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Hollin Meadows Buzz Bulletin for Nov. 19, 2024

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Principal's Message

Hornet Family,

Please join me in welcoming Mr. Keith Hirsch who will be our AP Interim at Hollin Meadows while we hire a new Assistant Principal. Mr. Hirsch joined our team starting Monday, Nov. 18th. He comes to us after working 25 years in FCPS. He retired in April and Hollin Meadows will be his second interim Assistant Principal assignment this year.

During his time in FCPS, Mr. Hirsch has worked as a 3rd, 5th and 6th grade teacher for Freedom Hill ES in Vienna and has worked for the past 14 years as an Assistant Principal at West Springfield ES and Cardinal Forest ES.

Mr. Hirsch and his wife have three children who are FCPS students. He is an avid sports fan who follows all University of Maryland sports.

You will see Mr. Hirsch around our school so please make sure to welcome him. I have a feeling he will love our school and Hollin Hornets as quickly as I did!

I know many of you are wondering about our new AP hiring process. We are in the process of interviewing candidates. We are fortunate to have a pool of qualified candidates and we are looking forward to finding the best fit for our school.

Thank you for your continued support!

Medication Reminder

Students should NEVER bring any medications into the school building. Parents/guardians must transport all medications to the school health room so the medication can be safely stored and administered. This includes nonprescription/over-the-counter medications such as cold medicine and aspirin. You can find out the procedures for having medications administered at school by visiting the Hollin Meadows Clinic webpage or by speaking with our School Health Aide Heidi Fischer (703-718-8310). Thank you for helping to keep all of our students safe!

Thanksgiving Luncheon

Our Thanksgiving Luncheon is on Thursday, Nov. 21! The luncheon will be free for all Hollin Meadows students. If you would like to join your child for lunch, we will be preselling lunch tickets for $5.00 per guest. Please fill out the RSVP form and return it with the money by Nov. 20.

Would you like to volunteer to help at the Thanksgiving luncheon? Click here to see the PTA's Thanksgiving Luncheon Volunteer Form

Note: Your child's lunch time may have changed for the luncheon. Here is the schedule.

Federal Impact Aid Survey

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is eligible for federal Impact Aid grants due to the federal presence in our area. The grants from these programs will become part of FCPS' general operating budget. They are critical to ensuring that students receive an excellent education. FCPS anticipates receiving approximately $4,000,000 in Impact Aid funds.

FCPS uses the survey for Federal Impact Aid to identify federally connected students. In October, the survey will be made available to FCPS families. The survey is available online through ParentVue. Families without ParentVUE can request a paper copy of the survey from their child's school. FCPS staff will process the information with the utmost confidentiality.

You can visit the FCPS Federal Impact Aid Survey webpage for videos and directions to access the survey in ParentVue.

You can use these translation to complete the pre-filled English Survey:

Use of Impact Aid Funds

Federal Impact Aid provides revenue to local education agencies to mitigate costs of educating children in areas impacted by federal activity. The Impact Aid policy was designed to compensate local school districts for the local funding share that is reduced or eliminated because of a Federal presence that is not taxable. School districts with federal lands, military installations, federal low-rent housing or Indian Trust land within their boundaries lose local revenues. Impact Aid is designed to compensate school districts for this lost revenue. Impact Aid goes into the general fund and is intended to offset the costs (e.g. staff, facilities, and transportation) associated with educating military dependent children and other special groups.

Donate Your Leaves to the HMES Garden

If you are raking up this fall, the HMES Gardens would love some donations! Please put the leaves into paper bags and leave them outside of Door 7 (near the playground). Contact Maura McVeigh at [email protected] if you have any questions.

American Education Week

For American Education Week we celebrate ALL who work in our school community: our bus drivers, cafeteria workers, counselors, support staff, teachers, leadership and more! Learn more from the National Education Association.

Want to recognize someone from Hollin Meadows who goes above and beyond? Submit a nomination to FCPS Cares.

