teacher Help begin)
• Mon., 9/23, 5-9 PM - Holmes MS PTA Chipotle Fundraiser, 6242 Little River Turnpike, Suite A, Alexandria
• Tues., 9/24 - Welcoming Atmosphere Walkthrough 
• Thurs., 9/26, 4:30-6:30 pm - Principal visit to Lincolnia Community Resource Center!
• Fri., 9/27 - Tue., 10/1 - Finance Park Field Trips - (Civic Classes)
• Wed., 10/2, 9-10 am - Parent Coffee - Theme: Using Tech Tools to Support Your Student
• Sat., 10/5, 8 am - 4 pm - FCPS Mental Health & Wellness Conference, Fairfax HS
• Mon., 10/6 & Tues., 10/7 - PICTURE DAY (through PE classes)
• Mon., 10/14, - School Planning Day - NO SCHOOL
• Thur., 10/24 - 5:30-6:30 pm - PTA Meeting (Prior to Fall Preview Concert) - Theme: Using Tech Tools to Support Your Student
• Thurs., 10/24 - 7:00 pm - Fall Preview Concert
• Fri., 11/1 - End of 1st Quarter
• Mon., 11/4 -School Planning Day - NO SCHOOL
• Tue., 11/5, 8-10 am - Mini-Conference Morning with Teachers
• Fri., 11/22, SOAR Time - Quarter 1 Honor Roll Celebration (Only Staff and Students Attend)
• Wed., 11/27 - Fri., 11/29 - Thanksgiving Day Holiday - NO SCHOOL
• Wed., 12/4 - 9-10 am - Parent Coffee  - Theme: Student Mental Wellness and Resiliency
• Mon., 12/23 - Fri., 1/3 - Winter Vacation - NO SCHOOL

2019-20 Family Engagement Events

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