Back to School CHECKLIST: Prepping for CDL in 10 Easy Steps

Cedar Park families are about to embark on a year like no other. Here’s a top ten checklist to set your family up for success.

1. Complete Back to School Verification.

2. Set up a learning space at home.

3. Make sure your internet is up to speed or apply for free internet and/or hotspot.

4. Get school supplies or email Cedar Park for support.

5. Plan to make Sept 8-11 a priority for you & your student: both Wolf Week & Parent Academy are scheduled this week, with teachers engaging with students and BSD offering Canvas/Parentvue trainings.

6. Find last spring’s chromebook/charger; if it needs replacing or you didn’t check one out from your elementary school, email shd@beaverton.k12.or.us to set up time to receive one until new chrome books are mass distributed.

7. Round up any books that need to be returned to Cedar Park.

8. Sign up for the PTC blog to stay up to date on information throughout the school year and/or like “Cedar Park Middle School PTC” if you prefer to find info on social media.

9. Email update_volunteer_locations@beaverton.k12.or.us in order to move your profile from your elementary school to Cedar Park Middle School. Parents are not automatically moved into the Cedar Park volunteer database. (And yes, volunteering will look dramatically different, but you never know when/how we'll need parent support).

10. Commit to 150% engagement with your student and school from Sept 8-18.

    ***BONUS POINTS: Read through our Cedar Park Virtual Q&A Recap to better understand what Comprehensive Distance Learning will look like this fall.

Back to School Q&A RECAP: CDL in a Nutshell (Summer 2020)

Miss last month’s virtual Q&A? Look no further, we’ve got ya covered.

Full disclaimer:  All information given in this virtual Q&A is tentative and subject to change.  Because… covid.

Dr. A began the session with some hard truth: last spring was not ideal & didn’t feel successful to many parents and staff.  It was a reaction in a sudden emergency situation, where schools were given strict guidance from the state and BSD. Dr. A acknowledges that it didn’t provide a successful standard for rigor.

Fast forward to this fall.  How have things changed?  Let’s walk through the major components of distance learning this September.

First, take a look at some new phrases that will dominate this conversation. No need for a quiz.  We’re gonna learn this whether we want to or not.

• ***CDL (Comprehensive Distance Learning): Remote learning through your neighborhood school, off-site and online. ***Available all year to students, regardless if we move to a hybrid model.

• Hybrid Model: When deemed safe, the blending of in-person (two days a week) with at-home sessions

• Synchronous: Learning that happens when participants interact at the same time and in the same space (live teaching)

• Asynchronous: Learning that happens in elapsed time, like email, message boards, video, podcasts etc (such as last spring)

• Applied Learning: Independent work by students, though teachers are still available for questions/interaction

• Cohort: A group of students either online or in-person

• ODE: Oregon Department of Education, who hands down state-wide mandates and guidance re: return to school

• Flex Online:  A totally separate BSD school that is also fully online, but is geared towards families not returning to neighborhood schools

So, here we find ourselves in a Comprehensive Distance Learning situation for the foreseeable future.  Settle in for a nice long read as we go over all the moving parts.

SCHEDULE:  Consistent

Students will now have the same schedule every day, (as opposed to a rotating A/B schedule), with classes beginning at 9:15am and ending at 3:50pm (our normal Cedar Park hours).  Having said that, Wednesday’s schedule is still being confirmed as this may be used for special education and intervention services.  So… hold tight on Wednesday. 

LEARNING:  Synchronous

While the exact CDL schedule is still being confirmed (due to ongoing negotiations with the teachers union), Cedar Park students can expect the same five classes every day, each 45 minutes long, including three core classes (humanities, math, & science) and two electives.  Each period will begin with 15-20 synchronous minutes with a teacher. The rest of the period will be applied learning (fancy name for kids doing their work on their own, with the possibility of small group breakouts).  The teacher will remain online & be available for questions/concerns until the end of the period.

In addition to these five classes, their school day tentatively includes:

• 30-minute lunch break

• 25-minute advisory session to promote socio-emotional health (which could include WEB for 6th graders, team building etc)

• 90 minute block for independent reading (humanities book), wellness (a screen break to catch up on assignments), or applied learning (doing their homework). This time may also be used to check in with AVID or ESL students, or any student with an IEP.

