Kilmer Community,
As we settle into the school year, we continue to focus on teaching and reteaching expectations for our Kilmer students. So many of our students are doing a wonderful job meeting expectations and we are thrilled at the number of Positive Referrals pouring in from our teachers. We know that when we make it clear what is expected, our students can and will do the right thing.
Our school’s mission is to create a safe, positive, and enriching environment that will promote resiliency, confidence, resourcefulness, and life-long learning. To that end, we want to take steps to help our students develop into ethical and global citizens who are respectful and dignify all members of our community. This is a key component of FCPS Portrait of a Graduate.
We hope that you will partner with us by talking to your child about the importance of being respectful to students, staff, and community members. More specifically, please speak to your child about the importance of reporting to a trusted adult any incidents of racial slurs and hate speech. Any of these behaviors are unacceptable within our safe and positive environment.
Families are at the heart of this work and we appreciate any and all support that you can provide at home. I’ve included some resources you might find helpful below. If you need support on how to use these resources at home, please feel free to reach out to me or any member of my administrative team.
Additionally, I believe that partnering with families and engaging in continual communication is essential to this work. For that reason, I am committed to reaching out to families via email and via community messaging in the event of a racial slur or hate speech incident at Kilmer Middle School. This is just one way that we can partner with parents to ensure that beliefs or behaviors that harm the dignity of others are not tolerated in any way by our school community.
I know that together, we can make a difference by learning to embrace and value our differences instead of using them to divide us.
Have a wonderful weekend and as always, reach out with any questions or concerns.
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!
Here are just a few of the Positive Referrals received by our Kilmer Cougars from staff members this week!
Marek R. - Marek, you've been crushing it lately in French! The past 2 weeks you've had such a positive impact on our learning environment. Merci!
Oliver H. - Oliver you are always respectful, positive, and engaged when you come to class. It is a pleasure to teach you!
Eliza D. - Eliza, it might be early in the school year, but you have already demonstrated leadership qualities and you always come to class positive as well as ready to learn!
 Upcoming Dates:
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September 17-20 - 7th Grade Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) Field Trip (9/17-Comets Team, 9/18-Sirius Team, 9/19-Supernovas Team, 9/20-Starbursts Team)
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September 19-20 - Picture Day through HPE Classes (Classes that conflict with the MWEE field trip will be able to take their picture on 9/19 or 9/20.)
During Learning, Seminar Ms. Prokopius held an interest meeting for students to learn more about being a “Student Ambassador” at Kilmer.
Picture Day - September 19 & 20
Picture Day is coming up! Students will take their photo through their Health & PE class on September 19th or 20th. If you would like to order photos, please go to https://vando.imagequix.com/g1001132466. If you need a paper order form, they are available in the Student Services office. Photos will be available 2-3 weeks after picture day. Questions about Ordering? Email: underclass@vosphoto.com
If your student is in 7th grade and going on the MWEE Field Trip on 9/19 or 9/20, they will take their photo on the day that they are not on the field trip.
World Language
This year's World Languages Credit by Exam will be administered at each FCPS middle, high, and secondary school. The World Languages Credit by Exam is an optional test for students in grades 7-12 who can speak and write (type) proficiently in a language other than English. Based on the results of the exam, they can earn 1, 2, and/or 3 passing world language credits. Students who wish to take the exam should be able to proficiently understand and communicate in the testing language, and will be asked to listen, read, speak, write/type, and/or sign/interpret for ASL. For more information on how to prepare for the exam and scoring criteria you may visit the FCPS website.
Registration opens on Monday, September 9th and closes on Thursday, October 3rd. Late registrations will not be accepted. The 2024 World Languages Credit by Exam will be administered at Kilmer, during the school day, this year.
Students will be able to register using the sign-up form posted in the All Students Schoology page. Once your student's counselor completes the registration you will receive a confirmation email with additional details about the date and time of the exam. If you have any questions about registering for this exam, please reach out directly to your student's counselor.
