Principal's Note - Sept 6, 2020
Good afternoon, Holmes Families!
I hope that you are enjoying the beautiful weather this Labor Day Weekend! We had a great turnout of students for our orientation on Wednesday, and we are so excited to get classes started in 2 days! This newsletter is primarily focused on the basic information that your student needs to get successfully logged into every class on the first day of school, Tuesday, September 8th. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us if you or your student need any assistance. The admin team, counselors, office staff, and our tech team will be ready to help by email or phone.
A few important reminders for parents:
- Parent Consent for Digital Resources. Our teachers have been training in a variety of different digital resources to provide high quality, engaging instruction to all students. Some of those resources require parent consent. Please click HERE to see a list of resources that we will be using, and HERE to fill out the form to provide consent for each student you have at Holmes.
- Forms, Forms, Forms.
- Please refer back to Ms. Hindi's email which provides the links to required forms for the school year.
- FCPS' 2020-21 Student Rights & Responsibilities Guide is now available online for review. Please access THIS FORM to acknowledge receipt of the document for each student you have at Holmes. Booklets will be available in multiple languages at a later date for families.
- Immunizations.
- Even though we are starting the year virtually, students' immunizations still need to be update (including the TDAP for 7th graders). If you have not done so already, please provide that important documentation to Ms. Hindi at @email.
Here are today's newsletter topics:
Holmes News
- Student Services - Important Information
- Step-by-Step Login Instructions for Students
- 2020-21 Virtual Bell Schedule
- Frequently Asked Questions & Resources
- Order Holmes Spirit Wear!
- Important Dates
- How to Stay Connected to Holmes MS
News from around FCPS
- Free Meal Program for ALL FCPS Students Extended to 12/31/20
- Tech Help & Resources for Students & Families
- Special Education Newsletter Features News, Support for Families
- Return to School: Supports for Students with Disabilities
- Parent Resource Center Offers Workshop on Virtual Learning
- New Videos Feature Help with Google Classroom, Padlet, Flipgrid
- FCPS 24-7 Learning: Parent View
Thank you, and I hope your students have GREAT first week back to school!
Sincerely,
Margaret Barnes
Proud Principal, Holmes MS
HOLMES NEWS
Step-by-Step Login Instructions for Students
Below are very detailed instructions to help students at all levels of technical ability to get logged into all classes successfully each day:
- Step 1: Log into computer. Know your FCPS login (your student ID number) and password. It will be the same login and password that you will use for a few different programs.
 Step 2: Log into Google Chrome. After you power up your computer and log in, open up Google Chrome as your internet browser. This video shows you how to log into Google Chrome and get to Google Classroom. When you log into Google Classroom, you may see that some teachers have already added you to theirs, and you should see your grade-level Google Classroom.
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Step 3: Open your FCPS email. Next, you'll need to check your email for 2 things - your schedule and your Blackboard Collaborate Ultra (BBCU) links. To check your email, click on the icon that looks like a waffle in the top right corner of Google Chrome. You'll get a menu of Google Apps that looks similar to the picture. Click on the Gmail icon. |
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Step 4: Find your schedule. Find the email from Ms. Giron sent on Monday, August 31st with your schedule. The email will also have an organizer for you to keep track of the BBCU links for each class along with a video with instructions about the organizer. Your schedule will have 8 periods. (Note: You will only be able to access the organizer and make a copy if you are logged into your [email protected] address in Google Chrome.)
Step 5: Find your BBCU links. All Teachers sent Blackboard Collaborate Ultra (BBCU) links to your FCPS emails last week. The emails will look like the picture below. These are the links you will use to sign into your different classes each day. You should have one for each of the classes on your schedule.
- You may notice that the teacher name in the invite is a teacher whose name is not on your schedule. Many of our classes at Holmes have 2 teachers, so the link is from a teacher who is partnering with the teacher on your schedule.)
- Here's a video with some tips for signing into and using BBCU for the first time. (Note: This video is available HERE in multiple languages.)
Don't have a link for one of your classes?
- Please contact the individual teacher using the Staff Directory to request the link.
- If you still do not hear back from the teacher or receive the link, please contact Ms. Barnes.
Step 6: Set up your schedule and link organizer (picture below).
- Either type or copy and paste the name of your class and teacher in the first two columns of the blue day chart and the white day chart.