ATTENDANCE:  Taken

Though the actual mechanism hasn’t been finalized, teachers will be taking attendance every day in every class period.  Students will be marked as present if they participate in the zoom call, communicate with a teacher via phone, chat, text or email, or turn in an assignment. 

Teachers need to report on attendance every day, but students need to be given the flexibility to complete tasks outside of the "normal school hours," given parents' work schedules. How exactly this is going to happen is TBD.

GRADES: Given

Even though we are waiting on final guidance from the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), BSD and Dr. Anderson fully expect that grades will be given. 

CANVAS:  Required

It appears to have taken a global pandemic, but finally, all Cedar Park teachers will be using the same learning management tool, Canvas.  (Say goodbye to google classroom & all the random websites). Additionally, each teacher will be required to format their Canvas page in the same way.

Sidenote for the newbies:  Canvas has not been previously mandated (leaving students to navigate various platforms depending on the teacher), so having all classes on one platform is a game-changer.  Canvas is one location where a student can see all their classes, click into individual classes to see assignments, the calendar (due dates), and messages from the teacher. It is possible to have a view-only parent account for Canvas-- there’s even an app.  Learn more & even watch a fun Canvas webinar right HERE.

ELECTIVES:  Two

Students will now have two electives instead of four.  Ms. Clifford, our vice principal, is literally going through every student’s forecasting sheet (900+!) to ensure that they are given one of their top two choices.  BLESS THIS WOMAN. The offered electives are still up in the air, as BSD is waiting for more guidance from the Oregon Health Authority surrounding the safety of choir/band this school year, but art and PE will for sure be offered, and the Spanish position is open.

START DATE:  Monday, 9/14

The first day of school has been pushed out a week as BSD staff, facing a steep learning curve with all of these changes, will need additional time for professional development. As Ms. Clifford put it, “We need a really strong start and we know that.”  AMEN. YES. STRONG START, PLEASE.

What about the rest of the year?  BSD has not released a new calendar, as they are still negotiating with the teacher’s union, but we do know the kids will be in CDL (remote learning) until November 13th.

HYBRID:  Metric-dependant

Last July, Governor Brown released the metrics that must be met before schools can open in-person, even part-time.  Read all the gritty details and various exceptions on OPB, KATU, or on Oregonlive.

Basically, schools can only return to in-person learning if the following criteria are met:

1. The state must be at or below 5% COVID-19 positivity rate for three weeks

2. Counties must have cases drop below 10 per 100,000 residents per week, for at least three weeks. ***Most likely the hardest hurdle for BSD.  Here’s a listing of Washington County’s weekly case rates (per 100,000) since 7/5, which have ranged from 58 to 43. We will need that to drop to 10 for three weeks straight in order to move into a hybrid model.

3. Counties must also have at or below 5% positivity rate for at least three weeks

However, Cedar Park is already working hard to ensure a smooth transition to hybrid, whenever that may be.  Here’s how:

• The draft hybrid schedule is already developed, which will be slightly different from our full-time CDL schedule.  Students learning remotely will begin earlier in the morning & will have their synchronous zoom sessions for core classes while the in-person students are in electives.  Electives in hybrid will be asynchronous (as elective teachers have in-person students all day).  When it’s their day to attend in-person, students will begin later in the morning (this draft said 10am), but end at regular dismissal (3:50pm).  Honestly, my brain just exploded.  Thank you to whoever figured that mess out.

• Eventual cohorts are being built from the fall’s CDL sections.  Instead of reinventing the wheel when we move to hybrid, Cedar Park admins are already building the student schedules in a way that allows classrooms to be split into two heterogeneous cohorts that minimizes exposure in a hybrid model, meaning cohorts are generally being driven by electives.  Confused?  Basically, when your cherub receives their schedule this fall (for CDL), they will probably notice the same 33ish kids in all their core classes. Those same sections will be halved when we go to hybrid (half on M/T, half on Th/F). There won’t be a huge reshuffle of students and schedules when hybrid eventually begins because they are creating the learning cohorts now.

COHORTS: Balanced

A cohort, just another fun phrase we’ve learned this pandemic, is basically a small group of students that are kept together as much as possible to limit the amount of cross-exposure between the student body.

There are a few different types of cohorts that your student will be a part of when we move into the hybrid model.

• Attendance cohort:  The kids that go to Cedar Park on the same days during hybrid, either M/T or Th/F.  BSD is looking at family information to ensure that all students from a household will attend school on the same days (and if that doesn’t work for you, then let Cedar Park know).

