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A message from Principal Steven McFarlane
Kilmer Community,
I’m looking forward to Memorial Day weekend, and I hope everyone takes advantage of the long weekend. When we come back on Tuesday it will be a strong push to the end.
We’re one week away from our final PTA event of the year. Please join us for the PTA Festival next Friday, June 2 from 2:30-5:30 PM. We will have a DJ, inflatables, art, crafts and a lot of food! The event is free, food trucks are not, so remember to get cash for the food trucks. I will communicate with students next week that if they are going to the Festival they either need to report directly there after school, or if they head home they’ll need to come back with an adult. Students will not be allowed to leave campus and then reenter the Festival without an adult. Seeing that this is a family event I hope that many of you will be able to join.
Lastly, our 8th grade recognition ceremonies will be held the last week of school. We’ve scheduled the ceremonies by team, so please see the flier below with your student’s time slot. Additionally, next week we’ll send an email to all 8th grade families with information about what team your student is on. In the meantime, if you are unsure what team your student is on please ask them, they’ll know 🙂.
I hope everyone has a great weekend. As always, reach out if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Steven McFarlane
Principal
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 Yearbooks were distributed today!
PTA Festival
The Kilmer PTA is thrilled to be hosting the Kilmer Spring festival on Friday, June 2nd from 2:30 P.M. -5:30 P.M. at the school. We will have a DJ, inflatables, art, crafts and a lot of food! There will be popcorn, pizza, ice cream and a variety of food trucks onsite where one can buy dinner and desserts. The event is free, food trucks are not, so remember to get cash for the food trucks. We would need some help to pull this off, sign up https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090e4badaf2ea46-spring#/ if you are willing to lend a hand or some supplies!
8th Grade Recognition Ceremony
The 8th Grade Recognition Ceremony will take place on June 13th and June 14th. Students will be recognized by teams. Please see below to determine when your child’s ceremony will be held. Parents will receive an e-notify message with their student’s team information next week. Students will also receive an email with more details about where to report on the day of their team’s ceremony.
All Library Books are Due
It’s that time of year – all library books are due back to the Kilmer Library no later than Friday, June 2. We ask that you nudge your child to check in backpacks, under beds, on nightstands, in car trunks, and anywhere else a book might be, so they can get them back to us ASAP. Kilmer students can return items to the book return basket in the cafeteria (facing the stage, it’s on the left), the book return bin just outside the library, and the book return slot in the library desk. Thanks for helping us to get all of our books back!
Student Testing Results Coming Soon
Starting in late May, caregivers will receive reports for assessments their students completed this spring. Not sure what assessments your student took this year? A list of tests by grade level is available. Scores will be delivered in SIS ParentVUE, by mail, or from the school or testing organization. Learn what to expect regarding assessment reporting practices and timelines.
Some families will also receive a Virginia’s Visualization and Analytics Solution (VVAAS) Student Assessment Summary report with historical Standards of Learning (SOL) test results from 2015-2022.
Go online or contact your student's school for additional information about student assessments.
Broadway Desserts
Broadway Desserts on Friday, June 2nd at 7pm is an evening of delicious desserts with musical entertainment provided by our Kilmer Middle School students. Each student has selected a song from any past or present Broadway show to exhibit for the evening! Tickets go on sale May 30th and are extremely limited. Email Ms. Kozik at nkozik@fcps.edu if you would like an email notification when tickets go on sale!
Last Chance to Buy Yearbooks
Yearbooks were distributed to students during lunch today.
Online sales have ended. Yearbooks will be available for sale before school on Tuesday, May 30th – Friday June 2nd. The cost is $45; only cash is accepted.
SCA Sponsored 8th Grade Starry Night Semi-Formal Dance
This year’s 8th grade semi-formal will be on June 9th from 6 – 8 pm at Kilmer Middle School. Celebrate your amazing time at Kilmer with music, dancing, a photobooth, and dinner. Tickets are $10 and must be purchased at school with cash.
Tickets will be sold
- Before School in the cafeteria on Friday, June 2; Monday, June 5; Tuesday, June 6; Wednesday, June 7; and Thursday, June 8.
- During All Lunches on Tuesday, June 6, Wednesday, June 7; and Thursday, June 8,
Our students have chosen a Starry Night theme. If you have any star themed decorations that you no longer need, SCA would love to use your decorations for the dance this year.
Please contact Ms. Mattix (kmattix1@fcps.edu) and Ms. Spracklin (ecaulestia@fcps.edu) with any questions.
Mathspace Summer Learning: Supporting your Secondary Student
In collaboration with the FCPS Family Resource Center, the Math Office is offering a free webinar on Thursday, June 1, 2023 from 7-8 p.m. This webinar is designed to provide families of students currently in grades 7-11 with resources to continue their math learning over the summer utilizing Mathspace. During this session participants will learn how to log on and navigate the tool, discuss how students can work more independently, and how families can support their students. Register HERE.
8th Grade Parents - Academic Career Plan Verification in Naviance
Each year, your child develops an Academic and Career Plan that supports their growth. This plan helps your child plan for their future. Your child will work with teachers and school counselors to discover their personal strengths and interests. They will also create goals to help them achieve success, plan for courses that meet high school graduation requirements, and prepare for life after high school. The development of this plan starts in middle school. Students update their plans during high school as their goals evolve. This plan supports on time graduation as well as college and career readiness. It is required by the Virginia Department of Education. Each student’s parent or guardian must review this plan at the end of 8th grade and again at the end of 10th grade.
You or your child can log into Naviance Student at www.fcps.edu/Naviance . Please review the following information together with your child: Results of the strengths and career surveys and personal, academic, and/or career goals, The draft course plan for advisory will be completed on May 30. Once in your child’s account, click the “About Me” tab and scroll down to “Portfolio.” Once you click on the Portfolio, you can view all the work that your child has completed. Once you have reviewed your child’s plan, complete the verification form . The completion of this form will serve as your signature. Please complete this form by Friday, June 30, 2023. For more information visit www.FCPS.edu and search “Academic and Career Plan.” We encourage you to continue to use Naviance Student with your child to explore college and career options. If you have questions, please contact your child’s school counselor.
Social Media Reboot
There is SO MUCH RESEARCH about social media overuse and how it impacts many teens and adults. According to the CDC, kids aged 11-14 spend an average of 9 hours of entertainment screen time each day. According to Pew Research, the majority of teens use social media, 95% use Youtube, 67% use TikTok, etc.
Taking time off social media is a CHALLENGE. Time off one’s device frees time for hanging out with friends in real life, homework or other things you’ve been meaning to try.
Josie Blanton, a former Kilmer student, and a Girl Scout Gold Award recipient, is partnering with the KMS PTA to host the event again after much success last year. One student said: "This is a good reminder we don't need social media."
Social Media REBOOT is coming soon! Mark your calendar to join us on May 31 to PAUSE YOUR SCROLL for just one day. More info coming soon!
Each week Ms. Kardelis will post a detailed overview of our After School Program to our website. Please visit Kilmer’s website at https://kilmerms.fcps.edu/afterschool_newsletter to find the weekly After School newsletter.
LATE BUS Transportation Ended Thursday, May 25th
Students needing to stay after school must schedule an appointment with their teacher(s). Families are responsible for transportation.
Middle School After-School Program Survey
Kilmer Parents/Guardians & Caregivers Survey - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/C8VTDBT
- Important component of the after-school program evaluation & critical for future funding
- Your responses help us assess programming for impact to drive improvements & program quality
- Please complete the survey regardless of the number of times or reasons your student has stayed after school FCPS Seal Approval: 23234
- FCPS Seal Approval: 23234
8th Grade End of Year Field Trip
The 8th grade end of year field trip will be to The St. James in Springfield. Students will have the opportunity to participate in obstacle courses, ice skating, rock climbing, a ropes course, soccer, flag football, and other organized activities and games. The cost of the trip is $50, which includes transportation and lunch. Payment will be collected via MySchoolBucks. If your child is going on the field trip, complete the St. James the Field Trip Permission Slip and the St. James Waiver. Please contact the main office with any questions.
Parent Registration for K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants Now Open
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is now accepting applications from parents for tutoring microgrants for their children through Governor Glenn Youngkin's K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants program. Youngkin created the program to help Virginia families address the impact of the pandemic on student learning.
The $30 million dollar program provides $1,500 grants to parents of school-age children for tutoring in English, mathematics, science, and history, as well as foreign languages required to meet diploma requirements. Children from homes with family incomes at 300% or less of the federal poverty level may qualify for $3,000 grants. Grants may also be used for support services such as speech language pathology and reading interventions.
The grant program is open to parents of any public, private, parochial, or home-school student in grades K-12 residing in Virginia. The first step in the process is to visit K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants page, where you can create an application and receive more information.
Middle School Athletics Coming This Fall
FCPS has designated funding in the budget for 2023-24 for middle school spring and fall athletic activities to support student well-being at no cost to students. Pending budget adoption, this will be the first time FCPS has offered middle school students a chance to participate in extracurricular sports programs. Middle schools will start with cross country this fall. Track will follow in spring 2024.
Any middle school students who would like to participate in athletics will need to have a Virginia High School League (VHSL) pre-participation examination (PPE). The physical exam form must be completed and signed by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant. Fairfax County public high schools will offer PPEs at a cost of $50 per student through June 17. Students who receive free or reduced meals are eligible to receive an exam at no cost. Learn more about PPE and middle school athletics.
Course Registration for 2023-2024
Academic Advising for seventh and eighth grade students is now complete. To see the list of courses your child selected for the 2023-2024 school year, please log in to your SIS ParentVUE account and click on the Course Requests tab. Directions for viewing course requests online through ParentVUE are here: Online Course Requests in ParentVue. This list of courses is NOT a schedule, but a confirmation of the courses entered into the student information system.
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Seventh Grade Students: Parents can request to change a course or report an error by contacting their child’s school counselor. All requests must be submitted by email no later than Friday, June 2. Schedule changes will not be accommodated at the start of the school year.
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Eighth Grade Students: Kilmer can no longer assist with changes to high school courses. Please contact the office of student services at the high school your child is attending if you have questions about the courses listed in ParentVue.
Tutor.com - Extra Help for Students at No Cost to Families
With Tutor.com through Schoology, FCPS students are able to get learning help at any time, even from bilingual tutors! Students in FCPS meet with tutors thousands of times each week to practice reading, prepare for an upcoming math test, write computer programs, study for the SAT, or to get feedback on scholarship essays–all at no cost to their families! If you haven’t already, we encourage you to take just a few minutes to connect with a tutor with your child. More info about Tutor.com in FCPS is available here.
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