A Mssage from Principal Steven McFarlane
Kilmer Community,
Thank you to all of our families who joined us for Back-to-School Night yesterday evening! It was fantastic seeing our hallways and classrooms full of energy as parents walked through your child’s daily schedule and met with our teachers and staff.
Congratulations to Kilmer’s Band and Orchestra for earning a Program of Honor recognition from the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association for the 2025-2026 school year. To qualify, every ensemble in the school program must achieve superior ratings in state marching band and district performance assessments. Kilmer was one of 55 FCPS schools to earn this distinction. See the full list of programs honored.
As a reminder, our first PTA meeting will be on Wednesday, September 23 at 9:30 AM. We’ll continue with our hybrid model of in-person and virtual. The Zoom link will be sent out the day of the meeting. A final reminder to sign up for the PTA before our first meeting next week. The PTA Executive Board is raffling off a $100 Amazon gift card at the meeting, and just by joining the PTA, your name will be entered into the drawing. You can purchase a PTA membership by clicking on this link.
Have a wonderful weekend! As always, reach out if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Steven McFarlane
Principal
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Here are just a few of the Positive Referrals received by our Kilmer Cougars from staff members this week!
Meshal A. - BIG thanks to Meshu for walking a new student around during recess. You truly acted with empathy and you showed that Cougars care. Thank you for your leadership!
Nika T. - I was going to sweep up some grass on the gym floor, and Nika volunteered to sweep for me. She did a great job!
Idris M. - Idris is a stand out student in Civics class! Always ready to participate in class with correct answers. He deserves recognition for his commitment to his learning!
Molly M. - Molly shows up, works hard, asks questions, and considers those around her. You are the best!
  Upcoming Dates:
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October 1-2 - School Picture Day through HPE Classes
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October 2 - Final day to register for World Language Credit By Exam (WLCBE). More details can be found below.
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October 5-9 - 7th grade MWEE Science field trip
- Monday, October 5: Ms. Blake’s students and Ms. Zemaitis’ 1st and 3rd periods
- Tuesday, October 6: Dr. Gillen’s students
- Thursday, October 8: Ms. Lewis and Ms. Moyo’s students
- Friday, October 9: Ms. Mattix’s students and Ms. Zemaitis’ 6th and 7th periods
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October 7 - Thomas Jefferson High School Student/Parent Information Night
- The TJHSST Information night is scheduled for Wednesday, October 7, from 5 - 6 PM in the Kilmer Cafeteria. All current 8th grade students interested in applying for the Freshman round of the Thomas Jefferson High School of Science and Technology may join us for a one hour presentation given by a TJHSST representative in the Kilmer Cafeteria. The majority of the hour will be dedicated to a question and answer session, so we recommend that you review admissions information on the website prior to the session. If you have any questions about this event, please contact your student’s counselor.
Kilmer’s After School Program kicked off this week! Students attended clubs and interest meetings for Science Olympiad, MathCounts, Technology Student Association, Cyber Patriot, and Anime Club.
School Picture Day is Coming!
📅 Date: Thursday October 1st & Friday October 2nd during your child’s HPE class
📸 Pictures Available: Approximately two weeks after photo day
🛒 Pre-order Online: https://shop.imagequix.com/g1001416964
📧 Questions about Ordering? Email us at underclass@vosphoto.com
Important Message from the Town of Vienna
Town of Vienna Parks and Recreation needs our help keeping community spaces safe and clean! Please note that e-bikes and e-scooters are strictly prohibited on all athletic fields, including Waters Field. Additionally, Waters Field is NOT permitted as an after-school hangout spot for students.
Recent misuse has led to safety hazards, litter, and turf damage, prompting local officials and police to increase preventive measures and lock field gates. We ask parents to discuss these rules with their students to help preserve these spaces for scheduled athletic use. Thank you for your support in keeping our community grounds safe!
Soccer Players Needing Volunteer Hours?
Lemon Road Elementary is looking for soccer players interested in earning service hours. Kindergarten – Second Graders from Lemon Road, Chesterbrook, Kent Gardens, and Churchill Elementary Schools will be playing games on Saturday mornings as a recreational league serving as a fundraiser for the schools. All games will be on the Lemon Road Elementary field between 9 AM – 1 PM on Saturdays in September and October. They are looking for students available multiple Saturdays who are interested in running small field games. Fill out this form if you are interested! The first games are Saturday, September 19.
Updated Administrative Caseloads
Kilmer continues to feel the impact of the boundary change that went into effect this school year.
Currently, Kilmer’s enrollment is under 1,000 students (more than 200 fewer students than last year). FCPS continues to “rebalance” the workforce to ensure schools are staffed appropriately according to their current enrollment. As a result, Assistant Principal Nishi Langhorne is being moved to another school, and Friday, 9/18 is her last day at Kilmer.
