Principal's Note - Oct 31, 2021
Good evening, Holmes Families!
We have successfully completed one quarter of the school year! We were a little bummed that our activity time during 5th period got rained out today, but it was nice to allow the students some down time to celebrate their efforts!
In November, there are a variety of observances that we know many families will be recognizing:
- Nov. 1 & 2 - Dia de los Muertos / All Saints Day
- Nov. 4 - Diwali (Regular School Day with Religious & Cultural Observance considerations during instruction)
- Nov. 11 - Veterans Day (2-hour early release)
- Nov. 24-26 - Thanksgiving (No School)
Please let us know if there is any additional support your student needs for any of these days.
Thank you to all those who came to our PTA meeting on Wednesday, 10/27. We did record!! As soon as I have the link, I will share it out.
At the PTA meeting, I introduced our new fabulous family liaison, Ms. Alemtsehay Oncho. Ms. Oncho comes to us with a wealth of experience supporting families as a community advocate. See the flyer below for more of her information, and check out these free workshops provided by FCPS' Parent Resource Center! More to come from Ms. Oncho as we look at data to help us determine how we can best support you and your students.
PTA Fundraiser - GO APE! on Monday, 11/1/21
Looking for a way to burn your middle schooler's energy on the November 1st Teacher Workday, the day after Halloween? See below for the flyer for Go Ape to do that AND raise money for the Holmes PTA!
Mini-Conferences - Tuesday, 11/2/21, 7:30 am - 3:00 pm
Mini-conferences are a chance for parents/guardians to meet briefly with their student's teachers to discuss 1st quarter grades and student progress. Families will only be allotted 10 minutes per teacher. We recommend prioritizing which teachers you visit based on your student's grades in SIS since the time will not allow for all teachers to meet with all parents/guardians.
When: November 2, 7:30AM -3:00PM (10 minute slots per teacher/ per family).
Where: In person or Virtual - You choose!
Use this link to sign up with your student's teacher(s).
If you encounter any issues signing up, please contact our School-Based Technology Specialist Mel Mollick (@email)
If you would like to come in person, we will also have a couple of opportunities for you to consult with our counselors and admin and meet other staff, like our new family liaison, who can support you and your student.
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Before the Conference
Prepare in Advance.
1. Talk to your child to find out what he or she thinks are his or her best subjects, also his or her least favorite.
2. Ask your child if there is anything that he or she would like you to discuss with the teacher.
3. Write down questions to ask at the conference.
Examples:
• How long should my child be spending on homework?
• Does my child participate in classroom discussions and activities?
• What is my child like during the day?
4. Ask questions relating to grades, behavior, curricula, assignments, or homework.
5. Request an interpreter, if needed, by contacting the school in advance.
During the Conference
Remember your time is limited.
1. Ask your most important questions first and allow time for responses.
2. Ask for an explanation of anything you do not understand.
3. Ask for specific strategies to help your child.
4. Avoid lengthy discussions not related to the purpose of your child’s well-being.
5. If possible, take notes about what has been discussed to share later with your child.
6. Try to keep your emotions under control and stay focused.
7. Express appreciation for the teacher’s time.
After the Conference
Follow Up
1. Share appropriate information with your child.
2. Plan on how you, your child, and the teacher will work together.
3. Be consistent and follow through on the teacher’s suggestions.
4. Let the teacher know how the suggestions are working.
5. Praise your child’s efforts to improve.
A parent-teacher conference is a tool for two-way communication. Parent input helps the teacher. Be sure to mention any important experiences that may be
affecting your child, for example death in the family, health problems, divorce, or a best friend moving away.
(Adapted from NYC Department of Education)
Here are today's newsletter topics:
Holmes Updates
- Student Services - Important Information
- 2021-22 Blue-White Calendar
- 2021-22 Bell Schedule
- Next Week's Schedule
- After School Program Next Week
- School Pictures - November 4th & 5th
- Signs of Suicide (SOS) Assessment
- Youth Survey Parent Notification
- Job Opportunities at Holmes & in FCPS
- How to Stay Connected to Holmes MS
FCPS & Community Updates
- Free COVID Testing
- Stay Connected with FCPS
Please feel free to reach out and let us know what questions you have. Thank you, and have a great weekend!
Sincerely,
Margaret Barnes
Proud Principal, Holmes MS
HOLMES UPDATES
Next Week's Schedule - 11/1-11/5
The Blue-White Calendar can also be found on the inside cover of student agendas and can be found HERE on our school website.
- Monday, 11/1 - TEACHER WORKDAY / STUDENT HOLIDAY
- Tuesday, 11/2 - TEACHER WORKDAY / STUDENT HOLIDAY / MINI-CONFERENCES (7:30 AM - 3:00 PM)
- Wednesday, 11/3 - WHITE DAY
- Thursday, 11/4 - BLUE DAY - (Extended SOAR) - PICTURE DAY!!
- Friday, 11/5 - WHITE DAY - PICTURE DAY!!
