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- Tuesday, 1/28 - 2nd Quarter Ends
- Wednesday, 1/29 - NO SCHOOL / Teacher Workday & Lunar New Year
- Friday, 1/31, 5-8 PM - Family Engagement Night/Open Gym
- Monday, 2/17 - NO SCHOOL / George Washington's Birthday
Hello, Holmes Families!
Lunar New Year falls at quarter end on Wednesday, January 29. The day will be a teacher work day and there will be no school for students. See the complete school year calendar.
The 3rd quarter/second semester of the school year will begin on Thursday, January 30th, 2025. Many students will have a new elective in the second semester and there is the possibility that your child’s schedule might have changed. Your student will be able to access this through SIS StudentVue information at 4 pm on Wednesday, January 29th and parents with a ParentVue account will also have access. We will print a new copy of student’s schedules for Thursday, January 30th, as well.
Counselors are currently presenting information to students about their course options for the 2025-2026 school year. Counselors will continue to meet with students throughout the month of February.
Sincerely,
Serena Giron
Principal
We have accumulated many items in our Lost and Found. Please remind your students to check the cafeteria for any missing items.
Holmes Middle School is partnering with Food For Neighbors to help feed our local students who deal with food insecurity outside of school hours. Even in a county as wealthy as Fairfax, one in four kids in our area are struggling with hunger.
Food For Neighbors is a local organization addressing this problem by collecting food from our community via the Red Bag Program and donating directly to our local schools. The food is then distributed to the students every week through our food pantry. We hope you will consider participating in the Red Bag food collection program. You can make a difference in a local student’s life by simply adding a few extra items to your shopping cart every two months.
Here’s how it works:
- Request a reusable Red Bag here and Food For Neighbors will drop it off at your house.
- Fill the Red Bag with food items that are listed on a tag on that bag.
- Put the Red Bag outside your front door in the morning on the next bag collection day. Collection dates are also listed on the bag tag. And don’t worry, FFN will send reminders. Your Red Bag will be picked up from your house, the food sorted at a local school and delivered directly to Holmes. As an added benefit, you can get a tax deduction for the food that you donate!
With your help, even more kids can be fed. For more information on the Red Bag program click here. Check out what items FFN collects as they are targeted to ready-made, individually packaged food items that students and teens can eat on-the-go or with little preparation.
As we partner with FFN, other critical volunteer opportunities include: Driving to pick up filled Red Bags and Sorting the donated food during the Red Bag Day events. Visit the FFN FAQ page to find out more and to sign up to volunteer in these two very important roles. These are great opportunities for our students to receive volunteer service hours, too.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Juan Benavides, Family Liaison at jfbenavides@fcps.edu or Karen Joseph Karen@foodforneighbors.org.
Thanks for helping us provide food to students who need that extra support!
You're invited to our first-ever Family Rec Night! Join for this FREE event on Friday, January 31st, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Register now by clicking here. You can expect an evening of fun and community: enjoy recreational activities in the gym, connect with fellow families and staff, and enjoy dinner on us. We'll have activities to promote healthy habits and a workshop for parents on reading strategies for home, attendance, and digital tools like SIS. The first 25 people to arrive will be entered in a raffle for a Door Prize!
Let's make this the first of many Rec Nights at Holmes MS. Remember to register now by clicking here. For more information, view our website.
Contact Ms. Waters or Mr. Yoon with any questions.
We hope to see you there!
Annandale High School's class of 2026 would like to invite you and your students to the first annual "Blizzard Breakfast" on Saturday, January 25 from 9-11:30am at Annandale High School.
This fundraising event will consist of a winter themed breakfast get-together catered to families and children of all ages. There will be fun and engaging activities including crafts, movies, and story telling for everyone to enjoy, as well as the opportunity to take photos with Disney's Olaf.
All proceeds will go to funding next year's prom and other class activities.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Mahoney eemahoney1@fcps.edu or Mr. Cole cacole@fcps.edu.
Annandale High School's class of 2026 greatly appreciates your efforts in helping students get involved in their community!
WHAT: The Early Identification Program (EIP) is a multiyear (5 year) college preparatory program for students who will be the first in their family to attend a four-year college in the United States. EIP is a collaborative effort between Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) and George Mason University (GMU). The EIP is one of four programs that comprise the College Success Programs in FCPS. EIP goes from 8th grade through 12th grade. Please check out the EIP website at https://eip.gmu.edu/ for more information about the program!
HOW: Nominated students apply to the program at the end of the 7th grade and enter the program in the 8th grade.
Student Participation:
To remain in good standing, EIP students must:
- Maintain a 2.8 GPA
- Attend specified activities/events on Saturdays at GMU Fairfax or Manassas campus
- Attend weekly mentoring / tutoring sessions at Holmes
- Attend the three-week Summer Academy at GMU Fairfax campus every July
- Participate in the Strengthening the Family Workshop
DEADLINE: February 19th, 2025
INTERESTED / QUESTIONS? Please complete the EIP Information Google Form by the deadline if you are interested: https://forms.gle/xfZ1jW2icdUDH5Zj9
Contact Ms. Amarir, School Counselor and EIP Sponsor at 703-658-5942 or via email at mamarir@fcps.edu with any questions.
