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Holmes Calendar
- Friday, 1/23, 5-8PM - 2nd Annual Title I Rec Night
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Tuesday, 1/27, 6:30-7:30PM - PTA Meeting
- 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
- Monday, 2/16 - George Washington's Birthday / NO SCHOOL
- Tuesday, 2/17 - Teacher Work Day / NO SCHOOL
Dear HMS Families,
As a reminder, Wednesday, January 28, is the last day of the quarter and an early release for students. Schools are closed for students on Thursday, January 29, for a staff development day, and Friday, January 30, for a teacher workday.
See the complete school year calendar.
We were recently contacted by a volunteer from Food for Neighbors regarding a donation pick-up, and the results were incredible. We collected several containers filled with favorites like chocolate milk, cereal, cup-of-noodles, mac & cheese, crackers, and fruit snacks.
The donation was so generous that we called in our NJHS students for backup! With their assistance, we packed nearly 100 snack bags to distribute to students this Friday, and we still have plenty of supplies left to pack. We are extremely grateful to Food for Neighbors for their contribution and to our NJHS students for their amazing hard work.
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I also wanted to share an amazing experience that our band teacher Luis Perez had over the Winter Break. He was privileged to be part of the Band Director’s Marching Band on New Year’s Day and marched in the Rose Parade, in Pasadena, California, on New Year’s Day. He was one of only 4 Band Director’s from the state of Virginia, and the only one from Fairfax County.
He had his first performance at Band Fest. At this event, most of the bands that marched in the parade, performed. Then, off to the Rose Bowl for a picture with the 360 members of the band. New Year’s Eve started with an early rehearsal and then a performance at the float judging. This included sharing their talents for those families affected by organ donation. One of the members lost his daughter, but her organ donation saved 3 other people.
On New Year’s Day, he marched 5.5 miles while playing his trumpet, almost non-stop!! This ensemble, made up of 360 Band Directors from all 50 states, Mexico, Canada and Panama came together for one reason, to make music. The theme of the parade was “the Magic in Teamwork” and their Band’s theme was “Banding Together”. Both illustrate the power of music (and all the Arts) and its importance to everyone’s lives.
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Thank you,
Serena Giron
Principal
We are thrilled to invite you to our 2nd Annual Title I Rec Night! This event is close to my heart, inspired by the "Rec Nights" I attended as a kid in the late '80s. Those nights weren't just about basketball or board games; they were about having a safe space where every child felt they belonged. We want that same sense of community for our HMS students today.
What to expect:
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For Students: Open gym (basketball/volleyball), ping-pong, and teamwork challenges (TBD).
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For Parents: Quick "Learning Stations" to help you navigate Schoology, SIS, and ways to support your child's growth.
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For Everyone: A free family dinner (Halal options available) and free books for every student to take home! Sponsored by Title I!
Last year, nearly 150 community members joined us. Let’s make this year even bigger!
Friday, January 23, 2026, from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Dear Holmes Middle School Community,
The Holmes Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is excited to announce our Bundt Cake Fundraiser — just in time to treat your sweetheart (or yourself!) for Valentine’s Day!
Flavor Options
Biscoff Cookie Butter
Carrot
Chocolate Chocolate Chip
Classic Vanilla
Confetti
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip
Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry
Lemon
Oreo Cookies & Cream
Red Velvet
Strawberries & Cream
White Chocolate Raspberry
Pricing
• $7 per bundtlet
• Biscoff Cookie Butter specialty bundtlet: $8
Order & Payment Information
Cash and checks are accepted; Make checks payable to: Holmes MS PTA. Please include with your order: Pick-up contact information and flavor choice(s). In-person orders and payments due: Thursday, February 5, 2026
Order online at the Holmes PTA Givebacks store: https://holmesmiddleschool.givebacks.com/shop Online ordering available through: Sunday, February 9, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Pick-Up Details
📍 Location: Holmes Middle School
🗓 Date: Thursday, February 12, 2026
⏰ Time: 2:00 – 5:30 PM
If you need accommodations or assistance with ordering or pickup, please contact us at holmes.fundraising.pta@gmail.com and we will be happy to help.
