Principal's Note - Sept 30, 2022
Good afternoon, Holmes Families!
Just four more weeks remaining in 1st quarter! The time is flying! Stay tuned to the calendar this month...all weeks in October are 4-day weeks for students, beginning with this upcoming Wednesday, 10/5, a student holiday and Yom Kippur.
Digital Resource Consent
Click HERE to sign or check the completion status for your student's Digital Resource Consent as soon as possible. Many digital tools require parent permission this year and students are opted out by default. By completing this form, you will help provide teachers with the necessary information they need to plan impactful lessons using digital media.
Contact Mel Mollick, School-Based Technology Specialist for Holmes, at @email if you have any questions or concerns.
Digital Citizenship Lesson on Monday 10/3:
On Monday, during SOAR, students will be learning about data privacy and security. We encourage you to continue this conversation at home. Here are some tools you can use to chat with your student about their online safety:
- Tip Sheet: Review this tip sheet in English , Spanish, or more languages. These tips help kids avoid scams and protect their personal data.
- Family Activity: Read through each activity on the list here and talk about the ones you've done and what personal information you might be giving up (for example: name, phone number, or contact list). Then discuss which ones you should avoid in the future.
- Know the Policies: Look up the privacy policies for tools or apps your students use. For example, here are the Instagram and Fortnight privacy policies. Chat with your student: What data does the app collect? What data is collected from third parties? What data is shared with third parties?
Thank You, Custodians!
October 2 is Custodian Appreciation Day. Thanks to our custodians, we all have a clean, safe place to learn, teach, and work.
Holmes PTA
We invite EVERY family at Holmes to participate in the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) because we can do more together! Advocate for your child, and for all the children at Holmes. Connect with other parents, so that we can build a stronger community for ourselves and our children. This year, the Holmes PTA is planning on holding in-person meetings again, so you can meet face-to-face with other parents and with Ms. Barnes. We're also planning restaurant nights, Bingo Nights, a Fun Run, Teacher Appreciation Week, and so much more!
- Join the PTA on MemberHub
- Are you able to volunteer? Submit this Google form:
- Want to order Spiritwear?
- Did you miss the PTA meeting last Wednesday? You can access the recording HERE, and use this passcode: aG&UvRH%N6
Join in the Holmes Book Drive (spearheaded by Holmes students)!
Become an AVID Tutor!
Fall INSPIRE 2022 Conference
As we progress through the start of the 2022-2023 school year, we have some exciting news for all students currently registered at Glasgow, Holmes and Key Middle Schools. To truly kick off the year, these three schools have partnered together to host a Fall INSPIRE 2022 Conference. This event seeks to promote health and wellness AND provide parents and students with the tools they can use to advance their thinking and learning. This event will be held at Glasgow Middle School for more information on sessions click here.
For questions regarding the program, please contact: Alex Anderson @email
Date and Time: October 15, 2022 from 8am - 1pm.
To attend you must register using this link: https://forms.gle/vpNneBjLVaCj718C6 (one form submission per student)
Due to limited spacing, we must cap this conference registration to the first 300 registered participants.
We look forward to seeing you and your child there!
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Online Application for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Opens October 24; Deadline to Start Application is November 16.
The online application for students interested in applying for admission to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST), a Regional Governor’s School in Fairfax County focused on science and technology, will be available beginning Monday, October 24th. The application will be posted on the TJ admissions website.
Please view the TJ admissions video with your child. It is also located on their website with other relevant application information.
World Language Credit Exam for Another Language Speakers
Does your student speak, read and write in another language? If so, the World Language Exam is for them! Students can earn high school credit for what they already know! World Languages Credit Exam will take place on November 3rd, 9th, and 10th, 2022.
If your student is interested in taking the exam, please have them talk to their counselor and check out the World Language Exam website here! Registration closes on Thursday, October 6th.
The thirty (30) languages that are included are: American Sign Language (ASL), Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (Mandarin), Farsi, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Nepali, Pashto, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Sanskrit, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, Telugu, Tigrinya, Turkish, Twi, Urdu, and Vietnamese.
