Kilmer MS Newsletter - October 13, 2023

A message from Principal Steven McFarlane

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Kilmer Community, 

We began the week on Monday with a staff development day. A huge shout out to our amazing Kilmer PTA, especially Hospitality Chair Kadie Blaney and volunteer Kate Ahmann for providing breakfast for the entire Kilmer staff! The pace of a school day is frenetic for faculty, and in many ways we thrive off of the fast pace. Staff development days are incredibly important for us as they provide the time to slow down, come together, and have the space to collaborate and engage in deep thinking and planning with our colleagues. 

As a friendly reminder, this coming Tuesday from 6:00-7:30 pm Kilmer’s PTA meeting will center around the theme “What you need to know about 7th Grade.”  Paul Kim, PTA Treasurer, will moderate a teacher panel. While the focus of the panel is 7th grade, it will provide valuable information for parents of students in both grade levels.  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 members. We hope to see you there!

I hope you have a relaxing weekend, and as always, reach out if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Steven McFarlane

Principal


Kilmer at a Glance

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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:

  • Monday, October 16 - Students will participate in the SEL Screener during Learning Seminar on Monday, October 16.  Additional details are listed under important information.
  • Tuesday, October 17 - PTA Meeting, 6:00-7:30 pm @ Kilmer MS
  • 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.

Picture(s) of the Week

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Students practicing asking and answering questions in French with a partner in Madame Farrace’s class.

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Students in Mrs. Jones’ Science 8 class were dialoguing around motion graphs. Students had to identify what they noticed, what patterns existed, and use evidence to support their observations.


Important Information

PTA Meeting - October 17, 6:00-7:30 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

Students will participate in the SEL Screener during fourth period Learning Seminar on Monday, October 16. If your child is absent on Monday, they will take the screener during Learning Seminar when they return. Students who have opted out, will not have access to the screener. 

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.


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.


Afterschool Activities News/Updates

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.


References & Reminders

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 


Lightspeed Parent Report

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