Kilmer Community,
Veterans Day provides a great reason to pause, reflect, and recognize the extraordinary sacrifices our Veterans and their families have made on our behalf. On behalf of the Kilmer community I want to thank all the veterans for their service.
We had a great morning today. Our staff came together for professional development, and it’s so inspiring to hear staff talk about the great work they are doing. One of the grounding questions we asked was, “Take a minute to think about your most impactful instructional moment for students so far this year.” The responses were great. One that stood out to me was from Ms. Drumheller. She talked about a time this week where a group of students were struggling with a math concept. She pulled those students into a small group, retaught it, and within minutes the students were off and running. One of the students looked at her and said, “Math is fun!” This story encapsulates what happens daily here at Kilmer. Teachers work hard to push and support every student, and our students respond by doing hard things and seeing that they are capable of great work.
On that note, I continue to visit classrooms throughout the building and it’s easily the highlight of my week! Routinely our students are asked to think at high levels, collaborate with their peers, and figure out how to use their resources when they get stuck.
I hope you have an enjoyable weekend, and we look forward to seeing students on Monday morning.
Sincerely,
Steven McFarlane
Principal
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Pictures of the Week
  
Principal Meet & Greet
Come meet the new principal at a Principal Meet & Greet. There are a few options over the coming weeks. In order to help with planning please fill out the Google Form if you’re planning to attend.
- November 14, 9:00 - 10:00 AM
- November 29, 5:00 - 6:00 PM
Reminder: 7th Grade Mental Health Screening Program - Modified Bell Schedule
Seventh grade students will participate in the SOS Signs of Suicide® Prevention Program and mental health screening during their history classes on either Tuesday, November 15 or Wednesday, November 16. A modified bell schedule is planned around the history class schedule and allows time for the student services staff to follow up with individual students before the end of the school day. Parents will be notified if a counselor follows up with their student. Please contact Erin Kestler etkestler@fcps.edu if you have questions about opting out.
Strategic Plan Student Survey
By now, you may have heard that FCPS is developing a new Strategic Plan. This plan will work like a roadmap, clearly defining the best route for us to take in the years ahead to reach our goals. Our students will be the first to lend their voices to this process by participating in an optional online survey. With students at the very heart of our work, we believe they should have an opportunity to be heard and provide feedback on what they feel is important.
The optional survey will be offered to all students in Grades 3 to 12. It is designed to protect students’ privacy and is anonymous. Kilmer Middle School will be administering the survey on Monday, November 14 during 4th period Advisory. The survey will take about 10-15 minutes to complete.
To learn more, visit the FCPS Strategic Plan webpage.
FCPS Calendar Survey Coming Soon!
In an annual planning process, FCPS uses input from the community to help develop the school year calendar for the following year. The Calendar Survey will be sent to parents/caregivers, employees, and students in grades 7-12 next week. FCPS’ framework for creating the calendar is available online to ensure transparency, as we work to build a calendar that is inclusive and equitable.
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