GovDelivery | Kilmer Middle School

Asynchronous Learning Days - February 25-26 #7

GovDelivery 6 days 21 hours ago

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Concurrent instruction with Ms. Davis, 8th grade science class

A message from Principal, Amy Miller:

Dear Kilmer Families,

Thank you to the students and families who participated in our Family Trivia Night last week! It was a fun event to bring the community together. We will be scheduling our next community night for the end of March. Stay tuned for details.

I continue to have my Friday lunch groups with students.This is open to all students who want to attend. The students have shared great feedback about their experience this year. It is wonderful to get to know the students (and many of their pets). Now that we will have two lunches, I will hold two lunch groups whenever possible. I post lunch group announcements in Schoology.

Next week we welcome our in-person staff back to the building. As we focus on preparing for concurrent instruction, February 25 and February 26 will be asynchronous learning days for all students. Please see below for details.

Sincerely,

Amy Miller, Principal

Return to the Building

As we prepare for students to return to the building, it is important to note that we have built our master schedule and classroom assignments based on the in-person selections we currently have. We must maintain established social distancing guidelines and cannot exceed classroom capacity within the classrooms. At this point, any new requests to return to school in-person will be evaluated after all students who are currently designated as in-person students have returned to the building.

Asynchronous Days – February 25th & 26th

Please note Thursday, February 25th & Friday, February 26th will be asynchronous days for all students. All teachers have been given teacher preparation days to plan for the return to the school building and concurrent learning. All students should access asynchronous assignments in Schoology for each class period during those two school days.

National Junior Honor Society

In order to realize the five components of NJHS: Citizenship, Scholarship, Character, Leadership, and Service, Kilmer’s NJHS uses a guided research-based learning method to help students address an authentic community need. Student initiative and structured time for reflection on the service experience are key elements.

During the January 28th NJHS meeting for Stage 2: Preparation and Planning, candidates examined ways others have effected change and the necessary skills needed to do service. They also supported one another in small group discussion boards. We are set to move forward into Stage 3: Action.

The next mandatory all candidate meeting is after school on Tuesday, February 23, in the NJHS BBCU link from 2:30 – 3:30. Kilmer’s NJHS empowers candidates to make a positive difference with their service learning projects.

National Junior Honor Society Gallery Walk and Induction Ceremony

Kilmer’s National Junior Honor Society will host a virtual Service Learning Gallery and Induction Ceremony in June 2021 for parents, community members and students. Stay tuned for this exciting evening which will showcase NJHS candidates and their service learning projects. More details will be announced in the months ahead.

Virtual Photo Option

We are partnering with Walsworth, our yearbook publisher, for digital photos to use in the yearbook. All families should have received an email from Walsworth within the next few days with the subject line, “Kilmer - Yearbook Mugshot Capture ” sent from noreply@email.high5.id; please check your spam or junk folders to find the email if you do not see it by the end of next week. You will be able to take a digital photo of your student with either a smart phone or the FCPS provided laptop.

The email from Walsworth was sent to all families. If your student had a photo taken in-person with Lifetouch, please ignore it.

Portrait packages that were purchased from Lifetouch will be coming within the next few weeks. As soon as we have more information on their delivery, we will let everyone know.

What’s on the Shelf: News from the Kilmer Library

As we shift many of our students to in-person learning, we are also going to change our Cougars @ the Curb pick-up schedule. In-person students will be able to pick books up while at school from a central location. And, we will continue to offer curbside pick-up at Kilmer’s Door #3 for all students -- shifting the day to Wednesdays, 2:15pm - 4:00pm, beginning in March.

We also have a whole variety of library programming offered through our KMS Library Schoology course: active discussion boards, weekly “Caption THIS!” postings, regular book clubs, a weekly “Among Us” group, pixel art, book tastings, and more. Encourage your student to connect with the library and each other!

Upcoming Library Dates:

Monday, February 22, 1:00pm - 3:30pm: Cougars @ the Curb / Kilmer MS Door #3
Wednesday, March 3, 2:15pm - 4:00pm: Cougars @ the Curb / Kilmer MS Door #3

Afterschool At a Glance:

As a reminder all students must have a completed Kilmer Middle Afterschool General Registration Form on file to participate. Updates, club descriptions and meeting details are located in the Schoology Afterschool Group (access code 2W54-ZSDS-BKJMV). Individual club enrollment requests, descriptions and the Afterschool Activities Calendar are located under Resources. Contact After School Program Specialist, Kimberly Kardelis with questions.

8th Grade Families - The CPP Application 2021-22 is OPEN!

The College Partnership Program (CPP) is designed to assist students traditionally underrepresented in college in exploring, applying and enrolling in college. In accordance with FCPS’ goal to eliminate gaps in opportunity, access, and achievement for all students, CPP focuses on academic advising, college visits, parent engagement and preparation beyond high school.

Apply online through FCPS G-Suite account

Application Deadline: March 19, 2021

Student Notification: Spring 2021
Orientation & Induction: Spring 2021

Students do not need to submit a report card or letter of recommendation.
PDF Version of CPP Application - For REFERENCE ONLY

There are 2 Writing Sample Questions in the application:

If we were to ask your closest friend(s) what your outstanding personal qualities are, what would they say? Why?
What are your short and/or long-term college and career goals? How or why do you need the College Partnership Program to support your high school journey?

Factors for Consideration:

First-generation college student (first in family to attend U.S. institution)
Demonstrates the ability to achieve & maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5
Member of a traditionally underrepresented student groups in college
Demonstrates a willingness to pursue advanced coursework
Demonstrates leadership in school or community activities
Demonstrates a desire to attend college
ANY student can & ALL are welcome to apply

For more information visit the website:

College Partnership Program (CPP)

For help understanding or completing CPP Application:

Kilmer's CPP Advocate

Essay Writing Support Registration Form

*We also have a College & Career Exploration/CPP Google Classroom:Code 6zt7iww

The College Success and Middle School After School Programs will host a virtual Question & Answer session (click the link to register) for families on Mon. March 1st from 5:30- 6:30PM.

CPP supports first-generation college goers (parents did not attend college in the United States) and subgroups that are traditionally underrepresented in higher education (African American, American Indian, Alaska Native, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, English learners, students with disabilities or economically disadvantaged students). Please do not assume that a student is ineligible as we will carefully review eligibility during the application reviewing process.

Northrop Grumman E-Week

Virtual Engineers Week (E-Week) celebrates the fun and excitement of engineering with local students, educators and parents. More information and registration details can be found here.

Feb. 22 Engineers Week Kickoff

Presentation from Naia Butler-Craig, an Aerospace Engineering PhD student, NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Fellow and GEM Fellow at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Feb. 23 Northrop Grumman’s Wildlife Challenge—Operation PolarEye

What started as a weekend Hack-A-Thon brought about a global conservation effort. Northrop Grumman's Wildlife Challenge competition had one goal in mind: find a new way to map ice formations in the Arctic, in hopes of tracking polar bear migration patterns without disturbing their natural habitat.

Feb. 24 Chesapeake Bay Oyster Challenge

Learn how Northrop Grumman employees are developing technology solutions for remote oyster reef monitoring.

Feb. 25 Virtual Tour of Northrop Grumman’s Center for Innovative Solutions

Feb. 26 How We Are Going to the Moon – Engineering for the Artemis Mission

Northrop Grumman engineers share details about the Artemis mission and some of the key components they are working on to make this mission a success.

8100 Wolftrap Road Vienna, VA 22182 | Phone: 703-846-8800

Attendance: 703-846-8888 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

Return to the Building Timeline #6

GovDelivery 1 week 6 days ago

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Thank you to our amazing custodians for getting our building ready for our students’ return to the building. Great job!

A message from Principal, Amy Miller:

Dear Kilmer Families,

February is Black History Month. This month students will explore a curation of Black Excellence through PAWS Advisory. This inquiry based approach highlights contributions including Philanthropy, Citizenship, Innovation, Fine & Visual Arts, Literature and Sports from the Black community. We are looking forward to this engagement of students and staff in the celebration of Black History Month.

This past Wednesday, we sent out information about the new bell schedule that begins for all students on Tuesday, February 16. The new bell schedule and the lunch schedule can be found here. Additional information is below. We also sent out information specific to returning to in-person instruction or virtual instruction.

As we prepare for students to return to the building, Thursday, February 25 and Friday, February 26 have been identified as teacher preparation days. These days will be asynchronous days for students. All students will be assigned asynchronous work for each of their classes.

Sincerely,

Amy Miller, Principal

School Holiday

All schools and offices will be closed Monday, February 15th for the Presidents Day holiday.

New Bell Schedule Starting Tuesday, February 16

FCPS has changed the middle school bell schedule to 7:30 am to 2:00 pm beginning Tuesday, February 16. Below are the adjusted times for each period. Please note that there are now two lunch periods. Students are assigned either A or B lunch based on their 5th and 6th period teachers.Lunch schedules can be found here.

Return to the Building Timeline

We have a small number of students who returned to the building in February. Most of our students who selected in-person learning will return on the following dates:.

March 2 - Grade 8

March 9 - Grade 7

Students who selected to return to the building will be in-person two days a week and virtual two days a week. Students who selected to be fully virtual for this school year will continue virtual instruction four days a week.. Here is the schedule which is based on each student’s last name.

Important Note: Thursday, February 25 and Friday, February 26 have been identified as teacher preparation days. These days will be asynchronous days for students. All students will be assigned asynchronous work for each of their classes.

Course Registration Timeline for 2021-2022

Online Course Requests

2021-2022 Course Registration and Curriculum Resources

Marshall High School Academic Advising Resources and Calendar of Events

Madison High School Academic Advising

Health Screening Commitment Form

As students return to in-person instruction, parents and caregivers are asked to acknowledge a Health Screening Commitment form before their student(s) re-enter school buildings. This document confirms that a parent, caregiver, or guardian will complete a daily health screening and will keep their students home when they are ill. Parents have two options to provide their response, electronically in SIS ParentVUE or via hard copy. All parents can log into SIS Parent Vue to acknowledge and accept the Daily Health Screening Commitment Form. You may have accepted the form already. When you login to ParentVUE, you will be asked to accept the form if you have not done so already. If you do not have a SIS Parent Vue Account, please click here.

Virtual Photo Option

We are partnering with Walsworth, our yearbook publisher, for digital portrait photos to use in the yearbook. All families will receive an email from Walsworth within the next few days with the subject line, “Kilmer - Yearbook Mugshot Capture ” sent from noreply@email.high5.id; please check your spam or junk folders to find the email if you do not see it by the end of next week. You will be able to take a digital photo of your student with either a smart phone or the FCPS provided laptop. If your student had a photo taken in-person with Lifetouch, a digital photo using this link is not recommended.

Please review the photo of your student to ensure that it conforms to the recommendations below.

Kilmer Pantry

Thank you to our community for your continued support of our food pantry. We have several easy ways to donate, if you can help.

Cash Donations:

If you would like to make a cash donation and let the PTA do the shopping for you, please Donate at Pay4School.

Drop Off Locations:

Several of our PTA members will have plastic collection bins at their homes and you can do a contactless drop off any day/time that works for you. Bins are located at: 2311 Malraux Dr. and 9428 Delancey Dr.

If you would like to drop off items at Kilmer, we are collecting donations through a drive-thru collection on Mondays from 3:00 – 5:00 pm

Online Purchases:

You are also invited to donate non-perishable food items by direct shipping from Amazon, Target, Walmart, or wherever you shop (send to the attention of Debra David at Kilmer). The Amazon WishList includes a list of suggested food items to donate.

Food donation requests include:

Rice, beans, canned tuna, shelf-stable milk, wheat flour, corn masa flour, sugar, cooking oil, juice, crackers, raisins, cereal, oatmeal, breakfast bars, microwave popcorn, granola bars, instant individual macaroni and cheese, Ramen noodles, snacks, etc…

Household and personal donation requests include:

Toothpaste, bar soap, dish soap, laundry soap, individually wrapped rolls of paper towels, and small packages of toilet paper.

We are grateful for the support of our Kilmer Community.

If you wish your family to receive food, please contact your child’s counselor.

What’s on the Shelf: News from the Kilmer Library

We want to highlight two upcoming author events of interest!

Join Jason Reynolds and Dr. Ibram Kendi on Wednesday, February 17, 7pm-8pm, as they discuss their collaboration on Stamped: Remix: Racism, Antiracism and You, a young adult adaptation of Dr. Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. This FREE virtual event is hosted by Chesterfield County Public Library, but is open to all who register.

Meet award-winning Author Kwame Alexander in a live, virtual event hosted by the Fairfax County Public Library on Monday, February 22, 2:30-3:15pm. FREE, but registration is required! Alexander has written The Crossover (Newbery Medal), Booked, Solo, Rebound, Swing, and more.

Upcoming Kilmer Library Dates:

Thursday, February 18, 5:00pm-7:00pm: Cougars @ the Curb / Kilmer MS Door #3
Monday, February 22, 1:00pm-3:30pm: Cougars @ the Curb / Kilmer MS Door #3

Afterschool At a Glance

8th Grade Families - The CPP Application 2021-22 is OPEN!

Apply online through FCPS G-Suite account

Application Deadline: March 19, 2021

Student Notification: Spring 2021
Orientation & Induction: Spring 2021

Students do not need to submit a report card or letter of recommendation.
PDF Version of CPP Application - For REFERENCE ONLY

There are 2 Writing Sample Questions in the application:

If we were to ask your closest friend(s) what your outstanding personal qualities are, what would they say? Why?
What are your short and/or long-term college and career goals? How or why do you need the College Partnership Program to support your high school journey?

Factors for Consideration:

First-generation college student (first in family to attend U.S. institution)
Demonstrates the ability to achieve & maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5
Member of a traditionally underrepresented student groups in college
Demonstrates a willingness to pursue advanced coursework
Demonstrates leadership in school or community activities
Demonstrates a desire to attend college
ANY student can & ALL are welcome to apply

For more information visit the website:

College Partnership Program (CPP)

For help understanding or completing CPP Application:

Kilmer's CPP Advocate

Essay Writing Support Registration Form

*We also have a College & Career Exploration/CPP Google Classroom:Code 6zt7iww

The College Success and Middle School After School Programs will host a virtual Question & Answer session (click the link to register) for families on Mon. March 1st from 5:30- 6:30PM.

Northrop Grumman E-Week

Virtual Engineers Week (E-Week) celebrates the fun and excitement of engineering with local students, educators and parents. More information and registration details can be found here.

Feb. 22 Engineers Week Kickoff

Presentation from Naia Butler-Craig, an Aerospace Engineering PhD student, NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Fellow and GEM Fellow at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Feb. 23 Northrop Grumman’s Wildlife Challenge—Operation PolarEye

Feb. 24 Chesapeake Bay Oyster Challenge

Learn how Northrop Grumman employees are developing technology solutions for remote oyster reef monitoring.

Feb. 25 Virtual Tour of Northrop Grumman’s Center for Innovative Solutions

Feb. 26 How We Are Going to the Moon – Engineering for the Artemis Mission

Northrop Grumman engineers share details about the Artemis mission and some of the key components they are working on to make this mission a success.

8100 Wolftrap Road Vienna, VA 22182 | Phone: 703-846-8800

Attendance: 703-846-8888 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

Mondays PAWS Advisory #5

GovDelivery 2 weeks 6 days ago

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

We are pleased to welcome our first group of students back in to the building!

A message from Principal, Amy Miller:

Dear Kilmer Families,

This past week (February 1 - February 5) was National School Counseling Week. We would like to thank our amazing school counseling team for all of their support for our students and families. Thank you Ms. Kestler, Ms. Khoury, Ms. Schmitt, and Mr. Sirdofsky! We are so fortunate to have you as part of the Kilmer Team.

At the February 2nd School Board Meeting, the School Board approved Dr. Brabrand’s Return to School Timeline.

Student Groups

Student In-Person Start Dates

Intervention Cohorts

January 26

Group 1-4: Select CTE and Spec. Ed.

February 16 (New Bell Schedule Starts)

Group 5: PreK-K and Spec.Ed.

February 23

Group 8: Grades 8, 9, 12

March 2

Group 8: Grades 7, 10, 11

March 9

Starting Tuesday, February 16th, the middle school start and end times will be 7:30-2:00. We will adjust the transition times so that no class instructional time is lost with this change. We will send out the updated full day schedule via enotify by next Wednesday.

Sincerely,

Amy Miller, Principal

Monday Attendance Reminder

All students need to login to their PAWS Advisory Schoology Site on Mondays and complete the Google attendance form that is posted in the banner. We ask that students do this by 9:30 AM.

Course Registration Timeline for 2021-2022

Spring Registration Events and Dates

Wednesday, Feb. 10

Marshall HS Counselors will speak with Eighth Grade Students attending Marshall HS for ninth grade during PAWS Advisory. Students will access this virtual meeting via the All Students Course in Schoology.

Marshall High School Academic Advising Resources and Calendar of Events

Seventh Grade Students will participate in a course registration lesson on Wednesday, February 10th during PAWS Advisory. At this time, students will enter their eighth grade courses into StudentVue.

Prior to this lesson, parents and students are encouraged to explore our 2021-2022 Course Registration and Curriculum Resources on the Kilmer website including the 2021-2022 course catalogue and curriculum videos created by our Kilmer teachers.

Feb – March

All students will participate in academic advising to select courses for the 2021-2022 school year. School counselors will meet one on one with students during counselor office hours on Mondays and PAWS advisory.

2021-2022 Course Registration and Curriculum Resources

Marshall High School Academic Advising Resources and Calendar of Events

Madison High School Academic Advising

Community Night

Mark your calendars! Our 1st Community Night will be on Thursday, February 11th at 7pm and will be a Kilmer Trivia Night. It will include Kilmer specific questions as well as pop culture questions created by students. This is a great opportunity for students and their families to come together in a fun way. Additional information on the link will be provided closer to the date. Students will access the evening starting at 6:45 with the “Community Night” BBCU link in the All Students Course in Schoology (page 13).

Online Application for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Opens February 1; Deadline to Apply Is February 26

The online application for students interested in applying for admission to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST), a Regional Governor’s School in Fairfax County focused on science and technology, is available beginning Monday, February 1, at 8 a.m. The application will be posted on the admissions web page.

The Fairfax County School Board approved changes to the admissions process that will be used to select students for the class of 2025. The changes include using a comprehensive review aimed at improving diversity and access.

Qualified applicants will be enrolled in Honors Algebra or beyond, Honors Science, and one other honors course (waivers available for honors requirements this year only), along with achieving a core grade point average of 3.5. Applicants will also complete a Student Portrait Sheet and problem-solving essay, which will be administered later this spring and are not a part of the initial application.

Applications must be submitted by Friday, February 26, at 4 p.m. Visit the TJHSST admissions website for more information.

What’s on the Shelf: News from the Kilmer Library

Did you know that the Fairfax County Public Library has great activities and online programs for students? Upcoming events include a Black History Month Teen Art Contest, a Dungeons & Dragons Role Playing Club, an Online Coding Club, a Teen Otaku Club (for fans of anime and manga), and more! You can view the public library calendar in its entirety here!

Upcoming Kilmer Library Dates:

Monday, February 8, 1:00pm-3:30pm: Cougars @ the Curb / Kilmer MS Door #3
Friday, February 12, 10:35am-11:10am: “Among Us” Lunch / KMS Library Schoology
Thursday, February 18, 5:00pm-7:00pm: Cougars @ the Curb / Kilmer MS Door #3

Portrait Photos

If you purchased a photo packet when your student had their photo taken with Lifetouch in December or January, they should be delivered to Kilmer within the next 4 weeks. We will include announcements in the News You Choose on when and where they can be picked up. If you would like to retake a photo and did not have the opportunity to come to school for the in-person photos, our make-up day will be Wednesday, March 17th.

In addition, we will soon have an option for digital photos to be submitted. Information will be sent out within the next few weeks.

KILMER PANTRY

Thank you to our community for your continued support of our food pantry. We have several easy ways to donate, if you can help.

Cash Donations:

If you would like to make a cash donation and let the PTA do the shopping for you, please Donate at Pay4School.

Drop Off Locations:

If you would like to drop off items at Kilmer, we are collecting donations through a drive-thru collection on Mondays from 3:00 – 5:00 pm

Online Purchases:

Food donation requests include:

Household and personal donation requests include:

Toothpaste, bar soap, dish soap, laundry soap, individually wrapped rolls of paper towels, and small packages of toilet paper.

We are grateful for the support of our Kilmer Community.

If you wish your family to receive food, please contact your child’s counselor.

8100 Wolftrap Road Vienna, VA 22182 | Phone: 703-846-8800

Attendance: 703-846-8888 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

Course Registration - Corrected Links #4

GovDelivery 3 weeks 6 days ago

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Corrected Links for Course Registration Timeline for 2021-2022

Spring Registration Events and Dates

Thursday, Feb. 4, 6pm

Virtual Rising Seventh Grade Curriculum Night for Parents and Students: The event will begin with a live presentation via BBCU (Blackboard Collaborate Ultra) for parents and students. After the presentation, parents and students will be encouraged to explore our 2021-2022 Course Registration and Curriculum Resources on the Kilmer website including the 2021-2022 course catalogue and curriculum videos created by our Kilmer teachers.

Wednesday, Feb. 10

Marshall HS Counselors will speak with Eighth Grade Students attending Marshall HS for ninth grade during PAWS Advisory. Students will access this virtual meeting via the All Students Course in Schoology.

Marshall High School Academic Advising Resources and Calendar of Events

Seventh Grade Students will participate in a course registration lesson on Wednesday, February 10th during PAWS Advisory. At this time, students will enter their eighth grade courses into StudentVue.

Feb – March

All students will participate in academic advising to select courses for the 2021-2022 school year. School counselors will meet one on one with students during counselor office hours on Mondays and PAWS advisory.

2021-2022 Course Registration and Curriculum Resources

Marshall High School Academic Advising Resources and Calendar of Events

Madison High School Academic Advising

8100 Wolftrap Road Vienna, VA 22182 | Phone: 703-846-8800

Attendance: 703-846-8888 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

Proposed Return to School Timeline #4

GovDelivery 3 weeks 6 days ago

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

It was great to see our teachers in the building receiving our appreciation gifts!

A message from Principal, Amy Miller:

Dear Kilmer Families,

Congratulations to Sheryl Jones, Eighth Grade Science Teacher! Mrs. Jones was selected as the Outstanding Secondary Teacher to represent the Marshall Pyramid!

Last Friday, Dr. Brabrand shared the updated proposed Return to School Timeline.

The next School Board Meeting is on Tuesday, February 2nd. Following this meeting, we will share dates for a Return to School Parent Information Session, Student Orientation, and details in regard to the new bell schedule.

Starting today, I am holding Friday lunch groups. Any student is invited to join me for lunch at 10:35 and share how their year is going, ask any questions they have, or just chat about a topic of the students’ choice. I will be in my office hours in Schoology for this lunch group. I have invited students through the school announcements and on Schoology. I hope to see your student there!

Sincerely,

Amy Miller, Principal

Course Registration Timeline for 2021-2022

2nd Quarter Report Cards

SIS ParentVue and SIS StudentVue Gradebook and Report Card Modules will be unavailable Friday, January 22 at 4pm until Saturday, January 30 at 6am in order for teachers to finalize second quarter grades. After January 30, 2nd Quarter Report cards will be visible in SIS StudentVue and ParentVue. A copy of your child’s report card will also be mailed home the week of Feb 1.

Online Application for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Opens February 1; Deadline to Apply Is February 26

The online application for students interested in applying for admission to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST), a Regional Governor’s School in Fairfax County focused on science and technology, will be available beginning Monday, February 1, at 8 a.m. The application will be posted on the admissions web page.

Applications must be submitted by Friday, February 26, at 4 p.m. Visit the TJHSST admissions website for more information.

Community Night

Mark your calendars! Our 1st Community Night will be on Thursday, February 11th at 7pm and will be a Kilmer Trivia Night. It will include Kilmer specific questions as well as pop culture questions created by students. This is a great opportunities for students and their families to come together in a fun way. Additional information on the link will be provided closer to the date.

Meal Distribution Update: Many Grab and Go Sites Switching to Weekly Meal Kits

Starting this week, many of the FCPS Grab and Go food distribution sites are switching from daily food pickup to weekly Fairfax Meal Kit distribution. Fairfax Meal Kits contain seven days of breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, and supper (at certain sites) items packed in bulk. The meal kits will be available for pick up every Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or until supplies are exhausted. Bus route pickups remain unchanged.

Go to the Food Distribution website to see if your meal site is changing.

During January and February, these sites will also be distributing fresh, local fruits and vegetables. Families that pick up no-cost meals will also be provided a fresh fruit or vegetable sourced from a local farm for each child, along with an activity sheet and recipe for that item. The item will vary each week, and will be available on the following dates:

January 27
February 3, 10, 17

As a reminder, it is important to follow social distancing guidelines. Be sure to stand a minimum of 6 feet apart from others and practice regular hand washing, including prior to leaving a residence to pick-up meals, upon returning home, and before consuming food. Please wear a mask when picking up the meal kits.

Kilmer Pantry

Thank you to our community for your continued support of our food pantry. We have several easy ways to donate, if you can help.

CASH DONATIONS:

If you would like to make a cash donation and let the PTA do the shopping for you, please Donate at Pay4School.

DROP OFF LOCATIONS:

If you would like to drop off items at Kilmer, we are collecting donations through a drive-thru collection on Mondays from 3:00 – 5:00 pm

ONLINE PURCHASES:

Food donation requests include:

Household and personal donation requests include:

Toothpaste, bar soap, dish soap, laundry soap, individually wrapped rolls of paper towels, and small packages of toilet paper.

We are grateful for the support of our Kilmer Community.

If you wish your family to receive food, please contact your child’s counselor.

Yearbook Portraits

We have rescheduled our Picture Day to Wednesday, February 3rd from 3-6pm. Lifetouch has sent appointment emails to all families as well. If you don’t hear from them, please use this link to sign up: https://booknow.appointment-plus.com/ct9csxex/. A make-up day will be held in mid-March. Photos will take place in the gym with required health and safety guidelines. All students must wear a mask except when their photo is taken. Upon arriving at the Kilmer campus, parents should park around the bus loop and remain in their car until their student is finished (~5 minutes). Students will begin the photo process with the Health Screening Station at the school entrance by the trailers at the back of the parking lot. We will have people out directing traffic and showing students where to go. Photo packets can be ordered online on mylifetouch.com using the Picture Day ID EVTMG9K3D.

If school buildings are closed on Wednesday, Feb. 3rd due to inclement weather, the photo day will be postponed.

Kilmer 2020-2021 Yearbook

Have you purchased your copy of the yearbook yet? Yes, Kilmer is going to have a yearbook this year! Yearbooks can be purchased online by clicking this link: https://tinyurl.com/kmsyearbook2021.

If you want to personalize your yearbook with a name stamp, then you must place your order by Saturday, January 30! Orders will still be accepted after this date, but you will no longer have the ability to have your yearbook personalized.

Afterschool At a Glance:

8th Grade Families -

The CPP Application 2021-22 is OPEN!

Apply online through FCPS G-Suite account

Application Deadline: March 19, 2021

Student Notification: Spring 2021
Orientation & Induction: Spring 2021

Students do not need to submit a report card or letter of recommendation.
PDF Version of CPP Application - For REFERENCE ONLY

There are 2 Writing Sample Questions in the application:

If we were to ask your closest friend(s) what your outstanding personal qualities are, what would they say? Why?
What are your short and/or long-term college and career goals? How or why do you need the College Partnership Program to support your high school journey?

Factors for Consideration:

First-generation college student (first in family to attend U.S. institution)
Demonstrates the ability to achieve & maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5
Member of a traditionally underrepresented student groups in college
Demonstrates a willingness to pursue advanced coursework
Demonstrates leadership in school or community activities
Demonstrates a desire to attend college
ANY student can & ALL are welcome to apply

For more information visit the website:

College Partnership Program (CPP)

For help understanding or completing CPP Application:

Kilmer's CPP Advocate

CPP supports first-generation college goers ( parents did not attend college in the United States) and subgroups that are traditionally underrepresented in higher education (African American, American Indian, Alaska Native, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, English learners, students with disabilities or economically disadvantaged students). Please do not assume that a student is ineligible as we will carefully review eligibility during the application reviewing process.

Building Leaders for Advancing Science and Technology offers an exciting way for rising 9th and 10th grade students to spend three days of summer!

BLAST Summer Program for Rising 9th and 10th Graders

Application Deadline: Monday, February 8th

Participating students get to stay in a college dorm and see what campus life is like on-site at one of our three partner universities: Old Dominion University, Virginia Tech, or the University of Virginia. Each day of BLAST is jam-packed with science, technology, engineering, and math-related (STEM) activities and demonstrations led by faculty of the university. Students come away from BLAST with a greater sense of curiosity, deeper insight about the variety of careers that exist in STEM, and enhanced readiness for advanced STEM programs.

Use the link above to watch videos from past BLAST sessions. You will find more information about the program, as well as the online application, through the tabs above.

The BLAST program is a partnership between the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, Old Dominion University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

8100 Wolftrap Road Vienna, VA 22182 | Phone: 703-846-8800

Attendance: 703-846-8888 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

Second Semester Schedules begin Tuesday, January 26 #3

GovDelivery 1 month ago

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Excited to see our teachers practicing Concurrent Teaching!

A message from Principal, Amy Miller:

Dear Kilmer Families,

We are excited to kick-off the start of third quarter with Kilmer Spirit Week next week (January 26-January 29). We will start the week by celebrating the Kilmer community by wearing the Kilmer colors - blue and green! Please see below for the daily themes for Kilmer Spirit Week.

Starting in February we will be holding monthly Kilmer Community Events. These will provide opportunities for students and their families to come together in a fun way. Our first event will be a Kilmer Trivia night. We will be sending out details at the beginning of February.

Thank you so much for all the donations to the food pantry. Your generosity and care is so appreciated!

Monday, January 25 is a teacher work day and a student holiday. We will see your students for their synchronous classes on Tuesday, January 26.

Sincerely,

Amy Miller

Principal

2nd Quarter Report Cards

Second Semester Schedules in StudentVue, New Courses in Schoology!

Semester two schedules are now visible in SIS StudentVue. Go to the classes tab and semester two classes will say S2. On Tuesday, 1/26, students will begin their second semester classes. Students will have access to these new semester classes in Schoology as well. Please make sure you look for the “semester 2” label on the course tile in your “My Courses” dropdown. ALL students will need to look for their NEW semester 2 Health and PE course. Semester 1 health and PE Courses are no longer active. If you are in two year long electives (for example, Spanish 1 and Orchestra), health and PE will be your only new class.

Students will be able to see semester 1 classes in Schoology until 1/29, but these classes are no longer active. After 1/29, semester 1 classes will no longer be visible in Schoology.

In a few instances, students may have more than 12 courses listed in Schoology. If this happens, a course might not show up on the tiled dropdown. Students can access the correct course by going to the “My Courses” link in the top right corner of the tiled dropdown. See this video for instructions on how to re-order and prioritize your courses.

2nd Quarter Report Cards

Kilmer SPIRIT Days

Let’s start the second semester off right by having some fun and showing our Kilmer spirit with our first official virtual spirit week. We can’t wait to see your school spirit!

What’s on the Shelf: News from the Kilmer Library

Did you know that the Fairfax County Public Library has a Winter Reading Challenge? Register as an individual or as a family, log your reading minutes, and win a badge for every 20 minutes you read! There are also other activities to complete to earn badges as part of the challenge. Stay cozy, start reading, and sign up today!

Upcoming Library Dates:

Monday, January 25, 1pm to 3:30pm, Cougars @ the Curb (curbside checkout)
Friday, January 29, 10:35 to 11:10am, “Among Us” Lunch in Schoology

8100 Wolftrap Road Vienna, VA 22182 | Phone: 703-846-8800

Attendance: 703-846-8888 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

January holidays and early release #2

GovDelivery 1 month 1 week ago

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Kilmer Strong No Matter the Distance

A message from Principal, Amy Miller:

Dear Kilmer Families,

I hope this message finds you well. This week a cross-curricular Book Title Selection Committee met to begin the work of enhancing the book selection available in the Kilmer bookroom. The purpose of the committee is to select a diverse range of books to enhance instruction and student engagement. This committee will be meeting over the next several weeks to analyze what is currently available in our school and to recommend additional titles. Our goal is to add approximately three titles per student to our bookroom. We are excited for this work and are looking forward to getting our students engaged with the literature we will be adding to our current selection.

The Kilmer Administrative Team enjoyed visiting classes the past two weeks. As we joined some of the small breakout groups it was exciting to see students with cameras on as they worked together. In science, we saw teacher demonstrations focused on density and interesting connections to how density supports the sorting of materials to be recycled. Eighth Grade English students are working on paragraphs with assertions, commentary, and evidence and it was fun to join Creative Writing class where students were developing “exploding sentences” to add action to their writing.

Next week. we have two student holidays (January 18 and January 20) and an early release day (January 22). On Friday, January 22nd the students will attend periods 2, 6, and 8. They will not attend 4th periods PAWS advisory. Please see below for the bell schedule.

Sincerely,

Amy Miller

Principal

January 22 - Two Hour Early Release

Below is the below schedule for Friday, January 22.

Course Registration Timeline for 2021-2022

Yearbook Portraits

We have rescheduled our Picture Day that was cancelled on December 17th to Wednesday, February 3rd from 3-6pm. Lifetouch will send appointment emails to all families as well. If you did not receive an email, the link to sign up is https://booknow.appointment-plus.com/ct9csxex/. A make-up day will be held in mid-March. Photos will take place in the gym and hallway with required health and safety guidelines. All students must wear a mask except when their photo is taken. Upon arriving at the Kilmer campus, parents should park around the bus loop and remain in their car until their student is finished (~5 minutes). Students will begin the photo process with the Health Screening Station at the school entrance by the trailers at the back of the parking lot. We will have people out directing traffic and showing students where to go. Photo packets can be ordered online on mylifetouch.com using the Picture Day ID EVTMG9K3D.

Kilmer SPIRIT Days

Let’s start the second semester off right by having some fun and showing our Kilmer spirit with our first official virtual spirit week. We can’t wait to see your school spirit!

What’s on the Shelf: News from the Kilmer Library

One site we love is Wonderopolis -- every day, they post an intriguing question and explore it in different ways -- there are thousands of questions available to explore! Everything from “What is Pig Latin?” to “Why Can’t we See Ultraviolet Light?” to “What is Pascal’s Triangle?” and more. Get lost in wonder and inquiry!

Upcoming Library Dates:

Thursday, January 21, 5pm - 7pm: Cougars @ the Curb (curbside checkout)
Friday, January 25, 1pm - 3:30pm: Cougars @ the Curb (curbside checkout)

Learn more about our curbside checkout service.

Afterschool At a Glance:

Contact After School Program Specialist, Kimberly Kardelis with questions.

Building Leaders for Advancing Science and Technology offers an exciting way for rising 9th and 10th grade students to spend three days of summer!

BLAST Summer Program for Rising 9th and 10th Graders

Application Deadline: Monday, February 8th

Use the link above to watch videos from past BLAST sessions. You will find more information about the program, as well as the online application, through the tabs above.

The BLAST program is a partnership between the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, Old Dominion University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

8100 Wolftrap Road Vienna, VA 22182 | Phone: 703-846-8800

Attendance: 703-846-8888 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

Update on Return to School plan #1

GovDelivery 1 month 2 weeks ago

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

A message from Principal, Amy Miller:

Dear Kilmer Families,

I hope you all had a restful winter break. We are excited to see our students back in our classes and to be starting 2021 together.

This past Wednesday (January 6) Dr. Brabrand sent an update to the community based on the outcomes from the January 5th School Board Meeting. Below are some important points from the communication:

Current community transmission of COVID-19 in Fairfax County remains high. After discussing the plan with the School Board and hearing from many parents and staff, we are going to continue to pause the plan to bring students and staff back into school buildings. Dr. Brabrand will provide an update on the Return to School plan to the School Board on Tuesday, February 2.
We will not be moving to the new bell schedule on January 12. We will continue to use the current bell schedule until we have a revised Return to School schedule. We will communicate any future changes to the bell schedule in advance.
Monday, January 11 will remain an independent (asynchronous) learning day for students and a teacher preparation day.

Students will login into their PAWS Advisory Schoology Site and complete the Google attendance form that will be posted in the banner. We ask that students do this by 9:30 AM.

During PAWS Advisory this month teachers will engage students in one on one check-in conferences. We are looking forward to hearing from each one of our students.

Sincerely,

Amy Miller

Principal

Schoology Survey

Thank you for participating in our Schoology pilot year. We would like you to take a short survey about your experience. Your answers will help us make any necessary improvements as we prepare all FCPS schools to begin using Schoology in the 2021-22 school year. The survey will take between 5-10 minutes to complete.

Please complete the survey by Friday, January 15th.

Survey link: Family Pilot Year Schoology Feedback

Thank you for your valuable time and important ideas.

Thomas Jefferson High School Application Window

The TJHSST application will open for 8th grade students to apply from February 1 at 8:00 am through February 26 at 4:00 pm. Please visit www.tjadmissions.org for information regarding the application process and eligibility requirements. Questions can be directed to your child’s school counselor.

TJ Diversity Talk

The PTSA Diversity Committee of the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) is launching a series of Diversity Talks webinars in January! This series is especially for elementary and middle school students in grades 4-8. Join us to hear from people working in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. What sparked their interest in STEM? What did they study in school? What kinds of jobs do they do? What else would you like to know?

Mark your calendars for Monday, January 11, at 6 p.m. to hear the first speakers of our Diversity Talk series: Suresh Shenoy, Neena Shenoy and Nikhil Shenoy. Suresh Shenoy, a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology, is a business leader and philanthropist who has contributed deeply to many aspects of the northern Virginia community. He was executive vice president at Alyx Technologies Inc., a Virginia-based consulting and technology services company. Mr. Shenoy was a founding member of the Thomas Jefferson Partnership Fund and served on its board until 2002. Neena Shenoy is a Mechanical Engineer (Tufts University 1981 and MIT 1985) and founder of Technology & Engineering providing engineering services. She was involved in designing aircraft engines for GE and worked on the Space Shuttle program for NASA designing and installing Special Payloads. She has also provided program management in start up businesses here and in India. Nikhil Shenoy graduated from TJHSST in 2002, MIT in 2006 and the University of Chicago in 2014. After working at Goldman Sachs, Proctor and Gamble, and Kastle Systems, he is now CEO of Colvin Run Networks, a company that he started in northern Virginia to offer artificial intelligence and blockchain solutions to governments.

Parents, register at this Zoom link: https://bit.ly/TJDiversityTalk1

Submit questions in advance here: https://bit.ly/tjdiversitytalks

Yearbook Portraits

We have rescheduled our Picture Day that was cancelled on December 17th to Wednesday, February 3rd from 3-6pm. Lifetouch will send appointment emails to all families as well. A make-up day will be held in mid-March. Photos will take place in the gym and hallway with required health and safety guidelines. All students must wear a mask except when their photo is taken. Upon arriving at the Kilmer campus, parents should park around the bus loop and remain in their car until their student is finished (~5 minutes). Students will begin the photo process with the Health Screening Station at the school entrance by the trailers at the back of the parking lot. We will have people out directing traffic and showing students where to go. Photo packets can be ordered online on mylifetouch.com using the Picture Day ID EVTMG9K3D

National Junior Honor Society

Kilmer’s NJHS expects a strong commitment to service from our candidates. Developing a service learning project relevant to candidate interests, collaborating with other NJHS candidates, reflecting on and responding to real community needs are all part of the Kilmer service learning process. By January 20, candidates are asked to complete the two Stage 1: Investigation Schoology activities and participate in the December 10, 2020, all candidate meeting (or alternate activity in Schoology) in order to maintain candidacy. We are set to move forward into Stage 2: Plan.

The next all candidate meeting is after school on January 28 in the NJHS BBCU link. Kilmer’s NJHS is ready to Make a Difference!

National Junior Honor Society Gallery Walk and Induction Ceremony

Kilmer’s National Junior Honor Society will host a virtual Service Learning Gallery and Induction Ceremony in May 2021 for parents, community members and students. Stay tuned for this exciting evening which will showcase NJHS candidates and their service learning projects. More details will be announced in the months ahead.

Kilmer Pantry

Thank you to our community for your continued support of our food pantry. Through your generosity, we were able to provide several bags of food to more than 35 families.

We are collecting items through a drive thru donation every Monday from 3:00 – 5:00 pm.

In addition, families are invited to donate non-perishable food items by direct shipping from Amazon, Target, Walmart, or wherever you shop (send to the attention of Debra David at Kilmer). This Amazon WishList includes a list of potential items to donate.

Donation requests include: pasta sauce, canned tomatoes, pasta, rice, beans, cereal, oatmeal, cooking oil, peanut butter, crackers, granola bars, canned fruit/applesauce, canned tuna, canned veggies, instant macaroni and cheese. In addition, household items including paper towels, toothpaste, washing machine pods, dish soap and bar soap are also needed.

We are grateful for the support of our Kilmer Community.

If you wish your family to receive food, please contact your child’s counselor.

What’s on the Shelf: News from the Kilmer Library

Thoughtful, well-developed search skills are so important in this era where information is everywhere. Encourage your student to sharpen their critical thinking and web searching abilities by playing A Google A Day -- an online game in which the player solves a lateral thinking game by searching Google.

Key Upcoming Library Dates:

Monday, January 11, 1:00pm - 3:30pm: Cougars @ the Curb (curbside checkout hours)
Thursday, January 21, 5:00pm - 7:00pm: Cougars @ the Curb (curbside checkout hours)
Monday, January 25, 1:00pm - 3:30pm: Cougars @ the Curb (curbside checkout hours)

Afterschool At a Glance:

8100 Wolftrap Road Vienna, VA 22182 | Phone: 703-846-8800

Attendance: 703-846-8888 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

Bell Schedule Update #16

GovDelivery 2 months 1 week ago

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Wishing you a wonderful and healthy holiday season!

A message from Principal, Amy Miller:

Dear Kilmer Community,

Thank you so much to the PTA and the entire Kilmer community for showing your appreciation of the Kilmer Staff with the December gift card appreciation. Despite the cold rain on Monday, the PTA participated in our drive thru appreciation so our staff could receive their gift cards. Thank you for your generosity and support. It means a lot to us!

During the Thursday, December 10th School Board Meeting, Dr. Brabrand presented the “Return to School Update,” which included updates to when staff and students will return to the building. The proposed dates are January 26th for seventh grade students and February 2nd for eighth grade students. Please note these dates are tentative and subject to change. In addition, the presentation included a proposed change in bell schedule. Since the presentation on December 10th, FCPS worked to improve the proposed bell schedule times. As shared in an enotify sent earlier today, the middle school start and end times will be 7:30-2:00 starting Tuesday, January 12th. We will be adjusting the transition times so that no class instructional time is lost with this change. We will send out the updated full day schedule soon. The School Board is meeting again on January 5, 2021.We will share with the Kilmer Community any decisions that are made following this meeting.

I hope the winter break brings everyone a chance to rest, relax, and recharge. Please take care of yourselves and each other. Be safe!

Sincerely,

Amy Miller

Principal

Mental Health Safety and Wellness tips to share with your child:

Make sure you know what to do if you or a friend needs support over winter break. Not sure if it’s a crisis? Click this link to determine if it is a crisis or concern.

If you are concerned about your safety or someone else’s during winter break:

If it’s a life-threatening emergency, always call 911

Get help from a parent/caregiver or trusted adult IMMEDIATELY

DO NOT email or message school staff or wait to tell someone at school

The following crisis numbers are also available to assist you at any time:

Asynchronous Mondays start January 4

As we prepare to return students to the building we will be transitioning Mondays to full independent learning days starting Monday, January 4. On Mondays, students will engage in asynchronous work assigned by their teachers. Starting January 4, students will no longer attend the PAWS Advisory class on Mondays. However, we are mandated to take attendance on Mondays so every student will need to login into his/her PAWS Advisory Schoology Site and complete the Google form that will be posted in the banner. We ask that students do this by 9:30 AM.

Winter Break Is December 21 to January 1, 2021

As a reminder, this year winter break starts on December 21 and ends on January 1, 2021. Synchronous classes will resume on Tuesday, January 5, 2021. Monday, January 4, 2021, is an asynchronous independent work day for students.

https://www.fcps.edu/calendars/2020-21-standard-school-year-calendar?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=

Kilmer Middle School offices will be closed during the Winter break.

Grab and Go Meals for Winter Break

Fairfax County Public Schools is providing all students access to meals during the FCPS Winter Break. The following plan will be in place from Friday, December 18 through Wednesday, January 6, 2021.

Return to School Resources

A Family Guide for 2020-21 Return to School

The information in this guide will help families know what to expect as children return to school. The guide includes steps families will need to take at home in preparation for the return to school. Please take time to review the information.

Afterschool At a Glance:

What’s on the Shelf: News from the Kilmer Library

If your family needs books over winter break, don’t forget about the Fairfax County Public Library! All FCPS students have LEAP accounts at the public library, making it easy to check out up to three print items at a time for 6 weeks each. A student only needs their name, not a physical library card, to check out materials and LEAP accounts NEVER charge fines or fees. More about LEAP, including information in Arabaic, Chinese, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

And if you’re looking for fun family activities over break, check out Escape Room Kilmer! We’ve pulled together a bunch of free digital escape rooms from around the web -- choose one, work together, solve clues and escape!

8100 Wolftrap Road Vienna, VA 22182 | Phone: 703-846-8800

Attendance: 703-846-8888 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

Return to School #15

GovDelivery 2 months 2 weeks ago

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Kilmer team prepares and plans for return to school.

A message from Principal, Amy Miller:

Dear Kilmer Families,

Every year, FCPS facilitates an Outstanding Employee Recognition Program. Below are the Kilmer Staff members who have been nominated by their colleagues as outstanding employees.

Sheryl Jones, Outstanding Teacher

Michelle Lyttle, Outstanding Leader

Charlene Horne, Outstanding Professional Employee

It is an honor to be recognized as an outstanding employee and the work of these employees reflects the hardwork and dedication of our entire Kilmer Staff.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the November Crosstown Cup. We are excited that we had over 400 entries and are proud to have won the cup for the month of November. The competition continues in December so keep logging those exercises. You can find the form here.

Sincerely,

Amy Miller, Principal

Winter Break Is December 21 to January 1, 2021

https://www.fcps.edu/calendars/2020-21-standard-school-year-calendar?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=

Asynchronous Mondays start January 4

What’s on the Shelf: News from the Kilmer Library

Winter break is a wonderful time to step back from the screen a bit and pick up a book! We have a few more opportunities for curbside checkout over the next week. Cougars @ the Curb will be open on Monday, December 14 from 1:00pm to 3:30pm and on Thursday, December 17 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. If your child is signed up for student pictures on Thursday evening, why not put a few books on hold and combine it with curbside library checkout? More info on our Cougars @ the Curb program: http://tinyurl.com/courgarscurb

In other news, School Library Journal has released its Best Books 2020 list! Explore a great selection of titles for readers who love everything from picture books to young adult books, graphic novels to non-fiction.

Yearbook Portraits

Please sign up to get your portrait taken. Students have two options to include a portrait in our yearbook.

As noted in last week’s News You Choose, all families received a communication from Lifetouch last week for an appointment on Photo Day - Thursday, December 17 from 3-7pm. If you did not receive an email, the link to sign up is https://booknow.appointment-plus.com/ckhqrh94. A make-up day will be held in February. Photos will take place in the gym and hallway with required health and safety guidelines. All students must wear a mask except when their photo is taken. Upon arriving at the Kilmer campus, parents should park around the bus loop and remain in their car until their student is finished (~5 minutes). Students will begin the photo process with the Health Screening Station at the school entrance by the trailers at the back of the parking lot. We will have people out directing traffic and showing students where to go.

Order by December 17th on mylifetouch.com using the Picture Day ID EVTFQNSJC

2. We are also working with our yearbook publisher, Walsworth, to use a downloadable app in order to take portraits with plain backgrounds. This app will also be used to send in photos directly from families. More information to come within the next few weeks.

Kilmer Pantry

We continue to replenish our food pantry with non-perishable food items for our families in need. We will have our first distribution to more than 35 families next week.

We are collecting items through a drive thru donation every Monday from 3:00 – 5:00 pm. We look forward to seeing you next Monday, December 14th.

In addition families are invited to donate non-perishable food items by direct shipping from Amazon, Target, Walmart, or wherever you shop (send to the attention of Debra David at Kilmer). This Amazon WishList includes a list of potential items to donate.

Donation requests include: Pasta sauce, canned tomatoes, pasta, rice, beans, cereal, oatmeal, cooking oil, peanut butter, crackers, microwave popcorn, granola bars, canned fruit/applesauce, canned tuna, canned veggies, instant macaroni and cheese.

We are grateful for the support of our Kilmer Community and are hopeful to see you at one of our Monday drive thru donation times.

If you want your family to receive food, please contact your child’s counselor.

Photos to include in Kilmer’s Yearbook

Did you take pictures of the first day of “virtual” school? Did you have photos of playing with your local sports team? Did you dress up for Halloween?

Kilmer’s yearbook committee has begun collecting photos to include in this year's very unique yearbook. Right now, we are looking for photos of:

First Day of School
Halloween
Playing on a team (soccer, basketball, etc.)
Doing school work
At home projects or experiments for class.

Go to the All Students Course in Schoology and

Yearbook Purchase

Yearbooks are on sale now! Cost is $35 per book. Follow the link https://tinyurl.com/kmsyearbook2021 to purchase your copy today. Supplies are very limited.

Afterschool At a Glance:

8100 Wolftrap Road Vienna, VA 22182 | Phone: 703-846-8800

Attendance: 703-846-8888 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

Kilmer Community gives to Food Pantry at KMS #14

GovDelivery 2 months 3 weeks ago

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Thank you to our generous Kilmer community for the donations to our

food pantry for those less fortunate during the holiday season!

A message from Principal, Amy Miller:

Dear Kilmer Community,

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. It is hard to believe we are just two weeks away from winter break. Thank you so much to the Kilmer Community for the food donations that support our food pantry program. We are grateful to the PTA for partnering with us on the Food Pantry and for all the generosity from our community.

The county has asked that all middle and high schools identify two work completion days (one odd day and one even day). This is in response to student feedback on the workload. The expectation for the work completion days is that students follow their regular schedule and attend their classes. During class the teacher will work with the students on completing assignments and will not be assigning new work. Kilmer’s work completion days for the second quarter are Thursday, December 17 and Friday, December 18.

Sincerely,

Amy Miller

Principal

New Attendance Code – UNT

Teachers will begin using a new attendance code, UNT to document students arriving late to class (10 mins or more), leaving class early (10 minutes or more), or not responding or engaging during class. In a virtual environment it is hard for teachers to tell whether a student is present, actively listening, and paying attention in class. Our hope is by using the UNT attendance code, students will increase their communication and engagement with their teachers and peers, and be prompt to class. If your student is having a technology issue that impacts class participation, please have your child email their teacher. We acknowledge that at times students need to step away from the computer or take a break. A teacher will only use the UNT code if a student is unresponsive more than 2 times in one period.

UNT is visible in SIS ParentVue and SIS StudentVue under the attendance tab. UNT does not count against your child’s attendance record, but will provide a record for both teachers and parents to accurately see the impact the lack of engagement and participation in the classroom has on student’s ability to show success on their assignments and assessments. Students will learn about this new attendance code on Monday, Dec 7 during their PAWS advisory check in at 8:30.

Return to In-Person Learning – Survey Reminder

On Monday, Nov 30 an email was sent to all parents who have selected in person instruction for their student. The current return to school date for in person instruction is Tuesday, January 26 for middle school students. Please see additional information from Monday’s return to school email.

All four days (Tues.-Fri.) of instruction will be led by your child’s teachers. On Mondays, all students will do asynchronous/independent work while teachers use the day to plan lessons for the week.

Students with the first letter of their last name starting with A - K will attend school in-person on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and learn from home (concurrently) on Thursdays and Fridays.
Students with the first letter of their last name starting with L - Z will attend school in-person on Thursdays and Fridays and learn from home (concurrently) on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

All parents must fill out this RETURN TO SCHOOL google form to indicate your student’s transportation and food services preferences by December 11, 2020. If you are the parent or guardian of multiple Kilmer students, please fill out one form for each child. We are looking forward to seeing your child soon! We are following recommended health guidance that focuses on student health, safety, and emotional well-being as we bring students back to our school. More information about returning to school for in-person instruction is available in the Family Guide for Return to School.

Please contact Sarah Groh, Director of Student Services at sfgroh@fcps.edu if you have questions about your child’s in person schedule.

Wireless Updates

“To improve connectivity, we recommend that you update the wireless driver on the FCPSON laptop. Below is a link to instructions on how to do this. Please note that this update will require a reboot of the laptop, so please plan accordingly. As always if you run into issues, you can place a ticket on the Parent and Student IT Support Portal found here: https://itweb.fcps.edu/itsupport/

Please remember to restart the FCPSON laptop weekly.”

https://kilmerms.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/inline-files/Instructions%20to%20update%20Dell%203310%20Wireless%20driver.pdf

Health and Physical Education

The seventh graders will be starting their Emotional and Social Health Unit on December 10. The eighth-graders will be starting their Emotional and Social Health Unit on January 5.

The lessons are online for your viewing by following the directions below. If you decide to opt your child out of a specific lesson, your child will complete an alternative asynchronous assignment during their class time.

Click on the link to read an overview of the materials at your leisure.

https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle-school-academics-7-8/family-life-education-fle

To view grade-specific lessons, log in to FCPS 24-7 Parent View: Click on E-Cart: Click Family life Curriculum. https://fcps.blackboard.com/

The School Board has approved a revision to regulation 3204 to allow FLE opt-out forms to be distributed electronically for the school year 2020-2021. Parents/guardians wishing to opt their child out of instruction may complete and return the opt-out form or scan or email a copy of the completed form to Sarah Groh at sfgroh@fcps.edu. Click the link and scroll to the bottom for opt-out specifically for 7th and 8th grade. FLE Opt-Out Request Forms

If you have any questions, please contact your child’s Health & Physical Education Teacher.

Yearbook Portraits

Please sign up to get your portrait taken. Students have three options to include a portrait in our yearbook.

As noted in last week’s News You Choose, all families received a communication from Lifetouch last week for an appointment on Photo Day - Thursday, December 10, Friday, December 11 and Thursday, December 17 from 3-7pm. If you did not receive an email, the link to sign up is https://booknow.appointment-plus.com/ckhqrh94. A make-up day will be held in February. Photos will take place in the gym and hallway with required health and safety guidelines. All students must wear a mask except when their photo is taken. Upon arriving at the Kilmer campus, parents should park around the bus loop and remain in their car until their student is finished (~20 minutes). Students will begin the photo process with the Health Screening Station at the school entrance by the trailers at the back of the parking lot. We will have people out directing traffic and showing students where to go.
We are also working with our yearbook publisher, Walsworth, to use a downloadable app in order to take portraits with plain backgrounds. This app will also be used to send in photos directly from families. More information to come within the next few weeks.
“Order by December 17th on mylifetouch.com using the Picture Day ID EVTFQNSJC.”

Photos to include in Kilmer’s Yearbook

Did you take pictures of the first day of “virtual” school? Did you have photos of playing with your local sports team? Did you dress up for Halloween?

Kilmer’s yearbook committee has begun collecting photos to include in this year's very unique yearbook. Right now, we are looking for photos of:

First Day of School
Halloween
Playing on a team (soccer, basketball, etc.)
Doing school work
At home projects or experiments for class.

Go to the All Students Course in Schoology and open the purple Yearbook Folder for instructions on how to upload your photos!

Yearbook Purchase

Yearbooks are on sale now! Cost is $35 per book. Follow the link https://tinyurl.com/kmsyearbook2021 to purchase your copy today. Supplies are very limited.

Kilmer Pantry

The Kilmer Pantry is being replenished to provide non-perishable food items to our families in need. We plan to begin food distribution in mid-December.

We are collecting items through a drive thru donation every Monday from 3:00 – 5:00 pm. We look forward to seeing you next Monday, December 7th. We will also have bins for donations during our photo days on December 10th and 11th. .

We are grateful for the support of our Kilmer Community and are hopeful to see you at one of our Monday drive thru donation times.

If you want your family to receive food, please contact your child’s counselor.

Kilmer’s NJHS: All Candidate Virtual Meeting on December 10

Kilmer NJHS Candidates are off to a great start through the five stages of the NJHS Service Learning Continuum with Stage 1: Investigation. All activities and information are located in the NJHS Schoology Course. NJHS office hours are every Wednesday in the NJHS BBCU from 3:00 - 3:30. The first all candidate meeting is in the NJHS Schoology BBCU on December 10 from 2:30 - 3:30 pm. Parents/Guardians are welcome to join their student in this virtual meeting through the student’s course link.

NJHS is ready to Make a Difference!

Cougars Connect - Student Engagement

We realize how challenging it is to feel connected in the virtual environment and want to have some fun recognizing students making progress to engage and connect in their classes.

What does student engagement look like in a virtual learning environment?

It can look like…

using the mic or camera in class discussions and breakouts
being responsive in chat discussions
consistently participating in interactive class activities (e.g., polls, Padlets and Jamboard)
going to office hours to connect with a teacher
sending messages to teachers to ask questions

…really any way a student is an active participant in virtual learning!

Teachers will encourage students to interact and engage on a variety of levels as it fits their classes. Please keep in mind that although we encourage camera use, using the camera is never required. If you or your student have concerns about any barriers to engaging in class, please connect with his/her counselor who can help.

Every month, teachers will nominate one (or more) students for student engagement from each of their classes. There will be a monthly drawing from the pool of nominated students. Monthly winners from each grade will be recognized through KTV and students recognized will be able to choose a reward from a variety of options.

We hope this is a fun way to encourage student engagement in the virtual environment.

What’s on the Shelf: News from the Kilmer Library

We encourage all students to use our curbside checkout service -- all books checked out from this point forward are not due until after winter break! It’s the perfect time to request a big stack of books! This month our evening “Third Thursday” checkout time is on December 17, 5:00pm - 7:00pm. For more information on Cougars @ the Curb, check out our flyer: http://tinyurl.com/cougarscurb.

Upcoming Cougars @ the Curb Dates:

Monday, December 7, 1:00pm - 3:30pm

Monday, December 14, 1:00pm - 3:30pm

Thursday, December 17, 5:00pm - 7:00pm

On another note, if you happen to be shopping for books as gifts this season, one of our favorite resources for book ideas for all ages is NPR’s Book Concierge. Need specific recommendations for the Kilmer student in your life? Reach out to Gretchen Hazlin, librarian, at gehazlin@fcps.edu.

Afterschool At a Glance:

My Science Olympiad is a new program that complements Science Olympiad’s traditional tournament contests and is available to all middle school students, whether or not they are on a school team. Kilmer is not sponsoring a school team this year.

8100 Wolftrap Road Vienna, VA 22182 | Phone: 703-846-8800

Attendance: 703-846-8888 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

Giving Thanks #13

GovDelivery 3 months ago

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Wishing you and your family a joyous Thanksgiving

Kilmer’s NJHS Stage 1 Activities Due December 1

Congratulations again, to our new NJHS candidates!

On November 13, Kilmer NJHS Candidates began their year of service learning with two Stage 1: Investigation activities in the NJHS Schoology Course. These asynchronous activities are due on December 1. Office hours were held to accommodate questions on 11/17 and 11/19. The first all-candidate meeting is in the NJHS Schoology BBCU link on December 10 from 2:30 - 3:30 pm.

The NJHS Committee communicates with candidates in the NJHS Schoology Course and students’ school email accounts. NJHS is ready to Make A Difference!

Yearbook Portraits

Students have three options to include a yearbook portrait in our yearbook.

As noted in last week’s News You Choose, families will receive a communication from Lifetouch this week for an appointment on Photo Day - Thursday, December 10, Friday, December 11 and Thursday, December 17 from 3-7pm. If you did not receive an email, the link to sign up is https://booknow.appointment-plus.com/ckhqrh94. A make-up day will be held in February. Photos will take place in the gym and hallway with required health and safety guidelines. All students must wear a mask except when their photo is taken. Upon arriving at the Kilmer campus, parents should park around the bus loop and remain in their car until their student is finished (~20 minutes). Students will begin the photo process with the Health Screening Station at the school entrance by the trailers at the back of the parking lot. We will have people out directing traffic and showing students where to go.
We are also working with our yearbook publisher, Walsworth, to use a downloadable app in order to take portraits with plain backgrounds. More information to come within the next few weeks.
Parents can also send in portraits of their students to include in the yearbook. More information to come within the next few weeks.

Cougars Connect - Student Engagement

We realize how challenging it is to feel connected in the virtual environment and want to have some fun recognizing students making progress to engage and connect in their classes.

What does student engagement look like in a virtual learning environment?

It can look like…

using the mic or camera in class discussions and breakouts
being responsive in chat discussions
consistently participating in interactive class activities (e.g., polls, Padlets and Jamboard)
going to office hours to connect with a teacher
sending messages to teachers to ask questions

…really any way a student is an active participant in virtual learning!

We hope this is a fun way to encourage student engagement in the virtual environment.

Afterschool

As a reminder all students must have a completed Kilmer Middle Afterschool General Registration Form on file to participate. Updates, club descriptions and meeting details are located in the Schoology Afterschool Group - access code 2W54-ZSDS-BKJMV. Contact After School Program Specialist, Kimberly Kardelis with questions.

My Science Olympiad is a new program that complements Science Olympiad’s traditional tournament contests and is available to all middle school students who love STEM and want to stay engaged – at home or at school. This is open to students whether or not they are a part of a school team. Kilmer will not offer the Science Olympiad this year.

Kilmer Pantry

The Kilmer Pantry is being replenished to provide non-perishable food items to our families in need. We plan to begin food distribution in mid-December.

We are collecting items through a drive thru donation every Monday from 3:00 – 5:00 pm. We look forward to seeing you next Monday, Nov, 30th.

We are grateful for the support of our Kilmer Community and are hopeful to see you at one of our Monday drive thru donation times.

If you want your family to receive food, please contact your child’s counselor.

8100 Wolftrap Road Vienna, VA 22182 | Phone: 703-846-8800

Attendance: 703-846-8888 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

Concurrent Teaching #12

GovDelivery 3 months ago

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Ms. Ehsani demonstrating concurrent teaching model.

A message from Principal, Amy Miller:

Dear Kilmer Families,

As we head into the Thanksgiving Holidays, I want to take a moment to let you all know how thankful I am for the Kilmer Community. Although this Thanksgiving will look different for many of us, I am hopeful that we all can find some joy in the season with the people who we love the most.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Amy Miller

Principal

Attendance

If your student will not be attending classes Monday (11/23) and/or Tuesday (11/24), please call the attendance line at 703 846 8888.

We will follow the regular bell schedule on Tuesday, November 24..

Afterschool

NO Afterschool Activities Nov. 23rd-27th. *HaHaHoliday Practice will take place on Tuesday at its regular time.

As a reminder all students must have a completed Kilmer Middle Afterschool General Registration Form on file to participate. Updates, club descriptions and meeting details are located in the Schoology Afterschool Group - access code 2W54-ZSDS-BKJMV. Contact After School Program Specialist, Kimberly Kardelis with questions.

Kilmer Pantry

The Kilmer Pantry is being replenished to provide non-perishable food items to our families in need. We plan to begin food distribution in mid-December.

We are collecting items through a drive thru donation every Monday from 3:00 – 5:00 pm. We look forward to seeing you next Monday, Nov, 23. .

In addition families are invited to donate non-perishable food items by direct shipping from Amazon, Target, Walmart, or wherever you shop (send to the attention of Debra David at Kilmer). We will have an Amazon WishList starting next week.

We are grateful for the support of our Kilmer Community and are hopeful to see you at one of our Monday drive thru donation times.

If you want your family to receive food, please contact your child’s counselor.

Picture Day

Save the Date - we will have our annual picture day on Thursday, December 10, Friday, December 11 and Thursday, December 17 from 3-7pm. Please check your email - you should receive a communication from our photographer, Lifetouch, within the next few days with a link to sign up for a picture appointment time. Photos will take place in the gym with required health and safety guidelines. All students must wear a mask except when their photo is taken. Upon arriving at the Kilmer campus, parents should park around the bus loop and remain in their car until their student is finished (~20 minutes). Students will begin the photo process with the Health Screening Station at the school entrance by the trailers at the back of the parking lot. We will have people out directing traffic and showing students where to go.

Parent Schoology Meeting Recording

Thank you to all our parents who attended our Schoology meeting earlier this week. Topics covered included parent access to Schoology, clarity around gradebooks, tracking and reviewing assignments, the Schoology calendar and contacting teachers. The recording and slide deck are both available on our website.

Important Update on Grab and Go Meals: Delivery Times and Some Bus Stop Locations Have Changed

Fairfax County Public Schools is offering no-cost nutritious meals to ALL students through June 30, 2021. Meals are available at school sites and along bus routes.

As of November 9, grab and go bus delivery times and some bus stop locations have changed. The updated bus schedule is now available online. Bus delivery times were changed to accommodate the need for more buses to transport students returning to school buildings for in-person learning.

Breakfast and lunch meals are offered Monday through Friday (excluding holidays). Breakfast and lunch are served at the same time. Breakfast and lunch are also offered at no-cost to any student who attends in-person instruction at a school Monday-Friday. Meals for Saturday and Sunday are offered at sites and on bus routes every Friday.

More information is available online, or by calling the Office of Food and Nutrition Services at 703-813-4800.

Scoliosis Fact Sheet

Information on scoliosis and methods for early detection.

The Scoliosis Fact Sheet and translations are available at:

https://www.fcps.edu/resources/student-safety-and-wellness/school-health-services

What’s on the Shelf: News from the Kilmer Library

As we approach a time of year when families are accustomed to traveling, many may find they need to reschedule or cancel plans due to the pandemic. While it’s not quite the same as visiting loved ones or exploring new spots, we want to encourage our community to use the Kilmer Library as your travel agent!

We share a range of different #VirtualVacations that will take you around the world through sightseeing, activities and recommended reading -- all without the cost of airline tickets or a hotel! Climb aboard and travel with us! Check out all of our destinations at http://kilmerlibrary.org/virtual-vacation. And, if there’s somewhere else you’d like to visit, reach out to Gretchen Hazlin, librarian (gehazlin@fcps.edu) and we’ll plan another trip!

New employment opportunity in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)!

FCPS schools and centers will be hiring classroom monitors to provide in-person classroom assistance for students when a staff member remains virtual. If you would like more information about the position, please review the job description and qualifications online and apply if interested. Please feel free to share information about this opportunity with anyone else you think may be interested.

FCPS is seeking individuals to serve as substitute teachers!

Are you or somebody you know interested in substitute teaching with FCPS? Apply here or attend one of our Friday information sessions to learn more! To sign up for a session visit our substitute information page here. Say Yes 2 FCPS!

8100 Wolftrap Road Vienna, VA 22182 | Phone: 703-846-8800

Attendance: 703-846-8888 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

First Quarter Report Cards #11

GovDelivery 3 months 1 week ago

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

We were excited to see our teachers who came for the drive by to receive a goodie bag and treat! Pictured: Ms. Miller greeting Ms. Terry and and her puppy BB.

A message from Principal, Amy Miller:

Dear Kilmer Families,

It was a joy to visit several classes this week. It was exciting to see students engaging in learning about biomes and ecosystems in Science, plot and perspective in English, and learning about Growth Mindset and engaging in discussion about the top ten inventions in Engineering.

We are looking forward to our Schoology Parent Meeting on Monday, November 16 at 7:00 PM. During this meeting we will share helpful tips about navigating Schoology and how to support your student. We will send the BBCU link for this meeting on Monday morning.

We are excited about the Crosstown Cup. A friendly competition between Thoreau Middle School and Kilmer Middle School. The goal for each school is to complete the most exercise in a month. Please see below for more information and enter your daily exercise into this form.

Sincerely,

Amy Miller

Principal

1st Quarter Grading Report Cards

The gradebook module in SIS ParentVue and SIS StudentVue is now open. First quarter report cards can now be viewed in SIS Student Vue and Parent VUE. In addition, Kilmer Middle School will be mailing a paper copy of your student’s 1st quarter report card. If you have opted to “Go Paperless” in ParentVue, you will receive only online report cards beginning 2nd quarter. This will not impact any other mailings from FCPS other than the report cards for secondary students.

To take advantage of the paperless options, parents and/or guardians will need to log into ParentVUE, then go to “My Account” and select "Go Paperless" All parents who live with the student and share the same address must have a SIS ParentVUE account and must select the paperless option to prevent mailing of the printed report cards. The “Go Paperless” option will apply to all their associated students, no matter what school level. PDF report cards will be visible in ParentVUE and StudentVUE. Any student whose parents/guardians did not select to “Go Paperless” will receive a printed copy in the mail.

Kilmer Middle School will be mailing a paper copy of your student’s 1st quarter report card towards the end of next week.

Schoology Parent Information Session

We will be holding a parent information session specifically on how to navigate Schoology on Monday, November 16 from 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM. We will send the link out the morning of November 16 via enotify.

Family Life Education (FLE): Virtual Parent Preview Of The FLE Curriculum

Tuesday, November 17th from 7:00-8:00. Link will be sent Tuesday morning.

The KMS Health & Physical Education teachers will be available on Tuesday, November 17th from 7:00-8:00 in the BBCU link to review and answer any questions about the FCPS FLE Health Units, which include Emotional and Social Health and Human Growth and Development.

If you do not have access to the actual opt-out form, please send an email.

Click on the link to read an overview of the materials at your leisure.

https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle-school-academics-7-8/family-life-education-fle

To view grade-specific lessons, log in to FCPS 24-7 Parent View: Click on E-Cart: Click on Family life Curriculum. You will be able to view the content in more detail.

https://fcps.blackboard.com/

We look forward to joining us in the BBCU Parents Link on Tuesday, November 17th, from 7:00-8:00 for our first Virtual Parent Preview Night of the FCPS FLE curriculum.

Any questions, please email Ann Mackenzie at ahmackenzie@fcps.edu.

FLE Gatehouse Letter to Parents

Kilmer’s NJHS Candidate Notifications Emailed on November 10

Congratulations to our new NJHS candidates!

On November 10, Kilmer NJHS Candidate Notifications were emailed to candidates’ school email accounts [@fcpsschools.net]. We look forward to starting our year of Service Learning together, with the NJHS emphasis on Scholarship, Citizenship, Leadership, Service, and Character.

