Kilmer Community,
We are closing in on the end of the First Quarter! I am so proud of everything our students and staff have accomplished so far and we look forward to starting the 2nd Quarter strong on November 6. Please note the calendar below for reminders about next week’s early release and upcoming student holidays.
I want to thank all of the volunteers who helped with last week’s PTA Fall Festival. The kids had a blast and we couldn’t have pulled it off without your help. Thank you!
As a reminder, doors open every morning at 7:10 am. If you arrive to drop off your student before 7:10 am please wait in the Kiss N’ Ride line until the doors open. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us ensure a smooth morning arrival for students and staff.
Have a wonderful weekend and as always, reach out with any questions or concerns…and for all the baseball fans out there, Go Dodgers!
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!
Zora D. - Bringing a positive attitude to the art room and helping out with cleaning at the end of the day.
Hailey H. - Helped with cleaning tables, stacking chairs, and organizing the room.
Eliza S. - Thoughtfully and insightfully participates in class discussions, enriching others' learning.
Sean C. - Thank you for taking the time to share answers during whole-class discussions, act courteously, and engage diligently in your work!
Giacomo Q.C. - Giacomo did a wonderful job when he volunteered to manage the assembly line during our Industrial Revolution simulation. He responded to his workers' needs, problem-solved when there was a slow-down on the line, communicated respectfully, and didn't get frustrated. He ensured the smooth production of all 5 of my classes :)
Upcoming Dates:
- October 31st - End of 1st Quarter, 2-Hour Early Release (12:15 PM dismissal)
- November 1 - Holiday, No school
- November 4 - School Planning Day, No students
- November 5 - Teacher Workday, No students
- FCPS School Calendar 2024-25
We had beautiful weather and a great turnout at our Fall Festival last week!
On October 18th Kilmer participated in the Central Fairfax Basketball Tournament. Kilmer was named tournament champion after winning all four games in convincing fashion. Our students demonstrated outstanding teamwork and sportsmanship! Be sure to help us congratulate our students.
We are proud to congratulate six of our Kilmer students — Saanvi, Shirley, Jayandhiga, Aanya, Anabia, and Advaith — who were selected to attend the Thomas Jefferson Intermediate Math Open (TJ-IMO) on Saturday, October 19th. At this prestigious event, they had the opportunity to learn advanced problem-solving strategies from experienced Varsity Math Team coaches. They then put these strategies to the test in a competitive mathematics challenge. They did a great job representing Kilmer!
This week our 8th grade students visited Junior Achievement's Finance Park. Students engaged in activities that taught them how to manage budgets, make financial decisions, and plan for real-world scenarios. This experience helped them build essential life skills while fostering problem-solving skills.
Spirit Week: October 28-31
Kilmer’s SCA, sponsored by Mr. Prevost, will have our first Spirit Week next week. We look forward to seeing lots of spirit from our students and staff!
All spirit celebrations need to abide by the Student Rights and Responsibilities, including no masks, face paint, or fake weapons.
Morning Kiss N’ Ride Drop-Off Time
Doors open every morning at 7:10 am. Cars that arrive before 7:10 am will need to wait in the Kiss N’ Ride line until doors open. Thank you!
Outstanding Employee Awards Program
Nominations will open for the Outstanding Employee Awards on Monday October 21, 2024! To submit a nomination for a Kilmer Middle School Outstanding Employee in one or more of the categories below, please complete the Kilmer Middle School Outstanding Employee Awards Nomination Form.
You may nominate one employee at our school or multiple employees (one individual may only nominate one employee per category).
All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work in one more of the criteria for that award category. The google form link has more information regarding the criteria for each of these awards. The eligibility requirements are below.
Outstanding Teacher
- Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district). Ex: Teacher or Librarian with 3+ years of experience
Outstanding New Teacher
- Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district). Ex: Teacher or Librarian with less than three years of experience
Outstanding Leader
- Eligibility: At least one year of experience in their current position and location as a Schedule-C or School-Based Administrator scale employee. This does not include the principal. Ex: Assistant Principal, Director of Student Services
Outstanding Professional Employee
- Eligibility: At least one year experience in current position as a Schedule-B employee or other non-instructional employee in a school that supports school leadership at their current location. Ex: School Based Technology Specialist (SBTS), Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor, Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART), Instructional Coach, Testing Coordinator, Clinicians, Speech Pathologist, After-School Specialist, Resource Teachers, MTSS Coordinator, Assessment Coach or Special Education Department Chair
Outstanding Operational Employee
- Eligibility: At least one year of experience in current position as Schedule-A or Classroom Instructional Support Scale employee at their current location Ex: Administrative Assistants, Office Assistants, Librarians, Finance Tech, Custodial staff, Food Services staff, Instructional Aids, Public Health Attendant, Public Health Training Attendant, Parent Liaison)
The deadline to submit a nomination is Friday, November 8, 2024. If you have any questions, please contact Melissa Smith, Assistant Principal, mwsmith@fcps.edu.