After School Program Next Week
Reminders:
- Students should check Schoology for messages from Ms. Parker about how to sign up for specific activities
- Late buses run Monday through Thursday. Friday is pickup only.
- Late buses typically arrive between 4:30 and 5:00, so students could arrive home as late as 5:30 or 6:00. You are also welcome to pick them up any time from after school by 5:00.
- Your student's late bus is DIFFERENT than the regular late bus. Mrs. Parker will go over late bus assignments with students each day after school.
- For any and all questions related to the after school program, please contact Mrs. Parker at @email.
School Pictures - November 4th & 5th
Signs of Suicide (SOS) Assessment
This school year, school staff are working to teach students about mental health and how to seek help if they are worried about themselves or a friend. We are using a program called SOS (Signs of Suicide). The program teaches students about this difficult topic and encourages them to seek help.
SOS has been used by thousands of schools over the past few decades. Studies have shown that it effectively teaches students about depression and suicide while reducing the number of students’ self-reported suicide attempts.
Through the program, students learn:
- that depression is treatable, so they are encouraged to seek help
- how to identify depression and potential suicide risk in themselves or a friend
- to ACT (Acknowledge, Care and Tell a trusted adult) if concerned about themselves or a friend
- who they can turn to at school for help, if they need it
Students will watch age-appropriate video clips and participate in a guided discussion about depression, suicide, and what to do if they are concerned about a friend. Following the video, students will complete a response slip which asks whether they would like to talk to an adult about any concerns. School staff will conduct brief meetings with any student asking to talk.
Additionally, students will complete a brief depression screening tool. This tool cannot provide a diagnosis of depression but does indicate whether a young person should be referred for evaluation by a mental health professional.
Signs of Suicide will be administered the week of November 15th, 2021 during students 7th grade history classes by the Holmes school counselors and clinical team. Times have been coordinated with the teachers.
We encourage you to visit www.sossignsofsuicide.org/parent for information on warning signs for youth suicide, useful resources, and some of the key messages students will learn.
Additional Resources:
To Opt Your Child Out:
If you do NOT wish for your child to participate in the Signs of Suicide Program, please complete this googleform or email Bessie Fealey at @email no later than Friday, November 12th, 2021. Students who are opted out will be sent to an alternate location to do school work or read until the lesson is completed. To complete the form in Spanish, please click here.
If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s participation in this program contact Bessie Fealey, school counselor, at @email or 703-658-5900.
Youth Survey Parent Notification
The Fairfax County School Board and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors work together to administer the Fairfax County Youth Survey. The results of this survey are published each year on https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/health-humanservices/fairfax-county-youth-survey and are used by school officials, youth leadership classes, youth-serving county agencies, and local non-profits to determine the effectiveness of prevention and intervention programs offered in schools and communities. It is also used to identify changing trends and areas of need.
In years past the survey was administered in paper and pencil format. To improve efficiency and streamline the administration process, this year's survey will be administered online. Responses will not be traced back to your child's personal information, linked to a computer, email address, or other electronic identifiers. No personally identifiable information nor IP addresses will be recorded. Survey responses will be stored in a secure server which is compliant with federal data security standards. To protect students' anonymity, the responses will be read and analyzed only by the researchers and summarized in a report with no personal identifiers.
The Fairfax County Youth Survey asks questions about risky behavior, mental health, physical health, and safety. There are questions about behaviors related to alcohol, illegal drugs, and misuse of prescription drugs. Additional questions about depression, student stress, bullying and harassment, and questions about personal health will be included in the survey. Students are also asked about specific protective factors concerning health and safety.
You have the right to preview the survey and may deny permission for your child to participate if you desire. If a student is uncomfortable with any question on the survey, the student does not have to answer that question or may elect to discontinue the survey. While it is hoped that as many students as possible will participate, you have the option of completing the attached form if you wish to opt out your child.
The survey will be administered between November 15-30, 2021, during a time of day determined by your child's school administration. A copy of the survey will be available to parents and/or guardians on line at https://www.fcps.edu/resources/student-safety-and-wellness/youth-survey and in the school counseling office of your child's school beginning October 15, 2021.
If you do not wish for your child to take part in the survey, please complete the opt-out form at the link above and return it to your child's school counselor no later than November 15, 2021.
If you have questions about the survey, please contact Stefan Mascoll, coordinator, Student Safety and Wellness Office, at 571-423-4270.
Job Opportunities at Holmes & in FCPS
To help us meet these critical needs, here is a reminder of some job opportunities that we have a available at Holmes and throughout FCPS:
- Student monitors (Holmes needs 1 or 2 more)
- Substitutes (short- and long-term) - School Board just approved an increase in pay for short- and long-term substitutes!
If you or someone you know is looking for work and may be a good fit for one or more of these positions, I encourage you or them to apply!
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
Free COVID Testing
Take a look at the flyer below for information about free COVID testing. For more information about testing and vaccination sites in Fairfax County, check out this link.
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