A message from Principal Steven McFarlane
Kilmer Community,
Yesterday, we hosted our Rising 7th Grade Curriculum Night. It is one of my favorite events of the year because the energy is palpable from our rising 7th graders and their families. Also, we had many current 7th and 8th graders working as part of our Student Ambassador program and it’s a testament to what middle schoolers can do when given the opportunity. The Student Ambassadors answered questions, talked with rising 7th graders, and helped to guide families around the building. I was stopped by countless parents who complimented our current Kilmer students and their work as Student Ambassadors.
It’s hard to believe that in late January (and with half of the school year left) we’ve started planning for next year. Just as we hosted rising 7th graders this past week, Marshall counselors will be coming to Kilmer on Wednesday, February 5 to preview course options for our 8th graders going to high school (Madison counselors already came 🙂). Kilmer’s counselors work closely with Marshall (and Madison) counselors to ensure our 8th graders have all the information they need when selecting their courses for next year. Please reach out to our counselors if you have any questions.
Marshall IB Night at Kilmer is scheduled for Monday, January 27th from 5-6 PM. Consider stopping by to hear from Marshall staff about how you can help your student navigate the IB path as they transition to high school.
Finally, the semester ends next Tuesday, 1/28, and there is no school for students on Wednesday, 1/29 for a teacher workday. Please remind your student to check SIS beginning at 4 PM on Wednesday to see their new schedule—this mainly applies to students who had semester electives during the first half of the year, as well as some Learning Seminar classes.
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!
Anay B. - Recently in class, Anay saw that I was trying to get multiple things done at once and volunteered to help me with some tasks. I appreciated how he stepped in, and also how he always has a positive attitude. Gracias Anay!
Eden S. - I'm so glad you took a moment to tell me about your visit to Mount Vernon over Winter Break. I love when students make connections about history outside of class and teach me something I didn't know! Thank you also for helping me with small tasks around my classroom during Learning Seminar :)
Brithany T. B. - Brithany is a good student. She comes to class on time, works with her classmates, is never disruptive, and always puts 110% effort into her work. Sometimes these great students get missed because they are quiet. I don't want this rock star of a student missed. She deserves quite a bit of credit for her hard work and awesome attitude.
Katie C. R. - Katie has been doing a really great job in English, paying attention, turning in complete assignments on time, and having a positive attitude! I'm glad that you are a part of our class!
Amani Z. - Amani is a great example of what a star student looks like. She comes to class prepared, helps her peers when in need, and always has a positive attitude!
 Upcoming Dates:
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January 27 - ESOL WIDA Exam Information Meeting, 4:14-5:00, room F121
- All parents/guardians of Multilingual Learners are cordially invited to attend our annual WIDA Exam Information Meeting. WIDA ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 is the assessment that is administered to all Multilingual Learners (ELLs) during the month of February 2025. For more information please email our ESOL Department Chair Susanne Ehsani at sehsani@fcps.edu.
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Course Registration Events:
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January 27 - Marshall High School IB Night, Monday, January 27 at 5:00 pm in the Kilmer Middle School Cafeteria.
- The Marshall IB Coordinators and IB Student Executive Board will be presenting at Kilmer on Monday, January 27 at 5 p.m. There will be an overview of the IB program, recommendations of courses Kilmer students should take in middle school, and most importantly, student voices about different aspects of IB courses at Marshall.
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January 30 - Rising 8th Grade Math Night, Thursday, January 30 at 5:00 pm
- During this information session, the Kilmer Math Department will discuss the mathematics pathways available next school year for current seventh-grade students. The event will include information about all 8th grade math classes, summer opportunities, and the opportunity to ask questions and speak directly with Kilmer’s math teachers. All families are encouraged to attend.
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February 5 - Marshall High School counselors will meet with 8th grade students planning to attend Marshall for 9th grade during Learning Seminar to discuss course options for the 2025-2026 school year. Seventh grade students will learn about course options for 8th grade during Learning Seminar.
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February 6 - Marshall High School’s Rising 9th Grade Orientation, 5:30-8:00 pm (Snow Date: February 11)
Congratulations to District 12 All-District Band
Congratulations to the following band students who earned membership into the District 12 All-District Band, which will be held at Oakton High School on January 30-February 1.
