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Holmes Calendar
- 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 we head into the Thanksgiving break, I would like to take the opportunity to share our gratitude for all of our faculty and staff. I am wishing everyone a relaxing and fulfilling break and we will look forward to welcoming students back on Monday, December 1, 2025.
Tommy McFly and the VA Lottery visited Holmes this week on their Teacher Tour! Our staff enjoyed Georgetown Cupcakes 🧁, VA Lottery scratchers 💰, and fun swag.
Thank you,
Serena Giron
Principal
As a token of appreciation, Lifetouch is offering discounts on school photography!
- 50% off a purchase of $50+ with code 50THANKS
- 40% off a purchase of $40+ with code 40THANKS
- 30% off a purchase of $30+ with code 30THANKS
Valid through 12/01/25
To order, log in to your account on mylifetouch.com or create an account, find your student and order using your student's student ID number (if available at your school). Don’t forget to order your FREE Digital SmileSafe card! More about the Smilesafe program here.
Annandale High School Band would like to invite you to our WinterConcert on Tuesday, December 9th from 7 - 8:30pm in the AHS Auditorium.Our bands will be playing music to help get everyone in the holidayspirit! Bring cash to play in our band boosters raffle for a hoverboardand 50/50 raffle to raise money for the band program. The concert is free!
Remember - every purchase supports our school! Students will be coming to the Book Fair with their English classes, however; they can also purchase books before and after school and during lunch. The Book Fair starts on Wednesday, 12/3 and ends on Wednesday, 12/10! The location is the Holmes MS Library.
Book Fair Website: All the information you need will be on the website. If you would like to volunteer for the Book Fair, please sign up here.
Thank you and happy reading!
Book Fair Contact: Librarian, Jennifer Blanco (jlblanco1@fcps.edu)
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
NEW opportunities coming to our After-School Program
Starting next month, our program will be offering some new clubs and activities for our students including the following;
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FBLA Club – national career & technical student organization that helps with workplace readiness and supports students gaining career skills.
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Cooking Club – students will learn how to use basic ingredients to create some amazing and delicious dishes.
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Hawks Comedy Club – students will collaborate and learn the basics of stand-up, improv, and more while having a great time in a comfortable and safe environment.
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Engineering Maker Spacer – students who enjoy open-ended engineering will have the opportunity to create fun projects using 3d printers and more.
ASP Upcoming Schedule 11/24 – 11/28
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=
Raffle Tickets for 31 Days of Gifts
Raffle tickets are still available for 31 Days of Gifts. Enter to win an amazing prize throughout the month of December. Tickets are $2 each or 6 for $10 or 15 for $20 and available online. All student sellers will be entered to win a special prize at the end of the month.
Parents and guardians of students in Grades 2-7 who would like their student to be considered for full-time Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) services must submit the AAP Full-Time Referral Form to [name and email address of the AART or principal] no later than December 15, 2025.
Each year, families can submit a referral for full-time AAP services any time from the first day of school through December 15. No late referrals for full-time AAP services will be accepted.
Once a referral is received, our school will compile information related to the student. Then, a committee of six trained professionals from across the county will review materials to determine eligibility for full-time AAP services.
Next Steps for Parents
Eligibility decisions are communicated by early April. Parents may request a copy of their child’s materials after February 20, 2026, by emailing their student's counselor.
At the middle school level, honors courses are open to all students.
For more information, please visit the Advanced Academic Programs webpage.
Google recently made changes to how educational applications are managed and accessed on the Chrome Browser and Chromebooks. Many applications are moving from the Chrome Web Store to the Google Play Store.
To ensure your student(s) can continue accessing all approved instructional tools, FCPS has updated its digital consent platform to include both the Chrome Web Store and the Google Play Store.
Please review and provide your consent for these two new options through our easy-to-use Parent Digital Consent system:
- Additional Google Services – Chrome Web Store
- Additional Google Services – Google Play Store
Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting safe and effective digital learning experiences for all students.
For questions or support, please visit FCPS’ Family Technology Resources page or open a ticket with our Technical Support desk.
FCPS offers the Lightspeed Parent Portal to help you manage screen time on your child's FCPS device at home. With a Parent Portal account, you can control your child’s access to YouTube and pause website browsing during after-school hours.Please note that parent controls are active only during after-school hours, defined as Monday through Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. (including student holidays) and all day Saturday and Sunday.
If you haven't signed up for the portal yet, use the link at the bottom of your weekly Lightspeed Online Student Activity Report email. To learn more, please visit the Lightspeed Parent Portal page on the FCPS website.
Students in grades 3-12 took the SEL Screener last month, providing information on skills like achieving goals, understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining relationships, and making responsible decisions. The screener also asks students how well their school community makes them feel valued, included, and supported.
Individual student SEL Screener results will be available to families in the Documents section of SIS ParentVUE the week of November 17. For families who do not have an active ParentVUE account, results will be shared by our school.
For support in understanding your individual student’s results or for ideas on how to support them at home, please review the Family Guide or reach out to school staff.
All FCPS schools use an approach called Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to make sure every student gets the help they need to learn.
MTSS helps school teams deliver high-quality instruction for all students and provide extra time, support, and interventions as needed. Families are partners in this process. We will share information about your child’s individual learning, needs, and progress.
You may view your child's intervention plans and progress in SIS ParentVUE. Expect progress to be updated quarterly, with report card due dates.
Winter weather will be here before you know it! Watch this video to see how weather closing decisions are made at FCPS.
FCPS’ website is generally the first place to find out about emergency weather closings. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible, including email, text, social media, the new FCPS mobile app, and news stations. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated.
Be sure to plan for the winter season. Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, bookmark the FCPS website, and arrange emergency child care if needed.
⛄ Keep Your Child Warm During Outdoor Activities
We will monitor the weather for low temperatures, wind chill advisories and warnings, and weather advisories that may prevent children from being outside. Make sure your child is dressed appropriately with a warm coat and other cold-weather clothing, so they can comfortably enjoy their time outdoors. View the National Weather Service’s tips on staying safe during cold weather.
If you need assistance getting cold-weather clothing for your family, please call Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) at 703-222-0880. Their multilingual staff can assist with any challenges you are facing, including food, shelter, employment, financial assistance, and health.
There’s a story behind the success of every FCPS student — a story about what’s possible with the appropriate funding for world-class teachers, rigorous academics, and future-ready learning experiences. At FCPS, student success starts with a strong budget!
FCPS is currently developing the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget, which is for the 2026-27 school year. In January, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid will present a proposed budget to the School Board.
During this process, we’ll be sharing FCPS’ budget story with you. The different chapters will explain the impact of chronic underfunding, why strong funding benefits all of Fairfax County, what’s at stake when Holmes MS and other FCPS schools don’t get the support we need, and more.
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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