Cedar Reader
Cedar Park Middle School - September 14, 2020
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Class begins every morning at 9:15!
Message from the Principal
Welcome to the official first week of the 2020-2021 school year.
This will be a challenging school year, for all of us. That's why it is more important than ever that we believe and act as partners more than ever for student success. We all want our kids to learn and thrive.
We have been working very hard throughout the summer, especially the last two weeks, learning how to use Canvas and many of our other digital learning tools. We will spend the first week focusing on teaching kids how to be great online students and how to be successful. We are ready to be awesome! (Not perfect)
We are so excited to see our students on Monday @ 9:15 AM. That is the time that class will begin EVERY day while we are in CDL. I strongly suggest you spend some time today with your student looking at the teacher Canvas pages (some may not be published yet), and making sure your student knows how to open zoom and connect to class.
Tomorrow morning should look like any other first day of school: set an alarm, get dressed, eat breakfast, be ready to go by 9:00 am in your learning environment. Students can log on early and will have to "sit" in a waiting room until the teacher lets them in, just like in regular school.
If you have technical problems, have your student email the student help desk at shd@beaverton.k12.or.us. We will also have a Zoom help room open tomorrow from 9:30 - 10:30.
Here is the information for that:
Meeting ID: 954 9601 1566
Passcode: Help
If you haven't had the time to do your own learning, The district Family Toolkit can help you. It has lessons on Canvas, ParentVue, Zoom, and many others.
Many of you have asked, and we hate saying no, but we cannot do ANY schedule changes until we are in a non-cohort situation (fully back in person with no restrictions). Students are grouped in cohorts of 34, as we can only have 17 in the classroom if we go to a hybrid model. So, every change has a domino effect requiring changes to other student schedules. The schedule this year is a very delicate balance.
Parent Q&A Session
Wednesday, Sep 16, 2020, 05:30 PM
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Important Dates for September/October
September 14 - Students log on to their first class at 9:15 AM
September 30 - October 2 - Chromebook Exchange and school photos at CPMS
- 8th Grade - September 30
- 6th Grade - October 1
- 7th Grade - October 2
Back to School Week - October 12-16
- We will have several "mini" events that apply to smaller groups of students. Sessions will be synchronous and asynchronous. More details to come later.
Student Schedule Info
Need Help On Monday?
Meeting ID: 954 9601 1566
Passcode: Help
Student Schedule Information
•Students are expected to engage in their assigned class for the entire period listed below
The first part of every class will be synchronous; this means a teacher will be present and providing new learning and/or review of previous learning. The length of time may vary for synchronous lessons but plan on 15-30 minutes.
•The remainder of the class will be asynchronous; this means students will be engaged in independent work, getting help from the teachers, or small group student work (teachers will remain available).
•Advisory is always a synchronous class; this time is designed to foster student relationships, develop social skills, and provide social and emotional learning opportunities. Students will sometimes be grouped across teams as a way to expand their social interactions with other kids.
•We strongly encourage you to work with your student to create a learning space where she/he will engage with teachers throughout the day, away from distractions, noises, etc.
Please have your student get up and ready/dressed for school; this will help provide routine and consistency. Consider having them prepare a lunch before school starts, as well, if there will not be a parent available during their lunch period.
•Teacher office hours are only for “as needed” access- to get clarification or ask a question about an assignment. Students are not required, but are encouraged, to attend.
•If your child needs to get a lunch from a designated school site, they can use the part of the “orange block” adjacent to their lunch (6th and 8th grade) or the last part of their period 3 elective, if your child is a 7th grader. Please reach out to your child’s counselor if you are concerned about your child’s access to food during lunch.
•If your child receives services through ESL, Special Education, or AVID they will have additional classes during the “orange block” of time.
•Your child’s first core teacher will help them “translate” their printed schedule into a template on the first day of school. Ask them to explain it to you! Also, please post it in their learning environment and maybe an additional copy for you in another location for reference?
6th Grade Orientation Was Virtually AMAZING!
Traditionally, we welcome 6th graders on a Monday at school; they are the only students on campus. We host an assembly, take them on a tour, and give them a "mini" schedule experience.
But this is 2020, and nothing is traditional.
Our 8th grade WEB leaders and WEB Coordinators, Darla McClelland, Larisa Masson, and Amber Jordan, trained our leaders virtually and gave them the tools to lead a total virtual orientation. It was awesome!
