April is Autism Acceptance Month. One in 44 children is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in the United States, according to the CDC. Our schools and staff play a vital role in creating and ensuring inclusive environments that accommodate and affirm autistic students.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Spring Screener Results

Students in grades 3-12 took the SEL Screener during the month of March, providing updated information on their SEL skills like achieving goals, understanding, and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships, and making responsible decisions. The screener also asks students how well their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported.

In late April, individual student SEL Screener results will be available to families in the Documents section of SIS ParentVUE. For families who do not have an active ParentVUE account, results will be sent via postal mail.

For more information about the screener please visit the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage. For support in understanding your individual student’s results or for ideas on how to support them at home, please review the Family Guide or contact your student’s school.

Important Upcoming Dates

With 8 weeks left of school, we have a lot of upcoming events.  Please be sure to check out important dates below in this email and add them to your calendar.

Annual BioCOde Competition at TJHSST - 4/20

Are you interested in biology or computer science? Do you enjoy competing and working with other students? TJHSST Bioinformatics Society is hosting its annual BioCode competition, with $1000s in prizes, and workshops from college professors! To learn more and register, check out: https://tjbioinfo.netlify.app/biocode/ Reach out to @email with any questions, and we hope to see you there!

Holmes Middle School Title I Status

Please refer back to an email that was sent out last week titled "Holmes MS Identified as a Title I School."  In the email, you will find information on our new Title I status.  Please use this form to capture any questions or wonderings that you may have so that I can best prepare for our upcoming May information session.  Stay tuned for details on that informational night.

Teacher Appreciation Week - 5/6-5/10

Summer Program for Young Scholars

Families of students currently identified as Young Scholars will be receiving information next week about our Young Scholars summer program that will be hosted by Jackson Middle School.  This program will run Monday through Friday, 7:20 AM – 11:20 AM, from July 8-26, 2024.  In the meantime, you may reach out with inquiries to Mr. Christopher Kamar at @email or Ms. Alexandra Anderson at @email.

HOLMES UPDATES

Here are today's newsletter topics:

Holmes Updates

• Student Services Information
• Admin Team Information
• 2023-24 Blue/White Schedule 
• 2023-24 Bell Schedule
• After-School Program
• From Ms. Oncho, Our Family Liaison
• Important Upcoming Dates
• Holmes MS PTA
• How to Stay Connected to Holmes MS

FCPS & Community Updates

• April Observances
• Techstravaganza 2024 by TJHS
• Social and Emotional Learning Screener Results Coming Soon
• Nominate Someone Today for the Bussey Memorial Equity Award
• Community Forums on Middle School Start Times
• Summer Camps and Learning
•  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,

Serena Giron

Principal

Contact Information

Admin Team Information

2023-24 Blue/White Calendar

From Mr. Kruk, our After-School Specialist

After-School Program Weekly News & Notes from 4/15-4/19

• Student(s) of the Week
  • The After-School Program Student of the week: Myles Vaughn
  • Myles was nominated for his consistent participation in the After-School Program this school year.
  • Great job Myles!

After-School Action

Sports such as Flag Football & Soccer were in full effect this week.

ASP Schedule 4/22-4/26

Students Leaving After-School before 4:45 pm

• Any student staying after school must be signed out of the main office by a parent or guardian if leaving before 4:45.
• Walkers with parent/guardian permission, may sign themselves out any time after 3:30 when first block ends.
• Students are not permitted to leave school grounds before checking out in the main office .

Questions/Concerns

Contact the After-School Specialist, Matt Kruk, @email

From Ms. Oncho, Our Family Liaison

4/18 Family Coffee Recording 

Thank you to all families who attended this month’s Family Coffee at Holmes Middle School. The topic was Positive Discipline for Teens hosted by Fairfax County Department of Family Services. 

Families learned more about:

• Teen brain development
• Parenting with choices and consequences
• Creating Family Rules
• Choosing rewards and highlighting praise

 The recording, presentations, and resources shared can be found on our Website

Important Upcoming Dates

• Wednesday, 4/24, 6:30-7:30 pm - Holmes PTA General Meeting 
• Friday, 5/3 - NO SCHOOL / Teacher Workday & Orthodox Good Friday
• 5/6-5/10 - Teacher Appreciation Week by PTA
• Wednesday, 5/8, 6:30pm - Title I Community Meeting
• Wednesday, 5/15, 7 pm - Chorus & Orchestra Concert
• Thursday, 5/16, 5:30 pm - Voices of Now at Arena Stage
• Saturday, 5/18 - Soccer Tournament at Glasgow MS
• Wednesday, 5/22, 6 pm - NJHS Induction Ceremony
• Monday, 5/27 - NO SCHOOL / Memorial Day
• Wednesday, 5/29, 6:30 pm - Last PTA Meeting 
• Wednesday, 5/29, 7 pm - Band Spring Concert
• Thursday, 5/30 - VIP Parent Night
• Friday, 6/7, 7 pm - 8th Grade Celebration
• Monday, 6/10, 8 am - 8th Grade Awards
• Tuesday, 6/11 - Activity Day
• Wednesday, 6/12 - Last Day of School / 2-Hour Early Release

