Principal's Note - March 10, 2019

By Margaret Barnes
Principal's Note
March 13, 2019

Good evening, Holmes Families!

Now that we have all sprung our clocks ahead one hour for Daylight Savings Time, this is just a reminder that tomorrow - Monday, March 11th - is an Early Release Day for students, who will be dismissed at 11:15 am.  Due to all school staff participating in required professional development tomorrow afternoon about Equity & Cultural Responsiveness, our main office will be closed from 11:30 am to 1:45 pm.  There will also be no After School Program tomorrow afternoon.  (Scroll down for this week's ASP schedule.)

Congratulations to both of our Holmes Bands who completed their assessment with an Excellent rating this weekend at Sandburg Middle School!  

And Congratulations to our 8th graders who successfully completed their Writing SOLs this past week!  We expect to receive the results by the end of April/beginning of May.  

All students will be moving right into division-wide assessments for Math and English this week and next week.  These assessments are an opportunity for teachers to have additional information about what students know and are able to do as we prepare for May SOL testing.  (Scroll down to the bottom of the newsletter for the May SOL Testing schedule.)

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

  • FCPS CARES
  • This Week's Schedule
  • This Week's After School Program Schedule
  • Communication to Parents and Students about the Momo Challenge and Digital Citizenship Resources
  • Parent Chaperones Needed For Newseum Field Trip and Finance Park Make-up Field Trips
  • Rising 6th Grade Parent Coffee - Wednesday, March 13th
  • Annandale Pyramid Unity Night - Thursday, April 4th
  • School Health Services Survey
  • Family Engagement Survey - March 24th - April 12th 
  • Registration Now Open for 2019 Special Education Conference at Lake Braddock Secondary School - Saturday, April 6th 
  • Color Fun Run/Walk - Saturday, April 27th
  • Calling All Fairy Godparents for Dress Donations
  • Important Dates (including May SOL Schedule)
  • How to Stay in Touch

Thanks, everyone, and have a wonderful week!

Sincerely,

Margaret Barnes

Proud Principal, Holmes MS

[email protected]

#HolmesHawksSoar

FCPS Cares

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: 3/11 - 3/15

Schedule  

This week:

Mon., 3/11 = Blue Day (3-HOUR EARLY RELEASE FOR STUDENTS)

Tues., 3/12 = White Day w/ ER 5 & 6

Wed., 3/13 = Blue Day 

Thurs., 3/14 = White Day w/ ER 7 & 8 (ER 8 Lesson: IB School-wide Lesson)

Fri., 3/15= Blue Day 

 *NOTE: Students can always find the blue-white calendar in their agendas or on the website HERE.  

After School Program - Week of 3/11

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

asp

Communication to Parents and Students about the Momo Challenge and Digital Citizenship Resources

In Fairfax County schools, county agencies and families are working together to create an environment where children and youth can safely learn, work, and play. Similar to our message containing information about the 13 Reasons Why NETFLIX program and the Blue Whale Challenge, we are sending this communication to alert you to a recent rise in new games and social media challenges that encourage young people to participate in harmful behavior.

One example of this is a potentially harmful game called the “Momo Challenge" that has reportedly been posted on different social media platforms to include WhatsApp and assigns players a series of progressively more intense tasks, to include self-harm. It is important to note that the Momo Challenge is a hoax that has received a significant amount of media attention.

This hoax has been seen across the United States in recent months, targeting primarily elementary aged children. Vigilant parents and guardians in Fairfax County have also reported seeing information about the Momo Challenge or similar games on their children's phones and have alerted school authorities.

Please talk to your child about this type of internet hoax, and check his or her phone or other device for signs of an app or communications with anyone telling them to do specific tasks. This provides an excellent opportunity to remind your child of best practices for internet safety and digital citizenship:

  • Remind your child information shared on social media is not always true and how quickly misinformation can create a panic online.
  • Children should never engage in conversations with strangers online.
  • Be aware of the sites and apps your children are using and know their usernames and passwords.
  • Turn off suggested autoplay on videos to stop children from viewing content they have not selected, and you have not approved.
  • If appropriate, tell your children that Momo is not real and will not hurt them.
  • Encourage open dialogue with them around any concerns.

FCPS has additional resources available on this website: https://www.fcps.edu/node/32086. If you have concerns about your child, please contact your school counselor. Please be aware that a number of mental health resources are available, including Fairfax County Public School resources: School Counseling Services at 571-423- 4420, School Psychology Services at 571-423-4250, and School Social Work Services at 571-423-4300 and Fairfax County resources: Crisis Link Hotline at 703-527-4077, Merrifield Emergency Services 703-573-5679 (available 24/7) or Entry and Referral during business hours at 703-383-8500. The Fairfax County Police Department non-emergency number is 703-691-2131.

More information about the Momo Challenge and other internet challenges or hoaxes is available at these links: 

As a reminder, students will be dismissed three hours early on Monday, March 11, for a staff development day. Classes will resume on Tuesday, March 12. See the complete 2018-19 school year calendar.