• Learning cohort:  This is the group of roughly 17 students that will be in the same physical room for their core classes and possibly, their electives. These students will remain in the classroom while their core teachers come to them.  Most likely they will have lunch in that classroom.  However, they will move into their elective classrooms. 

Electives are a bit tricky and not as flexible so the entire learning cohort may not be together 100% of the time. Learning cohorts are generally based on elective choice, minimizing student contact with the greater student body, but with 900+ students, that can’t be absolutely guaranteed.  

Sidenote:  One cohort not mentioned in this session, but mentioned in previous BSD FAQs is the transportation cohort-- the group of kids that will ride the bus together. But… let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

News flash: ODE requires cohorts to be heterogeneous (diverse in character and content), so Cedar Park (or any school) can’t put all the IEPs or ELLs into their own cohorts. They can’t lump all the Cedar Mill or Terra Linda kids together.  All cohorts will have the same ratio of gender, IEPs, socio-economics, special ed/intervention/AVID students etc.  Elective choice drives a portion of the cohort-building, but ultimately, they must be balanced. 

ALL YOUR BURNING QUESTIONS

Can students stay in CDL (remote learning), even if BSD enters a hybrid model? Yes, students can stay in CDL (distance learning) even when the hybrid option opens up. FOR THOSE IN THE BACK:  Yes, yes, yes, students can stay in CDL (distance learning) even when the hybrid option begins. 

Their experience will be different from the fall’s CDL schedule, and their interaction with teachers will be somewhat limited (electives move to asynchronous), but yes, they will still have that option through the end of this school year. 

What is the difference between FLEX and CDL? This graphic pretty much sums it up.

Other cool items about CDL include:

• Cedar Park teachers still have access to Apex Learning materials (used in Flex)

• MYP methodology

• WEB support for 6th grade (read more below)

• Access to Cedar Park library & classroom libraries 

• Natural transition into neighborhood high school

Is WEB happening this year? Yes, WEB (Where Everyone Belongs) is an 8th grade mentorship group that supports incoming 6th graders.  Each spring, 7th graders apply to join the WEB team and spend the first couple months each fall meeting 6th graders during advisory, doing ice breakers, answering questions, and providing information on various topics surrounding what it means to be in middle school.

Last spring, that application process happened online and this year’s 8th grade WEB team is gearing up to meet and have fun with incoming 6th graders, albeit virtually.

When will my precious student receive their schedule? Not until the very last minute.  Those schedules are gonna be coming in hot.

And that’s a wrap!  Check out the full 60 minute video or dive deep into ODE’s “Ready Schools, Safe Learners” document.

Spring 2020 Principal Coffee Recap: Where's Our Crystal Ball?

Dr. Anderson’s first virtual principal coffee was a huge success, with over 80+ attendees.  While the chat feature was going strong, Dr. Anderson and Student Supervisor Melissa Ackerman did their best to keep up and answer questions.  Here’s the highs (and lows) of what we know (and more honestly, don’t know) about school this fall.

What Will School Look Like Next Year?

Short answer? We don’t know.  Dr. Anderson is participating in a District think tank of administrators and District leaders to generate ideas and hear back from parents, but the truth is, nothing has been decided.

First reason?  All districts are waiting to hear from the Oregon Department of Education for their official guidance for next year.  Side note:  those recommendations were released on Wed, 6/10, and it’s a 46 page read of flowcharts. Joy.

Second reason?  The State of Oregon hasn’t released their proposed budget, meaning school districts across the state are unable to finalize their own numbers. However, all are bracing for cuts as the recent economic downturn has greatly diminished the predicted state revenue.  The recent Friday furloughs have been a means to preempt some of those budget woes.  According to Matt Schoolfield in BSD’s Business Dept, these furlough Fridays have saved 30+ teaching positions for 2020-21.

Third reason?  Ummm….. It’s called a global pandemic.  Where.To.Start.  Once BSD learns what social distancing measures are being required of schools, they can begin the work of implementing these measures into our schools.

Will students be required to wear masks?  We don’t know, but probably in some capacity. That’s a Department of Health decision.

What will PE look like?  Not sure, though Dr. Anderson has requested additional money from the PTC to double the number of equipment, as half will need to be sanitized while the other half is in use.

