Kilmer MS Newsletter - October 24, 2025

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 10/24/2025 02:30 PM EDT
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A message from Principal Steven McFarlane

Kilmer Community,

I hope everyone is looking forward to the weekend. I most definitely am, and tonight you’ll find me cheering on the Dodgers in game one of the World Series. As you can see from the picture, we have some Kilmer students who have great taste 🙂. 

Last week, I mentioned Dr. Reid stopped by Kilmer and was very complimentary of our staff and students. In her Weekly Reflections, she said,  “Kilmer Middle School exemplifies the impact of teamwork and leaning into the PLC (Professional Learning Community) process. Their approach to meeting students where they are on their math journeys is making a real difference and the results are energizing. Go Cougars!!” 

If you haven’t already, please consider nominating a Kilmer staff member for FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards. To submit a nomination for a Kilmer Middle School Outstanding Employee in one or more of the categories below, please complete the Kilmer Middle School Outstanding Employee Awards Nomination Form. You may nominate one employee at our school or multiple employees.

Finally, in the next month, Kilmer will begin using the Open Gate Weapons Detection System. See below for more information, but we’ll take the next few weeks to introduce the system to students, as well as practice how to walk through before “going live.” I’ll continue to update families and students along the way. 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. As always, reach out if you have any questions. 

Sincerely, 

Steven McFarlane

Principal

Positive Referrals

Here are just a few of the Positive Referrals received by our Kilmer Cougars from staff members this week!

Avery S. - Avery, Since the beginning of the first quarter, you have completed all of your Lexia minutes and units every week! Thank you for being focused and working hard! Keep it up!

Juliet H. - I love how excited you got during our test review Kahoot last week! You're a great role model for how we can have fun while learning. :)

Alexis C.S. - I just want you to know how much I appreciate your positive attitude and effort, even when things get really hard. English isn't always easy, but you ask lots of questions and you don't give up, and I think that's awesome. :)

Alice C. - Alice, thank you for always volunteering to help your peers with math. I also appreciate you taking the time to help with sharpening pencils. Keep up the great work!

Caitlin A. - Thank you for being so ready to help the students around you! Your efforts make a big impact on the classroom.

Kilmer at a Glance

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Upcoming Dates

  • October 27-31 - Spirit Week
    • Monday: Comfy Day (Pajamas)
    • Tuesday: Decades Day
    • Wednesday: Pink Day
    • Thursday: Multiple Day (Twins, Triplets, Quadruplets, etc.)
    • Friday: Character Day
  • October 31 - Bell Schedule - 2-hour Early Release
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Picture(s) of the Week

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Kilmer was highlighted in FCPS’s weekly newsletter!

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This week, Math 7 stepped out of the classroom and into the library to practice solving equations. Students used balances to visualize and understand the fundamental principle of keeping both sides of an equation equal.

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Kilmer’s Cross Country team competed last week for the first time! Our Cougars will be at Franklin MS tomorrow, Saturday, 10/25. Come check out our runners!

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Students hard at work in Madame Farrace’s French class!

Important Information

End of 1st Quarter & Report Card Information

Friday, October 31st marks the end of the 1st quarter. The Gradebook tab in SIS StudentVUE and ParentVUE will be unavailable from Friday, October 31, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. until Monday, November 10, 2025, at 6:00 a.m. to allow teachers time to finalize 1st quarter grades. Report cards will be available in SIS starting Monday, November 10, 2025, at 6:00 a.m.

Students who earned all As or all As & Bs will receive an Honor Roll certificate the week of November 17. A copy of your child’s report card will also be mailed.

All Families Opted in to Lightspeed Student Online Activity Report

FCPS provides families with a free service that allows parents and caregivers a way to stay informed about their child's online activity on any FCPS device. Starting Sunday, October 12, all parents and guardians who have access to student records in SIS ParentVUE will be automatically enrolled to receive a weekly Lightspeed Student Online Activity Report.

This report provides a summary of the websites your child visited during the previous week and is delivered every Sunday to your email directly from Lightspeed, our internet content filter. 

Each weekly report also includes a link to register for the Lightspeed Parent Portal, which provides more detailed browsing information. This portal also gives you the ability to pause internet access on your child’s FCPS laptop during non-school hours, such as dinner or bedtime. 

Visit the Lightspeed Parent Report page for more information and answers to frequently asked questions.

