Thank you to the Hollin Meadows PTA for their Smart Talk and Dinner Event!
Our PTA was awarded a grant to facilitate a PTA Connected: The Smart Talk digital safety conversation with our families. The Smart Talk is an interactive online tool that walks families through a series of guided digital safety and online privacy questions, helping facilitate open, positive conversations that result in a personalized family technology agreement. Our families enjoyed having dinner together while learning more about how to be safe online.
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Ramadan Mubarak to those in our community who observe!
Ramadan starts tonight, Feb. 28, and lasts until March 29.
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Important Dates
Mar. 4 - Family Science Night
Mar. 6 - Spring Picture Day
Mar. 7 - Spelling Bee
See below for details about the HMES Reading Spirit Week and other Reading Month events!
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HMES March Reading Month
Read Across America Spirit Week is March 3-7
Monday, March 3rd: “Oh, the Places You’ll Go”
College READy day! Wear a college t-shirt or hat, OR wear any shirt or hat with words on it!
Tuesday, March 4th: “Cozy up to a Good Book”
Wear your pajamas to school
Wednesday, March 5th: “Rhyme Time”
Pair up with a friend and wear something that rhymes. If your need some ideas, then check out our brainstorming wall near the library!
Thursday, March 6th: “Smile and say Read”
Dress up for class picture day!
Friday, March 7th: “What a Character”
Dress up like your favorite character from a book! Remember to wear something comfortable for the day and no face paint or toy weapons. Photos will be taken and shared!
Additional HMES March Reading Month Events
March 10th-14th: Read with a Buddy Week
Classes will buddy up and read together!
March 17th-21st: Read with an Author Week
Visits from Authors Ada Ari and Chakayla Absalom
March 24th-28th: Read Around the World Week
Students will share words in language that they speak at home
Friday March 28th-World parade!
More info about the parade will be shared later in March!
Student Fasting Meal Kits
Student Fasting Meal Kits for March 3 - March 28, 2025
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and FCPS will be offering meal kits for students who are fasting February 28 to March 28, 2025! The school meal kits will provide a healthy meal that includes protein, fruits, vegetables, milk, and whole grains. Students may only pick up the kits if they do not eat at school that day. If you would like your child(ren) to receive the meal kits, you must submit a request each week by filling out the form on the FCPS FNS website by the deadlines:
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MONDAY, March 3, 2025, for the week of March 10, 2025
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MONDAY, March 10, 2025, for the week of March 17, 2025
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MONDAY, March 17, 2025, for the week of March 24, 2025
Forms must be submitted on time to receive meal kits for the following week. Please make sure you use the right form for each week. Contact the Office of Food and Nutrition Services with any questions by emailing dietary.forms.fns@fcps.edu. or by calling 703-813-4800.
Lightspeed Parent Report on Child’s Device Activity
FCPS has tools to help parents know more about their child’s activity on any FCPS device. These tools are provided at no cost to families by Lightspeed, the school division’s internet content filtering service.
Parents may sign up for a weekly Parent Report, which will provide a list of the top sites their child visited. The report also offers parents the ability to sign up for free access to the Internet Use Parent Portal. Through the portal, parents may pause their child’s access to the internet on their FCPS device during non-school hours.
Learn more about Lightspeed Parent Reports.
📖 Supporting Academic Growth and Reading on Level by Third Grade
The FCPS Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Advertised Budget invests in academic growth and excellence for each and every student, which is one of the priorities of the FCPS Strategic Plan.
Across FCPS, teachers, staff, parents, and even older students are invested in helping our youngest learners grow their love of reading from a strong foundation.
The goal is for students to move from “learning to read” to “reading to learn” by the end of the third grade. Reading on grade level is connected to other Strategic Plan goals, including completing advanced coursework and graduating on time.
Last fall, FCPS introduced a new reading curriculum that aligns with evidence-based literacy instruction. Between fall and winter, reading screener results show more than a 4% increase in the number of students in kindergarten to third grade approaching or meeting expectations. Similarly, 3.4% more third graders demonstrate strong foundations of reading and 8.4% more third graders are mastering grade-level standards.
Discover how an elementary school employs a science-based approach, including phonics, to supercharge students' reading.
Learn more about the FCPS FY 2026 Advertised Budget. View the Budget Development Calendar to stay up to date.
🚀 Prepare for a Summer of Learning and Fun
Registration will be available soon for summer camps offered by Fairfax County Public Schools for all students. Career and Technical Education (CTE) camps and Institute for the Arts (IFTA) camps will be held in July at Lake Braddock Secondary School from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bus transportation will be available from select FCPS middle and high schools. Registration begins for these programs on Monday, March 10, and ends Friday, June 6.
Tech Adventure Camp (TAC) is a week-long exploratory camp designed to allow current K-5 students to explore activities in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), culinary arts, health, trades, and business and marketing areas. Watch this video about CTE camps.
E-IFTA is a weekly arts camp for students in grades 2-5 who love to sing, dance, act, perform, make, and create. Students take part in four daily classes related to dance, music, theater, and visual art. They work with FCPS fine arts teachers who create fun and engaging classes.
For more information, see the Summer Learning page.
💛 2025 Family Summit - Beyond Labels: Nurturing a Culture of Belonging! (an Extension of the Special Education Conference)
Families, educators, and community members are invited to the 2025 FCPS Family Summit: Beyond Labels: Nurturing a Culture of Belonging. Fairfax County Public Schools will be hosting the free, in-person event in collaboration with valued community partners. The summit will be held Saturday, March 15, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at South Lakes High School.
This event will feature:
- Opening Session: Julie Causton and Kristie Pretti-Frontczak — best-selling authors, motivational speakers, and advocates for inclusion — will share practical tools and evidence-based strategies to empower and assist all families, with a special emphasis on parents of students with individual education programs (IEPs) and 504 Plans.
- Breakout Sessions: Learn more about special education and global topics that benefit all families.
- Student Showcase: FCPS students will share their efforts in fostering inclusivity through posters, essays, videos, songs, art, and other mediums.
- Exhibitor Hall: Discover valuable resources and services in the community to support families.
- Networking Opportunities: Connect with other families, staff, and community partners.
Childcare will be provided. Special education staff will be available to care for children with high support needs. You may sign up for childcare during the registration process.
Learn more about this event and register today! Contact FamilySummit@fcps.edu for more information.
🗣️ Connect With Your Kids: Simple Steps to Stronger Communication
Teens skip things that don't interest them, including lectures from their parents. How do you connect with your children and really know what's going on in their lives? How can you become “unskippable”?
Effective communication can build trust and understanding, but it takes thought, planning, and effort.
The latest Healthy Minds Blog offers practical strategies to improve communication and build strong, lasting relationships:
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Ditch distractions and create a safe space where your child feels comfortable opening up.
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Listen actively and validate their feelings, even if you don't agree.
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Ask "how" questions instead of "what" questions to get them talking about their experiences.
For more tips and techniques, read the full article on the Healthy Minds Blog, which shares information related to youth mental health and wellness.
For support on talking with your teen about difficult subjects like fentanyl, discover how to Become Unskippable.
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