Holmes MS PTA

Don't forget to check out these important links:

• Holmes Attendance Form: https://holmesms.fcps.edu/about/attendance-form 
• Buy SpiritWear: https://bit.ly/HolmesSpiritWear
• Join the PTA: https://bit.ly/SupportHolmesPTA 
• Missed the meeting: watch the recording by clicking here  OR access the slideshow/presentation on our website  OR access audio language interpretation in Spanish, Urdu, and Arabic by clicking the language button in Zoom. 

TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK - 5/6-5/10

Givebacks: 

Buy a teacher breakfast or donate to their snack cart:

Givebacks (memberhub.com)

SIGNUPGENIUS:

Donate snacks or your time for teacher appreciation week: 

2023/2024: Teacher Appreciation Snack, Dessert and Drink Donations (signupgenius.com)

Amazon wishlist:

Buy something off of our wishlist for the teachers and staff to snack on, sent directly to the school.

Amazon.com

HOLMES PTA GENERAL MEETING - 4/24

Next PTA meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 24 at 6:30-7:30 pm. Please join us in-person or via 

Zoom Meeting Link: https://myfcpsk12.zoom.us/j/93565189333

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
  • PTA Facebook
  • Online PTA Membership Form
  • MemberHub

FCPS & Community Updates

April Observances

National Arab American Heritage Month

FCPS is proud to celebrate National Arab American Heritage Month in April. This special month provides an opportunity to recognize the history and valuable contributions of Arab Americans. 

Arab Americans have ancestry in one of the world’s 22 Arab nations, which are located from northern Africa through western Asia. The people of these nations are ethnically, politically, and religiously diverse but share a common cultural and linguistic heritage. 

Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.

Muslim American Heritage Month

Muslim American Heritage Month is a time for celebrating the history, contributions, culture, and an enhanced understanding of the diverse population of Muslim Americans. View the Fairfax County School Board resolution honoring Muslim American Heritage Month.

School Library Month

In FCPS libraries, students develop knowledge and skills, experience a sense of belonging, find inspiration and support, and have the ability to freely pursue their personal interests and academic growth. Watch this video to learn how FCPS librarians make a difference.

Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month

National Poetry Month

Workforce Readiness Month

Public School Volunteer Week - 4/22-26

Passover - 4/22-23

Many Jewish communities in the United States celebrate Passover, a recognition of the deliverance of Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Passover is also known as Pesah, Pesach, or the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Many Jewish families in the United States eat a ceremonial meal known as the Seder, which involves telling the story of the exodus from Egypt as well as eating various symbolic foods, such as meat of the paschal lamb and bitter herbs, recalling the harsh life of slavery. Learn more about Passover in NatGeo Kids. 

Monday, April 22, and Tuesday, April 23, are designated half-O days in recognition of the first two days of Passover. Half-O days are full school days, but important events will not be held after school on those days. See the complete school year calendar.

Earth Day - 4/22

• Monday, April 22 - wear green for Earth Day
• Tuesday, April 23 - wear blue for Watershed Day
• Wednesday, April 24 - wear white for Zero Waste Day
• Thursday, April 25 - wear red for Climate Change Day
• Friday, April 26 - wear a nature print for Wildlife Day

Theravada New Year (O Day) - 4/24

In countries where Theravada Buddhism is the most dominant religion, New Year is celebrated for three days from the first full moon in April. Theravada means “the teachings of the elders.” Celebrations begin with people attending the local temple in the morning for chanting and meditation. In the afternoon they have a water festival in which they meet the Buddha image and pay respect to the elderly by watering their hands together. Building sandcastles is also one of the most popular activities during this day of celebration. Wednesday, April 24, is designated as an O day for Theravada New Year. The school calendar recognizes many religious and cultural observances (O days) during the school year. There is school on these days, however tests, quizzes, field trips, graduation, homecoming, or FCPS-scheduled athletic events will not be held on these observance days. See the complete school year calendar.