FCHD November 21 and 22 Immunization Clinics

In collaboration with Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD), FCPS will host immunization clinics for all FCPS students on November 21 and 22 at its Willow Oaks Administrative Center. All school-required immunizations will be available free of charge.

Parents/Guardians must accompany students under the age of 18 and provide consent for your student to receive immunizations. Students ages 18 years and older may provide their own consent.
Although appointments are not needed, parents are asked to complete the sign-up form below to choose a preferred time slot.
Please bring an insurance card (if applicable). Insurance is not required to participate.
Language interpreters will be present.
Students should bring printed immunization records, if available.

Clinic Location: 8270 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive, Fairfax, VA 22031

Dates and Times:

Thursday, November 21, 1 - 7 p.m.
Friday, November 22, 8 a.m - 2 p.m.

Click here to go to the Immunization Clinic Time Signup Form

Boundary Review Community Meeting

Community meetings regarding FCPS’ comprehensive boundary review will take place in each of the division's six regions. You are encouraged to attend the meeting in our region, which will take place on Monday, December 9, 6:30-8 p.m., at Mount Vernon High School Cafeteria.

Please register in advance by clicking on the date. Language interpretation will be available.

If you are unable to attend on this date, view the full list of meetings on the Comprehensive School Boundary Review webpage.

Important Dates

Nov. 20: School Picture Retake Day

Nov. 21: HMES Thanksgiving Luncheon

Nov. 27- Nov. 29: Thanksgiving Break (School & Office are closed)

Dec. 5: PTA Meeting

FCPS News

In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics and others:
Veterans Day Recognitions
Resources on IEPs, Financial Aid, Literacy, and Community Leadership
Teacher Hiring Event

2310 Nordok Place, Alexandria, VA 22306 | Phone: 703.718.8300

Attendance: 703.718.8383 or [email protected]

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Hollin Meadows Buzz Bulletin for Nov. 12, 2024

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Veterans Day Celebration at Hollin Meadows

Today we had our annual Veterans Day program at Hollin Meadows to honor the sacrifices made by all of the service members in our community as well as our country. We loved seeing so many families on the audience!

We are so thankful for the staff, families, and community members who helped to make this a memorable event. Mr. Welfle and Mrs. Hill put together the beautiful music selections and worked with our chorus to learn the music that we heard today. We appreciate our local Girl Scout troop leaders, who worked with Girl Scouts from our school to create and train a student color guard. Thank you to Ms. Steele, our guest speaker for sharing your experiences with the Coast Guard. We heard a moving performance of Taps by a talented local Boy Scout bugler. We are especially grateful to Erin Anderson of the HMES PTA who spent so much time organizing this wonderful event and writing speeches for our SCA members to share. Our fabulous PTA also hosted a reception with refreshments for our military families and guests. It was a fantastic program!

Hollin Meadows is a Purple Star School

Hollin Meadows Elementary School is a new recipient of the 2024-2025 Purple Star Award for our commitment to support to our military connected students and their families. Thank you to our school counselor, Leslie Fry, for being our point of contact our military families and for all of her efforts to help our school community to be a welcoming and supportive place for our military connected students. You can learn more about the Purple Star Designation Program on the FCPS website.

Nominate an Outstanding HMES Staff Member by Nov. 13!

Nominations are now open for the FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards! To submit a nomination for a Hollin Meadows Outstanding Employee in one of the categories below, please complete the nomination through the Google form links for each award below. You may nominate one employee at our school or multiple employees (one individual may only nominate one employee per category.)

Click on a link to find out more about this category and make a nomination.

