Principal's Note - Dec 13, 2024

By Serena Giron
Principal's Note
December 16, 2024

Important Dates

  • Monday 12/9 - Friday 12/13 - Spirit Week
  • Monday, 12/17, 4:30 (Freshman), 5:45 (JV), 7:30 (Varsity) AHS Basketball Games
  • Tuesday, 12/17, 7PM - Winter Band Concert
  • Wednesday, 12/18, 9:30-10:30 AM - December Family Coffee
  • Wednesday, 12/18, 7PM - Winter Orchestra Concert
  • Friday, 12/20 - Winter Arts Showcase
  • Monday, 12/23/24 - Friday, 1/3/25 - NO SCHOOL / Winter Break
  • Wednesday, 1/15 - Annandale High School’s Rising 9th Grade Open House

Message from Principal Giron

Hello, Holmes Families!

It’s hard to believe that winter break is just one week away! Next week, we’ll be celebrating with a Winter Spirit Week. Encourage your student to join in and participate in the fun activities!

Below are themes of the upcoming winter spirit week: 

Winter Spirit

Sincerely,

Serena Giron

Principal

Holmes MS Chronic Absentee Rate

Chronic absenteeism is when a student is missing a significant amount of school, usually 10% or more of the school year, regardless of whether the absences are excused or unexcused. Even missing 10 days of school can disrupt a child’s education, leading to lower academic performance and increased likelihood of dropping out. Finding and addressing the main causes of chronic absenteeism is important to give all students fair access to education and help them succeed in the future.

NYC

The Early Identification Program (EIP)

WHAT: The Early Identification Program (EIP) is a multiyear (5 year) college preparatory program for students who will be the first in their family to attend a four-year college in the United States.  EIP is a collaborative effort between Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) and George Mason University (GMU). The EIP is one of four programs that comprise the College Success Programs in FCPS. EIP goes from 8th grade through 12th grade. Please check out the EIP website at https://eip.gmu.edu/ for more information about the program!

HOW:   Nominated students apply to the program at the end of the 7th grade and enter the program in the 8th grade. 

Student Participation:

To remain in good standing, EIP students must: 

  1. Maintain a 2.8 GPA
  2. Attend specified activities/events on Saturdays at GMU Fairfax or Manassas campus
  3. Attend weekly mentoring / tutoring sessions at Holmes
  4. Attend the three-week Summer Academy at GMU Fairfax campus every July
  5. Participate in the Strengthening the Family Workshop

DEADLINE:  February 19th, 2025

INTERESTED /  QUESTIONS?  Please complete the EIP Information Google Form by the deadline if you are interested: https://forms.gle/xfZ1jW2icdUDH5Zj9

Contact Ms. Amarir, School Counselor and EIP Sponsor at 703-658-5942 or via email at @email with any questions.

HPE Clothing for Sale

Holmes Middle School sweat pants and t-shirts are on sale from the Health and Physical Education Department now on the MyBucks school website. Once you have placed your order online, we can send your purchase home with your student or you can schedule to pick up from Holmes Middle School.

Both the shirts and pants are a 50% cotton and 50% polyester blend. For specific questions, please contact Nick Hartman via email at @email. Below you will find the pricing chart for sizes of the pants and shirts.

HPE

HPE

HPE

Support Annandale Boys Basketball - Middle School Night - 12/17

On December 17th, Annandale will host a Middle School Night for Boys basketball.  It will be a triple header game!!!  At 4:30PM the freshmen boys play, JV plays at 5:45PM, and varsity at 7:30PM.   Students will be able to attend any of these games free if they are accompanied by an adult. Go Atoms!

Annandale High School’s Rising 9th Grade Open House - 1/15

Dear Rising 9th Grade Parents,

We are excited to welcome you to Annandale High School’s Rising 9th Grade Open House on January 15 from 6:00-8:00pm! We will offer short (optional) sessions on our various Annandale programs, and teachers will be in their classrooms throughout the evening to share all about our core and elective courses for 9th Graders. The goal is for students and parents to leave this event excited about all the opportunities you will have as an Annandale Atom and prepared to complete your course request form when your student meets with their middle school counselor. 

Breakout Sessions on the following topics will be offered throughout the evening: Welcome to Annandale, Course Request 101; IB/MYP Program; Activities and Athletics; English for Speakers of Other Languages Program; Special Education Office, and Student Life. 

The transition from middle to high school can be difficult and stressful for some students. However, Annandale High School takes tremendous pride in ensuring the transition is as smooth as possible. If you have specific questions that you would like to be addressed during this event, please submit your questions via this Google Form by Monday, January 6. Thank you in advance for your input and assisting us in making this event a success!

Shawn DeRose, Principal

Reporting Your Student’s Attendance

All Day Absence: 

1. Use ParentVUE. Log in and click “Report Absence.” Don’t Have a SIS ParentVUE Account Yet? Contact your school for an activation code and follow the directions on the SIS ParentVUE Account webpage.

OR

2. Call the attendance line on 703-658-5919 and leave a message with spelling of your student's first and last names, your name and relationship to the student, and a reason for absence. 

OR

3. Send an email to @email with your student's first and last names, your name and relationship to the student, and a reason for absence. 

Partial Absence: 

To report late arrivals, early dismissals, or to update already submitted attendance

1. Call the attendance line on 703-658-5919 and leave a message with spelling of your student's first and last names, and a reason for late arrival or early dismissal.