Here are today's newsletter topics:
Holmes Updates
- Student Services Information
- 2022-23 Blue/White Schedule
- 2022-23 Bell Schedule
- After School Schedule Next Week
- From Ms. Oncho, Our Family Liaison
- Testing Information & Quarter 1 Testing Windows
- Important Upcoming Dates
- How to Stay Connected to Holmes MS
FCPS & Community Updates
- Feedback on ESSER III Funding
- The Parent Project
- Stay Connected with FCPS
Please feel free to reach out and let us know what questions you have. Thank you, stay safe and dry this weekend, and we'll see your students on Monday!
Sincerely,
Margaret Barnes
Proud Principal, Holmes MS
#TeamHolmes
HOLMES UPDATES
Student Services Information
2022-23 Blue/White Calendar
After School Schedule Next Week
After-School Weekly News & Notes
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ASP Students of the Week – Riley Williams & Cohen Carlson
- Cohen and Riley our ASP Students of the week because of their commitment, helpfulness, and positive attitudes while participating in numerous clubs throughout the week.
- Keep up the great work Cohen and Riley!
Cursive Club – Students are having a great time learning cursive and enjoying popcorn in Cursive Club this week.
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Coding Beats – Students learned how to create music by coding this week in Coding Beats Club. |
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Girls Volleyball Club – Students practiced and developed their skills in volleyball club. |
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Clubs coming in October to After-School schedule:
- RC Cars Club
- International Dramatic Theatre Club
- Voices of Now
- Early Identification Program (EIP)
- Jump Rope Club
Students Leaving After-School before 4:45
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- Any student staying after school must be signed out of the main office by a parent or guardian if leaving prior to 4:45.
- Walkers may sign themselves out any time after 3:30 when first block ends.
Questions/Concerns
Contact the After-School Specialist, Matt Kruk, @email
From Ms. Oncho, Our Family Liaison
Dear families,
Please fill out this survey. We would like to know your needs and your interest area for workshops and training.
We are collecting donations to support Holmes families in need. Please consider donating to the Holmes closet . We appreciate your generosity in advance.
Testing Information & Quarter 1 Testing Windows
State assessments measure the extent to which students have learned the content and skills reflected in state standards and may also be used to measure growth in learning state standards. The format and timing of state assessments vary by grade level and content area, as noted in the table below. These include:
- Fall and winter Virginia Growth Assessments (VGA) standardized tests in reading and mathematics. More information is available on the VGA webpage (https://www.fcps.edu/node/43932);
- Spring Standards of Learning (SOL) standardized tests in reading, mathematics, and science. More information is available on the SOL assessments webpage (https://www.fcps.edu/node/35021);
- Ongoing local alternative assessments (LAAs) including performance-based assessments (PBAs) completed as part of classroom instruction in science, writing, and social studies; More information is available on the LAA and PBA webpage (https://www.fcps.edu/node/45043).
The Grade Level Tests webpage (https://www.fcps.edu/student-assessment/grade-level-tests) provides information by grade level about the general assessment schedule and reporting method for each required assessment type in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). School staff will contact you with the specific dates your student is scheduled to take the standardized VGA and SOL assessments. If you have questions about state assessments, contact your student’s teacher or Christopher Kamar, our test coordinator, at @email
Important Upcoming Dates
- Wednesday, 10/5 - NO SCHOOL / Yom Kippur
- Monday, 10/10 - NO SCHOOL / Staff Development Day
- Monday, 10/24 - NO SCHOOL / Diwali
- Friday, 10/28 - 1st Quarter Ends / 2-Hour Early Release
- Monday, 10/31 - NO SCHOOL / Teacher Workday
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
ESSER III Funding Supports Student Success: Your Voice Matters
In the fall of 2021, FCPS received $188.8 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) funding to support the safe operation of schools and address the impacts of COVID-19 on students.
ESSER III focus areas have included resources for prevention and mitigation of COVID, academic services, multilingual engagement, support for students’ social emotional needs, and professional development.
Your Voice Matters!
A feedback form will be live on the ESSER III webpage Friday, September 23. Your input will inform the School Board and FCPS staff on the community’s view of our work. Watch this video to see the impact ESSER III funds are having in our schools. Learn more on FCPS’ website.
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