- Blue Days are on Tuesdays and Thursdays and include periods 1, 3, 5, and 7.
- White Days are on Wednesdays and Fridays and include periods 2, 4, 6, and 8.
- SOAR is during 3rd period this year.
- Go to each BBCU invite for each class, and copy and paste the link into the correct row on the organizer.
- Not sure how to copy and paste? Take a look at this video for a quick shortcut.
- Want to get really fancy and put the classes and links on your Google Calendar? Check out this video. You'll need the bell schedule below to help you set up the calendar if this is an option you choose.
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Once you're organizer is set up, you're all set and ready to soar on the first day of school! |
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Frequently Asked Questions & Resources
- For questions about your student's schedule, please contact the counselor using the contact information in the chart below.
- For support with technology, check out the new help desk provided by FCPS 7 days a week, 16 hours a day (7 am - 11pm). You can also call 1-833-921-3277.
- Will classes be held 5 days a week?
- No. Students have virtual classes Tuesdays through Fridays following this bell schedule on our website.
- On Mondays, ALL students will have to go to the Google Classroom for their SOAR class to complete the check-in form for attendance.
- On Monday mornings between 7:30-10:30, SOME students may work in small groups with teachers, counselors or specialists based on their individual needs,
- Do I need to report my student's absence during the virtual classes?
- Yes, please call our attendance line at 703-658-5919 or submit an attendance form.
- How do I get access to SIS ParentVue?
- Contact Ms. Hindi at @email or 703-658-5940 or visit this site.
- Does my student have to have his/her camera on during classes?
- Students having their cameras on is not required, but it is encouraged.
- How will students be tested in a virtual setting?
- Part of the training that teachers completed in these past 3 weeks has been learning alternate ways to assess students in a virtual setting. Teachers are also collaborating together to plan for this. Students may be assessed using programs like Kahoot, Nearpod, GoFormative, and other digital resources that are available. Please be sure to provide consent for digital resources.
- What will PE and electives classes be like in a virtual setting?
- All teachers received training in the last 3 weeks around providing virtual instruction in their specific content areas, and they have been collaborating with other PE and electives teachers across the county to share ideas and resources. All of our teachers are ready to provide high quality instruction to your students in a virtual setting, and we appreciate your grace and patience as we all go through this new experience together.
- Will there be SOL testing this year?
- Yes, but accreditation has been waived for all schools in Virginia this year.
- How do we get access to free or low-cost internet?
Important Dates
- Tuesday, September 8th - FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
- Thursday, September 24th (New date) - Virtual Back To School Night (More details to come)
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
NEWS FROM AROUND FCPS
Free Meal Program for ALL FCPS Students Extended to 12/31/20
Under waivers granted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Fairfax County Public Schools’ (FCPS) free breakfast and lunch program for all FCPS students is being extended through December 31, ensuring that students have access to nutritious food during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
FCPS has distributed more than 2.3 million Grab and Go meals since schools closed in March.
Beginning Tuesday, September 8, Grab and Go service hours will be extended to 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) with both breakfast and lunch being served at the same time. Bus routes for food distribution are being added and the current routes updated. Meals on buses will be distributed Monday through Friday beginning at 6:30 a.m. Specific information about meal distribution locations and bus distribution schedules are available here.
“We greatly appreciate this decision by the USDA and Virginia Department of Education that support our efforts to provide meals to as many students as possible,” said FCPS Superintendent Scott S. Brabrand. “Extending the summer program authority will also ensure that parents have the security of knowing their children will be fed.”
These waivers will:
• Allow Summer Food Service Program meals to be served in all areas and at no cost;
• Permit meals to be served outside of the typically required group settings and meal times;
• Waive meal pattern requirements as necessary; and
• Allow parents and guardians to pick up meals for their children.
Tech Help & Resources for Students & Families
- To support families who are working with their children during virtual learning, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is launching a new Parent Technology Help Desk, effective today, Monday, August 24. The help desk can be reached at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS) and will be answered by staff members between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., seven days a week.
- FCPS has also set up an online portal to allow older students and parents/guardians to request technology help directly.
- Tips for online learning success can be found on the FCPS website.
- FCPS Parent Information Phone Lines are available in eight different languages.
