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A message from Principal Steven McFarlane
Kilmer Community,
Yesterday was SRO Appreciation Day. We are so lucky to have Officer Jason Edminster at Kilmer. Officer Edminster is great at connecting with our kids, families, and staff. He has a positive impact on this building each and every day. If you see him around the building or at kiss-and-ride be sure to thank him.
The assistant principals began hosting Grade Level Behavior Forums this week during Learning Seminar. These forums will continue in the coming weeks, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to participate in a session. This is one way that we can proactively reinforce school-wide expectations. At the same time, these forums invite students into the conversation about how they feel, what they see, and what they say are the biggest school-wide issues we can collectively address. I say this often: we explicitly teach academic content AND behavior/expectations, and the more students are part of this process the better. Please consider talking with your students about their experience at the Grade Level Behavior Forums. Parents play a vital role in this work and we are thankful for your support.
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.
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Monday, March 4 - Students will participate in the SEL Screener during Learning Seminar. Additional details are listed under important information.
Yesterday, we celebrated SRO Appreciation Day. Kilmer is so lucky to have Officer Jason Edminster as part of our school community.
Congratulations to Kilmer’s District Honor Choir singers!
Students in Ms. Jones’ 8th grade science class were neutralizing acids and bases as part of their science lab this week.
It was awesome to see so many students and families in attendance at the Marshall IB Night at Kilmer this past week!
Students in the 7th grade Young Scholar Cohort visited the TJHSST Planetarium yesterday, where they learned about our solar system. They also toured the Oceanography and Engineering labs.
Upcoming 2024-2025 Course Registration Curriculum Events
Academic Advising for 7th and 8th Grade Students: All students will participate in one-on-one academic advising sessions with their Kilmer school counselor to finalize course selections for the 2024-2025 school year. Academic Advising sessions will take place February-March. Students and parents can view course requests through SIS StudentVUE and ParentVUE. If a student or parent has questions about course requests, please contact the school counselor. Access directions for viewing course requests here: Online Course Requests.
For more information about course information, timelines, and curriculum resources for seventh and eighth grade students, please visit our Course Registration and Curriculum Resource page on the Kilmer Website. High school resources for Marshall and Madison High School are included on this page as well. Slides from yesterday’s IB Information Night will be on our website by Monday.
Spring SEL 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. 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 Spring SEL Screener during fourth period Learning Seminar on Monday, March 4. Students who have opted out, will not have access to the screener. Opt-outs are submitted one time each year. Therefore, the Opt-outs submitted prior to the fall screener will remain in place for the spring screener.
For more information about the SEL Screener and access to its content, please click on the following link: Social Emotional Learning Screener (SEL).
Kilmer’s Track & Field Team
Kilmer is hosting its first Track & Field season this Spring as a part of the FCPS Middle School Athletics Program! Practices will be held after school beginning in March before Spring Break (schedule/details coming soon). Open to all students - No experience required!
- Track Events: 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1600m
- Field Events: Long Jump and Shot Put
- Track Meets begin in April and each team will have four (rain date is first week in May)
What Is Required to Participate?
Students and parents will need to complete several steps prior to participating in middle school sports, including:
Forms must be submitted to Ms. Kardelis, After-School Program Specialist. You can email forms to kckardelis@fcps.edu or drop them off in the main office.
Eating Disorder Parent Information
In 2013, Virginia passed a law requiring every school system to provide information to parents annually about eating disorders with parents/guardians of students in the fifth through twelfth grades.
According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA 2023),
Eating disorders are serious but treatable mental and physical illnesses that can affect people of all genders, ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body shapes, and weights. In the United States, 28.8 million Americans will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives.
There is no single cause of an eating disorder. Rather, it is a complex combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors that converge and set off an individual’s predisposed genetic vulnerability.
In collaboration with the Fairfax County Health Department, FCPS has developed a web page with detailed information and resources about eating disorders. To find out more, please visit the FCPS Eating Disorders website. In addition to the information on the FCPS website, the National Eating Disorders Association has a toll-free, confidential Helpline, 1-800-931-2237.
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.
Welcome, Emily Castro - Assistant Principal
Emily Castro is excited to be joining the Kilmer community as the new Assistant Principal on Tuesday, February 20th. Emily joined FCPS in 2016 as a high school math teacher. Emily taught math, served as the math department chair, and was the Student Government Association sponsor at Justice High School and Lake Braddock High School. Over the past three years, Emily served as the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support and Social-Emotional Learning Coordinator for Lake Braddock Middle and High Schools. This Fall, Emily served as an Assistant Principal at Laurel Ridge Elementary School, overseeing their special education services site. Emily earned her B.S. in Mathematics and M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction from Virginia Tech. Emily lives in D.C. and enjoys traveling with her husband, cheering on her favorite football teams, and spending time with friends.
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Lexia Update
As part of an FCPS initiative, students complete 15 minutes of Lexia Power Up or Lexia Core5 in their English Language Arts (ELA) block. Lexia is an evidence-based, computer-based program that adapts instruction to meet the needs of learners in the categories of grammar, word study, and comprehension. With the start of 3rd Quarter, grading categories have been adjusted for 7th grade English Language Arts (ELA): Assessment 50 percent, Evidence 30 percent, Practice 10 percent, and Lexia 10 Percent.
Lightspeed on Student Computers
As part of our commitment to creating a safe and focused learning environment for your children, we are excited to introduce a new tool that our teachers will utilize: Lightspeed Software.
Here are some key benefits of Lightspeed Software:
- Enhanced Focus: With real-time monitoring capabilities, teachers can closely monitor students' laptop activities during class. This helps ensure students stay engaged with the lesson material and minimize distractions.
- Support for Individualized Learning: Lightspeed Software allows teachers to tailor their approach to individual student needs. Educators can provide personalized support by understanding how each student interacts with digital resources, ensuring that every student receives the attention and guidance they require. They can create groups and push out websites and tasks targeted to students’ needs, whether researching for a project or reviewing for a test.
- Silent Assistance Signals and Check-Ins: One of the unique features of Lightspeed Software is the ability for students to signal when they need assistance silently. This ensures that students feel comfortable seeking help without disrupting the class flow. Teachers can also send out polls, reminders, and check-ins for students as a class or individually.
- Restricting Access to the Web: Teachers can turn off or pause internet access and restrict students to specific sites during school hours. This, again, ensures students are focused on learning and minimizes distractions.
We understand the importance of balancing technology in education with maintaining a focused and secure learning environment. Lightspeed Software is designed with these considerations in mind, and it will contribute significantly to the overall success of our students.
Student laptops will only be monitored during school hours. The regular filters remain in place on school devices, but once they are home, teachers cannot monitor your students. As parents, we would like to encourage you to sign up for your own Lightspeed reports, which will allow you to see how your child is spending time on the computer during and after school hours.
Lightspeed Parent Report
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