Impact Aid Survey Opens Monday, October 21
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is eligible for federal Impact Aid grants due to the federal presence in our area. The grants from these programs will become part of FCPS' general operating budget. They are critical to ensuring that students receive an excellent education. FCPS anticipates receiving approximately $3,000,000 in Impact Aid funds.
FCPS uses the survey for Federal Impact Aid to identify federally connected students. On Monday, October 21, the survey will be available to FCPS families online through ParentVue, in the “Online Packets” section. Click here for directions on how to access the survey. Families without ParentVUE can request a paper copy of the survey from their child's school. FCPS staff will process the information with the utmost confidentiality.
Fall Immunization Clinic at Kilmer MS
Kilmer MS will host a School Site Immunization Clinic on November 19, in collaboration with the Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD). Only students enrolled at Kilmer MS may participate in the clinic.
The following immunizations will be offered during school hours at the School Immunization Clinic:
- Meningococcal Conjugate (MenACWY) Vaccine
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine
- Tetanus, Diphtheria, & Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine
Click here to find additional information for each vaccine.
If you would like your child to receive immunizations as part of the School Site Immunization Clinic, you must first provide:
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Permission via a signed Adolescent Vaccine Clinic Consent Form, which can be found in the Middle and High School Clinics section on this webpage.
- A copy of their immunization records (if available).
- A copy of the front and back of their insurance card (if applicable). Insurance is not required to participate in the clinic.
Please bring your signed consent form to our Student Services Office by 11/8 in order for your child to participate. If your child is insured, please submit a copy of the front and back of your child’s insurance to our Student Services Office as well. You may contact our school’s public health nurse, Stephanie Gibbs, at sgibbs1@fcps.edu with any immunization questions.
1st Quarter Grades
Student gradebooks in SIS ParentVUE and StudentVUE will be unavailable from Mon, Oct 28, 2024 @ 4:00 PM until Tue, Nov 12, 2024 @ 6:00 AM. At the end of this window, 1st quarter grades will be posted in SIS ParentVue and StudentVUE.
Applications Open October 21 for TJHSST
Middle school students who have an aptitude and passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) are encouraged to apply for admission to the Class of 2029 at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST).
The application will be available on the TJHSST Admissions Office webpage starting Monday, October 21, at 4 p.m. Applications must be started by 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 13, with a deadline to submit the application by Friday, November 15, at 4 p.m. Visit the TJHSST registration page for more information.
Virtual Java Classes for Middle School Students
Fairfax High School students are offering a virtual workshop to middle school students in Basic Java and Advanced Java coding. They are doing this as a fundraiser to help buy supplies for their robotics club, as well as pay for competition fees. If your student is interested, please sign up below or reach out to the club sponsor, and chemistry teacher at Fairfax HS, Geeta Sridharan gsridharan@fcps.edu.
Reflections Art Contest
Calling all creatives! Are you into art, photography, music, dance, film, or writing? Enter the Reflections Art Contest! This year's theme is "Accepting Imperfection"! You can enter one submission each in any (or all!) of the six categories! Deadline for entries is November 15.
- For ARTWORK file: name, category and division - e.g., JaneSmith.VisualArts.Middleschool.Entry
- For ENTRY FORM file: Similar naming convention: JaneSmith.VisualArts.Middleschool.Form
- Upload these files to the contest DROPBOX.
- Questions: Reflections@kilmerpta.org (use non-school email)
After School Activities News/Updates
Each week Ms. Perry 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 Saundra Perry (Acting After School Specialist) at slperry@fcps.edu.
Executive Board Contact Information
Reminder to Order School Pictures
School Photos are now online! Families should have received an E-proof via email. Please remember to check your spam. For any questions about your student's school pictures please contact: underclass@vosphoto.com
Join the School Book Committee
We are excited to invite parents to join our School Book Committee! This is a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with other parents and educators to select and promote texts that enrich our students' reading experiences. As part of the committee, you will choose new titles for the Language Arts curriculum should the need to review arise. Your input is invaluable in ensuring our texts reflect the diverse interests and needs of our students.
If you're interested in joining or would like more information, please email Erin Dwyer at edwyer@fcps.edu
On Time to Class
To help create a smooth and effective learning environment, we ask that students make every effort to arrive on time to each class. Please review Kilmer’s response to tardies outlined below. These will begin on October 1, 2024. Parents/guardians will be notified if your child is assigned lunch or after school detention.
- Tardy Sweeps: Tardy sweeps will begin in October and occur randomly throughout the year. A tardy sweep means if your child arrives to class after the bell, the teacher’s door will be locked, and a staff member will record the tardy. Students who are recorded in a tardy sweep will be assigned lunch detention.
- Class Tardies: Students may receive an office referral from their teacher if they reach four tardies to a single class. Students who receive an office referral will be assigned after school detention.
- Excessive Tardies: Students who reach a total of 10 or more tardies in a calendar month will be assigned an after school detention.
Regularly monitoring your student's tardies in ParentVue helps ensure they stay on track with punctuality and reinforces good habits for academic success. It is important for students to be in all classes on time every day, we will work with you and your child should there be issues or concerns that prevent them from getting to classes on time.
Lightspeed Parent Report
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