A Message from Principal Crews
Dear Hornet 🐝 Community,
Spring is in the air and our students are midway through the 3rd quarter. If your students need to work on some academic or behavior areas, you should have received an Interim Report yesterday via the Thursday folder from their teacher.
Our HMES staff are here to support your family and especially your students. Please remember to reach out to our school if you have questions or concerns. I continue to enjoy being a part of the Hornet 🐝 community and it is a pleasure to serve our school.
A heads up that next week we will be holding a tornado drill. This week, your students did a fabulous job with the unexpected school evacuation due to a smoke smell. I can honestly say they are prepared to evacuate the building in a safe manner.
Remember to change your clocks for daylight savings on Sunday!
Thank you!
We Want Your Feedback!
Principal Evaluation Parent/Guardian Questionnaire
On Monday, March 24, parents and guardians of Hollin Meadows will receive an email with a link to the FCPS Principal Evaluation Parent/Guardian Feedback Form. This questionnaire is part of the Performance Evaluation Program and provides an opportunity to share anonymous feedback about our school’s leadership and environment.
Topics covered in the survey include:
✅Instructional leadership
✅School climate
✅Management (human resources and organizational)
✅Communication and community relations
✅Culturally responsive and equitable leadership
✅Professionalism
The questionnaire will be open March 24 – April 4 and will be collected online. Keep an eye out for an email from FCPSSurvey@fcps.edu and take a few minutes to complete it.
Your input is valuable and helps shape the future of our school. Thank you for your time and feedback!
Early Release on Monday, March 10!
Hollin Meadows students will be dismissed at 12:05 on March 10.
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Important Dates
March 10: 3 Hour Early Release Day
March 18: Integrated Reading-Writing SOL for Grade 5
March 31: No School (Student Holiday)
April 9: Purple Up! Day!
April 28: Kindergarten Orientation
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SOL Testing Dates at Hollin Meadows
Each Spring, students in Grades 3-6 take the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) tests in Reading and Math. Students in Grade 5 also take an Integrated Reading and Writing SOL and a Science SOL.
Dates for this year’s SOL tests are listed below. Please work to avoid appointments on these days so that students can test on the same day as their peers this helps ensure students do their best.
If you have questions about these tests, please visit the FCPS SOL Tests in Elementary and Middle Schools webpage or reach out to Lisa Lin, our SOL School Testing Coordinator, at 703-718-8300.
- Mar.18: Grade 5 Integrated Reading-Writing
- Apr. 29: Grade 5 Science
- May 6: Grade 4 and 6 Reading
- May 8: Grade 3 and 5 Reading
- May 15: Grade 4 and 6 Math
- May 20: Grade 5 Math
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Grade
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Integrated
Reading-Writing
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Science
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Math
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Reading
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| 3rd |
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May 20 |
May 8 |
| 4th |
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May 15 |
May 6 |
| 5th |
March 18 |
April 29 |
May 20 |
May 8 |
| 6th |
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May 15 |
May 6 |
HMES 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
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 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.
Kindergarten Registration
Attending kindergarten provides children with an opportunity to learn and practice the essential social, emotional, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills they will use throughout their lives. Fairfax County public schools typically conduct kindergarten registration events, including orientation, between January and April. Eligible children can also be registered throughout the summer, but registering your child early helps us prepare and ensure we have the teachers and resources needed on the first day of school.
Families should prepare for registration by gathering documents and completing forms on the FCPS kindergarten registration webpage. FCPS offers support and resources for all families to help with registration and the transition to kindergarten. For support in other languages, visit the kindergarten registration webpage.
✨ A strong start is Goal 1 of the 2023-30 Strategic Plan.
💻 Try Online Registration
Online registration for the 2025-26 school year is open. Parents/caregivers may register their children online for kindergarten through 12th grade. Learn how to begin the online registration process.
When registering, parents/caregivers will need to create or log in to an existing SIS ParentVUE account.
For additional information, please contact Ms. Melissa Breen, our school registrar.
📅 Kindergarten Orientation at Hollin Meadows will be on April 18 from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. More details will be shared in future newsletters and on our school website.
🏫 Developing a Strong Academic Foundation, Curiosity, and Joy for Learning
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.
A strong start for every student is Goal 1 of the Strategic Plan. Pre-K classrooms are making a difference in our community. In this video, we explore the importance of bringing children under the age of five together, regardless of abilities.
Learn more about the FCPS FY 2026 Advertised Budget. View the Budget Development Calendar to stay up to date and learn about opportunities to provide feedback to Fairfax County and FCPS.
💬 Share Your Input on the County Budget
The Fairfax County government presented its Fiscal Year 2026 Advertised Budget Plan to the Board of Supervisors on February 18. The community is invited to share feedback through an online survey, email, phone calls, or by attending Budget Town Hall meetings.
🧸 Give Your Kids a Strong Start: Apply for Early Childhood Education Programs
FCPS Pre-K and Early Head Start programs provide a high-quality early learning experience for qualifying children with economic and educational risk factors ages 6 weeks to 4 years living in Fairfax County.
Pre-K prioritizes 4-year-old applicants but also accepts applications for children 3 years old by September 30. Early Head Start is located at three elementary schools — Clearview, Crestwood, and Dogwood — and accepts applications from expectant mothers and for children 6 weeks to 2 years old.
Families are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, however, space is limited and provided based on need, not “first come, first serve.” Applications are accepted online, by email, by postal mail, or in person at our office at 7423 Camp Alger Avenue, Falls Church, Virginia 22042.
If you have a question about the application process or status, please call 703-208-7900 (English) or 703-208-7901 (Spanish).
🗣️ Preparing for Tough Conversations With Teens
Discussing tough topics like fentanyl and other drugs can feel challenging — no matter how close you are with your child. Explain to your teen that it’s important to learn about fentanyl so they know what to do if a friend overdoses. Prepare in advance with the tips below:
- Set the stage. Choose a casual environment that’s free from distractions. Talk while driving, taking a walk, or doing chores together.
- Make it a two-way discussion. Ask open-ended questions.
- Stay patient and reserve judgment.
- Check in with your child early and often.
Visit our website for more information on how to Become Unskippable with your teens.
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