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Holmes Calendar
- Monday, 11/3 - School Planning Day / NO SCHOOL
- Tuesday, 11/4 - Teacher work Day / NO SCHOOL
- Monday, 11/10 - Updated Picture Retake Day
- Tuesday, 11/11 - Veteran's Day / NO SCHOOL
- Wednesday, 11/26 - Friday, 11/28 - Thanksgiving / NO SCHOOL
- Monday, 12/22/25 - Friday, 1/2/26 - Winter Break / NO SCHOOL
- Monday, 1/19 - Martin Luther King, Jr's Birthday / NO SCHOOL
- Wednesday, 1/28 - 2nd Quarter Ends / 2-Hour Early Release
- Thursday, 1/29 - Staff Development Day / NO SCHOOL
- Friday, 1/30 - Teacher Work Day / NO SCHOOL
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
As a reminder, schools are closed for students on Monday, November 3, for a school planning day, and Tuesday, November 4, for a teacher workday. See the complete school year calendar.
Next Wednesday, November 5th, 2025 will be the first day of second quarter and we will be adjusting our current bell schedule. We will be extending the transition between periods 3 and 4 to give students more time to get and eat their second chance breakfast.
Requesting Bus Pass for Your Student
As a reminder, please be mindful when requesting for your child to ride the bus with another student. For safety and verification purposes, the school requires written permission from both students’ parents before such arrangements can be approved. Permission emails should be sent to HolmesMiddle.Attendance@fcps.edu first thing in the morning on the day of the request.
Handwritten notes that are dated and signed by both students' parents will also be accepted.
Please note that students will not be issued bus passes without the required written permissions from both students' parents.
Come Cheer on Our Holmes Cross-Country Team This Saturday!
We cordially invite you to join us Saturday, November 1st, as the Holmes Cross-Country Team competes in their third meet, held at Poe Middle School.
Your presence on the sidelines is more than just appreciated—it is a powerful source of encouragement for our student-athletes. Seeing familiar faces from our school community would provide a huge boost of morale as they compete in their third race of the year.
This event is scheduled to start around 10:00 AM.
Please consider coming out to cheer on the team and show them that their hard work is recognized and valued by the entire Holmes family.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Please Talk with Your Child About the “Paper Dart” TikTok Challenge
Additionally, we wanted to make you aware of a new TikTok trend that involves damaging school property. It’s called the Paper Dart or Paper Plane challenge. Students fold sticky notes or pieces of paper into small darts, sometimes with a thumb tack or sharp piece of metal, and throw them at the ceiling in hopes that they stick.
Damaging school property is a violation of the FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) and carries serious consequences. In some instances, students and families may even be required to pay for repairs to damaged property. The darts, especially those with metal tips, present a serious safety concern for schools and could be used as a weapon, which is also a violation of the SR&R that could even lead to criminal charges.
As a partner in your child’s education, we encourage you to be aware of your child’s online actions, including who your children are interacting with and what they are sharing on social media. It is also important to have an open conversation about making safe and smart choices online, and how those decisions can have real world impacts. Some helpful resources you can use include the FCPS Guidance for Technology Use and Digital Citizenship Resources for Families.
We ask for your help in reminding students about their responsibilities and expectations as a Hawk and reinforcing with them why damaging school property is not acceptable.
Thank you,
Serena Giron
Principal
The Gradebook in SIS ParentVUE and StudentVUE will be closed for the end of the first quarter from Friday, October 31, 4 p.m. to Monday, November 10, 6 a.m. Activate your ParentVUE account to easily access grade reports.
With the first quarter of the school year ending on Friday, October 31, families can expect student report cards to be available the week of November 10.
FCPS has revised the way teachers provide feedback on report cards, so you may notice some new comments. Specifically, comments have been revised to provide more detailed feedback for students and families.
Also, teachers will now include a Work Habits mark each quarter for each student. This scale provides feedback on students’ time management, organization, assignment completion, and overall effort in class. This is meant as feedback to families and will not appear on a student’s transcript.
View the Middle and High School Grading and Reporting webpage for more information.