We’ve updated our caseloads, effective Tuesday, 9/22.
- Assistant Principals
- Emily Castro, 7th & 8th Grade - Last Name A-K
- Erin Kestler, 7th & 8th Grade - Last Name L-Z
- School Counselors
- Kara Prokopius, 7th Grade - Last Name A-K
- Kristen Reighard, 7th Grade - Last Name L-Z
- Hana El Baba, 8th Grade - Last Name A-K
- Brian Sirdofsky, 8th Grade - Last Name L-Z
I’m grateful for the impact Ms. Langhorne has made during her time at Kilmer. If you’ve had the pleasure of working directly with Ms. Langhorne, you know the joy she brings to the people around her and the talent and expertise she brings to her work. Please join me in wishing Ms. Langhorne the best in her new endeavors.
AAP Screening for Full-Time Services
The fall Full-Time AAP Referral Window for Students New to FCPS Closes on October 15. The fall referral window is only for students in Grades 3-8 who are new to FCPS as of January 1, 2026. Parents and guardians who would like their Kilmer student to be considered for Full-Time Advanced Academic Program (AAP) services must submit the Full-Time AAP Referral Form to Corey Thornblad, Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, at ctthornblad@fcps.edu by October 15, 2026. Late referrals will not be accepted. Referral forms are on the Advanced Academic Programs website.
For students who are not new to FCPS and have been enrolled, the spring Full-Time AAP identification window is open to students in Grades 2-7. Families interested in referring their student for consideration during the spring window must submit a referral by December 15, 2026. Once a referral is received, our school will compile information related to the student. Then, a committee of trained professionals from across the county will review materials to determine eligibility for Full-Time AAP services.
Superintendent Community Conversations
Join us for a series of Community Conversations that will be held across the school division. Share your thoughts with Dr. Reid and ask her questions. Click on the date to register for any of the following events:
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Monday, September 28, at 6:30 p.m., at Riverside Elementary School
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Monday, October 19, at 6:30 p.m., at Spring Hill Elementary School
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Monday, October 26, at 6:30 p.m., at Beech Tree Elementary School
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Thursday, October 29, at 6:30 p.m., at North Springfield Elementary School
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Friday, November 13, at 6:30 p.m., at Powell Elementary School
Registration is not required, but it helps with planning.
Join the PTA and Friends of Kilmer and Enter to Win $100 Amazon Gift Card!
Don’t forget to join the PTA. Memberships are only $20 per family per year. As a thank you, everyone who joins prior to the first PTA meeting on 9/23 is automatically entered to win a $100 Amazon gift card! You can purchase a PTA membership by clicking on this link.
PTA Website
Stay up to date with news and information from the PTA by visiting the PTA website: https://kilmerpta.membershiptoolkit.com/
PTA Executive Board Contact Information
AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
Complete the required Afterschool Registration to register for Middle School After School and Sports Programs. A complete schedule and club descriptions are available via Schoology. Parents > select view as student in top right corner when in Schoology.
The After School Program is structured into two session blocks, 2:30 – 3:30 PM and 3:30 – 4:30 PM, following the 2:15-2:30 PM after school transition/break in the cafeteria. Intramural Sports available Monday-Thursday.
Late Bus Transportation is only available after the second session block at approx. 4:45 PM (Afterschool Dismissal) on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Upcoming Dates (see Schoology for full/updated listings)
- Wednesday, Sept.23rd
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Science Olympiad Entrance Exam 2:30-3:30 PM or 3:30-4:30 PM
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Everyone (including last year’s team members) must take the test if they want to be considered for the team.
- Online portion - Multiple choice covering a variety of science topics
- Written portion - More process-oriented
- Students will be notified by email of team status
- 45 Students can be selected
- Club Fee $100 for Team members
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Thursday, Sept.24th
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MATHCOUNTS 2:30-3:30 PM
- https://tinyurl.com/KMSMATH2026
- Nov 5th - AMC 10 Test
- Dec 10th - Mathcounts School Chapter Test
- Jan 21st - AMC 8 Test
- Feb. 2027 - Mathcounts Fairfax Competition
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Friday, Sept.25th
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Cyber Patriot 2:30-3:45 PM
- No experience needed: Learn Windows, Linux, and networking as you go. You get a virtual computer full of security holes. Find and fix them before the clock runs out.
- Cyber Defense Team Competitions
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Chess Club (Silver Knights) 2:30-3:30 PM
- Monday, Sept.28th
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Technology Student Association (TSA) Chapter 2:30-4:30 PM
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https://tinyurl.com/KilmerTSA2025
- Mondays/Wednesday weekly meetings
- Chapter Membership $80 + Competition Fees
Middle School Athletics
As a part of the FCPS Middle School Athletics Program Kilmer will host Fall Cross Country (XC), Winter Volleyball and Spring Track & Field.