6th graders met with their WEB leaders in small breakout rooms; they talked about the culture of Cedar Park and engaged in welcome activities. But we have more work to do - every Wednesday Advisory will be WEB Wednesday. Our 6th graders will connect with their 8th grade WEB leaders, and other CP students will engage in social and community building activities.
Yes, there were some technical issues, but most of those were a result of students not checking their email for the correct WEB Zoom link - we had 3 rooms set up to accommodate the large number of participants. So, if your student didn't use the Zoom link in her/his email, it was a fail.
Also, we asked students to check the link the day before and let us know if there was a problem. If they didn't do that, and the session started, we can't help. We were in the zone.
Being prepared and on time is important.
Missed it? No worries.
Moving forward...every 6th grader has a group and WEB leaders, whether or not they attended the orientation. 6th grade groups will meet with their WEB leaders on a regular basis throughout the year. These first few weeks, WEB leaders will reach out to their groups to connect via email. Please remind your 6th grader to check email. We can't make it happen for her/him; she/he needs to make it happen.
Did you miss Wolf Day and need your supplies?
- School supplies
- Science kit
- T-shirt (6th graders)
- Whiteboard
Did your 6th grader miss orientation? Watch the video below.
Our parents and CP teachers are amazing. Thank you for all your hard work. Be well, Dr. Anderson
School Supply List
- Earbuds or earphones with mic
- Spiral notebook - 4
- Composition notebook - 1
- Small whiteboard
- Dry erase marker
- Eraser (or old sock)
- Graph paper or quad ruled paper (spiral or loose)
- Pencils
- Eraser
- Colored pencils
- 12 inch ruler
- Highlighters
- Glue sticks - 2-3
- Scissors
- Masking tape (not transparent) for science
- Calculator for 6th & 7th graders: basic calculator
- Calculator for 8th grade: scientific calculator
You can get most of these items at the Dollar Store. If you need assistance, we can help. Please send an email to tona_hattery@beaverton.k12.or.us
Copy of the PTC Communication from 9/11
COMMUNICATION: ONGOING
As we begin the year, don’t be shy about emailing teachers, asking questions, and being proactive on how best Cedar Park staff can serve your student. This is a steep learning curve for all involved so constructive feedback is welcome & necessary, but c’mon y’all...note the word constructive :)
LEARNING SPACE: ESSENTIAL
This pandemic has all upside down. Are we working from home or living at work?
Set your minion up for success by carving out a dedicated learning space. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but ideally it’s a place where they can sit & focus (with limited distractions), but walk away from when the school day is over. So…no beds, if possible.
SCHEDULE: CONSISTENT
Students will now have the same schedule every day with classes beginning at 9:15am and ending at 3:50pm (our normal Cedar Park hours). **Yes, this is different from the middle school video sent out by the District. Not all middle schools chose the same schedule.
Wednesday’s schedule will look slightly different, with students starting with a 30-minute synchronous (live) advisory, and then moving on to the posted asynchronous assignments for each class. Some children may have a special education class, ESL class, or AVID class if they are eligible.
LEARNING: SYNCHRONOUS
Cedar Park students will have 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 a synchronous lesson that will be about 15-20 minutes with a teacher, but times will vary depending on the lesson. 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 includes:
30-minute lunch break (see Burning Questions below if your student will be headed to a school site for lunch)
25-minute advisory session to promote socio-emotional health (which could include WEB for 6th graders, team building etc)
90 minute wellness block for independent reading (humanities book), wellness (a screen break to catch up on assignments, snack break), or applied learning (doing their homework). This time will also be used to check in with AVID students, some ESL students, and some students with an IEP. Lunch break may extend into this time for 6/8 grades.
Looking for specific times for each class/grade? Check out the latest Cedar Reader.
ATTENDANCE: TAKEN
Teachers will be taking attendance every day in every class period. The easiest way to “check in” for attendance will be via Canvas, when the student accesses each class. 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.
Parents will still need to either call the Attendance line (503-356-2561) or email the Attendance Secretary (jennifer_adishian@beaverton.k12.or.us) when your child is sick or unable to “attend” class that day.
GRADES: GIVEN
Grades will be given, with the 1-8 MYP scoring for assessments and letter grades at semester.
CANVAS: REQUIRED
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 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 & watch on-demand videos and a Canvas webinar HERE.
