Principal’s Note - Aug 2, 2021

By Margaret Barnes
Principal's Note
August 02, 2021

Good evening, Holmes Families!  

I hope that you all have had an incredible summer!  It is hard to believe that our summer programs have already wrapped up after a successful and fun 3 weeks, August is here, and the first day of school is just 3 weeks away on Monday, August 23rd!  We are so thankful to our staff who supported students in the Young Scholars and Imagine summer programs this summer, and we are excited to ALL of our students back at Holmes this year 5 days a week!  We have quite a few events between now and labor day to help you and your students feel ready for the new school year! 

Supply List

By popular request, the supply list is now published on the website just in time for Virginia's tax-free weekend.   We are keeping it simple again this year and just asking families to supply a few basic items.  Since organization is a skill that so many middle schoolers are still learning, we will be implementing a school-wide organizational system this year and will provide a 3-ring binder, a set of dividers, and earbuds for each student.  Laptops will be distributed during the first week of school during the SOAR Advisory (3rd period) class.  

Student Class Schedules

Our Student Services Department is currently hard at work finalizing our master schedule for the 2021-22 school year.  Student schedules will be available on ParentVue and StudentVue on Thursday, August 19th, at 6 am. 

Open House - Wednesday, August 18th

On Wednesday, August 18th any time between 8 am  and 4 pm, families are welcome to come to visit our building for an open house.  Families will have an opportunity to complete and turn in any outstanding forms and immunizations documents, briefly tour the school with their students, pick up schedules (which will also be available via StudentVue and ParentVue the following day).  Forms will be sent to your home and via email next week.  

During the open house, we also plan to provide support for families to get signed up for ParentVue and FCPS' new Learning Management System, Schoology.  Specific times of these help sessions will be provided in next week's Sunday update. 

Jumpstart - Thursday, August 19th 

Rising 6th Grade Families

We are so excited to welcome our rising 6th graders for a Jumpstart Orientation on August 19th from 7:30am to 11:30am.  Lunch and bus transportation will be available for students.  A parent information session will also be held at Holmes from 8am-9am.  Please stay tuned for more information as the date approaches.  (Please note there is no form to complete for attendance.)  

Rising 7th Grade Families of students who were virtual in 2020-2021 and New 7th and 8th Grade Families

We are so excited to welcome our rising 7th Graders (who were virtual in 2020-2021 school year) and any new 7th and 8th graders to Holmes for a Jumpstart Orientation on August 19th from 12:30pm- 2:30.  A power snack and bus transportation will be available for students.  A parent information session will also be held at Holmes from 1:30pm-2:30pm.  

Please complete this form if you are interested in your child attending.

Back to School Night - Wednesday, September 1st, 5:30-8:30 pm

Please join us on Wednesday, September 1st, to get to know your student's teachers! 

  • From 5:30-6:15, we will open up the building for families to explore a bit and will have a variety of resources and supports available for families to consult with prior to the Back to School Night event. 
  • At 6:30, families will begin the evening in their students' SOAR Advisory (3rd period) classes to learn how that class supports students acts as a "home base" for them throughout the school year. 
  • Following the SOAR class, families will visit each of the other classes to get to know teachers and class expectations.   

Here are today's newsletter topics:

Holmes Updates

  • Student Services - Important Information
  • Schoology
  • How to Stay Connected to Holmes MS

FCPS Updates

  • Returning Strong

  • Mask Guidance

  • COVID Vaccinations

  • Updated Definition of "Close Contact"

  • Important Immunization Requirement: Do You Have a Student Entering Seventh Grade or Twelfth Grade This Fall?

  • Stay Connected with FCPS

Keep reading for more information about Schoology and how we will return to 5 days of school safe and strong.  I am looking forward to partnering with you all this school year to support our students!  Thank you, and have a great week!

Sincerely,

Margaret Barnes

Proud Principal, Holmes MS

@email

HOLMES UPDATES

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schoology

I am excited to share that students, families, and teachers throughout FCPS and in our school community will use Schoology (pronounced /SKOO-luh-jee/) as our learning management system beginning Fall 2021.

Here is what you need to know now:

  • We are no longer using Blackboard 24-7 Learning or Blackboard Collaborate Ultra (BBCU)
  • Schoology has a connected web conferencing tool, Zoom
  • Schoology works with Google Drive
  • You need a SIS/ParentVUE account to login to Schoology: https://www.fcps.edu/node/31379
  • You can learn more about Schoology: https://www.fcps.edu/schoology
  • Parent accounts will be available in mid-August
    • Information about how to login to parent accounts will be shared with you closer to the start of the school year.
  • Students already have Schoology accounts
  • Students will not see any classes until the grading period starts.
  • Students use their FCPS student ID and password to login to Schoology: https://lms/fcps/edu. Look for the FCPS logo to make sure you are on the correct login page.  