Can students take an antibody test to see if they’ve already had it?  As Dr. A put it, that’s “above her pay grade.” That is something beyond the scope of BSD at this point.

Can school start early to avoid the inevitability of a winter closing?  Again, nothing is decided, but that seems unlikely as an early start would require a shortened planning period for new guidelines, a new agreement with the teacher’s union, and the conflict of summer bond construction at multiple sites.

Will school start on time (September 8)?  Possibly, but again (say it with me)... nothing has been decided. The governor’s latest guidance restricts gatherings over 25 through September.  If that holds true, it will be difficult to be compliant.

Will school start in person this fall?  (All together now!).. nothing has been decided. The District does not know Oregon Department of Education’s requirements to open in person in the fall.

Could BSD offer a hybrid model, where students alternate between the classroom and online?  Yes, it’s a possibility.  In fact, literally EVERYTHING IMAGINABLE is on the table, including:

• A/B days

• Students alternating each week

• Students alternating every three weeks

• AM/PM sessions, which would avoid lunch

• Creating some sort of cohort where students remain in the classroom and the teachers come in & out (better for contact tracing)

• Lunch in their classrooms

• One way hallways

• Offering parents some sort of choice (online vs. physical classroom)

• Staggered start times

• No volunteers or visitors

• No field trips or school socials

How is Cedar Park going to ensure academic rigor? (Well isn’t THIS the million dollar question!)  Sadly, this year’s online learning is exposing the gaps in our community more than ever before.  While many students at Cedar Park are engaged and regularly turning in work, the reality is that there are many students who have not logged on in nine weeks.

So how to ensure learning continues?  Well, BSD has the luxury of watching other school systems around the world go back first, so they can pull from those successes.  Second, they’ve been able to use this spring to build valuable experience. Students need to learn how to be online students and teachers need to learn how to be online teachers. That’s not something that happens overnight and now Cedar Park staff now have some experience in what works and what doesn’t.

Dr. A identified three ways that she feels Cedar Park and BSD can ensure academic growth during these crazy times:

1. Clear expectations for teachers

2. Listening to families & engaging with parents

3. Developing deeper relationships, even online

Can families expect more higher requirements for online learning next year?  Yes, but first add synchronous to your “Words I Learned this Pandemic.”  Dr. Anderson expects that next school year, teachers will be required to include some sort of ‘live’ or synchronous interaction with students online.  These will need to be recorded for our students who struggle to be online at specific times.  

The threshold for online work will be greater next year and will most likely include more traditional grading. This spring was an emergency response to a sudden global event. Moving forward, the expectations and accountability will increase for all.

What electives will be offered next fall? Awesome question from the back, but.. you guessed it, nothing has been decided.  Dr. Anderson and Megan Clifford, our vice principal, can’t create a master schedule until they know how many staff members they will have.  And they won’t know that until BSD creates its budget, which we can't do until the State releases its budget.  See how that works (or.. actually, doesn’t work?). All schools are on hold with their schedule until budget numbers are released, staffing is confirmed, and required social distancing guidelines are communicated. Dr. A expects to lose between 4-12 staff members next school year.

Cedar Park has been lucky enough in the past to offer the full complement of fine art electives:  drama, choir, band, and art, and had planned on bringing back Spanish.  Whether we can continue to do so remains to be seen, especially with the expected social distancing measures.  

When will schedules be available? Due to a myriad of reasons (see question above), students most likely won’t know their electives or their schedule until right before school.  As in, these schedules will be coming in hot.  There’s a real possibility that they won’t be released until the first day.  

Can the PTC pay for additional staffing? No, BSD does not allow parent groups to pay for staffing. However, the 2020-21 PTC budget does include multiple items that support this new world, including remote art boxes (for students without art supplies at home), additional outdoor picnic tables (to encourage & create more outdoor seating), more PE equipment (since equipment will need to be rotated/sanitized more often), and additional carts for teachers (since most likely teachers, instead of students, will be moving through the building more).

Can the federal government provide any financial support? Well, doesn’t that sound lovely.  However, there appears to be no current plans to earmark education dollars at the federal level.

What happened to the Student Success Act? Yes, what about last year’s knight in shining armour that was going to swoop in to save us all to provide an influx of money to public education?  Well, with the sudden & dramatic economic downturn due to COVID-19, the State has delayed collection of these new taxes (as they were directly tied to business revenue).  Read more HERE. 