Outstanding Teacher

Eligibility: Has more than three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category

Outstanding New Teacher

Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category

Outstanding Principal

Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a building principal (in any school/school district)

Outstanding Leader

Eligibility: At least one year of experience in their current position as a School-Based Administrator (that is not the building principal) at their current location. Common position in this category: Assistant Principals

Outstanding Professional Employee

Eligibility: At least one year experience in current position as a non-instructional employee at a school and at their current location

Common positions in this category: School Counselor, Instructional Coach, Psychologist, Social Worker, School-Based Technology Specialist, Technology Support Specialist, Resource Teachers that serve in an administrative role in a school, Special Education Department Chair, Reading Specialists that do not have a regular course load/do not give grades

Outstanding Operational Employee

Eligibility: At least one year of experience in current position as a Classroom Instructional Support Scale employee at their current location

Common positions in this category: Administrative and Office Staff, Custodial Staff, Food Service Staff, IA, PHA, PHTA, All Parent Liaisons, Classroom Monitors who work more than 20 hours/week

The deadline to submit a nomination is Wednesday, November 13, 2024

If you have any questions, please contact Molly Hill at [email protected]

Important Dates

Nov. 14: Report cards go home. Parents can also see report cards in their ParentVue account.

Nov. 15: West Po Fun Friday (Students must have already returned their parent permission slip in order to participate.)

Nov. 18: Early dismissal at 12:05 p.m.

Nov. 20: School Picture Retake Day

Nov. 21: HMES Thanksgiving Luncheon

Services for Hearing-Impaired and Visually-Impaired Students

Students with sensory disabilities require specialized services and support to access instruction that is typically presented visually and auditorily (by means of hearing). FCPS provides educational services to students who are deaf, hearing-impaired, or visually impaired. They are supported in various settings, including at their school or through itinerant specialists who travel to different schools to work with students, rather than being based in a single school. Learn more about Services for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Services for Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired.

Visit the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) website for Resources for Serving Students with Sensory Disabilities.

📍 Boundary Review Community Meetings Start This Month

As a reminder, FCPS has started the process of reviewing school boundaries across the division. This important work will help the district better support student population growth, changes in school capacity, and evolving community needs. Community input is vital to this process. With that in mind, FCPS, in partnership with Thru Consulting, will be hosting a series of community meetings in each of FCPS’ six regions. Participants are encouraged to share their thoughts, ask questions, and learn more about the boundary review process.

Please visit FCPS’ website for meeting dates, locations, and other information. Sign up for the School Boundary Review newsletter for updates.

IEP Palooza and Community Resource Fair

Parents/caregivers, school staff, and students over the age of 14 are invited to attend an interactive event celebrating the individualized education program (IEP) process. The IEP Palooza and Community Resource Fair will take place on Saturday, November 16, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., at Jackson Middle School.

The event is sponsored by Fairfax County Special Education Parent Teacher Association (SEPTA). Activities include simulated IEP meetings, break-out sessions on the various parts of an IEP, and a resource fair to learn more about community supports. Register in advance. Click to edit this placeholder text.

Tutoring Resources for Families

Is your family looking for resources to help support your child’s academic success? FCPS’ Family Resource Center (FRC) maintains a list of district employees who hold a valid Virginia teaching credential and who are available to be hired as a tutor by parents. FRC maintains this list, but families are responsible for contacting and working directly with tutors. This list is not “approved” by FCPS and is only meant as a resource.

FCPS also partners with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra resources for learning. Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors' services at no cost, including weekly live online classes, on demand 24/7 chat tutoring, essay editing, study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests.

✨ FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan Goal 3: Academic Growth and Excellence, reminds us of our commitment to supporting each and every student and helping them meet or exceed high academic standards.

2310 Nordok Place, Alexandria, VA 22306 | Phone: 703.718.8300

Attendance: 703.718.8383 or [email protected]

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Hollin Meadows Buzz Bulletin for Nov. 6, 2024

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Ms. Crews presented at our Attendance and Title 1 Parent and Principal Coffee.

