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A message from Principal Steven McFarlane
Kilmer Community,
The PTA outdid themselves this week for Staff Appreciation Week, and on behalf of all the Kilmer staff, THANK YOU! Between the Tropical Smoothies, Anita’s burritos, soda bar, and more, we are grateful for the time, energy, and money you put into showing your appreciation.
As I mentioned last week, we started a new initiative with Positive Referrals to celebrate positive behavior demonstrated by our students. Teachers and staff have been submitting referrals this week and we’ve already given out over 80 Positive Referrals. It’s been rewarding to recognize students who make such a positive impact on our school community. Each Friday, students who receive a Positive Referral throughout the week are able to pick up a reward during lunch. Starting this week, I plan to highlight just a few of the Positive Referrals submitted by staff for our students in the weekly newsletter.
Lastly, students got off to a strong start with our Reading SOLs on Thursday. Next week students will take their Math SOLs, and the 8th graders will take the Science SOL.
As always, reach out if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Steven McFarlane
Principal
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Here are just a few of the Positive Referrals received by our Kilmer Cougars from staff members this week!
Jackson B. - Jackson, thank you for being such a polite and kind student in Science. All year, no matter who I ask you to work with, you've been a positive influence and have supported other students and their learning. You lead by example and I feel privileged to be your teacher. Keep up the great work!
Kossara T. - Being willing to give 100% even if the activity in class is new to you. Thank you!
Hamoud A. - Hamoud was a great leader and helper in a challenging activity during Math class today. He worked hard the entire time, and was a great example to classmates to stay focused on the task.
Amanda C. - Amanda you are an absolute pleasure to teach! Not only do I appreciate your academic effort but you demonstrate such thoughtful and kind behavior that is often missing in the world. Your 8th grade teachers will be lucky to have you in their classes!
We’ll continue to add to the collection of Positive Referrals by posting them on the cafeteria windows for everyone to read about the great things happening by our students throughout the building.
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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5/14: Math SOL
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5/17: Science SOL - 8th Grade Only
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5/27: Theater Spring Field Trip (non-school day)
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5/29: Band Spring Concert at Marshall HS
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5/31: Broadway Desserts at Kilmer MS
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6/5: Orchestra Spring Concert at Marshall HS
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6/6: Choir Spring Concert at Marshall HS
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6/7: 8th Grade Field Trip to St. James & 7th Grade Activities Day & 8th Grade Semi-Formal Dance
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6/10: Guardians (8 am) and Pegasus (12:30 pm) Team Promotion Ceremonies
- 6/11: Constellations (8 am) and Voyagers (12:30 pm) Team Promotion Ceremonies
Thank you for making Staff Appreciation Week a memorable one!
Spring SOL Testing
The spring SOL testing calendar can be found below. Details about testing days and changes to the bell schedule will be communicated regularly to students ahead of the testing window. Students will receive information about testing dates, times, and locations in their fcpsschool.net email account. All testing will begin at 7:30 am on the days listed below. It is important that students come to school on time on these testing days. If a student is absent on their testing day, makeup tests can occur throughout the testing window.
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5/14: Math SOL
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5/17: Science SOL - 8th Grade Only
If you have any questions regarding testing, please contact Kilmer’s school test coordinator, Marileigh Blake, at mlblake@fcps.edu or 703-846-8844.
Check for Library and Classroom Books – due back Wednesday, May 29
All student library books are due back to the Kilmer Library no later than Wednesday, May 29. We ask families to nudge their students to check in backpacks, under beds, on bookshelves, and in car trunks for any Kilmer books that are still checked out. Please also check for any books that belong to classrooms. Throughout this month, students should regularly check their FCPS Google email in order to see what titles they might still have out. Families will receive communication regarding charges for books that have not been returned. Questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Hazlin and Mrs. Tempesta, Kilmer’s librarians.
8th Grade Field Trip & 8th Grade Dance: Friday, June 7
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Field Trip, 9:30-1:30pm on June 7: To celebrate the culmination of middle school, we invite all 8th grade students who are in good academic and disciplinary standing on a field trip to The St. James Sports, Fitness and Entertainment Complex in Springfield, VA. Students will receive field trip forms through their Civics class next week, and forms are also available on the school website or in the Main Office. Payment is made through My School Bucks. Completed forms should be returned before May 24 to students’ Civics teachers.
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8th Grade Semi-Formal Dance, June 7 from 6-8pm: The 8th grade dance is a time for 8th graders to celebrate their time at Kilmer with music, dancing, a photobooth, and dinner. This year’s 8th grade semi-formal will be on Friday, June 7th from 6:00-8:00 pm. at Kilmer Middle School. Doors will close at 6:30 p.m. and students will not be admitted late. There is no readmittance if a student decides to leave the dance prior to 8:00 pm. Attire is semi-formal. Tickets are $10 and must be purchased during the school day, prior to the dance. No tickets will be sold at the door. Tickets may be purchased with cash during all lunches Thursday, May 30th – Tuesday, June 4th. The theme of the dance this year is Enchanted Forest. If you have any themed decorations you no longer need, SCA would love to use them for the dance! Please contact Ms. Mattix (kmattix1@fcps.edu) and Ms. Spracklin (ecspracklin@fcps.edu) with any questions.
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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 will be completed during Advisory on May 20. Once in your child’s account, click on their initials in the top right corner. Select “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 at https://forms.gle/joS6gevuhCMERvV3A . The completion of this form will serve as your signature. Please complete this form by Friday, June 28, 2024. 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.
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.
8th Grade End of Year Events
Save the date for the 8th Grade Team Promotion Ceremonies! More information will be coming soon. If you need to know which team your child is on, please ask your student. It is also listed in SIS in their class schedule. More information is available on our website.
TJHSST Math Tutors
Beginning March 4th, Kilmer students will have another opportunity to receive additional support in math. Each Monday from 7:00 am to 7:25 am, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology students will be available for math tutoring in the math modular. All Kilmer students are welcome to attend.
Lightspeed Parent Report
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