Cedar Reader
Cedar Park Middle School - September 2018
Cedar Park Building Hours
Monday, Aug 27, 2018, 08:45 AM
Cedar Park Middle School, Southwest Park Way, Portland, OR, USA
Message from the Principal
The first week of school was wonderful, and it was so exciting to meet our new 6th graders and their families. I am looking forward to a wonderful year; we have a lot to look forward to.
Attendance matters: Superintendent Grotting has set a goal for all our schools to improve attendance. We spent time this summer looking at data that shows that missing more than 10 school days dramatically impacts student achievement in school and on standardized tests. This affects students across all demographics. We want to stress the importance that parents schedule vacations during non-student contact days. While that trip to Australia may be cheaper in October, it will make your student's success that much harder.
I invite you to read the article and research from the University of Chicago as attached below.
Core Plus: Core Plus is the new academic support class for students who need extra help in writing, reading or math. Students are identified to enroll in Core Plus based on several data points: SBAC, grades, teacher recommendation, parent request, etc.
Counseling: Our counseling model has changed so that your student's counselor will "follow" her/him throughout their experience at Cedar Park. That also means that parents will get to know their student's counselor from day one and have a more productive relationship throughout the 3 years.
6th grade; Andrew Witt
7th grade: Rachel Taleff
8th grade: George McMurtry
Advisory: While Advisory will continue to be mixed grade levels, the teachers have decided to move it to Thursday afternoon and extended the time to 40 minutes. This is a change from two 20-minute morning sessions on Thursday and Friday. The change is a response to student and parent feedback that Advisory was "wasted" time, and our school's need to deliver common curriculum that addresses all our students' needs, as well as honoring our school mission and vision.
Thank you Cedar Park parents!
- Volunteering to help at Wolf Day
- Supply donations of paper, tissues, and Clorox wipes
- Signing up for PTC committees
- Helping with picture day
- Supporting new family night
We look forward to working with all of you throughout the year.
Cedar Park 5K
On Friday, Cedar Park Parent Teacher Club (PTC) launched its only major fundraiser all year-- the Cedar Park 5K, scheduled for Thursday, 10/4. Students will be given their 5K packets today during advisory.
The PTC is aiming to earn above & beyond $50,000 in order to fully fund the 2018-19 budget, as well as begin special school improvement projects in our innovative hands-on engineering lab, library and classrooms.
All 5K info, including drawings, prizes, tax donation receipts, and matching fund info can be found at www.cedarparkptc.org/fundraising.
Ready to get started online? Head to our 5K Firstgiving website, where you can build a simple and secure online fundraising page for your student. All students who have created a Firstgiving online page are automatically entered into our first drawing on September 6th to win a Kingpin bowling party for six.
Dates to Remember:
Sept. 13 - Health Preview Night 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 13 - Back to School Night 6:00 p.m. (see additional information below)
Sept. 17 - PTC Mixer 7:00 p.m.
Sept. 20 - AVID Family Night 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 - Family Fun Night 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 25 - 28 - 6th Grade Outdoor School
Oct. 1 - Coffee/tea with the principal 8:45 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Oct. 4 - 5K Fundraiser
Oct. 10 - Parent-Teacher Conferences 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Oct. 11 - Parent -Teacher Conferences 8:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Oct. 22 - PTC meeting 7:00 p.m., Guest speaker, Matt Cline, Beaverton Police SRO discussing online safety for kids and parents.
Oct. 31 - Volunteers needed for the Clothes Closet
Back to School Night 2.0
The "Big Show" begins at 6:00 pm, but there are some great learning opportunities for parents beginning at 5:30 pm. We are trying to help meet your needs as parent learners, and it's critically important that you know how to navigate the district technology to best support your student.
All sessions 5:30 - 6:00 pm
Health Curriculum Preview - Health Classroom C14B
What is ParentVue and How Do I Use It to See My Kid's Grades? - Library
Assessment in the MYP: So, Is My Kid Passing Your Class or What? - Cafeteria
Canvas 2.0: I've Got PVue Down, So How Do I Know What's Going on in Class? - TBD
Want to Volunteer? We'd LOVE you have you
BUT - you have to go through a background check to even enter the building. It's easy to jump through the hoops - just click on the link below and complete the questions. We look forward to your input and support!
Additionally, if you want to know what's going on at Cedar Park and how you can be involved, you need to frequently check the CPMS Volunteering Page.
Clothes Closet Volunteers Needed
Cedar Park's volunteer day at the BSD Clothes Closet is Wed, October 31 (Halloween). Sign up to work a shift in the Beaverton School District’s clothing store, which provides free clothing for BSD students from families with limited income. The Clothes Closet is located at: Beaverton School District Administration Center, 16550 SW Merlo Road, Beaverton, OR 97006. Interested volunteers can sign up HERE.
Ashland Field Trip Information
What: Oregon Shakespeare Festival Where: Ashland, Oregon When: April 24 - 26, 2019
Who: 8th grade students, teachers, parents Cost: $325 per person
Students can pick up an information letter from Mrs. Hurd at room A11.
$50 deposit is due by Oct. 1st to reserve a spot (max. 40 students and 5 parent Chaperones).
