Kilmer Community,
This month in Advisory classes, students reflected on 2022 and spent time thinking ahead about goals for the new year. As we head toward the end of the semester in two weeks, I encourage you to ask your child about their goals—big or small—and what they think worked well in the first semester and what could be going better.
In the PTA meeting this past week, I shared how we are entering an exciting time supporting students with course registration for next year. I want to reiterate to all families how important the partnership with parents and caregivers is as we guide students in planning for next school year. Please be sure to check out our course registration timelines and curriculum resources and the calendar below for upcoming events.
Sincerely,
Steven McFarlane
Principal
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Pictures of the Week
 This week, Ms. Boate’s 8th grade science classes visited a “crime scene” where they documented observations and identified possible evidence left at the scene. Next, the students performed lab work using physical and chemical properties to identify three different unknown substances left at the scene. Finally, they will make connections between the evidence and the three suspects, and make a claim as to “who dunnit”!
 Student’s in Ms. Fox’s coding class took an assessment where they needed to add a background, add sprites (objects), animate the sprites, add text, and have them do a counter pattern. The counter pattern has them move on the screen (although unfortunately I couldn’t capture this in a screenshot). Below, you can see what the final product looked like (left) next to the JavaScript code (right). This one was created by Mathew Hughes.
Yearbooks!
The year will be over in the blink of an eye, so buy your yearbook now before it's too late. A yearbook is one of the most important books that you will ever have, buy yours now since they are running out.
Marshall HS IB Information Night
A Marshall High School IB information Night will be held at Kilmer Middle School on Wednesday, January 18 at 5:00 pm in the cafeteria. Presentations will include an overview of the IB program and the prerequisite courses required for an IB diploma. Seventh and eighth grade families are encouraged to attend. For additional questions, contact the IB coordinators at marshallibcoordinators@fcps.edu.
Course Registration Timeline for the 2023-2024 school year:
Eighth Grade Students:
During the months of February and March, all students will participate in an academic advising session with their school counselor to finalize their course selections for the 2023-2024 school year.
Students attending Marshall High School
The Marshall High School Rising 9th Grade Orientation is scheduled for Tuesday, February 7, 2023 (Snow Date: Feb. 9) from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. Marshall School Counselors will speak to all students attending Marshall on February 6 and 7. Each student will be assigned to one session during 4th or 5th period. More information will be shared leading up to these dates.
Students attending Madison High School
On Tuesday, January 17 during 5th period Learning Seminar, Madison High School counselors will be speaking with all students attending Madison for ninth grade. An announcement will be made at the end of third period to remind students to go directly to the Group Instruction Room for 5th period. If you have questions, please email your child’s school counselor. Madison High School Course Registration Resources
Seventh Grade Students
Seventh grade students will participate in a course registration lesson during Science class during the week of Feb 13 - 17. During the months of February and March, all students will participate in an academic advising session with their school counselor to finalize their course selections for the 2023-2024 school year. For more information please visit our course registration timelines and curriculum resources page on Kilmer website.
End of 2nd Quarter - January 25, 2023
Students are encouraged to access SIS Studentvue to monitor their quarter progress and to work with their teachers if they have outstanding assignments or assessments to complete. The first day of the 3rd Quarter is Monday, January 30. At that time, students will begin their second semester electives or continue with their year long electives.
Congratulations All-District Band Members!
This past Saturday, students from our band program took the District XII All-District Band Audition. Their hard work and dedication certainly paid off! Please congratulate the following students:
Students who earned membership into the District 12 All-District Band:
- Nived Anoop Krishnan
- Anoosh Balakrishnan
- Mason Choi
- Josh Fields
- Anderson Jones
- Loanne Kim
- Aiden Otte
- Kai Perley
- Evan Roehl
- Nicolai Taranov
- Ashley Thompson
- Lee Vanstory
- Natalie Viskupic
- Lucas Wang
- Savannah Weise
- Matty Yeh
- Samuel Zhang
Alternates:
- James Fisher
- Luke Kang
- Milo Moore
- Arushi Pathak
- Cordelia Quinlan
- Lindsay Walker
The All-District Band Event will take place from February 2-4 PM at Oakton High School.
