A message from Principal Steven McFarlane
Kilmer Community,
It’s amazing how quickly students settle into new routines. As educators, we know how important it is for us to teach, and reteach, expectations to students. I spent time this week on the PA system walking students through the daily schedules. Students have done a fantastic job learning how to safely maneuver the hallways, transition to/from recess, as well as transition to lunches. Additionally, teachers have been doing the same thing inside their classrooms. We know that it’s imperative to explicitly teach routines and procedures so our students are set up for success throughout the year.
Beginning Monday, Kilmer is continuing our program to celebrate positive student behavior. Teachers and staff are encouraged to write a “Positive Referral” to students who demonstrate exemplary behavior. Every Thursday/Friday, students who have been recognized by a staff member during the week will receive a special note. Along with the note, students will also receive a voucher to redeem for a reward during lunch on Fridays. Additionally, we will showcase a copy of the note in the Main Hall to inspire other students to make positive choices. We look forward to celebrating how Kilmer students make a positive impact every day!
Have a great weekend. As always, reach out if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Steven McFarlane
Principal
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 Upcoming Dates
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August 29 & September 1 - Labor Day, 4-day weekend
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September 8 - Afterschool Activities Fair, 4:00-6:00 pm, Kilmer gym
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September 9 - Due to the special election on Tuesday, September 9th, all FCPS schools will be closed.
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September 15 - First day of afterschool program and late buses; afterschool dismissal is 4:45pm
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September 18 - Save the Date! Back-to-School Night at Kilmer MS, more details to come.
Students in Science 7 work on their first lab of the school year.
Kilmer students began using cell phone pouches this week to ensure that their phones are off and away from bell to bell. Students unlock their pouch at the end of the day using one of the magnet stations pictured above.
 This week many of our 7th graders participated in the Kilmer Library’s orientation during their English classes. Students learned about all the Kilmer library has to offer by completing an escape room activity. They also got the chance to explore the library’s collection and check out books. More 7th graders are headed to the library in the upcoming weeks!
Seeking a Cross Country and Track & Field Coach
We are looking for a new Cross Country and Track & Field Coach, and a small stipend is available. Responsibilities include administering tasks to prepare for the season, holding meetings with students and families, planning and running practice plans, and monitoring student wellness and safety concerns. If interested, please email Assistant Principal Nishi Langhorne at nmlanghorne@fcps.edu.
Cell Phones at Kilmer
The new cell phone pouches are off to a great start! Students received their pouches on Wednesday during Learning Seminar. If your student was absent, they can pick theirs up from the Main Office. For students without a cell phone, we collected their pouches on Wednesday afternoon. We'll be following up with those families within the next few days to confirm they don't have a phone.
We appreciate your support in reinforcing this policy at home. If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s administrator:
Lockers
Next week, students will have the option to request a hall locker. A locker request form will be posted on Schoology on Wednesday, August 27, and students will have one week to submit their request.
Students who complete the form will be able to view their locker assignments and combinations in SIS StudentVUE by Wednesday, September 10. Please note that hall lockers are optional and not required. With the introduction of FCPS laptops, the number of students requesting lockers has significantly decreased over the past few years.
If your child needs a locker prior to these dates, please contact your child’s school counselor.
Attendance
Our goal is to partner with families to help minimize the number of days students are absent. Getting your student into the habit of daily attendance helps reduce stress and makes it easier to connect with friends and teachers. We understand that each year presents different extenuating circumstances that lead to missed days. However, we hope to increase communication in regards to absences to reduce impact on your student’s well-being. FCPS has created a Health Flyer for Parents indicating when a parent should keep their child home from school. Please review FCPS Attendance Policies and resources to encourage regular school attendance.
Parents/legal guardians can report up to two consecutive absences through SIS ParentVUE. Learn more about attendance reporting through ParentVUE HERE. Families can also report absences by emailing KilmerMiddle.Attendance@fcps.edu or calling 703-846-8888 before 9:00 am each day. If parent contact is not made within 48 hours, the absences will be recorded as unexcused. Any student who misses 10% of the school year (18 days or more) whether the absences are unexcused, excused, or pre-arranged, is considered chronically absent and may require additional support or intervention.
Parent Digital Consent - Forms
Beginning August 1, many of the parental consent and opt-out forms will be made available through a new Parent Digital Consent System. A parent or guardian will need to log-in using their SIS ParentVue username (email address) and password. If you have just registered your SIS ParentVUE account you will need to wait 24 hours before you can log in to the Digital Consent System. The SIS ParentVUE Account Overview page has information about registration and how to get support with your account.
Some forms in the system are required (like the Digital Resource Consent), while others, like the Family Education Opt-out form, are optional. If you have more than one child in FCPS, you must fill out the forms for each student.
Learning Seminar
On your student’s schedule, you will see an 8th & 9th period Learning Seminar course. Learning Seminar is a 90-minute academic block on Wednesdays and Fridays. During this time, students have the opportunity to:
- Visit one of their teachers for support
- Participate in remediation or intervention to strengthen academic skills
- Work on homework, retake assessments, or engage in learning extensions
To help students structure their time during this class, each student has received a paper Student Daily Agenda. Learning Seminar is a great time for students to check Schoology and SIS StudentVUE, use those tools to update their agendas, and stay on top of their assignments.
We encourage parents to review their student’s agenda at home each night to help them strengthen time management and organizational skills throughout the year.