Candidates are members of the NJHS Schoology Course. The NJHS Committee will communicate with candidates in Schoology and their school email accounts.

The first NJHS Schoology assignment is due on December 1. The first all-candidate meeting is in the Schoology BBCU link on December 10 at 2:30 pm. More information will be available soon in the NJHS Schoology Course.

NJHS is ready to Make a Difference!

Fine Arts Department News

Even though we're virtual, we've still got talent!! Kilmer's Got Talent, our annual talent show will be live streamed on November 13th at 7:30pm, accessed by a link sent to you when you purchase your tickets through a donation. Come see our talented students sing, dance, and play instruments as they compete for the title of Kilmer’s Most Talented! Sean Kenny and Nikisha Kozik will be back again with their hilarious jokes and unbearable puns as this year’s hosts!

Tickets can be purchased in any dollar amount of your choosing. This is considered a donation to the Drama department for future events. Tickets are available at kmsdrama.org!

https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/2543819/kilmers-got-talent-virtual-performance-vienna-kilmer-middle-school-theatre

PTA Reflections Program

Congratulations to Sophia Tzvetanov whose poem and song titled "Share a Song" have won both the Literature and Music Middle School divisions of the 2020 Kilmer Reflections art contest. We are very proud to have her poem and song represent Kilmer Middle School in the Fairfax County level Reflections contest. Thank you to all of the students who also submitted entries.

What’s on the Shelf: News from the Kilmer Library

Starting this month, we will begin offering THIRD THURSDAYS for Cougars @ the Curb, our curbside book checkout service. What does this mean? We are expanding curbside pick-up once each month to evening hours with the goal towards making this service more accessible to students and families. On the Third Thursday of each month -- this month that’s Thursday, November 19 -- we’ll be open from 5:00pm-7:00pm.

We also continue to be open each and every Monday from 1:00pm-3:30pm. Watch our promo video to learn more about Cougars @ the Curb! And find all of the details on our flyer.

Upcoming Cougars @ the Curb hours:

Monday, November 16, 1:00pm-3:30pm
Thursday, November 19, 5:00pm-7:00pm

Questions? Please reach out to Gretchen Hazlin, librarian, at gehazlin@fcps.edu.

Greetings from Afterschool

Activities continue rolling out and more students are joining each day. Please check for updates, club descriptions and meeting details under the Afterschool Group in Schoology. Individual club enrollment requests, descriptions and the Afterschool Activities Calendar are located under Resources, if an enrollment request link is not listed then that club does not require one. Next Week At A Glance:

Kilmer will not host/sponsor a school Science Olympiad Team(s) this year. MY SO (My Science Olympiad) is a new program that complements Science Olympiad’s traditional tournament contests and is available to all middle school students who love STEM and want to stay engaged – at home or at school. We realize students may be eager to begin SO STEM sessions/lessons and to make families aware of the MY SO platform opportunities. This is open to students whether or not they are a part of a school team. This is not a requirement, students in no way have to participate in MY SO.

NO Afterschool 11/23-11/27 (HaHaHoliday practice will take place)

The code to access this group is 2W54-ZSDS-BKJMV but all students have been enrolled already. Should you have any difficulties with it please contact Kimberly Kardelis, After School Program Specialist at kckardelis@fcps.edu.

Crosstown Cup

Kilmer Cougars, we are getting psyched about the Crosstown Cup! So far, we've had 47 responses from 20 students and staff logging their exercise!! But just imagine what we could do if EVERYONE participated!!

The Crosstown Cup is taking the place of Crosstown Hoops this year! Instead of a single basketball game, it's a year-long competition! Students and staff are logging their miles and the monthly exercises (November is Squatsvember). We will be comparing our numbers with Thoreau at the end of each month.

The more often you log your exercise, the more likely your name will be pulled to win a raffle prize at the end of the month. And hey -- we want to bring the Crosstown Cup to the Kilmer office at the end of November! So get out there -- walk, run, crawl -- and do some squats!! Let's claim the Crosstown Cup!!!

Enter your daily exercise into this form.

Kilmer Pantry

The Kilmer Pantry is being replenished to provide non-perishable food items to our families in need. We plan to begin food distribution in mid-December.

We are collecting items through a drive thru donation every Monday from 3:00 – 5:00 pm, beginning next Monday, November 16th.

In addition families are invited to donate non-perishable food items by direct shipping from Amazon, Target, Walmart, or wherever you shop (send to the attention of Debra David at Kilmer). We will have an Amazon WishList starting next week.

We are grateful for the support of our Kilmer Community and are hopeful to see you at one of our Monday drive thru donation times.

If you want your family to receive food, please contact your child’s counselor.

New employment opportunity in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)!

FCPS is seeking individuals to serve as substitute teachers!

8100 Wolftrap Road Vienna, VA 22182 | Phone: 703-846-8800

Attendance: 703-846-8888 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

November 11 - Two Hr. Early Release #10

GovDelivery 3 months 2 weeks ago

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Maria Yeager, our attendance office assistant, does an amazing job communicating with our community and families. Thank you for your diligence and hard work!

A message from Principal, Amy Miller:

Dear Kilmer Families,

As we begin the second quarter, I want to take a moment to thank our entire Kilmer Community (teachers, parents, and students) for partnering together during this year. This is a challenging year but what is clear is the commitment of the Kilmer Community. Thank you.

To kick-off this quarter, the PAWS Advisory lesson will focus on encouraging students to engage in class by using their microphones and cameras on BBCU. We will not require students to turn on their cameras but we do want to encourage it and work to make students feel comfortable with it.

A reminder that, Wednesday, November 11 is a two hour early release day. The bell schedule for the day is below.

Sincerely,

Amy Miller

Principal

Wednesday, November 11-Two Hour Early Release

Wednesday, November 11 is a two-hour early release day for students.Students will attend periods 2, 4, 6, and 8 but for a shorter amount of time. Below is the bell schedule for Wednesday, November 11.

For Fourth Period PAWS, students will check-in with the PAWS Advisory teacher and at 8:45 AM students and teachers will transition to office hours for the remainder of the period.

Drama Department News

Tickets can be purchased in any dollar amount of your choosing. This is considered a donation to the Drama department for future events. Tickets are available at https://www.kmsdrama.org/

https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/2543819/kilmers-got-talent-virtual-performance-vienna-kilmer-middle-school-theatre

What’s on the Shelf: News from the Kilmer Library

Did you know that the Kilmer Library offers access to a whole range of great and fun-to-read magazines? From Science World to Girls’ Life to Sports Illustrated to Car and Driver to Do It Yourself and more, we have so many different options!

Your students can get to our magazine collection through the library’s Schoology page or go to our web page: https://www.kilmerlibrary.org/magazines. Find passwords on Schoology or by sending a message to Gretchen Hazlin, librarian, at gehazlin@fcps.edu.

Important Updates on Grab and Go Meals

Fairfax County Public Schools is offering no-cost nutritious meals to ALL students through June 30, 2021. Meals are available at school sites and along bus routes.

Beginning Monday, November 9, grab and go bus delivery times and some bus stop locations will change. The updated bus schedule will be posted on November 6.

Breakfast and lunch meals are offered Monday through Friday (excluding holidays). Breakfast and lunch are served at the same time. Breakfast and lunch are also offered at no cost to any student who attends in-person instruction at a school Monday-Friday. Meals for Saturday and Sunday are offered at sites and on bus routes every Friday.

More information is available online, or by calling the Office of Food and Nutrition Services at 703-813-4800.

National Junior Honor Society

Incorporating Service Learning Into Education

Kilmer Middle School’s National Junior Honor Society focuses on Service Learning, using the model presented by FCPS Service Learning and The Complete Guide to Service Learning manual by Cathryn Berger Kaye, M.A.

To realize the five components of NJHS: Citizenship, Scholarship, Character, Leadership, and Service, Kilmer’s NJHS uses a guided research-based learning method to help students address an authentic community need. Student initiative and structured time for reflection on the service experience are key elements. Students finish the year able to demonstrate their acquired skills and knowledge in a Service Learning Gallery, and subsequent Induction into the National Junior Honor Society.

NJHS has made accommodations to the service learning process to respond to the current virtual environment.

On October 22, Kilmer's National Junior Honor Society sent eligible 8th graders an email invitation to apply for candidacy, with an electronic deadline of November 3, 2020.

Students selected as NJHS candidates for the 2020-2021 year will be notified through their school email by November 10, 2020.

To learn more about the application process, requirements and activities of Kilmer’s NJHS chapter, view the NJHS page on the KMS website. NJHS is ready to Make A Difference!

Schoology Parent Information Session

We will be holding a parent information session specifically on how to navigate Schoology on Monday, November 16 from 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM. We will send the link out the morning of November 16 via enotify.

Greetings from After School

Next Week At A Glance:

Kilmer is not able to host/sponsor a school Science Olympiad Team(s) this year. MY SO (My Science Olympiad) is a new program that complements Science Olympiad’s traditional tournament contests and is available to all middle school students who love STEM and want to stay engaged – at home or at school. We realize students may be eager to begin SO STEM sessions/lessons and to make families aware of the MY SO platform opportunities. This is open to students whether or not they are a part of a school team. This is not a requirement, students in no way have to participate in MY SO.

**Updates for Debate will be posted once confirmed.

**NO Afterschool 11/23-11/27

The Afterschool Program is for all students, and we are looking forward to a program that offers meaningful experiences. As a reminder all students must have a completed Kilmer Middle Afterschool General Registration Form on file to participate. The code to access this group is 2W54-ZSDS-BKJMV but all students have been enrolled already. Should you have any difficulties with it please contact Kimberly Kardelis, After School Program Specilist at kckardelis@fcps.edu.

Kilmer Virtual Orchestra Video

Kilmer’s Orchestra program presents their 1st Virtual Orchestra video, a spooky rendition of The Abandoned Funhouse by Brian Balamages here. It’s fantastic, give it a listen. It will give you chills. Thank you to Ms. Fogel and all the students who participated.

8100 Wolftrap Road Vienna, VA 22182 | Phone: 703-846-8800

Attendance: 703-846-8888 | Web | Twitter | Facebook

41 minutes 2 seconds ago

Kilmer Middle School News and announcements

http://www.fcps.edu/index.shtml Subscribe to GovDelivery feed