The FCPS mobile app offers a customized platform to help keep families connected and informed, directly from their smartphones. You can download the Fairfax County Public Schools mobile app by going to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and searching for “FCPS.”
With the app you can:
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Stay up-to-date: Get the latest news from FCPS.
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View school calendars: See events, activities, holidays, and early dismissals.
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Check school menus: See what’s for lunch and breakfast today, tomorrow, or next week.
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Tap to contact: Quickly call attendance lines or email school staff.
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Access key links: Jump to ParentVUE, Schoology, and the FCPS website in one tap.
Users can access updates and content without having to sign in, making it easy for everyone to stay informed.
Learn more about the new mobile app, including feedback from parents TeAndra Nelson and Roy Dykes.
Each year, FCPS is eligible to apply for Federal Impact Aid Grant funds. To ensure FCPS receives its fair share, we need your assistance in identifying students with federal connections. The Federal Impact Aid Survey will be available on SIS ParentVUE starting October 21st. We encourage you to complete the survey electronically.
If you have not yet set up your ParentVUE account and need help, please contact our Office Assistant, Aimee Moya at avmoyanina@fcps.edu or 703-658-5900.
For families without ParentVUE access, we will distribute paper copies of the survey in November. If you would like to learn more about it, please check the link below.
https://www.fcps.edu/impact
Helpful reminders:
If you forget your password:
- Go to https://sisparent.fcps.edu
- Click More Options > Forgot Password
- Follow the prompts—an email will be sent to your primary email
If you forget your username or need to update your email:
- Go to More Options > Change Username
- Enter current login info and the new email
- A confirmation will be emailed to complete the change
For more help, please call:
📞 Parent Tech Help Desk: 833-921-3277 (M–F, 7 AM–5 PM)
- The FCPS Family Academy offers resources and in-person and virtual classes, workshops, webinars, and programs for families. The following webinars and workshops will take place in November:
- ABA Family Training: Prioritizing Skills to Teach at Home
- Co-Parenting: Two Parents, Two Homes (in Spanish)
- Supporting Your Military-Connected Student in Secondary School
- Moving on to Life in the Community
Other Family Resource Center webinars will cover topics such as communication with twice exceptional children, family engagement in the special education process, restorative justice practices in schools and at home, and improving routines.
Visit the Family Academy Catalog to learn more about these and other resources.
All Day Absence:
- Use ParentVUE.Log in and click “Report Absence.” Don’t Have a SIS ParentVUE Account Yet? Contact your school for an activation code and follow the directions on the SIS ParentVUE Account webpage.
OR
- Call the attendance line on 703-658-5919 and leave a message with spelling of your student's first and last names, your name and relationship to the student, and reason for absence.
OR
- Send an email to holmesmiddle.attendance@fcps.edu with your student's first and last names, your name and relationship to the student, and reason for absence.
Partial Absence:
To report late arrivals, early dismissals, or to update already submitted attendance
- Call the attendance line on 703-658-5919 and leave a message with spelling of your student's first and last names, and reason for late arrival or early dismissal.
OR
- Send an email to holmesmiddle.attendance@fcps.edu with your student's first and last names, your name and relationship to the student, and reason for late arrival or early dismissal.
Please be mindful when requesting for your child to ride the bus with another student. For safety and verification purposes, the school requires written permission from both students’ parents before such arrangements can be approved. Permission emails should be sent to HolmesMiddle.Attendance@fcps.edu first thing in the morning on the day of the request.
Handwritten notes that are dated and signed by both students' parents will also be accepted.
Please note that students will not be issued bus passes without the required written permissions from both students' parents.
If you need to pick up your student early, please do so before 1:30 p.m. to avoid interrupting the safe dismissal process. Please note that doctor’s appointments are not considered emergencies.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in helping us ensure a smooth and safe dismissal for all students.
This schedule is effective as of 11/5/25
After-School Program Updates & Highlights
More than 250 students enjoyed music, dancing, art, face paint, and festive games during our Annual Fall Festival.
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ASP Schedule 11/3-11/7
Want to learn more about the After-School Program and the activities & clubs that we offer?