**PLEASE NOTE: Of all the helpful things parents can do, learning how to navigate Canvas is top of the list.
ELECTIVES: TWO
Students will now have two electives. Ms. Clifford, our vice principal, painstakingly went through all 900+ student forecasting sheets to ensure that they are given one of their top two choices. BLESS THIS WOMAN.
Other items to note:
Cedar Park was unable to offer Spanish or STEM this year.
PE will only be synchronous two days a week. On their off-days, students will be given an assignment via Canvas.
Electives are only for one semester. Students can see their 2nd semester electives already in StudentVue or Parentvue.
BRAND-NEW CHROMEBOOKS: COMING SOON
The 2014 bond paid for another round of fantastically-new chromebooks for middle schoolers this year. Due to Covid delays (shocker) they will not be ready to be distributed until 9/30- 10/2. More info to come soon, but at that same pick-up event, students will have school pictures taken and pick up art supply kits.
Having issues with your current Chromebook or didn’t pick one up last spring? Email shd@beaverton.k12.or.us and they will get a device into your hot little hands.
START DATE: MONDAY, 9/14
The first day of school is Monday, 9/14. Students should receive a postcard and an email from their Core1 teacher with the link to connect to at 9:15am on 9/14. Teachers have spent this week calling students/families to check in and connect prior to school starting. Zoom links will otherwise be accessed through Canvas for every other class this year. Your child just clicks on each class to get the link. This is important because the school looks at Canvas use to help track attendance.
What about the rest of the year? BSD’s revised 2020-21 calendar is available, along with several translations.
ADVISORY: DAILY
All students will have a live advisory every day, including Wednesday. Advisory is non-academic time that focuses on building connections & having fun, and are built across teams, giving students a few fresh faces from their cohort each day. There may be a bit of socio-emotional lessons thrown in, announcements of the day, etc. Imagine the middle school equivalent of community circle.
COHORTS: BALANCED
Eventual hybrid cohorts have been built from this fall’s CDL sections. Instead of reinventing the wheel when we move to hybrid, Cedar Park admins built 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, your student will have the same 33ish kids in all five of their 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.
THIS MEANS SCHEDULES ARE SET IN STONE. To change one class means your student would need a complete schedule change (and Cedar Park would have to switch an unwitting student from their current schedule to accommodate the change).
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
The lunch break is only 30 minutes. What if we need to go to a school site to receive a lunch provided by the District?
If students need to go to a school to get lunches on Tuesday or Thursday, they can use some of their applied learning time (6th and 8th grades) or their asynchronous (independent) work time during their 3rd period elective class (7th grade).
What are teachers’ office hours and does my student have to attend them?
Students check in with a teacher via office hours only if they have a question or need support with an assignment. Teachers will always be available during their class period and will have posted office hours on Wednesdays.
Will our babies have homework?
If they do, Dr. A is encouraging teachers to take it off-screen to give their eyes (and sanity) a break.
Do students have to use a BSD device or can they use a computer from home?
Yes, students can use a computer/device from home, though some parent feedback on the chat indicated that using the BSD apps can be slower on your own computer.
Do parents have to notify Cedar Park if their child is “absent” (unable to zoom)?
Parents will still need to either call the Attendance line (503-356-2561) or email the Attendance Secretary (jennifer_adishian@beaverton.k12.or.us) when your child is sick or unable to “attend” class that day.
Are the electives for the full year?
No, the electives are for one semester. 2nd semester electives are already available in ParentVUE.
Will students have access to Cedar Park library?
Yes, our incredible LMA (library media assistant), Debbie Hernandez, is currently working hard to figure out a book request system. Additionally, BSD will be creating library busses to roll through the streets this fall. BRILLIANT.
Will Back to School Night happen?
Yes, but it is now a week (Oct 12-15) that will feature a series of smaller, shorter sessions with your student’s team, parent educational sessions (MYP, Canvas) and presentations by Cedar Park admin.
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 through their advisory.
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.
QUICK VOCAB FOR THOSE STILL CATCHING UP
***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
Class begins every morning at 9:15
Parent Academy and Instructional Videos
Remember when I asked you to set aside time this week to learn how to be an "online parent" and promised educational session? Well, it's here.
Follow this link to the district ToolKit to learn about Canvas, ParentVue, our schedule, etc.
We are working on more helpful videos, and I'll let you know when they are available.
Thank you for partnering with us to support your student. We all want our kids to be super successful this year!