Administrative Professionals Day - 4/24

Tomorrow’s Women in Science and Technology (TWIST), a student organization at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST), promotes STEM through their annual flagship outreach event, Techstravaganza. Techstravaganza is a free, public, hands-on STEM activity fair for elementary and middle school students in Northern Virginia. In previous years, this event hosted more than 4,500 students and 70 labs presenting STEM activities. Exhibitors range from TJHSST clubs and TWIST volunteers to organizations like NASA SCaN, Art of Problem Solving, George Mason University, American Society of Naval Engineers, and the National Air and Space Museum. This year, TWIST will be holding the 20th annual Techstravaganza on Saturday, May 18, 2024 from 10 AM to 4 PM at TJHSST. Admission is free, food will be for sale. Here is the registration link: https://tinyurl.com/techstrav24

Social and Emotional Learning Screener Results Coming Soon

FCPS students in grades 3-12 took the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener during March, providing updated information on skills such as achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships with adults and peers, and making responsible decisions. The SEL Screener also helps students evaluate their school community’s efforts to make them feel valued, included, and supported. 

In late April, individual student SEL Screener results will be available for families in the Documents section of SIS ParentVUE. For families who do not have an active ParentVUE account, results will be sent via postal mail. 

Get more information about the screener on the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage. For support in understanding your individual student’s results or ideas on how to support them at home, please review the Family Guide or contact your student’s counselor.

Nominate Someone Today for the Bussey Memorial Equity Award

Do you know of an outstanding person or group that has worked for equity in an FCPS school?  There’s still time to nominate a candidate for the 2024 Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award.

This award recognizes staff, students, or community members who have demonstrated significant and impactful efforts to improve the educational experiences and outcomes of students from groups who are marginalized or underserved.

Any FCPS employee, student, or community member may nominate an individual or group for the award. All nomination materials must be submitted by Wednesday, May 1. Full details are available on the Dr. Lawrence Bussey Memorial Equity Award webpage.

Community Forums on Middle School Start Times

FCPS is exploring options for adjusting middle school start times and invites the public to be part of the process. All forums will deliver the same presentation and provide the same feedback opportunities. Register for an in-person forum by clicking on one of the following dates: 

• Monday, April 29, 6-8 p.m., at Glasgow Middle School
• Monday, May 6, 6-8 p.m., at Whitman Middle School
• Monday, May 20, 6-8 p.m., at Hughes Middle School
• Wednesday, May 22, 6-8 p.m., at Frost Middle School

A virtual forum will be held on Monday, May 13, 6:30-8 p.m. That registration link will be available soon.

While registration is not required, it does help with planning. Language interpretation and childcare will be provided. Learn more about the project exploring middle school start times.  

2024 SUMMER CAMPS AND LEARNING

Have you made summer plans for your child yet? Are you looking for a summer camp for your child with special needs?

The Family Resource Center has compiled information on summer camps including local options, camps for students with special needs (sorted by need), and camps for students experiencing grief or who have parents in the military. 

Co-Ed Basketball Camp for Grades 4-9 at Edison HS

VIP Summer Camp for Rising 7th & 8th Graders

All rising middle schoolers are invited to attend a summer of fun and leisure with VIP Camp. VIP Camp — which takes place Monday, July 1, to Thursday, August 1 — is designed to encourage teens to develop healthy and positive recreation interests and features a wide variety of leisure activities and programs. 

Registration is open. VIP Camp costs $100 to attend. Reach out to your school's after-school specialist for scholarship availability due to financial hardship. This camp is sponsored by Fairfax County Public Schools and Fairfax County’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services. 

• Applications will open on Tuesday 3/12 at 6pm
• Here is the link to the application à https://forms.gle/zQcxhFrKWnn2LPjG6
• Links to the application can also be found on the Holmes website under the Activities Tab à After-School Program à VIP Summer Program
• Any questions or concerns about the VIP summer program, contact Matt Kruk; @email

Sign Up for FCPS Summer Camps and Learning Programs 

Registration is now open for several summer camps and learning opportunities offered by Fairfax County Public Schools for all students.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) camps and Institute for the Arts camps will be held in July at Lake Braddock Secondary School from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bus transportation will be available from select FCPS middle and high schools. 

CTE programs are available for grade 6-11 students to explore CTE program areas, develop skills, and begin career exploration. IFTA allows students to select from nearly 90 classes in art, dance, health and physical education 9, music, and theater. Visit the IFTA webpage to register.

Summer Learning

Programs are also available for high school students to fulfill the Economics and Personal Finance course requirement, earn a high school course credit via this summer’s online campus program, or recover one high school course credit through the Credit Recovery Academy. 

FCPS’ free online class for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provides FCPS middle and high school English Learners the opportunity to continue developing their academic, reading, and writing skills in online discussions with an ESOL teacher. 

Find session dates, registration links, and registration deadlines on FCPS summer programs. 

Institute for the Arts

Students in all FCPS secondary schools can enroll in the Institute for the Arts. IFTA is a two- or three-week summer Arts enrichment program for students in rising 7th through 12th grades. Students create their own schedules in Art, Music, Theatre, and Dance from nearly 60 courses offered. Transportation is provided from around the county. Tuition assistance is available for students who qualify. Check out the Institute for the Arts website for more information or email @email.

CTE Summer Academy

Tech Adventure Camp

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