|
English | Español | አማርኛ | 中文 | 한국어 | Tiếng Việt | العربية | فارسی | اردو
Holmes Calendar
- Tuesday, 12/16, 7PM - Winter Orchestra Concert
- 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),
Our countdown to weather break has begun! Please encourage your child to join in the fun and show school spirit by participating in the following themed days:
Monday 12/15 – Dress Like a Celebrity Day : Come to school dressed as your favorite celebrity – past or present!
Tuesday 12/16 – Twin Day: Grab a friend (or two!) and match outfits for the day
Wednesday 12/17 – Winter Colors or Ugly Sweater Day: Show off your best winter themed colors or break out that tack ugly sweater!
Thursday 12/18 – Winter Movie Character Day: Channel a character from your favorite winter or holiday movie!
Friday 12/19 – PJ Day: Get cozy and wrap up Spirit Week in your comfiest pajamas.
Additionally as we are in the midst of winter, we are seeing some colder weather. FCPS encourages schools to provide students with daily outside recess. Our students enjoy playing outside, but we want to make sure that they are safe and warm. Therefore, FCPS has created a Cold Weather Safety document that advises schools when to cancel outdoor recess/activities.
As the weather turns colder, we want to remind you of some important safety tips for recess.
- Dress your child in layers so they can adjust to the changing temperature.
- Make sure they have a hat, gloves, and scarf.
All District Band!
Owen Straz and Noah Schaefer have earned spots in the All-District Band after successful auditions. They’ll join outstanding musicians from 15 middle schools in our district for a special performance on February 7. We’re so proud of their hard work and talent—congratulations, Owen and Noah!
Take a Moment to Recognize Someone Who Makes a Difference
Want a quick way to recognize a Holmes employee or team? Share an FCPS CARES! Families, colleagues, and students are all invited to submit. The FCPS CARES is automatically sent to the recipient(s) and their supervisor, and is posted on fcps.edu. Additionally, each month one school in our region wins a staff celebration party from HR. We encourage you to show our staff that their hard work is appreciated!
Thank you,
Serena Giron
Principal
I’m excited to share that Holmes has been recognized as On Track under Virginia’s new School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF). This rating, based on data from last school year, shows that our school is meeting or exceeding expectations set by the state around student performance.
This new framework places a greater emphasis on standardized test results, alongside student growth, graduation, and readiness measures that vary by school level.
One thing has not changed: our students are learning and growing, and our teachers and staff continue to do exceptional work every day. This recognition reflects the strength of our entire school community. Our strong performance stands out and is something to celebrate.
We will continue building on this success. Our team is committed to keeping high expectations for learning, supporting each student’s unique strengths, and creating a school environment where every child feels welcomed, challenged, and cared for. We are also grateful for the support we receive from families. Your involvement makes a difference, and it plays an important role in helping our students succeed.
Thank you for being such an important part of our community. Together, we will continue helping every student at Holmes thrive.
Find our more about new evaluation system for Virginia Schools here.
On Wednesday, December 17th, we will be hosting the Quarter 1 Honor Roll Celebration during SOAR in order to acknowledge the hard work and academic achievement of our students who earned all A’s or A’s & B’s on their 1st quarter report card. Students will be receiving invitations through their SOAR class. Congratulations and keep up the great work 😊 !
Dear Rising 9th Grade Parents,
We are excited to welcome you to Annandale High School’s Rising 9th Grade Open House on Wednesday, January 14 from 6:00-8:00pm! We will offer short (optional) sessions on our various Annandale programs, and teachers will be in their classrooms throughout the evening to share all about our core and elective courses for 9th Graders. The goal is for students and parents to leave this event excited about all the opportunities you will have as an Annandale Atom and prepared to complete your course request form when your student meets with their middle school counselor.
Breakout Sessions on the following topics will be offered throughout the evening: Welcome to Annandale, Course Request 101; IB/MYP Program; Activities and Athletics; English for Speakers of Other Languages Program; Special Education Office, and Student Life.
The transition from middle to high school can be difficult and stressful for some students. However, Annandale High School takes tremendous pride in ensuring the transition is as smooth as possible. If you have specific questions that you would like to be addressed during this event, please submit your questions via this Google Form by Monday, January 6. Thank you in advance for your input and assisting us in making this event a success!
Shawn DeRose, Principal
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 Highlights
Students had a wonderful time showing off their comedic skills during our first week of our newest club; Comedy Club
NEW opportunities coming to our After-School Program 2nd Semester
Starting in January, our program will be offering some new clubs and activities for our students including the following;
-
Cooking Club – students will learn how to use basic ingredients to create some amazing and delicious dishes.
-
Engineering Maker Spacer – students who enjoy open-ended engineering will have the opportunity to create fun projects using 3d printers and more.
Students may reach out to Mr. Kruk if interested in participating in either of these new clubs for 2nd semester.
ASP Upcoming Schedule 12/15-12/19
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
A list of resources has been compiled for students and families in case they or someone they know needs assistance while schools are closed for winter break. Please visit FCPS’ winter resources page for information on academic support, mental health support, and county resources related to food, clothing, housing, and other needs.
Even If School Is Closed, Learning Can Continue!
We encourage students to take advantage of fun learning opportunities during the upcoming winter break and on snow days. Consider these winter activities to blend education and play at home.
Food insecurity impacts more than 96,000 Fairfax County residents. Learn how to help and discover the many resources available to support those who need food assistance or shelter. View the county’s Human Services Resource Guide.
Beginning in January 2026, students will meet with their counselors to discuss course selection for next year. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to actively participate in this important process.
As students choose courses, it is important to remind them to consider the following:
- Current academic strengths and habits.
- Graduation requirements (high school students.
- Interests and career and postsecondary goals.
- Personal well-being.
- Extracurricular activities and other commitments that may impact students’ time and energy.
School-life balance is an important consideration as students strive for academic and personal success. Families are welcome to contact their student’s school counselor with questions.
🎓 Graduation Requirements and Planning
FCPS’ Graduation Requirements and Course Planning page provides information that students and families can preview to make informed decisions while planning for success in high school and beyond. To further help families in tracking these requirements, new this year, families can log into ParentVUE to monitor their student's progress toward graduation.
Reviewing the Program of Studies may also be helpful.
Preparing for Tough Conversations With Teens
Are you planning on spending more time with your teen over winter break? Or are they planning to spend time away from you with friends? Now may be a good time to talk to them about fentanyl and overdose.
Discussing tough topics like fentanyl and other drugs can feel challenging, no matter how close you are with your child. Explain to your teen that it’s important to learn about fentanyl so they know what to do if a friend overdoses. Prepare in advance with the tips below:
- Set the stage. Choose a casual environment that’s free from distractions. Talk while driving the car, taking a walk, or doing chores together.
- Make it a two-way discussion. Ask open-ended questions.
- Stay patient, and reserve judgment.
- Check in with your child early and often.
Learn how to start an unskippable conversation, and find resources to share with your teen on how to spot an overdose and how to respond.
Join us for our inaugural season - spring 2026!
BRYC is thrilled to announce the launch of our brand new GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE - a dynamic, inclusive, and empowering league that provides opportunities for girls to get active, build skills, and have fun on the field!
INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING TO HELP LAUNCH THIS LEAGUE?
-
Audra Gibson: audra.gibson7812@gmail.com
-
Sharon Bickmore: smi0466@gmail.com
-
Rupali Limaye: rjlimaye@gmail.com
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:
|