We will provide families with opportunities to get signed up for ParentVue and Schoology at our Open House on 8/18, our parent sessions on 8/19, and our Back to School Night on September 1st.  

How to Stay Connected to Holmes MS

Please stay in touch with us throughout the year by:

FCPS UPDATES

Returning Strong

FCPS is returning strong for a strong school year this fall. Students will engage in in-person learning five days a week in safe and supportive schools. 

As we prepare to welcome students back to the classroom, COVID-19 case numbers are increasing in Fairfax County, driven by the highly-contagious Delta variant and slowing vaccination rates. The key to maintaining a healthy environment for learning is a robust vaccination rate and layered prevention strategies, including universal masking in FCPS school buildings.

There are three things we can all do to start strong this fall:

  1. Wear a mask.
  2. Get vaccinated.
  3. Stay connected.

Mask Guidance

Masks are an essential tool in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and protecting those unable to be vaccinated. To ensure a safe start to the school year, masks will be required for everyone, regardless of vaccination status, inside FCPS school buildings.

Wearing a mask protects us all:

  • Children under 12 and the immunocompromised are not able to be vaccinated at this time. 
  • By wearing a mask, we all help create a safe environment for those who are unable to be vaccinated.
  • When recommended social distancing is a challenge, universal masking is an approved substitute - meaning more students can engage in learning in classrooms and other spaces within the school building.
  • Reducing the spread of COVID-19 also reduces student absences and missed extracurricular activities and athletic events.

Buses: The CDC federal order requiring masks be worn on public transportationremains in effect, and applies to buses and school transportation operated by Virginia public schools. 

Outdoors: Masks are not required when outside, including athletic activities.

Mealtimes: Masks may be removed while eating but should be reapplied as soon as you are finished with your meal.

Locker rooms: Masks are required at all times.

Band: Band members will use covers/special masks inside the school.

Students with Disabilities: A small group of students with disabilities and staff who work with them will have access to clear masks (e.g. center-based students with hearing impairments, teachers of deaf/hard-of-hearing, speech language pathologists, and some students receiving speech services as needed).

Student Exemptions: Students can request an exemption from this requirement through the process outlined in Regulation 2109.

Staff: Vaccinated staff are not required to wear masks if they are not in the presence of students. Unvaccinated staff will wear masks at all times.

Visitors: All visitors, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear masks in buildings.

Website and Social Media Materials for Mask Guidance:

Sample Post 1:

When do we wear masks in Holmes Middle School? When we are indoors, we’ll be wearing masks. Check out this helpful guide to know when to wear your mask.

mask

COVID Vaccinations

Vaccination is the most effective tool for preventing the spread of COVID-19. At this time, anyone age 12 and older may receive the COVID-19 vaccine free of charge.

FCPS encourages everyone who is eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine:

  • The Fairfax County Health Department will hold COVID-19 vaccination clinics at the following schools:
  • You can schedule an appointment for COVID-19 vaccination or find out about pop-up clinics near you through the Fairfax County Health Department’s website.
  • COVID-19 vaccines are also available at doctor’s offices, health departments, and retail pharmacies.Vaccines.gov is a helpful resource to find a location near you.

Updated Definition of "Close Contact"

The CDC issued a revised definition of close contact to include an exemption for K-12 students. 

  • A close contact is defined as someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. 
  • In the K-12 classroom setting, the close contact definition excludesstudents who were within 3-6 feet of an infected student where:
    • Both students were engaged in consistent and correct use of well-fitting masks; and
    • Other K-12 school prevention strategies (such as universal and correct mask use, physical distancing, increased ventilation) were in place in the school setting.

When students are wearing masks and layered prevention strategies are in place, students are not considered close contacts. Therefore, students will not miss in-person instruction or activities for quarantine after an exposure.

Individuals who meet the K-12 definition of close contact will still need to quarantine.

Important Immunization Requirement: Do You Have a Student Entering Seventh Grade or Twelfth Grade This Fall?

While the COVID-19 vaccination is NOT required by schools for the 2021-22 school year, many other vaccinations are.

Seventh-grade students need:

  • One dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) given at age 7 or older.
  • One dose of Meningococcal Vaccine (MenACWY, Menactra, or Menveo) given at age 10 or older.

Twelfth-grade students need:

  • One dose of Meningococcal Vaccine (MenACWY, Menactra, or Menveo) given at age 16 or older.

More information on new immunization requirements is available online. 

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