- Simon T. – flute
- Elise C. – flute
- Ilana N. – bassoon
- Henry W. – clarinet
- Daniel Y. – clarinet
- Alice V. – clarinet
- Mariana D.C. – bass clarinet
- Justin J. – trombone
- Keshav P. – trombone
- Elizabeth R. - euphonium
- Kai H. – tuba
- Ev F. – percussion
The following students are alternates and will be “called up” to play if needed:
- Nolan J. – trumpet
- Ryan S. – trombone
- Lucas G. – euphonium
- Eason C. - percussion
2nd Semester Schedules
Students and parents can view second semester class schedules in SIS StudentVue and ParentVUE on Wednesday, January 29, at 4:00 PM.
- New Semester Electives
- Students with new semester electives will begin these courses on Thursday, January 30. The new elective on your child’s schedule was chosen from the electives they selected last spring. At this point in the school year, we are unable to accommodate elective changes, as such requests would impact other classes.
- Learning Seminar Class Changes
- At the start of each quarter, some students may be assigned to a new Learning Seminar class for various reasons, such as receiving additional support in math or English. A significant number of students will have changes to their 8th and/or 9th period Learning Seminar classes starting in the 3rd quarter. Any student with a change to their Learning Seminar class will remain with one of their current teachers. Students should report to their new Learning Seminar class on Friday, January 31.
- All students are encouraged to check their Class Schedules in SIS StudentVue prior to the first day of 3rd quarter on Thursday, January 30.
2nd Quarter Grades
The 2nd quarter ends on Tuesday, January 28. Gradebook and Report Card Modules in SIS StudentVUE and ParentVUE will be unavailable from Tuesday, January 28th @ 4PM through Tuesday, February 4th @ 6AM. On February 4, 2nd quarter report cards will be visible in SIS. A printed version of 2nd quarter report cards will be sent home on Friday, February 14.
Food Drive - Interdisciplinary Teams
For the month of February, we’ve partnered with the PTA to hold a food drive for Kilmer’s Food Pantry. The Kilmer’s Food Pantry has supported our very own Kilmer families for years. Each month the Food Pantry invites families in to get food bags, clothing, supplies, etc. and we need our larger communities' help. From February 1-28 we’ll be hosting a friendly competition through our Interdisciplinary Teams. The Interdisciplinary Team that donates the most food will win a celebration sponsored by the PTA during Learning Seminar. Stay tuned for more information, but as a preview, please see which items Teams have been assigned.
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7th Grade Teams
- Starbursts - Pasta
- Sirius - Mac & Cheese
- Supernovas - Canned Tuna/Chicken
- Comets - Canned Fruit, Canned Vegetables, or Canned Tomatoes
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8th Grade Teams
- Pegasus - Canned Tuna/Chicken
- Constellations - Dried Rice
- Guardians - Dried Beans
- Voyagers - Canned Fruit, Canned Vegetables, or Canned Tomatoes
Course Registration for the 2025-2026 School Year
At Kilmer Middle School, our goal is to provide a challenging academic program. We encourage students to select courses that reflect their abilities, strengths, and interests to create a balanced academic schedule. To help guide course selection decisions, teachers will provide feedback, and students will have multiple opportunities to explore course options. These opportunities include curriculum night events, content-specific presentations, and course videos showcasing next-grade-level options. All students will have one-on-one academic advising sessions with their school counselor throughout February and March to finalize their course selections for the 2025-2026 school year.
We will continue to share important event and activity dates related to course registration throughout January and February. Visit the Course Registration page on the Kilmer Website to learn more about the academic advising timeline.
SR&R and Cell Phone Policy Survey
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!
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
Health and Physical Education FLE Announcement - Date Change Due to Snow Days
Instruction of the Human Growth and Development unit (gender separate) will take place from January 30 through February 5th during HPE class. Instruction of the Emotional and Social Health unit will take place during regular health class during the 3rd quarter.
If you choose to opt your student out of any or all of these lessons, please print and fill out the opt out form for your student’s grade level and have your student return the form to Ms. Wood in student services. The opt out forms can be found at the following link: https://kilmerms.fcps.edu/department/health-physical-education
To view the lessons in both FLE units please login to schoology and click on the All Parents/Guardians course. On that page there is a folder called Parent Preview - FLE Instruction with the FLE lessons.
If you have any questions, please contact your student’s HPE teacher.
Keep Your Child Warm During Outdoor Activities
Winter weather is here! As a reminder, please make sure your child is dressed appropriately with a warm coat and other cold-weather clothing, so they can comfortably enjoy time outdoors. We monitor the weather for low temperatures, wind chill advisories and warnings, and weather advisories that may prevent children from being outside for activities like recess or physical education. Visit Fairfax County’s website for Winter Weather/Extreme Cold safety tips.
Lightspeed Parent Report
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