Dr. Anderson’s Biggest Fears:

• The possibility that BSD and/or the community will go too fast & then have to totally shut down again.

• All of the learning we are losing, though some comfort is the knowledge that every school across America is grappling with the same issue. Beaverton and Cedar Park aren’t alone in this struggle.

• How this pandemic & new guidelines will economically impact school districts for at least five years.

Parents Bringing the Heat

True to form, our parents had a few thoughts themselves.  Here’s a quick roundup of the ideas tossed about:

• Make all teachers use Canvas.  Our students need all the info & assignments in one place. Ummmm…. done. Next school year, ALL TEACHERS must use Canvas (bye bye google classroom!).

• Fix Canvas itself or at least offer better IT help.  There seem to be frequent glitches within the system.  A better student help desk would be ideal. Sidenote for all the newbies who are confused here: Canvas is the learning management platform used by all middle school & high schools in BSD.  It’s where teachers post assignments, messages, etc.  There’s a parent app that can be highly useful to check up on your little cherub.

• Don’t make assignments optional.  While we understand the pass/incomplete decision this spring, our students need graded work with summative assessments (tests) to sustain accountability. The work needs to matter!

• Consider creating a student to student support system to help build friendships & fun throughout the year.

• Focus on the core classes.  Is it possible to skip some of the electives or at least greatly diminish their requirements so students can focus on humanities, science, and math?

Specific Items for Incoming Families: Burning Questions Answered

• Math Curriculum:  Cedar Park has all incoming 6th graders on an accelerated math course that puts them into AGS2 as freshman (Algebra/Geometry/Statistics).  They will take Math 6/7 as 6th graders, Math 7/8 as 7th graders, and AGS1 as 8th graders.  This model has proved successful in raising test scores the last three years and been duplicated in other BSD middle schools.  Cedar Park has the highest math growth compared to like-size schools in Oregon.  There is always a small group that tests into even high mather as 6th graders and a small group that repeats AGS1 as freshman to receive extra support.

• Canvas:  This learning management software is the biggest learning curve for 6th graders (imagine a secondary version of SeeSaw). Dr. Anderson recommends that if your student has an older sibling, have them show your new middle schooler the system and how it works.  Once Canvas is set up for incoming students, parents can sign-up for notifications/parent access, which is super handy in the beginning.  This is ENTIRELY SEPARATE from Parentvue (which posts grades).

• First Day of School:  If/when this happens in person, the first day of school is always 6th grade only.  WEB leaders (8th grade leadership group) do ice-breakers with the 6th graders in small groups and 6th graders walk an abbreviated schedule to meet their teachers.

• Sports: THPRD handles sports at the middle school level, or parents could look into the local club scene. Hopefully they’ll be back in some capacity in the fall, but that is not a decision made by BSD.

Other Fun Cedar Park News:

• 8th Grade Send Off is scheduled for Thursday, 6/11 from 10am- noon.  8th grade families can expect more details soon. Items will be mailed if you are unable to attend.

• Yearbooks for current 6th & 7th graders can be picked up next fall.  All 8th graders will receive a yearbook (thanks to the PTC) at the send-off on 6/11.

• Chromebooks will not be returned. 8th graders will turn into high school. CPMS will collect this fall.  Cedar Park was slated to receive new chromebooks anyway.

• Families that want to enroll in BSD’s Flex Online (not to be confused with our current remote learning) can check it all out here.

And that’s a wrap!  Bravo and thank you to Dr. Anderson and Ms. Ackerman for keeping up with a very active chat and THANK YOU to the many parents who attended. Let’s keep working together to keep Cedar Park awesome.

October 2019 Principal Coffee Recap: The Journey Continues

Dr. A’s Principal Coffee was a pretty straightforward affair.  Read on to hear what’s upcoming for our little middle school angels.

Better, Not Bitter Assembly

As part of Cedar Park’s anti-bullying week, motivational speaker Jesse LeBeau and his team visited Cedar Park to spread the message of taking action and becoming “better, not bitter.”  Watch Jesse’s story here, or better yet, check out the pictures of our kids ACTUALLY ENJOYING an assembly. 

Other anti-bullying activities included students adding their handprints & personal pledge to 12-foot banners, stating what they’ll stand up against.  Teachers also brought in cultural identity lessons to help educate students.