Thank you for supporting the Holmes PTA and helping make a difference in our school community!
Sweetly, Holmes PTA
WHAT: The Early Identification Program (EIP) is a multiyear (5 year) college preparatory program for students who will be the first in their family to attend a four-year college in the United States. EIP is a collaborative effort between Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) and George Mason University (GMU). The EIP is one of four programs that comprise the College Success Programs in FCPS. EIP goes from 8th grade through 12th grade. Please check out the EIP website at https://eip.gmu.edu/ for more information about the program!
HOW: Nominated students apply to the program at the end of the 7th grade and enter the program in the 8th grade.
Student Participation:
To remain in good standing, EIP students must:
- Maintain a 2.8 GPA
- Attend specified activities/events on Saturdays at GMU Fairfax or Manassas campus
- Attend weekly mentoring / tutoring sessions at Holmes
- Attend the three-week Summer Academy at GMU Fairfax campus every July
- Participate in the Strengthening the Family Workshop
DEADLINE: February 10th, 2026
INTERESTED / QUESTIONS? Please complete the EIP Information Google Form by the deadline if you are interested: https://forms.gle/xfZ1jW2icdUDH5Zj9
Contact Ms. Amarir, School Counselor and EIP Sponsor at 703-658-5942 or via email at mamarir@fcps.edu with any questions.
Student artwork to be featured on the glass recycling can at the Mason District Government Center!
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Theme: “The benefits and importance of glass recycling for our community”
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Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8 and 9-12 attending a Justice HS, Annandale HS, or Falls Church HS pyramid school
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Prizes: Two winning designs (one from each grade group) will be painted and prominently displayed on the sides of the glass recycling container located in the Mason District.
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Deadline: February 27, 2026
For more information about the contest, including how to submit your artwork, submission guidelines and entry requirements, visit the Fairfax County Glass Recycling webpage.
Mason District Health Fair scheduled for Saturday, February 7th, from 10am-12pm at the James Lee Community Center. A variety of community groups, organizations, and county departments will be providing valuable health-related information, services, and resources for our community.
Services will include, but are not limited to:
- Vaccine appointment registration and information
- Medicaid enrollment assistance
- Hearing and vision screenings
- Substance abuse prevention training and resources
- Child development screenings and information
- Breast cancer awareness information
- HIV screening and prevention information
- Information on the importance of healthy eating
- And more!
The Fair is for all ages and is free entry for all.
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 2nd Semester
Starting in February, our program will be offering some new clubs and activities for our students including the following;
- RC Cars Club
- Comic Book Club
- Capital One “Launch” (previously Capital One Coders)
- Book Club
- Cooking Club
- Math Tutors
- Engineering Maker Spacer
***Students or families may reach out to Mr. Kruk directly if interested in participating in either of these new clubs for 2nd semester.
ASP Upcoming Schedule 1/26-1/30
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=
FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will provide school-required immunizations and optional flu shots for all FCPS students with no out-of-pocket costs. Multiple events will take place at designated FCPS locations. Additional dates will be available throughout the school year.
Parents or guardians may view upcoming events and schedule an appointment for their student. Participation is voluntary. View immunization resources on the FCPS website.
Gone are the days of digging through emails or hunting for bookmarks. The FCPS app provides a custom experience that is both powerful and easy to use. Here is how it makes life easier:
- Customized for Your Family: Do you have students at two (or more!) different schools? You can "follow" multiple schools to get a feed of news, notices, and events specific to your family.
- No Sign-In Required: Access essential content like district-wide announcements, live updates, and school calendars instantly — no password to remember, no login required.
- Real-Time Notifications: Get push notifications for urgent updates — including weather announcements! — ensuring you never miss an important announcement from the district or your school.
- Everything in One Place: From bell schedules and staff directories to athletic event locations and school menus, the app is a central hub for all things FCPS.
To ensure every family stays informed, the app supports automatic translation for more than 100 languages. Learn more about the app, or download it today in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
❄️ Prepare for Winter Weather
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.
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 weather. 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 snow or inclement weather days. Consider these winter activities to blend education and play at home.
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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