PARENT CHAPERONES NEEDED FOR NEWSEUM FIELD TRIP AND FINANCE PARK MAKE-UP FIELD TRIPS

Newseum Field Trip - March 13-14

All 7th graders will be going to the Newseum on March 13th or March 14th to explore events in US history through various forms of news media and primary sources.  Your student should have received a permission slip through their history class that will provide more details on the field trip including which day they will be attending.  To make this field trip a success we need parent volunteers to help chaperone.  For the field trip we would need parent volunteers to meet at Holmes Middle School at 8:30am; we will arrive back from the field trip around 1:30pm.  This field trip would not be possible without the help of parent volunteers.  Please email Ms. Lynch at @email if you would like more information about the field trip or if you can commit to volunteering for it.  We appreciate all that you do for your student and Holmes Middle School.

Finance Park Make Ups - March 19 & May 31

Our Finance Park Make up dates will be Tuesday, March 19th and Friday, May 31st.  We are really in need of more parent chaperones, so if you are available on the 19th, please contact your student’s Civics teacher, and they will add you to the list.  During the day, which will be from 8:30am – 1:30pm, you will lead a group of no more than 9 students, as they prepare to be “an adult for the day.”  It will require you to drive yourself to the JA Finance Park Facility, which is at 4099 Pickett Road, Fairfax VA.  Once again, please contact your student’s Civics teacher (i.e. Mr. Kerner, Mr. Sterzinger, Mr. Hoover, Mr. Schmitz, or Ms. D’Angelo) if you are interested.

Rising 6th Grade Parent Coffee

Rising 6th grade families:

You are cordially invited to attend our second rising 6th grade parent coffee next month.  You will have an opportunity to meet with Holmes staff and to learn more about the transition to Holmes Middle School.

When: Wed, Mar 13 9AM  - (Cafeteria)

Please contact Ms. Serena Giron, Director of Student Services [email protected] or 703-658-5940 with any questions you may have.

We look forward to meeting you!

Annandale Pyramid Unity Night

Annandale Pyramid Unity Night

School Health Services Survey

The Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) employs school health aides and public health nurses who provide school health services to the students in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). To determine the quality of these services, a survey has been developed by the FCHD to be shared with all parents or guardians and school staff members who interact with the school health rooms. This may include principals, school counselors, and main office staff members. The survey has been approved for distribution by the FCPS’ Internal Survey Advisory Committee.

Electronic versions of the survey forms may be accessed at:

School Health Services Survey – Parents 2019: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/85QGH7C

School Health Services Survey-Parents 2019 (Spanish): https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LLSF55F

School Health Services Survey – STAFF 2019: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/L87BPDZ 

FCPS Family Engagement Survey - March 24th-April 12th

Dear Families,

Fairfax County Public Schools will be conducting a survey to gather information about family engagement in our schools. Relationships are important to us, and your opinion is critical to help us support your engagement in your child’s education. Your feedback will also help us determine how well we are reaching the goals for Caring Culture we have set in our Strategic Plan. Survey translations will be made available, and the survey can be taken on electronic devices, including smartphones.

Survey administration is scheduled for March 24-April 12, 2019, and you will receive more information about how to take the survey in the near future.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Registration Now Open for 2019 Special Education Conference at Lake Braddock Secondary School

Registration is now open for the 2019 Special Education Conference, which will be held Saturday, April 6, from 7:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Lake Braddock Secondary School. The focus of this year’s conference is on building inclusive and post-secondary practices to support the development of 21st century skills and Portrait of a Graduate attributes.

This year’s keynoter is Dr. Mary E. Morningstar, the co-director of Portland State University’s Think College Inclusion Oregon project and a professor in the Graduate School of Education’s Special Education Department, who will be speaking about Moving from Compliance to Quality Transition Outcomes.

Get more information and register. 

Color Fun Run/Walk

color fun rum

Calling All Fairy Godparents for Dress Donations

dress donations

Important Dates

  • Monday, 3/11 - 3-HOUR EARLY RELEASE FOR STUDENTS (STAFF DEVELOPMENT)
  • Tuesday, 3/12, 7:00 pm - Pre-Assessment Chorus Concert (Annandale HS)
  • Wednesday, 3/13 & Thursday, 3/14, 7th Grade Newseum Field Trip
  • Wednesday, 3/13, 9:00 am - Rising 6th Grade Parent Coffee
  • Fri., 3/15 & Sat., 3/16  - Orchestra Assessment, Edison HS
  • Tuesday, 3/19, Finance Park Make-Up Field Trip (8th graders who have Mr. Hoover)
  • Fri., 3/22 & Sat., 3/23 - Chorus Assessment, Sandburg MS
  • Thurs., 3/28, 6:00 pm - Hispanic Parents Night 
  • Thursday, 4/4 - Last Day of 3rd Quarter
  • Thursday, 4/4, 7:00 pm - Annandale Pyramid Unity Night (Holmes vs. Poe Faculty Basketball Game)
  • Friday, 4/5 - Teacher Workday / Student Holiday
  • Mon., 4/15-Fri., 4/19 - SPRING BREAK

How to Stay In-Touch

Please stay in touch with us throughout the year by:

soar

May / June SOL Testing Schedule

SOL Schedule Page 1SOL Schedule Page 2

Interested in learning more about the SOL exams your child will take?  Here are links from the Virginia Department of Education for: