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A message from Principal Steven McFarlane
Kilmer Community,
Last night Kilmer hosted the Region 5 “Our Schools, Our Future - A Community Conversation” with Dr. Reid. It was great to hear perspectives from all over the Region, and I enjoyed seeing the Kilmer families that attended as well.
This week I spent time in classrooms across many content areas, and it was energizing to watch students hard at work. We are over halfway through the 1st quarter, and as a reminder, teachers are readily available to assist should your student need additional support. Our teachers stay after school at least one day a week. Also, students can go see a teacher (up to four times a week) during Learning Seminar. If you have any questions please encourage your student to reach out directly to their teacher.
We hope you can join us for our October 17th PTA meeting (6:00-7:30 pm). The theme is “What you need to know about 7th Grade” and Paul Kim, PTA Treasurer, will moderate a teacher panel. The panel will answer common questions for 30-45 minutes and then we’ll open it up for Q&A for 10-15 minutes. Finally, we’ll conclude with a meet-and-greet, which will provide families a chance to connect with other families, as well as with Kilmer staff. While the theme is, “What you need to know about 7th Grade” many of the topics pertain to all grade levels, and all are welcome. Please consider attending this in-person PTA meeting to build, and strengthen, connections throughout our school community.
I hope you have a relaxing weekend, and as always, reach out if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Steven McFarlane
Principal
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Note: At Kilmer, we have “Green Days ” and “Blue Days.” On “Green Days” students attend periods 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, and on “Blue Days” students attend periods 2, 3, 4, 6, 8.
Upcoming Dates:
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Thursday, October 12 from 5:00-6:00 pm - Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology Student/Parent Information Night
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Monday, October 16 - Students will participate in the SEL Screener during Learning Seminar on Monday, October 16. Additional details are listed under important information.
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Tuesday, October 17 - PTA Meeting, 6:30-8:00 pm @ Kilmer MS
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Friday, October 27 - PTA Fall Festival, 6:30-8:30 pm @ Kilmer. Come join us for the PTA Fall Festival. We plan to show a movie, and food options will be available. Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks.
This past Saturday Kilmer had 52 cross country runners compete in FCPS’ first ever middle school athletics competition. Everyone ran well, and Kilmer runners took the top spots for 7th & 8th grade boys, and 8th-grade girls.
This week, the Starburst Team visited the library during English class for a “Book Tasting.” Students explored a variety of titles, jotting down notes in a menu, and selecting their first Literature Circle Book. Students also engaged in Student Talk about their book selections in small groups, using sentence stems to support their discussion.
PTA Meeting - October 17, 6:30-8:00 pm @ Kilmer MS
We hope you can join us for our October 17th PTA meeting (6:00-7:30 pm). The theme is “What you need to know about 7th Grade” and Paul Kim, PTA Treasurer, will moderate a teacher panel. The panel will answer common questions for 30-45 minutes and then we’ll open it up for Q&A for 10-15 minutes. Finally, we’ll conclude with a meet-and-greet, which will provide families a chance to connect with other families, as well as with Kilmer staff. While the theme is, “What you need to know about 7th Grade” many of the topics pertain to all grade levels, and all are welcome. Please consider attending this in-person PTA meeting to build, and strengthen, connections throughout our community.
SEL Screener Participation Social and Emotional Learning Screening
FCPS is committed to supporting all students’ mental wellness and social and emotional learning. FCPS approved a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener that students use to share their perspectives on how well their school and community help them develop skills they need to succeed. These skills include achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships with adults and peers, and making responsible decisions. Students also share how successful their school and community are at making them feel valued, included, and supported. These factors are critical to positive academic, social, and emotional success. All students in grades 3-12 have the opportunity to participate in the screener twice a year during the fall and spring.
Students will participate in the SEL screener during Learning Seminar on Monday, October 16. You can opt-out your child from participating in the SEL Screener. The opt-out applies to the current school year and must be completed annually. For more information about the SEL Screener, access to its content, and the opt-out form, please click on the following link: Social Emotional Learning Screener (SEL). If you choose to opt-out your child from participating, please return the opt-out form to the Student Services office no later than Monday, Oct 9.
Thomas Jefferson High School Student/Parent Information Night
On Thursday, October 12th from 5:00-6:00 pm all current 8th grade students interested in applying for the freshman class of the Thomas Jefferson High School of Science and Technology are invited to join for a one hour presentation given by a TJHSST representative in the Kilmer Cafeteria. The majority of the hour will be dedicated to a question and answer session, and we recommend that all those interested in participating view this video prior to attending the presentation. You can find additional information including important application deadlines here.
Book Review Committee
The English Department is looking for two parent volunteers who are interested in serving on Kilmer’s Book Review Committee. This group approves book titles for class-assigned reading and literature circle selections. The committee meets monthly to review 1-2 titles. Please email Erin Kestler, etkestler@fcps.edu if you are interested. Thank you!
Real Assistive Technology for Everyone (RATE) Conference
The 2023 Real Assistive Technology for Everyone (RATE) Conference, sponsored by Assistive Technology Services (ATS) in the Department of Special Services, will be held Saturday, October 28, 9 a.m.-12:45 p.m., at West Springfield High School.
The RATE Conference focuses on strategies for using assistive technology hardware, software, and peripherals to enhance learning for all students. Parents/caregivers, teachers, staff, and community members are invited to attend. Check out the conference webpage to register, and to view the schedule and session descriptions.
After School Activities News/Updates
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. If you have any questions regarding our After School Program please reach out to Kim Kardelis (After School Specialist) at kckardelis@fcps.edu.
Parking During Recess and Lunch Times
From 9:45-10:45 am, the front parking lot is blocked off with cones so students can safely access the front field for 7th grade recess and then 8th grade recess. Visitors who arrive during recess or who will need to leave Kilmer during recess should park in the lot on the right side of the building. While our four lunches are scheduled from 10:45 am-12:45 pm, the cones are moved closer to the crosswalk and parking spaces are available in the front of the school.
Student Portraits
School Pictures were taken last week. Order photos online here: https://vando.imagequix.com/g1001028688#login. The code is your student’s ID number.
For questions about ordering please email underclass@vosphoto.com
Bus Capacity
All our buses are at capacity and can not take additional passengers. Students will not be allowed to ride buses other than the one they are assigned.
Lightspeed Parent Report
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