A Message from Principal Crews

Dear Hornet Community,

We were super excited to acknowledge our Hollin Hornet Students of the Month for September and October. The students who were selected by their classroom teachers were examples for all of our Hornets. They showed RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, and SAFETY! The pictures of the students are included in this newsletter, and we cannot wait to see which students are selected for the month of November.

Thank you to all of the families who came to our Attendance and Title 1 Parent and Principal Coffee. Please stay tuned for our next one. We plan to have a Parent Coffee quarterly.

I have some important news to share with all of you regarding our Assistant Principal Tieya White. She has been offered a phenomenal opportunity, so she is moving to be the AP at Fort Belvoir Primary Elementary School. Ms. White has a deep connection to the military since her husband has served our country for 30 years. We are sad to see her go and wish her the very best on her new journey! Ms. Tieya White has worked at Hollin Meadows for 17 years, with 7 of those years being our Assistant Principal. Her last day with us will be on Friday, November 15th. Please make sure to bid her farewell and thank her for her service to our school community.

In the following weeks, the AP position will be posted and we will start looking at candidates. Please stay tuned for more updates. In the interim, there will be someone sent to support our administration team. Once I have more information, I will share.

Thank you for your continued support.

Please join us for our Veteran's Day program on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 8:45 a.m. We will honor those who have served or are currently serving our country as members of the armed forces. Former, reserve and active duty service members are invited to attend and wear their uniform. Students and other guests are encouraged to wear Red, White & Blue. We will have special performances from our school chorus. The program will be in the cafeteria this year. We hope to see you there!

How to Recognize Our Outstanding Staff at Hollin Meadows

Click on a link to find out more about this category and make a nomination.

Outstanding Teacher

Eligibility: Has more than three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category

Outstanding New Teacher

Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category

Outstanding Principal

Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a building principal (in any school/school district)

Outstanding Leader

Outstanding Professional Employee

Eligibility: At least one year experience in current position as a non-instructional employee at a school and at their current location

Outstanding Operational Employee

Eligibility: At least one year of experience in current position as a Classroom Instructional Support Scale employee at their current location

Common positions in this category: Administrative and Office Staff, Custodial Staff, Food Service Staff, IA, PHA, PHTA, All Parent Liaisons, Classroom Monitors who work more than 20 hours/week

The deadline to submit a nomination is Wednesday, November 13, 2024

If you have any questions, please contact Molly Hill at [email protected]

Lost and Found

Is your child missing an item of clothing, water bottle, or lunch box? Please stop by and look for it in our lost and found. Our lost and found racks and tables are overflowing with clothing items that are waiting to be reunited with your children. Families may stop by at arrival and dismissal time to check the lost and found.

Important Dates

Nov. 12: Veteran's Day Program at 8:45 a.m.

Nov. 15: West Po Fun Friday (Students must have already returned their parent permission slip in order to participate.)

Nov. 18: Early dismissal at 12:05 p.m.

Nov. 20: School Picture Retake Day

Nov. 21: Thanksgiving Luncheon

Please Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey

FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets (in the upper right corner after logging in). Please complete it as soon as possible.

For any families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE, schools will provide paper forms starting Wednesday, November 13. Paper forms should be returned by Wednesday, December 4.

Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is important. Information from this survey resulted in more than $4 million in funding last year from the U.S. Department of Education. These funds are used to support all Fairfax County public schools and centers.

For more information, please watch this video on Impact Aid and visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.

Need to Register for ParentVUE?

Learn how to activate your SIS ParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey.

Technical support for using ParentVUE or completing the survey online is available by submitting a Parent Support Request ticket. Select SISParent in the Application dropdown menu and type Federal Impact Aid Survey under Issue Description. Or, call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS).

Elementary School Language Arts Grading Updates

Our teachers have been hard at work teaching with the new Language Arts curriculum, and we are excited to help all of our students become strong readers and writers! This year we also have new assessments, which is how we check if your student needs extra help with reading and writing, and new Standards of Learning (SOLs).

Because of these changes, we are now teaching all of the Language Arts skills your child needs to know (and checking if they need extra help) throughout the whole school year, instead of different skills each quarter. While these skills will be new to your child in the beginning of the year, the goal is for your child to grow stronger in all of their new skills by the end of the year.

This means that when you get your child’s progress report next month, it might look different. Your child’s teacher will give you more information on the new progress reporting and how we’re making sure your child is getting any extra help they might need. You can find more information on FCPS’ Grading and Reporting webpage.

We will also have new ways for you to help your child practice their reading and writing skills at home. These resources are coming soon!

2310 Nordok Place, Alexandria, VA 22306 | Phone: 703.718.8300

Attendance: 703.718.8383 or [email protected]

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Hollin Meadows Buzz Bulletin for Oct. 28, 2024

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HMES Hornet of the Month

We are excited to announce our new Hornet of the Month program! Each month, classroom teachers will chose a student to celebrate their “Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe” behaviors. Students will be announced on the morning news and will receive a certificate. Each classroom will have a desk sign that will be moved to the desk of the student each month.

This is a new program, so this week we will celebrate our Hornets of the Month for September on Oct. 29. We will recognize our October Hornets of the Month of Thursday, Oct. 31. We are so proud of our students for being great role models!

Title 1 & Attendance Principal and Family Coffee

Join us for the Title 1 & Attendance Principal and Family Coffee on October 30, 2024 at 8:30 am! We will discuss important information about Title I and school attendance. Enjoy some light refreshments while you meet other parents and get your questions answered. There will also be family giveaways. Please RSVP by calling the school office by calling 703-718-8300. We hope to see you there!

West Po Fun Friday

We are excited to share that the West Potomac High School Athletics Department and student athletes have offered to host an after school event here at Hollin Meadows on Friday, Nov. 15. Athletes from teams at West Potomac will be coming to Hollin Meadows to teach skills in various sports. In order to properly plan for this event, please fill out the permission slip that went home in your child's Tuesday Folder to let us know if you are interested in having your child(ren) participate in this event from 3:45 - 4:45 p.m. The permission form is due back by Friday, Nov. 1.

HMES AAP Full and Part Time Referral Information Sessions

Our Advanced Academics Teacher, Mrs. Teresa Johnson, will be offering 2 sessions for families to learn about the referral process for Full and Part Time AAP Services. You will be able to get assistance with completing parent referrals. Interpreters will be available for assistance. The sessions will be held on Oct. 29 at 8:30 a.m. and on Oct. 30 at 5:00 p.m. For more information, please contact Teresa Johnson at [email protected] or our Parent Liaison Rubia Rodriguez at [email protected].

Halloween at Hollin Meadows

Halloween is a fun time for many. However it is not a holiday that is formally celebrated during the school day at Hollin Meadows. We do NOT wear costumes, have parties, pass out candy, etc. Enjoy Halloween fun after school hours!

How to Recognize Our Outstanding Staff at Hollin Meadows

Click on a link to find out more about this category and make a nomination.

Outstanding Teacher

Eligibility: Has more than three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category

Outstanding New Teacher

Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category

Outstanding Principal

Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a building principal (in any school/school district)

Outstanding Leader

Outstanding Professional Employee

Eligibility: At least one year experience in current position as a non-instructional employee at a school and at their current location

Outstanding Operational Employee

Eligibility: At least one year of experience in current position as a Classroom Instructional Support Scale employee at their current location

Common positions in this category: Administrative and Office Staff, Custodial Staff, Food Service Staff, IA, PHA, PHTA, All Parent Liaisons, Classroom Monitors who work more than 20 hours/week

The deadline to submit a nomination is Wednesday, November 13, 2024

If you have any questions, please contact Molly Hill at [email protected]

Important Dates

Oct. 29: AAP Full Time and Part Time Referral Information Session at 8:30 a.m.

Oct. 30: Title 1 & Attendance Principal and Family Coffee at 8:30 a.m. and AAP Full Time and Part Time Referral Information Session at 5:00 p.m.

Oct. 31: End of Quarter 1. Early dismissal at 1:05 p.m.

Nov. 1: No school (Diwali)

Nov. 4: Student Holiday (School planning day for staff and scheduled parent conferences)

Nov. 5: Student Holiday (Teacher Work Day for Staff) | Election Day

Nov. 12: Veteran's Day Program at 8:45 a.m.

Nov. 15: West Po Fun Friday (see parent permission slip)

Nov. 18: Early dismissal at 12:05 p.m.

2310 Nordok Place, Alexandria, VA 22306 | Phone: 703.718.8300

Attendance: 703.718.8383 or [email protected]

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Hollin Meadows Buzz Bulletin for Oct. 18, 2024

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Thank you from Mrs. Crews for all of poems, pictures, and cards for Principal Appreciation Month! Title 1 & Attendance Principal and Family Coffee

HMES AAP Full and Part Time Referral Information Sessions

Lost and Found

Is your child missing a lunchbox, water bottle, or clothing items such as a coat? It may be in our lost and found.The lost and found is located outside of the gym near SACC.

Important Dates

Oct. 21: 3-hour Early Release Monday

Oct. 29: AAP Full Time and Part Time Referral Information Session at 8:30 a.m.

Oct. 30: Title 1 & Attendance Principal and Family Coffee at 8:30 a.m. and AAP Full Time and Part Time Referral Information Session at 5:00 p.m.

Nov. 1: No school (Diwali)

Nov. 4: Student Holiday (School Planning Day for Staff)

Nov. 5: Student Holiday (Teacher Work Day for Staff) | Election Day

Community Conversations🎤 Our Schools, Our Future: Register Today for a Community Conversation!

Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid is hosting a series of Community Conversations this fall. She invites you to share your thoughts and ask questions. Click on a date below to register:

Events take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Childcare and language interpretation services will be provided.

Immunizations

Safeway Immunization Clinics for All FCPS Students

Safeway Pharmacy will host immunization clinics for any FCPS student age 18 or younger at Frost Middle School on Monday, October 28, and Tuesday, October 29, from 3 to 7 p.m.

Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are highly encouraged to avoid wait times. A parent or guardian must accompany walk-in students age 18 or younger to provide consent. Learn more about immunization resources and registering in other languages for the Safeway clinic.

Students age 19 and older may access free immunizations at their middle/high school immunization clinic, the Fairfax County Health Department or through other community resources.

Elementary School Clinics

The Fairfax County Health Department will provide immunizations for FCPS elementary students on limited early release Mondays at their district offices. All school-required immunizations will be offered at no cost. Call 703-246-7100 to make your appointment.

2310 Nordok Place, Alexandria, VA 22306 | Phone: 703.718.8300

Attendance: 703.718.8383 or [email protected]

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Hollin Meadows Buzz Bulletin for Oct. 4, 2024

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A collage of images from HMES Field Day.

A Message from Principal Crews

Dear Hornet Family,

I cannot believe we are already in the month of October! It has been busy and fabulous all at the same time! I continue to be impressed with our Hollin Meadow’s school community. Our teachers have been working hard to learn the new Benchmark Language Arts curriculum, while also assessing our Hollin Hornets current levels of performance.

Everyone is working hard to build a collaborative and positive school community. You may have heard your kids talking about our Hornet Compliments. It is a new school initiative where classes can earn Hornet Compliments throughout the school by showing our three core behaviors which are:

Hollin Hornets are responsible.
Hollin Hornets are respectful.
Hollin Hornets are safe.

After the class earns a compliment, they get to color in a box where the goal is to fill in a full letter from a chart that says HORNETS. The teacher and students in the class get to vote for a celebration such as pajama day, extra recess, and so on. After the class completes a letter, they are also announced and celebrated during our Morning Hornet News.