OR

2. Send an email to @email with your student's first and last names, your name and relationship to the student, and a reason for late arrival or early dismissal. 

Changes to Dismissal and Early Pick-Ups

To request a bus pass for your student, please email the front office at [email protected] no later than 1:30 PM. Additionally, ensure front office has consent from the parent of the student to whose house your child will be traveling, as this is required for approval.

If you have to pick up your student early, we ask that you do so before 1:30PM to avoid interrupting safe dismissal process. Please note that doctor's appointments are not considered emergencies.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. 

Admin/Counselor Team Information

Admin Team

Holmes MS 2024-25 Blue/White Calendar

Calendar

Holmes MS 2024-25 Bell Schedule 

bell

After-School Program Weekly News

Hawks Highlights from After-School from week 12/9-12/13

Students completed their Future Entrepreneur program and “sold” their products during a “Shark-Tank” style showcase

ASP

ASP
ASP

ASP Upcoming Schedule 12/16-12/20

ASP

Students Leaving After-School before 4:45

  • 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.
  • Walkers must have written permission (may be emailed) from their parent/guardian to walk.
  • Students must be picked up no later than 5pm.
  • 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 Holmes MS Family Liaisons

We are excited to invite you to our upcoming Family Coffee Meeting on Wednesday, December 18th, from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM at Holmes Middle School.

Topic: Positive Discipline Strategies for the Teenage Years: Building Better Relationships with Your Teen

Join us to explore practical ways to strengthen your bond with your teenager. We’ll discuss strategies for creating meaningful connections and establishing effective rules, routines, rewards, and rituals to foster mutual respect and understanding.

You are welcome to join us in person or virtually. However, we encourage attending in person to connect with school staff and other families. Refreshments will be provided. Language Interpretation Available:

  • Virtual: Spanish, Amharic, and Urdu
  • In-person: Spanish, Amharic, Arabic, and Dari

For more details, please see the flyer.

Coffee

The FCPS website on Access to Technology. There is some great information on computer equipment, internet accessibility, software through free and discounted services, and community locations for Wi-Fi. These resources are critically important for students to access learning when they are out of the school building.

Holmes MS PTA

Join the Holmes MS PTA and attend meetings (4th Wednesday of the month; translation services provided)

PTA Meeting Recording - 12/4

At our meeting on 12/4, we were thrilled to welcome Dr. Ricardy Anderson (School Board, Mason District) and Dr. Michelle Boyd (Region 6 Superintendent)  as special guests. We learned about the PTA budget, upcoming events, and how you can get involved with the PTA. Dr. Anderson shared the slides from the FCPS Boundary Review community sessions.  They are available on our website here.

The next PTA meeting will be on Wednesday, January 15th from 6:30-7:30pm.

Student and Family Resources

Fairfax County Public Schools has compiled a list of resources for students and families in case they need assistance while schools are closed for winter break. Please visit FCPS’ winter resources webpage for information on academic support, mental health support, and county resources related to food, clothing, housing, and other needs.

School’s Closed, Learning Can Continue! 

FCPS encourages students to take advantage of fun learning opportunities during winter break and snow days. Consider these winter activities to blend educ

Course Selection Begins in January 

Beginning in January 2025, students will meet with their counselors to discuss course selection for next year. Families are encouraged to actively participate in this important process. 

As students choose courses, it is important to remind them to consider the following:

  • Current academic strengths and habits.
  • Graduation requirements (high school students).
  • Interests and career and postsecondary goals.
  • Personal well-being.
  • Extracurricular activities and other commitments that may impact students’ time and energy.

School-life balance is an important consideration as students strive for academic and personal success. Families are welcome to contact their student’s school counselor with questions.

Graduation Requirements and Planning

Careful consideration is essential when planning next year's courses. We encourage our students and families to review the Graduation Requirements and Course Planning webpage to make informed decisions while planning for success in high school and beyond. Reviewing the Program of Studies may be helpful as well. 

Save the Date: Academy Open Houses Begin in January!

FCPS high school academies will hold open houses for interested students beginning in January.

A high school academy is a center within a high school that offers advanced technical and specialized courses to prepare students for postsecondary education and/or career fields. Students enrolling in academy elective courses will be provided with opportunities to participate in a variety of career experiences including shadowing, mentoring, or internships with local businesses.

Learn more and view the calendar of Academy Open Houses.

Boundary Review Community Meeting

If you did not get a chance to attend one of the recent community meetings on the Comprehensive Boundary Review, please consider attending the final meeting in this first phase of the boundary review process. The Region 1 meeting will take place Wednesday, December 18, 6:30-8 p.m.,in the Madison High School cafeteria. Register today. If you are unable to participate, stay tuned for details about virtual Community Boundary Review Meetings coming early next year.

View FCPS’ Comprehensive Boundary Review webpage for more information. Sign up for FCPS’ School Boundary Review newsletter as well.

How to Stay In-Touch

Please stay in touch with us throughout the year by:

Follow Us on Social Media

Stay connected with Holmes Middle School by following us on social media! It's the best way to keep up with our latest news, celebrate student achievements, and be part of our vibrant community. Whether you're a student, parent, or community member, you'll find exciting updates, important announcements, and inspiring stories that showcase the spirit of Holmes!

Links: Instagram