COVID-19 Compensatory Education Plan Meetings for Families of Students with Disabilities
Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to implementing a plan for COVID-19 compensatory education as part of its obligation to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to students with disabilities. Please join us at an informational meeting for parents/guardians and other stakeholders:
Visit our website to see what language interpretation services will be available at each meeting and to learn more about the COVID-19 Compensatory Education Plan.
Staffing Update - Special Education Department Chair
Shannon Johnson, our current Special Education Department Chair, was promoted to a multi-agency specialist at Central Office. This is bittersweet because we will miss Shannon’s expertise, and this is an exciting promotion for her and her career.
Moving forward, Renee Cartwright and Maura McWilliams will be serving as co-department chairs for the remainder of the school year. Both Ms. Cartwright and Ms. McWilliams are current special education teachers at Kilmer. Specifically, Ms. Cartwright will be fulfilling the role on green/odd days and Ms. McWilliams on blue/even days. Ms. Cartwright will primarily support 7th grade and Ms. McWilliams will primarily support 8th grade student meetings.
Although Ms. Johnson’s last full day at Kilmer is this Friday, January 13, she will work a hybrid schedule between Kilmer and her new position for the remainder of the 2nd quarter. Ms. Cartwright and Ms. McWilliams have been working closely with Ms. Johnson and Mr. Musgnug (assistant principal), and will continue to do so.
Finance Park - Parent Volunteers Needed
In March our 8th grade students will be going on a field trip for Finance Park through their civics class. We need parent volunteers. Please see more information below, and consider signing up to volunteer at: https://www.myja.org/parents/fairfax.
Health and Physical Education FLE
Instruction of the Human Growth and Development unit (gender separate) will take place from January 30th through February 2nd during HPE class. Instruction of the Emotional and Social Health unit will take place during regular health class during the 3rd quarter.
If you choose to opt your student out of any or all of these lessons, please fill out the opt out form for your student’s grade level and have your student return the form to Ms. Wood in student services. FLE opt out forms
To view the lessons in both FLE units please login to schoology and click on the All-Parent page. On that page there is a folder called Parent Preview - FLE Instruction with the FLE lessons.
If you have any questions, please contact your student’s HPE teacher.
FCPS CARES
The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for families, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story, so we can all acknowledge the good work of FCPS employees at Kilmer Middle School.
Marshall Pyramid Parent Night
SEL Screener Results
SEL screener results from the fall window were mailed to families this week. Information to help you understand the report and a resource for conversations with your student are available in eight languages here: SEL Screener Report and Guide. Kilmer and all FCPS schools have school-based mental health staff who can support your child. Please contact your child’s school counselor, our school social worker, or school psychologist if you have questions about the screener. For more information about Social Emotional Learning check out the SEL in FCPS Website
If at any time you have concerns about your student's safety and/or believe that they are in crisis, immediate support is available. Please use the emergency resources below.
Mental Health and Emergency Services Information
- Call 911 in case of a life threatening emergency; TTY dial 711
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CrisisLink Regional Hotline: 703-527-4077 CrisisLink is a hotline for individuals in crisis or family/friends seeking guidance for how to help a loved one.
- Crisis Text: Text NEEDHELP to 85511
Prayer
If your student would like a dedicated space to pray, please have them contact their counselor. Counselors will provide a pass for your student to access the Group Instruction Room during recess (12:30-12:45 PM) to pray. According to Fairfax County Public Schools’ guidelines, students can pray during non-instructional times and not during class time unless “not excusing the student would result in a substantial burden on the student’s religious exercise”. Students participating in prayer will be supervised during this time.
Student Bus Pass Program
Did you know that all FCPS Middle and High School students can sign-up for a Student Bus Pass SmarTrip card to ride the Fairfax Connector and City of Fairfax CUE bus for free? Students will need to have a parent’s/guardian’s approval for signing up and can pick up a permission form in Kilmer’s Student Services office (translations available). More information about the program, including the permission form, can be found here.
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