Ms. Lewis's class celebrated their Hornet Compliments with a class Pajama Day.

Announcements

A huge thank you to Ms. Jopke and Ms. DeRose for a phenomenal Fall Field Day! The rain did not stop us and our students had a wonderful time. Thank you to the West Potomac Seniors who helped us with stations. They were superstars and extremely patient with our students. I also want to thank all of our staff who helped out and families who volunteered to help as well. I am including some pictures of the fabulous day!
I plan to send out a Parent Survey where I inquire what topics you are interested in for Parent/Principal Coffees so please stay tuned.
Thank you to all the parents/guardians who are respecting our arrival and dismissal procedures that help keep our students, staff, and families safe!

Two of our hardworking HMES custodians!

October 2 was National Custodian Day! We are so thankful for our wonderful custodians who help keep our school clean.

Birthday Treats

We look forward to celebrating your child’s birthday with them. It is school policy that birthday treats need to be store bought and have clearly labeled ingredients. Non-food treats like special pencils, fidgets or stickers are also a great alternative that everyone can access.

Important Dates

Our SEL Screener Window is open from October 9th-October 31st
Picture Day is Thursday, October 10th. Picture order forms were sent home.
No School Monday, October 14th for a School Professional Development Day
Our next 3-hour early release is Monday, October 21st

We want your leaves!

Leave your leaves in this spot near Door 7.

🗓️ Attendance Tip: Scheduling Family Trips or Events

Good attendance is an important life skill that will help students succeed in school and beyond.

When planning trips or family events, refer to the FCPS calendar and try to use weekends and school holidays. Every day of learning is a day toward success. Keep in mind that absences add up quickly. Students absent 10% of the school year (or just two days per month) are considered chronically absent.

When possible, schedule appointments for your child outside of school hours. If your child needs to miss school because of an illness or another reason, you must report the absence.

Watch this video with tips on understanding the FCPS school year calendar and visit the Attendance webpage for additional information. Attend today, achieve tomorrow!

Safeway Immunization Clinics for All FCPS Students

Safeway Pharmacy will be providing immunizations at Frost Middle School for all FCPS students at no cost on:

Tuesday, October 8, 3-7 p.m.
Saturday, October 12, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are highly encouraged to avoid wait times. A parent or guardian must accompany walk-in students under the age of 19 to provide consent. Learn more about immunization resources and registering in other languages for the Safeway clinic.

Elementary School Clinics

Community Conversations

🎤 Our Schools, Our Future: Register Today for a Community Conversation!

Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid will host a series of Community Conversations this fall. She invites you to share your thoughts and ask questions. Click the dates below to register for any of the following conversations:

Events take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Childcare and language interpretation services will be provided.

Strategic Plan

✨ The 2023-30 Strategic Plan — Goal 4: Equitable Access to Opportunities

FCPS’ 2023-30 Strategic Plan sets five main goals to create positive change in the division. These goals show where we should focus our attention and will help us align our efforts.

The fourth goal ensures all students have the same access to opportunities, no matter what school they attend. This includes academics and other programs that inspire and engage students and allow them to explore their passions and talents. See how Goal 4 is being put into practice.

Gun Safety and Safe Gun Storage

Providing students and staff with a safe educational environment remains our priority. Sadly, gun violence continues to impact schools and communities across our nation.

In FCPS, lessons on gun safety are built into our curriculum. It is critical that parents and guardians talk to their children about the importance of gun safety and safe gun storage in their homes, and in any home they may visit.

The FCPS website has gun safety resources as well as information about safety and security practices at schools. See Dr. Reid’s recent letter to the community for more resources.

Safely Store Firearms and Medications

The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board has a limited supply of free locking medication boxes and trigger locks that fit a wide variety of firearms. Visit the Lock and Talk website to learn more.