Locker Update
Students who completed the locker request form will receive an email on Monday, September 16 to notify them that their assigned locker number and combination is now visible in SIS StudentVue under the Student Info tab. Students will have the opportunity to practice opening their locker during the first 5 minutes of Learning Seminar on Wednesday, September 18.
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.
First PTA Meeting of 2024-2025
Please join us for our first PTA meeting of the school year on Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 9:30 AM. We will be trying out a hybrid (in-person and Zoom) model. The meeting will be in the Group Instruction Room, and families can park on the east side of the building and enter through Door #15. If attending virtually, a Zoom link will be sent via eNotify prior to the meeting.
September is Hunger Awareness Month
60,000 Fairfax County kids are on free or reduced meals. 55,000 receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Kids attending class hungry are at risk for decreased academic performance. Food insecurity affects kids' concentration, mood, and memory. The Kilmer Food Pantry was established to send these students home with a weekend food pack to help them have enough to eat for the weekend. The Kilmer Food Pantry is proud to have expanded services, including providing meals throughout the month, offering school supplies, and providing warm coats and new socks in the winter.
We can't do this without the generosity and support of our Kilmer Middle School community. There are many ways to support food insecurity at Kilmer.
Here's how you can help now!
- Donate non-perishable food items from our Amazon wishlist. Items will be delivered directly to Kilmer Middle.
- Donate non-perishable items on the marked carts in the main office (See suggestions below for ideas).
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Donate funds directly to the PTA and we’ll do the shopping for you!
Learn more at: https://kilmerpta.membershiptoolkit.com/foodpantry
Reach out to the Executive Board with any questions.
Damaged Chromebooks
All students have been given a brand new Chromebook for the 2024-2025 school year. An important reminder, please ensure your student keeps the protective cover on. These protective covers are vital to keeping Chromebooks in great condition. If a Chromebook is damaged (meaning willfully, or by being careless), families will be charged through MySchoolBucks. A breakdown of costs are below:
Parent Digital Consent - Forms
Beginning August 1, many of the parental consent and opt-out forms will be made available through a new Parent Digital Consent System. A parent or guardian will need to log-in using their SIS ParentVue username (email address) and password. If you have just registered your SIS ParentVUE account you will need to wait 24 hours before you can log in to the Digital Consent System. The SIS ParentVUE Account Overview page has information about registration and how to get support with your account.
Some forms in the system are required (like the Digital Resource Consent), while others, like the Family Education Opt-out form, are optional. If you have more than one child in FCPS, you must fill out the forms for each.
Updating Student information through SIS ParentVUE
The Online Verification Update (OVU) packet in SIS ParentVUE allows parents to review and update phone numbers, emergency contacts, and health information (such as health conditions and immunizations). The enrolling parent can access OVU through their SIS ParentVUE account. Parents/Guardians can continue to use traditional paper forms to submit changes to Kilmer Middle School. Paper forms can be submitted to the Kilmer Student Services Office.
Important: Do not use the OVU packet if your address has changed or if you moved to another FCPS school. Contact the Kilmer Student Services Office directly to complete address updates or to withdraw and transfer your student to the new school.
7th Grade Immunization Requirement
All students entering 7th grade are required to receive one dose of each of the following immunizations prior to the beginning of school: Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis booster (Tdap), Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
- To meet the Meningococcal (MenACWY) requirement, the vaccination must be administered at age 10 or older.
- As a parent/guardian, you may decide that your child not receive the HPV vaccination. The school does not require documentation if a parent/guardian elects for their student not to receive the HPV vaccination.
If you have not submitted immunization documentation to your child’s elementary school this past spring or to Kilmer Middle School this summer, please submit an updated immunization record showing that your child has received the missing immunization(s) to KMSImmunization@fcps.edu. Starting Monday, September 30, students who have not provided proof of immunization will not be allowed to attend school.
If you have questions regarding your child’s immunization status, please contact Gail Wood, Student Services Assistant at gmwood@fcps.edu.
Lightspeed Parent Report
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