 National Bike to School day, May 5, 2021
A message from Principal, Amy Miller:
Dear Kilmer Community,
It is hard to believe that this weekend brings the start of May! The first week of May is Staff Appreciation Week! We are looking forward to celebrating our Kilmer Staff and our appreciation for their dedication, hard work, and commitment to the Kilmer Community.
There are six weeks to go in the school year. May and June are always very busy times of the school year and we are looking forward to an exciting and memorable end to the year. We are excited that we were able to schedule our SOL testing over only six total days (three Mondays and three Wednesdays). In previous years, we have had to schedule SOLs over many more days. This opens up even more time for us to finish this year strong with strong instruction and many memorable moments for the students.
On Monday, May 3 from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM, we will be offering “FCPSOn Laptop Health Check-Ups” for virtual students to come by and complete some procedures to ensure computers are up to date and ready for testing. We expect this process to last approximately 15 minutes if no issues are detected. If updates are needed, it may take up extra time. Completing these updates in advance of the SOL date will allow for testing to proceed more efficiently on the actual testing day. This laptop update process only applies to virtual students who have chosen to participate in SOL testing this year. Our in-person students have completed this process at school this week.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
Sincerely,
Amy Miller, Principal
SOL Testing Information
On Monday, May 3 from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM, we will be inviting all virtual students to join us in the Kilmer Parking lot for a Technology Tailgate Party to ensure that your FCPS laptop has the required updates so it is ready for SOL testing. Please refer to the emails sent out to virtual families earlier this week for more information.
Kilmer SOL Schedule, May 2021
SOLs for students attending school virtually:
All virtual students will take their SOLs in person on Mondays. We will start testing each Monday at 9 am, and conclude testing by 2 pm. Students who finish early are welcome to contact their parents to arrange for transportation earlier if possible. Parents who come to pick up their students before 2 PM will be required to come to the main entrance of the building to sign the student out. Students will need permission to walk home before 2 PM. Parents can provide permission by filling out the online attendance form HERE, or by calling 703-846-8888. Students who remain at school until 2 PM will be able to complete asynchronous work. Grab and go lunches will be provided to all students.
SOLs for students attending school in person:
All in person students will take their SOLs on Wednesdays. We will start testing each Wednesday at 7:30 am and our testing block will conclude at 10:30, at which time students still testing will be moved to an alternate location. Students who have concluded testing will transition to their 6th period classes at 10:45, and will follow a modified schedule for the remainder of the day which will include periods 2 and 8.
Specific SOL schedules for all students will be emailed to students’ fcpsschools.net email addresses the week of May 3rd. Students should look for an email from Emily Pyatt-Openshaw. The email will contain the dates, times, and locations of their SOLs.
All students must bring their fully charged, FCPSOn laptop and charger for use during testing. Personal computers may not be used.
Modified Bell Schedule for May 12, May 19, and May 26
All students will follow a modified schedule to allow for testing on May 12th, 19th, and 26th. Please review the schedule below. PAWS teachers will review this schedule with students the week prior to testing.
End of Year Grading Flexibility
A few, additional information was sent via a Kilmer enotify regarding the 2020-2021 End of Year Grading Flexibility for Middle School Students. As shared in an email from the Superintendent’s Office, FCPS has adopted a series of secondary grading policy changes to help our students achieve a strong finish to the school year. Third quarter report cards and the Pass - No Mark Status Form are available in ParentVue and were also mailed home to all families last week. Should you wish to designate one or more courses as Pass status for anticipated grades of “A” through “C-”, the Pass-No Mark Status Form must be submitted to your school counselor/Student Services by May 10, 2021. Access the Pass-No Mark Status Form here: https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/se358.pdf
FCPS is adjusting the grading policy for the 2020-21 school year, to ensure students are not penalized by the challenges brought on by pandemic learning. Additional information including considerations and frequently asked questions are available at the following link: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/grading-and-reporting/secondary
Scribbles Literary and Art Magazine
Scribbles Literary and Art Magazine is still looking for submissions of art and writing from students, to be published in the 2020-2021 yearbook. Students can submit a variety of literary and visual pieces of work including, but not limited to: poems, short stories, lyrics, drawings, paintings, comics, digital art, photography, and more. All written work must be limited to 300 words or less. To submit work log into Schoology, click on the “All Students Course”, click on the “Yearbook” folder, open the “Scribbles Literary and Art Magazine” folder. Inside the folder you will find a link to a form where you can upload and submit your art and writing. Students who have returned to the building can drop off their submissions to Ms. Walsleben, in room A110. May 2nd is the absolute last day to submit.
Visual directions for submitting work for consideration.
Got questions? Message Ms. Walsleben through Schoology or email at kewalsleben@fcps.edu.
Bike to School or Bike in Your Neighborhood on May 5
Bike Month has been celebrated since 1956 to showcase the many benefits of bicycling and encourage more people to give biking a try. Fairfax County has an extensive network of both paved and natural surface bike trails. You can access a map to all the trails in Fairfax county here.
Wednesday, May 5 is the official Bike to School Day. You can register as a school, family, or neighborhood. Plan your ride whether you ride to school, to a park, or just within your neighborhood. Register for Bike to School Day.
ESOL Online Summer Program 2021
We will be offering the summer ESOL Online Programming, ESOL Language and Literacy Connections, as an option for English Learners (ELP levels 1-4).
We are glad that this free learning opportunity will continue this summer!
Who can participate?
- FCPS Middle School and High School English Learners, WIDA ELP levels 1-4
When will the program be held?
- June 21 – July 9
- 1 hour per day of synchronous online learning
- 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. or 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
- 1 hour per day of asynchronous online assignments
Where will the program be held?
- Online
- For more information, contact your child’s ESOL teacher and/or see attached flyers.
How do I register?
- Email Susanne Ehsani, ESOL Department Chair at sehsani@fcps.edu
- OR
- Parent/guardian can register online : https://bit.ly/RegistrationESOL
- Registration is open until May 28, 2021
What’s on the Shelf: News from the Kilmer Library
Does your child love audiobooks? SYNC is a free summer audiobook program for teens. Running April 29 - August 4 2021, SYNC gives participants two thematically paired audiobooks each week. Titles are all available worldwide and change every Thursday at midnight Eastern Time during the season. This year, SYNC is offering great titles -- take a look, find out more, and then register to be part of the program. The first two titles are available now through May 5:
- Monday, May 3 @ 12pm: “Among Us” Lunch (join us in the Library Collaborate Ultra classroom to play “Among Us” with a group!)
- Monday, May 3 @ 2pm: Cougar Bookies Book Club / Library Collaborate Ultra
- Wednesday, May 5, 2:15pm - 4:00pm: Cougars @ the Curb curbside checkout.
- Wednesday, May 5 @ 3pm: Social Justice Book Club / Google Meet
- Friday, May 28: All library books due back to Kilmer
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