Read with an Author Week at HMES
March 17th-21st was Read with an Author Week at Hollin Meadows! Authors Ada Ari presented to the students in 3rd-6th grades, and Chakayla Absalom presented to K-2nd grade students. Thank you to our Hollin Meadows Hornets for being such a great audience for these authors! If you are interested in purchasing their books, click on the author's name to visit their website.
March Reading Month Events
March 24th-28th: Read Across the World Week
We will be sharing our many languages with each other with a focus on common words such as hello, goodbye, please, and thank you.
The Read Around the World Parade has been rescheduled to Friday, April 4th at 2:20 pm.
Students and staff can wear traditional clothing, carry a flag or some other object that represents their native and/or ancestral homeland.
Read and Smile Opportunities!
“I Can Read this Library Book All By Myself!”
In the library we are encouraging students to check out books that they can read ‘all by myself’. We often use the 5 Finger Rule. Students read a page, and if they cannot pronounce or understand the meaning of 5 or more words, then that book may not be a good fit for them to read independently.
If your child brings home a Hollin Meadows library book that they can mostly read by themselves, we want them to come back to school and read it to us. We will take their picture and place it on the library wall!
“I Love this Book”
Students who recently read a Hollin Meadows library book and LOVED it can come in the library to get their picture taken with the book. The photo will be placed on the library wall!
Both photo events will continue until May 23rd!
Coming later this Spring: Scholastic Book Fair!
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HMES Get2Green Plastic Bag Collection
We are 2/3 of the way to our goal with 660 pounds of plastic collected! Our goal is 1000 pounds of plastic by June. Thank you to everyone who is bringing in those plastic bags, cereal bags, bubble wrap, produce bags, Ziploc bags, and dry cleaning bags. Keep it up! Help our school earn a free bench!
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Volunteers Needed for our Earth Day Event
We need volunteers for a variety of roles for the Hollin Meadows Earth Day Event on April 26th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. We have many projects planned to help revitalize our gardens. We would also like to have some creative projects and crafts for families at this event. We would love assistance in the planning of our Earth Day Event! Please contact Miss Ali Resch at aresch@fcps.edu if you are interested in volunteering.
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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!
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Important Dates
March 31: No School (Eid Holiday)
April 4: Read Around the World Parade (2:20 pm) and Multicultural Fair (5:30 – 7:00 pm)
April 9: Purple Up! Day!
April 10: Full Time AAP Information Session (5:30-6:30 pm)
April 21: 3 Hour Early Release Day
April 26: HMES Earth Day
April 28: Kindergarten Orientation (4:30 - 5:30 pm)
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West Potomac Pyramid Montessori Program
FCPS will offer a new Montessori program in the West Potomac pyramid. The program will begin in the 2025-26 school year at Bucknell Elementary School.
Families of 3, 4, and 5 year olds are invited to apply through a lottery process. Eligible families must have a verified residence in the West Potomac pyramid. The program is free and transportation will be provided.
One special feature of the Montessori approach is having children of multiple ages in one classroom. The Montessori classroom is organized with hands-on materials, encouraging students to explore and work independently.
The lottery application for the 2025-26 school year Montessori program at Bucknell Elementary School will be available Monday, March 10, through Thursday, May 1, 2025. Families may learn more about the program and apply for the lottery at www.fcps.edu/montessori.
Next Steps in the Budget Process
The next steps in the FCPS FY 2026 Budget process include the School Board presenting the budget to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, April 22. The Board of Supervisors will then conduct public hearings Tuesday, April 22, through Thursday, April 24. Community members can submit testimony or sign up to speak.
Visit the county government website to view the Fairfax County FY 2026 Advertised Budget. The community is also invited to complete an online survey to provide feedback on the county’s FY 2026 Advertised Budget.
Learn more about the FCPS FY 2026 Budget process.
Help and Resources for Infants, Toddlers, and Their Families
Are you concerned about your infant, toddler, or preschool-aged child's development? Resources are available if your child exhibits difficulties in one or more of the following areas:
- communication,
- fine and/or gross motor skills,
- self-help skills,
- problem solving
- attention skills
Learn more about typical developmental milestones.
The Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia (ITC) is the state’s early intervention system for infants and toddlers (0-36 months) with disabilities and their families. ITC provides evaluations and services for children who have developmental delays or medical conditions that may affect development. Parents are encouraged to contact ITC at 703-246-7121 to share their concerns.
Early Childhood Child Find is the process of identifying children with potential special education needs between the ages of 20 months and 5 years (children must be two by September 30).
FCPS Early Childhood Identification and Services (ECID&S) offers a free referral process to identify potential developmental delays or disabilities. Special education services are provided for all children who are found eligible through the referral process. Parents are encouraged to contact 571-423-4121 with questions or to make a referral.
✨ Helping students meet the criteria for kindergarten readiness is Goal 1 of the Strategic Plan.
Become Unskippable: Share the Facts
Talking with teens about the facts of fentanyl is a conversation you can’t skip. Learning about fentanyl gives teens a better understanding of the risks and effects of the drug.
Share these important facts with your child:
- Even half a fentanyl-laced pill can be fatal. Just a few salt-sized grains of fentanyl are enough to cause an overdose.
- More than half of local street pills contain a deadly dose of fentanyl. As of 2023, seven in
10 counterfeit pills in the U.S. contain enough fentanyl to cause a fatal overdose.
- Fentanyl is usually taken accidentally. Many people have no idea they’ve taken it until they overdose because you can’t see, smell, or taste it in pills and powders.
- Overdose can happen in an instant. In as little as four minutes, the lack of oxygen can lead to brain damage and even death.
Learn more about how to have conversations with your child in a way that will make you Become Unskippable.
🎤 Save the Date: Community Conversations with Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid
Your voice matters, and Superintendent Reid wants to hear from you! Share your thoughts and ask questions regarding FCPS on Monday, April 21 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Mount Eagle Elementary School. Click on a date to register. Registration is not required but is encouraged for planning purposes.
Childcare and interpretation services will be provided. Events are open to all. Find out about other opportunities to connect with Dr. Reid.
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