Parents, Please Update Your Contact Information
For parents to stay current on school news and plans, current contact information is essential. This is especially important because schools will need to regularly notify parents about program changes and opportunities, such as laptop distributions, school supply lists, and other essentials. Once school begins, your school team may need to reach parents about student absences and academic and other concerns. Parents may update their information through Parent View.
Special Education Newsletter Features News, Support for Families
The August 14 edition of the Special Education Newsletter has been published and includes information on social-emotional learning, at-home learning tips, and suggestions on how to help build independence. Read it online
Return to School: Supports for Students with Disabilities
Check out the FCPS web page for information on distance learning supports for students with disabilities. This page covers a wide range of topics, including information for parents of students in grades PreK-12, accessing instruction in school-based programs, as well as information around nontraditional school programs, public day and career center programs, homebound and home-based instruction, and multi-agency services.
Parent Resource Center Offers Workshop on Virtual Learning
Are you worried about managing your child’s virtual schooling this year? Do you hate becoming the “school police” when your child won’t focus? Do you have to balance your child’s schooling with your own remote workload? We hear you, and we’re here to help.
An free online webinar to provide support for adults will be offered on September 1 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and on September 11 from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Learn how to avoid parent-child conflict around academics with practical tips for:
- Establishing routines and expectations that really work.
- Creating ideal spaces for virtual learning.
- Keeping kids focused while learning online.
- Minimizing distractions from video games and other screens.
- Getting your own work done at the same time (Yes, it’s possible!).
Don’t tackle this unusual year without a plan. Instead, join us and feel more prepared and confident for the year ahead, with a toolbox full of practical strategies that actually work. Register online or call 703-204-3941 for more information.
New Videos Feature Help with Google Classroom, Padlet, Flipgrid
As students prepare for the virtual start to the school year, parents are encouraged to learn some of the technology applications their children and classrooms may be using this fall by viewing videos posted here. The list will be continuously updated.
This week, three new videos have been added to the Virtual Learning Tips and Tricks playlist on YouTube.
Locating Assignments in Google Classroom: Courtney White, education specialist, created this video to show you where to find your student assignments in Google Classroom. Log into your student's fcpsschools.net account to access Google Classroom.
Padlet Tutorial: Padlet is an online bulletin board for students to post and collaborate. Jenn Choumil, biology teacher at McLean HS, created this resource for parents to better understand how the app works.
Flipgrid Screencast: The Deer Park ES school-based technology specialist is back to demonstrate how to use Flipgrid to make a screencast. It's a fun way for students to share their work with the teacher and classmates. Parental permission is required for students to use this app.
FCPS 24-7 Learning: Parent View
Find out what's happening in your child's classroom
Please note that it is necessary to have an active Student Information System (SIS) Parent Account to be able to login to FCPS 24-7 Learning: Parent View. The same login credentials will be used to access both the SIS and FCPS 24-7 systems.
General Information
FCPS 24-7 Learning provides parents access to available courses the student is enrolled in, Naviance Student to view College and Academic Career Planning (for Middle and High school students), weCare@school to view and update Emergency Care information, and Bus Stop Information via the Bus Stop module.
Support
- Forgot Password – If you need to recover a forgotten password or change your password please visit the password management page.
- Parent Help - Complete this online form to request assistance.
Content Available to Parents
- Course Information – This includes content areas such as announcements and course specific information. While most classroom sites are pre-set to provide parents access, some courses may have modified settings, or have been created after the course access settings were made and may therefore be inaccessible. If you have a concern, contact the teacher. Also, should you see course information from a previous school year, you may contact the previous year's teacher to ask them to update their course information accordingly. Please note that the following content areas are not accessible by parents: gradebook – grades can be seen through the SIS Parent Account; wikis, blogs, and discussion boards; and organizations.
- Naviance Student - Supports academic and career planning for middle and high school students. Only parents with middle or high school students will see student names in the Naviance Student module.
- Emergency Care Information Management (weCare@school) - Is an emergency care information system, available to FCPS parents and guardians with access to FCPS 24-7 Learning : Parent View.
A Note About Student Data Management
Each student has a unique student ID number which will ensure that a parent is matched to the correct child(ren). Also when a student withdraws from FCPS the student's account on FCPS 24-7 Learning is disabled. Once the student's account has been disabled the parent view will no longer include the student's information.
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