Steps to participate (including practice):
ALL forms for athletic competitions must now be submitted through FinalForms online registration portal (please do not email or submit paper copies). Families received verification links via the email address tied to ParentVUE Account from FinalForms.
Parents > Search email for “FinalForms” (it may have been routed to spam/junk).
XC PRACTICE & MEET DETAILS
Practices Begin 9/14
- 2:30-3:30 PM on Monday/Wednesday/Thursday
- Must participate in 4 practices for Meet Eligibility
- NO Tryouts - NO Experience Needed
Saturday Meet Schedule:
- 10/03 Carson MS - 7:30 AM
- 10/10 Twain MS - 10 AM
- 10/17 Stone MS - 7:30 AM
- 10/24 Poe MS - 10 AM
- 11/07 Liberty MS (Championship)
QUESTIONS? Ask the After-School Program Specialist, Ms. Kardelis (F107). Please visit Kilmer’s website at https://kilmerms.fcps.edu/afterschool_newsletter to find the weekly After School newsletter.
World Language Exam
Students in grades 7-12 can take the World Languages Credit By Exam (WLCBE). The WLCBE assesses language proficiency in languages other than English and recognizes the strengths that our students bring as effective communicators in multiple languages. This assessment may be used to award world language credits towards graduation, determine course placement for language courses offered in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), and fulfill the world languages requirements for the Virginia Seal of Biliteracy.
A student may participate in the exam a total of two times per language, with no more than one attempt each year. In other words, students have two chances per language to earn credits by taking the exam between grades 7 and 12. Students who wish to take the exam should be able to understand and communicate proficiently in the testing language and will be asked to listen, read, speak, and either write/type or, for American Sign Language, sign/interpret
For more information on how to prepare for the exam and scoring criteria, you may visit our website: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/high/world-languages/credit-exam-world-languages.
If you would like your student to participate in the next available WLCBE on Tuesday, November 10th, please complete the World Language Exam Registration Form and submit it by the registration deadline, Friday, October 2nd. NO LATE REGISTRATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED. You will receive a confirmation email from your student’s counselor with additional information regarding preparing for the exam.
Hall Locker Assignments
Hall lockers have been assigned to students who submitted a locker request. Locker numbers and combinations are available in SIS StudentVUE and ParentVUE under the Student Info tab.
If a student needs help opening their locker, any Kilmer staff member can assist. If a locker is not working properly, locker repair request forms are available in Student Services.
Bus RFID Cards
We have distributed all of the bus RFID cards to students who ride a bus to or from school. If your child does not ride the bus, they did not receive an RFID card as they do not need it at this time. If your child loses their card, there is a $5 replacement fee. If your child believes they should have a card and did not receive one, please have them fill out this Google Form, which is linked on the All Students Schoology page. *Please note, this form can only be filled out by FCPS email addresses.
Digital Consent
Families can now easily grant permission for their children to access a variety of school resources through the Parent Digital Consent system. This online tool can be accessed using your SIS ParentVUE account and parents can easily opt in or opt out their child from a variety of resources including online educational tools, school counseling services, tutoring services, and how student information is managed.
Visit the Parent Digital Consent webpage to access the system.
If you do not have a SIS ParentVUE account, contact Student Services for an activation code and follow the directions on the SIS ParentVUE Account webpage.
How to use the Parent Digital Consent System (Videos)
TheatreMania 2026 - Calling all middle school students!
TheatreMania is back for 2026! On Saturday, November 7, middle school students from across the county will gather at Kilmer Middle School for a fun-filled day of hands-on theatre workshops led by theatre professionals.
Students will participate in four different workshops and have the opportunity to explore a variety of theatre experiences, including acting, dance, vocal performance, improv, technical theatre, design, directing, and more.
TheatreMania is open to students of all experience levels. Students do not need to be advanced performers—or even consider themselves "theatre kids"—to participate. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to try something new, develop their creativity, meet other students who share their interests, and learn from working theatre professionals.
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Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026
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Location: Kilmer Middle School
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Cost: $25 per student; students register at: https://forms.gle/QbvT43xzmfaJEfav8
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Registration deadline: October 24th
FCPS 2e (Twice Exceptional) Programming
We’re excited to share information about Twice-Exceptional (2e) Programming available within our school system. Twice-exceptional students demonstrate advanced abilities while also experiencing learning, attention, or other challenges that may require additional support. Please visit the FCPS 2e webpage to learn more about 2e programming, available resources, and opportunities to support the unique strengths and needs of twice-exceptional learners. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact Corey Thornblad (Advanced Academics Resource Teacher) at ctthornblad@fcps.edu.
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