Open Gate Weapons Detection System @ Kilmer

As part of the ongoing commitment to strengthening layered safety and security programs, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) will continue to phase in a weapons detection system at all secondary schools this fall. At Kilmer specifically, we’re scheduled to start next month. Before that happens, we’ll be introducing the system to students slowly over the next few weeks by showing videos, having the towers out during lunches for students to see them, and having students practice going through the towers (they will be off) before we “go live.”

Please watch this video of the Superintendent’s conversation with students about the weapons screening system. The most important thing is to be sure that students have the right items removed from their bag before getting in line. 

Items to be removed include: 

  • Three-ring binders
  • Laptops
  • Collapsible umbrellas 
  • Metal lunch boxes
  • Metal pencil cases
  • Metal glass cases

These items can remain in a student’s bags:

  • Non-metal lunch boxes
  • Books
  • Planners
  • Spiral notebooks and folders
  • Cell phones
  • Keys
  • Non-metal pencil cases

Once the items are removed, students should walk to the shortest line and proceed. If the light turns red, they will be directed to a secondary screening to determine what may have alerted the system. Experience shows that the process becomes easier and more efficient every day. You can learn more about the system by watching this video and reading the Frequently Asked Questions on FCPS’ website. If you have additional questions, you can submit them online to the FCPS Chief of Safety and Security Office.

Complete your Federal Impact Aid Survey in SIS ParentVUE

FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets, which is in the upper right corner of the screen after logging in. Please complete it as soon as possible. We will provide paper forms to families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE on Thursday, November 20. 

Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is important. This year, FCPS expects to receive approximately $4 million in Impact Aid funding. These funds are used to support all Fairfax County public schools and centers. For more information, visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.

Kilmer PTA

PTA Website

Stay up to date with news and information from the PTA by visiting the PTA website: https://kilmerpta.membershiptoolkit.com/

Executive Board Contact Information

After School Program

After School Activities News/Updates

Each week Ms. Kardelis 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 Kim Kardelis, After School Specialist, at kckardelis@fcps.edu.

Resources & References

Math Tutoring Supports

Starting next week, Kilmer students can access free peer math tutoring from student volunteers at Thomas Jefferson High School. This program is open to all students seeking extra support with assignments and concepts. Join us every Monday morning (or Tuesday if there is no school Monday) from 7:00–7:25 AM in Room F122/123. Additionally, look out for another peer tutoring program launching soon, run by Kilmer students during Learning Seminar in the Math Modular.

Outstanding Employee Awards Program 

Nominations are open for the Outstanding Employee Awards! To submit a nomination for a Kilmer Middle School Outstanding Employee in one or more of the categories below, please complete the Kilmer Middle School Outstanding Employee Awards Nomination Form. You may nominate one employee at our school or multiple employees (one individual may only nominate one employee per category).

All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work in one or more of the criteria for that award category. The Google form link has more information regarding the criteria for each of these awards. The eligibility requirements are below. 

Outstanding Teacher 

  • Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district). Ex: Teacher or Librarian with 3+ years of experience 

Outstanding New Teacher

  • Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district). Ex: Teacher or Librarian with less than three years of experience 

Outstanding Leader 

  • Eligibility: At least one year of experience in their current position and location as a Schedule-C or School-Based Administrator scale employee. This does not include the principal. Ex: Assistant Principal, Director of Student Services 

Outstanding Professional Employee 

  • Eligibility: At least one year experience in current position as a Schedule-B employee or other non-instructional employee in a school that supports school leadership at their current location. Ex: School Based Technology Specialist (SBTS), Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor, Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART), Instructional Coach, Testing Coordinator, Clinicians, Speech Pathologist, After-School Specialist, Resource Teachers, MTSS Coordinator, Assessment Coach or Special Education Department Chair 

Outstanding Operational Employee

  • Eligibility: At least one year of experience in current position as Schedule-A or Classroom Instructional Support Scale employee at their current location Ex: Administrative Assistants, Office Assistants, Librarians, Finance Tech, Custodial staff, Food Services staff, Instructional Aids, Public Health Attendant, Public Health Training Attendant, Parent Liaison) 

The deadline to submit a nomination is Friday, November 7, 2025. If you have any questions, please contact Nishi Langhorne, Assistant Principal, nmlanghorne@fcps.edu.