Free and Reduced-Price Meals
The application for free and reduced-priced meals is available for the 2025-26 school year. Students who were approved for free and reduced-price lunch last year are eligible for the first 30 days of school this year (or until a new application is processed). Families should re-apply as soon as possible for the 2025-26 school year, so eligible students continue to receive meals at no cost.
Damaged Chromebooks
All students have been given a Chromebook for the 2025-2026 school year. An important reminder, please ensure your student keeps the protective cover on. These protective covers are vital to keeping Chromebooks in great condition. If a Chromebook is damaged (meaning willfully, or by being careless), families will be charged through MySchoolBucks. A breakdown of costs are below:
Yearbook: Available for Pre-Order!
Get ahead of the curve and save! Pre-order your student’s yearbook by October 30th to get our lowest price of $35. Go to yearbookforever.com to place your order or scan the QR code on the graphic.
Student Pickup
A few reminders from Kilmer’s main office about procedures for picking up students early or checking them in late:
- A driver’s license or similar photo ID is required to check out a student during the day. Only parents, legal guardians, and people on the student’s emergency contact list may check out a student. If someone else is picking up your student, please send an email from your email address we have on file, to KilmerMiddle.Attendance@fcps.edu that includes the full name of the person, the full name of your student, the reason for check-out, and the date of the early dismissal.
- When you arrive at the school, please ring the front entrance doorbell and let the front office know that you are checking your student in for late arrival or picking your student up for early dismissal. After entering the building, please sign your child out using the computer in the office.
- Students are not to contact their parents via cell phone/text messaging during school hours. If they need to contact you during the school day, they can use the phone in the main office.
Marshall Pyramid Statement
The Marshall Pyramid principals are committed to cultivating a culture of belonging in which all students are valued and their strengths and interests are developed to achieve academic excellence. We model what we ask our staff and students to do with each other as principals.
- We collaborate and problem solve.
- We focus on creating trusting partnerships.
- We make connections and build relationships.
Each school in the Marshall Pyramid is actively committed to building a pre-K through 12th grade framework for our students that embodies educational excellence and a culture of belonging. We look forward to continuing to partner with our students, staff, families, and community in this endeavor and wish everyone a continued safe and happy school year.
Transportation
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Buses: Bus stops, times, and route numbers are available on SIS StudentVue or ParentVue. Sign in, then go to Student Info, and scroll down to view bus information. The contact for Transportation is: 703-249-7100 and Kilmer MS is part of Area 4.
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Kiss & Ride, Walkers, and Bike riders: Students may enter the building beginning at 7:10 am. See the map below for the Morning Arrival Drop-off traffic pattern and entrances for walkers and bike riders:
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Kiss N’ Ride: Cars will be directed to pull all the way up along the side of the building. Students may unload along the side of the building and enter through Door 16 towards the front. Students should not be dropped off in the parking lot.
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Buses: Unload in the front building, students enter through Door 1.
- All students must use the sidewalks and crosswalks at all times. Bike riders MUST walk their bikes once they arrive on campus.
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ONLY school buses will be allowed use of the bus loop in the front of the school from 7:00 to 7:30 am.
- Please do not drop your students off in the fire station lot or make a U-turn on Wolftrap Road. We have seen many almost accidents and several citations by FCPD have been written. To avoid accidents or tickets, use the Kiss & Ride lanes.
Afternoon Dismissal:
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Buses: Buses load along the side of the building. Students will have time in their last period class to check their bus number and location before dismissal.
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Walkers and bike riders will leave via Door 1 or Door 11. Please use sidewalks and crosswalks at all times.
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Kiss N’ Ride: Cars will be directed to pull all the way up along the front of the building outside the Main Entrance. Cars will wait in a double line and students will walk to their car. See the map below for the Afternoon Dismissal Pick-up traffic pattern:
Bell Schedule
The bell schedule is on the Kilmer Website along with a PDF link for families who want to download and/or print.The first day of school is our Anchor Day (see schedule below), and we’ll walk students through all schedules (Anchor, Green, and Blue) the first couple weeks of school.
Dietary Accommodations
The Office of Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) has implemented a standardized process for dietary accommodations to ensure the provision of safe and healthy food for our students. This form only needs to be filled out once while your student is enrolled at FCPS. Please note, FCPS does not provide meals containing pork.
If your student requires a dietary accommodation for food allergies, texture modifications, or other dietary needs please have your healthcare provider complete the Medical Dietary Accommodations Form and submit it to dietary.forms.fns@fcps.edu. FCPS is not a peanut-free kitchen but peanut butter products are individually wrapped to prevent cross-contamination.
For students who cannot drink cow’s milk and need a milk substitute, a parent can complete the milk substitution form and submit to dietary.forms.fns@fcps.edu.
For questions about dietary accommodations, please refer to Dietary Accommodations | Fairfax County Public Schools.
Updating Student information through SIS ParentVUE
The Online Verification Update (OVU) packet in SIS ParentVUE allows parents to review and update phone numbers, emergency contacts, and health information (such as health conditions and immunizations). The enrolling parent can access OVU through their SIS ParentVUE account. Parents/Guardians can continue to use traditional paper forms to submit changes to Kilmer Middle School. Paper forms can be submitted to the Kilmer Student Services Office.
Important: Do not use the OVU packet if your address has changed or if you moved to another FCPS school. Please contact the Kilmer Student Services Office directly at (703) 846-8806 or email Gail Wood at gmwood@fcps.edu. She will assist you with the withdrawal process or completing any necessary address changes.
Executive Board Contact Information
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