Information? kimberly_hurd@beaverton.k12.or.us
District seeks volunteers to serve on Budget Committee
The Beaverton School District has three vacancies on the Budget Committee and seeks a diverse candidate pool. These positions are in School Board Zone 3 (School Board member Eric Simpson), Zone 5 (School Board member LeeAnn Larsen) and Zone 6 (School Board member Becky Tymchuk). The District schools represented in these zones are:
Zone 3: Bonny Slope, Cedar Mill, Findley, Ridgewood, Terra Linda, and West Tualatin View elementary schools, Cedar Park Middle School, and Sunset High School High School.
Zone 5: Elmonica, McKinley elementary schools, Five Oaks Middle School, Health & Science School, Bridges Academy, Early College PCC, Merlo Station and Hope Chinese Charter School.
Zone 6: Cooper Mountain, Hiteon, Nancy Ryles, Scholls Heights and Sexton Mountain elementary schools, Conestoga and Highland Park middle schools and Mountainside High School.
Individuals interested in serving on the Budget Committee need to live in the zone they wish to represent. The School Board Zones do not entirely match school attendance areas. Zone maps are available on the District website.
Candidates must also meet the following qualifications: be a qualified voter of the District, have lived in the District for one year and cannot be a Beaverton School District employee.
The Budget Committee reviews the District’s budget and recommends needed changes. The Committee conducts business in evening public meetings held between November and June. The Budget Committee also approves the Budget Document and forwards it to the School Board for adoption by the end of June.
Budget Committee members will be appointed by the School Board.
Those who wish to apply should send a letter of interest and/or resume by Friday, September 28, 2018 to:
Beaverton School District
Communications & Community Involvement Department
16550 S.W. Merlo Road
Beaverton, OR 97003
Or email to: community_involvement@beaverton.k12.or.us
For more information, please contact the Communications & Community Involvement Department at 503-356-4360
MYP Update
Cedar Park is an authorized Middle Years Programme (MYP) school, which is part of the International Baccalaureate (IB). At Cedar Park, all students are IB/MYP students.
What is the MYP from ibo.org
The IB Middle Years Program (MYP) is designed for all students aged 11 to 16. It provides a framework of learning that encourages students to become creative, critical and reflective thinkers. The MYP emphasizes intellectual challenge, encouraging students to make connections between their studies in traditional subjects and the real world. It fosters the development of skills for communication, intercultural understanding and global engagement—essential qualities for young people who are becoming global leaders.
The MYP:
- provides students with opportunities to develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills they need in order to manage complexity and take responsible action for the future
- ensures breadth and depth of understanding through study in eight subject groups
- requires the study of at least two languages (language of instruction and additional language of choice) to support students in understanding their own cultures and those of others
- empowers students to participate in service within the community
The aim of all IB programs is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. This partly accomplished by focusing on the attributes of the IB Learner Profile. The 10 attributes are: Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open Minded, Caring, Courageous, Balanced, and Reflective. Cedar Park features a Learner Profile attribute each month.
September
Learner Profile attribute of the month: Inquirer. Inquirers are curious and ask important questions to inquire into the world around them. They explore topics of interest independently and love learning throughout life.
School-Home Connection
Encourage intrinsic inquiry at home by encouraging students to explore topics of interest and help students to become an expert in a topic. Encourage students to ask questions and model active listening. Parents and guardians can demonstrate inquiry by asking questions like: “What was the best part of your day?” “What new skills have you learned so far this year?” “What have you studied that you want to learn more about?”
Program Evaluation
Cedar Park is engaged in our second evaluation cycle, which happens every five years. Last spring, we submitted evidence to describe the school’s progress in the Standards and Practices of MYP. The program standards and practices include 3 sections: Philosophy (A), Organization (B), and Curriculum (C). An evaluation team will visit the school for two days (December, 2018), and IB then sends us an evaluation report, which the school will use to refine a five-year Action Plan.
Part of the Group.....
- Find a good fit: Suggest that your middle grader listen to the morning announcements or check the school website for a list of activities. He/she can ask the coach or advisory for more details about ones they are interested in.
- Arrange transportation: Set up a carpool with other parents. Or have them find out whether there's a late bus he can ride and schedule.
- Show interest: If they join a sports team, cheer them on at games or meets. Or if they are in science club, as them to tell you about an experiment they enjoyed
Homework: Smooth Sailing
- Discuss expectations: Encourage your child to think about what he/she thinks about what they expect from themselves. They might say turning in assignments when they're due and get the habit of looking over math problems to be sure they didn't make careless mistakes. Also, let them know what you expect when it comes to homework. Consider writing down our expectations, such as doing their best to turn assignments in when due.
- Step back: Have your middle grader decide when to do homework, whether it's after school or after dinner. When it's time for him/her to start, be matter-of-fact. You could say, "Looks like it's time to do homework. Let me know if you need anything." Then, allow them to work independently. This shows them that you are confident in their abilities and encourages them to take responsibility for their own work.
In school every day
A One of the best ways to help your student have a successful year is to make sure he/she attends school every day form start to finish.
Start the year by reading the attendance policy in the school handbook together. That way, you'll both be on the same page about what counts as as acceptable reason for missing school, such as illness or a family emergency.
Then if they ask for a "day off", explain that learning is a job. To keep up with new material and participate in class, they need to be there. You can let them know that their days off will come during winter break. Regular attendance at school now will create a habit that they will continue through the years to come and one day, on the job.