2310 Nordok Place, Alexandria, VA 22306 | Phone: 703.718.8300

Attendance: 703.718.8383 or [email protected]

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Hollin Meadows Buzz Bulletin for Sept. 16, 2024

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A Message from Principal Crews

Hornet Community,

I want to start by thanking all of you for the warm welcome! This past month has been exciting and I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting your Hollin Hornet Student and our staff! We have a beautiful school community and I already LOVE being your principal.

Since the start of the school year, our staff have been working hard to implement and share our core behavior values with our students. Our core behavior values are that ALL of our Hollin Hornets are respectful, responsible, and safe throughout our school. Please look over the Hollin Meadows Behavior Matrix below.

Hollin Meadows Behavior Matrix

HMES Morning Drop Off and Afternoon Pick-Up

Parents, Families, and Caregivers, I need your help keeping our Hornet Students safe! We have drop off and pick up procedures in place in order to maintain safety. Students can be dropped off and picked up in the following ways:

Kiss and Ride (Cars and Day Care Vans)

BUSES

Walkers

SACC

If you are dropping off or picking up your student in a car, you need to use kiss and ride. This keeps our streets clear so buses can pass and eliminates the need to cross the street.

If you happen to park in the neighborhood, please do not block neighborhood driveways or make illegal U-turns where the buses loop out on to Nordok Place. I am extremely concerned that someone could get hurt or there can be a car accident. Student and school community safety is of the utmost importance for HMES administration. As adults we need to model being respectful, responsible, and safe to our Hollin Hornets.

HMES Kiss and Ride and Bus Loops

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener

Fairfax County Public Schools believes in supporting social and emotional learning for all students. In FCPS, students use a tool called the SEL Screener to think about their own SEL skills and experiences at school. Hollin Meadows students in grades 3-6 will participate in the SEL Screener in the Fall and Spring. Parents/guardians may request that their student not participate in the SEL Screener on an annual basis. They can do this via the Parent Digital Consent System OR by completing the Fairfax County Social Emotional Learning Screener Opt-Out Request Form. After each screening, results are available in the Documents tab of SIS ParentVUE and mailed to families without a ParentVUE account. You can also learn more on the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener webpage.

September is Attendance Awareness Month

🤒 When a Student Should Stay Home From School

Whether students miss school because of illness or any other reason, missing school leads to learning loss.

Help your child succeed by encouraging them to attend as many days as possible, but do make sure your child stays home if they are sick. Visit FCPS’ website for information on when to keep your child at home.

If your child has a chronic illness, make sure to notify their teacher so that support can be provided if needed. Also, keep an open line of communication with your school's public health staff.

Read about how families can help form good attendance habits. Attend today, achieve tomorrow!

Blue Star Welcome Week

Blue Star Welcome Week is September 21 - 29, 2024

Every year, approximately 600,000 military-connected families relocate. Most of these families move to new duty stations, while some transition out of the military and others transition in. Most of these moves take place over the summer, and Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to ensuring our military families feel welcomed and a sense of belonging to their local community.

Blue Star Welcome Week is an opportunity for our community to welcome our military-connected families and show them our appreciation for their service and sacrifices. Throughout the week, FCPS will help ease their transition through events, messages, actions of welcome, and opportunities to make meaningful connections. Please help us welcome our military families during Blue Star Welcome Week, September 21 - September 29, 2024, and throughout the year! #BlueStarWelcomeWeekFCPS

Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hisanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month is annually celebrated from September 15 to October 15. Fairfax County Public Schools believes that students deserve meaningful, sustained opportunities to learn about the experiences and contributions of the many cultures and people who make our nation (and our schools!) unique. National Hispanic American Heritage Month is a perfect time to honor the rich stories of those who trace their roots back to Hispanic and Latin American countries.

2310 Nordok Place, Alexandria, VA 22306 | Phone: 703.718.8300

Attendance: 703.718.8383 or [email protected]

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Hollin Meadows Elementary School News and announcements

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