Middle School Boundary Roadshow

The 12 applicants to sit on the middle school boundary advisory committee have been chosen (two from each existing middle school).  Those meetings have started and at least half are open to the public and will be live-streamed on youtube. 

This BSD boundary road show will be at Cedar Park on Thursday, 12/5 from 6:30-8:30pm.  A full listing of events, FAQs, videos and other documents can be found at the BSD Middle School Boundary webpage.

Testing Takes Over: But Does it Matter?

8th graders will be taking the Pre-ACT8 on November 20th.  This is a district switch from the prior test, the PSAT, meaning we are back to finding baseline data.  Cedar Park had been seeing year over year growth in the PSAT. The Pre-ACT measures English, math, reading, and science, and includes information on plans and goals after high school as well as college readiness skills. 

Currently in BSD, students will take the Pre-ACT again in 10th grade and the ACT in 11th grade.  Students can also opt to take the SAT. More info about assessments can be found at BSD’s Assessment homepage.

TAG testing will also be taking place in November, on the 12th & 15th.  Forms for parents to fill out to have their student tested were sent home in the newsletter and are available in the office.  However, TAG is different from Summa, with different levels of distinction. Summa students are sent to a different program at Meadow Park.  TAG students have their learning differentiated in the classroom. 

But does it really matter?  Well, this led to quite a discussion about Summa, TAG, and taking higher level classes in high school.  The general consensus agreed that while Summa and TAG identification can be helpful in middle school, they are not necessarily required to take honors, AP, or IB classes at Beaverton or Sunset.

Since Beaverton & Sunset have distinct programming and offerings, it’s easier for parents to check out the individual schools themselves to see the various prerequisites, pathways, honors, and AP or IB options.  

Sunset Academic Program Planning 2019-20 (pdf)

Beaverton Academic Planning Guide 2019-20 (website)

Other Interesting Nuggets You’d Know if You’d Been Here:

• The PACK store is on its way back!  Two generous parent volunteers have offered to chair this CPMS tradition.  Students receive tokens from teachers & staff for good behavior & positive qualities.  Students can then use those tokens to purchase fun stuff at the PACK store, open a couple days a month.  Because token hoarding is a real thing, Dr. A is offering pop-up donut shops and whole pizzas every now and then.

• BSD is committed to creating a more comprehensive middle school experience, meaning middle school are working to better align their programming and grading practices.  Being an MYP schools means we have an 8-point grading rubric, which allows for nuance in grading scale something other middle schools do not have. BSD will continue to work toward equitable offerings at all their neighborhood middle schools.

• The Parentvue/Canvas/Google Classroom conundrum continues.  Just a refresher: teachers are not mandated to use a specific platform to share classroom info.  While all must upload grades into Parentvue, any other online class management choice is up to them.  While Canvas & Google Classroom are nice for updates & assignments, look to Parentvue (especially now after last week’s grading day) for updated scores. 

• Our new Cedar Park sign is in the works!  Mock-ups will be heading to Shannon soon.

See you all Thursday, 12/12 at 9am for the next exciting session with Dr. Anderson!

2019 PTC Meet & Greet: What You Missed

Our first PTC event of the year was an educational experience. Huge thanks to all the parents who joined us (Ridgewood in the house!) and brought up some great topics.

Feel free to step through the slideshow and check out our most recent Treasurer's Report.

Here’s a quick rundown of topics covered:

Cedar Park 5K for the Win!

Yes, this fundraiser is all that and a bag of chips.  We are fundraising for the ENTIRE YEAR’S budget, so we can all sit back in November, pat ourselves on the back, and enjoy all the awesome things we provided our students.

Some interesting things Bettina (our president) and Shannon (our principal) mentioned:

• This year, teachers each have their own budget ($75) from the PTC.  This allows them to make their own choices re: their own classroom needs.

• Shannon’s annual budget has been reduced by almost 50% since she came to Cedar Park four years ago.  Ummm… YIKES. Hopefully things are on the upswing, but the reality is that our schools are getting less money than previous years, meaning our PTC funds really are a game changer.

• We abhor fundraising sales.  Seriously, who wants to go pitch wrapping paper, chocolates, or frozen pies?  NO ONE. The 5K seems to be a good compromise of fun event/school spirit, but also relatively easy for parents to contribute.

Why is it so hard to fundraise?

We’ve got several feeder schools that make much more on their Jog-a-thons with less enrollment.   Why isn’t this easier? 

Oh, honey.  That is is $55k question.  Shannon & the PTC Board have several theories, but one prevalent theme is that middle school is a weird purgatory for families-- a no man’s land without an identity.  We don’t have the cuteness and magic of elementary or the sports and branding of our high schools.

Plus… middle schoolers. Enough said.

The good news? The 5K, only in its fourth year, is continuing to build energy, year over year.  Each annual total has seen growth. So let’s make it awesome!

PACK Store vs. Student Store?

The PACK store is part of a school-wide incentive program.  CPMS staff hand out tokens for good behavior, leadership, or any reason they see fit.  Twice a month, students can use those tokens to buy fun items at the PACK store, everything from donuts to candy to fun pens and socks.

The Student Store is open everyday before school.  Students use cash to purchase school supplies, PE t-shirts, etc.

Middle School Boundary Quandary

And so it begins.

Beaverton School District is currently taking applications for anyone interested in being on the advisory committee to create the new middle school boundaries.  Timberland is set to open in fall 2021 (meaning 6th graders right now will be 8th graders when it opens).

Parents should realize that the biggest priority in these new boundaries will be alleviating the overcrowding at Stoller Middle School.  And by “overcrowding,” we mean that Stoller (at 1600 students) is larger than TWO of BSD’s high schools (Beaverton & Southridge). It is the largest middle school IN THE STATE, so um…. yeah.  Sounds like they might be tight on space.

Side note:  Steve Sparks, BSD’s Executive Director for Long Term Planning, recently spoke at Bonny Slope’s community meeting, which was live-streamed on youtube. Listen in for his presentation (starting at 3:30) to learn more about the process. 

Canvas Non-Contractual

So… many parents were thoroughly confused/overwhelmed on Back to School Night when listening to the various platforms that teachers were using to communicate.  Due to contractual issues, BSD cannot mandate a single platform for teachers to use, meaning your child’s Humanities teacher might be on Canvas, while their Science teacher uses google classroom.

So what’s a parent to do?  Be patient, ask questions, and provide feedback at the next parent survey.

If your child’s teacher DOES use Canvas, the PTC is hosting a Canvas/Parentvue Q&A at our next PTC meeting on Monday, 10/28.

Other Juicy Tidbits You’d Know If You’d Been There:

• 6th grade is doing really well!  Busy start to the year.  Behaviors are doing well.  No fights regarding cell phone policy so… phew!

• 8th grade will soon be getting two more sections of science to alleviate some crazy large class sizes.

• Spirit Week is next week in conjunction with our 5K!

• FAll conferences are by invitation only, in hopes that teachers and parents can catch students who are struggling early.  Teachers should open up their remaining slots (once invitees are scheduled) to any parent wanting to check in. Spring conferences are for everyone.

• We’ve got a new choir director-- whoop!

• Parent feedback is ESSENTIAL to the Student Success Act. Give your ideas HERE.
  

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Work smarter, not harder, Cedar Park! Head to CPMS' online calendar, click the gray icon & subscribe to your mobile phone. Never be out of the loop! District, Cedar Park, and A/B calendars are available.

Not sure how to subscribe to a public calendar? Google it.

Revised 2019-20 School Calendar Now Available 

The revised calendar for the 2019-2020 school year is now available. This calendar reflects the start of the school year being moved from August 27th to September 3rd and the elimination of early release Wednesdays. We repeat, NO EARLY RELEASE WEDNESDAYS!

Revised 2019-20 BSD School Calendar (English). 

Revised 2019-20 BSD School Calendar (Spanish).

Important First Semester Dates- Fall 2019

Please mark your calendars for the following important dates at Cedar Park through the first semester of 2019-20.  

More detailed information and additional dates will be sent throughout the year.

 Cedar Park’s full calendar can be accessed HERE. Subscribe to your phone & save yourself some sanity.

Wolf Day, August 22

This will be the third year for our one-day event to help parents and students feel prepared and excited about the beginning of school. Drop in anytime on Thursday, 8/22 between 9am-noon or 2-7pm. Activities include attend ChromeBook Orientation & taking home your Chromebook (7th and 8th grade), getting student’s schedule, picking up any needed supplies (PE t-shirt, school supplies), and completing your student’s online verification.

New Student Family Reception  Thursday, August 29

This informal, drop-in event is geared toward our new families from 5-6:30pm.  A sweet treat will be provided as students will have an opportunity to "walk" their schedule, explore Cedar Park and meet other CPMS families. 

 

First Day of School (6th Grade Only)    Tuesday, September 3

Sixth graders will have the school (and the bus) to themselves as they experience CPMS for the first time.  WEB leaders (8th grade mentor/leadership team) will lead them through ice breakers and other fun activities.  Students will have a shortened schedule to meet all of their teachers in one day. Students do not need to bring anything except a lunch. CPMS' school day begins at 9:15am.

 

First Day of School (7th & 8th Grade)  Wednesday, September 4

The seventh and eighth graders will join the sixth graders on 9/4.

 

Health Preview/Back to School Night   Thursday, Sept 19

Swing by the school at 5:30pm to learn more about BSD’s health curriculum.  The organized Back To School event begins at 6pm.  Parents will hear from administrators, as well as walk their child's schedule to listen to specific class info from individual teachers.

PRO TIP: This is a really informational night & may be the only time to meet your child’s teachers before spring conferences. Try and make it!

Cedar Park PTC Mixer    Monday, Sept 23

COME MEET SOME PEOPLE! Join fellow CPMS parents for an informal gathering to broaden our Cedar Park community.  We're in this together, so we might as well make some friends.

AVID Family Night Thursday, Sept 26

A special gather for our AVID families from 5:30-6:30pm. Learn more about Cedar Park’s AVID program and what that means for your student.

Latino Family Night/Family Fun Night     Thursday, Sept 20

A special gathering will begin for our Latino families from 5:30-6:30pm. The annual CPMS Family Fun Night is back again, with art, science, and interactive stations for the entire family.  Stay tuned for more info regarding this teacher-led evening event, which will begin at 6:30pm.

Cedar Park 5K    Thursday, October 3

The PTC's only major fundraiser will take place on Thursday, 10/3.  Volunteers will be needed to manage the chaos and ensure a successful event. Our goal is to make our full annual budget so we can sit back, relax, and watch our donations being spent on our students for the rest of the school year.

Parent-Teacher Conferences     Wed, Oct 16 & Thurs, Oct 17

Our fall conferences are invite-only, meaning your child's teacher will contact you if they'd like to meet personally.  Conferences run from 5:30-8pm on 10/16 and 8:30am- 8pm on 10/17.  NO SCHOOL FRIDAY, 10/18.

Coffee & Tea with Dr. Anderson     Thursday, October 24

Join Dr. Anderson for an informal gathering with other CPMS parents.  This is an excellent opportunity to have your questions answered and hear more about policy, strategy, and news at Cedar Park.  Join us at 9am!

October PTC Community Meeting with Canvas/Parentvue Training Monday, October 28

Join us on Monday, 10/28 at 6:30pm for this month's PTC Community Meeting, which will include a Canvas/Parentvue Q & A for all parents & community members looking for more info on how to navigate these systems.

Additionally, we'll have Board reports, including our year to date budget numbers, and information with CPMS principal, Dr. Shannon Anderson.

CPMS Fifth Grade Open House Wednesday, November 20

Come see what your neighborhood middle school is all about!

Fifth grade students & their parents are welcome to join us for an evening of Cedar Park discovery. Listen & learn from Cedar Park admins & staff about the programs & MYP curriculum. Then spend some time exploring the school in a student-led scavenger hunt.

Current CPMS staff, parents & students will be on hand to answer any questions.

November PTC Community Meeting: Keeping Our Kids Safe Online Monday, November 25

Cedar Park's Safety Resource Officer, Matt Cline, will be discussing effective ways to keep our children safe online on Monday, 11/25 at 6:30pm.

Join him and the PTC Board at the November PTC meeting to learn tools, apps and other ways to monitor and protect your student's digital life. Join us to learn more about this important and relevant topic!

Coffee & Tea with Dr. Anderson     Thursday, December 12

Join Dr. Anderson for an informal gathering with other CPMS parents.  This is an excellent opportunity to have your questions answered and hear more about policy, strategy, and news at Cedar Park.  Join us at 9am!

Cedar Park Onstage Winter Play, Friday, December 13 and Saturday, December 14 

Come watch our own resident theater company, Cedar Park Onstage, perform their first play of the year.

Additional dates will be added. Be on the look out for more info as the school year progresses.