Principal's Note - Aug. 7, 2023
Happy Summer, Holmes Families!
The first day of school is less than 2 weeks away, on August 21, 2023! We are very excited to send you the first Holmes Family newsletter for the 2023-24 school year! You will receive an update from the admin team with important information through this News You Choose format. Often, we will also send important messaging through the e-Notify format which can be translated into multiple languages and sent via email and text message. Once all staff are back on contract (August 14th), this newsletter will be posted to the Holmes website, where you can find important information and also click on the flags in the top left corner to translate the page. (NOTE: Some information on the website is still being updated for the 2023-24 school year.)
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE
What forms do I need to return?
The forms below can be brought to school during open house on August 17th or the first day of school.
- The Emergency Care Forms (ECC) can also be accessed at weCare@school to view and update information
- Health Information Form
- Student Laptop Responsible Use Guidelines & Digital Resource Consent.
- After School Registration Form
- For questions or concerns about the After-School Program, contact Matthew Kruk - @email
What immunizations are required for school?
All students are required to be immunized against certain communicable diseases to attend school in the state of Virginia. It is important for all students to receive the required immunizations.
Please talk with your family health care provider about whether or not your children are up to date on their vaccines before the new school year begins. Submit updated immunization records to your school as soon as possible.
More information on immunization requirements and the necessary documentation is available online.
What supplies does my Holmes student need?
At Holmes, we supply each student with a laptop and a charger. For 6th graders and other new students, we have a few more basic school supplies that we are also able to provide. Check out our supply list HERE.
Are breakfast and lunch free for students?
Holmes will provide students free breakfast each morning. Unfortunately, lunches are not free of cost. All students will have to pay for lunch unless they qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch. Students eligible for Free and Reduced lunch will receive one full serving of lunch daily. Additional lunch servings will have a cost to the families.
Families will need to apply for Free and Reduced-price meals online:
- Online applications are now available.
- Approved FRM eligibility letters may also be used to provide additional benefits.
- Please know that we will not share your data or personal information with anyone else. See FCPS’ Trust Policy.
What is "Consent to Share"?
The Consent to Share Information Letter informs parents that their children may be eligible to participate in several fee-based programs (art, music, Family & Consumer Sciences, etc.) at either no cost or a reduced cost, if they participate in the Free and Reduced-price meals program, and provide a consent to share information form.
Some students are directly certified (i.e. Medicaid recipients) as receiving Free and Reduced-Price Meals. Even though they do not need to submit a Free and Reduced-Price Meals application, they will need to submit the Consent to Share Information form to be eligible for additional benefits.
The FRM application also includes a section with the Consent to Share information for other programs. If section four of the application is completed, the Consent to Share Information form does not need to be filled out.
Will there be middle school sports this year?
Yes. All FCPS middle schools will be providing two middle school sports during the 2023-24 school year; Cross-Country (fall) and Track and Field (spring). To learn more about this and what your student will need to participate please go to the FCPS MS Athletics website. For questions or concerns about middle school sports, contact Sandra Turner - @email
Here are today's newsletter topics:
Holmes Updates
- Student Services Information
- 2023-24 Blue/White Schedule
- 2023-24 Bell Schedule
- Important Upcoming Dates
- How to Stay Connected to Holmes MS
FCPS & Community Updates
- Stay Connected with FCPS
Please feel free to reach out and let us know what questions you have. Thank you, and we'll see you very soon!
Sincerely,
Holmes Admin Team
Holmes MS
HOLMES UPDATES
Contact Information
2023-24 Blue/White Calendar
Most classes at Holmes are 85-90 minutes blocks. Blue days are odd periods, and White days are even periods. This calendar will also be posted to the website, and each student will receive a copy on the first day of school.
2023-24 Bell Schedule
This bell schedule is different from the 2022-23 school year. Periods 3 and 4/5 will meet every day. Periods 1, 5, 7 and 9 will only meet on blue days, and periods 2, 4, 6, and 8 will meet on White Days. This will be posted to the website, and each student will receive a copy on the first day of school.
Important Upcoming Dates
- Thursday, 8/17, 8:30-10:30 AM - 6th Grade & New Student Jumpstart
- Thursday, 8/17, 11:00 AM -12:30 PM - Open House
- Monday, 8/21 - First Day of 2023-24 School Year
- Thursday, 9/7, 5:30-8 PM - Back To School Night
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
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