Daily Student Sign-ups
- Students will sign-up in the cafeteria with Mr. Kruk on the day(s) in which they plan to stay after-school for any reason (activities, clubs, tutoring, auditions, sports, etc). Please be sure to communicate with your student ahead of time, as we do not provide families with notifications when your student completes the sign-up form and stays after school.
Transportation & Parent/Guardian Pickup.
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Bus Transportation (4:45 ONLY) - Students who regularly take a bus to and from school will be provided with an after-school late bus that will depart Holmes between 4:45-5:00pm. We ask for your patience the first few days of the program as the buses get comfortable with their routes and you may notice that your student is home a little later than anticipated. If you have any questions or concerns regarding transportation, feel free to reach out to the Transportation Office; 703-446-2000.
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Kiss & Ride - Students may be picked up anytime during the program. We prioritize SAFETY during our program thus, parent/guardian must come inside the building and sign out their student if being picked up before 4:45. Students must be picked up from the main office no later than 5:00pm. Students who are picked up after 5:00pm on more than one occasion are subject to losing their After-School Program privileges.
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Walkers . If you would like to have your student walk or bike home from the After-School Program, we require a one-time communication (email) stating that you give permission for your student to walk/bike home from the program this year.
Questions/Concerns?
Join the Holmes MS PTA and attend meetings (4th Wednesday of the month; translation services provided)
PTA Facebook
Join the PTA https://www.holmesmspta.com/
Purchase spirit wear https://www.spiritshop.com/school/virginia/alexandria/holmes-middle-school?mibextid=Zxz2cZ&utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=
Calling all cooks! We are look for pasta dish/comfort food/hot dishes that feeds a minimum of 6-8 people. We are feeding over 130 teachers and staff members. Consider donating soups, salads, pasta, or rice dishes. Anything that reminds you of comfort food. November 3rd is a teacher work day and you can drop off all dishes to the front office between 10-11:30 sign up to prepare a lunch dish for our wonderful teachers and staff! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050444A9AA2DA64-59319967-fuel
FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will be providing school-required immunizations and optional flu shots for all FCPS students with no out-of-pocket costs. Immunization clinics will take place from 3 to 6:30 p.m. at Willow Oaks Administrative Center on:
- Thursday, November 6
- Tuesday, November 18
- Wednesday, November 19
- Thursday, November 20
A clinic will also take place at Frost Middle School on Saturday, November 15, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Additional dates will be made available throughout the school year.
Participation is voluntary. Parents or guardians may schedule an appointment for their student. Learn more about immunization resources.
The 2025 Bond Referendum will be on the ballot on Tuesday, November 4. Remember to vote. Learn how bonds help build strong communities.
Impact of Federal Shutdown on Local Community
- Fairfax County is home to around 80,000 federal employees and thousands of federal contractors. Its Federal Workforce Resource Hub is intended to help navigate current and future issues for residents, government employees, active military/veterans, contractors, nonprofits and businesses who may be affected by actions, changes, or disruptions to federal services or employment.
Community Resources for Families in Need
- Through partnerships with community-based organizations and other Fairfax County agencies, Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) provides information, referrals, and advocacy to help individuals connect with services, including: basic needs (food, shelter, clothing), financial assistance, health care services, and referrals to services and resources.
Visit the CSP website or call 703-222-0880 for assistance.
How to Access or Donate Food to Those in Need
View the Emergency Food Access Providers webpage to see where to access food or donate to your local food bank.
Students with sensory disabilities require special services and support to access instruction that is typically presented auditorily (by means of hearing) and visually. FCPS provides educational services to students who are deaf, hearing-impaired, or visually impaired. They are supported in various settings, including at their school site or through itinerant specialists who travel to different schools to work with students, rather than being based in a single school. Learn more about Services for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Services for Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired.
The Virginia Department of Education also provides information about Additional Resources for Serving Students with Sensory Disabilities.
Stay connected with Holmes Middle School by following us on social media! It's the best way to keep up with our latest news, celebrate student achievements, and be part of our vibrant community. Whether you're a student, parent, or community member, you'll find exciting updates, important announcements, and inspiring stories that showcase the spirit of Holmes!
Links: Instagram
Please stay in touch with us throughout the year by:
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