All Day Absence:
1. Use ParentVUE. Log in and click “Report Absence.” Don’t Have a SIS ParentVUE Account Yet? Contact your school for an activation code and follow the directions on the SIS ParentVUE Account webpage.
OR
2. Call the attendance line on 703-658-5919 and leave a message with spelling of your student's first and last names, your name and relationship to the student, and a reason for absence.
OR
3. Send an email to holmesmiddle.attendance@fcps.edu with your student's first and last names, your name and relationship to the student, and a reason for absence.
Partial Absence:
To report late arrivals, early dismissals, or to update already submitted attendance
1. Call the attendance line on 703-658-5919 and leave a message with spelling of your student's first and last names, and a reason for late arrival or early dismissal.
OR
2. Send an email to holmesmiddle.attendance@fcps.edu with your student's first and last names, your name and relationship to the student, and a reason for late arrival or early dismissal.
To request a bus pass for your student, please email the front office at holmesmiddle.attendance@fcps.edu no later than 1:30 PM. Additionally, ensure front office has consent from the parent of the student to whose house your child will be traveling, as this is required for approval.
If you have to pick up your student early, we ask that you do so before 1:30PM to avoid interrupting safe dismissal process. Please note that doctor's appointments are not considered emergencies.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
NEW CLUBS & ACTIVITIES COMING SOON!
We will be offering several new clubs and activities starting 2nd semester. These include;
- Dungeons & Dragons
- Esports
- TSA (technology student association)
- AALEAD (Asian American Leadership Empowerment & Development)
ASP Upcoming Schedule 1/27-1/31
Students Leaving After-School before 4:45
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Any student staying after school must be signed out of the main office by a parent or guardian if leaving before 4:45.
- Walkers with parent/guardian permission, may sign themselves out any time after 3:30 when first block ends.
- Walkers must have written permission (may be emailed) from their parent/guardian to walk.
- Students must be picked up no later than 5pm.
- Students are not permitted to leave school grounds before checking out in the main office.
Questions/Concerns
Contact the After-School Specialist, Matt Kruk, mjkruk@fcps.edu
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Join the Holmes MS PTA and attend meetings (4th Wednesday of the month; translation services provided)
If you have not been able to attend a Community Boundary Review meeting yet, it’s not too late! The following virtual meetings will have the same format and information available as the previous in-person meetings:
Click one of the dates above to register and receive your unique Zoom link. Please note that each virtual meeting will be capped at 400 participants to help provide a meaningful experience for all. Language interpretation will be available. Learn about FCPS’ Comprehensive Boundary Review. Sign up for the School Boundary Review newsletter for updates.
This month, families of students who took any Standards of Learning (SOL) test between school years 2015-16 and 2023-24 will receive a Student Assessment Summary Report. The report shows a student’s state percentile ranking for each test. This allows families to see how their child ranked compared to all Virginia students who took the same test that year.
Reports are available now in SIS ParentVUE Documents. They will be distributed by schools this month to students whose families do not have ParentVUE access. Learn how to access ParentVUE.
The report is intended to help families reflect on how their child performed across all tested subjects over the years. Our schools and staff are committed to working with families to support every student to succeed at their highest potential. Learn more about student assessments in FCPS.
All FCPS families and middle and high school students have received an invitation to participate in a survey about FCPS’ Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R), cell phone policy, and cell phone storage options. The survey will be available through Monday, February 3. Please take a few moments to share your feedback and help FCPS make informed, inclusive decisions for all of our schools!
Fairfax County Public Schools updated plans for new school construction, capacity enhancements, and renovations are outlined in the proposed FY 2026-30 Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Projects include constructing two new elementary schools; renovations at 18 elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools; and relocation of modular buildings.
The proposed CIP was presented to the School Board at the January 14 work session. A public hearing was also held January 14. The School Board will take action on the proposed CIP at its Thursday, February 6, meeting.
FCPS is committed to raising awareness about the opioid epidemic with our educators, parents/caregivers, and students. Together, we can help ensure our students thrive.
What can families do?
- Show you disapprove of underage drinking and other drug misuse. More than 80% of young people ages 10-18 say their parents are the leading influence on their decision whether to drink.
- Show you care about your child’s health, wellness, and success.
- Show you are a good source of information about alcohol and other drugs. Find helpful resources on the FCPS Opioid Awareness webpage.
- Pay attention to your child and discourage risky behaviors.
- Build your child’s skills and strategies for avoiding drinking and drug use. Talk with your child about what they would do if faced with a decision about alcohol and drugs, such as texting a code word to a family member or practicing how they will say, “No thanks.”
Get more information on opioid awareness.
Please stay in touch with us throughout the year by:
Stay connected with Holmes Middle School by following us on social media! It's the best way to keep up with our latest news, celebrate student achievements, and be part of our vibrant community. Whether you're a student, parent, or community member, you'll find exciting updates, important announcements, and inspiring stories that showcase the spirit of Holmes!
Links: Instagram
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